Looking Unto Jesus, Book 7 · Chapter 2 · Section 9
SECT. IX. Of conforming to Jeſus in that reſpect.
9. LEt us conform to Jeſus in reſpect of his reſurrection.—
In this particular I ſhall examine theſe Queries. 1. Wherein we muſt conform? 2. How this conformity is wrought? 3. What are the means of this conformity as on our parts?
For the firſt wherein we muſt conform? I anſwer in a word, in our vivification. There is a reſemblance of our vivification to Chriſt's reſurrection; and if we would know wherein the Analogy, or reſemblance of our vivification to Chriſt's reſurrection doth more eſpecially conſiſt; the Apoſtle's anſwer is very expreſs,Rom. 6.4. Like as Chriſt was raiſed up from the dead by the glory of the Father; even ſo we alſo ſhould walk in newneſs of life. Chriſt's reſurrection was to newneſs of life; it was a new life, a life different from that which he lived before, and ſo is our vivification a new life; it is a life of a new principle; of new actings, of a new ſtate, of a new relation, of a new income, and of a new kind, or manner.
1. It is a life of a new principle, before vivification our principle was the fleſh, or word, or devil; In time paſt ye walked according to the courſe of this world, Eph. 2.2.according to the Prince of the power of the air, the ſpirit that now worketh in the children of diſobedience; but now we have a new principle, a Spirit of holineſs, or ſanctification, the Spirit of God; even the ſame ſpirit which dwelt in the humane nature of Chriſt, and raiſed him; If the Spirit of him that raiſed up Jeſus from the dead dwell in you; Rom. 8.11.it is an in-dwelling Spirit; even as the ſoul dwells in the body, ſo doth the holy Ghoſt dwell in the ſoul of a regenerate perſon, animating, and actuating, and enlivening it. This is the new principle that God puts in us after vivification.
2. It is a life of new actings. According to our principle, ſo be our actings;Rom. 8.5. They that are after the fleſh do mind the things of the fleſh; but they that are of the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. If ſome men hear of a good bargain they mind it, they find their ſouls going on with much activity, there is ſomething in them proportionable to that which is propounded; but if they hear of Divine love, and of the riches of Grace, they find their ſouls flat, unmoveable, and dead, they mind no ſuch things; now on the other ſide, they that are vivified, according to their principle, they put forth their power more or leſs; if they hear of the glorious things of the Goſpel, they find inward workings (unleſs it be under a temptation) they find their ſouls drawn out to cloſe with the goodneſs of the thing propounded: They mind the things of the Spirit, (i.e.) they muſe, and meditate, and think on theſe things; they affect them, and love them, and like them, they care for them, and ſeek after them with might and main; they live in the Spirit, they walk in the Spirit, they are led by the Spirit, Gal. 5.26. Rom. 8.1.14. Rom. 7.6.they ſerve in newneſs of the Spirit. How might we try our vivification even by theſe actings of our principle within? what? do we mind the things of the Spirit? do we find things heavenly and ſpiritually to be ſweet, and ſavoury, and beſt pleaſing to us? is the Sabbath our delight; do we long for it before it come? do we rejoyce in it when it is come? do we conſecrate it as glorious to the Lord? Iſa. 58.13.do we come to the exerciſes of Religion, whether publick or private, with much delight, and with chearfulneſs, as to a feaſt? what is this but the life of God? but if theſe things be harſh and unpleaſant, if the Sabbath be a burthen, if holy exerciſes be irkſome and tedious,Pſal. 41.4. if in attending on the Word we are heavy and drouzy, and we find no reliſh, no ſweet, no ſavour in the ointments of Chriſts, no goings out of the ſoul with an activity to the things propounded, O then deceive not our ſelves, we have no good evidence of our vivification.
