He that gives a Kingdom at the Journeys end will not deny Bread and Water in the way He will provide for their Bodies and Souls for their Persons and Families Sixthly Correction is theirs Psal 89. 32. Heb. 12. 8. Correction is the Saints Priviledge and great advantage they have need of it 1 Pet. 1. 6. Though for a season if need be you are in heaviness c. And they have advantage by it Psa 119. 71. It is good for me that I have been afflicted Heb. 12. 10. But he for our profit Seventhly Protection is another priviledge of Children He will keep them as the Apple of his Eye Psa 17. 8. He will hide them in the secret of his Tabernacle Ps 31. 20. He will keep them Day and Night Isa 27. 3. He gives his Angels charge concerning them Psa 91. 11 12. Heb. 1. 14. Lastly The Kingdom is theirs O think what rest what joy what holiness what perfection what immutability and Eternity of Glory is in Heaven and say all this is my Estate by Adoption I shall one day be possessed of it here I am poor but there I shall be rich here I am empty and hungry there I shall be full here I am despised there I shall be honoured here I have not a house lay my head in there I shall have a Mansion to all Eternity here one and another says come sit at my Foot there shall I sit on a Throne and be a Crowned King for ever Here my Comforts go and my troubles stay worms breed in all my enjoyments but thereis no Rust nor Moth no Decay nor Death O blessed state indeed that Believers are Adopted to in Christ Fifthly The last considerable thing in Adoption is the Duties that flow from such a state and this is part of their priviledge also as being the Fruit of an Adoption-state and that which they are purchas'd as well as oblig'd unto by the blood of Christ all the filial duties of Believers are the fruits of Adoption-Grace Gal. 4. 6. Because ye are Sons God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your Hearts The Spirit of his Son to make you really such and to form in you the Nature and work you to the duty of Sons So that Adopted Souls are not only chosen of God to be heirs with Christ but are also begotten of God into the Nature and Image of Christ Rom. 8 29. Whom he did foreknow them he did predestinate to be conformed to the Image of his Son that as Christ carryed himself as a Son so should the Children of God in their measure and time and that by the same Spirit Now these duties which Gods Children are spirited and engaged to are First To love God as their Father even from a sense of his Fatherly love 1 Joh. 4. 19. We love him because he first loved us Deut. 6. 5. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart with all thy Soul and with all thy might The Lord thy God because he hath pleased to make thee his Son and to place thee in so near and high relation to himself Psa 31. 23. O love the Lord all ye his Saints You that are set apart for him and Sanctified by him O you of all Persons from the sense of this relation should love him This is a filial duty and so essential to Sons as that 't is put for the ground of all their Obedience Joh. 14. 13. If a man love me he will keep my word and my Father will love him that is manifest his love to him as a Father This is not a forced but a natural love to God arising from that new Nature and Spirit of Adoption in them so that a Child of God may as well cease to be a Child as cease to have a disposition to love him Indeed a gracious Soul may not alwayes actually love God but he hath a disposition to love him and can appeal to God that he knows he would love him and there is nothing in all the World he can value like him Secondly To obey him 1 Pet. 1. 14. As obedient Children not fashioning your selves according to former Lusts 'T is a great duty of Children to obey their Parents in all things lawful and so they that are Gods Children are much more oblig'd to obey God whose relation much more binds them being so far above all other relations whose love constrains them 2 Cor. 5. 14. whose Laws invite them they being holy just and good Rom. 7. 12. Whose rewards also encourageth them there is a reward in keeping them Psa 19. 11. and a reward upon those that keep them Rev. 2. 10. Now this Child-like obedience differs from all other obedience in that 1. 'T is the fruit of faith Joh. 8. 47. He that is of God heareth Gods word that is obeyeth Gods word but what an Obedience is this see the former ver It is an Obedience from faith ver 46. If I say the truth why do ye not believe me 2. 'T is the labour of love 1 Thes 1. 3. Remembring without ceasing your work of Faith and labour of love 3. 