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VERSE 14.

For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end.

$1-3. (I.) The words explained. §4. (II) Observations, 1. Union with Christ is the principle and measure of all spiritual enjoyments and expectations. $5. 2. Stedfastness in believing is the great evidence of union with Christ, $6.7Our subsistence in Christ maintained to the end, is matter of great endeavor and diligence,

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§1. In these words the apostle lets us know, that all our interest in Christ, and all the benefits we expect or may be made partakers of by him, depend upon our answering his exhortation to constancy and perseverance in our profession. And moreover, that whereas men are apt to wax weary and faint, or to grow slothful in the course of their profession, sometimes so soon almost as they entered upon it, unless they continue the same diligence and earnestness of endeavors as at the first, so as to abide stedfast to the end, they would have no benefit either by Christ or the gospel, but rather fall assuredly under that indignation of God which he had newly warned them of.

§2. (II.) "We are made partakers of Christ," (yεyovaper) "We have been made;” a present state is here denoted, that which is already wrought; and indeed the due consideration of this word doth rightly state the relation of the several parts of the passage. "We are made partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the begin.ping of our confidence," that is, thereby are we so interpretatively and declaratively. Our perseverance is enjoined as an evidence of our participation of Christ; that whereby it may be tried whether it be true and genuine, which if it be, it will be producing this effect. As James requires that we should try our evidence, and manifest our faith by our works, of what sort it is. We are made (Meloxo Xpia78) “partakers of Christ.”

Most expositors suppose the name "Christ" to be here taken metonymically, for the benefits of his mediation, in grace here, and right to future blessedness; some suppose it to be only an expression of being a disciple of Christ, and so really to belong to him; but the true and precise import of the words may be learned from the apostle himself, in his use of those of a similar signification, with reference to Christ himself. Chap. ii, 14, "Because the children were partakers of flesh and blood;" he was partaker of us; how? By taking flesh and blood, that is, entire human nature. How then are we partakers of Christ? It is by our having an interest in his nature, by the communication of his Spirit, as he had in ours by the assumption of our flesh. He and we are made one, he the head, we the body; coheirs and incorporated with him. We are "one body with him, as he speaks, of his flesh and bones." "If we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end."

$3. Some by (THY A TUS UTOSαGENS) the phrase here rendered, "the beginning of our confidence," understand the gospel; some faith, some hope, some confidence, some Christ himself; but there seems yet to me another more genuine sense of the words suited to the scope of the place, and design of the apostle, without wresting it from its native signification. We have shewed, that our partaking of Christ is our being united to him, and the (Urosaris) hypostasis, which on that union we are bound to preserve and maintain, is our subsistence in Christ, our abiding in him, as the branches in the vine; so the word very properly signifies, and so it is here emphatically used. (Tv apx) "the beginning," is plainly here an adjunct of our subsistence in Christ: the beginning of our engagements to Christ is for the most part accompanied with much

love, and other choice affections, resolution and courage, which, without great care and watchfulness, we are very ready to decay in, and fall from.

§4. (II.) Obs. 1. Union with Christ is the principle and measure of all spiritual enjoyments and expectations. The apostle sums up all, both what we enjoy by the gospel at present, and what expectation we have of future blessedness, in this one phrase, "We are partakers of Christ." The propriety of the observation will plainly appear if we consider,

(1.) That this union is itself the first truly saving mercy, in the order of nature; the first vital grace we are made partakers of. And that which is the first of any kind, is the measure and rule of all that ensues in that kind. As is the root, so are the branches and the fruit; they do not only follow the nature of it, but live upon its supplies. All our grace is but a participation of the root, and therein of the fatness of the olive tree; and we bear not the root, but the root bears us, Rom. xi, 17, 18. Whatever precedes this, is not true saving grace; and whatever follows it proceeds from it: Christ as savingly bestowed, is the spring and fountain of all grace whatever. Now our union with Christ, our participation of him, consists in the habitation of the same spirit in him and us; and the first work of this spirit bestowed upon us, is to form Christ in us, whereby our union is completed. God doth not first create a soul, giving it an existence of its own, without union with the body; but creates it in and by its infusion: so the spirit doth not first come to us, and afterward quicken or sanctify us; but he doth this by his coming to us, and possessing our hearts with Christ. This the apostle calls the "forming of Christ in us," Gal. iv, 19. He that is in Christ Jesus is a

new creature, 2 Cor. v, 17; and this is Christ in us the hope of glory, Col. i, 27.

(2.) It is the first in dignity; it is the greatest, most honorable and glorious of all graces we are made partakers of. The greatest humiliation of the Son of God consisted in his taking upon him our nature; and on the contrary, our grace of union with Christ, our participation of him, and his nature, is our highest exaltation. He became poor for our sakes, by a participation of our nature; that we through his poverty may be rich in a participation of his nature. Being once made co-heirs with Christ, we are made heirs of God, and have a right to the whole inheritance; and indeed what greater glory or dignity can a poor sinner be exalted to, than to be thus intimately and indissolubly united to the Son of God?

(3.) It is the first and principal grace, in respect of causality and efficacy. It is the cause of all other graces that we are made partakers of; they are all communicated to us by virtue of our union with Christ. Hence is our adoption, our justification, our sanctification, our perseverance, our fruitfulness, our resurrection, our glory.

§5. Obs. 2. Constancy and stedfastness in believing, is the great touchstone and evidence of union with Christ, or a participation of him. It is enduring faith, that is true faith, and which proves us indeed to be partakers of Christ. Here take notice,

(1.) That there are many seeming evidences of union with Christ that may fail. The blade is an ap pearing evidence of well-rooted corn, but it often fails, and that for want of root, Matt. xiii, 12. Things of this nature may satisfy them in whom they are, that they are really united in Christ; but this they conclude through their own darkness and mistakes. And some

times there are signs, and which yet are but failing signs, such as others may, nay ought to be satisfied in, as not being able to evince them to be otherwise, by any rule of truth.

(2.) There may be certain and undeceiving evidences of a present participation of Christ, or, which is all one, men may have a certainty, sufficient at present to support and comfort them in their obedience; and which in the issue will neither fail them, nor make them ashamed, that they are partakers of Christ. Now faith is that which gives subsistence to the things believed in our minds, and is such an argument of them as will not deceive; and nothing can possibly give the mind a more undeceiving assurance than that which causeth its object to subsist in it, which unites the mind and the truth believed in one subsistence. This faith doth. Hence our apostle ascribes to it, Ephes. iii, 12, a grounded boldness, with a confident trust, which are the highest expressions of the mind's assurance. It is then in the nature of faith itself rightly exercised and improved, to evidence this matter to our souls; and when the holy Spirit giveth this new name of a child of God to any believer, he knows it though others understand it not, Rev. ii, 17. Hence we are said to receive the Spirit of God; that we may know the things which are freely given us of God: 1 Cor. ii, 12. Our apostle declares in the name of all believers, Rom. viii, 38, 39. "I am persuaded," saith he, "that nothing shall separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." And so the apostle John tells us, that we both "perceive the love of God towards us," and that we "know that we are passed from death to life;" 1 Epist. iii, 14-16, both which depend on our union with Christ, and which by them is made evident and sure to us. This is also confirmed to us from the na

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