produced OTHERS there are who may be some way Strangers but are no way Enemies unto this Mystery and to the practical Exercise of Faith therein Unto such I shall tender the ensuing Directions 1. RECKON in your Minds that this beholding of the Glory of Christ by beholding the Glory of God and all his Holy Properties in him is the greatest Priviledge whereof in this Life we can be made Partakers The Dawning of Heaven is in it and the First Fruits of Glory for this is Life Eternal to know the Father and whom he hath sent Christ Jesus John 17. 3. Unless you value it unless you esteem it as such a Priviledge you will not enjoy it and that which is not valued according unto its Worth is despised It is not enough to think it a Priviledge an Advantage but it is to be valued above other things according unto its Greatness and Excellency Destruction and Death say we have heard the Fame of it with our Ears Job 28. 22. And if we do no more we shall die Strangers unto it We are to cry after this Knowledge and lift up our Voice for this Vnderstanding if we design to attain it 2. AS it is a great Priviledge which requires a due Valuation so it is a great Mystery which requires much Spiritual Wisdom to the right understanding of it and to direct in its Practise 1 Cor. 2. 4 5. Flesh and Blood will not reveal it unto us but we must be taught of God to apprehend it John 1. 12 13. Mat. 16. 16 17. Mere unsanctified Reason will never enable us unto nor guide us in the Discovery of this Duty Men are not so vain as to hope for Skill and Understanding in the Mystery of a secular Art or Trade without the diligent Use of those Means whereby it may be attained and shall we suppose that we may be furnished with spiritual Skill and Wisdom in this sacred Mystery without Diligence in the Use of the Means appointed of God for the attaining of it The Principal of them is Fervent Prayer Pray then with Moses that God would sâ—ew you this his Glory pray with the Apostle that the Eyes of your Vnderstandings may be enlightened to behold it Pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of Glory may give unto you the spirit of Wisdom and Revelation in the Knowledge of him Fill your Minds with spiritual Thoughts and Contrivances about them Slothful and lazy Souls never obtain one View of this Glory the Lion in the way deters them from attempting it Being carnal they abhor all Diligence in the Use of spiritual Means such as Prayer and Meditation on things unto them uneasie unpleasing and difficult Unto others the Way partakes of the Nature of the End the Means of obtaining a View of the Glory of Christ are of the same Kind of the same Pleasantness with that View it self in their Proportion 3. LEARN the Use hereof from the Actings of contrary vitious Habits When the Minds of Men are vehemently fixed on the pursuit of their Lusts they will be continually ruminating on the Objects of them and have a thousand Contrivances about them until their Eyes become full of an Adulteress and they cannot cease from sinning as the Apostle speaks The Objects of their Lusts have framed and raised an Image of themselves in their Minds and transformed them into their own Likeness is this the way of them who go down to the Chambers of Death Do they thus frame their Souls and make them meet for Destruction until their Words Gestures Actions proclaim the Frame of their Minds unto all that look upon them And shalt we be slothful and negligent in the Contemplation of that Glory which transforms our Minds into its own Likeness so as that the Eyes of our Understandings shall be continually filled with it until we see him and behold him continually so as never to cease from the hoâ—y Acts of Delight in him and Love unto him 4. WOULD we then behold the Glory of God as he manifesteth it in and by the holy Properties of his Nature with their blessed Operations and Effects without which we have nothing of the Power of Religion in us whatever we pretend this alone is the Way of it Go to the whole Creation and all things contained in it they can say no more but we have heard the Famâ— and Report of these things and what we have heard we declare but it is but a little Portion of them that we are acquainted withal The Heavens indeed declare the Glory of God and the Firmament sheweth his handy Work The invisible things of God are understood by the things that are made even his Eternal Power and Godhead But comparatively it is but little that we can hence learn of these things as unto what we may behold of them in Christ Jesus How blind herein was the best Philosopher in comparison of the meanest of the Apostles yea of him who is least in the Kingdom of Heaven BUT herein it is required that we rest not in the Notion of this Truth and a bare Assent unto the Doctrine of it The affecting Power of it upon our Hearts is that which we should aim at Wherein doth the Blessedness of the Saints above consist Is it not herein that they behold and see the Glory of God in Christ And what is the Effect of it upon those blessed Souls Doth it not change them into the same Image or make them like unto Christ Doth it not fill and satiate them with Joy Rest Delight Complacency and ineffable Satisfaction Do we expect do we desire the same State of Blessedness It is our present View of the Glory of Christ which is our Initiation thereinto if we are exercised in it until we have an Experience of its Transforming Power in our Souls THESE things are it may be of little use unto some Such as are Babes in spiritual Knowledge and Understanding either because they are Carnal 1 Cor. 3. 