'T is delightful Obedience Rom. 7. 22. I delight in the Law of God after the inner Man Thirdly A fear of offending him Hos 3. 5. And shall fear the Lord and his goodness in the latter daies This is a filial fear arising from their relation to God as their Father 1 Pet. 1. 17. And if you call on the Father c. pass the time of your sojourning here in fear This is a fear springing from and consisting with love there is a fear that love casteth out 1 Joh. 4. 18. perfect love casteth out fear that is slavish fear 'T is such a fear as keeps the Soul close to God and not drive him from him Jer. 34. 40. O how fearful is such a Soul of offending God Job 34. 31. He will do all he can to prevent sin Psa 119. 11. Thy word have I hid in my heart that I may not sin against thee Fourthly A zeal for Gods glory Psa 69. 9. The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up That is the zeal which I have for thy house or for thy pure Worship against them that would corrupt it hath like fire consumed me Zeal is the burning fire of love which will not bear any thing that dishonours God So Phinehas could not endure to see God dishonoured by the whoredomes of his People but in his zeal executes the Law upon one of the highest offenders Numb 25. 11. The want of the zeal made Laodicea in danger of being spued out of Gods mouth Rev. 3. 16. and therefore God calls her to Repentance and to this zealous Spirit in his Worship ver 19. Be zealous and Repent This zeal was that Child-like temper that God commended in Ephesus Rev. 2. 2. Thou canst not bear them that are evil A zealous Soul cannot suffer any reproach on Gods Name Psa 69. 20. Reproach hath broken my heart
with God through this Intercession of Christ Eph. 1. 6. Who hath made us accepted in the Beloved All that glorious Chain of Mercy that is made over to and fastned upon the Believer hath its tye to Jesus Christ Predestination Adoption Justification Sanctification and Salvation are all laid upon Christ It is a piece of usual weakness in poor Believers or rather Doubting-souls to judge of their Acceptance with God or Non-acceptance according to their Deservings or ill-deservings and the nature and frame of their Spirits and Duties when they have been drawn out in Frames and wonderfully rais'd in Duties they think now they shall find Favour But it is not that which gives your Suits Entertainment in Heaven it is as God accepts the Soul in Christ notwithstanding all the Failings and Infirmities of Believers they are entertained with a well done good and faithful Servant upon the account of Christ Again They are sure to be secur'd against the prevailing Power of all their Enemies let Beelzebub with all his Train and Forces be united against them he must be broken to pieces for Christ is at the right hand of the Father interceding for them Sin shall have no Dominion over them Rom. 6. 14. God will bruise Satan under their Feet shortly Rom. 16. 20. Hence it is they may be sure none of their Enemies shall prevail Luke 1. 74. Again They may be sure to receive more Grace and Life more abundantly God giveth more Grace James 5. 6. whilst Christ's Interest holds in Heaven whilst he hath a Fullness of Grace to bestow Believers may expect more Access to the Throne of Grace at all times in his Name is another procured Advantage of his Intercession it is by the Blood of Christ Believers come to God with Boldness Heb. 4. 14. 16. Heb. 10. 21. 22. Hence the Blood of Christ makes Peace and an open door for Believers to approach to God Eph. 3. 12. Because he is there at the Throne of Grace he will open his Door to his Children and let them in within the Veil what tender Mother would shut the door against her weeping Child Again They have not only Access to the Throne of Grace but Success they shall speed when they cry with all their Hearts Joh. 14. 13. 14. Whatsoever you shall ask in my Name that will I do that the Father may be glorified in the Son if you shall ask any thing in my Name I will do it Christ was leaving his Disciples and they might tremblingly dispond how shall we live when thou art gone the World will persecute us and Satan will devour us Why says Christ I will protect you then as well as now and hear your Requests you think it is only your Concernment to have your Prayers answered no it is the Concernment of my Father too his Glory lies at stake for it O! what bold Encouragement is this Rev. 8. 