3. It is a life of a new ſtate; before vivification we are in an unjuſtified eſtate; ſins are unpardoned, we are unreconciled; And ſuch were ſome of you (ſaid the Apoſtle to his Corinthians) but now ye are waſhed, now ye are ſanctified, 1 Cor. 6.11.now ye are juſtified in the Name of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and by the Spirit of our God. This juſtification denotes a ſtate, and is univerſal and unalterable. I know Arminians deny ſuch a ſtate, for as by their Doctrine no man can be abſolutely Elected till he die, ſo neither abſolutely juſtified; for (ſay they) he may fall into ſuch ſins, as that though formerly juſtified, yet now he may be condemned; yea, to day he may be juſtified; and to morrow thrown out of that eſtate. But againſt this we hold, that thoſe that are once juſtified, are never again caſt out of God's favour. As Chriſt once died, but roſe again never to die more, death hath no more power over him; ſo a juſtified man once allyed to God through Jeſus Chriſt doth from that time forward as neceſſarily live, as Chriſt himſelf by whom he doth live; there is an immortal and indiſſoluble union betwixt Chriſt the Head, and every Believer; our juſtification depends not on our own ſtrength, but it is built on Chriſt himſelf, who is the ſame yeſterday, and to day, and for ever; and hence it is that a juſtified man can no more ceaſe to live in this ſtate of juſtification, than Chriſt can ceaſe to live in Heaven.
4. It is a life of new relations; this immediately follows our ſtate: if once we are juſtified; then we are related to God, and Chriſt, and to the Covenant of Grace. 1. To God. Before we were vivified, God and we ſtood at a diſtance, God was our enemy, and we were his enemies; At that time (ſaith the Apoſtle) ye were without God in the world, Eph. 2.13.but now in Chriſt Jeſus ye who ſometimes were afar off, are made near by the blood of Chriſt. God that was a ſtranger, ſtands now in near relation, he is a Friend, a Father, a God Alſufficient to us. 2. We are related to Chriſt; before vivification we were a Chriſtleſs people,Eph. 2.12. At that time ye were without Chriſt; but now we are united to Chriſt, and (which is more) now we make uſe of Chriſt with the Father: O the comfort of this relation! A troubled ſpirit looks on his ſins, and they thruſt him away from God, What communion hath light with darkneſs? but then comes the Lord Jeſus, and takes him by the hand, and leads him to the Father, and ſays, Come ſoul, come along with me, and I will carry thee to the Father, wilt thou make uſe of me? Eph. 1.18. 1 Pet. 5.18.It is the Apoſtles ſaying, that through him we have an acceſs by one ſpirit unto the Father; we have a leading by the hand; Chriſt hath once ſuffered for ſins, the juſt for the unjuſt, that he might bring us to God. By nature we are ſevered from God, and if he manifeſted himſelf,Iſa. 59.2. he is dreadful to us, Your iniquities have ſeparated between you and your God, and your ſins have hid his face from you that he will not hear; but in Chriſt we approach boldly before him, becauſe Chriſt hath took away our ſins which are the mountains of ſeparation; in Christ we have boldneſs and acceſs with confidence by the faith of him. Eph. 3.12.Here is the difference betwixt a man related to Chriſt, and a meer ſtranger; the ſtranger knows not how to go to God; God ſtands as a Judge, he is as a Malefactor, the Law an Accuſer, Sin his Indictment; and what is the iſſue? Every mouth is ſtopped, Rom. 3.19.and all the world is guilty before God. But he that is related to Chriſt, Chriſt takes him by the hand, and ſo he goes with boldneſs and confidence, and pleads his righteouſneſs before the Father;Rom. 8.34. Who ſhall lay any thing to the charge of God's Elect, it is God that juſtifieth, who is he that condemneth? it is Chriſt that dyeth, yea rather that is riſen again? In the very matter and cauſe of juſtification, wherein no man can ſtand, or dare to appear, or ſhew his face; a Chriſtian coming with Chriſt his Advocate, he dares to appear, and to plead his caſe, and to ſtand upon interrogatories with God himſelf, yea, and to ask God himſelf (humbly and with reverence) what he hath to lay to his charge? what more he will, or can in juſtice require for ſatisfaction, than his Surety hath done for him?