Christ Crucified, Sermon 45
SERMON XLV.
ISAIAH LIII.XI.
Verſe 11. He ſhall ſee of the travell of his ſoul, and ſhall be ſatisfied: by his knowledge ſhall my righteous ſervant juſtifie many: for he ſhall bear their iniquities.
THe Work of Redemption is a buſineſs that was very gravely and very ſeriouſly contrived and proſecuted, in reſpect of God, and of the Mediator, there was much earneſtneſs in it as to them; and yet notwithſtanding (which is a wonder) Men whom it concerns ſo much, whoſe Salvation depends on it, and to whom the benefit of it redounds, are but very little ſerious in their thoughts of it; Our Lord Jeſus was in Travel, Soul-travel, ſore Soul-travel to bring about this Work; and that the Goſpel might be Preached to Sinners, that they might have thereby a ground to their Faith, to expect Life and Remiſſion of Sins through Him; Is it not then ſad, that we ſhould ſpeak and hear of it, and be in a manner, like the ſtone in the wall, no more, or little more affected with it, than if it were a matter that did not at all concern us? The Reading and Hearing of theſe Words will doubtleſs be a great Conviction to ſecure Sinners, that our Lord Jeſus was at ſuch pains, and put to ſuch ſore Soul-travel, and Suffering, and that yet ſuch Sinners were never ſtirred, nor made ſerious, to have the Application of this Purchaſed Redemption made to them.
The Scope of theſe Words is to ſhew the great inward Soul-travels, Conflicts, and Straits that our bleſſed Lord Jeſus had and was put to, in throughing of the Work of Redemption, and in paying the Price due to the Juſtice of God, for the Sins of the Elect; It's a wonder that ever we ſhould have it to ſpeak of, and that ye ſhould hear of this Subject, which is the very Text, (to ſay ſo) and Sum of the Goſpel; And therefore, before we leave it, we ſhall ſpeak a little more to the Uſe of it; and truly if we make not uſe of this Doctrine, we will make uſe of none; though I confeſs it is a great practique how to draw it to Uſe, and to conform ourſelves in our practice to the Uſe of it.
We propoſed ſomethings the laſt day which we could not then proſecute; As 1. ſomething for Exhortation. 2. Something for Reproof, and Expoſtulation, which riſing clearly from the Doctrine drawn from the Words, we may now inſiſt a little in them.
1. For Exhortation, Conſidering Chriſts Sufferings and the extremity of them, and that they were undergone for Sinners, we would exhort you to love Him as ye ought; There is ground and warrand here to require it of you, ſeing that Love in His boſome came to ſuch an hight, that He was content to lay down His Life, yea, ſeing He was in ſuch a hot flame of Love, that the Cup of Wrath did not quench it, but His Love drank and dryed it up, Greater love then this hath no man; It is a moſt wonderfull Love conſidered with all the circumſtances, whereby it is hightened; And there is ground here to excite and ſtir you up, to give Him a kindly meeting, and to welcome His Love with Love; It will ſure be a great ſhame, if our Lords Love ſtood at nothing, ſo that He might do the Fathers will, and finiſh the Work committed to Him, which was the perfyting of the Work of Sinners Redemption, the Redeeming of His loſt Sheep; It every triffle, or any triffle, ſhall quench Love in our hearts to Him; O! What a ſhame will it be in the Day of Judgement to many, when this Man ſhall be brought forth loving this Idol, and another Man loving that Idol more then Chriſt, this Man loving his Luſt, that Man his Eaſe, and another Man h…s Wealth or Honour, and preferring them to Chriſt, and when it ſhall be found, that they would not quit nor part with their right Eye, nor their right Hand (which are not worth the name of Members, being called ſo, becauſe they are Members of the Body of Death) out of Love to Him: Think Folks what they will, that native impreſſion of the obligation that lyes upon them to love Chriſt, is wanting, and that Divine, and Soul-raviſhing Influence, that His Love ſhould have on hearts; It is true, ye all think, that ye love Him, unleſs it be ſome of them who indeed love