real; I mean, that thy life and death might be conformable to the tie and death of Jefus Chrift. But at hereafter.

3.

SECT. III.

Of defiring Jefus in that respect.

Et us defire after Jefus, carrying on the work of our falvation in his death. Je fus Chrift, to a fallen finner, is the chief object of defire; but Jefus Chrift, as crucified, is the chief piece of that object. Humbled fouls look after the remedy, and they find it chiefly in Chrift crucified; and hence are fo many cries after bathings in Chriff's blood, and hiding in Chrift's righteoufnefs, active and palive. Indeed, nothing doth fo cool and refresh a parched, dry and thirsty foul, as the blood of Jefus, which made the poor woman cry out fo earnestly, I have an husband, and children, and many other comforts, but I would give them all, and all the good that ever I fhall fee in this world, or in the world to come, to have my poor thirsty foul refresht with that precious blood of the Lord Jefus Christ.'

But what is there in Chrift's blood or death that is fo defireable? I answer.

1. There is in it the person of Chrift, he that is God man, man God, The brightness of his Father's glory, and the exprefs image of his perfon, Heb. i. 3. It is he that died; every drop of his blood was not only the blood of an innocent man, but of one that was God as well as man, God with his even blood purchafed the church, Acts xx. 28. Now furely every thing of God is most defireable.

and without spot.

3. There is in it a merit and fatisfaction; the fcripture indeed doth not exprefly use these words, but it hath the fenfe and meaning of them, as in the text, He hath made us accepted in the beloved, to whom we have redemption through his blood, Eph. vi. 7. I know there is a different notion in these words, for merit doth properly refpect the good that is to be procured, but fatisfaction the evil that is repelled; but in Chrift we land no on these distinctions, because in his merit was fatisfaction, and in his fatisfaction was merit. A great controverfy is of late rifen up, Whether Chrift's death be a fatisfaction to divine juftice? But the very words redeeming and buying, do plainly demonflrate, that a fatisfaction was given to God by the death of Jefus, He gave himself for us that he might redeem us, Tit. ii. 14. Ye are bought with a price, 1 Cor. vi. 20. And what price was that? Why, his own blood. Thou waft flain, and haft redeemed us to God by thy blood, Rev. v. 9. (i. e.) by thy death and paffion. This was the [lutfon], that ransom which Chrift gave for his elect, The fen of man came to give his life a ranjon for many, Matth. xx. 28. or as the apoftle, He gave himself a ransom for all, 1 Tim. ii. 6. the word is here [antilutfon], which fignifies an adequate price, or a counter-price; as when one doth; or undergoeth fomething in the room of another; as when one yields himself a captive for the redeeming of another out of captivity, or gives up his own life for the faving of another man's life; fo Christ gave himself [antilutfon], a ranfom, or counter-price, fubmitting himself to the like punishment that his redeemed ones fhould have undergone.

The Socinians tell us, that Chrift's fofferings and death were not for fatisfaction to God, but in reference to us, that we might believe the truth of his doctrine confirmed and fealed (as they fay) by his death, and that we might yield obedience to God, according to the pattern that he hath fet before us; and that fo believing and obeying, we might obtain remiffion of fins, and eternal life.

for; O pardon my fins for his deathr's fake, and * fór his precious blood's fake.'