1 2. or slothful in hearing Heb. 5. 12 13 14. are not capable of these Divine Mysteries And therefore the Apostle did in an especial manner declare this Wisdom of God in a Mystery unto them that were perfect 1 Cor. 2. 6 7. That is who were more grown in spiritual Knowledge and had their Senses exercised to discern Good and Evil. It is unto them who are exercised in the Contemplation of invisible things who delight to walk in the more retired Paths of Faith and Love to whom they are precious SOME few Inferences from the Whole of what hath been declared shall put a Close to this part of our Discourse 1. THE Holy Properties of the Divine Nature are not only represented unto our Faith in Christ as unto their own essential Glory but as they are in the Exercise of their Powers for the Salvation of the Church In him do we behold the Wisdom Goodness Love Grace Mercy and Power of God acting themselves in the
2. Are we then any of us under Convictions of Spiritual Decays or do we long for such Renovations of Spiriritual strength as may make us flourish in Faith Love and Holiness we must know assuredly that nothing of all this can be attained but it must come from Jesus Christ alone We see what Promises are made what Duties are prescribed unto us but however we should endeavour to apply our selves unto the one on the other they would yield us no Relief unless we know how to receive it from Christ himself 2. THE only way of receiving Supplies of Spiritual Strength and Grace 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 Faith and we live by Faith in or on the Son of God This I suppose will be granted that if we receive any thing from Christ it must be by Faith it must be in the Exercise of it or in a way of Believing nor is there any one word in the Scripture that gives the least Encouragement to expect either Grace or Mercy from him in any other way or by any other means 3. THIS Faith respects the Person of Christ his Grace his whole Mediation with all the Effects 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 to be 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 thrô Faith or a constant lively Exercise of Faith on him according as he is revealed unto us in the Scripture is the only effectual way to obtain a Revival from under our Spiritual Decays and such Supplies of Grace as shall make us Flourishing and Fruitful even in Old Age. He that thus lives by Faith in him shall by his Spiritual thriving and growth shew That the Lord is upright that he is our Rock and that there is no unrighteousness in him WE may consider briefly First How this is 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 1. THIS Direction is given us Psal. 34. 5. They looked unto him and were lightened and their Faces were 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 be denied And it is their Faith which is expressed by their looking unto him which is nothing but that beholding of his Glory which we have described For it is an Act of Trust arising from an Apprehension 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 Exercise of the same Faith THIS is that which we are called unto Isa. 45. 22. Look unto me and be saved all ye ends of the Earth On this look to Christ on this view of his Glory depends our whole Salvation and therefore all things that are needful thereunto do so also This is the way whereby we receive Grace and Glory This is the Direction given us by the Holy Ghost for the attaining of them SO is the same Duty described Micah 7. 7. Therefore I will look unto the Lord I will wait for the God of my Salvation my God will hear me The Church knew not any other way of Relief whatever her Distresses were A Look unto Christ as Crucified and how Glorious he was therein hath been declared is made the Cause and Fountain of that Godly Sorrow which is a Spring unto all other Graces especially in those who have fallen under Decays Zech. 12. 10. and it is so also of desiring strength from him to enable us to endure all our Tryals Troubles and Afflictions with patience unto the end Heb. 12. 