ners.

by believing. Christ is, and lives, and acts in believers by the Spirit of truth, who shows them the things of Christ, and leads them into the knowledge and belief of all revealed truth, and bears witness to their consciences that this revelation is made to them; and they are in Christ, and live, and dwell, and act in him, by the belief of that truth which reveals the glory and grace of Christ unto them as ungodly sinThis, I apprehend, is the apostle's meaning, when he says, "In Christ ye also obtained an inheritance, having heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom ye also, believing, were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise." In this passage, we see that the inheritance of the saints is conveyed to them in the word of truth ;-that this word of revealed truth, which conveys to them their inheritance, is the gospel of their salvation, and reveals it as a merciful provision which God hath made for them as sinners;-that this inheritance is given and enjoyed in Christ;-that believing is the means by which the people of God receive their inheritance in Christ, conveyed to them in the word of truth, the gospel of their salvation ;-that the Holy Spirit of promise makes the word of truth become spirit and life to believers ;-and, finally, that believers, in receiving this word of truth, the gospel of their salvation, become actually possessed of that inheritance in Christ, and their minds, in believing, are sealed and stamped with the impressing power of the word of truth by the energy of the Holy Spirit of promise, just as the melted wax is impressed with the image and lineaments of the seal which is strongly applied

to it.

"Believing in Christ, ye were sealed," as

partakers of Christ, with the Holy Spirit of that promise, which ye embrace as the gospel of your salvation.

3. I shall now endeavour to demonstrate the weakness and folly of the principal objections that are usually urged against this comfortable doctrine. They are not of so much consequence as to merit great attention; nor would they have been honoured with a particular review on the present occasion, if it were not still further to illustrate the subject itself, which they are employed to confute or deride,

Object. 1. It is thought incredible by some, that believers on earth should be so intimately joined to Christ, who is exalted far above all heavens. Answ. Distance of place is no impediment to a union which is constituted by believing. Christ, who obeyed and died, who rose again from the dead, and ascended up into heaven, is truly present in the word of God, where he is revealed to sinners, and enjoyed by the hearing of faith in that word which testifies of him. The feet are as really united to the head, as the heart and the shoulders are in the animal body; and, in like manner, believers on earth are as really joined to the Lord Jesus, as the spirits of just men made perfect, who are absent from the body, and present with the Lord.

Object. 2. It is objected against this mysterious and intimate union, that it makes a believer one person with Christ, even as the members constitute one body with the head. Answ. Christ and his people do constitute one spiritual body, whereof he is the Head; yet it does not follow, that they are one person, because they enjoy Christ in the character of

the last Adam; whereby it is supposed, that he is really a distinct person from them, even as the first Adam was a distinct person from his posterity. Moreover, Christ dwells in believers by faith; which implies, that he is really a distinct person, even as a dependent beggar is a different person from his generous benefactor.

Object. 3. If we suppose such a union between Christ and believers, then it must also be allowed, that believers become perfect in holiness immediately upon their being made partakers of Christ, by union to his person. Answ. This consequence is altogether false; because Christ is known but in part, and therefore enjoyed but in part, as long as believers are present in the body, and absent from the Lord. Christ knoweth how to dwell in his members, in certain measures and degrees, according to his infinite wisdom; and he makes them partakers of his holiness, only so far as he dwelleth in them. They are all "members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones;" "God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith," so they have severally spiritual gifts of knowledge and holiness, "differing according to the grace that is given to them." A weak branch lives in all the fatness of the tree, though it does not possess so much thereof as another branch of the same tree that is in a flourishing state.

but as

Object. 4. If Christ is enjoyed by faith, in a vital union to his person, must there not be degrees of this union, according to the measures of faith? And, for the same reason, must not this union be dissolved whenever the exercise of faith is interrupted? Answ. Though there are various measures of that

faith which is the means of enjoying Christ by a vital union to his person, yet there cannot be different degrees of this union, because Christ, who is enjoyed thereby, is "the same yesterday, and to-day, and for ever," and because every believer is a partaker of Christ and his glorious fulness in the most intimate relation. The head-stone of a building is as really united to the foundation, and supported by it, as the stones that were immediately laid upon the foundation itself. Every living branch is as really in the vine, during the severity of the winter-cold, as in the summer and harvest, when it is adorned with leaves, and loaded with grapes. The husband and wife are as really and intimately related by the marriage-covenant, when they are many miles distant from each other, as when they are dwelling together in the most familiar and intimate society. Nor can the union between Christ and his members by believing, be dissolved or cease, whenever the exercise of their faith is interrupted; because the gospel of their salvation, wherein Christ is received and enjoyed, is an "ingrafted word, which is able to save their souls," and an "incorruptible seed, which endureth for ever." By this ingrafted word, the Holy Ghost dwells in them, and Christ in that word is truly possessed by them; though they neither do nor can improve and make use of him for the purposes of their sanctification and comfort, except "they abide in him, and his words abide in them." Besides it ought to be considered, that, though their faith may be shaken, and the exercise of it interrupted, it is impossible their faith can fail, because "Jesus is the author and finisher of faith." "The Lord will per

fect that which concerneth them: his mercy endurHe will not forsake the work of his

eth for ever. own hands."

Object. 5. If faith be the means of enjoying Christ, by a vital union to his person, then infants, idiots, and others who are incapable of actual believing, through want of the exercise of their reason, may be thought to be without any enjoyment of Christ, since they cannot enjoy him by believing.

Answ. This consequence is not good; because the Scriptures are written, not to gratify our curiosity, by informing us how the vessels of mercy, who can neither hear, nor read, nor understand them, are prepared unto glory, but to inform such as are capable of hearing and learning from the Scriptures, in what way, and by what means, they must become partakers of Christ, his fulness and salvation. No doubt, such elect vessels as fall within the description mentioned in the objection, are saved by grace, and united to Christ; but the manner of making them partakers of Christ has no connection with our present purpose. It ought to suffice us, that such as are of ripe years and understanding, must either have the Son of God by means of faith, or they must die in their sins.

REFLECTIONS.

1. A vital union to Christ by faith, is the commencement of all the holiness and comfort that belong to the Christian life. Christ, enjoyed by believing, is the only true principle of sanctification and eternal life in his people. "Their life is hid with Christ in God;" and it is less proper to say