3 4 5. Prayers ascended up and presently comes down Thunders Noises Lightnings and Earth-quakes as a Symbol of God's Reception believe it Saints have still as great Potency with God on the Account of Christ as ever and their right Prayers shall surely find an answer at the Throne of Grace Again They shall certainly have Perseverance in Grace for the Certainty of a Believers Graces depend not upon his own Strength that it should dye if he cease to exercise it but is secured by the Intercession of Christ Luke 22. 32. Jer. 32. 40. Another Effect of Christ's Intercession is this The Saints have Oneness with and an Interest in the Love of God Jo. 17. 21. 22. And they shall be sure of Grace and of Glory they shall have a Mansion in Heaven Jo. 14. 3. Jo. 17. 24. Father I will that those whom thou hast given me be with me where I am to behold my Glory CHAP. VI. Shewing the Willingness of Christ that Sinners should be saved the Sin and Misery of such as refuse Christ with Reproof to several sorts of Persons WE have a little opened the Transcendent Glory of Christ as Mediator wherein so much of his vast Treasury lies we come now to make some Application of this glorious point First By way of Information First How wonderfully are poor Sinners indebted to the Lord for giving such a Mediator as Jesus Christ God-Man none else in Heaven or Earth could have procured the Salvation of lost Sinners had he been God only he had had neither Right or Capacity to suffer had he been only Man he could never have born up under the dreadful weight of these Sufferings Death would have had Dominion over him his Sufferings unsatisfactory his Intercession rejected and all the hopes of Sinners perished but now he is able to save all that come to God by him O admire at and rejoyce in this Love of God in giving Christ Jo. 3. 16. God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son Life and Liberty Health and Strength Peace and Plenty are excellent Mercies but the giving of Christ is transcendently super-eminent Can you bless the Lord for lower Springs O adore these upper ones this Grace that brings Salvation Secondly See the Willingness of Christ that Sinners should be saved he would never else have assum'd the work of a Mediatour nor have given himself for this very end that Sinners might be brought to God 1 Pet. 3. 18. He would never have undertaken the bloody way of Death nor drunk off such a bitter tremendous Cup that Sin had brewed for him he would not have interceded with God for Terms of Reconciliation nor undergone such direful unconceivable Torments had he not been willing Sinners should live hath Christ so carefully prepared the Ministration of Reconciliation and absolutely commanded the Promulgation of the Gospel to every Creature Mark 16. 15. Hath he laid such a Necessity on his Messengers and Ambassadors and oblig'd them by the Penalty of fearful Woes to preach the Gospel and he is not willing that Sinners should be saved 1 Cor. 9. 16. See how he charges his Servants to be instant in Season and out of Season to reprove rebuke and exhort with all Long-suffering and Kindness 2 Tim. 4. 1. To perswade and beseech men to be reconciled 2 Cor. 5. 11. 20. And will he reject them when they come He would not have griev'd and mourn'd so much at Sinners Unbelief and out-standing the day of Grace had he been unwilling they should have liv'd Joh. 5. 40. Luke 19. 41. 42. Behold how he waits till the last hour of the Day and treats his Enemies with an affectionate Kindness why will you dye O House of Israel He heaps up Coals of Fire on their Heads and draws them with Cords of Love and with the bands of a man Mat. 5. 45. Hos 11. 4. he offers Violence by his Spirit to unwilling Souls and attempts the most charming Persuasions to allure them to him he thunders and lightens as on Mount Sinai and threatens them terribly if they will
he was coming to a Village in Samaria and sent Messengers to provide for him but they refused to entertain him and take him in because his Face was as though he would go to Jerusalem Luke 9. 51. c. because he seemed to be of another way of Religion they could not endure him because he was for instituted Worship and seem'd to profess a stricter way than the Samaritanes He look'd like a Puritan saith Mr. Burroughs and therefore they shut him out of their Houses now this was no small abuse an ordinary Spirit would not bear to have a door shut against him and hereupon some of the Disciples James and John pleaded for Revenge and would have had Fire from Heaven to destroy them ver 54. Yet see the Meekness of Christ's Spirit under this Affront ver 55. He turned and rebuked them and said ye know not what manner of Spirit ye are of for the Son of man is not come to destroy mens Lives but to save them Secondly In his mild Answers to them how mildly did he answer the Jews who said he was a Samaritan and had a Devil John 8. 