Him; but if ye could reflect upon your ſelv…s, ye would find that ye have little or no love at all to Him indeed: And therefore, for undeceiving of you, beſide what we ſaid the laſt day, take two or three Characters of kindly love to Chriſt, 1. This Love is never ſatisfied with any degree, or meaſure that it hath attained, ſo as to ſit down on it; It hath theſe two things in it, A deſire to be further on in Love, and a weightedneſs that it cannot win at growth in Him; The loving Soul is diſpoſed to think, that it's Love to Chriſt is not worthy to be called Love, and it breaths after it, even to have it ſelf warmed therewith to Him, and to be brought to a further nearneſs to Him, as we may ſee through the Song of Solomon, And particularly Chap. 7. at the cloſe. There will I give thee my loves; And Chap. 8. O that thou wert as my brother that ſucked the breaſts of my mother; Kindly Love to Him puts the Soul to long for an opportunity to vent it's Love towards Him. 2. Where this Love is, the Soul will be as ſerious in praying for it, that it may attain it, as if it wanted it, and it will be as much affected for the want of the lively exerciſe of it, and will be as much challenged for coming ſhort in it, as it will be for any other Sin; There is no benefit that it ſeeks more after, then to have the heart circumciſed to love Him, and O! but it will be accounted a great benefit, to get love to Chriſt; And as it's one of the things that it ſeeks in Prayer, ſo it's one of the things that it eyeth in Repentance; It's much affected with the want of it, confeſſes it to Him, and aggredges the Sin thereof againſt it ſelf, from this ground, that it loves nor Chriſt as it ſhould: I know not if there be much of this among us many will be ſorry if they fall in drunkenneſs, or in any other groſs Sin, but O! how few repent of their want of Love to Chriſt, and that He gets not His own room in the heart. 3. Where this Love is, it is ever Su…picious and Jealous leſt the heart cliver an… cleave to ſome other thing, and give it room to the pr…judice of Chriſt: It's a ſad thing, when folks let their affections go our at random, and are not afraid, leſt they out-ſhoot themſelves in loving the World, their Pleaſures, their Credit, &c. But rather they are like the whore in the Proverbs, who ſayes come and let us take our fill of loves, Love to Chriſt, hath a Weanedneſs from theſe things, and a Jealouſy leaſt they uſurp a room in the heart, that is not due to them; Becauſe, as John ſayes, There is not a conſiſtency betwixt the love of God, and the love of the world in the heart, and therefore it's the watchfull care of a poor B…liever, to keep out inordinat love of the World, and of theſe things that the heart is given to go a whoreing after; H…nce David prayes, Pſal. 1…9. Incline my heart to thy law, and not to covetouſneſs, and Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity; There is in too many a ſort of r…oted confidence, that they love Chriſt, and they n…ver ſuſpect themſelves of the cont…are, when yet ſome other thing hath his room.
2dly. There is ground here to exhort you to believe on Him, as the Prince of Life, and a Saviour that is well fitted and qualified to give Repentance, and Remisſion of Sins; And this is the very native Uſe that flows from this Doctrine, even to lay a ſolid ground of Faith to a Soul lying under the ſenſe of Sin, to ſtep forward to God… Bar, with confidence, Conſidering Jeſus Chriſt Crucified, and put to Soul-travel for Elect Sinners, who ſhould betake themſelves to Him; Which if it had not been, there had not been any ground for Faith; And the lower He came in His Sufferings, we have the more native and broad ground of Faith, and the ſtronger motive to draw us to take hold of Him, and to found and fix our Faith on His Satisfaction. To clear this Branch of the Uſe a little. 1. Conſider here a ground for Faith, in a fourfold reſpect, And 2. The force of the motives that ariſe from theſe grounds, preſſing a ſenſible Sinner to exerciſe Faith on them, or on Him by them; And 3. The neceſſity that we are under, ſo to do.