2. THE only Enquiry remaining is How a constant view of the Glory of Christ will produce this Blessed Effect in us And it will do so several ways 1. IT will be effected by that transforming Power and Efficacy which this Exercise of Faith is always accompanied withal This is that which changeth us every day more and more into the likeness of Christ as hath been at large before declared Herein all Revivals and all Flourishings are contained To have a good measure of Conformity unto Christ is all whereof in this Life we are capable The perfection of it is Eternal Blessedness According as are our Attainments therein so is the thriving and flourishing of the Life of Grace in us which is that which is aimed at other ways and means it may be have failed us let us put this to the Tryal Let us live in the constant Contemplation of the Glory of Christ and vertue will proceed from him to repair all our Decays to renew a right Spirit within us and to cause us to abound in all Duties of Obedience This way of producing these effects Flesh and Blood will not reveal it looks like washing in Jordan to cure a Leprosie But the Life of Faith is a Mystery known only unto them in whom it is 2. IT will fix the Soul unto that Object which is suited to give it Delight Complacency and Satisfaction This in perfection is Blessedness for it is caused by the Eternal Vision of the Glory of God in Christ And the nearer Approaches we make unto this State the better the more Spiritual the more Heavenly is the State of our Souls And this is to be obtained only by a constant Contemplation of the Glory of Christ as hath been declared And it is several ways effectual unto the end now proposed For 1. THE most of our Spiritual Decays and Barrenness arise from an inordinate admission of other things into our Minds for these are they that weaken Grace in all it 's Operations But when the Mind is filled with thoughts of Christ and his Glory when the Soul thereon cleaves unto him with intense Affections they will cast out or not give admittance unto those causes of Spiritual Weakness and Indisposition See Col. 3. 1 2 3 4 5. Ephes. 5. 8. 2. WHERE we are ingaged in this Duty it will stir up every Grace unto it's due Exercise which is that wherein the Spiritual Revival enquired after doth consist This is all we desire all we long for this will make us fat and flourishing namely that every Grace of the Spirit have it's due Exercise in us See Rom. 5. 3 4 5. 2 Pet. 1. 5 6 7 8. Whereas therefore Christ himself is the first proper adequate Object of all Grace and all
your Net this once more upon the Command of Christ venture this once more to come unto him on his Call and Invitation you know not what success he may give unto you 2. CONSIDER that it is not failing in this or that Attempt of coming to Christ but a giving over your Endeavours that will be your Ruine The Woman of Canaan in her great outcry to Christ for Mercy Mat. 15. 22. had many a Repulse First it is said he answered her not a word then his Disciples desired that he would send her away that she might not trouble him any more whereon he gives a Reason why he would not regard her or why he could justly pass her by she was not an Israelitess unto whom he was sent yet she gives not over but pressing into his presence cries out for Mercy ver 25. being come to that issue to try and draw out her Faith to the utmost which was his design from the beginning he reckons her among Dogs that were not to have Childrens bread given unto them Had she now at last given over upon this severe Rebuke she had never obtained Mercy but persisting in her Request she at last prevailed ver 27. 28. It may be you have prayed and cryed and resolved and vowed but all without success as you suppose Sin hath broken thorough all however if you give not over you shall prevail at last you know not at what time God will come in with his Grace and Christ will manifest his love unto you as unto the poor Woman after many a rebuke It may be after all he will do it this day and if not he may do it another do not despond Take that word of Christ himself for your Encouragement Prov. 8. 34. Blessed is the man that heareth me watching daily at my Gates waiting at the posts of my doors If you hear him and wait though you have not yet admission but are kept at the gates and posts of the doors yet in the issue you shall be blessed 3. THE Rule in this case is Hos. 6 3. Then shall we know if we follow on to know Are you in the way of knowing Christ in the use of Means hearing the Word and sincere Endeavours in holy Duties though you cannot yet attain unto any Evidence that you have received him have closed with him nothing can ruine you but giving over the way wherein you are for then shall you know if you follow on to know the Lord. Many can give you their Experiences that if they had been discouraged by present overwhelming Difficulties arising from their Disappointments breaking of Vows relapses into Folly they had been utterly ruined whereas now they are at rest and peace in the Bosom of Christ. On a great surprizal Christ lost at once many Disciples and they lost their Souls John 6. 