Life (a flaming Fire, and Sword of Di- | vine Juftice compaffing and guarding the Tree of Life, left Man fhould touch it) there might be access to God in a Meditator like unto us, that we might come to him, and might have life from God by the Intervention of Jefus Chrift.

Look then what is in the Holy Scriptures, and you fhall find it but a Letter of Death and Miniftration of Condemnation while it is feparated from Him; Chrift is the very Life and Spirit of the Scriptures, by whofe vertue they quicken our Souls; if you confider the perfect Rule of Righteousness in the Law, you cannot find Life there, because you cannot be conformed unto it; the holiest Man offends in every thing, and that holy Law being violated in any thing will fend thee to Heil with a Curfe, Curfed is be that abides not in every Thing. If you look upon the Promife of Life, Do this and live; What confort can you find in it, except you could find doing in your felves: And can any Man living find fuch exact Obedience as the Law requires. There is a Mistake among many. They conceive, that the Lord cannot but be well pleafed with them, if they do what they can But be not deceived, the Law of God requires perfect doing; it will not com pound with thee, and come down in its Terms; not one Jot of the Rigour of it will be remitted. If you cannot do all that is commanded, all you do will not fatisfie that promife; therefore thou must be turned over from the Promife of Life to the Curfe, and there thou shalt find thy Name written: Therefore it is abfolutely neceffary, that Jefus Chrift be made under the Law, and give Obedience in all things, even to the Death of the Cross, and fo be made a Curfe for us, and Sin for us, even he who knew no Sin; and thus in him

you find the Law fulfilled, Justice satisfied. and God pleafed; in Him you find the Promife of Life indeed established, in a better and furer Way than was first porpounded, you find Life by his Death, you find Life in his doing for you: And again, confider the Ceremonial Law, What were all thofe Sacrifices and Ceremonies? Did God delight in them? Could he favour their Incenfe, and tweet Smels, and eat the Fat of Lambs, and be pacified? No, he detefts and abhors fuch Imaginations. Because that People did stay in the Letter, and went no further than the Ceremony; he declares, that it was as great Abomination to him as the Offering up of a Dog: While they were feparated from Jefus Chrift, in whom his Soul refted, and was pacified, they were not Expiations, but Provocations; they were not Propitiati ons for Sins, but Abominations in themfelves. But take these as the Shadows of fuch a living Subftance; take them as Remembrances of him who was to come, and behold Jefus Chrift lying in thefe Swadlingcloaths of Ceremonies, until the Fulness of Time fhould come that he might be manifefted in the Flesh, and fo you fhall find eternal Life in those dead Beafts, in thofe dumb Ceremonies; if you confider this Lamb of God flain in all these Sacrifices, from the Beginning of the World, then you prefent a sweet smelling Savour to God, then you offer the true Propitia tion for the Sins of the World, then he will delight more in that Sacrifice than all other perfonal Obedience.

But what if I fhould fay, That the Gofpel it felf is a killing Letter, and Ministration of Death, being fevered from Chrift? I fhould fay nothing amifs, but what Paul fpeaketh, that his Gospel was a Savour of Death to many; take the most powerful Preaching, the moft fweet Difcourfe, the

D

moft

that we being concluded under Sin and Wrath on the one Hand, and an impoffi

moft plain Writings of the free Grace and Salvation in the Gofpel, take all the Preachings of Jefus Chrift himself and his Ability to fave our felves on the other Hand, poftles, and you thall not find Life in them, unlefs ye be led by that Spirit of Chrift unto himself, who is the Refurrection and the Life: It will no more fave you than the Covenant of Works, unless that Word abide and dwell in your Hearts, to make you believe in Him, and embrace Him with your Souls, whom God hath fent; fuppofe you heard all, and heard it glad ly, and learned it, and could difcourfe well upon it, and teach others, yet if you be not driven out of your felves, out of your own Righteoufnefs, as well as Sins, and pursued to this City of Refuge, Jefus Chrift, you have not eternal Life. Your Knowledge of the truth of the Gospel, and your Obedience to God's Law will certainly kill you; and as certainly, as your Ignorance and Difobedience, unlefs you have embraced in your Soul, that good Thing Jefus Chrift contained in thefe Truths, who is the Diamond of that Golden Ring of the Scriptures; and unless your Soul embrace thefe Promises as Soulfaving, as containing the chief Good, and worthy of all Acceptation, as well as your Mind receive these as true and faithful Sayings, Tim.ì. 15.

