fo the effectual Application of it to us, is the Work of his Holy Spirit: Tit. iii. 5. 6. Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he faved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghoft; which he fhed on us abundantly, through Jefus * Chrift our Saviour.' And the clofeft Application of it made to any, in the Gofpel-offer, without the applying Work of the Spirit, will, be an ineffectual Application of it; that is to fay, the Prifoners will ftill remain in the Pit, undelivered: John i. 11. 12. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the fons of God, even to them that believe on his name.' Now, the Spirit applies the Redemption to all thofe for whom Chrift bath purchafed it: Eph. i. 13. 14. In whom ye alfo trúfted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your falvation in whom alfo after that ye believed, ye were fealed with that Holy Spirit of promife, which is the earneft of our inheritance, until the redemption of the purchased poffeffion, unto the praife of his glory. John vi. 37. All that the Father giveth me, fhall come to me.' verf. 39. And this is the Father's will which hath fent me, that of all which he hath given me, I should lcfe nothing, but fhould raife it up again at the laft day.' And the Purchase and Application of Redemption are of the very fame Extent: John x. 15. I lay down my life for the fheep. verf. 27. 28. My fheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. And I give unto them eternal life, and they fhall never perish, neither fhall any pluck them out of my hand.'

Quest.

Queft. 30. How doth the Spirit apply to us the Redemption purchafed by Chrift? Af The Spirit applieth to us the Redemption purchafed by Chrift, by working Faith in us, and thereby uniting us to Chrift, in our effectual Calling.

EXPLICATION.

The applying of Chrift's Purchase to us, is not the Work of the Spirit without us, but the Work of the Spirit within us: Ezek. xxxvi. 27.

'

And I will put my fpirit within you, and 'cause you to walk in my ftatutes, and ye fhall keep my judgments, and do them. Rom. viii. 9. Ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if fo be that the Spirit of God dwell in you.' We are made Partakers of the Spirit himself, by the Communication of him to us by Jefus Chrift: John XX. 22. Jesus breathed on the disciples, and faith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost.' Achs ii. 23. 'Therefore being by the right hand of God 'exalted, and having received of the Father the 6 promife of the Holy Ghoft, he hath fhed forth this, which ye now fee and hear.' We come to be made Partakers of fo great a Benefit as the Spirit himself, for applying Chrift's Purchase to us, because the Spirit is a Part, and the leading Part, of Chrift's Purchase, as well as the Applier of it: Luke xxiv. 49 And behold, I send the promife of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerufalem, until ye be endowed with power ' from on high.' Acts ii. 33. forecited.

The

The Spirit entering within us, applies Chrift's Purchase to us, by uniting us to Chrift: 1 Cor. xii. 13. By one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.' Compared with Eph. v. 23. Chrift is the head of the church: and he is the Saviour of the body.' The Union we have with Jefus Chrift by his Spirit in us, is that whereby, being joined to Chrift as our Head, we are made one with him fpiritually: 1 Cor. vi. 17. He that is joined unto the Lord, is one fpirit.' Eph. v. 23. above cited. verf. 30. 'We are members of Chrift's body, of his flesh, and of his bones." That Union is not a metaphorical, nor mere relative Union, but a moft real and proper Union, Eph. v. 30. above cited. verf. 32. This is a great myftery but I fpeak concerning Chrift and the church.' Compared with Col. i. 27. To whom [the faints] God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Chrift in you, the hope of glory.' John vi. 56. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.' Chap. xv. 21. That they all may be one, as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee; that they alfo may be one in us.' That Union being once made, it can never be diffolved: Jer. xxxii. 40. I will make an everlasting covenant 'with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they fhall not depart from me.' 1 Theff. iv. 14. If we believe that Jefus died, and rofe again, even fo them alfo which fleep in Jefus, will God bring with him.' It extends fa far, in respect of the Parties united to Christ,

that

that the whole Man, Body as well as Soul, is united to whole Chrift in his divine and human Nature: 1 Cor. vi. 1 15. "Know ye not, that your bodies are the members of Chrift?' Col. i. 27. Eph. v. 30. both forecited. Chrift's Purchase comes by that means to be applied to us, because, in Union with Chrift, we have Communion with him in his Purchase: Phil iii. 9. And be found in him, not having mine own righteoufnefs, 'which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Chrift, the righteousness which is of God by faith. Col. ii. 9. 10. In Chrift dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are compleat in him.' And there is no effectual Application of his Purchase to us, without Union with himself: 2 Cor. xiii. 5. Know ye not your own felves, how that Jefus Chrift is in you, except ye be reprobates? Now, our Union with Chrift is by the Spirit, inafmuch as it is made by the Communication of the Spirit to us when dead in Sin, and by the Agency of the Spirit in us when quickened by that Communication.

The Communication of the Spirit to us when dead in Sin, is the Spirit from Chrift the Head entering into us dead Sinners, as a Spirit of Life: I Cor, xv. 45. The laft Adam was made a quickening Spirit.' Rom. viii. 2. The law of " the

Spirit of life in Chrift Jefus, hath made me 'free from the law of fin and death.' We are united to Chrift by that Communication of the Spirit from him, inafmuch as Chaft thereby apprehends us, and knits with us: . iii. 12. Not though I had already attained either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended

as

• of

ii. 20.

:

of Christ Jesus.' 1 John iii. 24. He that keep⚫eth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him and hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.' Gal. I am crucified with Chrift: Nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Chrift liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.' We neceffarily become one with Chrift, by means of that Communication of the Spirit from him, because fo the Man Chrift and we do both live fpiritually by the self-fame Spirit indwelling in both, Rom. viii. 2. forecited. Col. iii. 3. 4. Ye are dead, and your life is hid with Chrift in God.' When Christ who is our life,' &c. And the Distance between Chrift the Head in Heaven, and us on Earth, hinders not the Indwelling of the fame Spirit in both, and our Union thereby; in regard the Spirit is an infinite Spirit.

The Agency of the Spirit in us, when quickened by that Communication, is his working Faith in us, and thereby uniting us to Chrift: Col. ii. 12. Buried with him in baptifm, wherein alfo you are rifen with him through the faith of the ope'ration of God.' Compared with 2 Cor. iv. 13. We having the fame fpirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I fpoken: we alfo believe, and therefore fpeak.' Eph. iii. 17. That Chrift may dwell in your hearts by faith.' It is not the Habit of Faith, but actual Believing, by which the Spirit unites us to Christ: Gen. xv. 6. And Abram believed in the Lord; and < he counted it to him for righteoufnels.' John i 12. As many as received him, to them gave he

6 power