Looking Unto Jesus by Isaac Ambrose: A View of the Everlasting Gospel.
Section 6.3.9. - Of Conforming to Jesus in that Respect.

BOOK 6. THE DEATH.

CHAPTER 3.

6.3.9. Of Conforming to Jesus in that Respect.

Of Conforming to Jesus in that Respect.

Let us conform to Jesus, in respect of his sufferings and death, looking unto Jesus is effective of this; objects have an attractive power, that do assimilate or make like unto them, I have read of a woman, that by fixing the strength of her imagination upon a blackamoor (very dark skinned person) on the wall, she brought forth a black and swarthy child. And no question but there is a kind of spiritual imaginative power in faith to be like to Christ, by looking on Christ, come then, and let us look on Christ, and conform to Christ in this respect.

In this particular, I shall examine these queries, 1. Wherein we must conform? 2. What is the cause of this conformity? 3. What are the means of this conformity as on our parts?

1. For the first. Wherein we must conform? I answer, We must conform to Christ in his graces, sufferings, death.

(a). In the graces that most eminently shined in his bitter passion; his life indeed was a gracious life, he was full of grace, "And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace," 1 John i. 16. But his graces shined most clearly and brightly at his death; as a lily amongst the thorns seems most beautiful, so his graces in his sufferings, show most excellent; I shall instance in some of them: as, --

(i). His humility was profound; what, that the most high God, that the only begotten and eternal Son of God, should vouchsafe so far as to be contemned, and less esteemed than Barabbas a murderer? That Christ should be crucified upon a cross, between two thieves, as if he had been the ringleader of all malefactors; O! what humility was this?

(ii). His patience was wonderful; in respect of this the apostle Peter sets Christ as a blessed example before our eyes, "If when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God, for even hereunto were we called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that we should follow his steps. -- Who, when he was reviled, he reviled not again; when he suffered he threatened not, but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously" 1 Pet. ii. 20, 21, 23. G the patience of Christ!

(iii). His love was fervent; "Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins," 1 John iv. 10. This love is an exemplar of all love; it is the fire that should kindle all our sparks, "Be ye followers of God (saith the apostle) as dear children; and walk in love as Christ also loved us, and gave himself for us an offering and sacrifice unto God for a sweet smelling savour," Eph. v. 1, 2. Some observe that in the temple there were two altars, the brazen and the golden; the brazen altar was for bloody sacrifices, the golden altar was for the offering of incense; now the former was a type of Christ's bloody offering upon the cross, the latter of Christ's sweet intercession for us in his glory; in regard of both, the apostle tells, that Christ gave himself both for an "offering and sacrifice of a sweet smelling savour unto God." O! what love was this!

(iv). His mercy was abundant; he took upon him all the miseries and debts of the world, and he made satisfaction for them all; he acted our redemption immediately in his own person; he would not intrust it to angels, but he would come himself and suffer; nor would he give a low and base price for our souls, he saw the misery was great, and his mercy should be more great, he would buy us with so great a ransom, as that he might over buy us, and none might outbid him in the market of our souls. O! We undervalue and underbid the mercy of God, who overvalued us; we will not sell all to buy him, but he sold all he had, and himself too to buy us; indeed, if he had not done it we had been damned; and to save our souls he cared not what he did or suffered; O the mercy of Christ!

(v). His meekness was passing great; in all the process of his passion, he showed not the least passion of wrath or anger; he suffered himself gently and quietly, to be carried like a sheep to the butchery; and "as a lamb before his shearer is dumb, so opened he not his mouth;" a Iamb is a most meek and innocent creature, and therefore Christ is called "the Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world," John i. 29. "And he was brought as a lamb to the slaughter," Isa. liii. 7. Why, a lamb goes as quietly to the shambles (slaughter-house), as if it were going to the fold, or to the pasture-field where its dam (female parent) feedeth; and so went Christ to his cross; O the meekness of Christ!

