Book IV. 209 Chap. 5 . Seer. 2. JlCOittn~ unto 'jjdu.s. --------~----------~--------~----- One in tvhom the Father was wdl pleafed; and the f1me ointment that was caft upon the head of our high Priefl, went unro his beard, ~nd thence fel.l to the borders of Ius gu– ment. for as Chrifl: our Head fdt thofe effects m mamfdl:atton, fo through Chr!fl: do we b;lieve the like eifeCl:s in our very baptifm; the Heavens then (as tt were) open– ed unto us, and the holy Ghofl: then defcended upon us,_ and then were we conli_gned to the inheritance of fons, in whom the Father through Ius Son IS alfo well pleated. 0 my foul' what a blelling is therein the ba~tifmof Chril!r and howmaydl thoufu~k and be fat isfied if thou wilt put thy meditation to the nght ufe? the bapufm of Cl;nf!: is as a field of'flowers, wherein is a' world of priviledges, as jufl:ification, adopuon, regeneration , fant'hficrttion , glorifica_tion; 0 then fix thy foul at leaft _on fome of thefe flowers and leave them not Without carrymg fomc honey away wtth thee; 1f thou an in dn·ifl thou art baptized into his death, and baptized into hisbaptifm ; thou panakeil: ol the fruit and efficacy bothof his d~ath, ~nd life, a~d baptifm, and all. 3 . Con!ider the faCting and temptatton of Chrtfl: m the W1ldernefs. Now we fee what manner of advcrfary we have, how he fights, how he isrclifted, how overcome; in one atTJult Sathan moves Chdfl: to doubt of his Fathers providence; in another to preJume on his fathers protet'lion, and wherl neither diffidence nor prefumption can fa– f!en upon Chri!l:, he !hall be tryed with honour: and thus he deals with us; if he cannot dri1e us down to defpair, he Jabom·s to lift us up to prefumptiJn, and if neither of thefe prevail, t_ben be brings out pleafure's, profits, honours, temptations on the right hand, which are indeed molr dangerous: 0 my foul, whillt thou art in this warfare, heres thy condition; temptations, like waves, break one in the neck of ano– ther; if the devil was fo buiie wirh Chri!l:, how lhould'il: thou hope to be free i how mayft thou account, that the repulfe of one temptation will but invite to another ? well, bm bere s thy comfort, thou hafi fuch a Saviour "'was in all things tempted in Hob;~.l$, r 6; ' lik; fort, yet withoJt< fin ; how boldly therefore mayft thon gy to the Throne of Grace t~ receive mercy, mtdto find grace of help m ttme of need? Chrtll was tempted that he m1ght fuccour them that are tempted; never art thou tempted 0 my foul, but Chrifl is with thee in the temptation ; he hath fent his Spirit into thy heart to make imercellion for thee there, and he himfelf is in Heaven, making ill.tercellion and praying for thee there; yea his own experience of temptations hath fo wrought it in his heart , that his love and mercy is mofl of all at work when thou art tempted moll. As dear Parents are ever tender of their Children, bur then efpecially when they are fick, and weak, ~ and our of frame; fo though Cbri!t be alwayes tender of his people, yet then efpecially when their fouls are lick, and under a temptation; 0 then his bowels yearn over them indeed. +· Confider Chri!ls firfl manifefl:ations by his feveral Witneifes; we have heard of his Witneffes from Heaven, the Father, Son, and holy Ghoit; and of hisWitne!fes on Earth, the Baptiit, his Difciples, and the works that be did in his Fathers Name; - and all thefe Witne!fcs being lilfely held forth in the preaching of the Gofpel, they are Wirneifcs to us: even to this day is Chrift manifefted to us, yea and if we are Chrifl:s, even to this day is Chrifl: manifcfled within us. 0 my foul, confider this above all the reil! 0 iris tflis manifeftation within, that concerns thee mofl, Beca~tfe ye Me fans, Gal. 4 .6. God hat I> (em forth the Spirit of his Son into )'OilY hearts; if Chri!l be not manlfeil:ed in thy heart by his bleifed Spirir, thou art no fon of God; and ·therefore the Apoftle puts thee fenoufly on this rryal, Examine )'ollr [elves whether ye be in the fmth, prove )'o~tr 2Cor, t3. 5· fclves,, lz!1o\V y~ 110t J'~"" own [elves, ho1v that}efm Chrift in yo"., e:.:cept ye be repro· b.ms · Is Chnfl man•felled m thee? furely t!us IS more than Chnft mamfefl:ed to thee ; ~he bare h:!lory is the manifeftation of Chrift untQthee, but there's a myftery in the Inward nnnifefl:ation. The Apoftl~ [peaking of the Saints, be adds, To whom qod Col. 1. 2-;. would m<~k;_known what is the riches of the glory of this myftery among the Ge11tiles, which w; Chrijf m _)'ott the hope of glory. Oh the riches of the glory of this myflery! conlide_r 1t oh my foul~ God might have flmt thee up in blindnefs with the world, or he might only have given thee parts and gifts; or at moil he might have enlightened thy reafon,_ to have taken 111 the outward notions of the Gofpel; bur hath he revealed Clmft In thee? bath he !er thee fee imo the wonders of his glory? bath he given tbee the light of ht> glory within? Oh this argues the witnef>of Cbrifts Spirit ! rhis only the expenmemal_ ChriGian feels: Chryfojlom fometimes [peaking of the more bidden, and choice pnnfiples of Chri!lianity, be ufeth this phrafc , Scitmt initi.<ri q11id dico, tltofe th.u arc tllltlatcd or admitted inio ollr myfteries, kpolV ll'h.rt I mean: [o may the F f z. · Mini!lers
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