Looking unto Jesus a view of the everlasting gospel, or, the souls eying of Jesus as carrying on the great work of mans salvation from first to last / by Isaac Ambrose ...

SECT. IV. Of Hoping in Jesus in that Respect.

4. LEt us Hope in Jesus, carrying on the great Work of our Salvation at his first coming, or incarnation. Only here remember, I speak not of every hope, but only of such an hope as is grounded on some certainty and knowledge. This is the main question, whether Christs incarnation belongs unto me? the Prophet tells us, that Ʋnto us a Child is born, and unto us a Son is given. But how may I Hope that this Child

is born to me? and that this Son is given to me? what ground for that? Out of these words of the Prophet, I shall draw a double Evidence, which may be instead of all: our first Evidence from the former words, Ʋnto us a Child is born; our second Evidence from the latter words, unto us a Son is given. 1. From the former words I lay down this position, unto us a Child is born, if we are new born; the surest way to know our interest in the birth of Christ, it is to know Christ born in us, or formed in us, as the Apostle speaks. The new birth is the effect of Christs birth, and a sure sign that Christ is born to us. Say then, O my soul, Art thou born anew? is there in thee a new nature, a new principle? is the Image of God, and of Christ in thy soul? so the Apostle stiles it, the bearing of the Image of the heavenly; why then was Christ incarnate for thee; if thy new birth be not clear enough, thou may'st try it further by these fol∣lowing rules?

1. Where this new birth is, there is new desires, new comforts, new contentments. Sometimes with the prodigal thou wast content with husks, but now nothing will sa∣tisfie thee, but thy Fathers mansion, and thy Fathers feasts; sometimes thou mindest only earthly things, but now the favour of God, the light of his countenance, society with him, and enjoying of him, are thy chief desires; This is a good sign! David's heart and flesh, and all breathed after God; My soul longeth; yea even fainteth for the Courts of the Lord, my heart and my flesh cryeth out for the living God. Men truly regenerate, do not judge it so happy to be wealthy, great, and honoured in the world, as to have the light of Gods favour shine upon them; O my soul, dost thou see the glory of the world, and thou fallest down to worship it? dost thou say in the increase of worldly comfort, it is good to be here? Then fear thy self; but if these things compared with Christ, are vain, and light, and of poor and mean esteem, then hope well, and be assured that thou art born again, and that Christ is formed in thee.

2. Where this new birth is, there is new words, new works, new affections, a new conversation, Old things are passed away, behold, all things are become new. Paul once a persecutor, but Behold now he prayeth. And Such were some of you, but now ye are washed, now ye are sanctified, now ye are justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God; As every man is, so is he affected, so he speaks, and so he lives; if thy life be supernatural, so is thy affections, so is thy words, so is thy conversation; Paul lived a life once of a bloody persecutor, he breathed out threatenings against all the Professors of the Lord Jesus, but now it is otherwise; The life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. O my soul, Hast thou the old conversation, the old affections, the old discourse, the old passions thou used to have? What? Is thy heart a den of lusts, a cage of unclean ima∣ginations? Then fear thy self, there cannot from a sweet fountain come forth bitter streams; there cannot from a refined spirit, as refined, come forth corrupted actions or imaginations; a Thorn cannot send forth Grapes, saith Christ; so neither can a Vine send forth Thornes, say we. I know there is in the best, something of flesh, as well as of the spirit; but if thou art new born, then thou canst not but strive against it, and wilt endeavour to conquer it.

3. Where this new birth is, there is a new nature, a new principle; Peter calls it the hidden man of the heart, the divine nature. Paul calls it the inward man; the new creature, it is compared to a root, to a fountain, to a foundation, and for want of this founda∣tion, we see now in these sad times so much inconstancy, and unsetledness in some professors themselves, many have gotten new and strange notions, but they have not new natures, new principles of grace; if grace were but rooted in their hearts, though the winds did blow, and storms arise, they would continue firm and stable, as being founded upon a Rock. Never tell me of profession, shew, outward action, outward conversation, outward duties of Religion; all this may be, and yet no new creature; you have some bruits that can act many things like men, but because they have not an humane nature, they are still bru∣tish; so many things may be done in a way of holiness, which yet come not from this in∣ward principle of renovation, and therefore it is but copper, and not gold; mistake not O my soul in this, which is thy best and surest evidence: though I call the new birth a new creature, my meaning is not as if a new faculty were infused into him that is new born; a man when he is regenerate, hath no more faculties in his soul than he had before his regene∣ration; only in the work of regeneration, those ablities which the man had before, are now improved, and made spiritual; and so they work now spiritually, which before wrought naturally. As in the resurrection from the dead, our bodies shall have no more,

nor other parts and members than they had before, only those parts and members which now are natural, shall then by the power of God be made spiritual, It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body; there is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body; so the same faculties, and the same abilities which before regeneration were but natural, are now spiritual, and work spiritually, they are all brought under the government of the Spirit of Christ; a lively resemblance of this change in the facul∣ties of the soul, we may discern in those natural and sensitive faculties, which we have common with beasts; as to live, to move, to desire, to feel, the beasts having no higher principle than sense, use them sensually; but a man enjoying the same faculties under the command of a reasonable soul, he useth them rationally: so is it in a regenerate man; his understanding, will, and affections, when they had no other command but reason, he only used them rationally, but now being under the guiding of the Spirit of Christ, they work spiritually, and he useth them spiritually; and hence it is that a regenerate man is every where in Scripture, said to Walk after the Spirit; to be led by the Spirit, to walk in the Spirit; the Spirit (by way of infusing or shedding) gives power, an ability, a seed, a principle of spiritual life, which the soul had not before; and from this principle of spiritual life planted in the Soul, flows or springs those spiritual motions and operations (as the Spirit leads them out) according to the habit, or principle of the new creature, the divine nature, the spiritual life infused. Come then, look to it O my soul, What is thy principle within? consider not so much the outward actions, the outward duties of Religion, as, that root from whence they grow, that principle from whence they come: they are fixed ones, setled ones by way of life in thee? Clocks have their motions, but they are not motions of life, because they have no principles of life within. Is there life within? then art thou born again, yea even unto thee a Child is born. This is one evidence.