48. 49. All his Answer was I have not a Devil but I honour my Father and ye dishonour me see in that Chapter how contradictorily and crossly they behav'd themselves to him yet with what wonderful Gentleness he answers them when Judas came to betray him Matt 26. 49. with what Calmness doth he treat him verse 50 Friend wherefore art thou come Who could have given so gentle words to so vile a Traytor but the Mirror of Meekness Luke hath it thus Judas betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss Luke 22. 48. what thou Judas my Disciple who hast been so long with me known my Kindness and eat and drunk at my table what thou betray the Son of man and combine to take away thy Master's life canst thou find in thy heart to deal so treacherously with thy Lord How did he reprove Peter for smiting the High-priest's Servant that came to take him Matth. 26. 51. to 55. How scornfully did they treat him Matth. 26. 61. This Fellow saith I am able to destroy the Temple of God and to build it in three days but he held his Peace v. 63. The Jews mocked him blind-folded and smote him Luke 26. 63. Herod with his men of War set him at nought chap. 23. 11. The Rulers derided him saying others he saved let him save himself if he be the Christ the chosen of God ver 35. But lo how gently this patient Lamb revenges these high Indignities ver 34. Father forgive them for they know not what they do Thirdly In the Offices of Love he shews them he went about doing Good to his very Enemies heaping Coals of Fire on their Heads healing their sick feeding their hungry and preaching the Gospel to their poor Matth. 14. 14. chap. 11. 5. His pitying them shews his Meekness Luke 19. 41. He beheld the City and wept over it now this Meekness of Christ as it is excellent in it self so 't is eminent in degree 't is large and abundant Meekness weigh but these following Considerations and you will say the same First The Greatness of those Provocations he hath received from them Sinners under the Gospel make light of Christ Matth. 22. 5. They despise him Acts 13. 4. They reject him Joh. 12. 48. They rebel against him Isa 1. 20. They crucifie him Joh. 19. 15. They blaspheme his Name they belye his Truth abuse his Love undervalue his Blood trampling it under Foot deny his Right defraud and injure his Interest rob him of his Glory hate his People and seek to hinder his Kingdom and yet he mildly puts up these high Indignities Oppression will â—ake a wise man mad but cannot render Christ ungentle Secondly The Continuance of these Provocations All the day long have I stretched out my hand to a gain-saying people Isa 65. 2. every day Isa 52. 5. Three years Luke 13. 7. Forty years Heb. 3. 9. Continually Gen. 6. 5. And it is no small Provocation to have a Tryal lye on a persons back yet see the Lothness of Christ to destroy his very Enemies he waits that he may be gracious and beseeches them to turn and live Joh. 5. 40. Thirdly The greatness of his Person he is the Majesty on high King of Kings and Lord of Lords Rev. 19. 16. He hath Right to Service and Worship from all his Creatures To him every Knee must bow and Tongue confess Phil. 2. 9. and yet that he should bear so meekly the Abuses Scorns and Contempts of the vilest men is wonderful great men are soon incensed when their Honour and Interest are invaded but the Lord Jesus is great and yet meek a King and yet lowly Psal 45. 3 4. Zach. 9. 9. Fourthly The Despicableness of the Persons that abuse him they are his Creatures made and mainrain'd by him inferiour Worms whom he can crush every Moment and strike dead with his Look Isaiah 1. 2. chap. 45. 9. Fifthly The great Kindness he hath for them he comes in their Errand to save their Souls he sheds his blood that they might live underwent the Law and bore his Fathers Wrath that they might enjoy his Favour and be sav'd to the uttermost if they believe and is not this a wonderful Discovery of his Meekness Secondly His Meekness to his People is exceeding great as I shall illustrate in a few particulars First In his bearing with them he did not only bear their Sins for them when on the Tree but many Provocations and Abuses from them now in Heaven so he bore with the Israelites Isa 3. 