THE poor Dove being sent abroad, and gliding over the great Flood, at last found an Olive Branch, and re­turned to the Ark. In like manner my confused thoughts have soared hither and thither, over the face of that great deep which the first Apostacy drowned Mankind in; and having turned over the Scriptures, hoping thence to receive some news, after such a dreadful Shipwrack; this Scripture comes flying with an Olive Branch in its mouth; (Saved) (in) the Lord; the first word keeps from fainting, till [Page] [...] [Page 1] [...] [Page 2] the next word comes in, and shews the nature of the deliverance, the certainty and the manner of it; the first word like Ahimaaz, says, 2 Sam. 18. 28. All is well, but Cushi declares the matter, and how 'tis accomplished. Salvation plainly asserted, is glad­some news, but lest so weighty a business should be mistaken, and that the understanding might the more be convinced; the means by which 'tis ob­tained, and the hand from whence 'tis procured, is drawn forth ( In the Lord) as delightful a sentence to a sinner, as that which Belshazzar saw was terri­ble to him, that made his Joynts to tremble, but this makes the lame to leap as an Hart; this makes the Wilderness to blossom as a Rose.

( Saved.)

The spirit and sence of this short word ( Saved) Isa. 49. 6. reacheth The meaning of Salvation. far even to the ends of the Earth. It importeth a state of security from the evil of sin, ( Mat. 1. 21.) of Enemies, ( Luk. 1. 71.) of Satan, (2 Tim. 2. 26.) of Hell, Wrath, Con­demnation, (1 Thes. 1. 10.) from the evil of all di­stress in this life, &c. (Gen. 48. 16.) and hereafter, 1 Thes. 1. 10.

It importeth an investiture and possession of all real good in this life, and in that to come, viz. Conversion, Calling, ( Acts 11. 14. 2 Tim. 1. 9.) Ju­stification, Sanctification, Adoption, Strength, Ac­ceptation with God, Blessing, Manifestation of God, Knowledge of the Truth and every good thing that may tend to enable the heirs of life to dispatch their work, quit themselves victorious, and lead them at last to their Fathers house, ( Act. 4. 12. 1 Joh. 1. 9. Jer. 31. 9. Jer. 15. 20. 2 Cor. 6. 2. Psal. 28. 9. Isa. 35. 4. Act. 11. 14. Deut. 33. 29.) the walls whereof are [Page 39] God's part thereby; for discharging of which, he is made a high Priest; and so he procures it, and main­tains it, in the power of a King, and reveals it as a Prophet: all which Offices he was anointed to, and qualified for, in his own Person. And by reason of that Essential Union with the Godhead, in which he stood, the Father delights in, and owns him as Son of Man; and doth every way suit with him, as the Father of such a Son, who is both God and Man. The Spirit also, which proceedeth from the Father and the Son, doth (through the same Union of the Divine Essence) also suit with him, and operate by and through him, as the Spirit of him who is both God and Man in one Person. Hence ariseth the Perfection and absolute Compleatness of the Medi­atorship; I am not alone, (saith Christ) but I and the Father that sent me, Joh. 8. 16. And the comforting Spirit shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you, Joh. 16. 14. For the fulness of the Godhead dwelleth in him (bodily,) Col. 2. 9. and joyntly, and carries on the work of Mediatorship; which was personal­ly untertook by the Eternal Son, who is made Ema­nuel. And this answers the Question which Philip made; Shew us the Father. Hast thou not seen me? (saith Christ,) He that hath seen me, (viz. by the eye of Faith, as I really am and ought to be looked upon) hath seen the Father, Joh. 14. 7. Every Acti­on and Revelation of himself, is the Revelation of the Father, Son and Spirit, in the distinguishable working of each Person, and yet united in the same God, who worketh all in all. Christ suffered as the Son of such a Father, and the Father (in this design of Mediatorship) was cloathed with a true Fatherly Relation, to the incarnate suffering Son; and the Eternal Spirit, which proceedeth from the Father [Page 40] and the Son, did put forth his Almighty Essential Vertue, in the offering up of the Body of Christ upon the Cross: Which Union of Father, Son and Spirit, in God our Saviour ( Tit. 2. 13.) appears in Joh. 17. and Heb. 9. 14. So that all the Persons, in the saving of Man, doth (as it were) concenter, and work together in the Person of the Mediator. The Will of the Father, Joh. 4. 34. The Mercy of the Son, Heb. 4. 13, 14. And the Power of the Spi­rit, Heb. 9. 14. and Rom. 1. 4. All which being one in the Divine Essence of God, meet together in the Person of the Son, who is, according to the Eter­nal Decree, God and Man, through his Union with and in the Godhead.

God thus manifested in the Flesh, and, as Father, Son and Spirit, laying the foundation of Mediator­ship in Jesus Christ, the Eternal Son, God and Man, doth also, in and with him, carry it on, as a Father to, and Spirit of him, who is God-man. And for this cause the Gospel is called the Word of Truth; in respect, not only of the Matter of it, but the le­gal Testimony that it receives from these three Wit­nesses, as the Declaration of the Counsel of their own Essential Will and Purpose.

And in regard the Son of God, in the Name and Co-working of Father, Son, and Spirit, under­took the Mediatorship by taking Man's Nature, every mortal person that has the nature of Man, stands alike near to him, in the Dispensation of the Gospel-Call. It puts aside other Mediators: The Angels are Spirits, and have not Humane Nature, in which to mediate for Man: Christ himself is near­er to us than they are; he is Man. The Spirits of Just Men made perfect, cannot mediate for us; for though they are Humane, yet they want living Bo­dies: [Page 41] but Christ has his Humane Body with him; and therefore is nearer to Men, who are cloathed with Flesh. Neither can one mortal Man, mediate as a Mediator 'twixt God and Man, because though he have the Humane Nature in him, yet it is in him personally, and not representing the whole Race of Man; as the pure Nature of Christ, the second Adam, doth: And besides, Mortal Man is but Man; but Christ is both God and Man, that he might lay his hand on both parties, God and Man, to re­concile them together, as they are reconciled in the Person of the Mediator, Col. 1. 19, 20, 21, 22. Pro­mises cannot mediate; for Man has no right to them, but through Christ first. Duties cannot me­diate; because they are loathsome, without a fore­going Interest in Christ. Graces cannot mediate, because they are Fruits of Reconciliation through the Mediator; the Fruit cannot be the cause of the Root from whence they come.

So that as Jesus Christ, in being Mediator, took our Nature ( viz. that Humane Nature that is in every person of Mankind) into immediate Union with the Godhead dwelling in his Person, so this Je­sus Christ, God and Man (in the Relation he bears to the Father and Spirit, and they to him, in their mutual concurrence in this great work of his Media­tion) with him, having sealed and anointed him thereto, that he might compleatly effect it, he is the true immediate Object of a Believer's eye; and he who (renouncing all other names and helps) flies thi­ther, shall be saved by him, Act. 4. 12. He that seeth the Son, and believeth on him, shall have everlasting life. His appearing in the Promises doth make them a Convoy to bring the Soul to him; which would otherwise, be no better Guides, than the Light to a [Page 42] blind Man. His presence in Duties makes them the way and door of approach; which would otherwise be no better Guides (by single gazing on, and using of them) than a Lanthorn in a Man's hand, can be a Guide by gazing on it; and leading himself round about in a Circle, by the light thereof, not minding the way, or the door, to find which, that light was appointed and intended.

The Graces of his Spirit are the Beams of that Ex­cellency that is in his Person, and the Streams which flow from the Fountain, which are subject to Inter­mission, and stoppage, without the constant supply, which they receive from the Sun, and the Foun­tain. And therefore, a Biliever's eye and aim must be tending to an immediate pitching on, and closing with himself, as the proper course and sure way, and only orderly means to find rest and safety to the Soul.

The next thing to be considered is, to enquire, how the Eye of Faith The Aim of Faiths Eye desirous to at­tain its Mark. is to be levelled at, and exercised upon this perfect and glorious Ob­ject, so as to change the Soul, from bearing the bur­then of its own guilt, and to get power against the defiling nature and power of sin; and so to carry on the change, from Glory to Glory, after the Image of Jesus Christ, by the vertue of his Spirit, 2 Cor. 3. 18.

The Dispensation of the Gospel is the Glass; the Glory of the Lord there appearing, is that which Faith fixeth and feedeth upon: it passeth through the Glass, and seizeth upon Jesus Christ, represen­ted therein; and there stays, till it hath enamoured the Soul into the same likeness. The Glory of Christ begets an Image of Glory in the heart of a Believer, of the same nature with its self.

Indeed, there is a transient closing with the Pro­mises, as with a Neighbour, who can tell where the Souls Friend dwelleth; and so do the Ordinan­ces; and so far the Spirit of the Father lodgeth in them, for the help of the diligent seeker, to draw him to Christ. The first motion also of that dili­gent seeking proceedeth from the Father, who work­eth with the Son, by the Spirit, to draw the Soul (in true method) to the Person of the Son, as Me­diator; in whom the Father, Son and Spirit gives the Soul a satisfactory Meeting, Joh. 5. 17. c. 6. 44, 45. and c. 14. 23.

But the Knot of Union, by which the Soul par­takes of the Life and Glory of God, is not perfect­ly knit, till the Soul actually enters into the Fellow­ship of Christ, the Mediator, 1 Cor. 1. 9. and for this very end, serves the preaching of the Gospel, in the Dispensation of it, Col. 1. 28.

The Soul being thus ushered in, treats with, and fixeth on Christ absolutely and immediately, and lays hold on his Personal Worth only, as the Foun­dation of its hope and help. The Soul has gained a great deal of Beauty in Christ's Eye, when once 'tis brought by his Spirit, to leave its own Idols, and forsake its own Country, and to trust singly under the shadow of his Wings, there Blessedness begins; as Boaz said to Ruth, Ruth 2. 12.

And here the Soul closeth with the All-sufficien­cy of the Mediator, pondering the large extent there­of. And whereas the Soul is usually more troubled with the Aggravations of sin, and the Circumstan­ces thereof, than about the sin it self, and about its insincerity and want of feeling remorse, and suffici­ent detestation against sin, in its repentance, and much molested with the stain that Guilt leaves on [Page 44] the Conscience; and finding, that neither remove of Guilt, nor power of Cleansing, nor freedom from its just Accusation, can be got from the Consultati­ons of a [...]ounded Spirit, it falls nakedly on the All­sufficiency of the Mediator; and there it beholds him, as one able to take away all sins, in their whole extent. His Body was given him for that end: and although his own Body was pure, yet it was in the likeness of the flesh of sin, or sinful flesh, and depra­vation of Nature, received from Adam; that as far as any motions of sin, or capacity of sinning is found in Mankind, he did bear the likeness of that State. And so is called the second Adam; not only as one representing the Elect Seed of Grace, but also as being the Superadequate Antidote, to conquer and remove all Poyson that entred upon Mankind by the sin of the first Adam. The Nature of the second Adam is made as perfectly holy, as the first was defiled by sin, and became perfectly sinful, as appears in Rom. 5. And in regard the strength and slaying power of sin lies in the Law, his Humane Nature was made un­der the Law, subjected to the whole Law, as far as it had to do with sinful Man, for this end, that he might redeem them who were under the Law, from being under any condemning or accusing Sentence, or sting of punishment from thence; which he bringeth about by obeying it, & satisfying for the breach there­of, made by sinful Man. Sin is therefore sin, because 'tis against the Law; he therefore is made under the Law, and that to fulfil its Commands, and bear its doom. Though sin be finite in the Transgressor, yet 'tis infi­nite in respect of the Object, the infinite God. But the Obedience and Suffering of Christ, was of an infinite extent in respect of the Person, because 'twas the Act of God-man; and in the Vertue also, because 'twas a [Page 45] contrived Remedy, in the Council of God's Love, to outstretch the injury that was done to the infinite Divine Majesty, by finite Man. Hence it is, that this Remedy carries with it the Terms of Abounding Grace, Rom. 5. 17, 20. and unsearchable Riches, Ephes. 3. 8. The All-sufficiency lies also in this, that 'tis a free Gift, considering that the Gifts of God's Love are infinite, as his Nature is; the thoughts of which do, by Faith, bring in a Foundation for in­finite Justification and Righteousness; and makes way to the rest of the purchased Possession, that lies in the Person of the same Redeemer; the infinite­ness of his Goodness, and Drift in this design, which could never suffer disappointment; the infiniteness of his Wisdom, that could never mistake; the in­finiteness of his Love, that can never cease, nor Power fail.

And since the Nature of the Salvation of God is infinite, it is brought down into the Person of God­man; and from him, into the Ordinances; and so by the Spirit, into the heart of Man; retaining still its infinite Nature. In Jesus Christ, the infinite God is made Flesh, in the Ordinances, he speaks by Man's Voice, in the faith of the heart he dwelleth; car­rying the Soul (by the Operation of his Spirit, to look upon him, and hear his Voice in the steps of his Condescention) to the true enjoyment of him­self.

'Tis comfortable to have the Te­stimony Faith taking a right Method. of a good Conscience, Prov. 15. 15. and power over Corruption, and Soul-disquiet thereby: but I must not begin there. God begins my Righteousness and Freedom in himself, and brings it forth in the Person of Jesus Christ: I must begin it there also; and as it is per­fected [Page 46] in him, I must perfectly suck it thence, con­tinuing perpetually at that Breast, Heb. 10. 14. ne­ver expecting to have it mended, by any thing I could do, though it were the obeying of the whole Law, Gal. 2. 16. for my Obedience is but the Obe­dience of a stained Nature, that has already broken that righteous Law. When Guilt, Defilement and Weakness of a foolish, depraved heart, lies upon me as a lump of Lead, I get nothing by talking with it; as Solomon saith of the Fool, Answer not a fool accor­ding to his folly, lest thou be like him, Prov. 26. 4. for this talking with Guilt and Weakness, draweth my Soul (which is made free indeed by the Son of God) to the likeness of that Guilt and Weakness, and my ju­stified Conscience begins again to lick up the old Vo­mit of Fear and Bondage; but my work is then to cast my self, by naked Reliance on Jesus Christ, who justifieth the Ungodly, Rom. 4. 5. as being com­passed about with the Guard of God's free everlast­ing Justification, in the Person of Jesus Christ; and having the shelter of this Guard, then I may return, and plead with Guilt, and hear the complaints of my heart, and the accusations of my Conscience; and give them Answers, from the fulness of Christ's Atonement: and thus again the Fool (if such a term may be used in this comparison) is answered, lest he should be wise in his own conceit, Prov. 26. 5. I mean, that the Spirit of Bondage, which by the advantage of my own sin, pleads rationally against my Peace, till Faith comes with the Tongue of the Learned, and pleads the Mystery of Free Grace, against the Plea of Reason; and the Righteousness of Christ, and his Holiness, against Sin and Guilt. Nothing pre­vailed against Sampson, till he betrayed the Vow of God that was upon him: so nothing can prevail [Page 47] against the Peace of Justification, till Guilt divide be­tween the Soul, and naked Reliance upon the personal Perfection of Christs Sacrifice and Mediatorship. The Soul that lays his Foundation thus, will not boast in himself, Rom. 3. 27. nor wrong the Visits of God's favourable Countenance by Pride and Wantonness, nor yet despair when Storms arise; because his foundation is upon a Rock, and his safety is not at all any of his own Handy-work. As far as he be­holds this All-sufficiency of Christ's Mediatorship, the eye affects the heart to security and strength, and crumbles all Self-sufficiency to powder, and blows away the Egyptian Locusts of Guilt and Fears, into the Red Sea, and restores Pacification and Quiet to the Conscience; and from this glorious Sanctuary, the Soul comes forth to do the Actions of a new Life, by the vertue of another Spirit, the Spirit of Love, and a sound Mind; and worketh the Works of God in the World, and takes pleasure in obey­ing the Truth; and, if it were possible, it would actually keep the whole Law; in as much as being now eternally knit to Christ's Person by Faith, the Law, by the Spirit of Christ, is written in the heart.

This naked Reliance on Christ's Person, was the great endeavour, and (left to us as) the experience of the Apostles.

A Faith of which nature was exercised eminently by the holy Men of old; Abraham, Rom. 4. 20. Da­vid, Psal. 71. 16. Paul, 1 Cor. 2. 2. and Phil. 3. 8, 9.

There were two foundational Reasons mentioned, why the Soul is wholly to cast it self on the naked personal Merit of Jesus Christ; viz. because he be­gan our Righteousness, and he only perfected the same for ever; and those reasons well weighed, [Page 48] have great strength and motive-vertue in them, to be­get Faith; and besides, 'tis commanded as the absolute Condition of Salvation, Act. 16. 31. Believe, and thou shalt be saved; in opposition to which, Unbe­lief is made (in the dispensation of the Gospel) the reason of dying under the guilt of sin, Joh. 8. 24. For the Gospel doth so perfectly hold out Jesus Christ to be the Propitiation for all the sins of the World (through the value of his Death, and open freeness of the Tender thereof) that the very Hinge of Salvation and Damnation is turned upon the Faith of the heart therein, or Unbelief thereof, as being the most necessary and suitable Requisites, for the sta­ting of the Soul into an actual condition of Life or Death eternally.

Yea, Christ pronounceth forgiveness of sins to the Palsie-man, Luk. 5. 20. upon the meer Account of Believing. And the Apostle Paul declares the Righ­teousness of God to be upon all that believe, with­out making any difference upon any other respect, Rom. 3. 22. This one thing saved the Thief upon the Cross, when he had not opportunity to make Satisfaction for all the Wrongs and Robberies he had done. This makes the Apostle Paul so labori­ous to preserve this Mystery from the least mixture of Legal Righteousness, Gal. 5. 2. Because a Belie­ver's State and Life is wholly by Grace, 1 Cor. 15. 10. which entirely treats with the Faith of a Believer, and not with his Works of Righteousness or Sin: the one cannot help, nor the other hinder; because they are as the Elements of another World, as they are called, Gal. 4. 3. and can neither mend nor hurt that Justification by Jesus Christ, revealed from Heaven to a Believer, no more than Earthly Food can feed a Spirit, or a material Sword wound an Angel. And [Page 49] reason is, because the Person of Christ is the Ark where Righteousness and Pardon is kept, and con­veyed singly, by the Spirit of Grace, to Faith (which is the Acceptance of the same) and so it is sure from any personal qualifications on Man's part to hinder it, where 'tis by the Spirit of Believing accepted, Rom. 4. 16.

This Justification of a sinner by Faith in the Per­sonal Satisfaction and Righteousness of Jesus Christ, is that which lays a firm ground for Assurance of Per­severance; because the guilt of sin is done away, and pardoned, at the first believing on Jesus Christ: and if they be then done away, their guilt cannot really return; for the pardon of sins, and remembring them no more are joyned together, Heb. 8. 12. Nei­ther can sins committed after the Souls Conversion to God, by Faith in Jesus Christ, hazard the final state of such an one; because his person was made accepted at the first closing with Christ by Faith; and Pardon of sins is but the Consequent of the Ac­ceptation of his Person, Ephes. 1. 6. Rev. 1. 5. So that Christ having espoused a sinner to himself by Faith, doth wash him from his filth, and presents him to himself at length without Spot, Ephes. 5. 25, 26, 27. and the person being recieved upon the ac­count of meer Grace, sin has no equal Plea against such an one, because the strength of his Plea must be by the Law; and Grace having supplanted the Accusation of the Law, Joh. 1. 17. the Trial de­pends in another Court, where sin is cast out, Rom. 6. 17. And if sin could not at first hinder the Ac­ceptation of the person, much less can it procure a Dis-acceptation afterwards, Rom. 5. 10. And be­sides, the person of every Convert is considered (in his true Interest through Grace) in the Person of [Page 50] Jesus Christ, in whom all Accusations are fully an­swered.

Faith having got this Foundation, Encouragment, and Rightful Interest in the Remission of Sins, Righ­teousness, Life and Peace, sets it self by Spiritual Exercise, to put the Soul into sure and quiet Pos­session thereof, in a through and direct levelling its eye at the Object, the Person of Jesus Christ: and to that end, it gets the Soul up above the Reasonings of the Old Man, Flesh and Blood, into the Mount of Gospel-reason; and from thence, through the Promises, and demonstration of the Word of Truth by the Spirit, (as through a Prospective-Glass) ga­thers into its eye the lovely view of a compleat Re­deemer; and gazeth upon him, till a Dart strike through the Liver, and the Soul be made like the Chariots of Aminadab, and is both willingly and safely carried into a holy confidence of the truth of what it seeth; and the truth of its own, being com­prehended within the free and liberal reach of the design of God's Free Mercy, in a way of particular Application thereof, and cryeth out, My Lord, and my God.

And O, that my Soul were a little upon the wings of the Spirit, to ascend by Faith into this Mount of God, my Saviour.

Why abide I among the Folds of corrupt Nature to hear the bleating of my own Confusions and Lusts seeing the Sword of the Lord and his Gideon is drawn for my deliverance? Awake, O my Heart; awake, O my Conscience; shake thee from thy Dust; let the Testimony of Faith, and Spirit of Adoption and Freedom, lead my Captivity Captive for ever.

In this glorious Work, Faith seizeth on the Soul, as the Angel did seize upon Lot, and (as it were) tear him out of Sodom, with this blessed advantage; that it makes the Soul willing, in the day of God's Power, to be pulled with violence out of Sodom, out of all its fleshly filth, and fleshly state: it re­joyceth to see the Blood of former Lusts to be sprinkled on all its Raiment: 'Tis wrathful against the Inchantments of Self-Pride, Man's Applause, Car­nal Reason, Earthly Compliances, Fleshly Fears and Distrust: It roars against its Sensual Mind, and Car­nal Consultations, as a Lyon over its Prey. It un­hingeth the Gates of its Captivity, and carrieth them up to the top of the Mount, never to return again. Mighty is this Sampson-Faith, when its Locks of sanctified Convictions, and Manifestation of Grace, are grown up to some happy maturity, it looks fur­ther and further after Christ in every Scripture, it rejoyceth exceedingly to find the free Gift of Christ in such Language as this; I will give thee for a cove­nant of the people, that thou mayest say to the prisoners, Go forth, Isa. 49. 8, 9. Not by works of righteousness which we had done, but according to his mercy he saved us, Tit. 3. 5. I am he that blotteth out thy sins for my own sake, Isa. 43. 25. and will not remember them any more.

But the poor Soul looks down upon the scars of its own vile heart, and daily weaknesses, and cries out; Oh! but what are these Wounds in my heart and hands, these thorns in my sides, these pricks in my eyes?

The Understanding (triumphing through Faith) replies; These are the Memorials of the Wounds with which Christ was wounded in the House of his Friends, when he came to his own, and they re­ceived [Page 52] him not; and when the Sword of Indigna­tion awoke against the Shepherd, one who account­ed it no Robbery to be equal with God; he then saved the Sheep, and after a sore Conflict, slew the Wolf, and gathered again the Poor of the Flock, who were appointed (by the Law of Moses) to the Slaughter. Arise therefore, and be not dismayed at the Witnesses of Christ's Agony, which dwells (for a season) in thy mortal Flesh. The Battel was his, not thine: he mortally wounded the Dragon, and the God of Peace will shortly tread down Sa­tan, and every Spawn of his under your feet. These Enemies are left to prove your Faith, Integrity and Patience, that you might learn Spiritual War, and be renowned by Victory, through the mighty Spi­rit of the Captain of your Salvation.

Then Faith fixeth its eye again upon Jesus Christ through the Word, and beholds him as a Lamb that was slain, and yet risen; and there sees the Grave, where the guilt of Conscience was buried, and ar­gueth it self into Freedom. Guilt is destroyed, and none can raise the Dead but God only: but God will not raise it up, because he destroyed it himself, that he might marry the Justified Soul to himself, out of that Destruction of Guilt and Bondage, in the Person of his own Son, that he might thereby bring forth Life and Immortality to sinners, 2 Tim. 1. 10. Rom. 5. 6. by Faith; and therefore here Faith strives to keep its eye, while hands and feet are working; and by this Compass it steers its Course, towards the Haven of Safety.

But the abundant Grace, and vastness of this Sal­vation, in and through the Person of Jesus Christ, is so great, that my eye is dazled; I am not able to measure the Heavens; I bring my Bucket to hold [Page 53] the Sea, and 'tis drowned in the great Waters. And yet here Faith has a Refuge against Confusion of Mind; viz. when it espies a passive sence in all the Justification and Acceptation of the Gospel, and in all the Fruits thereof; working me up to, and ma­king me to be content with a Conformity, accor­ding to the Measure given me by Jesus Christ. Hence are the words discovering it rendred in a passive sense, Justified, Redeemed, and Saved: and the Action of this is ascribed only to Christ, or God in Christ; who justifieth, redeemeth and saveth. And hence also Faith giveth the Soul Relief against Con­fusion of Mind, about defect of knowledge, by the thought of this; that though I know little, yet I am known perfectly of God, Gal. 4. 9. and though I apprehend little of the great Mystery of this Sal­vation, yet I am apprehended fully by Jesus Christ, Phil. 3. 12. while I receive him by Faith, and am willing to be comprehended, and moulded by his Spirit. It was but a small thing (on Mans part) to touch the Hem of Christ's Garment; yet that being an Act of Reliance on Christ, and subjecting the Soul to him, presently there came in, Health of Bo­dy, and Pardon of Sins, from that comprehending Relation in which Christ stood to such a Soul. The Souls work in Faith (or rather, that to which the Soul is wrought) is a contentedness to receive the Person of Christ by Faith, as the Sum and Title of its Interest, in more than it can be ever able to re­ceive within its own capacity.

The Soul that receives the Person of Christ, by one true closing hint, through Faith, receives a rightful Propriety to every Excellency and Perfection that is in God, laid up in Christ for that end, though the length of that Perfection and Blessing be [Page 54] never fully known. As a Man who buyes a Field (if no Exception in the Laws of that Nation be made) he buyes all the Advantages of that piece of Earth, downwards, to the very Centre of the Earth, and all between that and the Stars, albeit he really minds no more (it may be) than the Grassie Superficies of his Land, till he discovers some other Excellency; Then he minds that also, and owns it, whether it be Mines of Gold or Silver, or whatever is in the nature of the Earth, which was not known when he bought it; because he bought a Right to it, with­out Restriction, to any particular quality in it: So is it with a Soul, that by Faith lays hold on, and re­ceives Christ's Person: it may be, his eye is chiefly on freedom from the guilt of sin; but in taking the Person of Christ, he recieves not only Pardon, but a true Right to whatsoever is in Christ, relating to this Life, and that which is to come; the Heaven of Heavens is not able to contain the utmost of that Inheritance which belongs to a Believer, because it cannot contain God. This Faith discovers, and cries out, My lines are fallen in a fruitful place, I have a goodly heritage.