(vi). His contempt of the world was to admiration; he tells them, "his kingdom was not of this world," John xviii. 36, John vi. 15. When a crown was offered him, and forced upon him, he refused; but above all, behold the bed where the bridegroom lieth and sleepeth at noon-day; here is but an hard flock, and narrow room; O blessed head of a dear Redeemer! How is it that thou hast not a pillow where to rest thyself! He hangs on the cross all naked, few kings do so: he hath no crown for his head, but one of thorns; he hath no delicates, but gall and vinegar; he is leaving the world, and he hath no other legacies to give his friends but spiritual things, "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you, not as the world giveth, give I unto you," John xiv. 27. He had so contemned the world, that he had not a legacy in all the world to give, "not as the world giveth, give I unto you."

(vii). His obedience was constant; he became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross, Phil. ii. 8. "He sought not his own will, but the will of him that sent him," John v. 30. There was a command, that the Father had on Christ from all eternity, "O my Son, my only begotten Son, thou must go down, and leave heaven, and empty thyself, and die the death, even the death of the cross, and go and bring the fallen sons of Adam out of hell." Mankind, like a precious ring of glory, fell off the finger of Almighty God, and was broken all in pieces; and thereupon was the command of God, That his Son must stoop down though it pain his back, he must lift up again the broken jewel; he must restore it, and mend it, and set it as a seal on the heart of God: all which the Lord Jesus did in time, he was obedient till death, and obedient to death, even to the death of the cross. "Son thou must die, said God, Why, Father, I will do it," said Christ; and accordingly he freely made his soul an offering for sin."

Now, in all these graces we must conform to Christ. "Learn of me, for I am meek and lowly," Matth. xi. 29* "And walk in love as Christ also hath loved us," Eph. v. 2. It is as if Christ had said, Mark the steps where I have trod, and follow me in humility, in patience, in love, in mercy, in meekness, in contempt of the world, in obedience unto death; in these and the like graces you must conform to Christ.

(b). We must conform to Christ in his sufferings, if he calls us to them; this was the apostle's prayer, "That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings," Phil, iii. 10. It was his desire, that he might experimentally know what exceeding joy and comfort it was to suffer for Christ and with Christ. Concerning this the other apostle speaks also, "Christ suffered for us, leaving us an example that we should follow" his steps," 1 Pet. ii. 21. But the texts that seems so pertinent and yet so difficult, is that of Paul, "I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church," Col. i. 24. One would wonder how Paul should fill up that which is behind of the sufferings of Christ; were Christ's sufferings imperfect? And must Paul add to them? No, surely, "For by one offering Christ hath perfected forever them that are sanctified," Heb. x. 14. I shall not insist on many commentaries, I suppose this is the genuine sense and meaning of the Spirit. "Now rejoice I in my sufferings for you, whereby I fulfil the measure of those tribulations which remain yet to be endured of Christ in his mystical body, which I do for the body's sake, not to satisfy for it, but to confirm it, or strengthen it by my example in the gospel of Christ." The sufferings of Christ are either personal or general, his personal sufferings were those he endured in his own body as Mediator, which once forever he finished; his general sufferings are those which he endures in his mystical body, which is the church, as he is a member with the rest; and those are the sufferings Paul speaks of, and which Paul fills up.

But wherein is the conformity betwixt our sufferings and the sufferings of Christ? I answer, (i). Negatively. (ii). Positively. --

(i). Negatively, our sufferings have no conformity with Christ in these two things;

(i). Positively our sufferings must have conformity with Christ.

By reason of this conformity, we have that communion and association with Christ in all these particulars: as, --

O my soul! study this conformity, and be content with thy portion; yea, comfort thyself in this condition of sufferings; must we not drink of our Saviour's cup? What not of our Master's own cup? We read of Godfrey of Bouillon, that he would not be crowned in Jerusalem with a crown of gold, where Christ was crowned with a crown of thorns, because he would not have such a great disproportion between him and Christ. And we read of Origen, that when Alexander Severus, the emperor sent for him to Rome, that he might take his choice, whether he would ride thither on a mule or in a chariot, that he refused them both, saying, "He was less than his Master Christ, of whom he never read that he rode but once," O the sufferings Christ endured! He was called a wine bibber, a Samaritan, a devil; he was pursued, entrapped, snared, slain: and surely they that will live godly in Christ Jesus must suffer persecution, 2 Tim. iii. 12. Never wonder that thou art hated of men, or persecuted of men; why, I tell thee, if Christ himself was now amongst us, in the form and fashion of a servant, in that very condition that sometimes he was, and should convince men of their wickedness, as searchingly as sometimes he did, I verily think he would be the most hated man in the world. It is plain enough what carnal men would do, by those very doings of the carnal Jews.