66. They went back and walked no more with him take heed of the like Discouragements III. SOME may say yea practically they do say That these things indeed are necessary they must come to Christ by believing or they are undone but this is not the season of it there will be time enough to apply themselves unto it when other occasions are past At present they have not leisure to enter upon and go through with this Duty wherefore they will abide in their present State for a while hearing and doing many things and when time serves will apply themselves unto this Duty also 1. THIS is an uncontrollable evidence of that Sottishness and Folly which is come upon our Nature by Sin A Depravation that the Apostle places in the head of the Evils of corrupted Nature Tu. 3. 3. Can any thing be more foolish sottish and stupid than for men to put off the consideration of the Eternal Concernment of their Souls for one hour being altogether uncertain whether they shall live another or no to preferr present Trifles before the Blessedness or Misery of an Immortal State For those who never heard of these things who never had any Conviction of Sin and Judgment to put the evil day far from them is not much to be admired But for you who have Christ preached unto you who own a necessity of coming unto him to put it off from day to day upon such slight pretences it is an astonishable Folly May you not be spoken unto in the language of the Wisdom of God Prov. 6. 9 10 11. You come to hear the Word and when you go away the language of your Hearts is Yet a little sleep a little slumber a little folding of the hands to sleep We will abide a little while in our present State and afterwards we will rouze up our selves Under this Deceit do multitudes perish every day This is a dark Shade wherein cursed Unbelief lyes hid 2. CONSIDER that this is the greatest Engine that Satan makes use of in the World among them that hear the Word preached unto them for the ruine of their Souls He hath other Arts and Ways and Methods of dealing with other Men as by sensual and worldly Lusts But as unto them who through their Convictions do attend unto the preaching of the Word this is his great and almost only Engine for their Ruine There needs no haste in this matter another time will be more seasonable you may be sure not to fail of it before you dye However this present day and time is most unfit for it you have other things to do you cannot part with your present frame you may come again to hear the Word the next opportunity Know assuredly if your Minds are influenced unto delays of coming to Christ by such insinuations you are under the Power of Satan and he is like enough to hold you fast unto Destruction 3. THIS is as evil and dangerous a Posture or frame of Mind as you can well fall under If you have learned to put off God and Christ and the Word for the present Season and yet relieve your selves in this that you do not intend like others alwayes to reject them but will have a time to hearken to their calls you are secured and fortified against all Convictions and Perswasions all fears one answer will serve for all within a little while you will do all that can be required of you This is that which ruines the Souls of multitudes every day It is better dealing with Men openly profligate than with such a trifling promiser See Isa. 5. 7 10. 4. REMEMBER that the Scripture confines you unto the present day without the least intimation that you shall have either another day or another tender of Grace and Mercy in any day 2 Cor. 6. 2. Heb. 3. 7. 13. Chap. 12. 15. Take care lest you come short of the Grace of God miss of it by missing your opportunity Redeem the time or you are lost for ever 5. AS unto the pretence of your Occasions and Business there is a ready way to disappoint the craft of Satan in that pretence namely
unto him whereof they express First The Cause which was his meer Grace and Mercy For in thee the Fatherless findeth Mercy And Secondly The Effect of it which is Praise and Thanksgiving So will we render the Calves of our Lips And some things we may hence farther observe as unto the Case under Consideration As 1. ALTHOUGH God will repair our Spiritual Decays and heal our Backslidings freely yet he will do it so or in such a way as wherein he may communicate Grace unto us to the praise of his own Glory Therefore are these Duties prescribed unto us in order thereunto for although they are not the procuring Cause of the Love and Grace from whence alone we are healed yet are they required in the method of the Dispensation of Grace to precede the Effect of them Nor have we any where a more illustrious Instance and Testimony of the Consistency and Harmony which is between Soveraign Grace and the diligent discharge of our Duty than we have in this place For as God promiseth that he would heal their Backslidings out of his free Love verse 4. and would do it by the Communication of Effectual Grace ver 5. so he injoyns them all these Duties in order thereunto 2. THAT Tunless we find these things wrought in us in a way of preparation for the receiving of the Mercy desired we have no firm ground of Expectation that we shall be made partakers of it For this is the method of Gods dealing with the Church Then and then only we may expect a gracious Reviving from all our