Looking Unto Jesus by Isaac Ambrose: A View of the Everlasting Gospel.
Section 7.2.4. - Of Hoping in Jesus in that Respect.

BOOK 7. THE RESURRECTION.

CHAPTER 2.

7.2.4. Of Hoping in Jesus in that Respect.

Of Hoping in Jesus in that Respect.

Let us hope in Jesus, as carrying on the great work of our salvation for us in his resurrection. Only remember, I mean not a fluctuating, wavering, unsettled, unestablished hope, no, no, let us hope firmly, surely, fixedly; let us come up to that plerophory, or full assurance of hope, that we may conclude comfortably and confidently, Christ's resurrection is ours; and yet that our conclusion may not be rash, but upon right grounds, we may examine the firmness, solidness, substantialness of our hope in Christ's resurrection by these following signs. -- As;

1. If Christ's resurrection be mine, then is Christ's death mine, the fruits or effects of Christ's death and resurrection cannot be severed; "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. Mortification and vivification are twins of one and the same Spirit, "Depart from evil, and do good, Psal. xxxiv. 14. Cease to do evil, learn to do well," Isa. i. 16, 17. Many may think they have their part in the first resurrection, but can they prove their death unto sin? As there cannot be a resurrection before a man die; so there cannot be a resurrection to a new life, but there must be a separation of the soul from the body of sin; what, shall a man cleave to sin, be wedded to sin? Yea, shall a man like it, love it, live in it, and yet say or imagine that Christ's resurrection is his? O be not deceived, God is not mocked! Come search, try, examine, Hast thou any share in Christ's passion? Knowest thou the fellowship of his sufferings? Art thou made conformable to his death, that as he died for sin, so thou diest to sin? If herein thou art at a stand, peruse these characters laid down in his sufferings and death, the truth and growth of our mortification, or of our death unto sin is discovered before.

2. If Christ's resurrection be mine, then is Christ's Spirit mine, yea, then am I quickened by the Spirit of Christ, "If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. -- But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead, dwell in you, then he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies, (and I may add your immortal souls) by his Spirit that dwelleth in you," Rom. viii. 9, 11. Christ's Spirit (if Christ's resurrection be ours) will have the same operation and effect in our souls, that it had in his body; as it raised up the one, so it will raise up the other; as it quickened the one, so it will quicken the other. But the question here will run on. How shall we know whether we have received this quickening Spirit? Many pretend to the Spirit, never more than at this day; but how may we be assured that the Spirit is ours? I answer. --

(a). The Spirit is a Spirit of illumination, here is the beginning of his work, he begins in light; as in the first creation, the first born of God's works was light, "God said, Let there be light, and there was light." Gen. i, 3, so in his new creation, the first work is light, "God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined into our hearts, to give the light of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ," 2 Cor. iv. 6. Hence the state of nature is called darkness, and the state of grace is called light, "Ye were sometimes darkness, but now ye are light in the Lord," Eph. v. 8. And "he hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light," 1 Pet. ii. 9. There is a light in the mind, and a light in the heart of those who have the Spirit of Christ; there is a speculative and an affective knowledge, not only to know the truth, but to love it, believe it, embrace it. O my soul! Wouldst thou know whether Christ's Spirit be thine? Consider, and see then, whether any of this new light hath shined into thy heart; take heed, deceive not thyself, thou mayest have a great deal of wit, and knowledge, and understanding, and yet go to hell: this light is a light shining into thy heart, this light is a Christ-discovering light, this light is a sin-discovering light, this light will cause thee to find out thy hypocrisy, deadness, dullness in spiritual duties; if thou hast not this light, thou art near to eternal burnings; darkness is one of the properties of hell, and without this light, inward darkness will proceed to utter darkness, where is nothing but "weeping and wailing, and gnashing of teeth."