Thus ye fee Chrift Jefus is either the Subject of all in the Scriptures, or the End of it all. He is the very proper Subject of the Gofpel: Paul knew nothing but Chrift crucified in his Preaching; and he is the very proper End and Scope of the Law for Righteousness, Rom. x. 3. All the Preaching of a Covenant of Works, all the Curfes and Threatnings of the Bible, all the rigid Exactions of Obedience, all come to this one great Defign; not that we may fet about fuch a walking to please God, or do fomething to pacifie Him, but

Gal. iii. 22. Rom. v. 20, 21. may be purfued unto Jefus Chrift for Righteouf nefs and Life, who is both able to fave us, and ready to welcome us. Therefore the Gofpel opens the Door of Salvation in Chrift, theLaw is behind us with Fire and Sword, and Destruction pursuing us; and all for this End, that Sinners may come to him and have Life. Thus the Law is made the Pedagogue of the Soul to lead to Chrift, Chrift is behind us, curfing, condemning, threatning us, and He is before with ftreatched-out Arms ready to receive us, blefs us, and fave us, inviting, promiling, exhorting to come and have Life. Chrift is on Mount Sinai, delivering the Law with Thunders, Acts vii. 38. and he is on Mount Zion, in the calm Voice; He is both upon the Mountain of Curfings and Bleffings, and on both doing the Part of a Mediator, Gal. ii. 19, 20. It is Love that is in his Heart which made him firft cover his Countenance with Frowns and Threats, and 'tis Love that again dif plays it felf in his fmiling Countenance. Thus Souls are inclofed with Love purfuing, and Love receiving: And thus the Law which feems most contrary to the Gofpel, teftifies of Chrift, it gives him this Teftimony, that except Salvation be in him, it is no where else. The Law fays, It is not in me, feek it not in Obedience, I can do nothing but deftroy you if you abide under my Jurifdiction. The Ceremonies and Sacrifices fay, if you can behold the End of this Miniftry (if a Vail be not upon your Hearts, as it was on Mofes Face, 2 Cor. iii. 13, 14.) you may fee where it is, 'tis not in your Obedience, but in the Death and Suffering of the Son of God, whom we reprefent. Then the

Gof

Chrift the Subject or Fad of all that is in the World.

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the Scriptures, if you think to have eternal Life, fearch them, if you would know Chrift, whom to know is eternal Life; then again fearch them, for these are they that teftifie of him. Searching importe Diligence, much Diligence, 'tis a serious Work, 'tis not a common seeking of ad eafie and common Thing, but 'tis a Search and Scrutiny for fome hidden Thing, for fome fpecial Thing. 'Tis not bare reading of the Scriptures that will answer this Duty, except it be diligent and daily reading, and 'tis not that alone, except the Spi. rit within meditate on them, and by Meditation accomplish a diligent Search. There is fome hidden Secret that that you muft fearch for, that is inclofed within the Covering of Words, and Sentences. there is a Mystery of Wisdom that you muft apply your Hearts to fearch out, Eccl. vii. 5. Jefus Chrift is the Treasure that is hid in this Field, O a precious Treasure of eternal Life Now then, Souls, fearch into the Fields of the Scriptures, Prov. ii. 4. for him as for hid Treasure. It is not only Truth you must