Decays when serious Repentance working in the ways declared is found in us This Grace will not surprize us in our Sloth Negligence and Security but will make way for it self by stirring us up unto sincere endeavours after it in the perseverance of these Duties And untill we see better Evidences of this Repentance among us than as yet appears we can have but small Hopes of a general Recovery from our present Decays 5. THE Work it self is declared 1. By it's Nature 2. In it's Causes 3. From it's Effects 1. IN the Nature of it it is the healing of Backslidings I will heal their Backslidings the Sin whereby they are fallen off from God unto whom they are now exhorted to Return These bring the Souls of Men into a diseased Estate and danger of Death The Cure hereof is the Work of God alone Hence he gives himself that Title I am the Lord that healeth thee Exod. 15. 26. And because of the poysonous Nature of Sin and the danger it brings of Eternal Death unto the Souls of Men the Removal of it or a Recovery from it is often called by the name of Healing Psal. 6. 2. Isai. 57. 18 19. Hos. 6. 1. Here it includeth two things First the pardon of Sin past and then a supply of Grace to make us fruitful in Obedience I will be as the Dew to Israel as we shall see This is God's Healing of Backslidings 2. IN the Causes of it which are 1. The Principal moving Cause and that is free undeserved Love I will love them freely From hence alone is our Recovery to be expected 2. The Efficient Cause which as unto Sins past is pardoning Mercy Mins Anger is turned away from him And as unto renewed Obedience in which two our Recovery consists it is in a plentiful Supply of Effectual Grace I will be as the Dew unto Israel Fresh supplies of the Spirit of Grace from above are so expressed This is necessary unto our Healing and Recovery 3. IT is described by it's Effect which is a much more abundant Fruitfulness in Holiness and Obedience in Peace and Love than ever they had before attained This the Prophet sets out in multiplied Similitudes and Metaphors to denote the Greatness and Efficacy of the Grace so communicated I have a little insisted on the opening of this Context for sundry Reasons 1. THE Case which I would consider is in all the parts of it stated distinctly and represented clearly unto us There is nothing remains but only the especial Way whereby in the Exercise of Faith this Grace may be obtained which is that which I shall speak unto in the last place as that which is principally intended in this Discourse 2. THAT I might shew how great a thing it is to have our Spiritual Decays made up our Backslidings healed and so to attain the vigorous acting of Grace and Spiritual Life with a flourishing Profession and fruitful Obedience in Old Age It is so set forth here by the Holy Ghost as that every one must needs have a sense of the Beauty and Glory of the Work It is that which Divine Love Mercy and Grace are eminently effectual in unto the Glory of God that which so many Duties are required to prepare us for Let no Man think that it is a light or common work every thing in it is peculiar It is unto them who are made partakers of it a Life from the Dead 3. THAT none may utterly despond under their Decays When Persons are awakened by new Convictions and begin to feel the weight of them and how 〈◊〉 they are intangled with them they 〈◊〉 ready to faint and even to despair of Deliverance But we see that here is a Promise of Deliverance from them by pardoning Mercy and also of such fresh Springs of Grace as shall cause us to abound in Holiness and Fruitfulness Who is it that is entangled with Corruptions and Temptations that groans under a sense of a cold lifeless barren frame of Heart he may take in Spiritual Refreshment if by Faith he can make Application of this Promise unto himself 4. THAT which remains is to declare the particular Way whereby in the Exercise of Faith we may obtain the Fruit of this and all other Promises of the like Nature unto the End so often proposed namely of being flourishing and fruitful even in Old Age. Now supposing a due Attendance unto the Duties mentioned I shall give some Directions with respect unto that which gives Life Power and Efficacy unto them all and which will infallibly bring us unto the full Enjoyment of this Signal Mercy And they are these that â—ollow 1. ALL our Supplies of Grace are from Jesus Christ. Grace is declared in the Promises of the Old Testament but the way of it's Communication and our receiving of it is revealed unto us in the New This belongs to the Mystery of it that all Grace is from Christ and shall be in vain expected any other way He hath assured us that without him we can do nothing we can no more bring forth Fruit than a Branch can that is separated from the Vine John 15. 3 4 5. He is our Head and all our Spiritual Influences that is Divine Communication of Grace are from him alone He is our Life efficiently and liveth in us effectively so as that our Ability for vital Acts is from him Gal. 2. 20. Col. 3. 1