For the First, 1. In general, There is ground here to bring the heart to be through in the Hiſtoricall Faith, of what is ſpoken concerning the Truths of the Covenant; For, doth not this Soul-travel of Our Lord, ſay, That Men are lying Naturally in a ſinfull Condition, and obnoxious to Wrath? That there is a Covenant paſt betwixt the Father and the Son, for delivering of Elect Sinners out of that Condition, and that by the Sufferings of the Mediator; And that by our betaking of our ſelves to Him, we may be fred from Sin and Wrath? Otherwayes, why did the Mediator come thus low; except it had been true, that man was under a Debt that he could not p…y; And why …id the Father ſend His Son, except He had been really minded, that He ſhould offer Himſelf up a propitiatory Sacrifice to God for Mans Sin? And His accepting of the Satisfaction, tells plainly, that He was content, that the Cautioners Payment ſhould ſtand for the Principal Debtors: All this ſuppoſeth a Covenant, which is as real, as if we had ſeen, and had been Ear-witneſſes of the reading over of the Covenant in all the Articles of it; we wiſh that many were come this length, as to be confirmed in the Hiſtoricall Faith of the General Truths of the Goſpel, ſummed up in Chriſts Suffering…; And there cannot be any ſerious R…ading, or Hearing of Chriſts Sufferings, but the…e muſt alſo be ſome conſidering of their Ri…e and End; if it be otherwiſe, we do but ſuperficially run over them. 2. As this ſhews the Lords Seriouſneſs in preſſing the offer of Redemption on Sinners, ſo it calleth you to be Serious in accepting of it, According to that in John 12. When I am lifted up, I will draw all men after m…; Where Chriſts lifting up is made an Attractive to draw loſt Sinners after Him; And can their be a greater ground of Faith, or a ſtronger motive to perſwade a Sinner to be reconciled to God, and to reſt upon Chriſts Satisfaction, in order to that, then this, That Jeſus Chriſt hath purpoſly laid down His Life, and undergone Suffering, even to ſuch an extremity, to bring it about. 3. When we ſay that Chriſt's Soul-travel calls for Faith; It requires this, and gives ground for it, That they that betake themſelves to Chriſt for Juſtification before God, may confidently commit themſelves to His guiding in all other things; For will He not be tender of them in theſe, when out of reſpect to them, when there was not a Covenant betwixt Him and them (though they were mentioned in the Covenant of Redemption) He laid down His Life, and Suffered ſuch things for them? May we not from this Reaſon, as the Apoſtle doeth, Rom. 8. He that ſpared not his own ſon, but gave him to the death for us, how ſhall he not with him alſo freely give us all things? Can there be a greater ground for Sinners that fear to give Him credit, to truſt Him with all things that concern them, then this? That He ſuffered ſo much for them. 4. Having betaken our ſelves … Him, it ſerves to confirm our Faith, and to bring us to the quieting of our ſelves in reſting on Him, and acquieſcing in Him; For what more could we require for ou… ſettlement and quieting then this, That H… hath come ſo low, and condeſcended ſo fa… for the behove of poor Sinners? Therefore in all theſe reſpects, let me exhort you, and in His Name, Who was made ſin for us, that we might be made the righteouſneſs of God in him, Obteſt you, not to keep at diſtance from Him, but take with your Sin, by Faith to fl e unto Him and to the efficacy of His Blood; O! Yeeld your ſelves by Faith to Him for uſe making of Him for your Ju…tification: And a little more particularly, let me here ſpeak a word to two ſo…ts of Perſons. 1. To them that are yet ſtrangers to God. 2. To them that are looking towards Chriſt; And 1. For you that are ſtrangers to God, whoſe hearts were never yet …ffected with the Conviction of the neceſſity of believing, who can lye down and riſe up without ſerious thoughts of your Souls eſtate, or of the neceſſity of making ſure your Peace with God; I beſeech you, lay to heart your Condition, and bewar of trampling the Blood of the Covenant under your Feet, let not the Grace that is offered to you in this Goſpel be heard and received in vain, but by the acknowledgement of Sin, and of Gods Juſtice to which ye are lyable for the ſame, timouſly betake your ſelves to Chriſt's Suffering for a ſhelter from the Wrath of God, that will be as a Storm againſt the Wall: Thus we preſs as the great Uſe of this Doctrine upon you, that ye improve the Cup of Wrath that the Medi…tor hath Drunken, for your exempting from the Curſe that is due to you, and that Cup that ye deſerved to have D…unken Eternally. 2. For you, who under the Conviction of Sin, are looking towards Chriſt, let me intreat you not to ſtay on this ſide of the City of refuge, but ſtep forward and improve this Soul-travel of the Lord for your Spiritual Eaſe, Setlement, Quiet and Comfort, as well as from keeping you from Wrath, otherwayes it will bring bitterneſſe in the End; If ye make not uſe of Chriſt's Sufferings, if ye betake not you… ſelves to Him, and do not truſt Him for Juſtification and Life, ye will make your ſelves guilty o… His Blood, and will be found traders of it under Foot.