(c). We must conform to Christ in his death, carrying in us a resemblance and representation of his death. But what death is this? I answer, in a word, "A death unto sin (so the apostle) in that he died he died unto sin likewise reckon ye yourselves to be dead indeed, unto sin," Rom. vi. 10, 11. There is a likeness betwixt Christ's death and our death in this respect, "We are planted together in the likeness of his death," Rom. vi. 5. True mortification carries a similitude, a likeness, a resemblance of the death of Christ. As for instance: --

(i). Christ's death was a voluntary death, (See Mr. Brinsley at large, mystical implantation.) "I lay down my life, that I may take it again: no man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself; I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again," John x. 17, 18. Not all men on earth, nor all devils in hell could have enforced Christ's death, if he had not pleased: his death was a voluntary death, a spontaneous act, so is our mortification: "Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power," Psal. cx. 3. many may leave their sins against their wills, but this is not true mortification, it bears not in it the likeness of Christ's death, for he died, willingly: it may be thou hast a clamorous conscience, which continually dogs thee, and therefore thou leavest thy sin: thus Judas came in with his thirty pieces of silver, and cast them down in the temple at the high priest's feet, Matth. xxvii. 5. but no thanks to Judas, for they were too hot for him to hold, or it may be there is some penalty of the law, or some temporal judgment that hangs over thy head, like Damocles' sword; and therefore thou leavest thy sin: thus Ahab, for a time, acts the part of a penitent; but no thanks to Ahab, for the prophet had rung him such a peal for his sin, as made both his ears tingle, "In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth, shall dogs lick thy blood, even thine," 1 Kings xxi. 19. Or,it may be, there is in thee a fear of hell; in thy apprehension death is come, and is ready to carry thee before the dreadful tribunal of a terrible God; and therefore thou leavest thy sin: thus seamen, in a stress, part with their goods, not because they are out of love with them, but because they love their lives better; they see plainly, that either they must part with them, or perish with them. Now, in these cases, thy leaving of sin bears no similitude with the death of Christ, for his death was voluntary, and a true mortification is a voluntary action.

Question. But may there not be some reluctancy in this work betwixt the flesh and the spirit? And if so, is it then voluntary? I answer, --

Answer. Yes: such a reluctancy we find in the human nature of Christ concerning the cup, that it might "pass from him," Matth„ xxvii. 39. and yet his death was a voluntary death. An action is said to be voluntary or involuntary, according to the superior faculties of the soul, and not according to the inferior: if the reasonable part be consenting, the action may be called voluntary, though there be some reluctancy in the sensitive appetite. Thus in the Christian, in whom there is nature and grace, flesh and spirit, an unregenerate, and a regenerate part; if the superior and better part be willing (I mean advisedly and deliberately willing, with full consent of the inward man) though perhaps there may be some reluctancy in the flesh, in the unregenerate part, yet this is said to be a true voluntary act, "so then with the mind, I myself serve the law of God, but with my flesh the law of sin," Rom. vii. 25. "I delight in the law of God after the inward man; but I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind," verse 22, 23. Paul was dead to sin, according to the inward man, the regenerate part, though he found a reluctancy in his outward members; and therefore, his death to sin carried with it the resemblance of the death of Christ; it was a voluntary death.