8. Though their Tongue and their Doings was against the Lord to provoke the Eyes of his Glory this was not the Carriage of Heathens but of his own People their Provocations was not a single Act from one part of them but the whole Body combine against him in Word and Deed these were not supposed Injuries but real not intermitted but continued not seldom but frequent How oft did they provoke him in the Wilderness and griev'd him in the Desart they tempted him limitted him and murmured against him for Water for Bread and for Flesh they rebell'd against him against his Institutions in Moses and Aaron against his Command about gathering Manna sanctifying the Sabbath and going against their Enemies They continually provok'd him to Anger even to his very Face Isaiah 65. 3. vexed and grieved his holy Spirit and yet he bears it in the Wilderness for forty years in the Land of Canaan eight hundred and sixty years before the Captivity after this five hundred ninety and six years before he cast them off O the admirable length of the Patience and Meekness of Christ towards that People in bearing with them considering the Kind and Length of their Provocations so under the Gospel he hath a people redeemed by his Blood such as avouch him for their Lord and tread in his Courts now
preaching the Gospel to the poor and calling the base things of this world and things that are not shews his lowly mind And his humility hath been abundantly prov'd already He will dwell with the Lowly Isa 57. 15. 2. Object But I have no portion for Christ I am exceeding poor and beggarly I have no Righteousness no Grace no good things dwell in me I can bring nothing to glorifie him I have no ability at all to serve him I cannot pray or do any thing that is good and will Christ accept of me Ans Christs design in these Gospel tenders of himself to sinners is not to get but to give Riches He wants no treasures for himself but he rather wants objects to give them to He wants no goods but like the Rich man in the Gospel he wants room to bestow his goods He is willing to impart his treasure to sinners 2 Cor. 8. 9. Of all persons in the world he is sure to hear the desires of the poor The rich shall be sent empty away but the poor that waiâ— on him shall be heard Psa 69. 33. Art â—â—ou a poor Soul in thy own eyes The Lord hatâ— special regard for such These are the persons he invites to him that have no money no price Isa 55. 1. The poor have the Gospel preached â—o them Math. 11. 5. Therefore sinners 't is â—ot thy poverty can break the match nor hinder â—y reception of Jesus Christ if thy heart be wâ—â—ling 3. Object But I am a deformed loveless Creature I have no beauty at all in me I am black with sin full of all uncleanness and abominations polluted in my blood wallowing in my Mire and Vomit scarce such a nauseous Object as I in all the world O what a filthy heart O what an unclean Soul O what vile affections bave I and will this holy one cast a glance of Love on such a Creature as I I dare not think he will endure the sight of me therefore I am afraid to look to him Answ Believing sinners though black in their own eye yet are comely in Christ's Eye Cant. 1. 5. Faith puts an amiableness on the believing sinner in Christs account This is one of those eyes that ravishes his heart Cant. 4. 9. He looks upon them as lovely that come to him though unlovely in themselves Affections spie no deformity in the beloved object Christs love is so great to fallen man as that nothing appears unlovely in him but an unwillingness to be hiâ— He sees no iniquity in Jacob though therâ—â—e a great deal The halt blind lame impâ—â—â—nt are no amorous Objects yet these Christ invites to his feast Luk. 14. 21. Others are not worthy says Christ but bring these they aâ—e companie for me if they will but come â— Let not thy deformity and the sense of thy uâ—worthiness keep thee from Christ because hâ— hath beauty enough for himself and thee He hath comeliness enough to cover thy nakedness 't is but for some of his beams to reflect on thy Soul and thou wilt be altogether glorious thy perfection lies in his and not thy own comeliness Christ can soon fill thee with amiableness see in Ezek. 16. what a change Grace makes upon deformed sinners The beautie of sinners is Christs beautie put upon them and Christs Holiness imparted to them and there 's enough of it for thee 3. Know that Christs blood is cleansing blood it doth not only cover spots and deformities but it takes away filthiness if thou come to him the blood of Christ cleanseth from all sin 1 Joh. 1. 7. 4. Object But I am a great sinner none like me therefore I cannot think the Lord Jesus will pass them by or have thoughts of favour for me Ans So was Davids and yet found pardon Psa 25. 11. for thy name sake O Lord pardon mine iniquities for they are great Manassch's sins were notorious and yet upon hiâ— Repentance found favour with God 2 Chro. 33. 