Here the apostle shews the ground of our union and communion with Christ, because having his Spirit, we are of necessity his ; as St John speaks, 1 John iii. 24, ' And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.' What ties and makes one, things far asunder, but the same Spirit of life in both ? So that Spirit which is in him, a full running- over fountain, dropping down and being also infused in us, unites us unto him ; yea, that very Spirit communicated to me in some measure, which is in him in such fulness, that Spirit doth tie me as fast unto Christ as any joint ties member to member, and so makes Christ dwell in mine heart. As the apostle to this purpose speaks, Eph. ii. 21, 22, ' That thus by one Spirit we are built up and made the temple of God, and come to be the habitation of God by the Spirit.' So that now by this means we are inseparably knit and united unto him. For, I pray you, what is it that makes a member to be a member^to another? Not the nearness of joining, or lying one to or upon another, but the same quickening spirit and life which is in both, and which causeth a like motion. For otherwise, if the same life were not in the member, it should be corrupt, dead, and of no use to the other ; so that it is the same spirit and life which is in the things conjoined that unites. Yet to explain this more — as I have often in the like case spoken — imagine a man were as high as heaven, the same life and spirit being in all parts, what is that now that can cause his toe to stir, there being such a huge distance betwixt the head and it ? Even that self-same life which is in the head being in it ; no sooner doth the head will the toe to stir but it moves. So is it with us ; that very Spirit which is in him being in us, and he in us, thereby we are united to him, grow in him, and live in him, rejoice in him, and so are kept and preserved to be glori- * That is, ' inflamed.'— G.
VOL. VII. A a
370 THE WITNESS OF SALVATION.
fied with him. He is the * second Adam,' from whom we received the influence of all good things, showering* down and distilling the graces of his Spirit upon all his members, that look, as it was said of Aaron, who was a type of the second Adam, and of that holy oil representing the graces of the Spirit, ' Which did not only run down his head and beard, but the skirts of his garments, and all his rich attire about,' Ps. cxxxiii. 2 ; so when I see the oil of the Spirit of grace not only rest upon the head, but also descend to his heel and run upon the members, making me now as one of them, in some sort another thing than I was or my natural state made me, by the same Spirit I know I am conveyed into Christ and united unto him. To this purpose is that which Christ so stands upon, John vi. 63, unto the Jews, where, speaking of the eating of his flesh, and that bread of life which came down from heaven, lest they should mistake him, he adds, ' It is the Spirit that quickeneth, the flesh proiiteth nothing ; the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.' So that we see it is the Spirit that gives a being unto the thing ; and therefore the apostle also pro- ceeds to shew, 'As many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God,' Rom. viii. 13, 14 ; that look, as Christ is the true natural Son of God, so we as trul}', by the conveyance of the same Spirit unto us, are his sons by adoption, and so heirs of God. This he begins to shew, ver. 15, that now being in this excellent estate, they were not only servants or friends — a most high prerogative — but they were 'the sons of God,' having * the Spirit of adoption,' whereby they might boldly call God Father. In which verse he opposeth ' the spirit of bondage,' which doth make a man fear again, ' unto the Spirit of adoption,' which frees a man from fears, so as boldly to call God Father.
Now two things may be observed hence : first, the order that the Sjnnt of God keeps. Ere it comforts, it shakes and makes us fear. This the apostle speaks of, Heb. ii. 14, where he shews the end of Christ's coming was, that ' Because the children were partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part with them ; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil ; and deliver them who through the fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.' The first work then of the Comforter is to put a man in fear. Further, hence is shewed, that until this Spirit doth work this fear, a man doth not fear. The heart holds out. The obstinacy is so great, that if hell gates were open, a man will not yield till then that the Spirit worketh it. So St John speaks of the Comforter, that ' when he comes, he will convince or reprove the world of sin,' John xvi. 8 ; that is, he will convince and shew a man that he is but a bondman ; and so he makes us to fear.