(ii). Christ's death was a violent death: he died not naturally, but violently; "He was put to death in the flesh," 1 Pet. iii. 18. "He was brought as a lamb to the slaughter," Isa. liii. 7. So is our mortification, it is voluntary in respect of us, but violent in respect of sin; and herein is the life (as I may say) of this death: oh! when a man lays violent hands on his sins; when he cuts them off, being yet in their flower, and strength, and power, and vigour; when he pulls up those weeds before they wither in themselves, this is true mortification: many have felt their sins, who never mortified them; so the aged adulterer hath left his lust, because his body is dead: and hence it is, That late repentance in an aged sinner is seldom found true! Alas! he dies not to sin, but his sin dies to him; I will not say but God may call at the eleventh hour, though it be very seldom, but in that case, you had need to be jealous over yourselves with a godly jealousy; what, do you find some sins within you to be dead that were sometimes alive? O be inquisitive, impannel a jury, call a coroner's inquest upon your own souls, inquire how they came by their deaths, whether they died a violent or natural death: search what wounds they have received, and whether they were deadly wounds, yea, or no; enquire what weapon it was that slew them, whether the sword of the Spirit, that two edged sword the word of God; what purposes, what resolutions have been taken up and levelled against them? What prayers and tears have been spent upon them? If you find not these signs, you may give in your verdict, that they died not a violent, but a natural death. And here is a good caveat for others, "Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them," Eccl. xii. 1. Oh! take heed of reprieving your lusts! Let them not live till to-morrow; now bring them forth in the sight and presence of God; arraign, condemn, crucify, mortify them whiles they may yet live. Surely this is true mortification, when the body of sin dieth, as Christ died a violent death.

(iii). Christ's death was a lingering death; he hung diverse hours upon, the cross, "From the sixth hour to the ninth hour," (saith Matthew,) Matth. xxvii. 45. (i.e.) from our twelve to three, before he gave up the ghost; so is our mortification a lingering death; sin is not put to death all at once, but languisheth by little and little. This is looked upon as one main difference betwixt justification and sanctification: the former is a perfect work, admitting of no degrees, but so is not the latter? Though a believer is freed perfectly from the guilt of sin, yet not from the power of it; sin dwelleth in us, though it hath not altogether a dominion over us, "It is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me," Rom. vii. 17. Like a rebellious tenant it keeps possession in despite of the owner, till the house be pulled down over his head. True indeed, the body of sin in a regenerate soul hath received its death wound, and in that respect it may be said to be dead, but it is not quite dead, still it stirreth and moveth, dying but by degrees? What the apostle saith of the renewing of the new man, we may say of the destroying of the old man, "The inward man is renewed day by day" 2 Cor. iv. 16. and the old man is destroyed day by day; or as Paul said of himself, in respect of his afflictions, we may say of a Christian in respect of his sins, "I die daily," 1 Cor. xv. 31. There is not the most sanctified soul upon earth, but it hath some remainders of corruption left in it, which God, in his wise providence permits, for the trying, exercising, and humbling of our souls, and for the making his own rich grace, in renewing and multiplying pardons, so much the more glorious.

And here is a ground of consolation to a drooping and dejected soul; such a one cries out, "Alas! I feel the stirring and vigorous actings of sin, and I am afraid my sin is not mortified, as Rebekah said when she felt the children struggling within her, "If it be so, why am I thus?" Gen. xxv. 22. So if sin be mortified, (saith the soul.) "Why am I thus?" Trembling soul! Let not this discourage: Jesus Christ was not dead so soon as he was fastened to the cross; but hast thou taken the same course with the body of sin, that the Jews did with the body of Christ? Hast thou arraigned it, accused it, and condemned it, and fastened it to the cross? Hast thou arraigned it at the bar of God's judgment, accused it by way of humble and hearty confession, condemning it in passing the sentence of eternal condemnation upon thyself for it, and fastened it to the cross, in beginning the execution of it, in setting upon the mortification of it with a serious and unfeigned resolution to use all means for its mortifying and killing? Why then be not disheartened, it may be thou feelest it stirring and struggling within thee, and so will a crucified man do, and yet in the eye of the law, and in the account of all men that see him, he is a dead man; surely so is the body of sin when it is thus crucified, though it still move and stir, yet upon a gospel account, and in God's estimation, it is no better than dead, and it shall certainly die, it shall decay and languish, and die more and more. Is not the promise express? "He that hath begun the good work he will perfect it to the day of Jesus Christ," Phil. i. 6. Of this Paul was confident in behalf of his Phillippians; and of this, let all true believers, rest confident in respect of themselves. Thus far we see wherein we must conform to Christ, viz. In his graces, in his sufferings, and in his death.