(b). This quickening Spirit is a spirit of faith, as it reveals Christ, so it inclines men's hearts to close with Christ upon those gospel terms as he is offered. I know there are degrees and measures of faith, but the least measure of faith is a desiring, panting, breathing after the Lord Jesus: and no sooner hath the soul received that new light from the Spirit of Christ, but it is presently, at the same instant exceedingly affected with Jesus Christ; O! it desires Christ above all desires. I know not a more undeceiving sign than this, read over the whole Bible, and wherever there was any soul-saving discoveries, there ever followed inward desires, soul-longings after Jesus Christ; when Paul preached of the resurrection of Christ, some there were that mocked, jeered and slighted that doctrine, but others, (whose hearts the Lord stirred) they were exceedingly taken with it, saying, "We will hear thee again of this matter;" yea, and this very sermon so wrought or some, that "they believed, among whom was Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them," Acts xvii. 32, 34, and when he preached another sermon on the same subject at Antioch, the Jews were much offended, but the Gentiles were so exceedingly taken with it, that "they besought Paul, that these words (the very same resurrection sermon) might be preached to them the next Sabbath day," Acts xiii. 42. Their very hearts did so long after Christ, whom Paul had preached, that "when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas; and the next Sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the same sermon," ver. 43, 44. O my soul! Dost thou hear these sermons of Christ's resurrection? Dost thou hear sweet gospel-preaching? Dost thou hear the free tenders and offers of Christ, with all his glory and excellency to poor sinners, to vile, lost, undone souls? And art thou no whit taken with them? Canst thou sleep away such sermons as these? Hast thou no heart risings, no stirrings, workings, longings, desires in thy soul? Oh! take heed, this is a dangerous case, but on the contrary, if thou sayest in thy heart, "Oh! that I could hear this sermon again! O the sweet and virtue of Christ's resurrection! I had not thought such honey could have dropped out of this rock; O the blessed beginnings and springings of grace which I felt in my soul on such a meditation! O the desire, the delight! O the longings! O the comforts of Christ's resurrection! O the drawings of the Spirit, inclining my heart to receive Jesus Christ, to close with him, and to rest on him, and to give up myself to him!" Why, the Spirit of faith doth argue thy title and interest to the quickening Spirit of Christ.

(c). The quickening Spirit is a Spirit of sanctification; such was the Spirit whereby Christ was raised, "He was declared mightily to be the Son of God according to the Spirit of sanctification, by the resurrection from the dead," Rom. i. 4. That same Spirit which raised up Jesus Christ, was that same divine Spirit which sanctified his human nature, wherein it dwelt; and such is this quickening Spirit to all in whom it dwelleth, it is a spirit of holiness, and it works holiness, changing the heart, and turning the bent of it from sin to holiness, "If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away, behold all things are become new," 2 Cor. v. 17, q.d. When once the believer is by an act of faith passed over unto Christ, there goes immediately from the Spirit of Christ into his soul an effectual power, which alters and changes the frame of the whole man? now he is not the same that he was, he is changed in his company, in his discourse, in his practice, he is changed in his nature, judgment, will, affections, he is sanctified throughout in soul, body, and spirit; O my soul! try thyself by this sign, dost thou find such an inward change wrought in thy soul? Dost thou find the law of God, a law of holiness, written in thy heart? Dost thou find a law within thee, contrary to the law of sin, commanding with authority that which is holy and good? So that thou canst say with the apostle, "I delight in the law of God after the inward man; and with my mind I myself serve the law of God" Rom. vii. 22, 25; if so, surely this is no other "but the law of the Spirit of life in Jesus Christ," Rom. viii. 2. or the law of this quickening Spirit communicated from Christ unto thy soul.

3. If Christ's resurrection be mine, then am I "planted together in the likeness of Christ's resurrection," Rom. vi. 5. then do I resemble, and am made conformable to Christ in his resurrection; now if we would know wherein that resemblance is, the apostle tells us, "That like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life," Rom. vi. 4. Our mortification is a resemblance of Christ's death, and our vivification is a resemblance of Christ's resurrection. In this ground of our hope, concerning our interest in the resurrection of Christ, I shall propound these questions: (a). Whether in deed and in truth our souls are vivified? (b). Whether we increase and grow in our vivification?

