CHAP. XIV. (1)

The general use of the foregoing Directions. The great Direction for the accomplishment of the Work aymed at. Act Faith on Christ; The several Wayes whereby this may be done. Consideration of the Fulness in Christ for Relief, proposed. Great Expectations from Christ: Grounds of these Expectations. His Mercifulness, his Faithfulness. Event of such Expectations: On the part of Christ: On the part of Believers. Faith peculiarly to be acted on the Death of Christ▪ Rom. 6.3, 4, 5, 6. The Work of the Spirit in this whole business.

NOW the Considerations which I have hitherto insisted on, are rather of things preparatory to the work aymed at, than such as will effect it. It is the hearts due preparation for the work it self, without which it

will not be accomplished, that hitherto I have aymed at.

Directions for the work it self are very few; I mean that are peculiar to it. And they are these that follow.

First, Set Faith at work on Christ for the killing of thy sin. His blood is the great soveraigne remedy for sin-sick souls. Live in this and thou wilt dye a Conqueror. Yea thou wilt through the good providence of God, live to see thy lust dead at thy feet. But thou wilt say, how shall Faith act its self on Christ for this end and purpose. I say sundry wayes.

1. By faith fill thy soul with a due consideration of that provision which is layed up in Jesus Christ for this end and purpose, that all thy lusts, this very lust wherewith thou art entangled, may be mortified by Faith; ponder on this, that though thou art no way able in or by thy self to get the conquest over thy distemper, though thou art even weary of contending, and art utterly ready to faint, Luke 16.17. yet that there is enough in Jesus Christ, to yield thee relief Phil. 4.13. It staid the prodigal when he was ready to faint, that yet there was bread enough in his father's house; Though he was at a distance from it, yet it releived him, and staid him, that there it was. In thy greatest distress and anguish, consider that fullness of Grace, those Riches, those

Treasures of strength, might and help, that, are laid up in him, for our support, Joh. 1.16. Col. 1.19. Let them come into, and abide in thy mind. Consider that he is exalted and made a Prince and a Saviour to give repentance unto Israel, Act. 5.31. and if to give Repentance, to give Mortification, without which the other is not, nor can be, Christ tels us that we obtain purging Grace by abiding in him, Joh. 15.3. To act faith upon the fulness that is in Christ for our supply, is an eminent way of abiding in Christ, for both our insition and aboade is by Faith, Rom. 11.19, 20. Let then thy soul by faith be exercised with such thoughts and apprehensions as these. I am a poor weak Creature; unstable as water, I cannot excel. This corruption is to hard for me, and is at the very door of ruining my soul: and what to do I know not: My soul is become as parched ground and an habitation of Dragons; I have made promises and broken them; vowes and engagemens have been as a thing of nought; many perswasions have I had, that I had got the victory and should be delivered, but I am deceived; so that I plainly see, that without some eminent succour and assistance, I am lost, and shall be prevailed on, to an utter relinquishment of God; but yet though this be my sta[gap]e and Condition, Yet

let the hands that hang down be lifted up, and the feeble knees be strengthned; behold the Lord Christ that hath all fullness of Grace in his heart, all fullness of power in his hand; He is able to slay all these his enemies. There is sufficient provision in him for my relief and assistance: He can take my drooping dying soul, and make me more than a Conquerer.

Why sayest thou O my soul my way is hid from the Lord and my Judgment is passed over from my God? Hast thou not known, hast thou not heard that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends the of the earth fainteth not, neither is weary; there is no searching of his understanding; he giveth power to the faint, and to them that have no might he encreaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fail; but they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings as Eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint, Isa. 40.49, &c. He can make the dry parched ground of my soul to become a poole, and my thirsty barren heart as springs of water: yea he can make this habitation of Dragons, this heart so full of abominable lusts, and fiery temptations, to be a place for Grass and fruit to himself.