2. For the second query. What is the cause of this conformity? I answer. The death of Christ is the cause of this conformity, and that a fourfold cause: --

(a). It is a meritorious cause; Christ's death was of so great a price, that it deserved at God's hands our conformity to Christ. "Christ loved the church, and gave himself for it, that by his death he might sanctify it, and cleanse it; -- And present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing, but that it should be holy, and without blemish," Eph. v. 25, 26, 27.

(b). It is an examplary cause, "He suffered for us, leaving us an example that we should follow his steps," 1 Pet. ii. 21. he died for us, leaving us an example that we should die to sin, as he died for sin: we may observe in many particulars (besides those I have named) a proportion, analogy, and likeness betwixt Christ's death and ours; Christ died as a servant, to note that sin should not rule or reign over us: Christ died as a curse, to note that we should look upon sin as a cursed thing; Christ was fast nailed on the cross, to note that we should put sin out of ease, yea, crucify the whole body of sin; Christ died not presently, yet there he hung till he died, to note that we should never give over subduing sin, while it hath any life or working in us

(c). It is an efficient cause, it works this conformity by a secret virtue issuing from it. Thus Christians are said to be "ingraffed with Christ in the likeness of his death," Rom. vi. 5. The word (omoiomati,) is of a passive signification, importing not only a being like, but, a being made like, and that by a power and virtue out of ourselves, so the apostle elsewhere interprets, "That I may know him, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death," Phil. iii. 10. Not conforming myself, but being made conformable, by a power out of myself.

Question. But how then is the power of mortification attributed to men? As "Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth," Col. iii. 5. "And they which are Christ's have crucified the flesh," Gal. v. 24.

Answer. I Answer, There is a twofold mortification, the one habitual, the other practical; the former consists in a change of the heart turning the bent and inclination of the heart from all manner of sin. Now, this is the only and immediate work of the Spirit of grace, breathing and working where it will; the latter consists in the exercise or putting forth of that inward grace, in the acting of that principle, in resisting temptations, in suppressing inordinate lusts, in watching against sinful and inordinate acts. Now, this is the work of a regenerate person, himself co-operating with the Spirit of God, as a rational instrument with the principal agent: and therefore the apostle joins both together, "If ye, through the Spirit, do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live," Rom. viii. 13.

(d). It is an impelling or a moving cause, as all objects are; for objects have an attractive power. Achan saw the wedge of gold, and then coveted it; David saw Bathsheba, and then desired her. As the brazen serpent did heal those who were bitten by the fiery serpent, Tanquam objectum fidei, merely by being looked upon, so Christ crucified doth heal sin, beget grace, encourage to sufferings, by being looked upon with the eyes of faith, "Wherefore, seeing we are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us; and let us run with patience the race that is set before us; looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith," Heb. xii. 1, 2. The apostle was to encourage the Hebrews to hold on the well-begun profession of faith in Christ; and to that purpose, he sets before them two sights to keep them from fainting,

(i). "A cloud of witnesses," the saints in heaven; on which cloud, when he had stayed their eyes a while, and made them fit for a clearer object, he scatters the cloud, and presents;

(ii). "The Sun of righteousness," Christ himself; and he wills them (aphora,) to turn their eyes from it to him, "Looking unto Jesus, q.d. This sight is enough to make you run the race, and not to faint; why Jesus is gone before you, and will you not follow him? O look unto Jesus, and the very sight of him will draw you after him; Christ crucified hath an attractive power, "And I, if I be lifted up will draw all men to me" John xii. 32. Thus of the causes of our conformity; we see how it is wrought.

3. For the last query, what are the means of this conformity as on our part? I answer: --

(a). Go to the cross of Jesus Christ. It is not all our purposes, resolutions, promises, vows, covenants, endeavours without this, that will effect our conformity to Christ in his sufferings and death; no, no, this conformity is a fruit and effect of the death of Christ: and therefore, whosoever would have this work wrought in him, let him first have recourse to Christ's cross; O! go we more immediately to the cross of Jesus.

(b). Look up to him that hangs upon it, contemplate the death of Jesus Christ, consider seriously, and sadly his bitter, shameful, painful sufferings: much hath been said, only here draw it in unto some epitome: as,

Every one of these will make some discoveries either of his graces, or of his gracious actings in our behalf: and who can tell how far this very look may work on us to change us, and transform us into the very image of Jesus Christ?