fpel takes all these Coverings and Vails away, and gives a plain and open Teftimony of him, There is no Name under Heaven to be Javed by, but Chrift's. The Old Teftament fpake by Figures and Signs, as dumb Men do, but the New Speaks in plain Words, and with open Face. Now I fay, for all this that there is no Salvation but in him, yet many Souls, not only those who live in their grofs Sins, and have no Form of Godliness, but even the better Sort of People, that have fome Knowledge and Civility, and a kind of Zeal for God, yet they do not come to bim that they may have Life, Rom. x. 1.2, 3. they do not fubmit to the Righ teoufness of God. Here is the March that divides the Ways of Heaven, and Hell, coming to Jefus Chrift, and forfaking our felves: The Confidence of thefe Souls is chiefly or only in that little Knowledge, or Zeal, or Profeffion they have, they do not as really abhor them felves for their own Righteousness, as for their Unrighteousness, they make that the Covering of their Nakedness and Filthiness, which is in it felf as menftruous and un-feek and buy, and not it, but 'tis Life clean as any Thing. It is now the very you would fearch: Here is an Object that Propenfion and natural Inclination of our may not only take up your UnderstandHearts, to ftand upright in our felves: ings, but fatisfie your Hearts. Think not Faith bows a Soul's back,to take on Chrift's you have found all when you have found Righteoufnefs, but Prefumption lifts up the Truth there, and learned it: No, exa Soul upon its own Bottom, How can ye cept you have found Life there, you have believe that feek Honour one of another? found nothing, you have miffed the Trea The Engagements of the Soul to its own fure. If you would profit by the ScripCredit or Eftimation, the Engagements of, tures, you must bring both your UnderSelf-Love, and Self-honour, do lift up a ftandings and your Affections to them, and Soul, that it cannot fubmit to God's Rightandings depart not till they both return full: If teoufnefs, to Righteousness in another. | you bring your Understanding to seek the And therefore many do dream and think that they have eternal Life, who fhall awake in the End, and find that it was but a Dream, a Night-fancy.

Now from all this, I would enforce this Duty upon your Confciences, to fearch

Truth, you may find Truth, but not truly : You may find it, but you are not found of it: You may lead Truth captive, and inclose it in a Prifon of your Mind, and encompass it about with a Guard of corrupt D 2

Af

tions, that it shall have no Iffue, no out going to the Reft of your Souls and Ways, and no Influence on them; you may know the Truth, but you are not known of it, and brought in Captivity to the Obedience of it. The Treasure that is hid in the Scriptures is Jefus Chrift, whofe intire and perfect Name is, Way, Truth, and Life. He is a living Truth and true Life: Therefore Chrift is the adequate Object of the Soul, commenfurable to all its Faculties. He has Truth in him to fatisfie the Mind, and has Life and Good-Heart, you have found nothing. As for nefs in him to fatiate the Heart: Therefore if thou wouldst find Jefus Chrift, bring thy whole Soul to feek him, as Paul expreffeth it. He is true and faithful, and worthy of all Acceptation, then bring thy Judgment to find the Light of Truth, and thy Affections to imbrace the Life of Goodness that is in him. Now, as much as ye find of him, so much have ye profited in the Scriptures: If you find commands there which you cannot obey, fearch again, and you may find Strength under that Command; dig a little deeper, and you fhallad Jefus the End of an impoffible Command: And when you have found him, you have found Life and Strength to obey, and you have found a Propitiation and Sacrifice for tranfgreffing

and not obeying. If you find Curses in it, Search again, and you fhall find Jefus Chrift under that, made a Curfe for us; you thall find him the End of the Curfe, for Righteousness to every one that be lieves. When you know all the Letter of the Scripture, yet you must search into the Spirit of it, that it may be imprinted into your Spirits: All you know does you no good but as 'tis received in Love, unlefs your Souls become a living Epiftle, and the Word without be written on the

Eph. ii. 20. And builded upon Elievers are the Temple of the living God, in which he dwells and walks: 2 Cor. vi. 16. Every one of them is a little Sanctuary and Temple to his Majety, Sanctifie the Lord of Hofts in your Hearts; though he be the high and lofty One that inhabits Eternity, yet he is pleaf ed to come down to this poor Cottage of a Creature's Heart, and dwell in it: Is not this as great a humbling and condefcending, for the Father to come down off his

you that cannot read the Scriptures, if it be poffible, take that Pains to learn to read them. O if you knew what they contain and whom they bear Witness of, you would have little Quietnefs till you could read, at least his Love-epiftles to Sinners: And if you cannot learn, be not discou raged, but if your Defires within be fervent, your Endeavours to hear it read by others will be more earnest. But it is not fo much the reading of much of it that profiteth, as the pondering of these Things in your Hearts, and digesting them by frequent Meditation, till they become the Food of the Soul: This was David's Way, and by this he grew to the Stature of a tall and well-bodyed Christian..

