E P H E s. 3· 16, 17, &c. !hews. But there comes upon the holieft Conformity to the Law in us, ( which is the new Creature) a new Tincture. The fubftance wa~ the Conformity to the Law, the Holinefs that is agreeable to the Law; but Faith ~omes arid reveals Chrift, and God by Faith reveals his Son in us; and what ihe,n ? Whereas I had Hatred to Sin before, I looking upon Chrift crucified, I die to Sin, upon the Faith -and confideration of it. Here Hatred of Sin is now dy,ing with Chrift, after the fimilitude of his Death. Here what Chrift did by way of Mediation for us, leaves Impreffions, and frames the Heart accordingly. Faith. lhould be fo powerful, that we fhould no fooner think of Chrift's dying but Lufts fhould die: In like manner, that Jefus Chrift role, that when I confider, that Jefus Chrift rofe again for me, ( Chrift is rifen alive, as the Primitive Chrifiians ufed to fay ) that therefore the Soul lhould be moved to live irt newnefs of Life, finding a virtue to come from the thoughts thereo£ Here Faith brings in by fpiritual Sight the Refurrection of Chrift, leaves Impreffions fuitable ; and the Image of thefe things are wrought in the Soul, and become Motives to a Man to die to Sin, and rife to Holinefs. 0 Brethren, that all of Chrifr were but turned into our Hearts, fiill as we know him, and think of him ; no fooner to think of his Death, but to die withal\ to theWorld ; no fooner to think of his being crucified, but to find Lufi:s tortured and fhrinking ; fo no fooner )O think of Chrifi: circumcifed, but to caft off the Foreskin of your Heart, whtch is Self-love. So as not only a Conformity to the Law may appear in it, but that Chrifr fhould come over again with a new Image of his, in all ,ihiligs whereby we may be affected of him. Further,if you grow up to Affurance, (for here he prays for fuch as are rooted and grounded in the Love of God ) let A!Turance of thefe things come in, that Chrifr did all this for me ; and then let the Soul deal with Chrifi: about every Particular of him, in their kind, as done for it. And 0 how power– fully will every Particular affect the Heart, with fuitable Reflections anf\vering thereunto ! The Love of Chrift !hewn in every Particular, will conftrain us into Affections correfpondent thereunto. Such a Faith working by Love; will' work direedy and naturally, difpofitions towards Chrifi in the Heart. Now Faith of A!Turance will be able to apply all that ever Chrifl: bath done, as done for it felf: fuch an one will run over all the Scriptures, again and again, and when there he finds Jefus Chrifl: died for Sinners, this is for me, G!ith he, God laid the Iniquities of us all upon Chrifi, and I am one of the Number, he bore my Iniquities, God laid them all upon him: Jefus Chrift is rifen, thi• he did for me, that I fhould rife in newnefs of Life here : and in the mean time, he is gone to Heaven, and there he keeps a place for me. And this way of Application, I underftand to take up much of Pa11l's Sence in that Gal. I. He revealed his Sou in me ; I know all he did was for me. And this Application of Chrifl: you find in Gal. 2. I live, yet not I, but Chrift in me, who loved me, and gave himfelf for me. And ifyou obtain this kind of Application of Chrift, by way of Alfurance, it will caufe Chrift to dwell in you, and your felves to dwell upon Chrift to purpofe : You !hall not need to force your thoughts into the Meditation of him, but it will caufe· your thoughts to dwell npon Chrifl to pm·pofe, that hatb done thus and thus for you; and that continually your whole Life iti the Flefh (as Paul there) will be your living by Faith on the Son of God. Thus I have inftanced in Come Particulars, how fa r off are we Chriflians irl this Age, from what was in the Hearts of thole Times, and was in this great Saint's experience, who prayed for all Saints after this rate, to the end of the World. H 49
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=