(^dly.) God communicates nothing in a way of grace unto any but in and by the person of Christ, as the mediator and head of the church, John i. 18. In the old creation, all things were made by the eternal Word, the person of the Son, as the Wisdom of God, John i. 3 ; Col. i. 16. There was no immediate emanation of divine power from the person of the Father, for the production of all or any created beings, but in and by the person of the Son, their wisdom and power being one and the same as acted in him. And the supportation of all things in the course of divine providence is his immediate work also, whence he is said to "uphold all things by the word of his power," Heb. i. 3. And so it is in the new creation with respect unto his person as mediator. Therein was he the " image of the invisible God, the first-born of every creature, having the pre-eminence in all things; and he is before all things, and by him all things consist," Col. i. 15, 17, 18. In the raising of the whole new creation, which
516 THE POSITIVE WORK OF THE SPIRIT [BOOK IV.
is by a new spiritual life and holiness communicated unto all the parts of ifc, the work is canied on immediately by the person of Christ the mediator; and none hath any share therein but what is received and derived from him. This is plainly asserted, Eph. ii. 10. So the apostle disposeth of this matter: " The head of every man is Christ, and the head of Christ is God," 1 Cor. xi. 3; which is so in respect of influence as well as of rule. As God doth not immediately govern the church, but in and by the person of Christ, whom he hath given to be head over all things thereunto, so neither doth he ad- minister any grace or holiness unto any but in the same order; for " the head of every man is Christ, and the head of Christ is God."
(■ithly.) God doth work real, effectual, sanctifying grace, spiritual strength and holiness, in believers, yea, that grace whereby they are enabled to believe and are made holy, and cloth really sanctify them more and more, that they may be preserved " blameless to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." This hath been so fully confirmed in the whole of what hath been discoursed both concerning regeneration and sanctification as that it must not be here again insisted on.
Wherefore, all this grace, according unto the former assertion, is communicated unto us; through and by Christ, and no otherwise.
2dly. Whatever is wrought in believers by the Spirit of Christ, it is in their union to the person of Christ, and by virtue thereof. That the Holy Spirit is the immediate efficient cause of all grace and holiness I have sufficiently proved already, unto them to whom any thing in this kind will be sufficient. Now, the end why the Holy Spirit is sent, and consequently of all that he doth as he is so sent, is to glorify Christ; and this he doth by receiving from Christ, and communicating thereof unto others, John xvi. 13-15. And there are two works of this kind which he hath to do and doth effect : — first. To unite us to Christ; and, secondly. To communicate all grace unto us from Christ, by virtue of that union.
(1st.) By him are we united unto Christ; — that is, his person, and not a ligJit within us, as some think ; nor the doctrine of the gospel, as others with an equal folly seem to imagine. It is by the doctrine and grace of the gospel that we are united, but it is the person of Christ whereunto we are united; for "he that is joined unto the Lord is one Spirit," 1 Cor. vi. 17, because by that one Spirit he is joined unto him; for "by one Spirit we are all baptized into one body," chap. xii. 13, — implanted into the body, and united unto the head. And therefore, " if we have not the Spirit of Christ, we are none of his," Rom. viii. 9. We are therefore his, — that is, united unto him, — by a participation of his Spirit. And hereby Christ him- self is in us; for "Jesus Christ is in us, except we be reprobates," 2 Cor. xiii. 5 ; — that is, he is in us " by his Spirit that dwelleth in
CHAP. VI.] IN THE SANCTIFICATION OF BELIEVERS. 517
US," Rom. viii. 9, 11; 1 Cor. vi. 19. It may therefore be inquired, whether we receive the Spirit of the gospel from the person of Christ or no? And this is the inquiry which nothing but the ex- treme ignorance or impudence of some could render seasonable or tolerable, seeing formerly no Christian ever doubted of it, nor is he so now who doth disbelieve it. It is true, we receive him by the "preaching of the gospel," Gal. iii. 2; but it is no less true that we receive him immediately from the person of Christ. For no other reason is he called so frequently "The Spirit of Christ;" that is, the Spirit which he gives, sends, bestows, or communicates. He receives of the Father the " promise of the Holy Ghost," and sheddeth him forth, Acts ii. 33.