(a). For the first, the truth and certainty of our vivification will appear by these rules. --

(i). True vivification is general, both in respect of us, and in respect of grace. 1. In respect of us, it is diffused throughout the whole man, "The very God of peace sanctify you wholly, (saith the apostle) and I pray God, that your whole spirit, soul and body may be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ," 1 Thess. v. 23. And 2. in respect of grace, it is in every grace, I know it is a question, Whether all graces are so connected and chained together, that possibly they cannot be severed? But I suppose it is truly answered, that, in respect of habit, they cannot be severed, though in respect of the act or exercise they may be severed; some graces are more radical than others, as faith and love, and therefore they first appear; but as a man lives first the life of a plant, then of sense, then of reason, though all were radically there at first, so it is in graces; experience tells us, that some Christians are eminent in some graces, and some in other graces; some have more love, and some more knowledge, and some more patience, and some more self-denial; but all that are true Christians, have each of these graces, in some measure or other, or, at least they have them in habit, though not in the act; if vivification be true, there is a whole work of grace both in heart and life; as the light in the air runs through the whole hemisphere, so the whole work of grace runs through, and is diffused through the whole man, soul, body and spirit, O my soul! this may put thee to thy study, because of the several constitutions or tempers of graces; thou mayest find this or that grace, this or that image of Christ clearly stamped on thy heart, but thou canst not find such and such graces; in this case fear not, for if in truth and sincerity thou hast but one grace, thou hast the whole chain of graces. But to speak to some graces in particular.

(ii). True vivification is a new life, acting upon a new principle of faith, "the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God," Gal. ii. 20. They are the words of man pursued by the law unto Christ; Paul seeing he was dead by the law, he speaks for a better husband; the law finds him dead, and leaves him dead; Nevertheless I live, (saith Paul) what, means he a natural life? Why, so he lived before now; no, no, it is a better life than a natural life: such a life is no contentment to a soul pursued by the law; very heathens and infidels have such a life, and in that respect are as happy as the best of saints, Paul's life is a spiritual life, and the spring of his life is the Son of God; Jesus Christ is essentially, radically, fundamentally life itself, and by his incarnation, passion, resurrection, he is life for his saints, they live by him, and in him, and for him, and through him; he is the heart and liver of their spiritual life. But as from the heart and liver there must be arteries and veins for maintenance of life, and the conveyance of blood through all the body; so from Christ there must be a conveyance to bring this life unto us, and this is by faith, "I live by the faith of the Son of God." O my soul! dost thou live this life of faith on the Son of God? Canst thou make use of Christ in every state, and in every condition? As for instance, in thy particular calling, dost thou look to Christ for wisdom, success, blessing, ability, dost thou say, "If I have ill success, I will yet go to Christ, it is he that set me here, and it is he that will enable me?" in case of provision, Dost thou run to Christ, and dost thou hang upon him for all things needful? Dost thou say, "If I want means, God will create means, he commands all means, and he can suddenly do whatsoever he will?" In case of protection. Dost thou look unto Jesus to be thy shield and protector? Dost thou mind the word of God to Abraham? "Fear not Abraham, for I am God all-sufficient, thy buckler, and thy exceeding great reward," Gen. xv. 1. In case of thy children, goest thou to Christ, saying, "Are not my children thy children, and wilt thou not provide for thy own?" It is true, thou must do what thou canst, but for the rest despair not, cast thy burden upon him, who hath commanded thee "in nothing to be careful, but in all things to make thy suits known with prayer and supplication," Phil. iv. 6. "When my father and mother forsake me, God will take me up," saith David, Psal. xxvii. 10. He is a Father to the fatherless, he provided for them in the womb, he provided breasts for them ere they saw the sun; and therefore, how should he but have care and compassion over thy children? In case of prosperity, dost thou see Christ's love in that state? Dost thou set him in the first place, receiving all and joining in all as coming from him? Is this it that makes thy prosperity sweet, because thou knowest and believest that thy sins are pardoned? Otherwise what is thy silver and gold, so long as thy pardon is not sealed in the blood of Jesus Christ? If a prisoner condemned to die, should abound in all outward plenty; what comfort could he have so long as his pardon were not sealed? It is the life of faith that sweetens prosperity: Who are better Christians than they, who know they enjoy these things with God's favour and blessing? Faith sees God's love in all, and so is abundantly thankful; faith makes a man to eat, and drink, and sleep, and to do all in Christ, as it cost Christ dear to purchase our liberty to the creatures, so faith ever sets Christ in the first place, it receives all as coming from him, it returns all as to the glory of him: in case of disgrace, dost thou commit thy credit to Jesus Christ? Dost thou look up to Jesus, and desirest no more good name, repute, or honour, than Christ will afford thee? Or, in case of death, dost thou like Stephen resign up thy soul to Christ? Dost thou see death conquered in the resurrection of Christ? Dost thou look bevond death? Dost thou over-eye all things betwixt thee and glory? O the sweet of this life of faith on the Son of God! If thou knowest what this means, then mayest thou assure thyself of thy vivification.