And therefore, let me here ſpeak a Word to the Second thing propoſed. That is the Grounds, or Reaſons, or Motives, that ſhould preſs you to make Uſe of theſe Sufferings, and of the Grounds of Faith, that they hold out unto you; And 1. In General, let me aſk, Is there not need that ye ſhould do ſo? Is there not Guilt, and hazard of Wrath, becauſe of Guilt? and if …o, Why ſtand ye at a diſtance …rom the Saviour? If it were Sinleſs, Saints and Angels that were exhorted to make Uſe of H m, it would be the le…s wonder, that there were ſo little thinking of a Mediator, but when it is Sinners that are called upon, and Sinners in ſuch eminent haz…rd, it's indeed a wonder that there i… not greater flocking unto Him, and preſſing on Him; If there had no… been need, would the Father have ſo purſued the Son? or do ye think that it was for a Complement that He laid down His Life? Which ſure He would not have done, if Salvation could have been had another way. 2dly. And more particularly, As ye would conſider the marvellous Grounds that He hath laid down for Faith to reſt upon, ſo ye would conſider the many Motives that ye have to preſs you to reſt on theſe Grounds, which we ſhall draw to theſe Four. 1. The Fulneſs and Sufficiency of the Ground that is given to Faith in Chriſts Sufferings, which the deeper they draw on His Soul, Fa…th hath the Fuller and Better Ground to make Uſe of them. 2. The Power and Ability that are Conſpicuouſly in Him, to make Application of His Purchaſe; He hath encountered Wrath and hath overcome; He is Abſolved and Juſtified before God, and is exalted to be a prince and a ſaviour, to give repentance to Iſrael and remiſſion of ſins; And having Satisfied Juſtice, and defeated the Devil, and being thus exalted He can bring through, and land fate, ſuch Sinners as betake themſelves to Him; And theſe two, to wit, A ſufficient Price payed for the Debt of the Elect; And a ſufficient Prince and Saviour able to ſave to the uttermoſt all that come unto God through Him, and who is Exalted, and ſitteth at God's Right Hand, to make Interceſſion for us, as they are a ſolid Ground for Faith to reſt on, ſo, a ſtrong Motive to preſs believing. 3. The great Faithfulneſſe of God, that Brightly Shines, and Wonderfully appears here, who, according to the Covenant, ſends His Son, and purſues the Quarrel againſt Him, and in ſo doing, keeps the Promiſe made to Abraham; And the great Faithfulneſſe of the Meadiator, in coming and perform…ng all that He undertook for the Elect; Both of them are ſo faithfull in performing all that was Covenanted to the leaſt io…a thereof, as is eviden…, by what our Lord ſayes, I have finiſh…d the work which thou gaveſt me to do; Seing therefore there is ſuch exact Faithfulneſſe in Keeping, and Fulfilling of all that paſſed in the Covenant of Redemption, and of all that was Promiſed to the Fathers; And ſeing the Mediator hath ſaid, that of all that come unto him, he will caſt out none, nor put th…m away, is there not here a ſtrong Motive to believing? Will not the Lord Jeſus be as Faithfull, in keeping the Promiſe made to Comers unto Him, as the Fa…her and He have been in performing of what was Covenanted concerning their Redemption? The 4th. Is the great Love of God, and of the Mediator, that eminently ſhined here, in their willingneſs to make the Application; As He is Faithfull, ſo is He willing to be imployed, and what greater evidence of Love would we have, then this, That Our Lord Jeſus hath delighted ſo much in the Salvation of Sinners, that He laid down His Life, and endured much more Soul travel for this very End? We beheld (ſayes John, Chap. 1.14) his glory, the glory as of the only begotten Son, of the Fatherfull of grace and truth; In His Humiliation, He was G orious in both theſe, Glorious in His Truth, making His Faithfulneſſe to ſhine, in exact keeping of what was Aggreed upon, and Promiſed: Glorious in His Grace to poor Sinners, in making Application of His Purchaſe, Freely and Fully; yea, the more that He was obſcured by His Humiliation, the more did His Grace ſh…ne forth; how much more Glori…us will He be in theſe when He is now exalted. 3dly. If theſe two perſwade you not to believe on Him, To wit the Grounds that He hath given for bel…eving and the powerfully preſſing Mo…ives to make Uſe of theſe Grounds; conſider the abſolute neceſſity that ye lye under of making uſe of theſe Grounds, without which ye will never be able to ſhift the Wrath of God; Is there any that can give God a Recompence? The redemption of the Soul is precious, and ceaſes for ever, as to you; Or, if any could have been able, Why did the M…di…tor come thus low? And where ſhould have been the Glory of Grace and Truth, that hath ſhined ſo Radiantly in His Sufferings? And therefore from all theſe be ex…orted, to give Him the Credit of your S…lvation, by making Uſe of His Righteouſneſ…, and by founding your Plea before God on His Sufferings as ever ye would have your Souls ſaved; Otherwayes ye can expect nothing, but to fall under the Rigour of Juſtice, and to be made to ſatisfy for your own Debt, to the uttermoſt farthing, and when will that be? Dar… the moſt innocent amongſt you ſtep in to ſatisfy Juſtice for themſelves? if not, is there not a necesſity to make Uſe of His Sufferings for that End? Which He ha…h made attainable, by His Tearing of the Vail of His own Fleſh, that Sinners may ſtep in with humble boldneſſe to the Holy of Holies; This is the End of all our Preaching, and of your Hearing, which, when it is not ſimply Aimed at, and Endeavoured to be Reached, we are Uſeleſs in both.
