a burial with Christ dying to alâ— things besides him Every time thou thinkest on Christ be astonished and wonder and wheâ—â— thou seest sin look at Christ's Grace that dâ—â— pardon it and when thou art Proud look 〈◊〉 Christ's Grace that shall humble and strike the down in the dust Remember Christ's time of love when thou wast naked Ezek. 16.8.9 and then he chosethee Canst thou ever have aproud thought remember whose arms supported thee from sinking and delivered thee from the lowest hell Psal 86.13 and shout in the ears of Angels and Men Psal 148. sing for ever praise Grace Daily Repent and Believe and Pray and walk in the sight of grace as one that hath the anointings of grace upon thee Remember thy Sins Christ's pardonings thy deserts his Merits thy weakness Christ's strength thy pride Christ's humility thy many infirmities Christ's restorings thy guilt Christ's newapplications of his Blood thy failings Christ's raisings up thy slightiness Christ's sufferings thy want Christ's fulness thy Temptations Christ's Tenderness thy vileness Christ's righteousness Blessed Soul whom God shall find not having on his own righteousness Phil. 3.6 but having his robes washt and made white in the blood of the Lamb Rev. 7.14 Woful miserable Professor that hath not the gospel within rest not in Church-tryal thou may'st pass that and be a cast away in Christ's day of tryal Thou mayst come to Baptism and never come to Jesus and the Blood of sprinkling Heb. 12.24 Whatever workings or attainments come not up to clear distinct apprehensions of Christ's blood merits righteousness the main object of the Gospel falls short of the Gospel and leaves the Soul in a condition of Doubtings and Questionings and Doubtings if not lookt unto betimes will turn to rightiness of Spirit one of the most dangerous Frames Trifle not with ordinances Be much in Meditation and Prayer Wait diligently on all hearing opportunities We had need of Doctrin Reproof Exhortation Consolation as the tender Herbs and the Grass hath of the Rain the Dew the small Rain and the Showers Deut. 32.3 Do all thou dost as Soul work as unto Christ Zach. 7.5 6. As immediately dealing with Christ Jesus as if he were looking on thee and thou on him and setch all thy Strength from him Observe what holy Motions you find in your Soul to Duties Prize the least motion that is from a sight of Christ the least good thought thou hast of Christ the least good word thou speakest of them sincerely from the Heart is rich Mercy O bless God from it Observe of every day you have the Day spring from on high with his Morning Dews of mourning for Sin constantly visiting Luk. 1.17 the bright Morning-Star with fresh influences of Grace and Peace constantly arising Rev. 22.16 And Christ sweetly greeting the Soul in all Duties What Duty makes not more spiritual will make more carnal what doth not quicken and humble will deaden and harden Judas may have the Sop the outward priviledge of Baptism Supper Church-Fellowship c. But John leaned on Christ's Bosome John 15.23 That 's the Gospel-ordinance posture in which we should pray and hear and perform all Duties Nothing but lying in that Bosome will dissolve hardness of heart and make thee to mourn kindly for sin and cure Slightiness and Ordinariness of Spirit that Gangrene in Profession that will humble indeed and make the Soul Cordial to Christ and Sin Vile to the Soul yea transform the ugliest piece of Hell into the Glory â—f Christ Never think thou art right as thou shouldst be a Christian of any glorious attainment until thou come to this always to see â—nd feel thy self lying in the Bosome of Christ who is in the Bosome of the Father Job 1. â—8 Come and move the Father for Sights of Christ and you shall be sure to speed You â—an come with no Request that pleaseth him â—etter He gave him out of his own Bosome â—or that very end to be held up before the â—yes of all Sinners as the Everlasting Monument of his Father's Love Looking at the natural Sun weakeneth the Eye The more you look at Christ the Sun of Righteousness the Stronger and clearer will the Eye of Faith be Look but at Christ you will Love him and Live on him Think on him continually keep the Eye constantly upon Christ's Blood or every Blast of Temptation will shake you If you will see Sin 's Sinfulness to hate it and Mourn do not stand looking upon Sin but look upon Christ first as Suffering and Satisfying If you would see your Graces your Sanctifications do not stand gazing upon them but look at Christs Righteousness in the first place see the Sun and you see all then look at your Graces in the second When you act Faith what you first look at that you expect Settlement from and make it the bottom of your Hope Go to Christ in sights of thy sin and misery not of thy grace and holiness Have nothing to do with thy graces and Sanctification they will but vail Christ till thou hast seen Christ first He that looks upon Christ thro his Graces is like one that see the Sun in Water which wavereth and moves as the Water doth Look upon Christ only as shining in the Firmament of the Fathers Love and Grace you will not see him but in his own glory which is unspeakable Pride and unbelief will put you upon seeing somewhat in your self first but Faith