(iii). True vivification is a new life acting upon a new principle of hope of glory, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy, hath begotten us again into a lively hope, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you," 1 Pet. i. 3, 4. By Christ's resurrection we have a lively hope for our resurrection unto glory. Is not Christ our head? And if he be risen to glory, shall not his members follow after him? Certainly there is but one life, one Spirit, one glory of Christ and his members, "The glory which thou gavest me, I have given unto them," said Christ, John xvii. 22. The soul that is vivified hath a lively hope of glory on several grounds: As,

(iv). True vivification acts all its duties upon a new principle of love to Christ, men not enlivened by Jesus Christ may do much, and go far in outward service, yea, they may come to sufferings; and yet without love to Christ all is lost, all comes to nothing, "Though I speak with the tongues of men and angels, though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge, though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor; and though I give my body to be burnt, and have not love, it profiteth me nothing," 1 Cor. xiii. 1, 2, 3. All the rest may be from the flesh, and for the flesh, and fleshly ends; but a true gospel-love is from Christ, and tends to the glory of Christ, "For love is of God, and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God," 1 John iv. 7. But how may we know that all our actings are out of love to Jesus Christ? I answer, --

(b). For the second question. Whether we increase and grow in our vivification? We may discover it thus, --

(i). We grow when we are led on to the exercise of new graces: this the apostle calls adding of one grace unto another, "Add to your faith, virtue, and to virtue knowledge, and to knowledge temperance, and to temperance patience, and to patience godliness, and to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness charity," 1 Pet. i. 5, 6, 7. At first a Christian doth not exercise all graces; though habitually all graces may be planted in him, yet the exercise of them is not all at once, but by degrees; thus the church tells Christ, "At our gates are all manner of pleasant fruits, new and old, which I have laid up for thee, O my beloved." Cant. vii. 13, she had all manner of fruits which she had reserved for Christ, new and old; she had young converts, and more settled professors, as some; or she had new and old graces, as others; she added grace to grace, she was led on from the exercise of one grace, unto another new grace: as wicked men are led on from one sin to another, and so grow worse and worse, so godly men are led from one grace to another, and so they increase, "Knowing that tribulation worketh patience, and patience experience, and experience hope," Rom. v. 3, 4.

(ii). We grow when we find new degrees of the same grace added; as when love grows more fervent, when knowledge abounds, and hath a larger apprehension of spiritual things; when faith goes on from a man's casting himself on Christ, to find sweetness in Christ, and so to plerophory, or full assurance of faith: when godly sorrow proceeds from mourning for sin, as contrary to God's holiness, to mourn for it as contrary to him who loves us, which usually follows after assurance: when obedience enlargeth its bounds, and we abound more and more in the work of the Lord, "I know thy works (saith Christ to the church of Thyatira) and the last to be more than the first," Rev. ii. 19.

