and full upon Christ,-if he be not in all things levelled and proportioned unto him by the doctrine of the apostles and prophets (which is therefore likewise called a foundation, because by it we are set right upon Christ, who is the 'foundation of foundations,' as the Scripture speaks ) he cannot abide in the building for ever: the wall and the foundation must all have the same centre: and there must be the same propensions and affections in us which were in Christ; his rule must be ours, and his ends ours, and his will ours. If there be any such exorbitances, and swellings out, as make the heart have quite another point and centre to move to, other grounds to fix upon,-if men will despise the Word, will not be paired and regulated to the foundation, but "will trust in oppression and perverseness, and stay on that; this iniquity will, at length, prove a breach which cometh suddenly at an instant d."

Thirdly, This union is compared to an 'ingrafture of a branch in a tree, whereby the juice and nourishment of the stock is conveyed, and the branch thereby quickened to bring forth fruit. Where, by the way, it is worth our noting, that the church is most usually, in this particular, compared to 'a vine,' and the branches of a vine, to note, that there is nothing of worth or expectations in Christians, but their fruit. A man cannot make a pin to fasten in a wall of the branch of a vine. An unfruitful Christian is the most unprofitable creature that is: there are no secondary uses which can mediate (as I may so speak) for a dead vine, to keep that from the fire: either it must be for fruit or for fuel; to all other purposes it is utterly improper and unprofitable.

Now we must observe, that a branch may be in a tree two ways: First, by a mere corporal adherency, or continuation with the stock; by cleaving and sticking to the body of the tree; and so every dead branch is in the tree, as well as those that live: but this alone is not that which our Saviour requires; for such branches the husbandman will cut off and cast into the fire. Secondly, by a real participation of the life, sap, and influences of the root; which unto the former sort of branches, though offered, yet it is not received, be

c Isai. xxviii. 16. d Isai. xxx. 12, 13. • John xv. 1, 5. f Ezek. xv. 3.

cause of the inward deadness and indisposition that is in it. Thus it is between Christ and Christians. That which makes us to be in Christ after any kind of way, is faith. And according to the differences of faith, are these differences of being in Christ to be discerned. St. James makes mention of a 'dead faith,' when men are in Christ by some general acknowledgment, by external profession, by a partial dependence (coming to him only as to a Jesus for room and shelter to keep them from the fire; not as to a Christ for grace and government in his service), not by any particular and willing attraction of those vital influences, those working principles of grace and obedience, which are from him shed abroad upon true believers. And this is the semi-conversion and imperfect renovation of many men, whereby they receive from him only general light of truth and common virtues, which makes them visibly and externally branches in him. But St. Paul makes mention of a lively, operative, unfeigned faith, which, in true believers, draweth in the power of Christ's death, and the virtue of his resurrection, unto the mortification of sin, and quickening of Spirit, and bringing forth fruit unto God: and this only is that, which is the ground of our life from him. "The life that I live, I live by the faith of the Son of God.”

Lastly, This union unto Christ is compared unto marriage", whereby the Church hath a right and propriety created to the body, name, goods, table, possessions, purchases of Christ; and doth reciprocally become all his, resigning its will, ways, desires, unto his government. Now for the discovery of this, we may consider either the essentials, or the consequence of marriage. The former hath, for the genus,' the most general requisite consent: and that must have these differences and restrictions. First, It must be a mutual consent; for though Christ declare his good will, when he knocketh at our doors, and beseecheth us in the ministry of his Word; yet if we keep our distance, reject his tokens of love and favour, stop our ears to his invitations, there is then no covenant made; this is but a wooing and

g Jam. ii. 26. h Psal. xlv. Ephes. v. 32. i Lombard dist. c. 4. distinct. 17, Ubi non est utriusque consensus, non potest esse matrimonium. Instit. Jur. Can. lib. 2. Tit. 11.—Nuptias igitur. Aquin. supplem. 3 partis q. 45. art. I. Fran. a Victor. Relect. 7. part. 1.

no marriage. Secondly, It must be a present consent; and in words de præsenti,' or else it is only a promise, but no contract. Many men, like Balaam, would feign die the death of the righteous, but live their own lives; would feign belong to Christ at the last, and have nothing to do with him ever before; would have him out of need, but not at all out of love, and therefore for the present they put him off. Many other suitors they have, whom they cannot defer, or deny ; till at last, peradventure, he grows jealous and weary, departs from them, and turns unto those who will esteem him worthy of more acceptation." Seeing you put the Word from you," saith the apostle, "and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, lo! we turn unto the Gentiles."Thirdly, It must be free and unrestrained; for compulsion makes it a ravishment, and not a marriage. They who must be but one body, ought first to agree in the same free and willing resolution. Many men when God slaves them", will enquire early after him; when he puts them upon a rack, will give a forced consent to serve him; when he sends his lions amongst them ", will send for his priests to instruct them how to worship him: but this is only to flatter with their lips, that they may escape the present pain; (like the howling devotion of some desperate mariner in a storm) not at all out of cordial and sincere affection. Wicked men deal no better with God, than the frogs in the fable with the block which was thrown in to be their king. When he makes a noise and disturbs their peace, when he falls heavy upon them, they are sore affrighted, and seem to reverence his power but if he suffer their stream to be calm about them, and stir not up his wrath, they securely dance about him, and re-assume their wonted looseness. Fourthly, It must be without error°; for he that errs, cannot consent. If a woman take herself upon some absence of her husband

i Verba præsentem consensum exprimentia sunt necessaria. Instit. Jur. Can. lib. 2. Tit. 11. Sect. licet autem' Lombard. lib. 4. distinct. 28. Francisc. a Victoria Relect. 7. part. 1. punct. 2. k Acts xiii. 26. Acts xxii. 21. I Quorum unum corpus est, unus debet esse et animus. Urban. in Decret. part. 2 caus. 31. Lombard, dist. 29. m Psal. lxxviii. 34, 37. n 2 Kings

xvii. 25, 26. • Qui errat, non sentit ; ergo nec consentit. Decret. part. 2. caus. 29. qu. 1.-Error circa ea quæ sunt de essentià contractus, vitiat contractum. Fran, a Victoria Relect. 7. part. 1. punct. 2.