And therefore, 2dly. May we not expoſtulat with you, that are hearers of this Goſpel, and yet continue Strangers to Chriſt, that can hear of His Sufferings, and of His having been in an Agony for this very End, that Sinners might have a warrand to their Faith, and yet have never to this very hour Actually fled unto Him to find ſhelter? I know that m…ny will not take with this, and therefore in more cloſe Application of this Uſe (ſeing here lyeth the great Treaſure of the Goſpel, which, if it be not, what can be improven to any purpoſe?) We ſhall ſpeak a Word to two Sorts. 1. To the Generality of Hearers, who are S…rangers to the right Uſe-making of Chriſt's Righteouſneſſe; And though ye may think this to be a hard Charge, and cannot well endure to be expoſtulated with as Unbelievers, yet let me aſk you. 1. Do ye think that all of you will go to Heaven? If not, but that it is a Truth, that the moſt part of the Hearers of the Goſpel will Periſh; Then, ſure all are not Believers; for all Believers will go to Heaven, and not one of them ſhall Periſh, and though ye wi…l not now believe this, The Day is coming, when ye ſhall, if Grace prevent not, ſee and find it; When Believers will be taken in with Chriſt, and others ſhut out; Many of you may think that this Doctrine is needleſs, The more needleſs that many of you think it to be, it is ſo much the more needfull, and uſeful to be inſiſted on with you. 2. If ye ſay ye have Faith, I aſk you, whence came it, and how got you it? I know, many of you will ſay, We believed alwayes, ſince we had underſtanding to know Good by Ill; yet, when ye are put to tell what it is, ye know not how to anſwer, nor can ye give the leaſt Satisfying Account of it; And yet ye queſtion not, but it will be well with you, and never once feared to go to Hell; And is that Faith think ye? Alace no, It's a plain Counterfit, and a very Cheat: Others are ready to ſay, we believed not alwayes, yet we believe ſometimes, to wit, when we do ſome Duties, and abſtain from groſs Evils; But when Challenges come, for the Neglect of Duties, and for the Commiſſion of Sins, we want it, and have nothing of it; And when Death comes, ſuch are forced to ſay, we fear we have been beguiling our ſelves; Whence comes this? But even from this Ground, that they would never ſuffer it to light, but they had Faith, which yet will never be accounted to be Faith, becauſe it hath not Chriſt's Righteouſneſs for the Ground of it, and therefore, when any Challenge is awakened it's a ſeeking, and quite gone; whereas True Faith will in ſome meaſure ſtand it out againſt a Challenge, and will abide the T…yal of a Challenge, on the account of Chriſt's Righteouſneſs fled to. 3. We aſk you this Queſtion, Are ye ſure of your Faith? Ye will ſay, we hope ſo and believe ſo, and this is all ye can ſay which in effect comes to this, we Groundleſly preſumed ſo; And it's obſervable, That if ye be put to a Second Queſtion, What ground have ye for your Faith? ye have none at all; If ye be aſked, whether ye be certain, that ye are Believers, ye will anſwer, no body is certain, God knows that; Is not this ſtrange? And hath it not in it an utter inconſiſtancy? That Men and Women ſhould confidently aſſert, and maintain their Faith, and yet when they are put to prove it, they will tell you, that they are uncertain, and that none can be certain of it; Therefore, think it not ſtrange, that we expoſtulat with you, that ye have been ſo long hearing of Chriſt, and that yet ye have little, or rather, no Faith at all in the Uſe-making of His Righteouſneſs: But to make this the more convincingly clear, We ſhall give you four Characters, whereby True Faith may be tryed, and known, which will ſerve alſo to diſcover the Unſoundneſs of the Faith of many. 1. It may be tryed by the Ground that it leaneth upon; ſolid Faith hath for the Ground of it Chriſts Righteouſneſſe, and Satisfaction, His Sufferings, the Price that He payed to Juſtice for Sinners Debt; That He who knew no ſin might become