Owen - BX9315 O81

104 14IED1TA'rt[)NS AND DISCOURSES 3. That none may utterly despond under their de- trays. When persons are awakened by new convictions, and begin to feci the weight Of them; and how impli- citly they are entangled with them, they are ready to faint, and even to despair of deliverance. But we see, that here is a promise of deliverance from them by par- doning mercy, and also of such fresh springs of grace as shall cause as to abound in holiness and fruitfulness. Who is it that is entangled with corruptions and temp- tations, that groans under a senseof a cold lifeless bar ^ren frame of heart; he may take in spiritual refresh-: ment, if by faith he can make application of this .pro- -anise unto himself. 4. That which 'remains, is to declare the'particuiar `way whereby in the exercise of 'faith, we may obtain -the fruit of this and all other promises of the like nature, 'unto theebd so often proposed: namely, of being flour- úshing and fruitful even in old age. Now, supposing a due attendance unto the duties mentioned, I shall give some directions'with respect unto that whièh gives life, power, and efficacy unto themall, and which will in- -falliby bring us Onto the full -enjoyment of this -signal mercy; and they are these that follow; fl. All our supplies of grace are from Jesus Christ. `Grace is declared in the promises of the Old Testament, '-but the tray of its-communication, and our receiving of it, is revealed us in the New. This belongs to the 'mystery ofiit, that all grove is from Christ¡ and shall to invain cxpeftèd any other way. Be hath assured tits that without him we:van do nothing, we can no more string forth fruit, than a branch 'can that is separated 'from the vine, John xv. 3 -5. He 'is our head, and 'all our spiritual influences, that is, -divine communica- tion of grace, are from him glonc. I-Ie is our-life ea. 'ciently, ^ùoi liveth in us effectively, sous that our abili- tyfor vital acts is'from hits, Gal. ii. 20. 'Are we then --any of us sander' convictions of spiritual decays? or do we long for such renovatious'of spiritual strength, as may make us flourish in faith, love, and holiness? we must know assuredly thatnothing of all this clan be at- -tained, -'but it must - come from 'Jesus Clrrist alone. 'We see what prontisesare'made, what duties are pre- 'scribed-unto`us; "but however we should endeavour to :apply ourselves unto the one or the other, they would ;yield us no relief, unless we know how to receive it from 4C-laristhimselg 2. The only way of receiving_snpplïes of spiritual strength and race from Jesus Christ, on our part is by faith. Hereby we come unto him, are implanted in him, abide with him, so as to bring forth fruit. He dwells in our hearts by faith, and he acts in us by faiths, and we live by faith in or on the Son of God. 'Ï'his I suppose will be granted, that if we receive any thing from Christ, itmost be by faith,'it must be in the exer- cise of it, or in away ofbelieving; nor isthere any one word -in the scripture, that gives the least encourage- ment to expect either grace or mercy from him in any other way, or.by-any othermeans. This faith respects the person of Christ, his grace, his whole mediation, with -all theeffects of it, and his glory in them all. This is that which hath been so much insisted on-in .the foregoing discourses, as that it ought=not tube again insisted on; this therefore is the issue of the whole. A steady view of the glory of Christ, in his person, grace, and office, through faith, or a constant'lively exerciseoffaitlr on him, according as -he is revealed unto os in the scripture, is the only effectual way to obtain a revival from under our spirit- ual decays, and such supplies of grace as shall make us flourishing and fruitful even -in-old age. He that thus lives by faiths in him, shall by his spiritual thriving and growth, spew, that the Lord is upright, that lie is our Rock, and thatábere is no unriglateousness in him. We may consider, briefly, first, How this is testified unto in the scripture, and then what are the ways whereby this grace or duty will produce this effect, and so put a close unto this part of the application of -the sacred truth before declared. First, This direction is given us, Psalm xxxiv. -5. They looked unto him, ,and were lightened, and their faces mere not ashamed. That it is Christ, or the glory of God in him, that is'thus looked unto, I need not prove; it will not''bedenied. And itis their faith whirls is expressed by their looking unto him; which is no- thing but that beholding of his glory which we have described: for ivis an act oftrust, arising from an ap- prehension of who and -what he is. The issue or effect hereof is, that they were lightened; that is, received fresh communication of spiritual, saving, refreshing light from him, and consequently of all other graces, whence their faces were not ashamed; nor shall we fail in our expectation-of new spiritual communication,-in the exerciseof the same faith. . -- --- 1

RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=