(c). Let us humbly bewail our defect, exorbitancy, irregularity, and inconformity either to the graces, sufferings, or death of Christ. As thus, "Lo here the profound humility, wonderful patience, fervent love, abundant mercy, admirable meekness, constant obedience of Jesus Christ! lo! here the tortures, torments, agonies, conflicts, extreme sufferings of Christ for the spiritual immortal good of the precious souls of his redeemed ones! lo here the death of Christ see how he bowed the head, and gave up the ghost! why these are the particulars to which I should conform; but, oh alas! what a wide, vast, utter difference, distance, disproportion is there betwixt me and them: Christ in his sufferings shined with graces; his graces appeared in his sufferings like so many stars in a bright winter's night but how dim are the faint weak graces in my soul? Christ, in his sufferings, endured much for me, I know not how much, by thine unknown sorrows and sufferings felt by thee, but not distinctly known to us (said the ancient fathers of the Greek church in their liturgy) have mercy upon us, and save us; his sorrows and sufferings were so great that some think it dangerous to define them: but how poor, how little are my sufferings for Jesus Christ? I have not yet resisted unto blood; and if I had, what were this in comparison of his extreme sufferings? Christ in his sufferings died, his passive obedience was unto death, even to the death of the cross; he hung on the cross till he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost, "He died unto sin once," Rom. vi. 10, But alas! how do I live in that for which died? to this day my sin hath not given up the ghost; to this day the death of Christ is not the death of my sin; O! My sin is not yet crucified, the heart blood of my sin is not yet let out; Oh! woe is me, how unanswerable am I to Christ in all these respects.

(d). Let us quicken, provoke, and rouse up our souls to this conformity: let its set before them exciting arguments, ex. gr. The greatest glory that a Christian can attain to in this world, is to have a resemblance and likeness to Jesus Christ. Again, the more like we are to Christ, the more we are in the love of God, and the better he is pleased with us; it was his voice concerning his Son, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased and for his sake, if we were but like him, he is also well pleased with us. Again, a likeness or resemblance of Christ is that which keeps Christ alive in the world; as we say of a child that is like his father, "This man cannot die so long as his son is alive; so we may say of Christians who resemble Christ, that so long as they are in the world Christ cannot die; he lives in them, and he is no otherwise alive in this nether world, than in the hearts of gracious Christians, that carry the picture and resemblance of him. Again, a likeness to Christ in his death, will cause a likeness to Christ in his glory. If we have been planted "together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection," Rom. vi. 5. As it is betwixt the graft and the stock, the graft seeming dead with the stock in the winter, it revives with it in the spring; after the winter's death it partakes of the spring's resurrection: so is it betwixt Christ and us, if with Christ we die to sin, we shall with Christ be raised to glory; being conformed to him in his death, we shall be also in his resurrection. Thus let us quicken and provoke our souls to this conformity.

(e). Let us pray to God, that he will make us conformable to Jesus Christ. Is it grace we want? Let us beg of him, that of that fulness that is in Christ, we may, in our measure, receive grace for grace. Is it patience, or joy in sufferings that we want? Let us beg of him, that as he hath promised, he will send us the comforter, that so we may follow Christ cheerfully from his cross to his crown, from earth to heaven. Is it mortification our souls pant after? This indeed makes us most like to Christ in his sufferings and death; why then pray we for this mortification?

But how should we pray? I answer: --

(i). Let us plainly acknowledge, and heartily bemoan ourselves in God's bosom for our sins, our abominable sins.

(ii). Let us confess our weakness, feebleness, and inability in ourselves to subdue our sins. "We have no might (may we say) against this great company that come against us; neither know we what to do, but our eyes are upon thee," 2 Chron. xx. 12.

(iii). Let us put up our request, begging help from heaven; let us cry to God that virtue may come out of Christ's death to mortify our lust, to heal our natures, to staunch our bloody issues; and that the spirit may come in to help us in these works, "For by the Spirit do we mortify the deeds of the body," Rom. viii. 13.