will have to do with none but Christ who is unexpressibly glorious and must swallow up thy Sanctification as well as thy sin for God made him both for us and we must make him both 1 Cor. 1.30 2 Cor. 5.21 He that sets up his Sanctification to look at to comfort him he sets up the greatest Idol which will strengthen his doubts and sears Do but look off Christ and presently like Peter you sin A Christian never wants comfort but by breaking the order and method of the Gospel looking his own and looking off Christ's perfect righteousness which is to chuse to live rather by candle-light than by the light of the sun The honey that you suck from your own righteousness will turn into perfect gall and the light that you take from that to walk in will turn into black night upon the Soul Satan is tempting thee by putting thee to plod about thy own graces to get comfort from them then the Father comes and points thee to Christ's Grace as rich and glorious infinitely pleasing him and bid thou Study Christ's Righteousness and his biddings are enablings that 's a blessed Motion a sweet whispering checking thy unbelief follow the least hint close with much Prayer prize it as an unvaluable Jewel It s an earnest of more 〈◊〉 come Again if you would Pray and cannot and so are discouraged See Christ Praying for you using his interest with the Father for you What can you Want John 14. and chap. 17. If you be troubled see Christ your Peace Eph 2.14 leaving you Peace when he went up to Heaven again and again charging you not to be troubled no not in the least sinfully troubled so as to obstruct thy comfort or thy believing John 14.1.27 He is now upon the throne having spoiled upon his cross in the lowest state of his Humiliation all whatsoever can hurt or annoy thee He hath born all thy Sins sorrows sears disgraces sicknesses troubles temptations and is gone to prepare mansions for thee Thou who hast seen Christ all and thy self nothing who makes Christ thy life and art dead to all righteousness besides thou art the Christian who hath sound savour with God Favorite of Heaven do Christ this Favour for all his Love love his saints and churches the meanest the weakest notwithstanding difference in Judgment they are engraven on his Heart as the Names of the children of Israe on Aaron's Brest-plate Exod. 24.21 Let them be so on thine Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem they shall prosper that love Her Psam 122.6 FINIS
that grace to be theirs Sights will cause applications I may be ashamed to think that in the midst of so much profession yet I have known little of the blood of Christ which is the main thing of the Gospel A Christless formal profession will be the blackest sight next to hell that can be Thou mayst have many good things and yet one thing be wanting that may make thee go away sorrowful from Christ Thou hast never sold all thou hast never parted with all thine own righteousness c. Thou mayst be high in duty yet a perfect enemy and adversary to Christ in every prayer in every ordinance Labour after sanctification to thy utmost but make not a Christ of it to save thee if so it must come down one way or other Christ's infinite satisfaction not thy sanctification must be thy justification before God When the Lord shall appear terrible out of his holy places Fire shall consume all that as Hay and Stubble This will be found Religion only To bottom all upon the everlasting mountains of Gods love and grace in Christ to live continually in the fight of Christs infinite righteousness and merits they are sanctifying without them the heart is carnal and in those sights to see the full vileness yet littleness of Sin and to see all pardoned In those sights to pray hear be baptized c. Seeing thy polluted self and all thy weak performances continually in those sights to trample upon allthy self-glories righteousnesses priviledges as abominable and be sound continually in the righteousness of Christ only rejoycing in the ruins of all thy own righteousness the spoiling of all thy own excellencies that Christ alone as Mediator may be exalted in his throne mourning over all thy duties how glorious soever that thou hast not performed in the sight and fense of Christ's love Without the blood of Christ on the Consciences all are â—â—â—d services Heb. 9.14 opinion of Free will so cry'd up will be easily confuted as it is by the Scripture in thy heart who hath had any spiritual dealings with Christ as to the application of his merits and subjection to his righteousness Christ is every way too magnificent a Person for poor nature to close withal or apprehend Christ is so infinite holy nature durst never look at him so infinitely good nature can never believe him to be such when it lies under full sights of Sin Christ is too high and glorious for nature so much as to touch There must be a divine love first put into the soul to make it lay hold on him he lays so infinitely beyond the sight or reach of nature That Christ that natural Free-will can apprehend is but a natural Christ of man's own making not the fathers Christ not Jesus the Son of the living God to whom none can come without the Father's drawing John 6.44.46 Finally Search the Scriptures daily as mines of Gold wherein the