6. There is in it reconciliation and peace with Gods In Chrift Jefus ye who fometimes were afar of, are made nigh by the blood of Chrift, for he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath bro. ken down the middle wall of partition between us, Eph. ii. 13, 14.- When we were enemies, we ore reconciled unto God by the death of his Son, Rom. v. 10. That he might reconcile both (viz Fows and Gentiles) unto God in one body by the crofs, Eph. ii. 16. And having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things to himself, Col. i. 20. This certainly fhould admirably fupport the drooping foul; it may be thou crieft. My fins have made a breach betwixt God and my foul; I have warred against heaven, and now God wars against me; and, Oh what odds! If the Lord be angry, yea, but a little ; ⚫ what will become of my poor foul; is a little ftubble able to contend with the consuming fire? How then should I contend with God?' But come now, and look on Chrift's death as the means and meritorious caufe of reconcilation, and thou canft hot but fay, O this death is defirable! when God the Father looks at a finner in the bloody "glafs of Christ, then faith God, Oh! now fury and wrath is not in me; I have no more quarrel ⚫ or controverfy with this foul, feeing Chrift hath fuffered, it is enough, I have as much as my juftice can demand, my frowns are now turned into fmiles, and my rod of iron into a fceptre of grace. Why, this is it that makes Chrift's death and blood fo defirable to the foul; what fhall Ja cob fo rejoice in feeing Efau's face altered to him? hall he fay to Efau, I have feen thy face, as the face of God? How much rather may the humble and believing finner be filled with gladnefs, when, through Chrift's blood, God bould be thus appeafed and reconciled with him.

7. There is in it immunity, and safety from all the judgments and dangers threatned against our fins. Surely, if there were fuch force in the blood of the type, that by the effufion of it the Ifraelites lay fafe and untouched of the revenging angel, how much more in the blood of Chrift? Satan himfelf is faid to be overcome by the blood of the Lamb, 蓝 Rev. xii. 11. And God's revenge due to our fins is laid to be removed by the blood of Jefus, there

fore it is called, The blood of fprinkling, that speaks better things than the blood of Abel, Heb. xii. 24. the blood of fprinkling was for fafety, and Chriflis blood is for fafety, it cries not for revenge, as Abel's blood cried, but for mercy, and for deliverance from all mifery.

8. There is in it a bluffed virtue to open heaven, to make paffage thither for our fouls, Having boldness or liberty to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jefus, Heb. x. 19. It is the blood of Chrift that rents the vail, and makes a way into the holy of holies, that is, into the kingdom of heaven; without this blood there is no access to God; it is only by the blood of Chrift that heaven is a pen to our prayers, and that heaven is open to our perfous. This blood is the key that unlocks heaven, and lets in the fouls of his redeemed ones; And I looked (faith John) and behold a door was open in heaven, and the first voice I heard was, às it were of a trumpet talking with sne, which faid. Come up hither, Rev. iv. 1. And no fooner was he in the fpirit, and entred in, but he heard the new fong of the four beafts, and four and twenty elders, faying to Chrift, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the feals thereof, for thou waft flain, and haft redeemed us to God by thy blood, Rev. v. 9.

Come now, and gather in all these feveral particulars; there is in Chrift's blood inclufively the perfon of Chrift, the price of fouls, a merit and fa tisfaction, a copious and full fatisfaction, remiffion of fins, reconciliation with God, immunity from dangers, a paffage into glory: I might add all other privileges, benefits, dignities of the foul, for they all flow from the blood of Jefus, and they are all contained either exprefly, or virtually in the blood of Jefus: and is not all this worth the looking after? O my foul, where is thy languor and fainting towards this bieffed object? Shall Ahab eagerly defire after Naboth's vineyard; yea, la eagerly delire it, that his defire hall caft him upon his bed? And is not Chrift's blood better than Naboth's vineyard? How is it, O my foul, that thou art not fick on thy bed in thy defires after Jefus? When David defired ftrongly after God's law, he expreffed his longings by the breaking and fainting of his foul, My foul breaketh for the longing that it hath to thy judgment at all times; And my foul fainteth for thy falvation, Pfal.