Faith being thus mounted, it has The Influence of Faith into new O­bedience. many advantages (for 'tis skilful, and therefore victorious:) It has the advantage of discovery, for offence or defence: It has Champion Ground, and a clear Air to breath in; and so is every way furnished for Victory and Success.

And as Faith is thus fitted by means of its station and capacity for discovery, so it lies under the Bond of Obedience, engaged and commanded to accept and drink in the Happiness that lies in Christ.

Faith is eminently both Privilege and Duty: A Privilege, in that it enters on the Possession of the whole Covenant of Grace, and Eternal Life here upon the Earth; and 'tis bound thereto in point of Duty.

The Nature of Duty and Obedience is the better discerned, if we consider the nature of Command­ment. Commandment may be thus understood, ei­ther Primitive, or Superadded. Primitive Com­mandments are such as constitute the Pale between Good and Evil; and are the Demonstrations of Righteousness, the contrary to which is Sin and Un­righteousness, which was originally given to the na­ture of Man in Paradise; and after the Fall, renew­ed in Tables of Stone; to which that relates which the Apostle John speaketh; Where there is no law there is no transgression, for sin is the transgression of the law, 1 Joh. 3. 4. This Law was revived by Moses, for discovery and conviction of Sin and Transgression, Gal. 3. 19. Rom. 7. 7.

The Superadded Commandments are all Exhortati­ons and enforcing Precepts in the Scripture, which re­quire Obedience to the primitive Rules of God's ho­ly Will, which are (as it were) the Emblem of his righteous Nature, manifested to Man. And these two have a different manner of Obligement; The primitive Commandments do oblige from the very Nature of God, and discovery of his Will, in op­position to the defilement of Man by his Apostacy. And these do shew what is the duty which Man ow­eth to his Creator.

The superadded Precepts, by way of Exhortation, or by way of Commanding Charge, do seem rather to oblige, from the apparent Equity of the Will of God manifested, to shew his most holy and righte­ous [Page 56] Nature by; and serveth to apply the heart there­to. The breach of the former is Transgression, the breach of the latter is actual (though impotent) Wil­fulness, and (methinks) is properly that which is cal­led disobedience. Albeit all sin is truly termed dis­obedience, yet this seems to have a foul tincture of a repugnant Will, in disobeying; and so oft as the Command is renewed, this disobedience is the more aggravated and increased.

The same Draft and Model serves to discover what is Obedience, or Disobedience in the new Cre­ation.

In this new World (as it were) of Salvation by Je­sus Christ, the manifestation of Free Grace, in the Doctrine of Christ's Birth, Life, Death, Resurrecti­on, and Ascension, &c. doth make the Treaty between the spotless Purity and Sufficiency of Christ's most holy Nature, and the natural Guilt and lump of Wretchedness, that has over-spread the Nature and Life of sinful Man; which Manifestation of Christ presents it self, in a way of Cure, to defiled Man; and doth (in a primitive way, viz. in the very na­ture of it) require defiled Man to be Healed. There is vertually, in the very manifestation of the Gos­pel, a Command gone forth to lost Man to return, and accept the Salvation that is thus provided and held forth: Besides which, there comes in the next place, a positive Command to believe, 1 Joh. 3. 23. with many invitations, persuasions and directions about it. The not receiving the former is blindness, the not receiving the latter is (more eminently) wil­ful blindness; and both of them wretched impoten­cy, because the Letter of the Gospel it self cannot quicken. The Spirit of this Gospel doth therefore go further, in behalf of the Elect, who were pecu­liarly [Page 57] given to Christ; and presents it self as a quick­ning power in all the parts of it, and as the real ne­cessary, and most effectual Remedy against all man­ner of Guilt: which also is, in the next place, fol­lowed with a Law (in the hand of the Spirit) to re­ceive it by Faith; and this is that quickning vertue, in all invitations and persuasions to receive and apply that glorious Remedy. And this is that two­fold Law which every Convert lies under; viz. the Manifestation it self, and a spiritual requiring Word, commanding the Conscience to receive it, and live thereby, through an actually exercised Faith. For, as God pursued Man's Apostacy and disobedience, through Adam, to death and destruction, so he pur­sueth Man's Remedy, through the Death and Suffi­ciency of the second Adam, to Justification of Life and Salvation. In the former, God said, Man must die; in the latter he saith, Man must and shall live: He himself is the Commander, and the life and strength of his own Commands; in that the second Adam is not only a living Soul (as the first was) but a quickning Spirit, 1 Cor. 15. 45.

This Command from God in the Gospel, to be­lieve, receive, and enjoy Pardon and Righteousness in Jesus Christ, Act. 13. 38, 39. c. 16. 31. 1 Joh. 3. 23. even that Righteousness and Salvation which is laid up in the Person of the Mediator, 2 Cor. 3. 9, 10. for every one who comes for it, Heb. 7. 25. and would enjoy the same, Rev. 22. 17. This Com­mand (I say) necessarily requires Obedience there­to, Rom. 16. 26. This Obedience is exercised in a pure and free receiving Jesus Christ as my only Redeemer; as being bought by him, and being made his. I am not my own, I must not measure my self by my self, but by what he is for me, and to me. When the [Page 58] temptations of Fear, through my personal Guilt, do command me to Despair, I must not obey them, but must obey the Law of Christ, the Law of Faith (as 'tis called, Rom. 3. 22.) when Pride of heart, or Self-ability doth command me to boast, I must not obey it, 1 Cor. 1. 13. but must reply, I am not under the Law of my own Sin, nor of my own Righteous­ness, Rom. 6. 14. Tit. 3. 5. but I am under the Law of my own Lord; which is to receive him, and own his Righteousness as my own; for he is the Lord my Righteousness. When I believe, then I obey; for I am commanded to believe in the Name of the only be­gotten Son of God; when I cast my self on him that fulfilled the whole Law, then I fulfil the whole Law; when I cast my self on his Righteousness, I am (in God's sight) as white as Snow; my sins (in this new state) are rather accounted my diseases, than my faults: for if I am not my own, my sins are not my own; but accounted his, who loved me, and washed me in his Blood.

This Obedience of Faith has the sight of Christ's Fulness, and the Promises of the new Covenant to lean upon; and so it takes its Journy, from Flesh to Spirit, from Weakness to Strength, in the Name of the Lord. And from this Obedience in believing, (which is the highest and mysterious Obedience) proceeds all manner of holiness, as the fruits there­of, which receive their Sap from this Root: this Root makes them to be living Obedience, as Branches from the same Root, Children of the same Parent. The first Subjection is, to the Righteous­ness of Christ's Person, to submit all Fear and Guilt, to the fulness of Pardon and Life that is in him, as the Store-house, and there to enjoy it in the enjoy­ing of him; and then, by the Spirit of Life which [Page 59] is in Christ, the Soul with freedom acts forth an­swerably, in some measure, to such a renewed state, from whence all Actions of Holiness are called the Fruits of Faith, and Fruits of Righteousness, Phil. 1. 11. 2 Cor. 9. 10. Col. 1. 6. 2 Pet. 1. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.

After my Return from— One of Faiths dark days, and yet deli­vered. I found sore Breaches made upon my Soul; my inward Man had suffered loss, while I travelled up and down, my Soul was violently shaken; the Bands of the wicked one conspired with my wicked heart, and carried away my treacherous Soul; so that my Glo­ry was captivated into the Enemies hand. A Wind from the Wilderness laid me in confusion; the Tempest prevailed, and I suffered Shipwreck; all my own feeble Endeavours, and former Medi­tations gave way, and the raging Sea of filthy and foolish thoughts did beat sore upon me: My Ship (of former Resolutions of heart, and my poor dis­covery of the Salvation of God) was bulged, and ready to sink; yet my heart yerned after the Lord, my Rock. I cried secretly (though confusedly) to my God, and he yet reserved a Plank for my al­most drowned Soul to swim to the Shoar. He has not utterly removed Mercy from me; he has been yet preaching his own Free Grace to my Soul, through a Voice of Thunder and Lightning. Let me yet hear thy Voice, O thou Preserver of Men; let me yet gather up advantage through my loss; help me yet to receive recovering and establishing ver­tue from my strong Hold. While my thoughts were thus working, I endeavoured to get once more into the Sanctuary of God; and there I found, that although I carry about a Hell within me, yet that Hell cannot devour the infinite Covenant of Peace, [Page 60] which God made. My Unbelief and Disobedience cannot make the Faith of God to be of no effect.

I would have lived upon Grace and Strength re­cieved, and I trembled to see those selfish Confi­dences shaken to the Earth; but now (methinks) Christ calls me again from my Father's House, and promiseth me a better Name, than that of Sons and Daughters of my own, a Name in himself, an Off­spring in himself, Psal. 45. 16. Isa. 56. 5. which shall not be cut off. I have had a Sentence of Death in my self, that I might not trust any more in my self, but in God who raised the Dead. I am a dry Tree; but he who was raised from the Dead, is a green Tree, and in him is my Fruit found.

O the Mystery and Power of this Salvation where­with I am saved! O that I might pass (as it were) through the Eye of a Needle, into Christ's Power, and there rest from the days of adversity. And this Rest is glorious, because 'tis uncompounded, it receives no Ingredients from abroad; 'tis singly made up of Christ; and in him alone. Venture, O my Soul, up­on this naked Arm, for 'tis an Arm of Faithfulness and Mercy. This Strength alone is a Fountain of Strength; this is the River whose Streams make glad the City of God. Wilt thou not be undone, O my Soul! that thou mayest be saved? How long wilt thou set up thy Post by the Pillars of that Sal­vation which is wrought in God for thee, and wrought in thee by single Union with God in Jesus Christ? Is not his Arm stronger than thine? Be thou translated by Faith into Divine Strength. Let not thy Wine be mixed with Water. Thy Confi­dences are rejected, make a Voyage to the everlasting Hills, enter into the Mount of God. Thou hast bro­ken both the Tables of the Covenant, and yet the [Page 61] Prince of the same Covenant lives. Wait for the Spirit to draw it over again and again, by the inde­lible Character of his own Finger, who lives to enli­ven thee for ever.

How hard is it to depart from Self, from righte­ous Self, and sinful Self: I am wounded by sinful Self, that I might flee from righteous Self, and sin­ful Self also, and cast Anchor only within the Vale.

I am weary of the instability of the Streams; Oh let me go to the Fountain. When I am saying I shall die in my Nest, my Nest is soon fired about my ears, and turned to ashes. Certainly there is a better Rest than this, and it lieth in trusting Christ, and trusting in him only: I both trust Christ, and trust in Christ, when I believe that he is the Standard of all saving Righteousness communicable to Man; and all my Righteousness and Holiness is but the Reflection of his. I trust in Christ, when I live resignedly at his Feet, to be made holy. And whatsoever composure of heart I do at any time receive, I do not, nor cannot hold it; but 'tis held by him while it remains: and when it withdraws, it lives in the Root for me. I am rea­dy to think, if I had all Graces in my own dispose, I would manage them to the Glory of God; but how can God be glorified more, than in a holy Con­tent, to live at his Allowance? All his design is to allure me, and so to force me out of my self, to live in him, as well as to live by him: he bestows his Grace within doors. I must not take his Graces to my self, to put it to Usury for Increase; but must fetch the Increase, as well as the Principal from him, by Union with him through Jesus Christ: and my work is to rest on his Faithfulness, Wisdom, Wil­lingness, and Readiness to supply me; as if every Grace of the Spirit were fully in my own manage­ment [Page 62] and power to exercise the same. This is the true Life of Faith; this is the way of walking up and down in the Name of the Lord. When I actual­ly acknowledge every Measure of Spiritual Strength to hold its Tenure from Jesus Christ singly and wholly, and rest confidently upon him for it; and that be­cause he hath promised both Grace, Glory, and eve­ry good thing; judging him faithful who hath pro­mised, and owning him thereon for my Inheritance, and my self nothing but what he is for me: Then I may be said to trust Jesus Christ, and to trust in him only. I trust him upon his Word to be All for me, which I would spiritually be; and I trust in him to enjoy the same, through the Faith of my Interest in him, and his abounding Grace and Unction.

This cuts the heart of Self-Pride, spiritual Surfeit­ing, and Slothfulness, when I live every moment at the mercy of another, even Jesus Christ, both for Justifying Righteousness, and every Influence there­of, by the immediate Breathings of his Spirit, accor­ding to his good pleasure; having not the power, so much as to make one Hair white or black: but I must wholly work by his Hands, see by his Eyes, and in his Light behold the Light. What more power­ful Inducement can there be to Self-denial than this? Boasting is excluded, because Christ, in his own Person, and by his own Spirit, doth whatsoever is done for me, or in me. Here lies the Mystery and Labour of Faith, which the meer Notion thereof can never reach unto, so as to improve the same to a self-denying Activity for God, in the paths of God­liness and Travel towards Zion.

There is in our dear Lord Jesus Christ spiritually, not personally communi­cated to Believers. a two-fold Excellency to his Re­deemed, as he is their Portion; [Page 63] His Essential Power, Righteousness, Goodness and Per­fection in the Godhead; and his proper Humane Na­ture personally united thereunto, Col. 2. 9. and neither of these (considered as such) can be communicated unto the Children of Men; his Person cannot be divided, imparted or broken. And there is another Excellency flowing from the former, by way of Influ­ence, and inward Vertue, communicated to the hearts of the Redeemed, by Regeneration, which formeth, reneweth and quickneth the New Man, the new Creature in the Soul.

The first of these, though it cannot (in a strict sense) be communicated, yet it is wholly by Covenant given to the Saints, Isa. 49. 8. So that God, in his vast Essential Infiniteness, is their God; and his ve-Body that was dead, and is now alive, was also gi­ven to the Elect, Isa. 9. 6. and is become theirs by Covenant, and they enjoy it in that Right, though it remains personally to be his own (and not theirs, but) for them to all Eternity; the Excellency of which God and Man, in the Perfection of both Na­tures, is so far reckoned and imputed theirs by Co­venant-Union, and Mystical Ingrafture, as may per­fectly deliver them from all Evil, and fill them with all Righteousness, Purity and Perfection which Crea­ture-capacity can take in for the enjoying of the Glo­ry of God. So that the Person of the Mediator re­mains distinct from the persons of the Redeemed, and are not mixed, but united through the Spirit, in the Covenant, and his Personal Assumption of the Hu­mane Nature, by Faith exercised therein.

Hence it is, that the Interest The Advantages of Christ's being without us personally, and yet spiri­tually in us who believe. which the Saints have in Christ is enjoyable by them singly, through believing: which Enjoyment, [Page 64] through the spiritual Nature of the Union, is as cer­tain, strong and sure as whatsoever they enjoy in their own persons, by sense and feeling, Ephes. 3. 17. Rom. 4. 16.

And thus Christ, as to the Perfection of his Per­son, being without us, and above us; and yet by the Communication of the Spirit, through Faith, made near to us, and dwelling in us, yields much privilege, and unspeakable advantage to a Believer, viz.

1. The Excellency of a Believer's Portion in Christ is hereby more distinctly viewed, the Soul has here­by room to go round about the unspotted Lustre of his Person, and View him from head to foot, as the Church in the Canticles doth, Cant. 5. 10. as the choicest of ten thousands; whereas the Glory of the same Christ, as far as it appears only in the heart by Operation, is much dimmed and sullyed with the defilement that is there, and continual Conflicts; but consider­ing him seperated far away from sin and sinners, Heb. 7. 26. furnished with utmost Perfection and cloathed with Garments of compleat Victory and Beauty in the behalf of his Redeemed. This fills their hearts with joy, and their mouths with singing.

2. He is thereby become also the livelier Object of their Love; for the eye affects the heart, and nourisheth spiritual Enflamedness towards him: Di­stance 'twixt the Soul and so excellent an Object (I say) distance of this sort between the Eye and its Ob­ject, through Propriety in him, enamours the Mind; and withall, it provokes desire towards him, Cant. 6. 11. and makes the Soul of a Believer cry out for more nearness. Come, O my Beloved; this desire quickens expectation to rejoyce in hope, and leaves no room for a loathing, wearisome Fulness in the heart.

3. This objective enjoyment of Christ gives founda­tion for a kindly refuge in him; it rationally leads the inward Man to depart from all other selfs, and run to this objective self, Jesus Christ, through the drawing vertue of spiritual Union with him, Cant. 1. 4. and thus was Christ typed out by the Cities of Refuge.

4. This Enjoyment of Christ by way of Object is also a Fountain of Recovery when the Soul is foiled; it can fetch fresh righteousness, fresh pardon, and be anoin­ted again and again with fresh Oyl, Psal. 92. 10. as David speaks, and seventy seven times a day; yea, every mo­ment, as oft as the heart pants after him.

5. 'Tis also a Fountain of Ease, by pouring out a Complaint into his bosom: 'Tis great refreshment to have a Friend, to whom one may declare ones misery, were it only to receive pity from his hands, Job 16. 14. but in Christ, looked upon by Faith, there is a power as well as pity to help, be the Affli­ction and Burden what it will be, Heb. 5. 2. and how great soever.

6. 'Tis a Fountain also of Confidence: and hence doth the Prophet Micah, in the name of the people of God, argue against the Triumph of the Enemy, Mic. 7. 7, 8. I will look unto the Lord, &c. and there­fore Rejoyce not over me, O my enemy; though I fall, I shall rise again. And Christ himself doth teach his people Confidence by his own Example in the day of his suffering, Isa. 50. 8. Rom. 8. 33, 34. in that his Father was near to justifie him.

7. Christ thus taken up, helps against the solitari­ness of our Journey towards Heaven; a Believer has a friend to talk with by the way, who is a Guide al­so; and therefore great is the loss of that man, who walks alone, and compasseth himself about with his own sparks; if he fall (as Solomon speaks) he has none [Page 66] to raise him up again, Eccles. 4. 10. and thus Christ is held forth as a comfortable Leader and Companion, Isa. 57. 18. Jer. 3. 14. And the Church improves this Privilege, by leaning on her Beloved, as she comes forth out of the Wilderness. This blessed Companion makes way for his peoples safety, in the Fire, and in the Water of Affliction, Dan. 3. 25. Isa. 43. 2.

8. And by this means also Faith has got a true and faithful Witness on the Believers side, to clear off Accusations; and from hence are those expressions used in the Psalms, Plead my cause, Be surety for me, &c. and the often Appeals made to God, who trieth the Heart and Reins, and who standeth up on the side of his people, and on their behalf.

These and infinitely more Privileges do arise to every Believer, from the Interest that he hath in Christ's entire and incommunicable Person, by the Union of Free Govenant and Mystical Ingrafture, and the Communion of Vertue derived from the Person of this Mediator; in which Mystery of Grace he en­joys Christ as the Hand enjoys the Head, yet both of them are distinctly considered in the Body: or as the Eye enjoys the influence and vertue of that very light and heat which is in the very body of the Sun, although the body of the Sun be many thousand Miles distant from that Eye which doth actually enjoy that Sun in the light and heat of its influence; and doth as truly enjoy it, as if it lay in the material Body of the Sun, and in a way of greater advantage, fitted for its capacity and use. So is the Person of Christ enjoyed really and truly with all Privileges relating to Believers, whiles he retains his Personality uncom­municated and undivided to any other; as the very Water of the Fountain is enjoyed in the Streams, and [Page 67] the Sap of the Root enjoyed in the Branches; and yet the Stream is not the Fountain, nor yet the Branches any part of the Root.

The way of the Souls enjoyment Christ's Entrance upon the heart works Renewing there. of Christ in all the Privileges of his Person, and Offices of his Mediator­ship, and in all the Influences of Spi­ritual Unction and Transformation of the heart, into the power and likeness of Jesus Christ, is wrought by the Spirit of Regeneration through Faith; which causeth the Soul to pass over from its self, from all its strength, from all its own carnal hope, fear and selfish care, into the Death, Life, Righteousness and Perfection of the Person of Jesus Christ; and so is enabled to say in truth, I am not mine own: I live; yet no lon­ger I, but Christ liveth in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, viz. by the very Life, and in the very Life of Christ, apprehended, received, enjoyed, and working effectually in me, by Faith in him who loved me, and washed me from my sins in his own blood, Gal. 2. 20. Rev. 1. 5.

This is that translating, renewing, changing and quickning work which the Scripture doth so often mention as the design of the Gospel. And 'tis with reference unto this that Christ is called a Stone of Stumbling, and Rock of Offence: sinful and selfish Nature strives to preserve its life against the killing vertue of the Spirit of Christ in the Gospel preach­ed to the World. This is the reason of so much Carnal Profession and Barrenness in Christianity, when the hearts of Men turn the nature of the Go­spel (which is a Law of Grace, and obeyed only by Faith) into the similitude of the Law of Moses, and make it a matter of Man's working, and subject it [Page 68] to the poor and lame endeavours of unrenewed Man; not remembring, or (at least) not understanding that the Tree must first be made good, before the Fruits can be good. This was meant by the Apostle, when he bewails the Jews; who, though they followed af­ter Righteousness, attained it not, because they sought it not by faith, but (as it were) by the works of the law, Rom. 9. 31, 32. Ever since the Fall of Man, Righ­teousness forsook the created Nature of Man; which is largely shewed, Rom. 3. 10. and is only now in Christ revealed from Heaven, in receiving of whom, by being baptised spiritually into his Death and Life, his Righteousness is enjoyed.

Every Command of the Gospel doth first require Faith, which is the great Commandment, and in the vertue and power thereof requires and works Holiness in all the Fruits of a new Life, by the ver­tue of Jesus Christ, working in every Precept and Command of God in the whole Scriptures, being Gospellized by his Spirit.

And here my heart begins again to groan, while I find so little of this killing, renewing power accom­plishing its work upon me. How far am I from this renewed State? I am weary of the lifeless Notion of the thing. I faint in my sighing, and find no rest. I long for the breath of the Lord, and lament out my Complaint before him. When will the Lord come into his Temple? My flesh trembleth 'twixt hope, fear and desire: I am as a Bottle dried in the Smoak, my heart is pained and in Travel. O pre­server of Men make no tarrying, lest I be like them who go down to the pit. Oh, let Death feed upon me, till the Foundation of Life, Power and Peace be laid in my Soul, and Deliverance come from another place. Droopings are deadly (O my Soul!) do not [Page 69] say, thy Wound is incurable; the Creator of the ends of the Earth doth undertake for thee; he will yet re­veal abundance of Truth and Peace. Come then, O Fountain of Help! and do thine own Will upon me.

How easie is it to say the word ( Renewing) in comparison of the thing really executed and done?

All that can be spoken about it is but words; the Change it self is the thing I long for: my eyes fail, with hoping for the very Salvation of God in this work. Oh, that the Heavens might drop down their Dew! Why are the Influences of the Clouds with-held? Oh, for the sounding of his Bowels who is gone into a far Country, and has promised to re­turn! My musing heart cannot fetch him, but my groaning is before him, and the tears and cries of my Soul is in his sight. O Earth, cover thou not my blood! let the cry of my distress be heard: Anguish is upon my heart, and Oh, let the Season of my Re­demption come!

According to the measure of the power of Christ given to me, I would yet struggle against this Gyant ( unmortified self:) I would rather take a Sling and a Stone in the power of Christ, than all the Weapons of a Carnal Arm and Understanding.

Christ well knew the length of that Petition, Thy Will be done, when he taught his Disciples that Prayer. Could I but pray this Prayer, in the Lati­tude of it, I should think my foot within the threshold of Heaven.

The main Gospel-killing work lies The blessedness of a mortified Ʋnder­standing, and mor­tified Will. in mortifying the Understanding and the Will, into the Wisdom and Domi­nion of the Spirit: and in regard my present Controversie is against my [Page 70] own Carnal Will, I would deal with that first, did not my unmortified Understanding stand in the way.

My unmortified Understanding can easily dally with all the Notions about the Trinity, Law and Gospel, Promises and Covenant, Faith, and every Grace of the Spirit, and every Duty of Godliness, and yet but trifle all the while. The renewed Understand­ing sucks in the lively Evidence of the Mind of God in all those things, and is called the Demonstration of Spirit and Power, 1 Cor. 2. 4. and the very Mind of Christ, 1 Cor. 2. 16. This Mind of Jesus Christ re­presents to Faith, the infinite God wrapped up in every Particle of his Word, and is the Spirit of eve­ry revealed Truth. Hence comes that Expression, You have not so learned Christ, Ephes. 4. 20. A re­newed Understanding is not taught by Words and Sentences, be they what they will, and though ne­ver so good; but by the Mind of God and Christ in them, Ephes. 4. 21. The whole Volumne of the Scriptures is but (as it were) a small hint of the un­measurable Will of God. And this is the reason why the Scriptures, though the words are the same, and not altered, yet do they, by the Spirit, speak variety of Instructions in the Unity of the same Truth, as the Spirit pleaseth to reveal it self there­in; which doth not at all argue defect in the Scri­ptures, but infiniteness in the Mind of Christ therein contained.

This Fulness of the Mind of Christ in the Word is that which makes it divide between the Soul and the Spirit, the Joynts and the Marrow; and is a Dis­cerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart, Heb. 4. 12.

A renewed Understanding makes use of the Word, and all the Expressions therein, but as the [Page 71] Door by which to enter into the whole Vision of God in Jesus Christ, and the Revelation of his Will; and so takes up the Truth truly, in the method in which the infinite God is pleased to condescend.

A renewed Understanding sees the Mystery of Truth to be Substance and Life, through that report of it which words do speak. It converseth with Life through the Conduit of Words, Phrases and Terms: It gives way to the Truth, as it is in Jesus, by believ­ing, and not mangle it with carnal Reason; and so makes way for the renewed Will to give Obedi­ence by believing, doing and suffering the Pleasure and Will of God.

The renewed Will is one with God's Will, in a way of Submission thereto. It lies down broken hearted­ly in the pleasure of God: 'Tis zealous in Obedience, secure in believing, quiet in suffering, because the Will of God reigneth, and cannot be disappointed: It makes the Soul in all things give thanks, and re­joyce evermore: It grieves where the Holy Spirit is grieved, and it delights where God delights. If God say to Abraham, Offer up Isaac, he doth it with joy; Reluctancy is gone, because the Will of God dwells in the renewed Will, and the Consultations of Flesh and Blood are mortified. It grieves for Sin, because it crosseth the revealed Will of God; and yet re­joyceth in Hope, because all things shall work together for good to them that love him.

