QUESTION V.

Is there an intimate Union between the Lord Jefus Chrift and God the Father?

T

HO' I don't remember that the Words, Unite, or Union*, are any where found expreffly in the Writings of the New Teftament, yet the Idea which is defign'd by thefe Words is often found in Scripture and 'tis the ufual Cuftom of the facred Writers to exprefs this Idea of the Union of feveral things together by being one with another, or by one being in another, and sometimes by each being in the other mutually.

The Union between the Body and the Soul is reprefented by the Soul's being in the Body, 2 Cor. 5. 6. at home in the Body; and 12. 3. whether in the Body or out of the Body, &c. The Union of Saints to God is ex

preft 'Tis granted that ivóns or Unity is twice found in the New Teftament, (viz.) Eph. 4. 3, and 4. 13. is not used by the facred Writers: nor is the Union of two things together into one.

but Evów or wors vóns used to fignify

preft by mutual Inbeing: 1 John 4. 16. He that dwelleth in Love dwelleth in God, and God dwelleth in him. Our Union to Christ is often expreft by Chrift being in us and our being in Chrift, John 15. 4, 5. Rom. 16. 7. and being in the Lord, . 11. and in many other places.

Sometimes Union is expreft by both Being One fo the Saints who are all united in one common Head are called one Body and one Bread, I Cor. 10. 17. And as the Union between Man and Wife is expreft by their being one Flesh, 1 Cor. 6. 16. fo he that is joined to the Lord is one Spirit. y. 17.

The Union between Jefus Chrift and God the Father is expreft by all thefe Ways, (viz.) by an Inbeing of Chrift in the Father and the Father in him, and by Oneness with the Father, in the Writings of the Apostle John. See John 10. 3. I and my Father are one. John 5. 38. and 14. 11. I am in the Father, and the Father in me.

But let it be always remember'd that our Union to God or Chrift is but a meer faint Shadow or Refemblance of the Union of Chrift to God the Father; which vaftly furpaffes ours, and is of a fuperior kind. This Union between Chrift and God the Father is fo near, fo intimate, fo peculiar, as gives occafion for the New Teftament to cite and apply to Chrift many Paffages out of the Old Teftament which relate to the God and Father

of

of all. The Names, the Characters, the Properties, and the Actions of the Father are given to Chrift in several Inftances and Forms of Expreffion, which are not true nor can be admitted concerning our Union to God.

Tho' there be but one Godhead, and one God, even the Father, 1 Cor. 8. 6. yet by the intimate Union of the Man Chrift Jefus with this one Godhead or Divine Nature which is in the Father, Chrift is the Lord Jehovah, He is God manifeft in the Flesh, he is God over all bleffed for ever; which would be Blafphemy to fay concerning Chriftians. So Chrift is he that fearches the Hearts and the Reins. Chrift is the Alpha and Omega, the first and the last. What the Father doth, the Son doth alfo in many respects: The Father created all things, fo did the Son: and what the Son doth, the Father is faid to do, John 14. 10. The Father that dwelleth in me, he doth the Works.

It may not be amifs here to transcribe a few Verfes from this Chapter, John 14. in order to give us a clearer Idea of this Union and Communion between the Father and Chrift; fince 'tis the defign of our Lord in this Place to inftruct Thomas and Philip in the knowledge of God the Father and of himself. John 14. 7-11. If ye had known me, ye would have known my Father alfo: And from henceforth ye know him and have feen him. 8. Philip faith unto him, Lord, fhew

us the Father, and it fufficeth us. 9. Fefus faith unto him, Have I been fo long time with you, and yet haft thou not known me, Philip? He that hath feen me hath feen the Fathers and how fayeft theu, Shew us the Father? 10. Believeft thou not, that I am in the Father and the Father in me? The Words that I speak unto you, I speak not of myself: But the Father that dwelleth in me, he doth the Works. 11. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father in me: or elfe believe me for the very Works fake. Upon this Scripture I beg leave to make these

three Remarks.

Remark I. This is not fpoken concerning the Union, the Inbeing, or Indwelling of any diftin&t Divine Nature of Chrift, in the Divine Nature of the Father, but rather concerning the Union of his Human Nature to the fame Godhead that is in the Father; and that for these three Reasons.

1. Because the Difciples at this Time were not particularly acquainted with any diftinct Divinity of Chrift, and therefore he can't be fuppofed to speak to them of this his Divinity, and tell them where it was, (viz.) in the Father. It was as Man that he converfed with them; but as a Man who had God ever with him, and he is now further explaining the Intimacy of this Union between God and Man in his own Perfon.

2. Tho' the Deity of Chrift confidered as L

the

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the Eternal Word or Wifdom of the Father may be faid to be or dwell in the Father, yet God the Father is not faid to be in his Wisdom, or to dwell in his Wifdom; whereas this Inbeing and Indwelling of Chrift and the Father are mutual in the Text, I am in the Father, and the Father in me: it denotes the Union of two really distinct Beings in one.

3. Becaufe Chrift makes this his Union with the Father an Exemplar or Similitude of the Union of the Saints with God. John 17. 21. That they all may be one, as thou Father, art in me and I in thee, that they also may be one in us. The Union and Communion between the Man Jefus and God the Father, tho' 'tis vaftly superior to that of the Saints, yet 'tis ftill voluntary and of meer Grace, and in this refpect it may be properly made ufe of as a very glorious Exemplar of our Union to God and Chrift: But the Inbeing of the Eternal Word or Wifdom in the Father is fo effential to Godhead, it fo infinitely tranfcends all his voluntary and condescending Union to us, and is so infinitely different from it, that it does not feem to be a proper Exemplar or Pattern thereof. I much rather conclude therefore, that the Union here defcribed is the Union between God the Father and the Man Chrift Jefus, or between the fame Divine Nature which is in the Father and the human Nature of Chrift.

Remark