* See On Communion with God, vol. ii. of this edition of the author’s works. — ED,
VER. 12-14.] EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 147
be called, or whatever may be the effects of it, they may wither, die, and perish. Men may be so cut off from the old stock of nature as not to have sin grow or flourish in them, not to bear its blossoms, nor visible fruit, and yet have no principle of grace to bring forth fruit unto holiness. And, 2. That whatever grace follows it pro- ceeds from it, is evident from the nature of the thing itself. For our uniting unto Christ consisteth in or immediately ariseth from the communication of his Spirit unto us; for “he that is joined to the Lord is one Spirit,” 1 Cor. vii 17, Our conjunction unto him consists in our participation of the same Spirit with him, And by this Spirit is Christ himself, or the nature of Christ, formed in us, 2 Pet.i. 4 And if all the grace that we are or can be made par- takers of in this world be but that nature, in the several parts and acts of it, that from whence it proceeds, whereby it is formed in us, must needs in order of nature be antecedent unto it. No grace we have, or can have, but what is wrought in us by the Spirit of Christ. Whence else should we have it? Doth it grow naturally in our own gardens? or can other men plant and water it, and give it life and increase? Nay, but all grace is the fruit and effect of the Spirit, as the Scripture everywhere declares. See Gal. v. 22, 23, It implies, then, a contradiction, that any one should have any lively saving grace, and not antecedently in order of nature receive the Spirit of grace from Christ: for he is the cause, and grace is the effect; or, as he is sayingly bestowed, according to the promise of the cove- nant, he is the spring and fountain, or efficient cause, of all grace whatever. Now, our union with Christ, our participation of him, consists in the inhabitation of the same Spirit in him and us; and the first work of this Spirit given unto us, bestowed upon us, is to form Christ in us, whereby our union is completed. But it will be asked, whether the Spirit of Christ doth come into a soul that hath no grace ?—if so, then he may be in a graceless person. I answer, that although this in order of nature is consequent unto the com- munication of the Spirit unto us, as the effect is and must be to the cause, as light and heat in the beam are unto the sun, yet it hath a simulty of time with it; as Austin speaks well of the original of the soul, “Creando infunditur, et infundendo creatur.” God doth not first create a soul, giving it an existence of its own, without union *vith the body, but creates it in and by its infusion. So the Spirit doth not come unto us, and afterward quicken or sanctify us; but he doth this by his coming unto us, and possessing our hearts for and with Christ. This the apostle calls the forming of Christ in us, Gal iv. 19, “Axpis o5 woppwl% Xprorig ev viva, “Until Christ be formed” (or “fashioned”) “in you,’—as a child is fashioned or formed in the womb; that is, ‘until the whole image and likeness of Christ be imparted unto and implanted upon your souls.” This is the new creature that is wrought in every one that is in Christ;
148 AN EXPOSITION OF THE [CHAP. III.
that every one is who is in Christ: for the introduction of this new spiritual form gives denomination unto the person. He that is “in Christ Jesus is a new creature,” 2 Cor. v.17. And this is “ Christ in us, the hope of glory,” Col. i. 27.
1. It is “ Christ in us:” for, (1.) It-is from him, he is the author of it, and thence he is said to be “our life,” Col. iii. 4. (2.) It is like him, it is his image, and by and through him the image of God, 2 Cor. ili. 18; Eph. iv. 23, 24. (8.) It is that which gives us a spi- ritual continuity unto Christ; for being united unto him as mem- bers unto the head, there must be a constant communicative motion of blood and spirit between him and us, which is hereby, Eph. iv. 16; Col. ii. 19. And without this we are without Christ, or so separated from him as that we can do nothing, John xv. 5; for suppose a believer to stand “seorsum,” alone by himself, ywpi¢ Xpiorod, at a distance from Christ, without a course and recourse of spiritual sup- plies from him, and he can do nothing but die. Cut off a member from the body, dissolve its natural continuity to the head, and all the world cannot fetch life into it. Take a member, suppose a hand, lay it as near the head as you will, bind it to it, yet if it hath not a natural continuity with the head, it will not live. It is so here. A member separated from Christ hath no life, Let it seem to lie near the Head by profession and many engagements, if it have not this spiritual continuity unto Christ, it hath no life in it. 2. It is the “hope of glory,”’—(1.) as the kernel is the hope of fruit; (2.) as a pledge or earnest is the hope of the whole contract. In this forming of Christ in us are we made partakers of all grace and holiness in the principle and root of them, for therein doth this image of God in Christ consist. Now, this proceeding from our union, the latter is, and must be, before it in order of nature, and so be the rule, measure, and cause of all that ensues.