—3. We are related to the Covenant of Grace; before vivification we had no ſuch relation;Eph. 2.12. At that time ye were without Chriſt, being aliens from the Common-wealth of Iſrael, and ſtrangers from the covenant of promiſe; But now the Covenant is ours, that fountain or bundle of promiſes is ours, God is our God, and we are his people.Pſal. 144.15. O the bleſſedneſs of this priviledge! Happy is the people that be in ſuch a caſe, yea happy is the people whoſe God is the Lord. The Covenant is reckoned all happineſs; it contains in its bowels all benefits in Heaven, or under Heaven; as a man may ſay of any thing he hath in poſſeſſion, This is mine; ſo may they who are in covenant with God, ſay, He is mine, I have God himſelf in my poſſeſſion. How might we try our vivification even by this communion we have with God, and Chriſt, and the Covenant of Grace? Chriſtians! look into your own hearts, have you not felt in your approaches to God ſome raiſings or workings of the Spirit of the Lord, concluding the pardon of your ſins? hath not Chriſt taken you by the hand, and led you to the Father? it may be your own guilt made you afraid, but the diſcovery of Jeſus your righteouſneſs made you bold to go to God; you felt boldneſs coming in on this ground, becauſe all your approaches or drawings near to God were bottomed on Jeſus; hath not God married you to himſelf? hath he not conveyed himſelf (through his holy Spirit) into your own hearts by way of covenant? Hath he not ſometimes whiſpered to your ſouls, Thou art mine? and have not your ſouls ecchoed back again unto the Lord, Thou art mine? much of the truth of all this would appear, if Chriſtians would but daily obſerve the movings of their own hearts; for as he that hath the Spirit of Satan, ſhall ever find him putting on and provoking to evil, ſo he that hath the Spirit of God ſhall moſt-what (or at leaſt frequently) find and feel it active, and ſtirring in the heart, to the reforming of the whole man; the holy Spirit is not idle, but he rules, and governs, and maintains his Monarchy in us, and over us, in ſpite of the power of Satans, and privy conſpiracy of a mans own fleſh.
5. It is a life of a new in-come; I mean of a ſaving in-come, as of Grace, Power, Light, &c. Before vivification there was no ſuch in-come; A man be…ore his converſion might hear, and pray, and do all duties; but alas! he feels no ſweet, no power, no vertue, no communion with Chriſt. If I might appeal unto ſuch, I beſeech you tell me, you have been often at prayer, what have you gotten there? what in-come hath appeared? if you anſwer truly, you cannot but ſay I went to prayer, and I was ſatisfied that I had prayed; I never obſerved whether I had got any power, or ſtrength, any thing of mortification, or vivification; I never found any lively work of God on my ſoul, either in prayer or after prayer; or you have been often at this Ordinance of hearing the Word, what have you gotten there? what in-come hath appeared? Why truly nothing at all; it may be a little more knowledg, but nothing that I can ſay was a ſaving work of God; ſome one that ſate with me in the ſame ſeat found much ſtirings of God? Oh what meltings, chearings, warmings of the ſpirit had ſuch a one? and ſuch a one? the Word was to them as hony, and as the hony comb, but to me i… was as dry bread; I found no ſweet, I got no good at all. Or you have been often toſſing the Bible, and you have obſerved this or that promiſe; but O what in-come hath appeared? Surely nothing at all; I wonder at Saints that tell of ſo much ſweetneſs, and comfort, and raviſhing of heart, that with joy they ſhould draw water out of theſe Wells of ſalvation, Whereas I find therein no joy, no refreſhing at all: Ah poor ſoul, thou art in a ſad caſe, thou art not yet vivified, thou haſt not the life of God in thee. After vivification thou wilt in the uſe of Ordinances (at leaſt ſometimes, if not frequently) feel the ſaving in-comes of God. In prayer thou wilt feel the ſpirit breathing in, and carrying up thy ſoul above it ſelf, plainly declaring there is another power than thy own, which makes thee not only to exceed others, but thy ſelf alſo; in hearing of the Word thou wilt ſee the Windows of heaven ſet wide open, and all manner of ſpiritual comforts ſhowred down upon thee; thou wilt hear the rich treaſury of everlaſting glory and imortality unlocked and opened, ſo that thou mayſt tumble thy ſelf amidſt the mountains of heavenly pearls, and golden pleaſures, joyes that no heart can comprehend but that which is weaned from all worldly pleaſures, As it is written, Rom. 10.15.how beautiful are the feet of them that preach the Goſpel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things? In meditation of the promiſes, or of Divine love, thou wilt find meltings, quickenings, encouragings, filling thy heart with gladneſs, and glorying, and thy mouth with praiſes and ſongs of rejoycings: O What fountains of life are the promiſes to a living man, to a ſoul that is vivified? what food? what ſtrength? what life is a thought of Chriſt, of Heaven, and of God's love to a ſpiritual man? whereas all theſe glorious things of the Goſpel are to the natural man but as a withered flower, a ſealed book, a dry and empty ciſtern; he hath no uſe of them.