heart of Christ is laid Watch against constitution sins see them in their vileness and they will never break out into act Keep always an humble empty broken frame of heart sensible of any spiritual miscarriage observant of all inward workings fit for the highest communications Keep not guilt in the conscience but apply the blood of Christ immediately God chargeth sin and guilt upon thee to make thee look to Christ the brasen Serpent Judge not Christ's love by evidences but by promises Bless God for shaking off false foundations for any way whereby he keeps the soul awakened and looking after Christ better sickness temptations than security and slightness A slighty spirit will turn a prophane spirit and will sin and pray too Slightiness is the bane of Profession if it be not Rooted out of 〈◊〉 Heart by constant and serious dealings with and beholding of Christ in Duties it will grow more strong and more deadly by being under Church Ordinances Measure not thy Graces by others attainments but by Scripture-trials Be serious exact in Duty having the weight of it upon the Heart but be as much afraid of taking comfort from duties as from Sins-Comfort from any hand but Christ is deadly Bemuch in Prayer or you will never keep up much Communion with God As you are in Closet-Prayer so you will be in all other Ordinances Reckon not duties by high Expression but by low frames and the beholdings of Christ Tremble at duties and gifts It was the saying of a Saint He was more afraid of his duties than his sins the one often made him proud the other always made him humble Treasure up manifestations they make the heart low for Christ too high for sâ—n Slight not the lowest meanest evidences of Grace God may put thee to make use of the lowest as thou think'st even that 1 Job 3.14 That may be wrath a thousand worlds to thee Be true to truth but not turbulent and scornful Restore such as are sallen Help them up a gain with all the bowels of Christ Set the broken dis-jointed bones with the grace of the Gospel High professors despise not weak Saints Thou mayst come to wish to be in the condition of the meanest of them Be faithful to others infirmities but sensible of thy one Visit sick beds and deserted Souls much they 're excellent schools of experiences Abide in your calling be dutiful to all relations as to the Lord Be content with little of the world little willserve Think every little of earth much because unworthy of the least Think much of Heaven too little because Christ is so rich and free Think every one better than thy self and carry ever self-loathing about thee as one fit to be trampled upon by all the saints See the vanity of the world and the consumption that is upon all things and love nothing but Christ Mourn to see so little of Christ in the world so sew needing him Trifles pleaseth them better To a secure soul Christ is but a Fable the scriptures but a story Mourn to think how many under baptism church-order that are not under Grace looking much after duty obedience little after Christ little versed in Grace Prepare for the Cross welcome it bear it triumphantly like Christ's cross whether scoffs mockings jeers contempts imprisonments c But see it be Christ's cross not thine own Sin will hinder from glorying in the cross of Christ Omiting little truths against light may breed hell in the conscience as well as omitting the greatest Sin against light If thou hast been taken out of the belly of hell into Christ's bosome and made to sit among Princes in the houshold of God O how shouldst thou live as a pattern of Mercy redeemed restored soul what infinite sums dost thou owe Christ With what singular frames must thou walk in and do every duty Sabbaths what praising days singing of halelujahs should they be to thee church-fellow-ship what a heaven a being with Christ and Angels and Saints Baptism what a drowning the soul in eternal love as
save When satan chargeth sin upon the conscience then the soul to charge it upon Christ that is Gospel-like that is to make him Christ he serves for that use To accept Christ's righteousness alone his blood alone for Salvation That is the sum of the Gospel when the soul in all duties and distresses can say Nothing but Christ Christ alone for righteousness justification Sanctification Redemption 1 Cor. 1.30 Not humblings not duties not Graces c. That Soul hath got above the reach of the billows For all temptations satan's advantages our complainings are laid in self-righteousness and self-excellency God pursueth these by setting satan upon thee as Laban did Jacob for his Images which Rachel hid Gen. 31. these must be torn from thee be as willing as thou wilt these hinder Christ from coming in and till Christ come in guilt will not go out and where guilt is there is hardness of heart and therefore much guilt argues little if any thing of Christ's blood that will tend to hardning Make Christ thy Peace Eph. 2.14 not thy duties thy tears c. Christ thy righteousness not thy graces c. Thou mayst destroy Christ by duties as well as by sins Look at Christ and do as much as thou wilt Stand with all thy weight upon Christ's righteousness take heed of having one foot on thy own righteousness another on Christ's Till Christ come and fit on high