JLooking unto '}cfus. Book lV. P9 · h fweet peace and joy. In the prefenr cafe, give me lea1·e to ask, 0 my foul, arn thou n:.~ck into amaze at the mighty Miracles, and divine Dod-rine of J ef~s C~1rift? dolt thou fall down and worfl1ip him.as thy Lord and thy G.od? doll thou beheve mh1m, ana relic on him for Life and Salvatton? doft thou obey !urn, and follow the Lamb which wa foever he goes? doflthou act from Principles of Grace in newnefs of life, a?d ho– linirs of converfation? doft thou walk anfwerably to the commands.of Jefus Chnfl; or at leaft is there in thee an earnefl endeavour fo to walk, and ls ll the forrow of thy foul, when thouobkrveflthy failing; 1 and doll: thou rejeyce in fpirit. whe~ thou arr led by the Spirit 1 why then heres another ground of hope, that VIrtue ts gone of Chriffs life into thy foul: . . . . ' +· If Chrifl slife be mine, .then !live, yrr 11ot !, but Chrijllwuh "'me. Pa~lfpeaks. Gal. •· :o. out this evidence, I""' crHci(ied Wtth Chrijl, 11evertheleji 1/tve, &c. he cenJOllls the death of Chrifl. and the life o( Chrift in one and the fame foul; q. d. no man knows the benefit of Cl1rifls death, but he that feels the virtue of Chrift's life; there's no alfu- \ \ ranee of Chrifls dying for us, but as we feel Chrift living in us; if the power of Chrifts death rnortifie my lufls, then the virtue of Chrills life will quicken my foul: bur what meaos he by this, I live, yet not !, but Chrijlliveth in me? it feems fome Para. dox. Jliv•; ;•et not/: but arightinrerpretation reconciles all; as this, I live to God, lOd ~or unto my felf1 I live to Chrifl, and not unto the world; I live according to the will of God,and not after my own lult and fancy ;or (as fomewould have it) I live under grace,and not under the Law,q.d. Sometim<l /lived w('ol!Y under the Law, which made me " perftcHtor ofthe ChHrcb ofGod,which wro11ght in me ,./1manner ofCo11CNpiji:m&e, tmdflew me; and thmlfoundmy Jtlf to be dead infin: but 1/o'I'IIIhaveembrr.ced Chrijl,llnd llmPlo more the m•n I wa; 1 now I jet/ Chrift guickping, rllling,gHiding,andftrengthning me by hu Spirit,now · flivefpiritually "nd~•lily, not ofmyft!f, bt<~ from another: !he ~erywhole ofChrillians isfromChrift; Chn!\ls both Foumam.fillmg, and Ltfe-qmckmng; 1/we, yet11ot I, butChriftliverhi11 mt. Chrifls life hath an influence, infulion. tranfiniffion into our (elves in rtf~rence to fpiriruallife: Look as the Heavens by an influence into the Earth; doquicken ind enliven the Earth, and make. all t~e feeds and root• hiddeg in the Earth, to revive and put ~orth themfelves ; fo there !s.an mfluen~e th~t goes forth from .the Sun Mat. 4 • 2 • of Righteoufnefs mr~ the Souls of men, revlVlng and qmckm.ng them, and makmg them ,of,dead, tobecomdlV1ng; and of barren, ro become frmtful; To you ]hall the S1m ·,frighteoufnefs arift with healing inhuwings, and ye fha/1 go forth, andgrow ~<pauhe 1 Calves of the Stall. 0 my Soul! quellion thy felf in thefe few particulars; dofl thou Jive to God, and not to thy felf? doflthoujive to Chrifl, and not to the worlfl ? doll thou derive thy life from Chri!l I and harh that life of Chrifl Jl fpecial influence into th}' foul? dofl thou feel Chriflliving in thy underflanding and will, in thy imagination and affe<'Hons, in thy durio and fervices 1 1. In thy underflanding, by prizing the knowledge of Chrill, by determining to know nothing in comparifonof Chrift.i' 2. In thy will, by making thy will free to chufe and embrace Chrill ; and by making his will to rule in thywjll? 3· Inthyimagination, byrhinking upon him 'with more frequency and delight; by having more high, and honourable, and fweerer apprehenfionsof Chriil: 1hao of all the Creatures? 4· In tby affedions, by fearing Chri!l above all earthly powers, and by loving Chrill above all earthly perfons? 5· In thy duties and fervices, by doing all thou doll in his Name, by hi~ affillanc'e, and for his glory? why then bere's another ground of thy hope, furely thou halt thy part in Chrills Life. Away, away with all dejed-ing doubts, and perpleKing fears! while Chrifl was inAu– ~ujlimseye, he faid, I dare not defpond, Ikt;ow trho hath faidit, a11d I dare build Hf011 it ; 'this .Anchor of hope thU4 cajl out, tlltd fajlning upon Chrift, it wo11ld be admirably'u[e• [11/ when Billows of TemptAtion beat upon Souls; this Helmet of Hope thl<l ufed, would k!ep off mAny blow;, whereby the comforts of dijlmjlf~tl JPirits Are many times fad!y bat. :ered.. 0 my So~I, look to the grounds of rhy hope! if thou findell the power of fin dytog m thee, tf thou walkelt as Chrifl walked, if thou admirefl:, adorefl, believe!!, and .obeyefl. thy. Chrift; if thou livefl, and livefl not, bur in deed, and in trurh, it is Chnfl: that hves m. thee; why then thou maifl:comfortably hope and alfure thy felf that Ch~1lls ha?ttual nghreoufncfs, and adual holincfs is imputed1:o thy juflilicarion ;· thou matflconlidenrly refolve that every palfage of Chrifls Life (fo far as Legal or moral) belongs unto thee. What? would ever Chrifl: have come with his power againfl thy power of hn, 1f he had not meant to refcue thee? Would Chrifl: ever have fer rhee a .Copy, and have j1eld thy hand ~nd thy bean, ro have ~rit legibly ~~ter h!m, if he had not
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=