1

Pfal, exix. 20, 81. Oh! where be thefe breakings and faintings? Strength of defire is expressed by the apostle, by groning, 2 Cor. v. 2. which is the language of ficknefs; Oh! where be thefe gronings after Chrift's death? When I call to mind that Chrift's death is my random, that Chrift's wounds are my falves, that Chrift's (trips are my cures, that Chrift's blood is my fountain to wash in, and to be clean; how fhould 1 but pray in this *fenfe, His blood be upon us, and on our children? Oh, I am undone, except I have a fhare in this blood! why, it is only this blood that can heal my foul, it is only this fountain opened to the houfe of David, and to the inhabitants of Jerufalem, that can quench my thirst; and now I have feen the fountain opened, How should I but thirst, and cry out with the woman of Samaria, O give me this water, that I thirst no more? John iv. 15. But alas, I fay it, I only fay it. Oh that I could feel it! Oh, my Jefus! that thou wouldst breed in me ardent defires, vehement longings; unutter able grones, mighty gafpings: O that I were like the dry and thirty ground that gapes and cleaves, and opens for drops of rain! when my fpirit is in right frame, I feel fome defires after Chrift's blood, but how thort are thefe defires? How unworthy of the things defired? Come, Lord, kindle in me hot burning defires, and then give me the defireable object.

4.

L'

SECT. IV.

Of hoping in Jefus in that refpect.

Et us hope in Jefus, carrying on the great work of our falvation in his fufferings and death. By this hope, I intend only that which the apofle calls full afurance of hope, Heb. vi. 11. The main queftion is, Whether I have any part in Christ's fufferings? They are of excellent ufe and of great value to believers; but what am I the better for them if I have no part in them? Or if I fay, I hope well, Oh! but what grounds of that hope? It is not every hope that is a well grounded hope, full affurance of hope is an high pitch of hope; and every Chriftian fhould strive.and endeavour after it now, that we may do it, and that we may difcern it, that our hope is not bafe but right born, that the grounds of our hope in Chrift's death are not falfe but of the right ftamp; Ifhall

lay down these signs.

1. If Christ's death be mine then is Chrift's life mine; and converfe, if Chrift's death be mine then is Chrift's life mine. Chrift's active and paffive obedience cannot be fevered; Chrift is not divided: we must not feek one part of our righteoufnefs in his birth, another in his habitual holiness, another in the integrity of his life, another in his obedience of death, They that endeavour to feparate Christ's active and paffive obedience, they do exceedingly derogate from Chriít, and make him but half a Saviour: was not Chrift our furety Heb. vii. 22. and thereupon was he not bound to fulfill all righteousness for us? (i. e.) As to fuffer in our ftead, fo to obey in our stead. Oh! take heed of oppofing or feparating Chrift's death and Chrift's life; either we have all Chrift, or we have no part in Chrift: now, if these two be concomitants, well may the one be as the fign of the other; fearch thep, and try, O my foul, haft thou any share in Chrift's life? Canft thou make out Chrift's active obedience unto thy own foul? If herein thou art a fland, perufe thofe characters laid down in the life of Chrift; the many glorious effects flowing out of Chrift's life unto a believer's foul we have discovered before.

2. If Christ's death be mine, then is that great end of his death accomplished in me, viz. By the facrifice of himself, he bath put away fin, even my fin, Heb. ix. 26. And, in him I have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of fins, Eph. i. 7. As on this account he fuffered, to finifh the tranfgreffion, to make an end of fins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, Dan. ix. 24. So, if his death be mine, I may affuredly fay, My fins are pardoned, and my iniquities are done away. Come then and try by this fign, canft than affure thyfelf that thy fins are forgiven thee? Haft thou heard the whispers of God's Spirit, Son, or daughter, be of good comfort, thy fins are remitted? There is no queftion then but thou art redeemed by his blood, thou haft part in his fufferings. Indeed this very character may seem obfcure, affurance of pardon is the hidden manna,the white flane, which no man knoweth faving he that receives it and feels it; and yet, if thou diligently obferveft the Spirit's actings, even this may be known, remiffion of fin and repentance, for fin are twins of a birth; thefe two, God in fcripture hath joined to

gether.