6. It is a life of another kind, or manner. Before vivification our life was but death, becauſe we our ſelves were but dead in ſin even whileſt alive.1 Tim. 5.6. Col 2.13. She that liveth in pleaſure is dead while ſhe liveth; and you were dead in your ſins, and the uncircumciſion of your fleſh. But after vivification we live, how live? a ſpiritual life,Gal. 2.20. Phil. 3.20. I live by the faith of the Son of God; an heavenly life, for our converſation is in heaven, from whence alſo we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jeſus Chriſt; an immortal life,Rom. 6.9, 11. Chriſt being raiſed from the dead, dyeth no more, death hath no more dominion over him;—likewiſe reckon your ſelves to be dead indeed unto ſin, but alive unto God through Jeſus Chriſt our Lord. John 11.26.You know the meaning of Chriſt; Whoſoever liveth, and believeth in me, ſhall never dye; he ſhall never dye a ſpiritual death, never come under the dominion of ſin, never totally fall away from grace;Rom. 8.10 that incorruptible ſeed by which he is regenerate ſhall abide in him for ever. If Chriſt be in you, the body is dead becauſe of ſin, but the ſpirit is life becauſe of righteouſneſs; the body indeed is ſubject to corporal death, through the remainders of ſin, but the Spirit it life, even that little ſpark of grace, through the moſt perfect righteouſneſs of Chriſt imputed, is life here, and ſhall be life hereafter, even for ever. And herein is our vivification anſwerable to Chriſt's reſurrection; like as Chriſt was raiſed up from the dead by the glory of the Father, Rom. 6.4.raiſed up to a new life, even ſo we alſo ſhould walk in the newneſs of life.
For the ſecond queſtion, how is this conformity or vivification wrought? I ſhall anſwer only to the ſtate, and ſo our vivification is uſually wrought in us in this manner. As firſt, in the underſtanding. Secondly, in the will.
Firſt, the underſtanding lets in the verity and truth of what the Goſpel hath recorded.John 1.4. John 6.35. John 11.25. In him was life, and the life was the light of men.— I am the bread of life, he that cometh to me ſhall never hunger, and he that believeth on me ſhall never thirſt.— I am the reſurrection and the life, he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet ſhall he live. I am the way, John 14.6. 1 John 5.11, 12.the truth, and the life.—And this is the record that God hath given to us, eternal life, and this life is in his Son; he that hath the Son, hath life, and he that hath not the Son, hath not life.
