These are the things wherein we have communion with Christ as to purchased grace in this life. Drive them up to perfection, and you have that which we call everlasting glory. Perfect acceptance, perfect holiness, perfect adoption, or inheritance of sons, — that is glory.
Our process now, in the next place, is to what I mainly intend, even the manner how we hold communion with Christ in these thines ; and that in the order laid down ; as, —
I. How we hold communion with him in the obedience of his life and merit of his death, as to acceptance with God the Father.
II. How we hold communion with Christ in his hlood, as to the Spirit of sanctification, the habits and acts of grace.
III. How we hold communion with him as to the privileges Ave en- joy. Of which in the ensuing chapters.
CHAPTER VIII.
How the saints hold communion with Christ as to their acceptation with God — What is required on the part of Christ hereunto; in his intention; in the declaration thereof — The sum of our acceptation with God, wherein it con- sists— What is required on the part of believers to this communion, and how they hold it, with Christ — Some objections proposed to consideration, whj' the elect are not accepted immediately on the undertaking and the death of Christ — In what sense they are so — Christ a common or public person — How he came to be so — The way of our acceptation with God on that account — The second objection — The necessity of our obedience stated, Eph. ii. 8-10 — The grounds, causes, and ends of it manifested — Its proper place in the new covenant — How the saints, in particvilar, hold communion with Christ in this purchased grace — They approve of this righteousness ; the grounds there- of— Reject their own ; the gi-ounds thereof— The commutation of sin and righteousness between Christ and believers ; some objections answered.
I. Communion with Christ in purchased grace, as unto acceptation luith God, from the obedience of his life and efficacy of his death, is the first thing we inquire into. The discovery of what on the part of Christ and what on our part is requhed thereunto (for our mutual actings, even his and ours, are necessary, that we may have fellowship and communion together herein), is that which herein I intend.
First, On the part of Christ there is no more required but these two things: — (1.) That what he did, he did not for himself, but for us.
] 74 OF COMMUNION WITH THE SON JESUS CHRIST.
(2.) What lie suffered, he suffered not for himself, but for us. That is, that his iuteution from eternity, and when he was in the world, was, that all that he did and suffered was and should be for us and our advantage, as to our acceptance with God ; that he still continueth making use of what he so did and suffered for that end and pui7)ose, and that only. Now, this is most evident: —
(1.) What he did, he did for us, and not for himself: " He was made under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons," Gal. iv. 4, 5. He was made under the law ; that is, in that condition that he was obnoxious to the will and commands of it. And why was this? to what end? for himself? No; but to redeem us is the aim of all that he did, — of all his obedience: and that he did. This very intention in what he did he acquaints us with, John xvii. 19, " For their sakes I sanctify myself, that they may be sanctified through the truth." " I sanctify myself, — dedicate and set myself apart to all that work I have to do. I came not to do my own will; I came to save that which was lost; to minister, not to be ministered unto; and to give my life a ransom;" — it was the testimony he bare to all he did in the world. This intendment of his is especially to be eyed. From eternity he had thoughts of what he Avould do for us ; and delighted himself therein. And when he was in tlie world, in all he went about, he had still this thought, " This is for them, and this is for them, — my beloved." When he went to be baptized, says John, " I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?" Matt, iii. 14, 15; as if he had said, " Thou hast no need at all of it." But says Christ, " Suffer it to be so, now ; for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness;" — "I do it for them who have none at all, and stand obliged unto all."
(2.) In what he suffered. This is more clear, Dan. ix. 26, " Messiah shall be cut off, but not for himself" And the apostle lays down this as a main difference between him and the high priests of the Jews, that when they made their solemn offerings, they offered first for themselves, and then for the people; but Jesus Chiist offered only for others. He had no sin, and could make no sacrifice for his own sin, which he had not, but only for others. He " tasted death every man," Heb. ii. 9, — " gave his life a ransom for many," Matt. xx. 28. The " iniquity of us all was made to meet on him," Isa. liii. 6 ; — " He bare our sins in his own body on the tree," 1 Pet. ii. 24; — " loved the church, and gave himself for it," Eph. v. 25 ; Gal. ii. 20 ; Rom. iv. 25 ; Rev. i. 5, 6; Tit. ii. 14; 1 Tim. ii. 6; Isa. liii. 12; John xvii. 19. But this is exceeding clear and confessed, that Chri.st in his suffering and ob- lation, had his intention only upon the good of his elect, and their acceptation with God; suftering for us, " the just for the unjust, that he miaht biincr us to God."