ſin for us, As it is 2 Cor. 5. ult. Ye that ſay ye hope to come to Heaven, and will aſſert ſtrongly, that ye believe, Try it, I beſeech you by this, What is it that warrands you to believe, or, whereon is your Faith founded? Is it Chriſt's Righteouſneſſe that gives your Faith a Ground? ye will ſay, yes, And who do otherwayes? Are there any, but they expect Life through Chriſt? But deceive not your ſelves; There are many that have ſome ſort of reſpect to Chriſt, who do not at all rightly reſpect His Sufferings; many will look upon Chriſt as a Soveraigne, and as one that can pardon them their Sins, and will pray to Him for Pardon of them, who yet never ſeriouſly lay the weight of their obtaining Pardon on His Death, but expect Pardon immediately, without an interveening Satisfaction; Yea, they never look upon that as needfull: Others again, look only to Chriſt's ability to ſave, and will pray to Him as to an able Saviour; And here alſo by ſuch; His Righteouſneſs and Merit is ſhut out, as if it were ſuperfluous, and unneceſſary: A third ſort look to His mercy, and think that He is very K…nd and Gracious, and that as one Man forgives another, ſo will He forgive them; And do not Reſpect His Righteouſneſs, nor found their Faith and Expectation of Pardon upon Him, as upon one that hath Satisfied Juſtice by the travel of His Soul, that Pardon might come to them, who come to Him: But where true Faith is, the Soul begins to look on it ſelf, as arraigned bebefore the Tribunall of Juſtice, and libelled as unable to pay its own Debt, Judges it ſelf, and hath not only ſome piece of exerciſe to be fred from a Challenge (which is all the Faith that many have) but hath ſerious exerciſe, how to have the Challenge anſwered, by betaking it ſelf to Chriſts Satisfaction; from theſe Grounds that a Satisfaction is given, that this Satisfaction is made Offer of in the Goſpel, and that the Soul is content to make uſe of it, and thereupon it draws the Concluſion anent Pardon: It hath interveening betwixt the Conſideration of its Guilt, and its Application of Pardon, both the Covenant of Redemption on Gods ſide, and the Covenant of Reconciliation on the Sinners ſide, which the Soul doth eye, as that which gives it warrand to lay hold on Chriſt's Suffering; which the other who preſums, doth not; The Believing Soul ſayes, If this Satisfaction had not been, I could never have expected mercy. 2. In the ſolid Faith of a Believer, there is, as an Uſe-making of Chriſt Crucified allenarly, as the meritorious Cauſe of Juſtification and Life, So he is exerciſed in this to be allenarly ſettled on Him as ſuch; As for preſumptuous Souls, as they find it eaſy to believe, ſo they find it eaſie to believe, and to reſt on Him only; but as the true Believer hath it for one Piece of Exerciſe to Him, how to win to Chriſt, ſo it's a Second Piece of Exerciſe to Him, to get Him reſted on only, and to get Him as Crucified, made the Ground of his Faith, As the Apoſtle inſinuates, when He ſayes, 1 Cor. 2.2. I determined to know nothing among you, but Chriſt Jeſus, and him crucified, Where we have three Grounds of S…ving Faith, or Knowledge. 1. Jeſus Chriſt. 2. Him as Crucified. and 3. A determining to know no other thing, but Him to reſt upon for Life and Salvation; It's in this Reſpect that the Apoſtle, Philip. 3. Doth count all things to be but loſs and dung and caſt, as it were, all over board, that he may w…n Chriſt, and be found in Him: Many find it no difficult buſineſs to reſt on Chriſt only, and to keep out other things from being joyned with Him, and never once ſuſpect themſelves in this by any thing; But the Believer, (as I juſt now ſaid) hath here an Exerciſe and Difficulty to get Chriſt alone reſted on, ſo that nothing elſe be in the leaſt reſted on; Becauſe he knows nothing elſe to be a ſure Foundation, and becauſe he knows that it's natural to him to reſt on other things beſide Chriſt. 