2. This light let in, the underſtanding thence inferreth as to a man's own ſelf, that by the aſſiſtance of the Spirit of holineſs, who raiſed up Jeſus from the dead, it's poſſible for him to attain this life;Eph. 2.1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. others have attained it, and why not he? You hath he quickened who were dead in traſpaſſes and ſins; here's a preſident for a ſin-ſick ſoul; In time paſt ye walked according to the courſe of this world, according to the Prince of the power of the air, the Spirit that now worketh in the Children of diſobedience; this was the ſtate of the Epheſians. But were they all? no, no; ye, and we, alſo, among whom alſo we had all our converſation in times paſt.—But God who is rich in mercy for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in ſins, hath quickened us together with Chriſt,—that in ages to come he might ſhew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindneſs towards us through Chriſt Jeſus. Mat. 8.2. —9, 21. Ezek. 37.4, 5.Chriſt's dealings with ſome are as flags and patterns of m…rcy hung forth to tell, and to bring others in: whence the underſtanding infers, it's poſſible for a dead ſoul, yea for my dead ſoul to live; others have lived, and why may not I? I diſcover in thoſe Scriptures, even in theſe preſidents a door of hope to my ſelf; why Lord, if thou wilt thou canſt make me clean;—yea, if I may but touch thy garment, I ſhall be whole; if thou wouldſt but ſay, O ye dry bones hear the word of the Lord, then breath would enter into me, and I ſhould live; ſurely if Chriſt be riſen again from the dead, there's no impoſſibility but I may riſe; if others have been raiſed by the vertue of Chriſt's reſurrection, why may not I? However, this may ſeem to be little or nothing, yet conſidering the ſoul in a mourning, dark, diſconſolate frame, under deep apprehenſions of ſin, guilt, and wrath; full of confuſions, diſtractions, deſpondences, ſtaggering and ſinking terrors;Mat. 11.28. it will find it ſomething, yea it will look on it as a glorious work to diſcover, but the morning Star, through ſo much darkneſs any thing of life, in ſuch a valley and ſhadow of death.
3. The underſtanding hath yet ſome brighter believing beams; it confidently cloſeth with this truth, that it is the will of the Lord that he ſhould come, and live, and believe, and lay hold on Chriſt; it apprehends the particular deſigns of mercy to him, and doth really principle the ſoul with this, that God doth particularly call, invite, and bid him come to Chriſt the Fountain of life, for life. Now the underſtanding takes in general Goſpel-calls in particular to himſelf. It is my poor languiſhing ſoul which the Lord ſpeaks to, when he ſayes, come to me all yea that are weary, and I will give you reſt.—
Epheſ. 5.14.Awake thou that ſleepeſt, and ariſe from the dead, and Chriſt ſhall give thee light. Surely this is a great work when ſet home by the Lord, that the ſoul acts in its addreſſes to Chriſt in the ſtrength of a particular call from God.
2. And now the anſwer to this call, is wrought up in the renewed will; as thus.—
1. The will ſummons all its confidences, and calls them off from every other bottom, to beſtow them wholly upon Chriſt; and this conſiſts in our voluntary renouncing of all other helps, excepting Jeſus Chriſt alone; now the ſoul ſayes to Idols, Get ye hence, Hoſ. 14.3.Aſhur ſhall not ſave us, we will not ride upon horſes, neither will we ſay any more to the works of our hands, ye are our Gods. Aſhur ſhall not ſave us. Not only cannot, but ſhall not ſave us; now as the ſoul is diſſatisfied in Judgment, as to the reſting on any thing but Chriſt alone, ſo the heart and will is diſaffected to all other helps but Chriſt alone; now it renounceth its own righteouſneſs, and worthyneſs; not only becauſe of their inability to ſave, but mainly becauſe their glory is ſwallowed up in that unmatchable excellency, which appears in the way of life and ſalvation by Jeſus Chriſt. It calls home dependance from every other object.
2. Hereupon there is a willing and chearfull receiving of Chriſt, and reſignation of our ſelves to his actual diſpoſe, to quicken us, and ſave us in his own way. A great part of the anſwer of Faith to the call of Chriſt lyes in this; for as Faith ſees life and ſalvation in the hands of Chriſt, ſo it conſiders it to be given forth in the methods of Chriſt; and ſo believing lyes not only in aſſent, but conſent of heart,John 1.1…. that Chriſt ſhall ſave us in his own way; this is called A receiving of Chriſt; As many as received him, to them he gave power to become the Sons of God. Many a ſoul would be ſaved by Chriſt, that ſticks and boggles at his methods; they will not paſs to happineſs by holineſs; nor ſet him up as a King and Lord, whom they could conſent to ſet up as a Saviour: Oh but now Chriſt that ſtood at the door, and knocked, Rev. 3.10.is received in; conſent hath made up the match, and the door is opened that never ſhall be ſhut again.