upon a throne of grace in the conscience there is nothing but guilt terrors secret suspicions the soul hanging between hope and fear which is an un-gospel like State He that fears to see sin's utmost vileness the utmost hell of his own heart he suspects the merits of Christ Be thou never such a great sinner 1 John 2.1 try Christ to make him thy advocate and thou shalt find him Jesus Christ the Righteous In all doubtings fears storms of conscience look at Christ continually Do not argue it with satan he desires no better bid him go to Christ and he will answer him it is his office as he is our Advocate 1 John 2.1 his office to answer law as our surety Heb. 7.22 his office to answer justice as our Mediator Gal. 3.20 1 Tim. 2.5 and he sworn to that office Heb. 7.20.21 Put Christ upon it if thou wilt do any thing thy self as to satisfaction for sin thou renounceth Christ the righteous who was made sin for thee 2 Cor 2.21 Satan may alledge and corrupt scripture but he cannot answer scripture It s Christ's Word of mighty authority Christ foyled Satan with it Mat. 4. In all the scripture there is not an ill word against a poor sinner stript of self-righteousness nay it plentifully points out this man to be the subject of the grace of the Gospel and none else Believe but Christ's willingness and that will make thee willing If thou findest thou canst not believe remember its Christ's work to make thee believe put him upon it he works to will and do of his good pleasure Phil. 2.13 Mourn for thy unbelief which is a setting up guilt in the conscience above Christ an undervaluing the merits of Christ accounting his blood an unholy a common and unsatisfying thing Thou complainest much of thy self doth thy sin make thee look more at Christ less at self That 's right else complaining is but hypocrisy To be looking at duties graces enlargements when thou shouldst be looking at Christ that 's pityful Looking at them will but make thee proud looking at Christ's grace will make thee humble By grace you are saved Eph. 2.5 In all thy temptations be not discouraged Jam. 1.2 those Surges may not be to break thee but to heave thee off thy self on to the Rock Christ Thou mayst be brought low even to the brink of hell ready to tumble in thou canst not be brought lower than to the belly of Hell many Saints have been there even dowced in hell yet there mayst thou cry there mayst thou look towards the holy Temple Jonah 24. Into that Temple none might enter but purified ones and with an offering too Acts 21.26 But now Christ is our Temple Sacrifice Altar High-priest to whom none must come but sinners and that without any offering but his own blood once offered Heb. 7.27 Remember all the patterns of grace that are in heaven Thou thinkst O what a monument of grace wouldst thou be there are many thousands as rich monuments as thou be The greatest sinner did never oppose the grace of Christ do not despair Hope still when the clouds at blackest even then look towards Christ the standing Pillar of the Father's love and grace set up in heaven for all finners to gaze upon continually VVhatsoever satan or conscience says do not conclude against thy self Christ shall have the last word he is the Judge of quick and dead and must pronounce the final sentence his blood speaks reconciliation Col. 1.20 cleansing 1 John 1.7 purchase Acts 20.28 redemption 1 Pet. 1.19 purging Heb. 9.13.14 remission v. 20. liberty Heb. 10.10 justification Rom. 5.9 nighness to God Eph. 2.13 Not a drop of this blood shall be lost Stand and hearken what God will say for he will speak peace to his people that they return no more to folly Psal 85.8 He speak grace mercy and peace 2 Tim. 1.2 That 's the language of the father and of Christ Wait for Christ's appearing as the morning star Rev. 22.19 He shall come as certainly as the morning as refreshingly as the rain Hos 6.3 The sun may as well be hindered from rising as Christ the sun of righteousness Mal. 4.2 Look not a moment off Christ Look not upon sin but look upon Christ first When thou mournest for sin if thou dost not see Christ away with it Zach. 12.10 In every duty look at Christ before duty to pardon In duty to assist After duty to accept without this it is but carnal careless duty Do not legalize the gospel as if part did remain to thee to do and suffer and Christ were but an half Mediator and thou must bear part of thy own sin make part satisfaction Let sin break thy heart but not hope in the Gospel Look more at justification than sanctification In the highest commands consider Christ not as an exactor to require but a debtor an undertaker to work If thou hast looked at workings duties qualifications and such like more than at the merits of Christ it will cost theâ— dear no wonder thou goest complaining Graces may be evidences the merits of Christ only without them must be the foundation of thy hope to bottom on Christ only can be the hope of glory Col. 1.27 When we come to God we must bring nothing but Christ with us Any ingredients of our own qualifications will poison and corrupt faith he that builds upon duties graces and the like knows not the merits of Christ This makes believing so hard so far above nature if thou believest thou must renounce as dung and dross