840 DOCTUINE OF THE SAINTS' PERSEVERANCE. [cflAP.
there is but one living, quickening soul in head and members. If a man could be imagined so big and tall as that his feet should stand upon the earth, and liis head reach the starry heavens, yet, having but one soul, he is still but one man. As, then, one living soul makes the natural head and members to be one, one body ; so one quickening Spirit, dwelling in Christ and his members, gives them their union, and makes them one Christ, one body. This is clear from 1 Cor. xii. 12, 13. As "the first man Adam was made a living soul," so " the last Adam is made a quickening spirit," chap. xv. 45.
(2.) Of husband and wife. The union that is between them sets out the union betwixt Christ and his saints. There is not any one more frequent illustration of it in the Scripture, the Holy Ghost pursuing the allusion in all the most considerable concernments of it, and holding it out as the most solemn representation of the union that is between Christ and his church: Eph. v. 31, 32, "For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mys- tery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church." The transi- tion is eminent from the conjugal relation that is between man and wife unto Christ and his church. What the apostle had spoken of the one, he would have understood of the other. Wherein consists, then, the union between man and wife, which is chosen by God himself to represent the union between Christ and his church? The Holy Ghost informs us. Gen. ii. 24, " They shall be no more twain, but one flesh." This is their union, — they shall be no more twain, but (in all mutual care, respect, tenderness, and love) one flesh. The rise of this yoji have, verse 23, because of the bone and flesh of Adam was Eve his helper made. Hence are they said to be " one flesh." Wherein, then, in answer to this, is the union between Christ and his church? The same apostle tells us, 1 Cor. vi. 16, 17, "He,'' saith he, " that is joined to an harlot is one body, but he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit." As they are one flesh, so these are one spirit; and as they are one flesh, because the one was made out of the other, so these are one spirit, because the Spirit which is in Christ, by dwelling in them, makes them his members, which is their union.
(3.) Of a tree, — an olive, a vine, and its boughs and branches. "I am the vine," saith Christ, "ye are the branches," John xv. 5; "abide in me, and I in you." As tree and branches, they have an abiding union one with another. Wherein this consists the apostle sets out under the example of an olive and his boughs, Rom. xi. 16, 17. It is in this, that tlie branches and boughs being ingrafted into the tree, they partake of the very same juice and fatness with the root and tree, being nourished thereby. There is the same fruc- tifying, fattening virtue in the one as the other; only with this
VIII.] THE INDWELLING OF THE SPIRIT. 341
difference, in the root and tree it is originally, in the boughs by communication. And this also is chosen to set out the union of Christ and his. Both he and they are partakers of the same fruit- bearing Spirit ; he that dwells in them dwells in him also : only, it is in him, as to them, originally ; in them by communication from him. Take a scion, a graft, a plant, fix it to the tree with all the art yon can, and bind it on as close as possible, yet it is not united to the tree until the sap that is in the tree be communicated to it; which communication states the union. Let a man be bound to Christ by all the bonds of profession imaginable, yet unless the sap that is in him, the holy and blessed Spirit, be also communicated to him, there is no union between them. And this is the first thing that doth issue and depend upon the indwelling of the Spirit in believers, even union with Christ, which is a demonstration of it a posteriori.
2. The Spirit as indwelling gives us life and quickening. "God quickens our mortal bodies (or us in them) by his Spirit that dwelleth in us," Rom. viii. 1 ] , by which Spirit Christ also was raised from the dead; and therefore, the apostle mentioning in another place the beginning and carrying on of faith in us, he saith it is wroug|it "ac- cording to the exceeding greatness of the power of God, which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead," Eph. i. 19, 20. Now, in this quickening there are two things: — (1.) The actus pri- mus, or the life itself bestowed ; (2.) The operations of that life in them on whom it is bestowed.
(1.) For the first, I shall not positively determine what it is, nor wherein it doth consist. This is clear, that by nature "we are dead in trespasses and sins;" that in our quickening we ha^e a new spi- ritual life communicated to us, and that from Christ, in whom it is treasured up for that purpose. But what this life is, it doth not fully appear whilst we are here below. All actual graces confessedly flow from it, and are distinct from it, as the operations of it. I say, in this sense they flow from it confessedly, as suitable actings are from habits, though to the actual exercise of any grace within, new help and assistance is necessary, in that continual dependence are we upon the fountain. Whether it consists in that which is called " habitual grace," or the gracious suitableness and disposition of the soul unto spiritual operations, may be doubted. The apostle tells us Christ is our life: Col. iii. 4, "When Christ, who is our life, shall appear;" and Gal. il 20, "Christ liveth in me." Christ liveth in believers by his Spirit, as hath been declared. "Christ dwelleth in you," and, "His Spirit dwelleth in you," are expressions of the same import and signification. But, —