3 4 5 6. He reared up Altars for Baalim worshipped all the host of Heaven and served them he built Altars in the House of the Lord and caused his Children to pass through the fire in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom He also observed times and used Iâ—chantments and Witchcrafts and dealt with familiar Spirits and with â—izards and when God spake to him he would not hearken ver 10. O abominable sins One would think here was a man ripe for Hell yet upon his supplication when he was in affliction God heard him and pardon'd him ver 12 13. Paul was a flagitious sinner in his own eyes the greatest that ever was 1 Tim. 1. 15. A Blasphemer a persecutor injurious but obtained mercy ver 13. Therefore 't is not the greatness of thy sin can stand in the way of thy mercy if thou come over to Christ with all thy heart 5. Object But I have been an old sinner I have been rooted in sin and liv'd in sin all my days I have been a continual provocation to the Lord for many years through my whole Life sin hath touch'd sin and I cannot think Christ hath thoughts of Love for me Answ So did the Thief upon the Cross he sinn'd to the last hour of his Life and yet obtained mercy Luke 23. 40 41 42 43. So did some of those that were called in at the Eleventh hour yet embracing the call obtained mercy Math. 20. 9 12. it was not the length of their sinning time excluded the Efficacie of Salvation-mercy when they did come in at the call of it I mention not this for a Pillow to secure sinners but for a Cordial for desponding Souls Now the Gospel calls thee nner if thou come in this hour and embrace the calls of mercy 't is not the length of thy sinning time will make void the Grace of God 6. Object But saies the Soul I have sleighted many calls already I have quenched many motions of the Spirit I have despised the first call and may I have hopes to go to Christ Will he receive me Answ So did Manasseh he did reject many calls God did speak to him but he would not hearken and after his rejection of the first call yet mercie found him The Jews in the wilderness rejected many calls of God yet the Lord said while 't is called to day harden not your hearts Hâ—b 3. 7 8. Though thou hast been guiltie of despising many calls this is matter for thy humbling but not for thy despair 7. Object But I am never the better for all the means and mercy I have enjoyed though I had despised the first calls of mercy yet if I had been the better for after tenders of grace there were some hope But I am still the same notwithstanding all the Sermons I hear and precious overtures of Salvation my heart is hard and dead under all Answ So it was with the Impotent man a great while he was diseased thirty and eight years Joh. 5. 5. He lay at
the Spirit too for Christ is not divided He that hath Christ hath the Father and the Spirit for these three are one Now a Soul that hath the Spirit of Christ may know it by the effects of it The Spirit of Christ is a quickening Spirit it begets a principle of Life The Soul that was dead to God and holiness now hath a new life a heart to move after God it works from other motives even from love to God Dost thou find thy heart always dead to every act of Grace No heart to pray hear c. and is this habitual O then here 's no fruit of Christs Spirit The Spirit of Christ is a sin-opposing spirit always quarrelling with Lust always convincing troubling humbling the Soul for sin Gal. 5. 17. Tit. 2. 11 12. It gives no peaceable possession to it but always opposes it as fire doth water Where the Spirit of Christ is 't is a leading guiding Spirit Rom. 8. 14. Christians what is it leads you Is it your own Spirits if you have received the Spirit of God you may know it by those Scripture ways it takes to put you upon duty such a one is coâ—vinced by the word and perswaded and help'd by the word to this and the other duty Again The Spirit of Christ is a praying Spirit A Soul that is in Christ cannot live without prayer though no eye see it and no good come by it yet he cannot omit secret prayer Zach. 12. 10. Rom. 8. 15. 'T is not enlargement of affections parts abilities and expressions in prayer but the inditings of the Spirit inward breathings sighs and groans of the Spirit A man may pray like a Saint or an Angel and yet not have a jot of the Spirit of prayer but it is the encouragement of the Spirit to wrestle with God by Christ the inward suggestions of hope when a Soul can go to God as to a Father when the very heart goes out to God in prayer and when prayer is wing'd with Faith and Love These are the effects of a Spirit of prayer and the fruit of a Souls reception of Christ Thirdly They that have obtain'd an interest in Christ have crucified the flesh with the lusts there of Gal. 5. 