Observe the phrases in Scripture, and they lead you still to his person, and do urge upon you to make the covenant 1with his person. As when it is said, in him are all the treasures of wisdom, &c. if treasure be hid in a Casket, you must first have the Casket, then the treasure; so if in a field, you must first buy the field, there is a mine will hold you digging all your life long: but you must first purchase the field, and then fall a digging for the treasure in it: and these are all sorts of treasures in him, Adoption, Justification, &c. so John 6. he exhorts them to eat his flesh, and to drink his blood, and that should nourish them 2to life eternal: but before men can have spirits or strength by meat, they must have that meat it self, and there must be a conjunction with it, and assimilation of it to them, and of them to it, so 1 John 5. 12. he that hath the Son, hath life. We 3must have first the Son, and then we come to have life by him; you must have these two distinct conditions (I suppose a man coming immediately out of the estate of unregeneration) he is first to consider who Christ and God is, consider the persons of them, and so choose them as a father and an husband to live and die with. And then secondly, he is to consider what he shall have with him, yea ⟨p. 175⟩to look upon the benefits themselves, but chiefly to this end, and so as that they may stir up your hearts to love him the better, and not simply as benefits only, so as to say in your hearts, though he is most beautiful in his person, and so though I had him alone, I should have an exceeding great reward of himself; yet withal when I consider, that all within the compass of this world is mine, (a great dowry) that Paul and Apollos, and all the good Ministers that ever have been, have been for my sake, that whatsoever is in this life or after death is all mine, and that all these he brings with him (all which you should look on, as motives entirely to love him, and not as bare benefits) and say, hath not he given me all these? sanctified me, and redeemed me and set me at liberty, when I was a bond slave of sin and Satan, and have I not reason to love him? this is to seek his presence. It may be though you have done the thing, yet you have not had this distinct consideration; yet use it henceforth to help you:
Observe the phrases in Scripture, and they leade you still to his person, and doe urge upon you to make the covenant 1with his person. As when it is said, in him are all the treasures of wisedome, &c. if treasure bee hid in a Casket, you must first have the Casket, then the treasure; so if in a field, you must first buy the field, there is a mine will hold you digging all your life long: but you must first purchase the field, and then fall a digging for the treasure in it: and these are all sorts of treasures in him, Adoption, Iustification, &c. so Iohn 6. he exhorts them to eate his flesh, and to drinke his bloud, and that should nourish them 2to life eternall: but before men can have spirits or strength by meate, they must have that meate it selfe, and there must be a conjunction with it, and assimilation of it to them, and of them to it, so 1 Iohn 5. 12. he that hath the Sonne, hath life. Wee 3must have first the Sonne, and then wee come to have life by him; you must have these two distinct conditions (I suppose a man comming immediately out of the estate of unregeneration) hee is first to consider who Christ and God is, consider the persons of them, and so chuse them as a father and an husband to live and die with. And then secondly, he is to consider what he shall have with him, yea ⟨p. 175⟩to looke upon the benefits themselves, but chiefly to this end, and so as that they may stirre up your hearts to love him the better, and not simply as benefits only, so as to say in your hearts, though he is most beautifull in his person, and so though I had him alone, I should have an exceeding great reward of himselfe; yet withall when I consider, that all within the compasse of this world is mine, (a great dowry) that Paul and Apollos, and all the good Ministers that ever have beene, have beene for my sake, that whatsoever is in this life or after death is all mine, and that all these hee brings with him (all which you should looke on, as motives entirely to love him, and not as bare benefits) and say, hath not hee given me al these? sanct•fied me, and redeemed me and set me at liberty, when I was a bond slave of sinne and Sathan, and have I not reason to love him? this is to seek his presence. It may be though you have done the thing, yet you have not had this distinct consideration; yet use it henceforth to help you:
- 1The Scripture leads to Christs person.The Scripture leades to Christs person.
- 2John 6.Iohn 6.
- 31 Joh. 5. 12.1 Ioh. 5. 12.