The renewed Will is always renewing it self by Faith in Christ, and looking into the Law of Liber­ty. It thanks God heartily for Life, Death, Health, Sickness, Success, or Disappointment, in High De­gree, or Low Degree; because 'tis baptized into his Will. And that the nature of this new Creation in the Will may provoke my heart to withdraw from [Page 72] the Servitude of my corrupt Will, I would ponder the nature of it a little further.

The first Parent of the Grace of Adoption by Je­sus Christ was the good pleasure of the Will of God in his Decree, Ephes. 1. 5. and actual Conversion by the Word is the Operation also of the Will of God, Jam. 1. 18. which bringeth forth a Birth in the new Man of the same likeness, Psal. 110. 3. Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power: and by this the truth of all Obedience is measured, Isa. 1. 19. It is also the first thing the Spirit of God hath in its eye, and which doth (in a way of Acceptation) fill up the defect of all other Service, 2 Cor. 8. 12.

The State of Death in Sin is Captivity to the Will of Satan, and the Flesh: and Subjection to the Will of God is the First-born from the Dead; it first ap­pears, and so goes on as the living Token of true Christianity, and never ceaseth till 'tis filled with the Fulness of God who brought it forth; and so it is the undoing Principle to Flesh and Blood, and captivates Fear, Care and Bondage into the Liberty of Jesus Christ, the Eternal Son of God, and makes Christ and a Believer no longer twain, but one in the Uni­on and Operation of the Spirit, whereby the Domi­nion and sure Protection of God secures the Soul, as the Waters cover the Sea. Here I stick, and here I groan: Alas, alas, for this day of the Lord: Oh, for this day spring from on high, to reveal this light and breath, in the Life of this renewed Understand­ing and Will, from the rolling bowels of his own Grace and Spirit. I am sick; yea, I am sick; my Pen shakes, my heart quivers with desire after this re­newing Work. Give way (O Carnal Mind of Un­belief, Darkness, Sin and Vanity) that my heart may faint away into the bosom of this changing Power of the Spirit of Christ who has redeemed it.

This glorius Work of renewing The use of the Scri­ptures. the Mind is carried on by the eter­nal Word of God, by which he made the World. All Creating Work is effected through the eternal Word, the Son of God, by the eternal Spirit, from the everlasting Father; in which God is all in all. This eternal Word hath declared himself by a word of Faith, Reconciliation and Comfort, contained and expressed in a way suitable to the Capacity of Humane Sense, Reason and Un­derstanding in the Scriptures, that so the incompre­hensible Will of God might look into the heart of Man, through the inlets of natural Sense, and the faculties of a natural Mind, making them subservi­ent in this renewing Change.

Therefore is it made visible to the eye, and recei­vable by the ear, retainable by the memory, and me­ditable by the heart, in the use of the Scriptures; and so doth, in a rational way, by Reproofs, Instructions, Convincements and Comforts, bring forth the new Creature, and hold it in a Spiritual Union and Fel­lowship with the Father, Son and Spirit, through a daily Increase, tending to the last and perfect Fulness, Col. 2. 19. Ephes. 1. 23.

And that Jesus Christ may make this express Word of his effectual to accomplish the design of his love to the Souls of his Redeemed, he guides them by his Spirit to the most advantagious improvement thereof, that not one Jot of his Word may be lost.

The whole Scriptures are the Inspiration of the Spirit of God the Father, and the Son Jesus Christ, Heb. 1. 1. Col. 3. 16. 2 Tim. 3. 16. given to reveal the way of Salvation; which is carried on by a way of History and Doctrine; in both which the State of Mankind is discovered, in reference to its Innocency, [Page 74] Fall and Recovery: The State of Innocency and the Fall comprehended all Mankind in the Persons of Adam and Eve; the State of Recovery respects on­ly a part of Mankind saved out of that universal Loss by Christ, according to the Election of Grace, and therefore he is called the second Adam, Rom. 5. 14. 1 Cor. 15. 45. who infuseth the Gift and Operation of Righteousness to his Seed, as the first Adam had infused the Guilt and enthralling corrupting Power of Sin into his Seed. As the Fall was a perfect Fall, so the Recovery (to the Remnant recovered) is a perfect Recovery, compleated fully in God's Decree before the World was, Ephes. 1. 4. and actually so­lemnized at Christ's Suffering, Col. 2. 15. which be­comes applicable to every individual person of that number by the Spirit of Faith and Holiness, and whereby they are fully and really freed from the mat­ter of Guilt through Union with Christ, albeit the af­flicting sense and fear of Guilt appears (many times) through the weakness of Faith in that Union; and through the incumbring defilement of Sin (in them who are redeemed) holds on a Conflict in the Flesh, till the last Enemy ( viz. Death) be destroyed; and so Mankind stands divided; the Persons of them who only bear the Image of the first Adam (corrupt­ed by the Serpent's Poyson,) and they who bear the Image of the second Adam; and in the latter, every redeemed person carries also a Sub-Division in his own heart for a time, viz. the grand Principle of his renewed State, and the afflicting Stain and Enmi­ty of the first Adam's Nature remaining in the Flesh. And in reference to these two Contraries ( viz. the Good and Bad Persons of Mankind, and the different Principles of Good and Evil) the Scripture doth dis­play all the Threatnings and Comforts, Reproofs [Page 75] and Encouragements, Judgments and Promises, Instru­ctions and Rebukes that are found in that blessed Vo­lume, with manifestations of God's power and goodness to the one, and his power and wrath against the other.

So that whatsoever is spoken of any one person, is spoken of all persons in the same State; and whatso­ever is spoken of any Action or Qualification in any person, is spoken of alike Actions and Qualificati­ons in every person; who is in the same state to the end of the World, even as long as Mankind re­mains, and as far as the Line of each State (whether it be good or bad) reacheth, so far doth every per­son (continuing in that State) bear his proportionable share through the Grave, to Eternity.

When the Spirit of God speaketh any thing in the Word, it first looks through the State in which any person is, and so deals with that particular person accor­ding to the state in which he is, whether it be a state of Sin or Grace, and so acts towards him according to the rules and method of such a state. Hence 'tis that comforts, or afflictions, or teachings, that are one and the same in their own nature, are exceeding different in the end and use which the Spirit makes of them, through the different state of Light or Darkness, Life or Death, in which all men lie. So that by this means the same Word is a savour of Life to one, which is a savour of Death to another.

The general threatnings against Ungodliness con­cerns every particular ungodly Man.

The particular punishment inflicted upon any one ungodly Man, shews what is equally due to the rest of ungodly Men. And although one evil Man may not commit the same wicked Action as another doth, yet he has the Nature, and the same evil State, which is the Root of that Action; and as it [Page 76] brings forth Actions equivolently evil, it is by the Spirit of God equally sentenced to Punishment.

And as in all visible Actions the state of the per­son (in the Scriptures) is first considered, so in all Actions the nature and spirit of that Action (as it holds relation to the state of the person acting) is regarded by the Spirit of God in the Word, before the Action it self, and involves every one within the Guilt of that Action (if it be wicked) or with­in the Blessing of that Action (if it be good) in whom the nature and spirit of such an Action worketh. From this ground Christ calls wicked Anger Mur­ther, and unchast Lustings Adultery, Matth. 5. 21, 28. And from this ground a gracious desire and in­tention has the blessing of a gracious Action, 2 Cor. 8. 12. And when the Action is one and the same, and yet the Spirit and inward Mind of them who execute that Action different, the Action is not ac­counted the same, but different; as in the case of Cain's killing Abel, and Phineas's killing Zimri; it was Murther in the one, and Righteousness in the other. So that Actions may agree, and yet the spi­rit of that Action, in the Actors, not agree: and the spirit of one Action may agree with the spirit of another Action, or the spirit of one that acts may agree in some particular Action with the spirit of another who acts the same thing, and yet the diffe­rence of their grand state disagree; as appears in the case of David's Uncleanness through Lust, and the Sin of his Son Ammon; for the Repentance of the one is recorded, but not of the other.

So that in the use of the Scriptures, we are to consider how far Actions agree, and how far the spi­rit or immediate inward working, which produceth Actions, agrees, and how the grand state of persons [Page 77] do agree, that we may know how to make use of the Reproofs and Punishments, Promises and Re­wards that we find given to others in Scripture.

As concerning the state of Godliness, there is no Godly Man has any peculiar privilege, which is not common to all who are in the same state, because the Covenant is made to them all alike in Jesus Christ; in whom God is become their God, upon the equal terms of Free Grace, and Christ is as well the Head of one Member, as of another; and all the privileges which can flow from such a common re­lation run down rightfully to every person within that relation; viz. Justification, Adoption, Recon­ciliation, Sanctification, Preservation, Instruction, and such like Operations of the Spirit, that issue from that relation, and which tend to a living enjoyment thereof, and the advancing of that state to perfecti­on. All Commands also and Duties bear with them an equal Engagement to every person (alike related) within the state of Covenant-Interest; because those Commands and Duties relate to the same Interest, in which all the people of God are one, Joh. 17. 20. Matth. 28. 20.

So that this Interest in God, which is helpful in one case, is applicable to all alike cases, wherein the Saints, who enjoy that Interest, are concerned: which makes every Promise to have a kind of Infiniteness, as God is infinite. From this Ground, the same Pro­mise that armed Joshua against fear, through the pre­sence and faithfulness of God, Josh. 1. 5. I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee, is used likewise to every Saint, to arm him against Covetousness, and fear of Want, Heb. 13. 5.

And thus the Experience of one Saint becomes advantagious to another, through their mutual In­terest [Page 78] in the same Root of Spiritual Life in Christ, by which they are one with him, and Co-partners each with other of the same Grace. From this Ground there is no Member of Christ that can say, he has not need of anothers help, because the Spirit of God, by which they are united into one Body, conveys its operation through one to another, as it pleaseth him, 1 Cor. 12. 11. which Spirit of God is the new Life of the Weak, as well as of the Strong, as he pleaseth to manifest his Power and Vertue in the one or the other, more or less, by which they are strong or weak; that so they might love, pity and sympathize each with other, being all interested in the same Life, and whereby they are all one Body, and Members one of another, Rom. 12. 5.

Hence it is, that all things spoken in the Scriptures are of true and proper use to every Child of God, as far as their condition agrees with, or stands in need of that Help, Comfort, Counsel, or Reproof mentioned there; which is the scope of the Spirit of God, in all those Promises, Instructions or Reproofs recorded in the Scriptures; as if they, and their parti­cular Cases had been first or only in the eye of God, when that word was spoken, or that instance given, be it what it will. What I say to you (saith Christ, Matth. 13. 37.) I say to all, watch; for whatsoever things were written afore time (to others) were written for our learning (as the Apostle tells the Church of the Romans, Rom. 15. 4, 5.) That we, through pati­ence, and comfort of the same scriptures, might have the same enjoyment and ground of hope as they had, be­ing equally interested in the same God, who by his Spirit breaths Grounds and Influence of the same Grace of Patience and Consolation, as it did to them to whom the Spirit, through the Scripture had for­merly [Page 79] spoken. And thus the same Word being the Inspiration of the Spirit, bloweth where it listeth, and the sound thereof is gone forth into all the World, and the spirit, drift, scope and use of the words of Life, to the end of the Earth, as far as the Spirit which breathed it begets any Soul into the Life of Union with God in Jesus Christ, who is the Eternal Word, and Mind of the Eternal Father; from whom all the Children of Adoption receive their Being and Birth through the Gospel of that only begotten Son of God, spiritually shed abroad into their hearts. So that every one who is Christ's may say, the History of the Scriptures is for me, the Prophets are mine, the Apostles are mine, and all their Prophesies and Preachings, all Promises, Reproofs and Comforts, Counsels, Warnings and Examples, the Gospel un­der Moses his Vail, and as it shines in the Teachings and Miracles of Christ and his Apostles; all things, all persons, Paul, Apollos, Cephas, Life and Death are the Inventory of my Happiness; things past, pre­sent and to come are mine, and for my use and ad­vantage; because the Spirit which worketh in and by all these is mine; and Christ, to whom I come, and whom I serve is mine, and Christ is God's, and his God and Father is mine, because I am his, Heir and Co-heir with him. Let such a privilege cause the Soul to cry out, Breath, O Spirit; open your selves, O blessed Scriptures; and water me with all manner of Teaching: Let mysterious Grace possess my Understanding, powerful Wisdom from God in the Scriptures, make me wise to Salvation: Let Strength and Vertue from on high renew both Spirit, Soul and Body to all power of a spiritual mind, that I may comprehend with all Saints what is the heighth, length, depth and breadth of the love of God in [Page 80] Christ, and be built amongst them upon the Foun­dation of the Apostles and Prophets, Christ himself be­ing my Corner-stone, and his Power enlivening me to every good word and work, through that com­mon Salvation wrought by him, for every Member of his Body; among whom, I also am allowed to claim my share in the Inheritance of Light, through the faith and patience of the Scriptures, and Testi­mony of Jesus, my Lord.

Abraham's Faith was exercised upon the Covenant which God made with him; saying, I will be thy God, and the God of thy seed: which Faith was fur­ther confirmed by the Sign of Circumcision that was added to that Covenant, and tried yet further, by offering up his Son; in all which he had the faith­fulness of God, and his free Grace and Power in his eye, and saw Christ's day a far off therein; although ('tis like) he saw not distinctly the very manner of Christ's coming in the Flesh, and the manner of his Death and Resurrection; yet his faith, in the sub­stance of the Covenant of God's free Grace, and in his wisdom and power to accomplish the same in his own way and time, led him to embrace that Cove­nant (so dispensed, and to that measure discovered) deriving Interest in God to his Soul, and the Righ­teousness of Justification thereby; which the Spirit doth record in the Scriptures to be the same justify­ing Exercise of Faith, which in the fulness of time should, and so did more distinctly put forth its self upon Christ, dead and risen, and upon the power and truth of God therein, to confirm, and actually execute in the Person of Christ the Branches and Method of that Covenant, relating to the taking away Sin, applying Righteousness, and uniting Man to God in the Mystery of Grace and Salvation: and [Page 81] therefore 'tis said, the same Righteousness is now imputed to Believers as was to him, because the na­ture of their Faith, and the substance of the Object of that Faith is one and the same. In the exercise of which they walk in his steps, Rom. 4. 12. and so are justified with believing Abraham, and inherit his Bles­sing, Gal. 3. 9.

And thus the Scriptures, in the spiritual use there­of, do run through all visibly different Dispensati­ons, Administrations, Instances and Cases of the Saints, with one and the same invisible scope, and se­cret tendency, agreeable to the state of Godliness, and relating to all persons within that state, in all times and Ages; and stands answerable to the nature of all future cases and experiences of the Saints; which makes the whole Scriptures which were written aforetime to be of a perpetual present use, from the be­ginning to the end of that Volumne: so said Moses of old, Deut. 4. 2. and so said John many hundred years after, Rev. 22. 18, 19. So that all Scripture is given for a perpetual profit by Doctrine, Reproof, Exhortation and Instruction in Righteousness, in or­der to the perfecting of the Saints, 2 Tim. 3. 16, 17.

And this brings in again the Consideration of the wonderful Condescention of God, who, though he be invisible, yet he doth (in a sort) become visible in the Word: there the Life of God is manifested, even that hidden Life which enlivens the new Man, it exposeth it self to be seen, heard and handled by the thoughts of Worm-like Man, 1 Joh. 1. 1, 2, 3.

God, who was pleased to manifest himself in the Flesh, has carried on a correspondent method in a way suitable to Humanity, ever since the Restoration was promised to the Seed of the Woman. The Spirit brings forth all its special Operations, in the exercise [Page 82] of Man's Nature, Reason, Understanding, Will, Affections and Passions. The Scriptures seem to be­speak nothing (oft-times) but meer Man, whereas that Humane way was only fitted as a Sheath for the Sword of the Spirit to be carried in, through all seve­ral cases that could fall out in Man's condition. God, who brought forth all things out of himself, doth still manage them, and uphold them; for he is the Life. As his Purpose and Power created the Being of all things, so his Providence and Wisdom doth create the continual disposing and ordering of all things; I create Jerusalem a rejoycing, saith the Lord, Isa. 65. 18. And therefore, having created a new thing in the Earth, that a Woman should compass a Man, Jer. 31. 22. he works creatingly in the disco­very and application of that Mystery, and stoops down into all the Sences, Passions and Affections of Humane Nature, and brings forth the Mystery of the new Creation, under the vail and external use of the matter of the first Creation; which runs through the whole History of outward Providences, and through every Branch of Moses's Law, in all the Sa­crifices, every part of the Tabernacle and Temple, and through every Dispensation, and among all the Fa­culties of the rational Soul, as the power of Life striving against Death, and Light against Darkness; which is the scope of what we find spoken to Man, or of; or by Man in the Scriptures: which is spoken, not to shew only what Man's natural thoughts are, but how the Spirit of God works in their thoughts, words and actions, or how the Spirit of Satan natu­rally and sinfully works in them; which is delivered to us by the Spirit of God, sometimes by the Rules of Doctrine and Worship, sometimes by Comforts, Instructions, Exhortations, Reproofs and Threat­nings; [Page 83] and sometimes by Examples and Experi­ences acted upon the persons of Good and Bad, and acting in them.

This Operation of the Spirit of the Father, and the Son, begets all the Convincements, Heart-searchings, Prayers, Groans, Cries, Sighs, Comforts, Encou­ragements and Conquests which we find exercised in the hearts of the people of God, throughout the Scriptures, as in a Glass, shewing the Combat be­twixt the Seed of the Serpent, and the Seed of the Woman; and establishing Faith, and Assurance of the Victory by Jesus Christ, who is the Captain of their Salvation.

And God has recorded these things in this man­ner in the Word, that all the people of God may read the whole of their present State and Work acted in the Scriptures, by the Inspiration of the Spi­rit, which now breaths Workings of a like nature in their hearts. The least Groan cannot be lost, 'tis part of the Lambs War; and therefore there is a Blessing in it. If the infinite Purity, Power and Ho­liness of God did reveal it self only to the Under­standing, it would either distract or confound the Soul, or harden it by a desperate Dispondency; and therefore the infinite Excellency of God des­cends into the Humane Nature of Christ, that it might overshadow, and work in the hearts of the Saints, who are his Mystical Body (by the Spirit in the Scriptures) in the way of an Instinct and new Principle arising from that spiritual Closure made be­twixt him and them in the Gospel.

The rejection of the Gospel, and The Glory of Christs Condescention. despising the Word doth chiefly arise from an aptness to stumble at the Condescention of God; he sees a necessity to bow [Page 84] down lower, to save poor Man, than the Pride of Man's heart knows how to digest; and therefore the broken and contrite ones get most of his compa­ny, Isa. 57. 15. the Soul who loves him, and be­lieves his Condescention, in the design and truth thereof, can never be too low for relief.

The manner of Christ's coming into the Flesh, and the despicableness of his Person, in his Life and Death, seriously considered, and the Ordinances which he blest, and left to us, gives no encourage­ment to the Wisdom of the Flesh. The way of car­nal Wisdom is to do great things by great means, but the Wisdom of God doth great things by small and despicable means, 1 Sam. 16. 7. 2 King. 5. 10, 11. and so confoundeth the Wisdom of the Wise; as the Apostle argues, 1 Cor. 1. from v. 20. forwards. Were the truth of this Mystery of God's Condes­cention truly taken up, it would spoil that repining dejection which torments the Saints about their un­worthiness, and thankfulness would accompany all their Groans towards him: he is as low as the low­est, and their way cannot be hid from him, though he be high and lofty, and the Creator of the ends of the earth, Isa. 40. 27, 28, 29. and 57. 15. The very Kernel of the Gospels Glory lies in the extreamness of his Condescention in the way of saving Man: his design is to exalt his Glory to the highest Heavens, by the unspeakable lowness of his stooping through­out all the day of Grace. He doth, by his Spirit, wait, weep, strive, grieve, sigh, suffer and complain in the hearts of his people; and figuratively, he is said to do such things also himself on their behalf; their weak Faith is mighty through him who works it, and who carries his Lambs in his Arms. His infinite Greatness is not at all the cause of any estranged di­stance [Page 85] betwixt him and Mankind in this day of Grace; but the carnal and unbroken Pride, and fulness of a self-righteous, careless, ignorant, unbelieving heart. He setteth the Solitary in Families, and stoopeth down to deliver them who are sensible of their Chains; but the Rebellious dwelleth in a dry Land, Psal. 68. 6.

Oh, let this Truth visit me, and save me! Here is a Rest indeed (O my confused heart!) he that heard the moan of Ephraim hears thy moan, hears thy confused cries, picks up all thy sighs, and puts them in a Bottle of Remembrance: he createth Jewels for himself, Jer. 31. 18. out of the Dunghill, and rakes them together into his Cabinet. When thou faint­est, he fainteth not. Lie down upon him, view the Travel that he has made in the Person of Christ, and in the Word of his Grace throughout the Scri­ptures, and say, How unsearchable is his Under­standing and Condescention! How wonderfully and fearfully am I made! How undeservedly, how al­mightily, how compleatly, freely and throughly am I called by his Grace, and led along this present Wil­derness by the Right Hand of infinite care, power and condescending compassionate faithfulness? Oh, the depth of the Wisdom and Knowledge of God in the Riches thereof! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out? For of him, and through him, and to him are all things; to whom be glory for ever, Rom. 11. 33, and 36.

Albeit God has laid the Founda­tion of Faith never so sure in the God in Jesus Christ the only life and breath of his people, and the advantages thereof. Person of Christ, and so in himself, as it stands revealed in the Scri­ptures; and albeit the Principle of believing be planted in the heart at the first converting Work, and Covenant-closure [Page 86] with Jesus Christ, yet every acting of Faith is still kept in the power of his own Will; and lies lock'd up from any exercise, till he open his hand, and fills the Soul with good things. And this God doth for singular ends, viz.

1. That God might be truly all in all, and all in every part; that his people might both be rich, and yet not able to say, My Goods are increased; that he may appear to be, not only the Author of their life, but of the Breathing of their breath also; and that the whole life of the new Creature might not be at the least distance from the heart of Christ: as the Flame of the Candle cannot live without the Wick, so is it impossible that the Faith, or refreshment of heart, can live one moment without supply of radical Moi­sture descending from the Head, Jesus Christ. Which doth not at all shew the uncertainty of a Believer's state, but rather tends to assure the same, by a fre­quent sending the Soul to God in Christ, by whom it is established.

2. It gives check to all allowed sin, and turning the Grace of God into wantonness, because he will not suffer the refreshment of his Grace to be any where, but where he is himself.

3. And as breathings are tokens of life, so do re­newed influences witness the reality of life, arising from the Union of the Soul with Christ.

4. It also tends to make the Soul watchful against distance from Christ, lest the Breath of Life with­draw, and the Soul faint insensibly, and fall into the Myre of a defiled Mind, and so into sinful Actions, and a wounded Conscience.

5. It leaves no room for sloth, or sleepiness of heart, lest the Locks of Communion with God's in­fluential Presence should be cut, and Strength be [Page 87] gone; for no comfort or strength lives any longer, than by faith it derives vigour from the heart and mind of Christ.

6. It represents Mercy purely, in that it sheweth, that the standing of a Believer is meerly at the good pleasure of God, and doth necessitate the Soul to be a resigned Attendant upon the meer Will of God; and so allures the Soul by a necessary Conquest of Love, not to live to it self, but to the pure Will of him who died, and rose again, and quickens all things. By which Resignment unto Mercy, it rests on the heart of Christ, and all the Fulness of God that is there.

7. It gives ground of hope in sad hours; for, as the Clouds come, so they go; There is hope of a tree, (saith Job, Job 14. 7.) though it be cut down, that it will spring again, through the reviving moisture at the root. And why art thou troubled, saith David to his Soul; I shall yet praise him, Psal. 43. 5. And be­sides,

8. This coming and going of the Spirits influence is as a Fan, which blows and brings forth the lustre of all Graces. Hereby Patience, Waiting, and Hope are ex­ercised, Faith and Love are exercised, and every Grace gets (as it were) a frequent new Birth in the Soul; and the spiritual fondness of the Love is revived, and not suffered to die. Every new Breath of the Spirit is a new Application of the Soul's Ingrafture into Christ, and Demonstration of his Power; and is arrayed afresh, as in the day of its first Espousals.

9. And lastly, It gives assurance of the Resurre­ction of the Body, of which every Resurrection by Faith and Hope (freely visiting the heart, and bring­ing it again to God) is the fore-runner.

Whiles my Meditations are musing and expatia­ting after the invisible God, and would fain com­prehend his way (methinks) I receive a check from Zophar, Job. 11. 7. Canst thou by searching find out God, canst thou by searching find out the Almighty to perfection? It is high as heaven, What canst thou do? Deeper than hell, What canst thou know? Keep with­in the revealed Word, and in the patience and com­fort of the Scriptures; live by hope; No flesh can see God and live. Poor Man would be wise, and see the upshot of all things, but the Vessel of his Understanding cannot hold it. Salvation by Christ has one kind of Rayment here, another kind here­after; here it is a Kingdom of Patience and Hope, but there a Kingdom of Glorious Enjoyment; here is the Earnest, there is the Fulness. When I would look over, and see some glimpses of Canaan, a Jor­dan of difficulty stands in the way. What an Ad­venture is it to go down into the depth of Death, and the last concluding Change? This is the last and great tryal of Faith, to venture all my hope in Eter­nity at one Cast; to expect to find the same God and Christ beyond the great Gulph, who appears on this side by the Spirit of his Grace; to enjoy the same God to Perfection, whose Name I now call upon by Prayer. O that victorious Faith which claspeth about that Love, from which neither Life nor Death, things present nor to come could di­vide! Rom. 8. 38, 39. I may not presumptuously go up into the Mount, but be content a while with Wilderness-work; there remaineth a Rest. Return again (O my Soul) to thy labouring, waiting state, be upon thy Watch, the Morning cometh by and by: be not afraid to have thy Night changed into Day, and all thy Weakness into Perfection; only [Page 89] labour out thy Task, and work out thy Salvation with fear and trembling, in this day of Faith and Hope.

Am I called to work and travel? How shall I un­dergo this Task? Contemplation only is not the work of my twelve hours; and Oh, for freedom of heart and understanding, that I may accomplish my work, my Hirelings day. Alas! (dear Christ) I am willing to work thy works, but would never be out of thy sight: May I not talk with thee, and look upon thy face, and yet work too? The presence of my Christ makes any toil to be perfect freedom.

