1. Confederation is the foundation of all on our part ; for entering into covenant with God is the ground of our union with him, or by Christ with him ; for then God is our God, and we are his people, Jer. xxiv. 7. Abraham is called the friend of God with respect to the covenant, James ii. 23 ; and we have the right of sons by receiving Christ : John
VeR. 6.] SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN 111. 25
i. 12, ' To as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God ; ' or accepting him as their Lord and Saviour. When the self-condemning sinner doth consent to the terms of the gospel, and heartily accept Christ to be to liim what God hath appointed him to be and do for poor sinners, he hath full allowance to call God Father, and is possessed of all the privileges which belong to his children.
2. Upon this foUoweth union with Christ, which, what it is, cometh now to be discussed. This certainly is not a mere relation to Christ. Union indeed giveth us a title to Christ and Christ a title to us : Cant. ii. 16, ' I am my beloved's, and he is mine.' But yet there is somewhat more than a relation ; for Christ is not only ours and we his, but he is in us and we in him. God is ours, and we are his, and God is in us, and we in God. It is represented not only by relative unions, but such as are real. Kelative, as marriage ; where man and wife by the marriage covenant are one flesh, Eph. v. 31, 32. But by the head and members, who make one body, not with respect to a political, but natural body : 1 Cor. xii. 12, ' For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body ; so also is Christ.' By vine and branches, who make but one tree : John xv. 5, 'I am the vine, ye are the branches.' Again, it is compared to the food and substance that is nourished by it : John vi. 56, ' He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.' As the meat is turned into the eater's substance, so they and Christ become one ; and on feeding on Christ by faith, there followeth a mutual inhabitation. We dwell in him by constant de- pendence, and he abideth in us by constant influence and the quick- ening virtue of his Spirit. Nay, once more, it is compared with the mystery of the Trinity, and the union that is between the divine persons: John xvii. 21-23, ' That they all may be one, as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee ; that they also may be one in us, that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me, I have given them, that they may be one, as we are one : I in them, and thou in me ; that they may be perfect in one, and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them as thou hast loved me.' Which, though it cannot be understood to the full, yet at least it is more than a bare relation. The mystical union im{)lieth somewhat more than a bare title. Yea, it is not only a notion of scrip- ture, but a thing effected and wrought in us by the Spirit : ' By one Spirit we are baj)tized into one body,' 1 Cor. xii. 13. Now the Spirit's works are real. What he doth, doth not infer a bare title and relation only ; there is a presence of Christ in our hearts, and a vivifical influ- ence caused by it.
3. Union maketh way for fruition and communion ; fur we being in Christ, receive all manner of blessings through him and from him : 1 Cor. i. 30, ' But of him ye are in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wi.sdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption;' that is, we receive all manner of benefits by virtue of our union with him. Certainly this union is not a dry notion ; the comfort flowing thence is very real. More especially these benefits may be reduced t(» two — the favour of God, and the life of God. First, The favoiu- of God ; being reconciled to him by Christ, all our sins arc pardoned :
26 SKllMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SeR. X.
Eph. i. 14, ' In whom we have redemption through his blood, the remission of sins.' So far that we are exempted from condemnation : Rom. viii. 1, * There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus.' And our persons are accepted : Eph. i. 6, ' He hath accepted us in the Beloved.' And we are put under the hopes of eternal life : Col. i. 27, ' Christ in you the hope of glory.' Oh, what a mercy is this, that we that could not think of God without horror, nor hear him named without trembling, nor pray to him with any comfort and con- fidence, have now by Christ pardon and absolution, and free access with assurance of welcome and audience, whenever we stand in need of him ; and not only so, but may hopefully expect a child's portion in heaven, ' To be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light.' Secondly, The life of God, which is begun in regeneration, and continued by the influence of his Spirit dwelling and working in our hearts, till it be perfected in the life of glory : 1 John v. 12, ' He that hath the Son hath life.' Another kind of life than he had before ; a living in God and to God, which is the noblest kind of living and being under the sun : Gal. ii. 20, ' I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me ; and the life that I live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God ; ' and Christ is called our life, Col. iii. 4. Christ is the root and foun- tain of it, the living head in whom all the members live, and from whom they receive strength and influence : John xiv. 19, ' Because I live, ye shall live also.' We live by virtue of his life.