24. They and only they that are in Christ have crucified the flesh that is the body of death original sin The general Nature of sin the universal extents of sin come under the workings of this Crucifixtion O try Souls â—ath the Axe been ever laid to the root of sin Have you ever found felling stroaks upon the bodie of your Corruptions are you baptiz'd into the death of Christ and as he died for sin so do you die to sin and by vertue of his death and wounds do you fetch power and strength from him to crucifie it There 's a difference between the curbing and the crucifying of sin sin may be chain'd up imprison'd and not crucified Hypocrites that are under a seeming change do restrain and confine sin yea they may punish sin but do not crucifie it The crucifying of sin is the giving it a deadly mortal wound fetch'd from the blood and death of Christ Faith fetches vertue from the Grave of Christ to destroy the power of sin nothing so mortally stabs this Leviathan as a believing reflection on our propriety in Christs Crucifixtion and a laying hold on promises by Faith in order to the application of the benefit of a crucified Christ Rom. 6. 4 6. Our old man is crucified with him The putting our lusts into the side wounds and grave of Christ A levelling the Ax to the body of sin doth strange work to the crucifying of it Trie then are your corruptions Pride Passions Earthliness as strong as ever deceive not your selves this will never assure your interest in Christ till sin be destroyed 't is true when the wound is given sin doth not immediately die but the bodie of sin is dying and the believing Soul finds his corruptions hath less strength every day as a man that loseth his blood weakens more and more so a Soul that crucifies Lust finds it to weaken day by day Fourthly Another effect of a Souls union with Christ is this There will be some resemblance of Christ 1 Joh. 4. 17. As he is so are we in this World As Christ was Crucified in the flesh so are his Crucified to the flesh And as Christ was risen and justified in the Spirit so are they sanctified by the Spirit and have the nature and Image of Christ Hence we are said to be made conformable to the Image of his Son Rom. 8. 29. They that are Christ's are in some measure of truth like him 1 Joh. 3. 3. They have something of Christ's Nature and Spirit Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus Phil. 2. 5. Christ's mind was off from and above the World and herein lies as great an evidence of interest in Christ as in any thing that Soul is dead to and wonderfully loose from the World Gal. 6. 14. Christ's mind was heavenly he favour'd the things above his meat and drink was to do his Fathers will If you are Christ's you will be of the same mind nothing in the World will so much delight you as to do something for God Christ's mind was heavenly to do his work and hasten home and if you are Christ's this will be your mind to dispatch your work and hasten home Christ was full of mercy humility meekness If you are interested in Christ so it will be with you Lastly They that are interested in Christ do interest Christ in themselves and in all that is theirs 2 Cor. 8. 5. They first gave themselves to the Lord Such do devote and make over themselves and all to Christ and glad they have any interest parts capacities that Christ will accept of they cannot keep back a part no were it a thousand times dearer Christ shall have all Can. 6. 3. I am my Beloveds and my Beloved is mine The keeping back of part lost Ananias and Saphira they were undone and damned for ever Act. 5. If Christ be yours you will entitle him to all you are and have And thus are we come to a Conclusion in this matter That Soul that can come to seal to those things is a happy Soul O blessed Soul indeed Then mayst thou boldly say The Lord is my helper God Christ the Spirit the Promises the Kingdom and glory is mine Thus much for the use of Examination CHAP. XXX Containing a Vse of Exhortion pressing Believers to several duties HAving already dispatch'd Motives Counsels and Directions to Sinners about their coming to this Christ I shall only apply this last use of Exhortation to those who are interested in this rich and glorious Jesus Christians you that are made happy in your Relation to Christ and invested with a Title to these glorious Treasures of all persons you are most obliged to duty Christians be you advis'd and exhorted to