Methinks I can easier find (in some measure) my work throughout the whole Scriptures (though that requires also the teachings of the Spirit necessarily) than I can know how to compose my heart to keep the Faith of Union and Communion with God fresh; and so to work and labour in the strength of that Fellowship, whatever I do in the World. When I am earnest in Contemplation, I fear I fail in the matter of Action; when I am acting, I fear losing the Marrow of my Communion with my God. Here lies Divine Skill to put both these to­gether, as being of the same nature, and tending to the same end; each of them helping, and not hin­dring one another. And to this end I desire help from on high, to find out my way and method, that I may so run, that I may at length finish my course with joy.

The Spring of all Christian Con­versation How to hold Com­munion with God in worldly business. is Justifying Faith, which cleanseth the Soul, and quickens it at the same time, by Union with Jesus Christ: and as, in the order of Nature, Life is first infused, before any Action of Life can ap­pear; [Page 90] so Faith, being the accepting and digesting ver­tue which receives (in a way of spiritual digesture) Jesus Christ, as the Bread of Life, doth cleanse and save the Soul: which new Life puts forth Actions of its own nature; which Actions do add a Perfe­ction of Growth and Manifestation, but not of Es­sence to that new Life of Justification, Regenerati­on and Reconcilement. All good works of a holy Conversation are the improving of that Life, but neither the cause, nor matter of it; the cause of it is the meer Grace and Favour of God, Ephes. 1. 4, 5, 6. the matter of this Life is the Spirit of Jesus Christ quickning the Soul, through Union with it; and from thence grows Action, as the delightful Exer­cise of the Life of the new Man.

So that my more or less improvement must not question the Essence of this Life; the least Action notes Life as well as the greatest, though the vigour thereof be in a different measure: and if I doubt of Life, I cannot produce it by Action. Leaves will not put life into the Tree; but I am in that case (by Soul-resigning and Self-renouncing Recumbency of heart) to lie down upon Christ, to receive Life from him. All Life lies in the Root, and comes thence by naked believing; whereby God, through Christ, vents his own Life by meer Grace in my Soul, that all Actions of Holiness may be no other than the Life of God working in me.

Now, that the Soul may both enjoy its Commu­nion with God, and also act with vigour the works of Righteousness in an active Conversation, there must be Order and Uniformity in every Action, sui­table to the Spirit of Communion with God: with­out Order there can be no Peace, but Confusion, 1 Cor. 14. 23. and without Uniformity also, arising [Page 91] from the Root of Union that is between the Acti­on and the Spirit of the Actor, there can be no Peace; for Unity breeds Peace, Ephes. 4. 3. by ma­king things different or distinguishable to agree in one, by some common and uniting likeness or other. And because this Uniformity seems naturally to of­fer it self to Consideration, in the first place I would let a few thoughts pass upon it.

In all Christan and morally good Actions (for­bearing to speak of ungodly Actions, which are plainly opposite to the Spirit of Holiness) no Action, though it be in it self materially good, ought to be left to its own swinge, but always ought to move in the hand of the Spirit, as it gives direction by, and suitable to the Word. The natural motion of a Wheel is to run downwards; yet we read, Ezek. 1. 19, 20, 21. that the Spirit of the living Creature being in the Wheels, it guided the Wheels from their natural motion, to the pleasure and Will of the Spirit that was in the Wheels; up or down, hi­ther or thither, as the Spirit moved them: the Spi­rit and the Wheels were made one in motion, by reason of their Union. And even so in all good Actions, spiritually performed, there is a Union betwixt the Principle of Holiness in the new Man, and the outward Action that is done; which forms the Action into a homogeneous suitableness to that in­ward Principle, and prevents discord betwixt the Action and the Principle. Thus it was with Job, when he said, My heart shall not reproach me, Job 27. 6. And hence comes a peaceable Execution of any Actions, when the Principle of Holiness does spirit the Action, and the Action outwardly manifest a justifying Concurrence with the Principle, in and by which it acts, the Action and the Principle ha­ving [Page 92] the same united Tendency to the Will of God.

And as Union and Symphony betwixt a gracious efficient Principle, and a gracious Action renders it a comfortable Service, whatever the work be which is done; so the Order betwixt these two do add a further supply, to carry on a heavenly Conversati­on here on Earth. The goodness of every Action (as to Comfort in the Execution thereof) ariseth from Communion with God, for whom, and to whom that Action and Service is performed.

Although both be the Exercise of the New Man, yet each of them act in their own order; the heart is first under true warmth within, and then the sui­table discoveries do follow, Psal. 39. 3. While I was musing (saith David) the fire burned, and then spake I with my tongue. A good Action loseth its inward beauty, when it keeps not its inside order; it is numbred amongst dead works, and moves but in a ghastly manner, when the Spirit within moves not first; much like to the irrational Actions of a Man, who walks up and down, and talks by some strength of fancy, when he is in a dead sleep all the while. But when the Root of Communion with God bears the Soul forth unto fruitfulness in any Service, that Service is comely, because it springs naturally from a Spirit of Faith in the New Man, and carries along the nature of the New Man in whatsoever is done.

These two being observed, would so carry on the course of Christianity, that in the various affairs of this life, inward Peace would not be broken; there would be readiness at all times to pray, praise and rejoyce. Thus Abraham and Enoch walked with God, and this is the glorious Promise, They shall walk up and down in the name of the Lord, Zach. 10. 12.

All good Actions being thus rooted and ordered, have the Glory of God in their eye, and run forth in way of duty, and carry with them the encou­ragement of Acceptation with God. And although the Actions of such a man may visibly be successless, yet his heart is never wrung with disappointment, because his secret Communion with, and Subjection to the Will of God (being the grand purpose of his heart in all he doth) delivers him into a holy Rest, and maintains an inclination to work still without repining, because he is assured his work is not in vain in the Lord. So far as the Will of God appears, he is quiet with joy, because the pleasure of his work lies in doing God's Will, and not his own. Com­munion with God makes up every Breach with an All-sufficiency: Disappointments do lock him up within the Sanctuary of God, and keeps the Soul at home, in the pure tastes of that Communion with God in which it lives, Psal. 73. 17, 25. in a readi­ness to every good work. His good Actions, though small as a Cup of cold Water, or successless, as Isaiah's preaching seemed to him to be, Isa. 49. 4. yet those works cannot be lost, because Communi­on with God cannot be lost, in the vertue of which, those works were done through Jesus Christ.

But while I am thus travelling The Soul sensible of a cold Fit. through the Consideration of seve­ral P [...]s redounding to a Belie­ver, [...] way of fruitfulness therein, I feel (me­thinks) many cold fits to seize upon me; as it was in the day that Abraham was troubled with the Fowls which fell upon the Carcases which God comman­ded him to divide for confirmation of his Promise, which Abraham drove away till the Sun went down; and when a deep sleep, and horrour of great dark­ness [Page 94] fell upon him, then, even then did a fresh assu­rance of the Covenant break forth upon him, (as Gen. 15. 13.) So while I am pursuing after this Sal­vation of God, I find the Clouds gather about me, I find not the same sensible Entertainment of the Sal­vation of God in my heart as sometimes I have done; my Soul is filled with guilt and weakness, and there­fore am forced to retire back from the pursuing the necessary and practical Meditations about the Con­versation of Godliness for a season, lest I leave an Enemy at my back that is ready to invade me; which Enemy (if it please the Lord to scatter by his Spirit) I shall be more able to attempt the Me­ditations of the works of Holiness, and have fresh Activity to put on the Garments of Fruitfulness, in the Service which I owe to Jesus Christ my Lord, than (methinks) for present I am.

Inward Rejoycing and Peace has been much bruised (for certain days) by weakness, guilt and distraction that has seized on my heart; there it lies like a Mountain of Lead: when my thoughts would turn inwards, I hear nothing but Outcries of Accusation and Guilt possessing my heart; I can find no shelter at home, I am forced to fly abroad for a Lodging, for Company and Food. I am now invited to renew my self a Nest above my own heart, my heart is grown hard, dark and weak, it prevails against my former sense of Divine Presence; and while it is thus filled with the clamours of Death and Confusi­on (methinks) I hear the Spirit and Bridegroom say, Come, arise; this is not your Rest: lanch forth through the Ocean of Free Grace, and let not thy expectation hanker towards thy self; though thy flesh fail, and thy heart fail, yet God is the strength of thy heart, and thy portion for ever. My work is to go [Page 95] forth; and Oh that I could make a fair Escape to him who stands upon the Shoar to receive me, it is not a few Meditations that will do it; it needs a Redeemer's hand to fetch me out, and pull me up.

The delight of the New Man is, The Soul flies out of all manner of selfish help, to Je­sus Christ only. to be under the Government of the Spirit only; and all the Issues of the Spirit flow from the heart of Christ only, by which the heart of a Belie­ver is made new in him. This Newness lies especi­ally in the Spirit of a Believer, which complies with the Spirit of God in the Witness of Adoption, even whiles the contradiction of defiled Nature warreth against it. And upon the single Interest of this Con­sideration, and Union betwixt Christ and the Soul (yielding it self to the renewing of his Spirit) doth Faith go forth, and claim Forrein Aid, viz. the Aid of Jesus Christ, to whom it is united; in Convey­ance of which Aid, Christ first takes the Soul more closely into the vertue of that Union, that every crumb of his help may truly savour of that Relation which is betwixt him and the Soul, through the New Covenant; and gives out no saving and effe­ctual Aid otherwise, than as the Product and Off­spring of that Union: that so Christ may be all in all, as the Treasury and efficient Cause of all Re­lief; and that the Soul, through spiritual Union on­ly, might derive that Relief to it self by Faith: and as the Foundation of the Union lies on free Grace, so the Application thereof, and the abundant help arising thence, is carried on through the method of free Grace only; for Faith can converse with no­thing (in order to the Life of the New Man) but Free Grace only in the Promse.

The very nature of free Promises do present to the Soul, the consideration of all Relief to lie origi­nally in God, and that the Soul is invited thither on­ly to fetch it, and cannot possibly return empty: for the dispensation of which Grace to the Sons of Men, God manifests himself in the Person of the Son, who dwells in Humane Nature, displaying the Evidence of this Grace in the Gospel, and by his Spirit per­suades the believing Soul to accept and improve it.

And the Soul being thus persuaded that his life lies in Christ, upon a free Covenant grounded in God's Decree, established on free Promises, may not stay to ask leave of his guilty heart, whether he be fit to lay hold upon this Deliverance, but must rather consider the freeness of Grace, Pardon and Righteousness, which is in this new and living way, which God hath made, and not Man. If Elijah had poured only on the parched Earth that was under his feet, he could have had no Argument of Moy­sture to arise from thence; but having by faith prayed to him who governed the Clouds, down came Rain, and the Drought vanished.

Guilt of Sin is like a Hedge, or a Wall, that can easily keep the heart in Impenitency and Unbelief; but when Faith, working by Repentance, seizeth on Jesus Christ, it gives Wings to the Soul of a Be­liever to fly up above all those hindrances of natural Guilt and Weakness; and though Sin and Death remain in his Flesh, yet he is got beyond the Capti­vity of the Law of Sin, which can no more keep him from the Freedom wherewith Christ hath made him free, than a Hedge can keep an Eagle from soar­ing up in the Air. The Sap which feeds Guilt is Unbelief; now when the Sap is withdrawn, the Tree dies away by degrees, although it remains in [Page 97] its place for a season: so is it with the Old Man; it combers the heart a while, but Christ at his death gave it such a Wound that will never be cured, till it has (by the Faith and Prayer of every Believer) bled it self to death. When Guilt seems to live most, and so sends a Believer afresh to Christ, then does Guilt die apace, and remains only to keep a Belie­ver's faith in continual exercise, and render Christ precious to the Soul, as cold Weather makes a Fire the more comfortable and pleasant: so that while my Soul holds close to this, that Christ is upon his own terms, Righteousness, Pardon and Life to me, by making me his; and he being mine, my own guilt becomes no longer my own, because I am no longer my own, but his who bought me with his blood; and as guilt is removed, so the fear of fal­ling away is removed, and relief against daily infir­mities provided for. If, being an Enemy, I was reconciled by his Death, much more, being recon­ciled, shall I be daily saved by his Life, Rom. 5. 10.

But whence ariseth this, that I Faith only a relief against daily infir­mity. find it harder to relie on him for power against daily infirmities, than against the power of condemning Guilt? Daily Infirmities are the lesser Enemies; but yet they are present Enemies, and seeming smal­ler in stature than the great bulk of universal Hu­mane Guilt; the Soul of a Christian is apt to step forth against them in his own strength and resoluti­on, and so returns many times with shame; where­as the same Covenant which takes away the stony heart and state of Guilt is that only which gives a heart of flesh, and cleanseth the Soul from all unrigh­teousness. I cannot therefore mortifie one foolish, filthy or distracted thought, without the application [Page 98] of the whole power of the same Christ who has re­moved my great and condemning guilt, and cast it in­to the Sea. I am apt foolishly to think, that my great guilt being removed, I may, in some sort, take my ease, which degenerates more and more into spiri­tual sloth and unthankfulness: but my daily infirmi­ties are like a pricking Bryar, which continually af­flicts me, and lets me know that this is not my Rest, neither will my own hands put away these Bryars; but only the consuming fire of Christ's Spirit setting his Death and Resurrection in Battel Array against them. So that I see, if ever I expect a good hour in this World, or to all Eternity, it must be only, and all over in Jesus Christ. O cursed Nature, O cursed Sloth! that is ever dividing that which a bles­sed Covenant of Grace has joyned together; Jesus Christ and my Soul. All his drift towards me is, that he might be all in all to me. Oh that he would vent himself, and spare not: he that bids me fear not, only believe, is only able to make me believe I often draw near (methinks) to some Resignation to him, with some universal scope, but am quickly gravelled again; yet so much delight remains in the very hope of my Soul towards him, that makes me chuse rather to have my eyes towards him, though with a long look, than to say within my heart, My Beloved will never come: surely he will yet come, and his Reward is with him.

This Resignation to God is so glo­rious in the Nature, Ground, Pro­perties Resignation. and encouraging Privileges of it, that the very glimpse thereof makes my heart light, and even faint for desire to be wholly swal­lowed up and translated (in Spirit, Soul and Body) into the pure Rest, and Crystal Life of God; but the [Page 99] nature of it I can no more express, than a Man's Pensil can draw the Portraicture of a Man's Life, or represent the nature of a Taste; albeit, it may draw the Figure of a Humane Body, or represent the vi­sible Food, in which lies that hidden quality of Life and Taste. But if words may be used about it, I would thus express it:

'Tis an allaying delightful, willing The nature of Re­signation. open-hearted dissolving of all my de­sires, cares and enjoyments of things present and to come, relating to Soul and Body, into the heart, and unlimited disposure of God in Jesus Christ my Lord; with an endless, victorious Security of Con­fidence, Consolation and Peace of heart and Conscience.

The ground of which glorious, active and Soul-quickning Rest is The Ground of it. Jesus Christ the Mediator, who has received his Redeemed to the Glory of God, Rom. 15. 7. He is called their Peace, Mich. 5. 5. their Rest, Isa. 28. 12. their Sufficiency, 2 Cor. 3. 5. Com­fort, 2 Cor. 1. 3. Joy, Psal. 43. 4. and All in all, Col. 3. 11.

In all these respects Jesus Christ becomes the ground and attractive cause of Resignation, as he is God and Man; bringing the Soul, through Union with his Humanity, to God, with whom he is personally united, 1 Pet. 3. 18. into which Union every Belie­ver is received, through the Mystery of his free Grace, Joh. 17. 21. and the Application of this Uni­on to the Soul by Faith, breeds this blessed Resigna­tion; for Christ being thus qualified in his own Per­son, and thus uniting the Soul to himself by his Spi­rit, begets in the heart, through believing, an an­swerable Counterpane of Conformity and Quiet in the Inward Man, which cannot be capable of loss, be­cause [Page 100] the unchangeable God is the Author and unal­terable Cause thereof, nor be obstructed (while Faith holds up its exercise therein;) but runs out into an infiniteness of Satisfaction in all cases; because it is got with the help, and expiating boundless Interest of him who is infinite. It enters in by the Door of his Manhood, to the partaking of whatever he is Heir to; and is made Heir with him of his Conquest, Fulness, Security, Peace and Joy: so that albeit the Flesh may fail, God, being the portion of a Belie­ver, faileth not, but always unchangeably continu­eth in the Mystery of this Union, to be the Foun­dation and effecting Cause of a Believer's Resignati­on to him, as into the hands of a faithful Creator, 1 Pet. 4. 19. Jesus Christ himself is the glorious Model of Resignation; for God, in Christ, resigned up himself to the Nature of Man, Heb. 2. 14. and being the Eternal Son, resigned up himself to the Will of his Father, to be made a Servant; and he who is the Law-giver resigns himself subject to the Law; God over all, blessed for ever, resigns himself to the Curse of the Law; he resigns up the freedom of his own Will to a voluntary Covenant; he un­dertakes (as it were) the encumbrance of a Family, and accounts the cries of many Infants about him no disturbance, but a delight; he resigned up his Body to death, and became of no Reputation, that out of his Dust he might bring many Sons to Glory; he resigned up his heart to bear their sins and sorrows; he hath resigned up whatever he is to be theirs, that they might be his, and be saved, both living and dying, from all wants and fears, through his Resig­nation of himself to stand or fall with them, and from every part of his Resignation, sends forth his Spirit to work Resignation also in them, according [Page 101] to the measure of his own Gift, in every part of his mystical Body, by virtue of that Union to which he hath called them with himself: and herein lies the ground and foundation of a Believer's holy Resigna­tion to God.

As for the Properties of this holy Properties of Re­signation. Resignation, there is a notion of weakness and subjection in the Re­signed, and of Power and Dominion in the Person to whom Resignation is made. There is also an Alie­nation of some proper and private Interest, and a change thereof into the Interest of another. And so it is in the Resignation of the Soul to God. The Soul being sensible of its own inability, bequeaths it self to the Almighty Redeemer, and doth subject it self to the Rules of his Dominion, as the Clay to the hand of the Potter; and so every Nerve of the Soul is loosed, and lies down at the Will and Dis­posure of the Lord, to do as it seemeth good unto him; and so the Soul ceaseth from its own private Interest, and submits it self to the Merit, Mercy and Laws of the Mediator, to be dieted, cloathed and employed by him only, and lives no longer by the Life of his own hand, Isa. 57. 10. Hos. 14. 3. Now he stretcheth forth his hands, and another girds him, and leads him whither his fleshly Rea­son would not; he knows never a step of his way, but as the Word and Spirit guides him, Isa. 42. 16. he dares not say his Sins are his own, nor his Righ­teousness his own, but as Christ, in the Gospel, di­rects and suffers him to think and speak; he can neither accuse nor excuse himself, neither judge nor acquit himself any otherwise than as he who bought him will allow, and give his consent, Numb. 30. 7, 8. because he is now uuder the Dominion and In­terest [Page 102] of another; and is no longer his own, but married to him who was raised from the dead.

Resignation is a free Act, and is managed in the Will, aiming to prevent a greater Evil, or obtain a greater Good; and therefore carries some content and delight with it, and which is so much the more increased, as the Power, Authority and Faithful­ness of the Person resigned to is great and sure; so is it with a Believer's Resignation to God in Jesus Christ: every glimpse of his infinite Power, Truth and Mercy, redounds to the increase of a Believer's refreshment, because he hath a Right therein (by Resignation thereunto) in the Person of Jesus Christ, and it eyes his Person in all the Worth, Perfection and Excellency thereof, in such a way of propriety therein, that it affecteth the heart, and makes way for the influence of that worth to enter upon the Mind and Affections, and so renders it active, ac­cording to the Mind of Christ, and Spirit of the Gospel, to obey, believe and live upon that Mind of Christ, represented to the Understanding; im­proving his Worth by a sanctified Application to every part of the New Man, as a holy Oyl, sinking into every Faculty of the Soul, and naturally incli­ning it to every Exercise of that new State, to which it is begotten and brought forth by a spiritual Resignation.

The blessed Privileges which arise from hence are innumerable, as God, Privileges of Re­signation. to whom the Resignment is made, is unmeasurable and infinite. The Soul of a resigning Believer enters into Purity, Establishment, Protection, Peace, Love, Liberty, Boldness, Satisfaction and Joy in the Holy Spirit, and gains an entrance abundantly into the Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

As a Stick of Wood cast into the fire, is changed into the property of Purity. that fire, so the casting of the Soul into the Blood of the immaculate Lamb, abides no longer filthy, but spotless, through the price and preciousness of that Blood; the Spirit of which Blood removes the Conscience and private owning of Guilt, and transfers it into the Laver of Christ's Satisfaction, and comes forth cloathed with Pardon, Righteousness and Acceptation in the sight of God, the righteous Judge, who has constituted a Satisfa­ction to himself by such a method, that his Mercy to a Sinner might be an Act of Righteousness to Je­sus Christ the Mediator; and that, by Resignation to Christ, a Believer might enjoy it in enjoying Christ, whose nature is also shed abroad in the heart by the washing of the new Birth, through the Word of his Grace, to mortifie and cleanse the heart, as a Seal of Implantation into the perfect Righteousness and Acceptation of his Person who bought it with his Blood, Gal. 2. 20. 1 Joh. 1. 9.

Which Resignation gives Esta­blishment, by engaging him who Establishment. bears up the Pillars of the Earth to bear a poor sinner's weight, and keep it from reel­ing. Resignation doth incorporate a Believer into the very Rock of Ages; it conveyeth a Sinner through the Word of Free Grace and Power, clean from his own sin, and gives it an Arrival in the very Breast of Christ, where it abides without sin or change, 1 Joh. 3. 6. Though sin remain in the na­tural Man, and dwells with Humane Flesh, through the whole Circuit of the first Adam's state, yet Faith rejoyns the Soul into the second Adam, who is whol­ly pure, as the first Adam is wholly sinful. So that a [Page 104] sinner, in coming to him, resigns himself up from perfect sin, to perfect purity. The Body of Christ, as it is mystically below, remains for a season under the washing of the Word; but as it is mystically married to Christ risen from the Dead, and sitting at the Right Hand of God with him, 'tis pure as the Sun in its brightness, and established for ever above all shaking storms of the lower Region, whe­ther it be Guilt, Change or Danger.

Resignation doth naturally claim Protection, as appears in the case of Protection. the Gibeonites, Josh. 10. 4, 5, 6. Cha­rity and Pity would induce a noble Mind to help the distressed, though there were no propriety of the distressed to move such a noble Mind. It were cruelty to suffer a Neighbour's Ox to lie in the Ditch, with­out some real willingness to help it out; but Resignati­on gives a propriety in the Resigned, to the person to whom the Resignment is made: and therefore Christ owns the cherishing and protection of a resigning Soul up­on the account of Conjugal Propriety, Ephes. 5. 29. No man ever yet hated his own flesh; and not only protecteth, but nourisheth it, viz. as Christ the Church. This Propriety makes every Branch of the Wants, Griefs, Burdens or Dangers that every resigning Be­liever has, to be Christ's Concernment as truly, and as much (for the nature of them) as the Salvation of all the Elect, for which he came into the World, and died. His Salvation reacheth into every Cre­vice of their need, He saveth to the utmost, Heb. 7. 25. which saving Protection stands fitted to a resign­ed Soul, as a curious Key to the Wards of a Lock, and intermits not the least moment from suitable and needful help, Isa. 27. 3. only he manageth it in his own method, which a resigned Soul owns he is satisfied and delighted in.

Hence comes Peace, when the Soul Peace. of a Believer, by Resignment (having viewed the Compass of plentiful Redemption the strength of the Rock that is under him, and the Helmet of Salvation that is over him) saith, Return, O my soul, to thy rest, for God hath dealt bountifully with thee. God hath delivered my life from going down to the pit, and my eyes from tears, and my feet from falling, Psal. 116. 7, 8. I will now lay me down and sleep, for no less than God himself makes me to dwell in safety, Psal. 4. 8. The Peace of Resignation is Christ's Peace, which none can divide from a Believer; it is his Ga­rison, and fortified Security, Col. 3. 15. Joh. 14. 27.

And from hence flows Love to God the Father, Son and Spirit. The Love. Love of the Father in the Son, and by the Spirit, in all the unspeakable discoveries of it, warms the heart into this Resignation unto him, 1 Joh. 4. 19. Christ appearing so amply furnished to conciliate Love, and presenting the Bracelets of his kindness, and declaring his Wealth, Power and Glory of his Kingdom, Psal. 145. 11. as once Abra­ham's Servant did to Rebeccah in behalf of Isaac, he gains the heart of a Believer to forsake former Con­tents, and resign up the utmost Affections to him: The more the Soul resigns, the more doth it love; and the more it loves, the more it doth resign to him. The Love of God shed abroad into the heart by the Spirit, from the heart of Christ, breeds Resignation, and that Resignation still feeds Love; each moving other with a perpetual motion; and so from an endless Prin­ciple of Union with Christ, runs forth to all Eter­nity.

From whence ariseth also a sense Freedom. of perfect Freedom; the Pales of di­stance [Page 106] are broken down, free Access to God in Christ is gained, Mis-apprehensions removed, and Open-heartedness interweaves betwixt Christ and the Soul. The Heir is no longer Servant, but a Son. Esther is brought from the Custody of Hegai, to the King's Palace. The boundless Deity, in all its Purity, Power and Protection, is the Range of a resign­ing Believer. The Law is removed, the Prince of this World is judged and cast out, the former state of Enmity and Bondage is over and gone, and now the Soul dilates it self with full spread into that Free­dom wherewith Christ hath made it free, Joh. 8. 36. Gal. 5. 1.

Which Freedom brings in Bold­ness along with it; the Soul being Boldness. once resigned up to Christ, is no longer a Stranger, but of his Houshold; yea, be­trothed to his Person in Righteousness and Tender Mercy, and is always in his eye. Resignation be­twixt Christ and the Soul being mutually past, Dark­ness is swallowed up of Light, there is no shelter for the Beasts of Prey: no Weapon that is formed against a Believer can prosper, who has resigned him­self to the Former of all things; he may now dwell safely in the Wilderness, and sleep in the Woods: a Lyon-like Courage grows in the Soul from the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah, to whom, by Resignation, it is united.