(iii). We grow when the fruits and duties we perform grow more ripe, more spiritual, and more to the honour of Christ; it may be we pray not more, nor longer, than sometimes we used; it may be, our prayers have not more wit or memory, than sometimes they had, yet they are more savoury, more spiritual, and more to Christ's honour, than sometimes they were; now we must know that one short prayer put up in faith, with a broken heart, and aiming at the honour of Christ, argues more of growth in grace, than prayers of a day long, and never so eloquent, without the like qualifications. In every duty we should look at their ends and aims; for, if we debase ourselves in the sense of our own vileness, and emptiness, and inability, and if we aim at God's honour, and power, and praise, and glory, it is a good sign of growth; we call this the spiritual part of duty, when it is from God, and through God, and to God.

(iv). We grow when we are more rooted in Christ; so the apostle describes it, "A growing up unto him in all things," Eph. iv. 15. This is scripture phrase; growth of grace expressed by growing unto Christ, "But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ," 2 Pet. iii. 18. As if to grow in grace without him were nothing, as indeed it is not. Philosophers, moral men, and others may grow in virtues, but not in Christ. Come then, search and try whether we are more rooted in Christ; when a young plant is new set, the roots are a small depth in the earth, one may pull them with his hands; but as the tree shooteth up in height, so it strikes the root deeper and deeper downward, that no force can move it; so it is with us, we have not for degree so firm and near a conjunction with Christ, at our first union; but the more we live in him, like good trees spreading in the sight of all men, and bringing forth the fruits of righteousness, the more we come to root downwards by a more firm faith, and firm confidence. Our union is answerable to that which uniteth us; now at the first, faith is but weak, like a smoking wick, or a poor bruised reed, but while faith is drawing the spirit from Christ, the more it exerciseth, the more it is strengthened; even as in babes, their powers every day, at first are feeble, but the more they feed and exercise, by so much the more they put forth their strength, in all their operations; time was that Peter's faith was so weak, that at the voice of a damsel, Peter was shaken; but by walking a while in Christ, he was so rooted that neither threatenings, whippings, imprisonments, conventings before great powers, nor any other thing, could shake him: you may object, if we are not at first rooted in Christ, a weak faith may be quite overthrown, we may then fall away; true, if we be not rooted in any manner: but this we are not at our first setting into Christ by faith; only this I speak of, is an higher degree of rooting, which doth not only shut out falling away, but very shaking, and tottering in a good measure; surely this is not the state of every believer; No, no; it is only the condition of such who have long walked in Christ, and are grown in grace, holiness and vivification.

O my soul! try now the growth of thy vivification, by these few signs; art thou led on to the exercise of new graces, adding grace to grace? Dost thou find new degrees of the self-same grace? Is thy love more hot? Thy faith more firm? All thy boughs more laden and filled with the fruits of righteousness. Are all thy duties more spiritual? Are thy ends more raised to aim at God, to sanctify him, and to debase thyself? Art thou more rooted in Christ? In all thy duties, graces, and gracious actings, hast thou learned habitually to say, "I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me?" Dost thou interest Christ more and more in all thou dost; dost thou know and affect Christ more and more? Oh! When would an ambitious courtier be weary of being graced by his prince! When would a worldling be weary of having the world come in upon him? Why shouldst thou, O my soul, be weary of insinuating thyself by faith and affection into Christ? Come, search, try, it may be, little winds have formerly shaken thee, but so it is, that insensibly, and thou knowest not how, thy root is struck lower and lower into Christ, and now thou art not so soon shaken with every wind: surely thy hope is well grounded; thou hast a part in Christ's resurrection, it is thine, even thine.