gether, If we confess cur fins, he is faithful and just to forgive our fins, Johni. 19.- -And repent and pray, if the thought of thy heart may be forgiven thee, Acts viii. 22. And Chrift is a prince and a Saviour to give repentance to Ifrael, and forgiveness of fins, Acts v. 31. And thus it is written, and thus it behoved Chrift to fuffer, Luke xxiv. 46, 47-That repentance and remiffion of fins should be preached in his name. In this way David affured himfelf, Pfalm xxxii. 5.. I faid, I will confefs my tranfgreffions unto the Lord, and thou forgaveft the iniquity of my fin. Selah. It is no more than but to afk thy own foul, What are thy repentings kindled together? Haft thou ferioufly and fincerely repented thee of fin as fin? Haft thou turned from all fin unto God with conftancy and delight? Surely this is peculiar and proper to the child of God by virtue of Chrift's death.

3. If Chrift death be mine, then am I ingrafted into the likeness of Chrift's death, then am I made conformable to Chrift in his death; That I may know him, and the fellowship of his fufferings, being made conformable unto his death, Phil. iii. 10. The fame that was done to Chrift in a natural way, is done and performed in the believer in a fpiritual way, (i. e.) as Chrift died, fo the believer dics; as Chrift died for fin, fo the believer dies to fin; In that he died, he died unto fin,--likewife reckon ye alfo yourselves to be dead indeed into fin, Rom. vi. 1o, 11. Obferve here the analogy, and proportion, and refemblance betwixt Chrift and us; both die unto fin, Chrift by way of explation, fuffering and fatisfying for the fins of others, we, by way of mortification, killing, and flaying, and crucifying our own fins. I look upon this fign as the very touchftone of a Chriftian, and therefore I fhall infist upon it.

Two queftions I fuppofe needful to refolve the grounds of our hope concerning our intereft in the death of Chrift.

1. Whether indeed, and in truth, our fins are mortified?

2. Whether we increafe, or grow in our mortification?

For the first, whether indeed, and in truth, our fins are mortified? It is a fkill worth our learning, becaufe of the many deceits that are within us; fin may feem to be mortified when the occafion is

removed; or fin may feem to be mortified when it is not violent but quiet; or fia may feem to be mortified when it is but removed from one fia un to another; or fin may feem to be mortified when the fap and strength of fin is dead, as the lamp goes out when either the oyl is not fupplied or taken away. Now, that in this fcrutiny we may fearch to the bottom, and know the truth and certainty of our mortification, it will appear by these rulos.

1. True mortification fprings from a root of faith. Every thing in the world proceeds from fome caufe or other; and if the cause be good the effect must needs be good, but if the cause be evil, the effect must needs be evil; A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, and an evil tree cannot bring forth good fruit, Matth. vii. 18. In this cafe, therefore let us examine the cause, if we can make out this truth that we believe in Chrift, that we role ourselves on the Lord Jefus Chrift for life and for falvation; and that now we begin to feel in us the decay of fin, we may conclude from the caufe or rife, that this decay of fin is true mortification; furely it hath received the deadly wound: it is a bleffed effect, arifing from a good, and right, and genuine cause.

2. True mortification is general; not only one fin, but all fins are mortified in a true believer. As death is unto the members of the body, fo is mortification unto the members of fin; now death feizeth upon every member, it leaves not life in any one member of the body, fo neither doth mortification leave life in any one member of fin; my meaning is, it takes away the commanding power of fin in every member: mortify your members which are upon the earth, (faith the apostle) your members, not one member; and then he in ftanceth, Fornication, uncleannefs, inordinate af fectims, epil concupifcence, and covetousness, which is idolatry, Col. iii. 5. Chriftians that have their intereft in Chrift's death, muft not only leave pride but luft; not only uncleannefs but covetousness; fin must not only be flain in the understanding, but in the will and affections: mortification is general.

You will fay this is an hard faying, Doth any man, any believer, leave all fin? Yes, in refpect of ruling power, he leaves all fin, all grofs fios, and all other fins; only with this difference, all grofs fins in practice and actions, and all frailties and infirmities in allowance and affection. It is good to

ob