What now may hinder Satisfacti­on? Why may not the Soul say, I Satisfaction. have enough, my Inheritance is law­fully gotten; neither have I got it with my Sword and Bow, as Jacob got a Portion from the hand of the Amorite, but I have given my self for it. I have resigned my whole self to Christ, and he has resigned [Page 107] his whole self to me. I own and accept his Resig­nation, and he accepts mine. What further re­mains, than that I bid farewel to mine own Pover­ty and Wretchedness, and put on Change of Rai­ment? Why may not I dwell amidst the Flagons, Cant. 2. 5. of his satisfying Presence? I am filled, and my Cup runs over.

And now also, who may hinder a satisfied Soul from Joy? Will not Joy. all the Foundation-work and Walls of this Building bear a Superstructure of Joy in the Holy Spirit? Is not the upshot of this Resignation betwixt Christ and a Believer mutual Joy? He joys over his beloved with singing, Zeph. 3. 17. and her soul rejoyceth in God her Saviour, Luk. 1. 47. As far as any degrees of this Resignation tastes these high Privileges, so doth a relish of Joy grow in the Soul. Resignation brings the Soul into the heart of Christ, who hath triumphed gloriously in rescuing his Spouse, and now rejoyceth over her, as a Bridegroom rejoyceth over the Bride, Isa. 62. 4. and in the day of the gladness of his heart, calls her Hephzibah, My delight is in her: Which Joy begets an Eccho of its own likeness from her again, My delight is in him. And thus the Crown of Joy is placed on the Head of Spiritual Resignment. The Soul cannot re­sign to God without Joy in him, nor rejoyce in him without Resignment: They live in one another, be­cause the Seed and Nature of all spiritual Privileges lies in every Privilege; and the Nature of this Pri­vilege being endless (because God is everlasting) the Crown of Joy can therefore never wither.

And the more this Resignation to God in Christ gets Ground in An Entrance to the purchased Possession the Soul, the more is an Entrance [Page 108] made into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ; not as it is a Work done by us, but wrought in us; in which the heart is made to give way, and is made voluntary therein by the Spirit of Grace. Which Work is here carried on through much Contradiction in the Flesh, which strives against it, while the Inward Man in every Believer pants after it, and finds no Rest, but as the Power of this holy Resignation to God in all things pre­vails; till at last it steps over Mortality, and leaves every Obstruction behind perfectly and for ever; and then God is all in all.

Christ enjoying his Spouse without any Reluctan­cy or Unsuitableness in her, and she enjoying her Husband without any Vail upon his Face; she hears his pure Language, and returns pure Language again: Love has its full vent on both sides: the mutual Yerning of Bowels will then be satisfied, the Voice of COME, which sounds from Christ above, and the Believer below, will period it self in one eternal un­separable Meeting. Resignation will then enjoy an uninterrupted Delight. How astonishing is the thought of this? When the thought of it is strained through the weakness of my Faith, conflicting with so much Darkness, and present Treachery of heart, and Self-unworthiness, the Glympses thereof makes me both fear and rejoyce at once, and yet am not able to rejoyce perfectly for fear, nor fear perfectly for hope. O infinite Redeemer! be over and above all my fear and faintness, act like thy self, almigh­tily and freely, that my heart may shout for Joy in the hope of the Glory of God, and the day of re­freshing, which is promised to appear: Even so come, Lord Jesus.

And now, if I might, out of all these Conside­rations, but take home to my own heart a few Chips to kindle mine own Fire, and be really re­signed one Inch nearer to Christ, I should think the Meditations of this day happily given in. What else doth my Soul long for? Some Crumbs of this glorious Banquet, that my Soul may inwardly com­mend the Feast, and say, The Lord hath done great things for me: Yea, Lord, let thy Kingdom come, and thy Will be done. I wait, and cry, Amen, Amen.

PErceiving a dark Cloud, and tempestuous Storm to be rising, and being called to enter into the Chambers of Divine Protection, Isa. 26. 20. and finding it the practise of the Lord's people, Psal. 57. 1. and 143. 9. and Jesus Christ having declared him­self a Shelter from the Storm, Isa. 32. 2. and invi­ting me to enter into his Rest, Matth. 11. 29. I judge it my duty to follow his Voice, and betake my self to the Horns of the Altar; but being hin­dred by my own Guiltiness and Unbelief, am for­ced, either to wander into Desolation of Mind, or else to endeavour to cut my way through the In­cumbrances of my own darkness, by the Sword of the Spirit. If the Lord shall be pleased to favour me, and bless this Attempt, I shall be safe under his Wings. And seeing nothing makes Calamities terrible but Guilt of sin, I judge it my duty to set my main Battery against that Strong Hold: And to that end, having chosen out for my help that blessed Word:

Which Scripture yields excellent Relief to that Soul that can mix it with Faith.

The words ( He that hath loved us) do import the Ground of a Sinner's Union with Christ; for such is the nature of Love: and we must be one also with him, before ours can be made his, and his made ours.

And the words ( our sins) and ( his own blood) How Christ's blood doth wash. being compared together, shews, that from Union with him flows a transferring of our sins upon him, and (as it were) mixing them, without any personal stain, with his Blood, and so made his. Our Infection, by his own Will, entred (as it were) by Imputati­on and Burthen, into the Blood of the unspotted Lamb. He suffered himself, who was personally without sin, to be all over laden with the real Im­putation of the loathsome Nature, and absolute Guilt of our sins, and so became sin for us; and yet his Blood remained pure, and himself without sin.

The word Washed alludeth to legal Washings for Purification. He removed our sins from us; ma­king them no longer ours, but his own; as the filth of a Garment is washed, whereby the Garment be­comes clean; so our sins passed away ( Zach. 3. 4.) by Imputation, and burthen of the Curse, into the living Body, and Life-blood of Jesus Christ. And so the Sinner (as the original and principal Malefa­ctor) and Christ as Surety, do stand both of them before God the righteous Judge; and both, in some kind, equally liable to Sentence: for if Christ had [Page 113] not been able to have freed himself from those sins, they would have sunk him and the Sinner too. And herein the Metaphor of washing a Garment comes short of this Mystery; for the filth being gone from the Garment, into the Water, the Garment is there­by actually cleansed, though the Water be never cleansed from the filth that it borrowed of the Gar­ment; because the Water and the Garment are two seperated things: but in this mystical Washing, the Person washed, and the Blood washing, are joyned together in the Union of Christ's Mystical Person; so that if Christ, who is the Surety, miscarry in his work, all they whose hope of Redemption lies only (through Mystical Union) in their Interest in him, must needs perish with him; and if he pre­vail, they are delivered: for this Washing at his Agony and Death was, in some sence, Inchoa­tive, and yet accounted perfect (and was so) as it stood in relation to, and connexion with his Resur­rection, which made him a compleat and perfect Author of Eternal Salvation, Heb. 5. 9.

But how Christ could bear our How a pure Christ was made Sin for us. sins, and be made Sin for us, and yet be personally pure, this is a great wonder; and he must be without sin all the while, else he could not have done away our sins. One Contrary expels another: but he doth it not at a distance, as the Light of the Sun drives away Darkness before it; but he enters (sin­lesly) into the state of our Sin, that we might enter into the state of his Righteousness. He cures not as a Physician, who cures by Medicines, but was him­self touch'd with our infirmities; he was made Sin for us; he espoused not only the punishment of our Sins to himself, but was married also to our Guilt, [Page 114] and to all the dreadful workings of it, so far as that it made him sick and sorrowful, even to the very death. He had the guilt of our delight in sin, with­out any delight in it. He made himself guilty of all our sins, but had none of his own, nor no defilement to his Nature by ours. If one Man be guilty of ano­ther's sin, he is defiled himself, without lessening the defilement of the other Man; because the Guilt is not translated from the one to the other, but ex­tendeth and spreadeth its poysonous nature from the one to the other, and so fills (as it were) both Ves­sels, without any remove of the Guilt: but Christ's Nature being capable of no personal Infection, gives liberty and scope to the Guilt of a Sinner to vent it self wholly into the bottomless and endless Satisfa­ction, Merit and Righteousness of Christ the Me­diator, till the last drop of it be gone, and the Foun­tain dried up, through Union with his spotless Na­ture. Our sins touched him, as to an experimental sence of the filth and burthen of them. He bare our sins in the Body of his Flesh, but that Flesh being per­sonally united to the Godhead, remained pure, and uncapable of any Corruption, through the purity of that personal Union.

But how unexpressibly far he took in the sense and burthen of all sin, and made it his own in the utmost measure, and how infinitely pure he still re­mained, the knowledge of this the Angels desire to look into, and must be reserved, till the Saints come to know, as they are known of him.

Sin dwells in our Nature habitually and actually, but lay upon him by Imputation; and so passively, his Nature bare our sin, but could not act it.

But how should a Sinner come to enjoy Redem­ption from his Sins by a Mediator thus wonderfully qualified, and so admirably sustaining a sinner's guilt?

This is worth the Enquiry; I may not rush into this Mystery. I must be unshod, that I may enter in, and stand upon holy Ground; No man cometh to the Son, but whom the Father draweth. I may get the notion of something about it, but can come to no heart-enjoyment without the Unction of the Spi­rit of Christ to possess, and so to lead me in within the shadow of this Almighty Redeemer. 'Tis wea­risom and barren work to gape towards this Myste­ry by a meer speculative Search; and therefore I would fain make it my design to give away my whole self (in every step of this Enquiry) to Jesus Christ, that I may be taught this mysterious Privi­lege, as the truth is in him, whom thus to know is Eternal Life. And therefore, with a holy fear and tenderness, I desire to wade according to the Scriptures into this Deep, by the Spirit which search­eth the deep things of God.

As a foundation for further search, How to enjoy Christ actually. I find that Christ himself, 1 Cor. 3. 11. and a Conscience purged from guilt by means of his death, Heb. 9. 14, 15. are things enjoyable, and so offered and held forth in the Go­spel. My work in the next place is, to enquire how I may actually enjoy an Interest in so high a privilege.

I am, in the first place (under a sense of my own necessity) to lie down at the Foot of God, and suf­fer Jesus Christ, as crucified and risen again, to march with all his Train into my heart, and take Possession there; and then am to suffer his Spirit (shutting my eyes, and stopping my ears against car­nal [Page 116] Reasonings) to lead me into a willing Resignati­on to this crucified and risen Christ, my Redeemer; which is a spiritual Marriage to his Person. A no­tional Landskip of this state will not serve my turn. O thou, in whom all the Promises are Yea, and Amen, renew a right Spirit within me, and let my very Soul be moulded into the Truth by every Meditation. My Guilt has increased upon me this day; I have lost my Thirst after God, and do find my strength to waste; my Drift is not pure, and am carried away into a withered frame, and my heart cannot return. The sounding of thy Bowels is able to bring me back, and enlighten me with the light of Life. An impure Eye cannot behold thee, nor a surfeit­ed Mind eat of this Manna. My Disease is great, but there is no healing Medicine to be had but in thee, O my Redeemer.

Wouldst thou in earnest (O my Soul!) be cu­red, and effectually enjoy the Redemption of Christ? Then retire thy self only to him, and let thy eye be singly fixed there. Render up thy Guilt to him who has bought it out of thy hands: Withdraw thy sholder from the burthen, and with a loathing of thy self and thy sin, leave it upon Jesus Christ; his Father and thine laid thy Guilt upon him already upon the Cross: and when thou dost by Faith lay thy Guilt upon him, thou dost not crucifie the Son of God afresh; but dost only put to thy Seal, that he is the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the World. He bought thy sins to destroy them: he shed his Blood, that thy Guilt might be condemned; and waits upon thee, to bring them forth to him for Execution. 'Tis not a pain, but a pleasure to him, that a Sinner delivers up his sins to him; because the Vengeance he sustained for sins, has fixed a day [Page 117] of Vengeance in his heart against the daily Guilt of his Redeemed; and Revenge is sweet. Whatever Bryars and Thorns are set before him in Battel, he will go through them, and burn them together, Isa. 27. 4. and 63. 5, 6. He sustained the Curse, satis­fied Justice, and returned to his Father with the to­kens of his Conquest; and now attends in the Go­spel upon the Elect, to cause them to shake them­selves from their Dust, and bring forth their Dead (the Slain of the Lord) to the Burial. A Sinner then lays his sins on Christ, when he believes that God the Father laid them upon him. God the Father imposed the burthen, and a Sinner by Faith concurs, and melteth under the sight of Divine Justice, and cries out; Even so, O Father! because it pleased him to bruise him: Even so, O dear Redeemer! because thou lovedst not thy Life to the Death, that thou might­est redeem me by thy own Blood; I leave my sins upon the Sacrifice of thy Flesh, and would crave leave to look upon him whom the Father made an Offering for my sins, and whom I have pierced; and in the view of this costly Redemption, would mourn over him, as a Man mourneth for his only Child.

But yet, that I may improve this mysterious Hap­piness to the more full advantage, I would beg help from the Lord to assist me with a true view of the real Existence of those things which relate to Jesus Christ, and God's Covenant concerning me, and with me in him; and what is the mysterious me­thod and power of the actual exercising of Faith thereupon.

The real Existence of all Gospel­privileges The Gospel is a real thing. is witnessed by the Scri­ptures; which do positively attest, that those things are so and so, as is exprest: But [Page 118] such is the cursed Treachery of my heart, that the custom of reading and hearing those things makes them seem common, and debaseth their Majestick Worth; and so beholding them through a literal and common Estimate, my eye loseth at once their true colour and certainty, which infeebles my Ap­prehensions, as to the lively Belief of their real Exi­stence.

And in order to the curing of this Disease, I am waiting on the God of Light and Truth to breath upon my heart such a quickned frame of Meditation as may humbly and effectually steer my Soul to the Mark which I aim at. Unmortified Invention would be busie to hammer out some Answer to my Query; but alas, 'tis a Physician of no value: For who can reason a blind Man into the use of his sight? He only who brings Life and Immortality to light, is able to make the things that appear not, to be seen.

Hast thou not heard (O my Soul!) that thy true and only welfare lies in things which neither the eye of the Body, nor the natural eye of the Mind can attain to? How self-denyingly then shouldst thou attempt this Search? And therefore, lest thou catch a shadow instead of substance, turn thy self once more (by Prayer) to him who opens the eyes of the Blind, who hath promised he will not give thee a Stone, when thou askest Bread for thy necessity. And then,

First, Consider, To what end dost thou profess that thou believest the Scriptures to be the Word of God, unless also thou puttest to thy Seal, that it is the very Will and Mind of God, exprest in those words of truth? Consider also that

2. The most serious discourse of the people of God about spiritual things (although their hearts are not under an equal degree of spiritual Warmth) do attest, those things are really true. The more spiritually any thing is preached or spoken, it gives the more relishable taste to their inward Man; and though they are of divers Nations, yet they accord in the same main Principles of the new Creature, and the same substantial inward exercise of heart.

3. Observe also with what Radical Uniformity the Opposers of Grace do resist the Convictions of his Spirit. And besides,

4. Doth not thy truest Rest lie in thy nearest Ap­proaches to God in Christ, as thy Centre, towards which thou art restlesly rowling, as the true and real bottom of all thy hope and comfort.

But wouldst thou indeed know that the matters contained in the Word of Christ are real things? Then never read or hear for meer knowledge sake.

Look for some Beams of Christ's Glory and Power in every Verse: Account nothing Know­ledge, but as it is seasoned with some Revelation of the glorious Presence of Christ, and his quickning Spirit. Use no Conference about spiritual Truths, for Conference sake; but still mind the promoting of something for real Edification. Use not Duties for Custom and meer Service sake, but for Approach and nearer Communion with God.

Make no person thy Pattern, more nor less, than as some warmth of the Presence of Christ appears in his Words, Walk and Conversation.

Let thy Recreation be Prayer, suffer not Guilt to wranckle, wash often in the Blood of Christ, do not slightly grieve the Spirit, but pray for the fulfilling of the Promise, that the Spirit shall teach you all things.

Let nothing bar up your way from craving pardon of sin, and hope of relief. And if you thus trade in spiritual things, as real, they will appear more and more to be real, according to the Promise, Joh. 7. 17. If any man do his will, he shall know, &c.

But alas, while I would thus muse my heart into some spiritual Freedom and Activity, I am again dismally invaded; my filthy and vile heart rebels, the Prince of Darkness hath violently broke in up­on me, my Conscience is defiled, and my Peace wounded, my Prayers are heartless, I have turned my self round into a Giddiness; I have lost my Sta­tion, and am bleating up and down like a Lamb in a large place; I got a glimpse of Relief, but can­not fix my eye upon it. But what gain I by so­litary Complaint? I have sinned in the sight of God, Angels and Men, in the sight of my Redeemer, in the sight of my own Conscience; and Oh that I could pour out my Soul as Water before the Lord! It would be a rich Mercy to me to be admitted to tumble at the feet of my Judge, and get so near as Mary did, to wash his feet with Tears, and wipe them with the Hairs of perpetual Resignation to himself, and to his disposal of me; to purge me in what method soever, so I may be clean, and the se­ven Abominations of my heart cast out. I would fain say in faith, I will yet look to thy holy Temple. Blessed be the name of him who is strong, merciful, gracious, and abundant in Pardon. Blessed be that God, that Redeemer, the Lord (although unwor­thy sinful Wretch that I am yet) my Righteousness.

O that God would yet spirit me to enquire into, and taste the Bread which came down from Heaven. I am searching after the real Existence of Christ, and the benefit which flows from Union with him. [Page 121] And I perceive that my peculiar Happiness lies not in this, that these things have real Existence in them­selves, but that I know them to exist, and my self to exist in them, and they in me.

The things themselves are spiritual; I cannot know them naturally, but by the Spirit of Faith; for Flesh cannot see Spirit: In the Mount will the Lord be seen. As far as God shines upon my heart and Ordinances, so far I behold a real worth, and glorious power in them. In his light only I see light, Psal. 36. 9. As far as Grace gets life in my Soul, so far I see the real Excellency of it. As the Life of God opens it self to my heart, so far I live, and know the ravishing comfort of spiritual Life; for with him is the Fountain of Life: when he with­draws his Breath, I do (as it were) return to the Dust; for in him I live and move. I know no worth in any Christian, but as I partake with him in the same Spirit and Life. Divine Commands, Reproofs and Com­forts do so far affect my heart powerfully, as my Soul doth live in him who speaketh them. The de­monstration of spiritual things doth so far appear convincing, as my heart is really transformed by them into the Image of Jesus Christ, my Lord, and my Head. Though I have a renewed Principle of Light and Sight, yet I cannot exercise the Sense of spiritual Sight, till the Son of Righteousness sends forth a Beam to me, by which I may behold in the Reflection of his own Light.

And this binds over my Soul to a necessity of a mortified, believing Resignation to the Author of all Light, Sight and Strength, who is an unchange­able Rock, and his work is perfect: although I am full of Changes, yet this Covenant keeps me from utter falling: my strength and sight is ever decaying, [Page 122] but he renews his Loving-kindness every Morning. O, let the day hasten, in which I may know as I am known, and the shadows of darkness and infir­mity slee away. I might come to a more real view of Jesus Christ, and appropriate him and his benefits nearer to my heart, if I had practically learnt the Exercise of Faith. God has allowed a venturing boldness to Believing, that it may step forth and stand in the breach when all seems to be lost. When Lot is taken, and Ziglag burnt, and all carried away Captive, then can Faith turn the day, and recover the Spoil.

Faith is a distinct Grace, wrought Faith only brings the heart to Christ. freely by the holy Spirit, quickning the heart to assent to, and rest upon the Word of God, upon the account of the Truth of God who spoke it. 'Tis distinct, as Seeing and Hear­ing is distinct from other Senses. 'Tis wrought free­ly by the Spirit, and so no acquired Notion; it quickens through conveying Life from Christ to the heart by Divine Appointment. It assents to, and rests upon the Word, against the Contradiction of Flesh and Blood. It eyes the Truth of God, as the Fountain of its Satisfaction and Success. And so it first unites the heart to Christ, and gives actual Pro­priety in him, and in the Covenant which God made with him before the World was; and conse­quently to all the Blessings contained in the Cove­nant, 2 Tim. 1. 9. Ephes. 1. 3, 4.

As the Gospel offers Christ, Pardon and Life, so Faith takes it freely; not measuring the Ground of accepting it from below, but from above. It sees the Word to be the breathing of God in Jesus Christ, in which all his Attributes are working; and be­holds it (as it were) the audible Voice of God, and [Page 123] the very Mind of Christ. It cannot be satisfied in the weakness of the Letter, but passeth through the Letter immediately to the Person of Jesus Christ, and converseth with God in him. The whole Scri­ptures, in the eye of Faith, is as a pair of Spectacles, through which Faith gets the sight, and closeth with the Promise. It magnifies the Scriptures, Ordi­nances and Sabbaths, as they are the Portal through which to enter into Communion and Converse with God himself. It believes the Scriptures that makes Report of the Will and Pleasure of God, and so pas­seth through them, to the Will, Mind and Name of God himself. Faith visits as a faithful Guide in its Journey, and useth it no farther than a means tending to bring the Soul and God together. The Word reports that Christ is there, his Life, his Strength, his Grace is there, and requires the Soul to enter in and take it; Faith enters in, finds and receives it. Faith having found its Object, and espy­ing the way how to come at it, is quickned by the Spirit, in pure Obedience to God's Command, to attempt some holy Adventures upon the Word; and passeth by all Considerations of Flesh and Blood, as deaf and blind to all things but what the Word speaketh: 'tis resolved to take (as it were) a sence­less Journey to Christ, even upon the Sea; for 'tis contented to feel no Ground but the Promise. It stays not to enquire whether it hath strength enough to walk or no; but looks on the Word of Truth, and considers its need, and so ventures; and by ven­turing, engageth all the Attributes of Jehovah, Fa­ther, Son and Spirit, for its relief. If I perish, I perish. The faithful and true Witness hath said, Fear not, only believe.

Faith, so far as it works, doth Faith doth both possess the Ʋnder­standing, Judgment and Will, and puts them to exercise. persuade the heart of the Truth, Power, Wisdom and Goodness of God that speaketh, and of the true performance of the thing spoken; and is singly of it self, through the overshadowing of the holy Spirit, a principle of ap­propriating to the heart the Truths spoken from the Mouth of an infinitely true, holy and wise God in his Word; and so fixeth a blessed Satisfaction in the heart, through the real Existence of the things spoken, and apprehended by the renewed Under­standing, so far (at least) as they are (by an actual Exercise of Faith) apprehended, Luk. 1. 45. Bles­sed is she who believed, for there shall be a performance of the things told her from the Lord.

The Understanding being renew­ed, The Ʋnderstand­ing exercised. views over the Covenant, as it was made with Christ before all time, Tit. 1. 2. and considers what method God has used, to manifest it in the World: He created the habitable World, and made Man at first righteous, and then permitted him to fall into the Breach of the first Covenant, viz. of Works; whereby he gave entrance and footing to the second Covenant, viz. of Grace, Gen. 3. 15. and carried it along in a holy Line, through the corrupt Race of Mankind before the Flood; he then sweeps away the ungodly World, and preserves the Covenant-line in Noah, and from him, carries it on to Abraham, and kept it on in its course, amidst much Prophaneness and Idolatry that was in the World. He then renewed it more di­stinctly with Abraham, and gave it a more visible Being than ever before that time; and by reason thereof, called Abraham the Father of the Faithful. [Page 125] He confirmed it also to Isaac and Jacob, who are of­tentimes mentioned in the Scriptures as the three grand Witnesses of this Covenant-favour. From thence it descended to the twelve Tribes, represen­ting the elect visible Church. After which, it was brought forth in a Typical Demonstration of Christ, and his managing of all things needful to make that Covenant applicable; which is carried on under the shadows of the Ceremonial Law. The Prophets succeed, asserting this Covenant of Grace, and ex­pounding it. At last Christ comes in Flesh, and seals it with his Blood; and the Apostles are sent sorth, to discover and preach this eternal Purpose of Grace to the wide World, for calling in the Elect. So that the Covenant of Grace, which was made of God in Christ, before the Creation of the World, appears as the main scope of the Scriptures, and issues forth its vertue through all the Promises; Fatherly Commands, Reproofs, Consolations, and the Deliverances which are recorded in Scripture, as the various Streams, Operations, Experiences and Effects of the Covenant of Grace, in and towards the Heirs of Life. It bears the Name of the Old Covenant, during the time while the Passover was in use; and after the Lord's Supper was instituted, it was called the New Covenant; both Old and New are one Covenant of Grace, differing from the Covenant of Works as far as Grace and Works do differ.

The Understanding having peru­sed The exercised Judgment. the Scriptures, and so made its view, and deliberated the matter, digesting it by Meditation and Prayer; the Judg­ment resolves to make Covenant-refuge its Sanctu­ary; and thereupon, forbids the heart to admit the [Page 126] Contradiction of Flesh and Blood; and the reason­ing of Carnal Wisdom and Observation, resolves to determine nothing according to the Flesh, endea­vours to shut up all passages by which Unbelief, carnal Mis-construction and fear were wont to en­ter, and labours to keep open every Port that may admit the naked recourse of the Spirit in the Word, and opens the Windows of the Soul, to take in the Testimony and Evidence of a faithful and merciful God only.

And when this mighty Discovery and Conquest is made, the foundations of Bondage, Terror and Tyranny, which before tormented the Conscience, and enslaved the heart, doth now begin to totter.

The Understanding and Judgment The Will assents. having gone thus far in the Conduct of the Spirit, do attempt effectually the persuading of the Will to accept a new Lord, viz. the Messenger and Prince of the Covenant; him in whom all the Promises are Yea and Amen. San­ctified Conviction begins to sway the Will, as Na­thaniel was moved by Philip to come and see him of whom Moses and the Prophets did write; and as­suies the Conscience, that God is ever mindful of his Covenant, has sealed it with the Blood of his own Son, and has sworn that it shall stand sure, as the Ordinances of Heaven, and that no particle of it shall ever fail; to which the Will assents.

But alas, how doth my Pen (as it were) gash my own Soul, in writing what I cannot heartily, and at full liberty put in practice! Oh that my Understanding and Judgment had thus far (in a powerful Gale of the Spirit) led my Soul forth to the Gates of Free­dom, and thus far brought me within the Bond of the Covenant! How soon would the same mighty [Page 127] Power conquer over my Will, to a holy Security and Rest in believing.

I am (methinks) like Jonah, tum­bling My Soul in a Tem­pest. in the bottom of the Sea; the Bars of an earthly and dark Mind are stopping my way, and am as lifeless (methinks) as if I had no Interest in the Fountain of Saving Health: The Weeds are wrapp'd about my head; I am in the Deep, but cannot cry unto the Lord, as Jonah did.