3. Upon this follows the ſouls reſting and relying; the ſouls confidence and dependance upon Jeſus Chriſt for life and for ſalvation; this cloſeth up the whole buſineſs of believing unto righteouſneſs; thoſe various expreſſions uſed in Scripture of committing our way and ſelves to God; of caſting our care upon God, of rolling our ſelves on him, of truſting in him, of hoping in his mercy, &c. wrapt up faith in this affiance, dependance, not without ſome mixture of confidence, and reſolved reſting upon Jeſus Chriſt: a clear beholding of God in Chriſt, and of Chriſt in the promiſes, doth preſent ſuch variety and fulneſs of Arguments to bear up hope and affiance, that the heart is reſolved: and ſo reſolved that we commit our ſelves, and give our ſouls in charge to Chriſt, I know whom I have believed, 1 Pet. 4.19. 2 Tim. 1.12.and I am perſwaded he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him againſt that day.
4. The upſhot of all, is this, that the ſame cloſe which the ſoul makes in believing with Jeſus Chriſt as to juſtification, and righteouſneſs, is not fruitleſs to this effect of conveying life and vertue from Jeſus Chriſt as to grace and holineſs; for that union which then and thereby comes to be enjoyned with Chriſt, is ſuch an union as is fruitful in begetting a quickening power and principle in the heart; and this is that which we ordinarily intend by ſaying, ſaving faith to be operative; James 2.16.that faith which brings forth nothing of holineſs, what is it but a dead faith? As the body without the Spirit is dead, ſo faith without works is dead alſo. Juſtification and ſanctification are twins of a birth; and hence it is, that vivification (which is one part of ſanctification) is wrought in the ſoul after the ſelf-ſame manner: As firſt, the underſtanding is illighttened. 2. The will is changed. 3. All the Affections are renewed. 4. The internals being quickened, there enſueth the renewing of the body with the outward actions, life, and converſation. And now is fulfilled that ſaying of Chriſt in a ſpiritual ſenſe,John 5.25. The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead ſhall hear the voice of the Son of God, and they that hear ſhall live. Now is the ſoul vivified, now it begins to live the life of God, now it feels the power of Chriſt's reſurrection, and is made conformable to it: And immediately upon this, joy is made in heaven by the Angels,Luke 15.24. God himſelf applauding it, For this my Son was dead, and is alive; he was loſt, and is found.
Thus is the ſtate of vivification wrought. I know it is not in all men after one manner for every circumſtance; the methods of God are exceeding various; and we cannot limit the holy one of Iſrael: I have ſometimes concerning this, deſired the communication of other thoughts, whom I looked upon as ſuch, who had more than ordinary communication with Chriſt's Spirit; and from one of ſuch I received this anſwer, I muſt profeſs to you, I have in all my ſpeculations in divinity found disſatisfaction in the writings of men in nothing more, than is the work of clear and diſtinct conceptions concerning regeneration; which yet is of ſuch a Cardinal importance, is, that the great doors of heaven move upon the hinges of it; the Lord enlighten us more, for we ſee but in part, and propheſie but in part.
For the third queſtion, what are the means of this conformity, or vivification which we muſt uſe on our parts? I ſhall anſwer herein both to the ſtate, and growth of our vivification. As—
1. Wait and Attend upon God in the miniſtry of the word, this is a means whereby Chriſt ordinarily effecteth this vivification. By this meanes it was that thoſe dead bones were quickened in Ezekel's propheſie, viz. by the Prophets propheſying upon them. And he ſaid unto me, ſon of man,—propheſie upon theſe bones, Ezek 37.4.and ſay unto them, O ye dry bones hear the Word of the Lo…d; And by this means it is that dead ſouls are quickened; the Miniſtry of the Word is the Trumpet of Jeſus Chriſt, when that ſounds, who knows but he may quicken the dead? hearken therefore to this Word of God.