2. From the latter words, I lay down this position; unto us a Son is given, if we are Gods Sons. The best way to know our Interest in the Son of God, it is to know our selves to be Gods Sons by grace, as Christ was Gods Son by nature: Christians to whom Christ is given, are coheirs with Christ, only Christ is the first-born, and hath the preheminence in all things; our sonship is an effect of Christs sonship, and a sure sign that unto us a Son is given. Say then, O my soul, Art thou a Son of God? Dost thou resemble God (according to thy capacity) being holy, even as he is holy? Why then? Christ was incarnate for thee, he was given to thee. If thy sonship be not clear enough, thou mayst try it further by these following Rules.

1. The Sons of God, Fear God, If I be a Father, Where is my Honour? (saith God) if I be a Master, Where is my Fear? If I be a Son of God, there will be an holy Fear and Trembling upon me in all my approaches unto God. I know there is a servile merci∣nary Fear, and that is unworthy, and unbeseeming the Son of God; but there is a filial Fear, and that is an excellent check, and bridle to all our wantonness: What Son will not Fear the frowns and anger of his loving Father? I dare not do this (will he say) my Father will be offended; and I, whether shall I go? Agreeable to this is the Apostles advice, If ye call on the Father, pass your sojourning here with Fear.

2. The Sons of God Love God, and Obey God out of a principle of Love. Sup∣pose there were no Heaven, or Glory to bestow upon a regenerate person, yet would he Obey God out of a principle of Love; not that it is unlawful for the Child of God to have an Eye unto the recompence of reward; Moses reason of esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasure of Egypt, was, for that he had respect unto the recompence of reward: he had respect, in the original, he had a fixed intent Eye; there was in him a Love of the reward, and yet withal a Love of God, and therefore his Love of the reward was not mercinary: but this, I say, though there were no reward at all, a Child of God hath such a principle of Love within him, that for Loves sake he would Obey his God; he is led by the Spirit, and therefore he Obeys; now the Spirit that leads him, is a Spirit of Love; and as many as are led by the Spirit of God, are the Sons of God.

3. The Sons of God imitate God in his Love and Goodness to all Men. Our Saviour amplifies this excellent property of God, He causeth his Sun to shine upon good and bad; and thence he concludeth, Be ye perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. Good∣ness to bad men is the highest degree of Grace, and as it were the perfection of all: O my Soul, Canst thou imitate God in this? Consider how thy Father bears it; though the wicked provoke him day by day, yet for all that he doth not quickly revenge;

vengeance indeed is only his, and he may in justice do what he will that way; and 'tis the opinion of some, that if the most patient man in the world should but sit in Gods Throne one day, and see, and observe the doings, and miscarriges of the Sons of Men, he would quickly set all the World on Fire; yet God seeth all, and for all that He doth not make the Earth presently to gape, and devour us; He puts not out the glo∣rious Light of the Sun, He doth not dissolve the Work of Creation, He doth not for Mans Sin presently blast every thing into Dust: What an excellent pattern is this for thee to Write after? Canst thou but forgive thy Enemies? Do well to them that do evil to thee? O this is a sure sign of Grace and Sonship! It is storyed of some Heathens, who beating a Christian almost to Death, asked him, What great matter Christ did ever do for him? Even this (said the Christian) That I can forgive you, though you use me thus cruelly; here was a Child of God indeed: It is a sweet resemblance of our Father, and of our Saviour Jesus Christ, to Love our Enemies, to Bless them that Curse us, to do Good unto them that Hate us, to Pray for them that Despitefully use us, and Persecute us. O my Soul look to this, consult this ground of Hope; if this Law be written in thy Heart, write it down amongst thy Evidences, that thou art Gods Son, yea that even unto thee a Son is given.

To Review the Grounds: What? is a Child born to me? and a Son given to me? What? am I indeed new born? am I indeed Gods Son, or Daughter? do I upon the search find in my Soul new desires, new comforts, new contentments? What? are my words, my works, and affections, and conversation new? is there in me a new na∣ture, a new principle? hath the Spirit by way of infusing or shedding, given me a new Power, a new Ability, a Seed of Spiritual Life, which I had not before? do I upon the search find that I fear God, and love God, and imitate God in some good measure in his love and goodness towards all Men? can I indeed, and really forgive an Enemy, and according to opportunity and my ability, do good unto them that do evil unto me? Why should I not then confidently and comfortably hope, that I have my share and interest in the birth of Christ, in the blessed incarnation, and conception of Jesus Christ? Away, away all despair, and dejections, and despondencies of Spirit! If these be my grounds of Hope, it is time to hold up head, and heart, and hands, and all with cheerfulness and confidence, and to say with the Spouse, I am my beloveds, and my beloved is mine.

Notes

• Isa. 9.6.
• Gal. 4.19.
• 1 Cor. 15.59.
• Psal. 84.2.
• 2 Cor. 5.17. Acts 9.11. 1 Cor. 6.11.
• Gal. 2.20.
• 1 Pet. 3.4. 2 Pet. 1.4. Rom. 7.22. 2 Cor. 5.17.
• 1 Cor. 15.44.
• Rom. 8.1. Gal. 5.18, 25.
• Mal. 1.6.
• 1 Pet. 1.17.
• Heb. 11.26.
• Rom. 8.14.
• Mat. 5.48.
• 5.44.