And what the Lord is teaching me by this unex­pected disappointment, I cannot yet tell; yet not­withstanding, I have hope in him, that I shall yet be rescued from this Captivity, and see his Face again.

I have been searching after all my sins, through the several Ages of my Life, and endeavoured to view the Depravity of my Soul in all the sinful Cir­cumstances of every sin; but I cannot wind my self out: my design was to get thereby to a more sin­cere Closure with Christ; but e're I was aware, I had challenged forth more Enemies than I could well suppress. I thought by aggravating my sins, to have gotten more hunger after Jesus Christ, but (like over-much cold Water) it damped my Sto­mach, and I found Sickness seizing upon me, rather than Hunger; a heartless Stupidity instead of Be­lieving. I concluded I was (in some kind or other) out of my way, or else had not prepared my Sto­mach to keep out the Infection that exhaled from that Body of Death which is within me, as I should have done whiles I was moving the Limbs thereof. The thing I aimed at was quickning. Then I re­membred that word, Luk. 24. 5. Why seek ye the liv­ing among the dead? Come not amongst the Graves [Page 128] without his company who died for sins, and is risen from the Dead. I could not be satisfied about the sincerity of my Repentance; and there I stuck, till at length, I remembred that Christ rose again, as well to give Repentance as Remission of Sins, Act. 5. 31. and 11. 18. so that I can bring no Repentance to him, but I must first get it from him: He is exal­ted to be a Prince and a Saviour, to give Repentance, &c. A Saviour to take away all the defects of my Repentance; a Prince, to overcome all the difficul­ties, and to create in me a sound Mind against the Infirmites of my Repentance, and my halting there­in. Take then (O mighty Prince and Saviour!) this work into thy own hands, and create a right Spi­rit within me.

So that now my gadding Spirit is My Soul returning to its Strong Hold. brought back again, to see that Christ is the Alpha and Omega, the Author and Finisher of whatever doth concern the new Creature. And although he be so, yet how hard is it to venture my Soul and Body, my whole Hope and Care into his hands by faith in his Word! I had need know such an one very well with whom I am to venture my Journey through a Warfaring Life here, and shortly, through Death and Judg­ment too, and so into the Ocean of Eternity. O dear Jesus, who art my Lord and my God, who canst renew my heart, and none else can do it; breath upon me, and say, Receive the Holy Ghost: Cast thy Mantle upon me, and let the Unction of thy Spirit be so shed abroad throughout my whole Soul, that my heart may be entirely thine, thine only, that thy self only may be the Covering of my eyes, instead of all other Objects.

And now what should hinder, but The Soul first im­proves Baptism. that, at length, I should solemnly, in the presence of God the Father, Son and Spirit, and in the presence of all the elect An­gels, pursue the ends of that Covenant which was sealed by Christ's Appointment to me in Baptism; through whose hands soever that Ordinance was ap­pointed and permitted to pass upon me. Was not that a Divine Prophesie which Balaam himself spake, which passed through his Mouth, Numb. 24. 17. There shall come a Star out of Jacob, &c. and can the Ordinance of Christ be made void, through whose hands soever it came, and in what unworthy Robe soever it was drest? Did the sacred Ark lose its ver­tue by being in the Philistines Custody? Did he for­sake it who dwelt between the Cherubims? Was the Mercy-seat forsaken, and become like common Me­tal? Why then should this Ordinance be lost to me, in the substance of it, though (it may be) some hu­mane Scurf was laid upon it? And have I not more reason to hope (through Covenant-Grace) that the Faith and Prayers of my dear Parents (then and since) are in force for a Blessing upon it to me, than the defects of others in the manner of Administrati­on can have to hinder it; especially seeing now I desire humbly to take hold of the Covenant, and with my own consent to say, I agree to the Condes­cension of thy Grace and Love, my dear Lord; I catch hold on thy free Love, and into thy Name, O most holy God, the Father, Son and Spirit, I give my self up through him who confirmed the Covenant, and came by Water and Blood to make it effectual. I believe, Lord help my Unbelief. I reach out my hand through thy Grace, let thy Grace and Power pull me over to thy self, that in the Ark of [Page 130] thy unchangeable Covenant I may be carried above my self, and above a miserably drowned World. Be not absent, O thou who in thy Mercy didst make and impose this Seal of the Covenant, as the Badge of one of thy Family, for me to wear; who also speakest words of Truth and Life, when thou saist, I baptise thee in the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost: fulfil thy good Word unto me thy Servant, in which I desire to hope that thou mayest be mine, and I may be thine wholly for ever; that I may serve thee, and glory in thee, with all thy people who are thine own Inheritance.

Do not hang back, O my poor Struggles with Ʋn­belief. heart, whose weakness and incon­stancy have so often bruised my in­ward Man: O Anxious Unbelief, thou tellest me, 'tis a bargain soon made; but how shall it be per­formed? Thou urgest me with difficulties that will arise from the World, from my self, from the Try­als that I may undergo in my Body, my Soul, my Estate; unwonted Tryals. Thou tellest me of the great fits of Darkness, and shameful declining I have had, after much Refreshment, and strong Resoluti­ons to the contrary. Thou tellest me that my Falls will now cost me dearer than ever they did, and the Holy Spirit will be sooner vexed and grieved than before. Thou tellest me, I shall soon be weary of my Yoke, and then my Sins will be of a deeper, and more heart-hardning Die than ever. But re­member, O Soul-destroying Unbelief, I rowl my self upon the Rock of Ages, I deliver my self up to the Covenant of Grace; not to bring strength to it, but to fetch strength from it, and from that word which saith, Sin shall not have Dominion over you; for you are not under the law, but under grace, Rom. 6. 14. [Page 131] And because I am weak, therefore I go to everlast­ing Strength. The more I make infinite Power my Lord and Master, the more is that Divine Power engaged to hold me up, Rom. 14. 4. Let my own Power languish into nothing, so long as I can claim (on the account of Free Grace) undoubted Right to the Arm of God: my own strength never did me good, but deceived me. Dost thou not know, O mis-giving heart, that I am shortly to leave the whole weight of my Soul (in lanching from Morta­lity) upon the same word of Promise which doth now offer strength to wade through difficulties of my present Warfare? And what do I more than step forth to behold the Lord sealing his Covenant and Promise, that he will be my God, and will guide me by his Grace, and afterwards bring me to Glory? To which Covenant, in faith (though with fear and trembling) I desire to give my consent; which (I trust, in some measure of sincerity) I have done.

Neither do thou (O Satan) vaunt, and say to me, as Eliab said to David, 1 Sam. 17. 28. I know the pride of thy heart; I shall yet bring thee down. Know (O thou false Accuser) I go to him who is both able to hold me up, and make me humble too, that I may be more and more abased, and die away from the workings and lustings of Flesh and Blood, into the Power, Grace, Wisdom and Truth of God; to whose Covenant, for that end, by his own Ap­pointment, I declare my consent; and do desire, with a broken and bleeding heart, to bless him, that ever he allowed me to come so near him in this manner.

Though I fall, I shall not fall utterly, I shall be raised up again, because my Redeemer is risen; and he is strong who pleads my Cause.

What is the Volumne of the Scriptures but a di­vine Oeconomy, containing the Laws of Relation be­twixt a God of all Grace, and his chosen; Instituti­ons and Commands of Grace, Threatnings and Re­proofs of Grace, Promises and Betrothings of Grace, and meer Grace? Has not the same God who said, I will betroth thee to me for ever in Righteousness and Judgment, in Loving-kindness and tender Mercies, and in Faithfulness, Hos. 2. 19, 20. said also to me, Thou shalt know the Lord? Has he not said to me, Thy Maker (Father, Son and Spirit) is thy Husband, Isa. 54. 5. even while I am grieved in Spirit, and tos­sed about with the Tempest of my own Confusions? And has he not said, that I shall say, The Lord is my God? Hos. 2. 19, 20. And he will say, I am one of his people, and will not be ashamed to be called my God, Heb. 11. 16. Yea, hath he not said, that I shall say, I am the Lords; and that I shall bear his Name and Sir-name with his Jacob and his Israel; and that I shall even subscribe it with my hand, never to be re­versed? Isa. 44. 5. O Fountain of Life and living Waters, reveal thy self, that I may not go about to marry Flesh and Spirit together; but that I may be spirited as a chaste Virgin, espoused to Christ, and so enter into this glorious, spiritual, Flesh-mor­tifying and mystical Wedlock. Let it not be meer­ly speculative, but real; and influenced with light, life and power from thy heart to mine.

Oh how doth this unwilling heart of mine pull back! What canst thou close with, besides God in Christ, but it will perish; and while it is in thy hand will be a broken Reed, that will make thee fall in leaning upon it? Is not the Covenant of Grace somewhat which God himself hath devised for his own Glory, and thy Establishment? Has he [Page 133] required thee to bind thy self to fear and love him; and hath not he engaged to circumcise thy heart, that thou maist love and fear him? Deut. 30. 6. Jer. 32. 38, 39, 40, 41.

Oh that I could put faith to this Word, till the warmth thereof grew up into a Flame, which many Waters might never quench: and Oh, let my faith­ful God, who has expresly promised by Covenant, to give me one heart and one way (with the rest of them who are Confederates of Grace) that I may fear him for ever for my Good, remember it, and fulfil it (as he hath said) with all his heart, and all his soul. Oh pardon my unbelief, that I do stand so far aloof from putting to my Seal, that God, who cannot lie, will accomplish his word to a tittle.

WHen I consider this true Loves Knot, uttered by Christ himself, and the wondrous Union in these three words ( I, Thou and They) declared by Christ, at his passage from Earth to Heaven, as the contrived Counsel of the eternal God, Father, Son and Spirit; and when I find up and down in the Scriptures, that the Elect (when once they are quick­ned by the Spirit into the state of Regeneration) are said to have their Life in God ( Col. 3. 3.) and that God lives in them, dwells in them, and they in him, 2 Cor. 6. 16. 1 Joh. 4. 13. that their works are wrought in God, Joh. 3. 21. that God worketh in them, 1 Cor. 12. 6. that God walks in them, 2 Cor. 6. 16. that they walk with God, and in his Name, Gen. 5. 24. Mic. 4. 5. that Christ speaks in them, and they in him, 2 Cor. 13. 3. and 12. 19. I say, when I consider such like expressions plentifully scattered by the holy Spirit in the Scriptures, I conclude there is some admirable Union betwixt the Father of Glory, [Page 156] and every one of his elect Seed in Christ; which is a Mystery so spiritual, a sacred Palace so secret, that the most exquisite parts of Nature can never enter in, to view it as it is; 'tis new Jerusalem under a Vail, into which Flesh and Blood cannot enter. But seeing Christ has said, To you it is given to know the Mystery of the Kingdom of God, Mark 4. 11. I would humbly wait for the power of the Spirit to transform and fit me, and the manifestation of the Spirit to teach me; that so, enquiring I may enter; and entring, may possess this purchased Possession, at least in the First Fruits and Earnest thereof: and although (me­thinks) I shrivle up before the mysterious heat and lustre of this Gospel; yet being commanded to seek the Lord, and being under a Promise of help, Jer. 31. 9. I wait on God for Strength and Wisdom to attempt this Enquiry; methinks these steps do offer themselves.

The infinitely wise God decreed to make Man­kind, and the visible World to be his Habitation, and the Creatures to serve him.

Man is made in a state of Righteousness, and so stands upon his own legs, and (as it were) in a mo­ment he begins to totter, and falls from that state, into a state of sin and misery; God so permitting it, that his Justice and Mercy might the more be exal­ted: a Remnant of undone Mankind are decreed to Salvation in a way of Mercy. And that the Justice of God against Sin and Sinners may be preserved, and yet the Elect Remnant saved, God himself, in the Person of the eternal Son, assumes the Nature of Mankind into the Union of his Person; and in that Nature pays to his own Justice all the Debt which this elect Remnant, among the rest of fallen Mankind, had involved themselves into; in perform­ing [Page 157] whereof, he unites himself so near to them, and they so near to himself, that what he did for them, was reckoned by Justice it self, accountable to the Behoof and Concernment of each elected person, as much as if every one of them had compleatly satisfi­ed Justice in their own persons; and the Union is so near betwixt him and them, that whereas he is the express Image of the Father, and having all power committed to him, he stamps upon them the Image of God anew, viz. Righteousness and true Ho­liness; which becomes theirs only through Union with him, and do only exist in their existing in him; which existence is wrought by the holy Spirit, form­ing him spiritually in their hearts (as it formed him bodily in the Virgin's Womb) which Formation of Christ in their hearts becomes a mystical, spiritual and true Union betwixt him and them: which same Spirit works Faith in them, that they may be made living Subjects, and suitably capacitated for this mu­tual Union betwixt them also and him. And thus the Lord of Life, having enlivened to himself a liv­ing Spouse, they enjoy each other by an unutterable nearness of spiritual In-dwelling in each other, so near, that the Spirit of God, who manageth the Match, sticks not to say, that the Church, and so every particular person thereof, is a Member of his Body, of his Flesh, and of his Bones; and not only that, but he that is joyned to the Lord, is one Spirit, Ephes. 5. 30. 1 Cor. 6. 15, 17. Hence it comes to pass, that from the very moment that the Soul hath ac­cepted of Jesus Christ, being seized upon to that purpose by the Spirit of Regeneration, proceeding from the Father through the Son, and received by believing; that believing person so effectually visit­ed by the Call of the Gospel, doth now, and never [Page 158] before become a new Man; and though Sins and Temptations, never so many, do batter and bruise, yet his House cannot fall, nor his State be altered, because God himself has laid his Foundation on a Rock, and has drawn the Soul's Consent by believ­ing, to lay it there too, and this Rock is Christ, in whom the Almighty God receives this believing and renewed person into that Union and true real nearness which lies shadowed forth in the Scriptures of Truth, under the terms of Father and Child, 2 Cor. 6. 17, 18. Husband and Wife, Ephes. 5. 25. &c. Vine and Branches; yea, as one Body consisting of Head and Members, and many such like similitudes in the Scriptures to set forth this wonderful Nearness and Union; from whence it followeth, that no Action, State or Condition of such a renewed Person (whe­ther it be inward or outward) is so entirely his own, and of private Concernment to himself alone, as it was before; his sins were more entirely his own damage before; now they wound his Relation, and grieve Christ, Ephes. 4. 30. he sinned before against the Law of God, he now sins in all his miscarriages against Christ also, 1 Cor. 8. 12. and against the Law of his Relation to him, Ezek. 16. 38. he bare his own guilt before with distraction and horrour, now Christ bears it from him before his very eyes, and melts his heart into remorse at the sight of such a spe­ctacle, Zach. 12. 10. Ten thousand Rivers of Oyl could not expiate one Sin before, but now they all pass away as a Cloud driven before the Wind, and efficacy of the one Sacrifice of Christ, to whom, and to which by faith he is united; his sins made him wander still farther and farther from God before, now they are made (contrary to their own nature) to scourge him into the fresh Application of Jesus [Page 159] Christ, by whom he draws near to God, Psal. 89. 30, 31. 1 Pet. 3. 18. in all his Affliction he was alone before, now Christ is his Partner, Isa. 63. 9. Christ is truly touched with his Calamities, Zach. 1. 12. his smart is as the pricking of the Apple of Christ's Eye, Zach. 2. 8.

As for Losses in temporal things, they were be­fore Judgments upon him, they are now gracious Trials of his faith and patience, and means of purg­ing him, and drawing him into a nearer reliance on the Heir of all things: So that his Losses and Cros­ses do not now tend to undo him, but to awaken and transform him, 1 Sam. 30. 6. in the midst of his fears he is not forsaken, 2 Cor. 4. 9. but through this Uni­on with Christ he is still in safe hands, Psal. 27. 1. Isa. 43. 2. Dan. 3. 17, 18, 25.

Temptations of Satan and his fury cannot destroy him, because the Prince of Life, to whom a renew­ed person is united, has cast out the Prince of this World, and tempers his poysonous Temptations into a phisical Potion, curbing noxious humours in order to health, Joh. 12. 31. working the Soul to more Hu­mility, Faith, Prayer and patient Recumbency on God, and Contentment in him, 2 Cor. 12. 7, 8, 9, 10.

The meer civil Actions of such a person, though the same still in themselves, yet in respect of the change of the Agent, they have some different Con­sideration otherwise than they had before. He sets about them with other motives, other dispositions, and other ends than he had before; which appears in that, although the thing be done or spoken never so well to the contentment of others, yet if Christ, to whom this new Creature is united, be not served with singleness of heart therein, this renewed Soul [Page 160] akes as much as if the Action it self had been done never so much amiss. And whence comes this smi­ting of heart, but from this Union with God in Je­sus Christ, 2 Sam. 24. 10. in that the proper sway and tendency of such Convictions do bring the Soul still nearer and nearer to God through Jesus Christ, which gives a spiritual Discovery of the unseen and living Breath and Pulse of this Union? Ezek. 20. 37. And this seems to have relation to that expression used by the Lord to his people of old, The quarrel of my Covenant, Levit. 26. 25. threatning to punish them for their sins, as they were contrary, not on­ly to the Law of Righteousness, but also contrary to the Law of Covenant-Relation.

Yea, all the Labours, Anxieties and solicitous Exigents in the affairs and business of a renewed person, do run along through the Sympathy of Christ, and by reason of this near Union, cannot but be Co­partner therein; and looks to it, that one way or other the incumbrance shall usher in advantage: he condescends to be as one weak with them that are weak, as one troubled with them who are troubled, that he may discipline the Grace, and exercise the Faith of his people; whereby he glides them along into some unavoidable necessity of Resignation of themselves and their Cares into the Arms of his divine Power, and so ripens in them the Application of this Union betwixt him and them in their hearts. And his design being to bring his People, as a chast Virgin, to himself, he aims rather at the carrying on of that drift, than at the answering the natural desires of his people about Ease, or Deliverance any other­wise than as may suit with that end of his, in ma­king of them partakers of his holiness; and whispers secretly into their ear, the Servant is not to be above [Page 161] his Master: I trod the dirty and toilsome way be­fore you, and am treading over again every step of it with you, and in you: you must be conformable to my Death, and shall be conformable to my Re­surrection. Come along with me, and your bur­thens shall not break you, because it cannot break me; your own projects may fail, but in me you are Heirs of Blessing and Deliverance, and shall not go without it, Heb. 6. 15. I will give you rest, Matth. 11. 28. He relieved not his own Body against the Treachery of Judas and the Company that came to apprehend him, although he was the Omnipotent God, and had all Power in his hands, because it sui­ted not with the design of Man's Redemption; and as it fared with that Body of his that was in perso­nal Union with the Godhead, so doth it fare, in some proportion, with each Member of his mysti­cal Body. Their burthens and perplexities do not at all import that his hand is shortned, or that he is really absent, or had forgotten them, no more than his Divine Nature could be separated from the Hu­mane Nature, when the stress of his sorrow made him cry out, My God, my God, Why hast thou for­saken me? As that Union carried him through, so will this Union carry through his Members also.

It being now about three years since, that God was pleased to cast Some Considerati­ons in order to the fresh Application, and Improvement of this Grace of Ʋnion with God in Christ. the aforesaid Meditations into my heart; and since that time, having been for a season a Stranger in a strange Land beyond the Sea, and there passed through a dark Vale of Privation and Distance from those Ordinances, and that Society which I formerly en­joyed; and having there also layen in the Shadow of [Page 162] Death, through a long and lingring Sickness of my Body; and being now, some Months past, returned back to my own Native Country, where the good hand of God (which never left me quite desolate) caused me to review the Solemn Covenant which (through his Grace) I entred into, the 30 ^th. Decem­ber, 1660. which Covenant being yesterday renew­ed, and having therein solemnly given up my self again to the Lord, and accepted of him in the Ten­ders of his Grace, to be my God and Saviour, and to own him in all the Relations of his condescending Grace and Love, and also to submit willingly to his blessed Yoke, Rule and Will expressed by his Spirit in his Word; I find still much longing in my Soul to know him more inwardly, that I might the more enjoy him, and be the more serviceable to him: and to that purpose, having perused over again the foregoing Meditations concerning the Union between God, and all and every one of his People in Jesus Christ; and my heart assenting to, and being some­what refreshed in those Truths of God, about the nature and advantagious effects of this misterious Union; and considering how greatly the Faith and Improvement of this astonishing Privilege would conduce to carry on the ends of my Covenant with God, and his (for so he persuaded my heart to be­lieve) with me, I thought it necessary to employ a present providential Retirement this 29 ^th. of Janua­ry, 1663. and so from time to time, as God shall permit and assist me to improve this Gospel-truth, of a Believer's Union with God in Christ, for my Soul's further Nourishment, Strength and Establish­ment, as the principal In-let, both of new Life, and all spiritual Chear, Vigour and Activity.

My Enquiry now, then is, how to set up this Myr­ror so before the eyes of my Mind, that I may by Application thereof, be throughly transformed into the same Image, and to clear the Pipes, that the Life and Spirit of this Union with Christ, and the Father in him, may enter into my Soul, and make me effectually a partaker thereof, live thereby, and act therein.

Breath ( O Almighty Spirit) upon my thoughts, fetch in my heart, and prostrate it at the feet of thy infinite Grace and Power; for Purging, Help and Healing; for Light, Life and Blessing in this most necessary Travel of my Soul. How long shall I view Mysteries of Life, without a suitable living Transformation? When shall the Light of Life ap­pear? When shall Christ be so formed in me, that the Man-child of Power and Glory may be brought forth, ruling and new-forming my poor Soul? Say, Oh say to my Soul, I am come; yea, I am come; not only to make thee to understand, but under­standingly to receive the Mystery of this Union, and to be efficaciously united, and actually live in the Motions and Exercise of this Union-life. So be it, O my God, who art the Spirit of all Grace: So be it.

1. The Son of God emptied him­self, This Ʋnion is pure in its nature. in descending to assume, and be united to the Nature of Man, and therein to the likeness of sinful Flesh; and so works up every adopted Child, through emptying it from all the Wisdom and Strength of the first Adam, and from all the Guilt and Pollution deri­ved thence, to the Participation of Union with him in the Spirit.

No unclean thing can enter in thither: there can be no Union, but under Consideration of perfect Pu­rity, essected by the Law of the Spirit of Life which is in Christ. He took on him our Nature, and was personally united thereto: By which means the sin of our Nature was imputed to his Person, but could never be united to his Person; for he was still sin­less while he bare the likeness of sinful Flesh, Heb. 4. 15. And therefore the real spiritual Union which Believers have with him, is, in the nature of it, pure and sinless: and their persons, as they stand in that Union, without spot, Col. 1, 22. for in that respect they are wholly brought over from the Stock of the first Adam, into the Second, adn return back no more, although the polluted Nature of the first Adam sticks in their flesh till its dissolution and compleat change. And from thence it follows, that the Spirit of Christ, in applying this mystical Union with him, to the Soul, by faith, draws the Soul of a Believer (having sprinkled it from the Conscience of Guilt) into a most quick and lively distaste of all Pollution; and so divides between that which is born of the Flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit; throwing aside the Pollutions of the Flesh, that the Union may be purely made in the Spirit through faith, Gal. 2. 20. for He that is joyned to the Lord is one spi­rit. Hence it is, that while Guilt and sinful Pollu­tion invades the Soul (even of a Believer) the Ap­plication of this Union lies suspended; and during that season, a Believer abides dark and weak: and though he be in a state of Union, yet he cannot have the comfort of it, but is as a strong Man that can­not find his hands.

And now, O my Soul, consider thy own state; consider the Centre of thy happiness, the Call of the [Page 165] Gospel, the privilege and necessity of being trans­planted into the pure Stock of the second Adam; and what thou art to do, in the strength of Free Grace, for entring into, and of being made partaker of this wonderful Privilege, and most secure Rest.

2. This whole Work is wrought It is inconsistent with Ʋnmortified­ness. by the Lord, both in what his eter­nal Purpose of Grace did decree, and was carried on in the Person of Christ for thee, and also in that which he worketh in thee by his Spirit; to make thee actually interest­ed, established, and daily growing up in the Light, Life and Vertue of this Union-state with God in Christ. Thy Nature is dead in sins, thou art whol­ly polluted, and without strength; but the least se­rious Conviction of this, doth import some step of Free Grace towards thee: nourish it, and so rowl all thy Guilt upon the Lamb of God; be laborious, diligent and frequent in this weighty Exercise. There is no seeking this Union with any Idol in the heart, Ezek. 14. 3. for that provoketh to Jealousie: even an im­pure thought may not lodge in this Bed; a dry, earth­ly sapless frame of heart cannot be refreshed there, because this Bed is green, Cant. 1. 16. but such is the Bounty of Free Grace, that (through the Sense and Conviction of this Indisposition of heart) it leads the Soul to Jesus Christ, and sprinkles it with his Blood. (Oh this efficacious Remedy!) and doth wash it again in pure Water, removes away the filthy Garments, gives it Access into the King's Presence. The pure in heart shall see God. But thy innumerable Impuri­ties (O my Soul) and the continual Recursion of Guilt and Darkness, Hypocrisies, loathsome Un­cleannesses, Unmindfulness of God, Back-sliding and impenitent stupifying Fits, are so many, and so often, [Page 166] and many times so captivating this Sincerity, and Strength, and spiritual Taste, that no Balm can be found, nor any thing to help, but the free Bounty and Atonement of him who is Michael thy Prince. And even this is my Case at present. Oh, how little doth my heart relish and digest these things, while I am musing and writing them? I am estranged from inward Converse with God this day, and yet can­not soakingly relent: I mention the Blood of Sprink­ling, without prizing it at its due value. Oh, let the watchful Eye, and tender Heart of him whose Com­passions fail not, consider and visit me. But how­ever, O my Soul, this is thy Work; Let not Evil lodge within thee, be separate, touch no unclean thing, declare thy Chastity by crying out; and then the Promise lies fair and free before thee, I will receive you, 2 Cor. 6. 17. yea, cry out, and thou shalt be re­scued, for thy Redeemer is strong. Here then I must stop, that I may adventure to cast my self before him, who has the Golden Scepter in his hand before I go any further; who knows but that he will reach it forth, and I shall find favour in his sight. I come to thee, O Lord.

