3. It is a cause of it. That Spirit of power by which Christ was raised out of the grave, is the very efficient cause of our being raised and quickened, or of our new birth; for the virtue purchased by Christ's death is then applied to us by him who is now alive, and liveth for evermore for that end and purpose. Therefore it is said, 1 Peter i. 3, ' That God hath begotten us to a lively hope, by the resurrection of Christ ' — by virtue of that power which he now hath, as risen from the dead ; and' Eph i. 19 , 20, ' And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, which he wrought in Christ, when he raised liim from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in heavenly places.' The same power worketh in believers, which wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead. The same power which wrought in and towards Christ's exaltation, is engaged for. believers to work grace, and carry on the Avork of grace in them. Christ risen and living in heaven is the fountain of life in all new creatures. He is the great receptacle of grace, and sendeth it out by his Spirit, — a vital influence to all such as belong to him. And there-
206 SERMONS UPON 2 CORINTHIANS V. [SeE. XXIX.
fore our life is made dependent upon his : John xiv. 19, ' Because I live, ye shall live also.' The life of believers is derived from Christ's life, who is our quickening head, communicating virtue to all his members. There is a virtue in his life to quicken us ; so that we do not live so much as Christ liveth in us : Gal. ii. 20, ' I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me;' as the root in the branches, and the head in the members.
Use 1. Information. It teacheth us three things in i)oiut of use.
1. The suitableness between Christ and believers. Consider him as Grod, or mediator. As God, Christ hath life communicated to him by eternal generation ; so by regeneration we are made partakers of the divine nature. As mediator, he subsists in his life as man, by virtue of the personal union with the Grodhead. So do we live by virtue of the mystical inhabitation or union with Christ by his Spirit ; for our spiritual life floweth from the gracious presence of God in us by his Spirit. Christ as man had first a frail life, subject to hunger, cold, and sufferings ; so have believers a spiritual life, consistent with many weaknesses and infirmities. But now Christ liveth gloriously at the Father's right hand ; so we shall one day bear the image of the heavenly, and be one day freed from all weaknesses. Thus are we conformed unto Christ, and partake of the same life he doth.
2. It informeth us in what way this life is conveyed and continued to us. By virtue of Christ's death and resurrection, by the Spirit through faith ; his death is at the bottom of it, for he died that we should live together with him ; 1 Thes. vi. 10, ' Who died for us, that whether we Avake or sleep, we should live together with him.' His resurrection is the pattern, pledge, and cause of it ; for, Kom. vi. 10, * If we were reconciled by his death, much more, being reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.' After he had rescued us from the power and danger of our sins by his rising from the dead, he is in a greater capacity to send out that Spirit by which he was raised to raise us up to a new life. Then the Spirit is the immediate worker of it, for Christ maketh his first entry, and dwelleth in the hearts of believers, by his Spirit; for we are renewed and born again by the Spirit: John iii. 5. ' That which is born of flesh is flesh ; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit,' without which we are not capable of it. The Spirit worketh faith, and then there is a habitation fit for Christ in the soul : Eph. iii. 17, ' That he may dwell in your hearts by faith.' Then he liveth in us, as the head in the members, Col. ii. 19 ; and the root in the branches, John xv. 1. It is by faith that the union is completed : John i. 12, * To as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God.' And then a virtue and power floweth from this union, to enable us to do those things which are spiritually good and acceptable to God, which is nothing but that which we call life. Without him we can do nothing, John xv. 5 ; with him, and by him, all things: Phil. iv. 13, 'I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me,' — namely by the influence of his Spirit received by faith.
3. It informeth us, it is not enough to believe that Christ died for you, unless also you permit Christ "to live in you. It is not enough