1 . By a federal relation —
[As Adam was a head and representative to all his de- scendants, so is Christ to all his spiritual seed^ They have communion with him in all his transactions upon earth, and in heaven : they are circumcised in him, baptized in him, dead with him, quickened with him, risen with him, seated in heaven with him*. We cannot indeed be said to have done or suffered the same things as Christ, (for to assert that we had fulfilled the law, or made atonement for sin, would be blasphemy,) yet by virtue of our relation to him as our Head and Representative, every thing which he either did or suffered, is, as far as respects the beneficial effects of it, consi- dered
'John V. 18. "^ John i. 4. & V. 26. 'Heb. v.p.
■"Acts iv. 12. "Rom, vi. 23. ° John v. 21. & x. 28.
P John xiv. 6. *» Rev, i, 5, 6. ^ John xvii. 21.
' 1 Cor, XV. 22. * Rom. vi. 4, 8. Col. ii. 12, 13. Eph. ii, 5, 6.
dered as though we had done or suffered it : and on this ac- count we may claim, on the footing of justice as well as of mercy, all that he purchased for us, and merited on our behalf".]
a. By a vital union — [The union of a member with the head", or of a branch with the vine^ justly characterizes our union with Christ. Separate from him, we can do nothing^: we can per- form no one act of the spiritual life, nor bring forth any spiritual fruit. The body and the soul are not more closely united than Christ and his people : he lives in them^; he is their very life''; they are one spirit with him ^
Now this, no less than their federal relation to Christ, is known to all true Christians. They do not indeed at all times equally enjoy a sense of it in their minds ; but, in pro- portion as they live nigh to God in the exercise of faith and love, they " have the witness of these things within them- selves'*." Temptation or sin may so weaken the assurance, that it shall be scarcely discerned : but when these obstruc- tions are removed, and the Believer is walking closely with God, a holy confidence will almost invariably crown his laboiu's, and fill his soul with peace ^] We shall conclude this subject with answering two