Isa. 35. So God stayed Paul under his Temptation, with the Consideration of the sufficiency of his Grace: My Grace is sufficient for thee, 2 Cor. 12.9. Though he were not immediately so farre made partaker of it as to be freed from his Temptation, yet the sufficiency of it in God, for that end and purpose, was enough to stay his Spirit. I say then, by faith be much in the Consideration of that supply and the fullness of it, that is in Jesus Christ; and how he can at any time give thee strength and deliverance. Now if hereby thou dost not find success to a conquest, yet thou wilt be staid in the Charriot, that thou shalt not fly out of the field until the battel be ended; Thou wilt be kept from an utter despondency, and a lying down under thy unbelief; or a turning aside to false means and remedies that in the issue will not relieve thee. The efficacy of this Consideration will be found only in the practice.

2. Raise up thy heart by faith to an expectation of Relief from Christ; Relief in this case from Christ is like the Prophets vision, Hab. 2.3. It is for an appointed time; but at the end it shall speak, and not lye; though it tarry, yet wait for it, because it will surely come, it will not tarry; though it may seem somewhat long to thee, whilest thou art under thy trouble and perplexity, yet it shall surely

come in the appointed time of the Lord Jesus, which is the best season. If then thou canst raise up thy heart to a settled Expectation of relief from Jesus Christ; if thine eyes are towards him, as the eyes of a servant to the hand of his master, Psal. 123.2. when he expects to receive somewhat from him, thy soul shall be satisfied, Isa. 7.8. he will assuredly deliver thee; He will slay the lust, and thy latter end shall be peace; only look for it, at His hand expect when and how He will doe it. If you will not believe, surely ye shall not be established.

Q. But thou wilt say, what ground have I to build such an Expectation upon; so that I may expect not to be deceived?

A. As thou hast necessity to put thee on this course, Joh. 6.68, thou must be relieved and saved this way or none; to whom wilt thou goe? so there are in the Lord Jesus innumerable things to encourage and engage thee to this Expectation.

For the necessity of it, I have in part discovered it before, when I manifested that this is the work of Faith, and of Believers only. Without me (says Christ) you can doe nothing, Joh. 15.15. speaking with especial relation to the purging of the heart from sin, vers. 2. Mortification of any sin, must be by a supply of Grace. Of our selves we cannot doe

it. Now it hath pleased the Father that in Christ all fullness should dwell, Col. 1.19. that of his fulness we might receive Grace for Grace, Joh. 1.16. He is the head, from whence the new man must have influences of life and strength, or it will decay every day. If we are strengthned with might in the inner man, Col. 1.11, it is by Christs dwelling in our hearts by faith, Eph. 3.16, 17. That this work is not to be done without the Spirit, I have also shewed before. Whence then do we expect the Spirit? from whom do we look for him? Who hath promised him to us, having procured him for us? Ought not all our expectations to this purpose to be on Christ alone? Let this then be fixed upon thy heart, that if thou hast not relief from him, thou shalt never have any: All wayes, endeavours, contendings, that are not animated by this expectation of releif from Christ and him only, are to no purpose, will do thee no Good: yea if they are any thing but supportments of thy heart in this expectation, or means appointed by himself, for the receiving help from him, they are in vain.

Now farther to engage thee to this Expectation.

1. Consider his mercifulnesse, tenderness, and kindnesse, as he is our great high Priest, at the right hand of God. Assuredly he pitties

thee in thy distresse; saith He, as one Whom his Mother comforteth so will I comfort you, Isaiah 66.15. He hath the tendernesse of a Mother to a sucking Child, Heb. 2.17, 18. Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high Priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sinnes of the People, for in that himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted: How is the ability of Christ upon the account of his suffering proposed to us? in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able. Did the sufferings and Temptations of Christ adde to his ability and power? not doubtless considered absolutely and in its self: But the Ability here mentioned, is such as hath readinesse, pronenesse, willingness, to put its self forth accompanying of it; it is an Ability of will against all disswasions; He is able having suffered and being tempted, to break through all diswasions to the contrary, to relieve poor tempted souls: [gap], He is able to help. It is a metonymy of the Effect. For he can now be moved to help having been so tempted. So c. 4.15, 16. For we have not an high Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore

come boldly to the Throne of Grace, that we may obtain Me[gap]cy, and find Grace to help in time of need. The Exhortation of vers. 16. is the same that I am upon, namely, that we would entertain Expectations of Relief from Christ, which the Apostle there calls [gap], Grace for seasonable help; if ever (sayes the Soul) help were seasonable, it would be so to me in my present Condition. This is that which I long for, Grace for seasonable help. I am ready to dye, to perish, to be lost for ever; Iniquity will prevail against me, if help come not in; sayes the Apostle, Expect this Help, this Relief, this Grace from Christ; yea, but on what account? that he layes down v. 15. and we may observe, that the word v. 16. which we have translated to obtain, is, [gap], that we may receive it, suitable and seasonable help will come in. I shall freely say this one thing of establishing the Soul by Faith in expectation of Relief from Jesus Christ, on the account of his Mercifulness as our High-Priest will be more available to the ruine of thy Lust and Distemper, and have a better and speedier issue than all the rigidest Means of self-maceration, that ever any of the sons of men engaged themselves into. Yea let me adde, that never any Soul did or shall perish by the power of any lust,

sin or corruption,

who could raise his soul by Faith to an expectation of relief from Jesus Christ.

2. Consider his Faithfulness who hath promised, which may raise thee up, and confirm thee in this waiting in an Expectation of Relief. He hath promised to relieve in such Cases, and he will fulfill his word to the utmost. God tells us that his Covenant with us is like the Ordinances of Heaven, the Sun, Moon and Stars, which have their certain Courses, Jerem. 31.36. Thence David said, that he watched for Relief from God, as one watcheth for the Morning, a thing that will certainly come in its appointed season; so will be thy Relief from Christ. It will come in its season, as the dew and rain upon the parched Ground; for Faithfull is he who hath promised. Particular Promises to this purpose are innumerable; with some of them (that seem peculiarly to suit to his Condition) let the Soul be alwayes furnished.

Now there are two eminent Advantages which alwayes attend this Expectation of succour from Jesus Christ.

1. It engages him to a full and speedy Assistance; nothing doth more engage the Heart of a man to be usefull and helpfull to another, than his Expectation of help from him, if justly raised and countenanced by him who is to give the Relief. Our Lord Jesus

hath raised our Hearts by his kindness, Care and Promises, to this Expectation; Certainly our rising up unto it, must needs be a great Engagement upon him to assist us accordingly. This the Psalmist gives us as an approved Maxim, Thou Lord never forsakest them that put their trust in thee. When the Heart is once won to rest in God, to repose himself on him, He will assuredly satisfie it. He will never be as water that fails, nor hath he said at any time to the seed of Jacob, Seek ye my face in vain. If Christ be chosen for the Foundation of our Supply, he will not fail us.

2. It engages the Heart to attend diligently to all wayes and Means whereby Christ is wont to communicate himself to the Soul, and so takes in the real Assistance of all Graces and Ordinances whatever. He that expects any thing from a man, applyes himself to the wayes and Means whereby it may be obtained. The Beggar that expects an Almes, lyes at his door or in his way, from whom he doth expect it. The way whereby, and the Means wherein Christ communicates himself is, and are, his Ordinances ordinarily. He that expects any thing from him, must attend upon him therein. It is the expectation of Faith that sets the Heart on work. 'Tis not an idle groundless Hope that I speak of. If

now there be any Vigour, Efficacy and Power in Prayer or Sacraments to this End of mortifying Sin, a man will assuredly be interested in it all, by this Expectation of Relief from Christ. On this account I reduce all particular actings, by Prayer, Meditation and the like, to this Head; and so shall not farther insist on them. When they are grounded on this bottom, and spring from this Root, they are of singular use to this purpose; and not else.

Now on this Direction for the Mortification of a prevailing Distemper you may have a thousand probatum est's; Who hath walked with God under this Temptat[gap]n, and hath not found the use and success of it? I dare leave the Soul under it, without adding any more. Only some particulars relating thereunto may be mentioned.

(1) Act Faith peculiarly upon the Death, Blood and Cross of Christ; that is, on Christ as crucified and slain. Mortification of Sin is peculiarly from the Death of Christ. It is one peculiar, yea eminent End of the Death of Christ, which shall assuredly be accomplished by it. He died to destroy the works of the Devil; whatever came upon our Natures by his first Temptation, whatever receiv[gap] strength in our Persons by his daily suggestions, Christ died to destroy it all. He