to be now free from him, and conceive him dead, and thereupon marry again; if it appear that the former husband is yet living P, there was a mistake and error in the person, and so a nullity in the contract. So if a man mistake himself, judge himself free from his former tie unto sin and the law, and yet live in obedience to his lusts still, and is not cleansed from his filthiness; he cannot give any full consent to Christ, who will have a chaste spouse without adulterers or corrivals. Lastly, It must be a universal and perpetual consent, for all time, and in all states and conditions. This is a great difference between a wife and a strumpet; a wife takes her husband upon all terms; his burthens as well as his goods; his troubles as well as his pleasures: whereas a strumpet is only for hire and lust; when the purse is emptied, or the body wasted, love is at an end. So here he that will have Christ, must have him all (for Christ is not divided'); must entertain him to all purposes, must follow the Lamb wheresoever he goeth; must leave father, mother, wife, children, his own life for Christ; must take as well his yoke, as his crown; as well his sufferings, as his salvation; as well his grace as his mercy; as well his spirit to lead, as blood to redeem. He that will be his own master to do the works of his own will, must, if he can, be his own Saviour too, to deliver his soul from the wrath to come.

The consequents and intendments of marriage are two, 'convictus et proles.' First, Mutual society: Christ and a Christian must live together, have intimate and dear acquaintance with each other; the spirit of a Christian must solace itself in the arms and embracements, in the riches and loveliness of Christ; in his absence and removes, long after him; in his presence and returns, delight in him, and entertain him with such pure affections and heavenly desires, as may make him take pleasure in his beauty. Secondly, There must be a fruitfulness in us; we must bring forth unto God. Christ will not have a barren spouse: every one that loveth him, keepeth his commandments.

Now then, in one word, to unfold the more distinct quality

P Decret. part. 2. caus. 34. q. 1. 2. q Quod perpetuitati repugnat, matrimonium tollit. Aquin. supplem. 3. par. q. 47. art. 3. In matrimonio est quasi quædam servitus perpetua. Ibid. art. 6.

of this our union to Christ, we may consider a threefold unity. Of persons in one nature; of natures in one person; of natures and persons in one quality. In the first, is one God; in the second, is one Christ; in the third, is one church. Our union unto Christ is the last of these; whereby he and we are all spiritually united to the making up of one mystical body. The formals reason or bond of this union is the Spirit of Christ', by which, as by immortal and abiding seed, we are begotten anew unto Christ. For he being the second Adam, we are spiritually in him, and from him, as we are naturally or corruptibly in and from Adam. As Adam" was the fountain of all that are naturally generated, and by that means transmitted condemnation to all that are one with him; so Christ is the head of all that are spiritually born again, and by that means transmitteth grace and righteousness to all that are one with him.

From this union of the faithful unto Christ, doth immediately arise a communion with him in all such good things as he is pleased to communicate. I will but touch them, it having been the subject of this discourse hitherto.

First, We have a communion with him in his merits *, which are as fully imputed unto us for justification, as if his sufferings had been by us endured, or the debt by us satisfied as we find in the body medicines often applied unto sound parts, not with relation to themselves, but to cure others which are unsound. In a distillation of rheums on the eyes, we cup and scarify the neck which was unaffected,

:

s Occulta commuDomino, unus spit1 John iii. 24.

r D. Reynolds conference with Hart. cap. 1. divis. 2. nicatione et inspiratione gratiæ spiritualis quisquis hæreat ritus est. Aug. de Peccat. Mer. et Remis. 1. 1. cap. 10. iv. 13. u Rom. v. 18, Non est mulieris semen ratione quadam plebeiâ et vulgari; sed conceptus è Spiritu sancto. Itaque non est sic natus, ut esset omnium hominum caput, sed eorum tantùm, quos ex universo humano genere corrupto Deus voluit regenerare per Spiritum Sanctum, &c. Cameron de Eccles. p. 88. * Non est salvatus cruce Christi, qui non est crucifixus in Christo. Non est crucifixus in Christo, qui non est membrum corporis Christi. Prosp. Resp. ad Capitul. Gallorum, cap. 9.-Christo proprie ecclesia unitur, quatenus crucifixus est, et excitatus à mortuis; nempe, ut, in Christi morte, ecclesia sit veluti satisfaciens Deo, et expians peccata non in se, sed in capite. In resurrectione autem ecclesia sit veluti defuncta satisfactione, &c. Cameron de Ecclesia, p. 106.-Adeo arcto vinculo Christus et ecclesia conjuncti sunt, ut Christus sit veluti peccator in ecclesia, ecclesia veluti defuncta pœnâ peccati in Christo. Ibid. p. 127.