the Foundation of the Apotles, &c. Throne of Glory, to the poor base Footftool of the Creature's Soul, as for the Son to come down in the State of a Servant, and become in the Form of finful Flesh. But then he is a Temple and Sanctuary to them, and be shall be to you a Sanctuary, Ifa. viii. a Place of Refuge, a Secret biding Place. Now, as every one is a little feparated retired Temple, fo they all conjoyned make up one Temple, one vifible Body in which he dwells: There

fore

fore Peter calls them living Stones, built | Foundation of his Confidence, which he up into a spiritual Houfe to God, 1 Pet. may ftand upon. They are one of the two . 5. All thefe little Temples make up that Chrift fpeaks of: Luke vi. 46. One one House and Temple, fitly joyned to- builds on the Rock, another on the Sand: gether, in which God fhews manifeft Now as the Foundation is, fo is the Houfes Signs of his Prefence and working: Un- a changeable Foundation makes a falling to this the Apostle in this Place alludes. Houfe, a fure Foundation makes an unThe Communion, and Union of Chrifti- changeable House; a House without a ans with God, is of fuch a Nature, that Foundation will prove quickly no House, all the Relations and Points of Conjuncti- now whatsoever Men build. their Hope on in the Creatures are taken to refemble and Confidence upon, befide the Word of it, and hold it out to us. We are Citi- God, his fure Promife and fure Covenant, zens, faith he, and Domefticks, Houfbold and Jefus Chrift in them, they build upon Men, and fo dwell in his House; and then no Foundation, or upon a fandy Foundatiwe are bis Houfe befide: Now ye know on. All Flefb is Grafs, and the Flower there are two principal Things in a Houfe, and Perfection of it is as the Flower of the Foundation and the Corner-Stone; the Field, here is the Name and Character the one fupports, the building, the other of all created Perfections, of the most exunites it, and holds it together: These two cellent. Endowments of Mind, of all the Parts of this fpiritual building are here fpecious Actions of Man, 'tis all but vanish-pointed at: The Foundation of every ing and Vanity, every Man at his best Estate particular Stone, and of the whole Buil-is fuch, yea altogether fuch: You who ding is the Doctrine of the Prophets and have no more to build upon but your ProApoftles, as holding out Jefus Chrift to fperity and Wealth, O that is bue Sand and Souls, the Rock on which our House Dung;. would any Man build a House fhall be builded: Not the Apostles, or upon a Dung-hill. You who have no o. Prophets, far lefs Paftors and Teachers ther Hope, but in your own good Prayers,. fince; for they are but, at best, Workers and Meanings, your own Reformations, together with God and imployed in the and. Repentances, your Profeffions, and building of the Houfe; nor yet their Doc- Practifes, know this, that your Hope is. trine, but as it holds out that true Founda-like a Spider's Houfe, like the Web that tion that God had laid in Sion, Ifa. xxviii.fhe hath laborioufly exercifed her felf 2-which is Jefus Chrift, for other, Foundati-bout all the Week over, and then when on can no Man lay. And then the Corner you lean upon that House it shall fall ftone is that fame Jefus Chrift, who reaches from the Bottom even to the Top of the Building, and immediately touches every Stone, and both quickens. it in it Self, and unites them together.

through, and not fuftain your Weight: Whatfoever it be, befide this living Stone Jefus Chrift, who is the very Subftance of the Word, and Promifes, it fhall moubtedly prove thy Shame, and Confufion : Well then, here is a fure Foundation But behold the Oppofition the Prophet to build our eternal Happiness upon, the makes. between the Word and thefe o-Word of God that endures for ever holds ther Things, the Word of our God fball it out to us: All Men are building upon ftand for ever, Ifa. xl. 6, 7, 8. fomething, every Man is about fome E-therefore Peter makes it an incorruptible Bablishment of his Hopes, lays fome

And.

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