(iv). Let us press God with the merits of Christ, and with his promises through Christ, for he hath said, "Sin shall not have dominion over us, for we are not under the law, but under grace," Rom. vi. 14. And Paul experienced it, "The law of the Spirit of life in Christ, hath freed me from the law of sin and death," Rom. viii. 2.

(v). Let us praise God, and thank God for the help already received, if we find that we have gotten more ability to oppose the lusts of the flesh, that we are seldom overtaken with any breaking forth of it, that we have been able to withstand some notable temptations to it, that the force of it in us is in any measure abated, that in deed and in truth virtue is gone out of the death of Christ; O then return we praises to God, let us triumph in God, let us lead our captivity captive, and sing new songs of praises unto God, and even ride in triumph over our corruptions, boasting ourselves in God, and setting up our banners in the name of the Most High, and offering up humble and hearty thanks to our Father for the death of Christ, and for the merit, virtue and efficacy of it derived unto us, and bestowed upon us!

(f). Let us frequently return to our looking up unto Jesus Christ, to our believing in Christ as he was lifted up: How we are to manage our faith, to draw down the virtue of Christ's death into our souls, I have discovered before; and let us now be in the practice of those rules; certainly there is a conveyance of an healing, strengthening, quickening virtue, flowing into the soul in the time of its viewing, eyeing, contemplating, reflecting upon Christ crucified, Christ lifted up; and this comes from the secret presence of God, blessing this our looking upon Christ, as the ordinance by which he hath appointed to make an effectual impression upon the heart. It is not for us curiously to enquire how this should be: "principles (we say) are not to be proved;" save only God hath said it, and experience hath found it out, that when faith is occasioned to act on any suitable sacred object, God by his Spirit, doth not fail to answer; in such a case he fills the soul with comfort, blessing, virtue: he returns upon the soul, by, from, and through the actings of faith, whatsoever by it is looked for. Indeed none knoweth this but he that feels it, and none feels this that knoweth how to express it; as there is somewhat in the fire, heat, warmth and light which no painter can express; and as there is somewhat in the face, heat, warmth, and life, which no limner (painter of portraits) can set forth, so there is somewhat flowing into the soul, while it is acting faith on the death of Christ, which for the rise or manner of its working, is beyond what tongue can speak, or pen can write, or pencil can delineate. Come then, if we would have grace, endure afflictions, die to sin, grow in our mortification, let us again, and again return to our duty of looking unto Jesus, or believing in Jesus as he was lifted up.

And yet, when all is done, let us not think that sin will die or cease in us altogether, for that is an higher perfection than this life will bear; only in the use of the means, and through God's blessing we may expect thus far that sin shall not reign, it shall not wear a crown, it shall not sit in the throne, it shall hold no parliaments, it shall give no laws within us: we shall not serve it, but we shall die to the dominion of it by virtue of this death of Jesus Christ. And this grant he who died for us. Amen, Amen.

Thus far we have looked on Jesus, as our Jesus, in his sufferings and death. Our next work is to look on Jesus, carrying on the great work of our salvation, during the time of his resurrection, and abode upon earth, until his ascension, or taking up to heaven.

John xx. 1-19. "The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre," etc.

John xx. 19, 20. "The same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus, and stood in the midst, and saith unto them. Peace be unto you; and when he had so said, he showed unto them his hands and his side."

John xx. 26, 27, 28. "And after eight days again, his disciples were within, and Thomas with them, then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said. Peace be unto you, then saith he to Thomas, reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands, and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side, and be not faithless, but believing: and Thomas answered and said unto him. My Lord, and my God."

John xxi. 1-15. "After these things, Jesus showed himself again to his disciples, at the sea of Tiberias; and on this wise showed he himself" etc.

Heb, xii. 2; Matth. xxviii. 6; 2 Tim. ii, 7, 8. "Looking unto Jesus the beginner and finisher of our faith. -- He is not here, for he is risen. -- Come, see the place where the Lord lay. -- Consider what I say, and the Lord give thee understanding in all things: remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David, was raised from the dead according to my gospel."

Rev. i. 17, 18. "And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead, and he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, fear not, I am the first and the last; I am he that liveth, and was dead, and behold l am alive forevermore." Amen.