2. Act ſaith upon the Lord Jeſus as to juſtification. As is the clearneſs and fixedneſs of our ſouls in bottoming our ſelves on Chriſt for righteouſneſs, ſo will be our quickneſs,Luke 7.47. and ſucceſsfull pr…greſs in the work of holineſs; becauſe Maries ſins which were many were forgiven her, therefore ſhe loved much; but to whom little is forgiven, the ſame loveth little. Many a ſoul loſeth much of vivification, for want of clearneſs in its juſtification, or for want of ſetledneſs, and ſtronger meaſure of acting faith. Oh what life would be raiſed as to holineſs? what working, binding, filling the laws of love, retribution, thankfulneſs would there be, when we ſee our ſelves clearly reconciled with God, and wrapt up in the foldings of everlaſting love?
3. Trace every Ordinance, and every duty for the appearings of the Son of God. Be much in Prayer, hearing, reading, fellowſhip with the Saints, living in the fulneſs of Sacraments; be much in ſecret converſings with God, in meditation, exp…ſ…ulation, enquiries ſearchings; and (which is a precious work) be much in diligent watching of, and hearkening and liſtening to the movings, workings, hints, int…mations of the Spirit of God; be much in obſerving the methods, and interpreting the meanings and language of God in all his ſecret diſpenſations with the ſoul. Certainly there will be abund…nce of the life of God conveyed to him that walks in theſe paths. Bleſſed are they that dwell in thy houſe, might David well ſay; and one Reaſon is pertinent to this caſe,Luke 15.17. becauſe, In our fathers houſe is bread enough, and to ſpare: while the Prodigal that goes out from it ſhall feed upon husks, and with Ephraim ſwallow up the Eaſt-wind. Oh for a Spirit of Prayer, Meditation, &c. Oh for a Spirit even ſwallowed up in communion with God!Iſa. 64 5. Thou meeteſt him that worketh righteouſneſs, and thoſe that remember thee in thy wayes.
4. Look much at Chriſt raiſed, Chriſt Glorified; Chriſt's Reſurrection was the beginning of his glory, and therein is comprehended both the glory that draws deſires towards Chriſt,Pſal. 34 5. Pſal. 123.1, 2. and the grace and power that eſtabliſheth faith in its depen…ancy; They looked unto him, and were lightened—unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that …wetteſt in the heavens; behold as the eyes of the ſervants look unto the hand of their Maſt…rs, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her Miſtris, ſo our eyes wa…te upon the Lord our God. It is ſaid of Moſes, Heb. 11.27.that he endured affliction, as ſeeing him who is inviſible: Oh could we keep our hearts in a more conſtant view, and believing meditation of the glory of Chriſt, our faces would certainly bring ſome beams of Divinity with them from the Mount;2 Cor. 3.18. We all with open face beholding as in a glaſs the glory of the Lord, are changed into the ſame Image from glory to glory. The very beholding of Chriſt hath a mightty conforming and aſſimilating vertue to leave the impreſſions of glory upon our Spirits.
5. See our own Perſonal vivification linked unſeparably unto, and bottomed unremoveably upon the reſurrection of Chriſt; when we can by faith get a ſight of this, it is not to ſpeak how couragiouſly and ſucceſsfully the ſoul will grapple in the controverſies of the Lord againſt the Devil, and our own deceitful hearts; with what ſtrength could Joſhua, Gidion, &c. go on, when backed with a promiſe, and their Spirits ſetled in the perſwaſion of it? and what uſe will the promiſes be in this kind? and (more than all) the life and reſurrection of Jeſus Chriſt, when we can clearly and ſteadfaſtly reſt upon this, that there is an inſeparable connection betwixt the reſurrection of Chriſt and our perſonal holineſs, and perſeverance to the end? Oh that I could act my faith more frequently on Chriſts reſurrection, ſo that at laſt I could ſee it by the light of God to be a deſtinated principle of my vivification in particular! what a bleſſed means would this be?