3. This Union it self which I 'Tis only and whol­ly of God's Free Grace. would come at and actually live in, is beyond, and (indeed) another thing than the Notion of it: 'Tis the voluntary and delightful Captivity of my Will and Af­fections through the Knowledge of him who has called me to this Glory and Vertue; it is my true Dwelling­place, the very Foundation of my Rest and Repose, the Palace of my Triumph, the very Spring and Rise of Self-abhorring; which makes Self-loathing metalsom and vigorous, by issuing it self into the Soul's Par­ticipation of the Purity, Light and Strength of the [Page 167] Divine Nature, and into a sincere open-hearted Re­signation thereunto. It is begun and carried on whol­ly by the Free Grace of God; it sprang from his elect­ing and predestinating Favour, who worketh it ac­cording to the Counsel of his own Will, Ephes. 1. 4, 10, 11. Rom. 8. 29. 'Tis the scope of his free and gracious Covenant; I will be your God, and you shall be my people. The actual In-stating of my Soul into it, ariseth from the free Call of God, 1 Cor. 1. 9. The overcoming and destroying all difficulties that may obstruct it, is throughly managed in the Person of Christ, who has made both one; and died to bring me to God. As for the Application and Enjoyment of this Union-state, his Prayer, Joh, 17. 21. and Pro­mise, Joh. 14. 20. do stand in force day and night, without ceasing, to obtain it for me, and effect it in me: His Blood has confirmed the Covenant for it, and has put into it the vertue and force of a Will and Testament, which cannot be disannulled, Joh. 17. Luk. 22. 20. compared with 1 Pet. 3. 18. and Heb. 9. 17. and the Manifestation of this is only by his Word and Spirit, proclaiming and testifying this good Will of God to Men, 1 Joh. 3. 24. whereby he doth effectually bring in this Reconciliation, 2 Cor. 5. 8, 9. and effecteth Union thereupon, 1 Cor. 6. 20. Yea are bought with a price; therefore glorifie God in your body, and in your spirit, which are Gods. So that I am wholly God's Workmanship, who has ordain­ed this Union, and created me in Christ for it. I believe; Lord, help my Unbelief. How little do I see! How little do I taste, and applyingly possess this bottomless Privilege, which the glorious An­gels desire to look into!

4. Having considered the Purity Improve then by Meditation. of this Union, and the Inconsisten­cy that is betwixt this Union and Guilt, and unmortified sinful Pollutions, as to the comfortable Application of it; and also the divine Spring, the free Grace and Bounty of God in creating and carrying it on; into which thoughts and consi­derations the God of all Grace is only able to put seasoning and heart-framing force, to make way for the Application of it.

Now, O my Soul, compel thy self to the serious Meditation of it; 1. The Reallity of this Ʋnion. be persuaded the matter is real: It is invisible, but real; wondrous, incomprehensible, but real and true. God has made thy sins thy burthen; his Holiness, and his new Stamp, thy greatest and most deliberate desire. Whence comes this but from the Spirit of Christ, in whom the perfection of Enmity against Sin lies, and in whom all the Treasures of Grace are laid? How comes his Spirit to work an influence of the same nature in thee, but as thou art taken into Union with him, as a Mem­ber of his Body, partaking of the vital Influences of the Head? And seeing the Fulness of the Godhead dwells in him, whose Spirit dwells in thee, Col. 2. 9, 10. and the Divine Nature of the Father, Son and Spirit one and the same, 1 Joh. 5. 7. thou becomest (in a way of Adoption, and according to the created Capacity thou art in) really, at present, an Heir to­gether with Christ, of the Glory of God, and shall rightfully (through free Grace) fully possess that Inheritance. These are mine, saith the Lord, Mal. 3. 17. I am thy God; in me thou shalt be saved, Isa. 45. 7. Thy Maker is thy Husband, Isa. 54. 5. What is this but Union with him?

Now, O my Soul, meditate again. Am I indeed brought in by Christ, to Union with God? Are we no longer two, but one Spirit? Can such a thing be? I do not doubt it, but admire it. What! He that made Heaven and Earth, and all Men upon Earth; he who is the very Life of the whole Crea­tion; he to whom Abraham, Moses and David, and all the Worthies of old prayed, whom they served and adored, who carried them through all Trials; to whose Truth, Wisdom, Love and glorious Power they did bear witness, and do still testifie it to all Ages?

Is he my own God? Is this God really mine? Is it the Word of his own Mouth? I am thy God. How unsearchable is this Union; is he whom Simeon embraced in his Arms, and said, My eyes have seen thy Salvation; is he mine? He who wrought all those Miracles, who healed Diseases, cast out De­vils, forgave Sins on Earth; is he mine? He who had compassion on the Leper, and healed him? He who had compassion on the Multitude, and fed them; who spied out Nathaniel, visited Zacheus, raised the Dead; is he mine? He who preached the Gospel from Heaven; who did bear my Sins in the Gar­den, upon the Cross, in his own Body; who did sweat Blood, and was pierced through for Sins, for Sinners: is he mine! His Satisfaction mine! His Compassion mine! Those tender Bowels mine! Was I then comprized in his Prayer? And is this Joseph yet alive, and his Nature not changed, but glorified to the perfection of Power and Sympathy? Is he mine? and am I indeed his? He who com­forted his Disciples, buried their Sins and Miscarri­ages, and blessed them; immediately at his Ascenti­on, and in the full warmth of his Love, ascended, and sate at the Right Hand of the Majesty on high, where [Page 180] Love never ceaseth; Is this, and none but this the Judge whom I expect? even my Lord, and my God: he whom Paul saw, whom all the Apostles did preach, who converted the Gentiles, has kept. alive the efficacy of his Word to this day; he who is the faithful Witness: is he my own? He who is ex­alted to give Repentance and Remission of Sins; is he mine, to teach, purge, justifie and quicken me? As near as the Head to the Body, the Root to the Tree and Branches; as near and dear as the Hus­band to the Wife; doth he call me his own Flesh and Bones? Doth he live and breath in me, and I in him? Oh, for more Faith, Reverence, Thanks­giving, with all manner of becoming Thoughts, Words and Deeds concerning him, and concerning the reality of such a Privilege. Oh, when shall the Shadows fly away? Be very serious in exercising faith, to represent the truth and reality of this Union-state, that there is such a thing; and in that Exercise di­late your thoughts in an awful, serious, comfortable Reverence, and reverent love of God manifested in the Flesh, to be Emanuel, God with us. Pursue this Meditation till you even make this Union as vi­sible as may be to the eye of your faith.

Consider, the Nature of it is un­changeable; 2. The Nature of this Ʋnion. it was made in God's Decree, before all time, and consti­tuted for Eternity. The Bond is God's Faithfulness, and his Love, which many Waters cannot quench; an indissolvable Marriage, an Ingrasture into the Fulness, Fountain and Perfection of Life: 'Tis the Purchase, Possession and unwithering Inheritance of him who is Yesterday, to day and for ever: 'Tis Union reciprocal; Christ is thine, and thou art his; My Beloved is mine, and I am his. What shall I [Page 181] give thee, saith Christ? Not only a Kingdom, but my self. What shall I render, saith the Soul? Not only my Praises, but my whole self. Possess me, rule me, fill me; take my heart, and give me thine: let thy love be shed into my heart with a ravishing Inundation; and let my love be passionate, pure, and find no Object elsewhere but thee. 'Tis an Union that has distinguishing Excellency in it, a Remnant chosen out of many; between which Remnant and the rest, nothing made the difference but the free Choice of God.

An Union created of Contraries, made up of un­reconciled Parties, who were at-the extreamest En­mity, and now become of the most absolute and pas­sionate Amity; so it is in Christ, and so it is (in the Seed of it) in all the Persons united to him. An Union in which the Party wronged, voluntarily be­gan to love first, 1 Joh. 4. 19. and wooed the offend­ing Party to a Reconcilement. An Union, in all respects, wonderfully made; it issued from that pe­remptory (yet deliberate) Sentence, I will have mer­cy on whom I will have mercy. And what thoughts are sufficient for these things?

The Privileges of this Union are 3. The Privileges of this Ʋnion. all on the Sinner's side; Christ is exalted to give, and Sinners called up to receive. And what must Sinners receive, who are received into this Union? Come in, O my Soul, for thy share, for the Treasury is unspeakably rich. Through this Emanuel-knot of Union, God is not ashamed to be called the God of poor Sinners; only as he changeth their state, he changeth their names: they are now in proper true Appellation, Saints, though sin remains in them; they are belov­ed, who were not beloved; they are Sons and Daugh­ters [Page 182] of God; every one is a Prince by a second Birth; they are took out of Prison, and do sit at the King's Table; their filthy Garments removed away, and are cloathed with white Rayment; they are delivered from the Pit, and return thither no more; they have a goodly Heritage, God himself is their Portion; all the Power, Truth, Wisdom, Goodness and Mercy that ever God made known to and for his People in all Ages, is their Inheritance; all the Promises and Providences which God made and wrought at any time, are for their use, experi­ence, teaching and comfort; all the Directions, Ex­amples and Precepts in the Scripture, and all the Re­proofs and Threatnings there, are for their Learning, Consolation nud Discipline, to purge, strengthen and guard them till the Old Man be quite destroyed, till they arrive beyond Sin, Change and Hazard; their Society is with the Spirit of the Father and the Son, with the Image of Christ in his People, the Mind of Christ in his Word, the Breath, Presence and Blessing of Christ in his Ordinances; their Suffer­ings, Difficulties and Fears have lost their destroying deadly Sting; their Life is Christ in them the Hope of Glory; their End is Peace; their Death is their Gain: however it is for a season with their outward or inward Man, they are never otherwise than the Blessed of the Lord, and Objects of his Delight, Care, Good Will and Protection, Jer. 32. 38, 41. Isa. 27. 3. and after this Life, that unutterable Bles­sedness which they are to enjoy when they shall be ever with the Lord; Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, nor can any heart to the full understand; much less can my Meditation reach it, or Pen declare it, only I may say, it is an exceeding, EXCELLENT ETERNAL WEIGHT OF GLORY. [Page 183] Consider these Privileges, O my Soul, make the most of them. This prize is in thy hand; be not as a Fool that has no heart; muse the matter, peruse the Scriptures, and muse it again and again: these are not vain glosses, the thing is real, glorious and great: have often and large thoughts of this Union with Christ, let the Application of it dwell upon thee day and night.

And that thou maist come up to 4. Improve this Ʋ ­nion by Exercise. a clearer Vision of this Fountain of Life, and drink aboundantly of the Water thereof, visit it often, pry modestly, reve­rently and seriously into it; not for Curiosity, but for Transformation: 'tis thy Portion, and now (more abstractly than ever) all thy Portion; a Portion that hath seven Portions in it, all Portion in it, Mat. 19. 29. He that by faith overcometh, and wins this Prise, shall inherit all things, Rev. 21. 7. for I (saith the faithful Witness) will be his God, and he shall be my Son. Here is the Union, and the Privilege also Familiarize this Mystery of Union with Christ, by remembring, and having recourse to it in the use of all Ordinances of Worship, in all Christian Duties, in all use of Gifts, in all conditions of Life, and all Seasons, day and night, in the exercise of every Grace. Send up many Ejaculatory Visits. Be upon thy Watch continually. Let this word always ring in your ear, without me (ABSTRACTED from me) you can do nothing, Joh, 15. 5. Beware of cooling, beware of dismay: Remember this Union is grounded on God's eternal unchangeable Love, his faithfulness upholds it, 'tis as the Sun in the Firmament, thou hast but a little time to take hold of it; the ruin of this Union is the only thing which thy Enemies, World, Flesh and Devil aim at. And now, O my [Page 184] precious Soul, rowze up thy self to Exercise; Thy labour shall not be in vain in the Lord.

Use every Ordinance to further this Union. In Ordinances.

In hearing the Word, digest all the 1. Hearing. Matter into these two Heads, as the main ultimate scope of whatever thou hearest; ei­ther removing Obstructions which keep God and thee a sunder, or a Supply of some uniting Power to bring God and thee together. Come to the Word with expectation to meet the Lord himself there; deliver thy SELF to the Word in the hand of God: hear his Voice through Man's Words; account the Physitian of Souls wiser than thy self: lie before him as a meer Patient; refuse no Potion which the Word of Re­conciliation brings: let it not rest in the Understand­ing, but pass along into some real transforming Im­pression on the Will, that it may be won home to God in Christ, the Centre of thy new State. Get within the Scope and Spirit of the matter, for there lies Christ attending to meet thee.

In Reading, Observe, and get in­to the Soul (as it were) of him who 2. Reading. was the Writer (whether Moses, David, Paul, or any other) as if thy self had been the Pen-man, by the Inspiration of the Spirit. Use the Scriptures as if this had been the first day they had been penned, as if thou hadst seen the persons, and hadst been in the place with them, when they spake and wrote it; as if thou hadst seen Christ when he spake, did, and suffered what thou readest; and as if the Scriptures had been sent only to thee, to win and work thee up to a Reconcilement with God.

Labour to see the Wisdom and Goodness of God in the Seals of the 3. Seals. Covenant. Their end is to realize invisible things, to enforce the Obligation and Uni­on between Christ and thee, to the strongest Evi­dence and Application.

By Baptism thou art taken in, and by the Ordinance of the Lord's Supper thou art fed and nowrished up in this Union. There was no other end than this, as the main Union with Christ as the Head, and with his People as the Members of his Body. The vertue is inward: Oh, for more faith and sight in this Mystery.

TOKENS among Men do oblige, and are very for­cible; they carry in them the Mind of the Giver; and the Token being candidly accepted, the Mind of the Giver is accepted; and in that Token there meets Consent and Union betwixt Giver and Re­ciever. They have (as it were) a magnetick force, and a confirming force also, as the experience of such things do shew. Thus it is with those mysterious To­kens between Christ and his People. Muse them, and improve them so.

And as all Ordinances are the Gal­leries of Intercourse between God and 4. Prayer. his People in Christ, so Prayer hath in this Work an Eminency; 'tis the very Intercessi­on of God's own Spirit in them: 'tis the private Re­tirement in which the Soul is brought into the Pre­sence-Chamber, and hath private Conference with Christ, and the Father in him. The very nature of Prayer is a Thirst after the living God, Psal. 63. 1. 'Tis the very breathing of the Soul's Union with God; and the means whereby it is preserved, fortified, carried on and confirmed; and whereby the sweet­ness [Page 186] and nourishing vertue of it (to the Soul) is im­proved, enjoyed and increased. Let thy Prayers then be inward and single hearted; chiefly aiming at, and prizing this Union. And refer all other things (of a remote nature) to the wisdom of him to whom thou art united. Speak to him as one, who is in his bosom; and consider him as thy only Helper, and thy most sure Friend. Come reverently, believingly, with Resignation of thine heart to his, and so creep forwards into an humble intimacy and familiarity with thy God. This Union only begets the true Cry, Abba Father, and nourisheth it.

And if Faith can but enter with all its glorious Train, how would this This Divine Ʋni­on quickned, and stirring in the Soul by faith. Union shine forth? Faith springs from this Union in order of Nature, but in order of time 'tis brought forth with it. There can be no Faith, or any other Grace, till the God of all Grace hath took the Soul into actual Union with himself: and so Faith is the Fruit of this Union. Neither can there be any Uni­on without some exercise of Faith, in which the life of this Union begins to stir; for there can be no Union between God, who is living, and the Soul which by Nature is dead in distance and sin; till Faith, which is the first spark of life in the new Crea­ture, do capacitate the Soul for its Union with God in Christ. The Spirit of this Union (by every spi­ritual means) doth hold out Nourishment for Faith to grow by; and Faith, by those means, settles the Soul more and more in the bosom, warmth and ef­ficaciousness of its Union with Christ, and the Fa­ther in him: In which Interest and Efficaciousness, Faith grows up, and puts the Soul upon high and noble exercise; enables it, and acts it forth to mighty [Page 187] attempts; so that the actual Union of God to, in and with the Soul is the first Principle of its life, and Faith is the first Motion of that life. There can be no Life without some Motion, no natural Motion without some Life; which quality of Motion does more and more declare that there is Life as the cause thereof.

The Soul being made alive to God, Ephes. 2. 1. Rom. 6. 11. lives Apprehending Christ as the primary Means of this Ʋnion. by faith, Gal. 2. 20. Habbak. 2. 4. The Primary Means (in the hand of God's Free Grace) which accomplisheth this Uni­on is Christ, who hath taken the common Nature of Man into Union with his Person; and in that Nature ( the fulness of the Godhead dwelling therein bodily) he doth by his Spirit, breath the Spirit of Life into those, who by the Election of Grace are given to him as his Posterity and therefore (as the ends of the Earth are given to him for a Possession, Psa. 2. 8. so) he is called the Creator of the ends of the Earth, Isa. 40. 28. and Creator of this Peace and Union, Ephes. 2. 16, 17. Isa. 57. 19. and the everlasting Fa­ther also, Isa. 9. 6. by whom (as Mediator) the liv­ing God and the enlivened Soul (which was dead and sinful before) are made one, viz. in the Life and Purity of the Mediator: He reconciles them, removing the Enmity in his own Body on the Cross: He unites, by receiving the Souls and Bodies of the Elect into his own Propriety. They are actually his in their new Creation and Regeneration, Joh. 17. 10. 2 Cor. 5. 17. and being his, they are the Fa­thers also; I in them, and thou in me, and they in us, Joh. 17. 21, 23.

The Secondary Mens is the Word And the Word as the Secundary Means of this Ʋnion. of Reconciliation and Promise, 2 Cor. 5. 19. 2 Pet. 1. 4. and Faith closing with Christ thereby, Gal. 3. 25. Ephes. 1. 13. and all this wrought by the Spirit in a way of quickning and efficacy, Rom. 8. 10, 11. con­veyed into the Soul, and maintained there by Faith, the free Gift of God.

Which Faith being thus born, bred Renders Faith vi­gorous. and spirited, converseth most with this Union in the Discoveries and Application thereof; and by its much Converse there, is capacitated to dart the Rays, Influence and vertue of this Union into all the rest of the Graces of the Spirit; without which influence, no Grace comes up to its true and proper exercise. And in regard the whole Soul is taken into this Union by Faith, and the Body also, through its Union with the Soul, the whole Person is called a Believer; who lives by faith, both in regard of its inward invisible Operation, and also in moulding anew the outward and visible Conversation. So that a Believer both lives by faith, Heb. 10. 38. and walks by faith, 2 Cor. 5. 7. not only in himself, but manifestly to others, by Words, Rom. 1. 12. and Examples, Heb. 13. 7.

Its chief Seat is the Understanding and the Will: Whatever it disco­vers, And prosperous. it calls in the Will to assent to; working up the whole Soul to a Propensity of Resignation to the Power and Soveraignty of every divine Truth; and in particular, to the Enjoyment and Privilege, Government and Laws of this Union­state. And so it sets it self (as a mighty Champion) in the hand of the Lord, to exercise its skill and power in the Soul: And now; Oh, that it might [Page 189] be up, and be doing in my Soul, and so go on and prosper. And Oh! that its Bow may abide in strength, and the arms of its hands made strong through the hands of the mighty God of Jacob; and, under the influence of Divine Grace, be blessed, and made to go on, increase, be enlarged and conquer. Rise up, O Shield and Buckler, O Arm of the Lord; I have waited, and do wait for thy Salvation, O Lord: Leave me not.

THere are four principal things which this part of Scripture do offer to serious Meditation and Improvement, viz.

1. That a true Christian is not his own.

2. That he is the Lords.

3. That he ought to know his renewed State.

4. That his renewed Constitution does oblige him to promote the Glory of God, and live up thereto in Soul and Body.

Not your own, &c. implies three things, viz.

1. That naturally, a Man is his own Tyrant.

2. That true Christianity is more than speculative: 'tis a real Change of the Man; You are not your own.

3. That it doth mysteriously divide a Man from himself

This real Alteration and mysterious Contrariety is not a natural Change, but spiritual; viz. the Bo­dy, the Soul, the Faculties of the Soul, and the ra­tional Exercise of those Faculties are still the same; and yet a spiritual Change doth affect them all, and passeth upon the whole Man. This spiritual Change begins in the most hidden part of Man, viz. the Mind; and therefore Repentance is called the Change of the Mind, which Change of the Mind doth influence the whole Man. The Mind is said to be changed when the Spirit of God enters in, and exerciseth its Soveraign Dominion of Holiness, against the Usurpation of the Devil and Natural Corruption, which reigned there before: whereby the Mind is con­trolled into a willing Propensity of Subjection to the Authority of the Spirit of God, against the Invasion of Sin, which still retains some Haunt there, as a lurking subdued Enemy (called the Flesh lusting against the Spirit) till it be destroyed utterly at the day of full Redemption.

This Dominion of the Spirit steers the natural Fa­culties of the Soul in their rational Exercise to new Employment, and arrays them thereunto with new Habits. The Understanding has a sublimer Light, the Judgment a better Rule, the Will and Affections a better Object, better Motives, and a better End; viz. Spiritual. So that such a person is now said not to be his own: he is not under that universal Darkness, Pollution and Bondage to Sin which he was conceived and born in at first; that was his own natural state, but he is now rescued from it, and is no longer his own.

1. While he was his own, he taught himself by the Light of fleshly Wisdom, and accounted the Gospel Foolishness, 1 Cor. 1. 23. but now loaths it; [Page 193] and being at a loss, cries, Lord, what wouldst thou have me to do? Act. 9. 6. and as they did who burnt the Books in which they learnt curious Arts before, Act. 19. 19. in which lay no savour of Christ and spiritual Knowledge.

2. While he was his own, he ruled himself by the sight of his eyes, and imagination of his heart, Jer. 7. 27. by the custom and course of the World; but now consults not with Flesh and Blood, Gal. 1. 16. he sees his own Byass is false, and his own Weights too light.

3. Motives of Pleasure, Profit, Honour, do not now draw him: he was lead by his own Concupis­cence, but now he is dead to these; and saith, I have no pleasure in them.

4. He designs not his own things, neither Health, Phil. 2. 30. nor Liberty, Act. 20. 23. nor Ease, 1 Cor. 11. 10. nor Safety, 1 Cor. 15. 13. nor Wealth, Heb. 11. 26. nor Honour, nor Pleasure; as Moses, who refused to be Father of a great Nation, Exod. 32. 10. and Esther, not satisfied with having the honour and delights of being Queen, when God's Honour lay at stake. Yea, he designs not an unworthy pre­servation of his own life, Act. 20. 24.

5. The Spirit of carnal Comforts is gone in such an ones esteem; as Esther could not endure the thoughts of her Peoples Ruin, though she was at the Royal Feast: and to such an one, the tickling comfort of such things affect not, but are as the White of an Egg; yea, the unnecessary Conference of such things is tast­less, as Meat to a sick Man; and all because such an one is not his own any longer.

When a Man is not his own, he stands invested with many privileges: he has hereby a shelter.

1. Against outward Afflictions; they sting not, their profit reacheth farther than their pain, when a Man (as in an extasie) is not his own: therefore Paul rejoyced in them.

2. Persecution on the Outward Man, reach not him who is not his own, who is not at his own home; as it was with David, when Saul's Messen­gers came to kill him, they found him not, but an Image, 1 Sam. 19. 16.

3. He can answer the Accusations of Guilt, I am not my own, and therefore my own Guilt must not stick on me.

4. When Flesh and Blood demands Service, he can reply; I who am not my own, am not Debtor to the Flesh. When Sin doth vex and molest by its pollutions in the Flesh, he can say; What make I here? I am not my own: Let me go hence.

5. When spiritual Pride solicits, he can reply; What I have is not my own.

6. And against carnal Security he can say; I can­not maintain my own Grace, nor restore my self when fallen; and therefore am to work out my Salvation with fear: I am not my own.

7. Against Solicitude about future Events and carking Despondency; I am not at my own dispose, and therefore such Anxieties are to be none of my work.

8. Against the enchanting Comforts of the Flesh and the World it can say, as Barzillai did to David; Can I hear the sound of such Melody? What is such Mu­sick to a dead Man? I am not my own.

But whose am I then? Will such an one say, this Scripture shews, that he who is washed, sanctified and justified, &c. (as vers. 11.) is Gods; viz. by Justification, by Sanctification, he is translated from [Page 195] the Dominion and natural Right of corrupt Self, to be the Lord's in Body and Spirit. As he did bear the corrupted Image of the first Adam, so now he bears the spiritual Image of the Second: he is not in his own propriety, as before he was, but is now in a peculiar gracious propriety to God.

The nature of which may be more distinctly un­derstood by considering these three Particulars, viz.

I. What this Propriety is, and wherein it lies.

II. How it comes to pass, and was effected.

III. How the truth, fulness, entireness, and the ex­cellency of it, is demonstrated and held forth in the Scriptures.

1. 'Tis a Propriety which stands distinguished from the Propriety which God has in that common state of Mankind in the whole Earth, Exod. 19. 5.

2. 'Tis a Propriety which stands in opposition to Estrangement, Ephes. 2. 12, 19. compared with Lev. 24. 22.

3. In opposition to that which is anothers, Hos. 3. 3.

4. In opposition to former Unsuitableness, Ezek. 16. 8. and Enmity; Col. 1. 21.

So that a justified person is peculiarly, intimately, entirely, complacently and fully the Lords.

II. This Propriety came to pass, and was effected,

1. By the free, deliberate, gracious Choice of God; and therefore they are called God's Elect, Rom. 8. 33. which Choice was made with respect to Christ, Ephes. 1. 4.

2. Giving these Elect to Christ, Joh. 17. 6. and so being Christ's they are God's, 1 Cor. 3. 23. Joh. 17. 10.

3. By Christ's Meditation and Advocateship: whereby

1. He takes away all that which necessarily hin­dred the effecting of this Propriety; satisfying the-Justice of God, (and removing out of the way that Pollution and Enmity, which stood between the righteous and holy God, and defiled Sinners) by the price and sprinkling of his own Blood, 1 Cor. 6. 20. Ephes. 2. 13, 14, 15, 16.

2. He sends forth the Gospel, inviting all per­sons to apply to themselves by faith, the vertue and end of his Death, Matth. 16. 15, 16. Act. 13. 38. and that a Covenant is made betwixt God and Sin­ners, and confirmed in his Blood, Heb. 9. 14, 15.

3. He gives faith to apply the same, Act. 14. 27. Ephes. 2. 8. and opening the Understanding to re­ceive it, Luk. 24. 45. Act. 16. 14.

4. He reneweth the heart through his Spirit, and rendreth it suitable and subject to the Laws and state of this Appropriation to God, Ephes. 4. 22, 23, 24. 1 Pet. 1. 2. and from vers. 14. to 19. Ephes. 1. 4.

5. He presents those whom he thus redeemed to his Father, 1 Pet. 3. 18. Col. 1. 22. bequeathing them to him as his own, to be kept from evil, Joh. 17. 11, 15, 25.

