. 4 choice Bed of Spices. the righteoufnefs of Chriff, the life of Chrift, the death of Chrift , the fatisfaaion of Chrift, &c. Dear Chriflians, was it Chrift, or was it your graces, or your gracious evi- ences, or your gracious difpolitions, or your gracious, aol- ings, that trod the wine-prefs of your Fathers wrath, that atisfied divine jullice, that pacified divine anger, that did bear the curfe, that fulfill'd the Law,that brought in an ever- lafting righteoufnefs, that difcharged your debts, that pro- cured you pardon, that made your peace, and that brought you into a flare of favour and friendfhip with God ? If you anfwer (as you mull) none but Chrift, none but Chrift ; 0 then, let your thoughts and hearts be firflly, moftly, chiefly and laftly taken up with the Lord Jefus. Though inherent grace be a glorious creature, yet 'tis but a creature. Now, when your thoughts and hearts are more taken up with inhe- rent grace, than they are with Chrift the fpring and foun- tain of all grace ; you make an idol of inherent grace, and John I. t6, reflea difhonour upon the Lord Jefus. A Chriflian may Col, 2. 2, 3; lawfully look upon his graces and his gracious evidences, and a Chriftian ought to be mach in bleffing and praifing of God for his graces and gracious evidences, and a Chriftian may ifafely take comfort in his graces and gracious _evidences as Ifa 38. 3 'they are the fruits of God's eternal and unchangable love, 2 C°r. 1. ". but fill his work should be to live upon Chrift, and to lift pChrift above all. 'Tis Chrift, 'tis his Mediatory righte- oufnefs, 'tis free-grace that a Chriftian ought to make the chief and only ground and bottom of his hope and comforts. Though good old facob did really rejoyce in the chariots and Wagons that 70feph had fent to bring him down to Eppt, yet Gen. 45, ze;-* he did more abundantly rejoyde in this, that Joieph was alive, 2.7, 2.8. and that ihortly he should fee and enjoy 7ofeph himfelf. Though a Chriftian may really rejoyce in his graces and gra- Icious evidences, yet above all he ought to rejoyce in Chrift Jefus, to triumph in Chrift Jefus, and to take up in Chrift al. e. 14 . 3.3. efus as in his great all. There is a great aptnefs and pronefs p hii r. ...-or. 2.14. in many (may I not fay in moft ) gracious Chrifians, to gaze C 1 .-0- 3. II. fo much and fo long upon their graces, upon their gracious V difpofitions, upon their gracious evidences, and upon their, ( D d d g fa-
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