6. Walk as we have Chriſt Jeſus for an example. This example of Chriſt, though it be not ours, as it is the Socinians totum Chriſti, yet certainly it yields much to our vivification; who can deny but that acting with the pattern ever in ones eye is very advantageous? come then, and if we would live the life of God, let us live as Chriſt lived after his reſurrection. But how is that; I anſwer.—
1. See that we return to the grave no more; take heed of ever returning to our former ſtate; you may ſay, what needs this Caveat? hath not Chriſt ſaid, He that liveth and believeth in me ſhall never dye? or never fall away? I anſwer it is true, they ſhall never totally and finally fall away, yet they may fall foully and fearfully; they may loſe that ſtrength and vigour, that ſenſe and feeling which ſometimes they had; they may draw ſo nigh to the grave, as that both by themſelves and others they may be accounted amongſt them that go down to the pit, free among the dead, Pſal. 88.5.as Heman ſaith of himſelf. The Apoſtle ſaith ſomething that might even ſtartle Chriſtians; he tells of ſome who have been once enlightened (by the Word) and have taſted of the heavenly gift (ſome flaſhes of inward joy and peace) and were made partakers of the holy Ghoſt (the common gifts and graces of the Spirit) and have taſted the good Word of God (have found ſome reliſh in the ſweet and ſaving Promiſes of the Goſpel) and the powers of the world to come (have had ſome raviſhing apprehenſions of the joyes and glory in Heaven) and yet fall away (by a total Apoſtacy.) Chriſtians!Heb. 6.4.5, 6. how far goes this? I know it is ſaid only of ſuch who have a name to live, and no more; but ſurely it gives a warning to us all that we come not nigh the verge, the brink of the grave; again, let us not give way to any one ſin, ſo as to live in it.
2. Let us evidence our reſurrection; Chriſt being raiſed, he ſhewed himſelf alive by many infallible proofs; ſo let us evidence our vivification by many infallible proofs; (i.e.) Let us yield up our ſelves unto God; as thoſe that are alive from the dead; Rom. 6.13. Col. 3.2.let us walk as men of another world. If ye be riſen with Chriſt ſeek the things which are above, where Chriſt ſitteth on the right hand of God; let us ſerve God in holineſs and righteouſneſs all the dayes of our life; ſurely this is the end for which we are delivered out of the hands of our enemies, ſin, death, and hell.Eph. 5.8. Ye were ſometimes da …n…ſs (during your abode in the grave of ſin) but now (being riſen) ye are light in the Lord, walk therefore as children of light. Walk] (i.e.) beſtir your ſelves in the works of God; Ariſe, ſhine, for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is riſen upon thee. When God doth let the Sun of Righteouſneſs ariſe,Iſa. 60.1. it is fit we ſhould be about the buſineſs of our ſouls. We ſee that the night is dedicated to reſt, and therefore God that doth order all things ſweetly, he draws a curtain of darkneſs about us, as which is friendly to reſt; like a Nurſe, that when ſhe will have her little one ſleep, ſhe caſts a cloath over the face, and hides the light every way; but when this natural Sun ariſeth, then men go out to their work: ſo muſt we, though in the darkneſs of the night we ſhorted in ſin, yet now we muſt beſtir our ſelves, ſeeing the Sun of the ſpiritual world is riſen over us.
And yet when all is done, let us not think that our vivification in this life will be wholly perfect: as it is with our mortification, in the beſt, it is but an imperfect work; ſo it is with our vivification; it is only gradual, and never perfected till grace be ſwallowed up of glory. Only let us ever be in the uſe of the means, and let us endeavour a further renovation of the new man, adding one grace to another, To faith vertue, to vertue knowledge, to knowledge temperance, to temperance patience, 2 Pet. 1, 5, 6. Rom. 7.1.to patience godlineſs, &c. till we perfect holineſs in the fear of God, till we ſhine with thoſe Saints in glory at perfect day.
Thus far we have Looked on Jeſus as our Jeſus in his reſurrection, and during the time of his abode on earth. Our next work is to Look on Jeſus carrying on the great work of our Salvation in his aſcenſion into Heaven; and in his ſeſſion at God's right hand; and in his miſſion of the holy Spirit.