6. The Father accepteth of these chosen and re­deemed ones, Ephes. 1. 6. and thereupon saith, These are mine, Mal. 3. 17.

3. The Truth, Fulness, Entireness and Excellency of this Propriety is set forth in the Scriptures by di­vers sorts of Resemblances, which have a most ap­propriating Nature, and endearing influence amongst Men in this World; which are comprehended chief­ly under three Heads.

1. Resemblances which concern the Propriety of Estate.

2. Resemblances which concern a Propriety in things that betoken labour, care and skill in the Proprietor to manage them.

3. Resemblances which concern the Propriety of natural Relations.

1. In Allusion to the Propriety of Estate among Men, the People of God, and so every Regenerate Person is called.

1. The Inheritance of God, Psal. 33. 12. which notes the setled part of an Estate; as in Naboth's Case, 1 King. 21. 3.

2. The Habitation of God, Ephes. 2. 22. noting Constancy of Residence, Joh. 8. 35. The servant abi­deth not in the house for ever, but, &c.

3. The Temple of God, 2 Cor. 6. 16. noting sacred Converse with God, Psal. 27. 4. and divine Pre­sence, Hag. 2. 9. and great, stately Magnificence, Luk. 21. 5. where God is said to dwell and walk, 2 Cor. 6. 16. and reign, Psal. 11. 4.

4. The peculiar Treasure of God, Exod. 19. 5. no­ting the delightful part of an Estate.

5. The Jewels of God, Mal. 3. 17. noting their precious esteem and value.

6. And in general, the Portion of God, Deut. 32. 9. which compriseth the whole ( Luk. 15. 12.) of an Estate.

2. In allusion to the Propriety of Things wherein the skill, labour and care of the Proprietor is em­ployed: and thus a regenerate person is called a Crea­ture which God has formed for himself, Isa. 43. 21. God's Building, 1 Cor. 3. 9. God's Workmanship, Ephes. 2. 10. All which do set out the freeness of God's Grace, and Man's Inability and Impossibility to regenerate himself, or add one Cubit to his own sta­ture. Also,

God's Husbandry, 1 Cor. 3. 9. noting God's mind­fulness, care, and (as it were) laborious hand to­wards his people: and thus they are called his Vine­yard, Jer. 12. 10. noting peculiarness and delight, Isa. 5. 1, 2, &c. And his Garden, Cant. 4. 12. made for retired delight, and familiar use.

3. In allusion to the Propriety of Natural Relations.

1. A Regenerate Person is called the Spouse of Christ, and married unto God, Cant. 4. 12. Isa. 64. 5. noting Love and Familiarity, and affectionate Remembrance.

2. The Son of God, and his Child, Exod. 4. 22. Jer. 31. 20. yea, as a sucking Child, cast on God for relief, Isa. 49. 15, 16. Ezek. 4. &c. shadowing out his tender respect to his people.

3. His Body (in Christ) and so accounted as his Flesh and his Bone, Ephes. 5. 30. and the Apple of his eye; noting his sympathy with his people, Zac. 2. 8

4. To which may be added, that they are his Flock, 1 Pet. 5. 2. Act. 20. 28. noting care of them, provision and security for them.

NOW walk about this City of God, tell the Towers thereof, mark well the Bullwarks, consi­der the Palaces and Excellencies of being in the Propriety of God, who will be the Guide of his People to the death, Psal. 48. 14. and so bring them to Glory, Psal. 73. 24.

HENCE for Trial, whether I am God's: Let me see what Reciprocation this Propriety of God doth work (declaring I am his) by my appropriating him to be mine, Hos. 2. 23. viz.

1. Do I give my consent, and render up my self to be the Lords; and (as it were) subscribe it with my hand, and change my name upon it? Which are the [Page 199] tokens of Confirmation of Consent, and Translati­on of Propriety, Isa. 44. 5. compared with Jer. 32. 10. Gen. 41. 45. Dan. 4. 8. and Change of Condi­tion.

2. Do I comply with God's method in making this Purchase to himself by Jesus Christ, Matth. 17. 5. accounting the Gospel of God declaring Salvation by Christ, worthy of all Acceptation? 1 Tim. 1. 11, 15.

3. Do I put a value on this Propriety to God, owning it with open Profession? Ezra 5. 11. We are the Servants of the living God; and by faith, sheltering under it, Isa. 63. 19. we are thine, &c.

4. Do I improve it humbly, and reverently, and thankfully? 2 Sam. 7. 18. to the end of vers. 24. Who am I, O Lord God? &c. Do I present my self to God as one that is made alive from the Dead, Rom. 6. 13. renouncing all other Defence, Hos. 14. 3. and walking worthy of God, who has called a vile Sinner out of his own pollution, to be of the Houshold of God, 1 Thes. 2. 12. Ephes. 2. 19.

As for the Privileges of them Privileges of this Propriety. who are in the Propriety of an infi­nite glorious God: Who is he that is able to number the Dust thereof, or bring an Ac­count of the Sands of that Sea? The whole Earth is full of that Glory of God which shines upon his People as their Interest, unto which every particu­lar person of that number is entitled. But for the better Access, with good welcome to this glorious Feast, it is needful to see whether the Wedding Gar­ment be on or no; which brings in the third gene­ral Head, viz.

3. That true Christians ought to know their re­newed state, viz. that they are not their own, but [Page 200] Gods; which seem to have these (steps, or rather) parts included in it, viz.

1. A discerning and understanding of the excel­lency of such a state, 1 Cor. 2. 14.

2. An inward persuasion of the possibility of an In­terest in such a state, Isa. 55. 6. Joel 2. 14. And

3. An Exercise of Faith, engaging the heart to lay claim to, be possessed of, and actually enjoy an In­terest therein, 1 Joh. 5. 20. Joh. 20. 28. and alto­gether in Heb. 11. 13.

The Means of this Knowledge are chiefly,

1. The Word and Spirit of God, Joh. 20. 31. and 16. 8, 13, 14. 1 Cor. 2. 12.

2. Prayer, Psal. 143. 8. Prov. 2. 3. Job 34. 32.

3. Serious Deliberation, Meditation and Applicati­on, Psal. 143. 5. 2 Tim. 2. 7. Psal. 104. 34.

The Evidences which do declare a person to be the Lords, are the Ecchoings back of the Soul to him in the warmth of his own Grace and Love, where­in God draws the Soul to own him in a way suitable to his owning of such a person to be his; stamping his own Image there, and giving it life to act in a genuine, true and proportionable method towards God again. Which appears,

1. In that mutual Avouchment mentioned in Deut. 26. 16, 17. according to the Terms of the Covenant of Grace, Jer. 24. 7. and 32. 38. I will give them a heart that they shall know that I am the Lord; and they shall be my people, and I will be their God: and they shall return to me with their whole heart. And this is the Ground of those Expressions in the Scri­ptures, wherein the People of God have ecchoed back their Faith and hope in him, by the same man­ner of Expressions to him, as he useth to them.

1. As God has chosen them, Mark 13. 20. they chuse God, Josh. 24. 15, 22. and the things that please him, Isa. 56. 4.

2. God calls them his Inheritance, Psal. 33. 12. they call him their Inheritance, Psal. 16. 5.

3. God calls them his Habitation, Ephe. 2. 22. they call him their Habitation, and dwelling Place, Psal. 71. 3. and 90. 1. God dwelleth in them, and they in him, 1 Joh. 4. 13.

4. God walks in them, 2 Cor. 6. 16. they walk in his Name, Zac. 10. 12. They walk with God, Gen. 5. 24.

5. They are precious to God, Isa. 43. 4. and the Lord is precious to them, 1 Pet. 2. 7.

6. They are God's portion, Deut. 32. 9. and God is theirs, Lam. 3. 24.

7. God loves them, Psal. 146. 8. they love him, Rom. 8. 28. In these and many other respects they bear the Image of God, and therein do evidence that they are his, and he theirs. Let the heart exa­mine it self whether these Properties of the Image of God be stamped there or no.

2. It appears in complying with God's aim and me­thod in managing that Propriety of his, in which he owns them; he commands, and they obey; Deut. 11. 27. he reprooves, and they take reproof; he threatens, and they fear; he chastiseth, and they accept the punishment of their iniquities; he speaks, and they hear; he promiseth, and they believe: and thus they shew that they are his, and he theirs. Let the heart examine it self whether there be this compliance with the Mind and Will of God, or no, Isa. 55. 3, 4.

3. It appears in answering the duty of that Relation in which they stand to God: They are the Spouse, [Page 202] and he the Husband; they the Children, he the Fa­ther; they the Flock, he the Shepherd; they the Husbandry, he the Husband-man; they the Work­manship, he the Worker; they the Clay, he the Potter: each Relation imports the duty of them who are thus many ways related unto God. All which administers matter for several Queries by way of Trial; whether God be mine, and I am his. If I am his, he must necessarily be mine, according to the tenour of the Covenant. And therefore let me propound some Questions to my own Soul, is­suing from the former Considerations; that I may know that I am mine own no longer, but the Lords; and that he is mine.

For making way to these Queries it is to be con­sidered, that the Scriptures do speak of several states of Mankind in the World.

1. A state of Innocency, Eccles. 7. 29.

2. A state of Sin and Death, Rom. 5. 12.

3. A state of Redemption and Pardon through Grace, Ephes. 1. 7. And thence cometh a state of Renewing and Sanctification, Ephes. 4. 24. and 5. 8. which issueth from Christ's Redemption, Tit. 2. 14. and so lodgeth a Soul in this Propriety of being God's peculiar people, shewing forth his Praises; 1 Pet. 2. 9. and the holy God is not ashamed to be called their God, Heb. 11. 16.

The two first of these relate to all Men univer­sally; but all of them relate to them who arrive at this peculiar Interest in God.

The New Testament speaks but little about the primitive Innocency; only glancing at it by impli­cation under the words of Straying, 1 Pet. 2. 25. Seeking that which was lost, Luk. 19. 10. and alie­nated from the Life of God, Ephes. 4. 18. and such [Page 203] like; and treats chiefly and most directly of the others, viz. Sin, Redemption and Holiness: This is that which the Spirit is promised to convince the World of, Joh. 16. 8. the state of Sin under Unbe­lief, and of Redemption and Righteousness by Christ (crucified and risen) who testified and assured by his going to his Father, that he obtained eternal Re­demption, Heb. 9. 12. and the state of Conquest over the Prince of this World, who works in the Chil­dren of Disobedience; and thereby freedom to serve God in Holiness and Righteousness.

This is set forth in Ephes. 2. the state of Sin and Death in vers. 1, 2, 3, 12. Redemption, vers. 4, 5, 6. and of Holiness, vers. 21, 22. And all briefly put together in Ephes. 5. 8. Sometimes ye were darkness, but now ye are light in the Lord: walk as children of light.

From the Consideration of each of these, there followeth divers Questions for the trying of the state of the Soul, and knowing in what plight it now stands. Indeed the Glory of primitive Innocency is out-shined by the super-abundant Grace and Image of Christ, 1 Cor. 15. 47, 48, 49, as the Glory of the second Temple exceeded the Glory of the first, Hag. 2. 9. yet the losing of that is much to be bewailed, because we did so sinfully lose it. Now then, O my Soul! canst thou take up Ezekiel's Lamentation over Tyrus? Ezek. 27. 12. &c. Thou hast been in Eden, the Garden of God, wast perfect in thy ways, &c. but thine heart was lifted up: and as David mourned for Saul and Jonathan's death, though ac­cess was thereby made for his own Advancement, 2 Sam. 1. 19. &c. The beauty of Israel is fallen; &c. and say, How are the mighty fallen; the Shield of the Mighty vilely cast away? &c. How is the Gold [Page 204] of primitive Innocency become dim? And how is Mankind, that was purer than the Snow, now be­come black as a Coal? as Jeremiah lamented over Je­rusalem, Lam. 4. 1, 7, 8. &c.

I. Canst thou say; Alas, I am become vile, Job 40. 4. In me, that is, in my flesh dwelleth no good thing, no Truth, Wisdom, Righteousness; and thy Nature is only evil, and that continually? Gen. 6. 5.

II. Dost thou consider the nature of thy sinful­ness; and how it doth pollute, weaken, deceive, and enslave thee? viz.

Dost thou know that thou carriest up and down in thy Nature all the Seeds of all Sins; that all the Ido­latry, Superstitions, Blasphemy; all the Murthers, Un­cleanness, Violence, Injuriousness, Hatred, Envy, Cruelty, Falshood, &c. that ever you read of in the Scriptures, or other Histories; or that ever your ears heard, or eyes saw: that the Seed and Spice of it all is in your own heart; that all those black Lists, Rom. 1. 29, to the end, Rom. 3. 11, &c. 1 Cor. 6. 9. Gal. 5. 19, 20, &c. Ephes. 2. 12. and 4. 18, 19. 2 Tim. 3. 2. and such like? Your Nature is in some degree or other tainted with it. And because this may seem harsh and strange,

1. Consider; As far as any Man has the Nature of Adam, he has the Corruption of that Nature; and as far as all are equal in their Descent from Adam, so far are all equal in the Corruption of that Des­cent: all guilty; every mouth must be stopped; Death came upon all, Rom. 3. 19. and 5. 12, 18.

2. Consider, That though Restraining Grace, or Mortifying Grace may curb, weaken, and subdue sinful Corruption, yet it retains its dwelling in the Flesh, Rom. 7. 25. And though the Righteousness of Christ be imputed to the Person, yet the corrupt [Page 205] Nature of that Person has still a Subsistence, till Cor­ruption put on Incorruption; till which time, cor­rupt Nature loseth not its Sinfulness, but its Do­minion, Rom. 7. 24. O wretched man that I am! said Paul. On this account, the state of the Person may be changed, but corrupt Nature still remains.

3. Consider, The natural Seed of every sin is a departure from God, and a violation of his Autho­rity; and therefore he that is guilty of one Sin vio­lates the Authority of God, and has a seminal Guilt of all Sin, Jam. 2. 10, 11. As he who has one true Grace has the Seed of all, because it shews he is uni­ted to Christ, and one with him in Spirit, who is the Fountain of all Grace. So that where-ever we see Sin, we see the Corruption and Pollution of our Nature that dwelleth in us.

Natural Conscience, Education, Constitution, Profession of Religion, Moral Considerations of Fear, Shame, or the like, may curb the working of Cor­ruption in some measure, but cannot extinguish the Pollution of Sin from the heart.

But more particularly, in reference to God. Is there not great Ignorance and Contempt of him? Are not Sins of thoughts more slighted than Sins visible? And is there not more Shame for a small Miscarri­age in the sight of Man, than great Miscarriages in the sight of God? What customary Ignorance of all his Attributes? How little is he the Object of the Heart's Love, Desire, Esteem, and Meditation? Is not the Heart more intent on other things? How little is he the Motive and End of what we do? Is serving and pleasing him the Hearts design in all things? In Worship, is not the Heart formal, cold, and wandring? Are not Convictions stifled, and the Impressions of the Word of God quickly gone? Is [Page 206] there serious Preparation for the Ordinances, and due Meditation afterwards? Is the Heart glad when the Word reproves, as well as when it hears words of comfort?

As for Men: Is not the Course of the World, the Opinion of others, and their Esteem of great value? Are their sins my burthen? Is there not Envy, Ha­tred, want of Sympathy? evil Surmises, &c.

As for my own Soul: Is not my heart rash, vain, inconsiderate; my Understanding dark, my Affe­ctions loose and scattered, and Memory slippery, and all out of order?

Do you not discern the weakning Nature of Sin, that it sucks the strength of the Soul, the deceitful­ness of it; the deadning, blinding, and destructive nature of it, and the perfection of divine Wrath that attends it?

And now doth all this make thee (O my Soul!) cry out, O wretched man that I am; and doth it make thee a burthen to thy self, Job 7. 20. as Job cried out? Dost thou see a bottomless Deceipt and De­solation in thy Nature, as it is in its self corrupted, and by Circumstances aggravated? And being to­tally Refugeless, Dost thou lay the Hope of thy Help upon a mighty Redeemer? If so, thou hast at­tained one Round (at least) of that blessed Ladder which leads thee up to the Fruition of that renewed State, in which thou art God's, and he is thine? Job 33. 23, to 31. 1 King. 8. 38.

III. In laying hold on Christ for Redemption.

1. Do I see I cannot help my self, nor any other Creature help me, Isa. 59. 16. Psal. 49. 7. that none can redeem his Brother, nor give to God a Ransom for him.

2. That Salvation is only of God, Hos. 14. 3. his Arm, &c.

3. That in free Mercy he sent Christ to save, Joh. 3. 16.

4. That Christ undertook this Salvation, Heb. 10. 7. and performed it, Heb. 9. 12.

5. That I am partaker of it by meer faith, Ephes. 2. 8.

6. Do I lay my whole weight upon this Saviour? Isa. 64. 8.

7. Doth my heart account him willing, Isa. 63. 9. able, faithful? 1 Thes. 5. 24.

8. Do I rejoyce in hope, Rom. 5. 2. and praise, Rev. 5. 9. on this account?

IV. Upon this Relief by Christ; Do I yet go farther (as Esther did, to execute the Children of Haman after he was dead) yea, to see the power of the Prince of this World broken in me? What is the temper and employment of a redeemed Soul, in his justified and renewed state? It is to shew forth the vertue of him who hath called us from Dark­ness to Light; from Sin and Bondage, to Freedom, Holiness and Righteousness, Luk. 1. 75. And Oh, that this might be and appear in my Soul. TO THAT END, let my heart suffer, and attend to some Questions concerning this; whereby I may further know that I am the Lords, and not my own.

Do I account Christ only to be the Fountain, and Au­thor of Renewing and Holiness; and so cast my self by Faith on him for it, as well as for Pardon; seeing I cannot think a thought, nor will, nor do any good thing of my self, 2 Cor. 3. 5. Phil. 2. 13. being created in Christ thereto, Ephes. 2. 10. and quickned there­in by him.

Is the Communion of the Father and the Son, in a way of light and leading by his Spirit, the Element I breath in; so that Holiness is my Choice, and sweet delight? Rom. 7. 22. Phil. 3. 10, &c. and 20. Our conversation is in heaven, &c.

Do I make designs against the Old Man, and to che­rish the New, by the lusting of the Spirit against the Flesh; Gal. 5. 17. countermining the devices of Sa­tan, 2 Cor. 2. 11. watching, trying all means ( Phil. 3. 11.) to increase Holiness?

Do I chuse and aim at pleasing God in what I do, as well as do any thing that is good in it self? Isa. 56. 4. Col. 1. 10, 11.

In matters of Worship: Do I aim to converse in­deed with God himself, as having to do with his pre­sence, 2 Cor. 2. 17. acting therein to him? Col. 3. 16, 17.

Do I labour to suck sanctified Light, and real Holi­ness out of the Ordinances, Psal. 36. 8. which is the Fatness of God's House, and tends to make the new Creature flourish? Psal. 92. 13.

Do I bow down and comply with every Word of God; submitting and assenting to its full scope? Psal. 119. 127, 128.

Do I rowl my eye towards God; eyeing his Wisdom, Goodness, Righteousness, and Providence in natural things, 1 Cor. 10. 31. and in things that providenci­ally come to pass? 2 Cor. 7. 6. 2 Tim. 4. 17. Act. 12. 23. This is to walk with God.

Do I plot which way I may advance the Interest of Christ and his Gospel, in the Capacity in which he hath set me, 1 Cor. 9. 15, 19, 23. and to prevent the dis­paragement of it? 1 Pet. 2. 12. Tit. 2. 10.

Do I consider whether I go forward or backward in the Trade of Holiness? Heb. 5. 12. Whether there [Page 209] be growth or not, declining or not? Am I gaining, and reaching forward? Phil. 3. 13. 2 Thes. 1. 3. If so; it shews, my Centre is above.

In these, and such like things, the mutual Relati­on betwixt God and a Regenerate Person do shine forth: They are tokens that God dwelleth there, and he in God. Such an one is in a new State, be­cause he has betook himself to the Laws, Company and Mode of the new Creation, created of God in Christ, translated to a state of Life in God.

Lastly, A Christian's renewed State obliges him to glorifie God in Body and Spirit; and he doth so, viz.

1. WHEN the Soul doth acknowledge God to be that which he is in himself, Rom. 11. 36. Of him, and through him, and to him are all things; to him be Glory for ever and ever, Amen: That he is infinite­ly excellent in his Nature, and in his Works, and in his Soveraignty, 1 Chron. 29. 11, 12, 13.

2. WHEN God is acknowledged to be that which he is to us in Jesus Christ, Exod. 33. 18, 19. and 34. 6, 7. 2 Cor. 4. 6. and glorified through Christ, 1 Cor. 1. 30, 31. 1 Pet. 4. 11.

3. WHEN the Spirit of a Man within him, and the outward Man also (concurring according to his Capacity) do act towards God, in an inward com­plying with, and actual demonstration of the glori­ous Nature, Will, and Grace of God: Which is called a walking worthy of God, 1 Thes. 2. 12. Col. 1. 10. that is to say, conformable to him, as the word ( wor­thy) seems to import; comparing Eph. 4. 1. with Eph. 4. 4. and (as it were) bearing his very Image; and there­by manifesting what God is to us, and what we are to him; viz. that God is ours, and we are his. Now this acting towards God has great variety of Ex­ercise in Believers; for a Believer is the Temple [Page 210] of God, in which his Glory is more excellently dis­played than in all the World besides.

A BELIEVER, by his peculiar nearness to, and interest in God, is capacitated, as a living and active Agent, to glorifie God (1 Pet. 2. 5, 9. Levit. 10. 3.) more than another who is only passive; as Pha­raoh was, Exod. 14. 17. So then, he who is not his own, but the Lords, and the Lord is his; his pro­per Element is, to be glorifying of God in all things, 1 Cor. 10. 31. as appears in these and the like Parti­culars, viz.

1. To reverence and adore the Majesty of God in all his holy Attributes and Works, as Neh. 9. 6. Jer. 32. 17, 18, 19. Dan. 9. 4, &c. and as David, and all the people of God were wont to do.

2. To be abased before God, in the sence of our Disproportionableness and Corruption; as Abra­ham, Gen. 18. 27. Jacob, Gen. 32. 10. Ezra. 9. 15. Dan. 9. 7. did.

3. To justifie God in all his dealings, Job 36. 3. Psal. 51. 4. as Daniel, c. 9. v. 4. with Confession, and imploring his Mercy, Joshua 7. 19. Dan. 9. 18, 19.

4. To honour the Father in the Son, Joh. 5. 23. and through him, 1 Pet. 4. 11.

5. To own God in Christ as the Fountain of eve­ry Grace, 1 Pet. 5. 10. and every good and perfect Gift, Jam. 1. 17. 1 Pet. 4. 11. and the Establisher and Perfecter of it, Matth. 6. 13. Thine is the kingdom, power und glory, Amen.

6. To adore him in his Word, 2 Chron. 20. 18. Isa. 39. 8. Psal. 56. 4. and 119. 106. believing it: To worship him with Reverence, Psal. 86. 6. and 99. 9. and to own him in his people, Gal. 1. 24. Matth. 10. 24. and them for his sake.

7. To abound with the gracious Fruits of Righ­teousness, Joh. 15. 8. Phil. 1. 11. which are by Je­sus Christ to the Praise and Glory of God.

8. To confess Christ before Men, Matth. 10. 33. suffering reproach, 1 Pet. 4. 14. and death for his sake, Joh. 21. 19.

And now, Oh, that God would lead my heart through all these things by an impartial Search, and cause me to compare my present frame of heart and Resolutions with these particular Truths of his own Word, and bring me up to glorifie him in my Body and Spirit, which I trust are his.

Let me yet farther demand of my self a few Que­stions, which relate to the glorifying of God in my Soul, and in my Walk.

1. Is it so with me, that I cannot be quiet; but restless under guilt, and distance from God? Psal. 32. 3, 4, 5. Do I cry, Return, O Lord, Isa. 63. 17. why art thou a Stranger? Jer. 14. 8.

2. Do I hanker after more Heart-impressions of the Knowledge of God? Exod. 33. 18. and 34. 6. ( Shew me thy Glory.)

3. Is the whole Will of God my delight, and his Word my daily Diet? Jer. 15. 16. Job 23. 12.

4. Do I praise ( Psal. 50. 23.) and acknowledge God in daily Providences; Gen. 48. 15. Prov. 3. 6. not repining at his Discipline, Psal. 119. 75. but brought nearer to him by Calamities? Isa. 17. 7.

5. Do I own him so, that the hiding of his face doth darken all other comforts to me, Psal. 77. 2. and his presence support and satisfie in the absence of earthly comforts; Psal. 142. 5. as it was with Da­vid at Ziglag? 1 Sam. 30. 6.

6. Do I so approve my self to God, that the Ap­probation, Esteem, or Praise of Man doth rather vex [Page 212] than please me when my Conscience within me doth smite me? 2 Cor. 10. 18. Rom. 2. 29.

7. In case of guilt and fear, Do I cast my self up­on the boundless Mercy of God, declared in Christ to be pardoned, purged and revived, as a sufficient Remedy? 2 Cor. 12. 9.

8. Do I hanker after pure Communion with God, so that my heart pants out, Oh that my ways were di­rected, &c. Ps. 119. 5. Cant. 8. 1. Oh, Oh? Ps. 38. 9.

THESE and such like workings do testifie that God is the highest Good, and the Centre of Blessedness, and infinitely glorious. And in these spiritual Ope­rations, the Soul doth declare and witness him to be so; and therein do evidence that God is his, and he is Gods, and hereby is highly privileged; God will not take things at the worst with him, Matth. 26. 40, 41. When such an one is at a loss, Mercy will surprize, and Deliverance overtake him, Ezek. 36. 11. when dull, his Ears shall be awakened to hear as the Learned, Isa. 50. 4. he shall be kept night and day, Isa. 27. 3. Christ will trim and dress him by the Word, Ephes. 5. 26. and he will earn towards him, Job 14. 15. and be with him in trouble, Isa. 43. 2, 3, &c. and God will not be ashamed to be called his God, Heb. 11. 16. he will wipe away his Tears, teach him by his Spirit, pardon his Sins, justifie his Person in the Person of Christ, and confess him to be his at the last day; where he shall see his face with joy, Job 33. 26. and ever be with the Lord, 1 Thes. 4. 17.

Happy is the people that is in such a case; yea, Hap­py is the people, happy is every particular person whose God is the Lord, Psal. 144. 15.