3. The true Believer is taken up, not only to have a ſure Ground to build on, but alſo to have his own Gripping at, and Building on that Ground made ſure; It's his exerciſe to have it out of queſtion, that his Faith is true Faith, and not Preſumption or Gueſſing; To have the Grace of Faith Actually and Really taking hold of, or apprehending Chriſt; Whereas another that preſumeth, and hath only an Opinion, or Conjecture in place of Faith; As he is in his own Opinion eaſily brought to Chriſt, ſo he finds it eaſy to exerciſe believing on Him; he will, it may be, grant, that he cannot Sanctifie the Sabbath-day, and yet he can believe, as if Believing, were leſs difficult then to Sanctifie the Sabbath; So, many will grant, that they cannot Pray, and therefore do decline Worſhipping of God, in their Families, who yet will confidently ſay that they can believe, and that they do believe alwayes, as if believing were leſſe difficult, then to Pray for a quarter, or half a quarter of an hour; But where ſolid Faith is, the exerciſe of it is a difficult thing, and the Perſon that hath it, hath a holy Jealouſy of it; And the experience of many others, and of himſelf, ſometime telling him, that he may be miſtaken, he is often trying it, and doth not, nay, he dar not truſt much to it, and is put often with that Man ſpoken of, Mark 9. To cry, and ſometimes with tears, Lord I believe, help my unbelief; He dar not truſt much to his own Grip, and therefore hath recourſe to Chriſt to get it ſickered, and to have Him taking and keeping the Grip of his Grip, as it was with the Apoſtle, Phil. 3.12.4. When Believers have betaken themſelves to Chriſt, they have a new Exerciſe, to know that it is ſo indeed; It's not only an Exerciſe to them how to Ground their Faith right, how to quite all other things, and to betake themſelves to Chriſt only, and to caſt their burden on Him; But it's an exerciſe to th…m to clear that it's Chriſt indeed, that they reſt on, or to be clear, that they have reſted on Him: It's no good token, when folk are ſoon Sati…fi…d with their Believing, and never put it to the Try…l; And this is it that m…kes many go on gueſſing, till they come to Death, which makes a devorce betwixt them and their fancied Faith, and diſcovers it to be but a Deluſion; Wheras it is Believers Work, to try whether they have, and to know that they have believed, which they win not ſoon to know; and the Reaſon is, becauſe the ſenſe of Sin, the apprehenſion of Wrath, and their love to God, and to Chriſt the Mediator, with their deſire to enjoy Him, ſuffer them not to be quiet till they be ſicker: We may ſee all the Four together, Philip. 3.7, 8, 9, 10. Where the Apoſtle ſpeaking of his caſe, when he was a converted Chriſtian, in oppoſition to what it was when he was a Phariſee, and thought himſelf to be very well, and a ſtrong Believer, ſayeth, What things were gain to me, I counted loſs for Chriſt, yea, doubtleſs I count all things to be but loſs for the excellency of the knowledge of Chriſt Jeſus my Lord, for whom I have ſuffered the loſs of all things, and do count them but d…ng that I may win Chriſt, and be found in him, not having mine own righteouſneſs, &c. The o… j…ct he would be at, is Chriſt, The manner how, is, Not having mine own righteouſneſs, The me…n through wh…ch, is, Fa…th in Him; This is it that brings him to Union with Him; And then he would know experimental…y, that he doth know Him ſavingly, as a Believer in Him, By finding the power of his reſurrection by having fellowſhip in his ſufferings, And by being made comformable unto his death Whereby he would prove, and make out, to his own Quieting and Conſolation, that he is indeed a Believer: The B…liever is never right till he be in Chriſt, and its his Exerciſe to be quit rid of all other things, and to reſt upon him alone; neither doth he reſt here, but he muſt be clear, that he is in Him, and that he hath fellowſhip in His Sufferings and Conformity to His Death: This we would recommend to you as your main ſtudy, as ever ye would comfortab y evidence to your ſelves, your believing in Him.