380 SERMONS UPON KOMANS VIII. [SeR. XLV.
Doct. 2. That none of these things can dissolve the union between Christ and believers.
1. That there is a strict union between Christ and believers, the scriptui-e doth everywhere manifest it ; and the word 'separate' here implieth it, — for notliing can be separated, but wliat was first conjoined. He is the head, and we are the members ; we are the spouse, and he is the husband ; 1 Cor. xii. 12 : 'He is the bead of the church, and the saviour of the body,' Eph. v. 23 ; ' He is the root, and we are the branches,' John xv. 5 ; he is the stock, and we are the graft or scions, Eom. vi. 5.
2. This union is by the Spirit on Christ's part, and faith on ours. By the Spirit : 1 Cor. vi. 17, ' But he that is joined to the Lord is one spirit ; ' 1 Jolm iii. 24, ' And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.' The bond on our part is f;iith : Gal. ii. 20, ' And tlie life that I live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God ; ' and he is said ' to dwell in our hearts by faith,' Eph. iii. 17.
3. Both these bonds imply love, which makes the union more firm and indissoluble. The Spirit is given as the great fruit of Christ's love, so is our faith ; and when once it comes so far that Christ in love hatli given his Spirit, and we by faith love him again, notliing can unclasp these mutual embraces by which Christ loveth us and we love him. The Holy Ghost, as the bond of union, is given us as the fruit of his love; Cln-ist prayeth, John xvii. 26, 'that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.' What is the love wherewith God loved Christ ? The gift of the Spirit : John iii. 34, 3.5, ' For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God ; for God giveth not the Spirit by measure to him. The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand.' This love is manifested to us, and so is Christ in us. And then faith on our part is a faith work- ing by love, Gal. v. 6. Christ hath hold of a believer in the arms of his love ; and so a believer hath hold of Cln-ist. A christian is held by the heart rather than by the head ; only some men's religion lieth in their opinions barely, and then they are always wavering and uncer- tain ; bare reason will let Christ go, when love will not permit us to leave him. If men have a faith that never went deeper than their brains and their fancies, this opinion, or bare superficial assent, will let him go ; but it is the faith that worketh by love wliich produceth this stable and close adherence. A christian is loth to leave Christ, to whom he is married, who hath so loved him, and whom his soul so loveth. Again, the heart is Christ's strong citadel or castle, where he resideth and maintaineth his interests in us. A sinner will not leave bis lusts and worldly profits, because he loveth tliem ; and so a christian is loth to leave Christ, because of his love to him. Faith resents to the soul what Christ hath done for us : washed us in his blood, and recon- ciled us to God ; espoused us to himself, and spoken peace to our souls.
4. That Christ's love is the cause and reason of ours ; and therefore the stability of our love to him dependeth upon his love to us, and it is the reason ; Christ loveth us first, best, and most : 1 John iv^ 19, ' We love him, because he loved us first ; ' that is, because of the great things
VeR. 35.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIU. 381
lie hath done for us, in a way of satisfaction, to reconcile God to us ; and in a way of conversion, to reconcile us to God ; and in a way of preparation for our eternal blessedness, in the fruition of God. In a way of satisfaction ; it was his love engaged him to die for us : Gal. ii. 20, ' Who loved me, and gave himself for me ; ' Eev. i. 5, ' Who hath loved us, and washed us in his blood.' This was the internal bosom- cause of all that he did for us. His love in conversion, in that he brought us home to God : Eph. ii. 4, 5, ' For his great love wherewith he loved us, when we were dead in sins, he quickened us.' So his rich preparations for our blessedness : 1 Cor. ii. 9, ' Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man the things wliicli God hath prepared for them that love him ;' and 1 John iii. 1, 2, ' Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God ; therefore the world knoweth us not. Behold now are we the sons of God, and it doth not appear what we shall be ; but we know tliat when he shall appear, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.' Now what is of such moment as to- cause us to cease loving him who hath loved us at such a high rate ? Secondly, It is the effective cause, not an exciting argument only ; for his love inclines to improve his power to preserve us in a state of grace. Three things concur to that : his intercession with God, his giving the Spirit to his people, and his government over the world.