908 A Difcourfe of Divine Meditation . ~---------------------· --- Chap. 9· 1 . To excrcifc Faith. -........-~ 2. To InOame its Love. l'fal. 42. ~ · l· To enliven its Obedience. F irll, To excrcife its Faith. Thus let the Soul of a Chriflian reflea upon it felf _. JfllJy art t/J(;u.caff down, 0 ~ny Soul, and 1v~y 12;t tho11 dijqrueted tVithJn me? Why do A: thou feu the Pu111fhmcm of Sm, when guilt_ IS taken away? Why art thou toffed to and fro with anxious fears and perpleXIties? Confider t he Lo rd Cluift hath dyed ; and tins 1s that wh1ch m~l<es the_ Apoflle to cry Viaory over all our Spiritual Enemies. There are two tlungs wh1ch ufually do weaken the trnfl of Believers. One IS the greatnefs of their Sins, the other is the weaknefs of their Faith. Now the Sufferings of Chrifl anfwcr both thefe. For the greatnefs of thy Sins propofe this ; our Sms arc but fin1te ACts, and therefore cannot preponderate his Infinite Righreoufnc{s. .Oh confider, thy Sin is in6nite indeed in rcfix:a of the Objea ; but the Righeoufnefs of Chrift is infinite in refpea of the Subjca : Certainly the Obcd!Cnce of God IS more available to reconcil e us , than the d1fobedience of Man was to make an Enmity between God and us. Confider thus with thy fe'f, iftbou hadll: a lways lived in a fpotlefs Innocency, thou wouldlt not then be afraid of God: I, but the Righteou!i1efs of Chrilt exceeds the Natural Robe of thine Innoeency. If the Angels may always look upon the Face of God, who are only cloathed with tl1eir ::~r~~a; ~ig~ft~u!Tf~( ~~:~~ifslya~l~~~e;ed~~~YT:~~~~~~faa~~\t~·:f~~-the RighteoufSecondly, Suppofe thy Trufl is talwn off by reafon of the weaknefs of thy Faith, thou fearelt thy Faith IS not ftrong enough. The Medita ti on of Chriils Sufferings will anfwer that; for imprefs this upon thy Soul. The price is the fame and the acccptation of God is the fame, both in reference to a flrong Faith and a weak Fai th . A weak Eye that looked upon the Brazen Serpent, was an Inltrument to Cure the !~1t :: t~~:~1~~~~fn~nE~:gle~l~~J~ i~~~kf;ap,~v~~~~Ycf;~~ i~n°~~~ ~1i~l~~~~tne~ of Chrifl, as well as the ltrong, and imbrace it . Oh Remember, the !hongell: Faith is not the Purchafcr of our Salvation; and therefore when thy Fa ith is weak, yet incouragc thy felfby confidering theSuf!erings of the Lord Jefus. Se&ondly, By way of Check and Reftraint. When ever you find your Souls tempted to Sin, let this allay the Heat ofthe Temptation ; and let the con!ideration ofChrifl's Sulferings repel all thofe Fiery darts. Let me allude to that of David, when the Water of Betblehem was brought to him, which was purchafed by the hazard of Men's Lives, faith he, Shall I drink the Blood of theft Men? .And he po•red forth the J1Tater before t!Jt Lord. When ever thy Soul is Tempted to Sin, then argue thus; · Shall that, that was his Sorrow, be my Joy? Sin was the Spear that opened his fide, and the Nails that pierced his Hands. Sin is that which makes every Perfon to be a ]11d., to betray him; a Pi/ate to condemn him and Soldiers to crucifie him. And fhall we thus again cruci6e the Lord Jefus? Shall we add Sorrow to Sorrow? This is one of the moll: Noble and Powerful meansto Rcftrain and Check the Soul, whenever the Temptations of Sin are Strong and Vigorous upon thee. To Conclude, The Som of what I would fay is this. In this Meditation of the Dea th of Clui!t, let the Duty be, Serious, .Affic1iont~te, Applicative, Praflical. Firft, Serious. 'Tis an exprcffion of the Apoftle, Confider the Lord Jefm ; let not your views be Tranfient fuddain Glances, which do no good; bur reprefent the Lord Jefus before your Eyes in a Serious and Solemn manner. And you that are to come to the Sacrament have an advantag~of others : Kiogsdo many times repr~fent their own Perfons in the Broad Seal; they fit upon a Throne Scepter'd and the hke : SoChriftinthe Sacrament (which is the Seal of' H,.ven) reprefenrs his ownPcrfon. There is only this difference, the Piaure of a King is a Dead rcprefenration : but the Lord Chrift in the Sacrament is moll: Livelily and Efficacioufiy reprefcnred to the Soul. . Secondly, Let it be an Alfeaionate view. l.et your alfeaions correfpond with the Lord JefiJS Chri!l in all the paffages of his Suflcrings. If that argument will not break us, the Flames of Hell will melt us. A !ways make Reflexions upon your felves, and confide,. that you were the Invifible orueifiers of Chrift. Tbirdf;,
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