Looking unto Jesus a view of the everlasting gospel, or, the souls eying of…

1. If Christ's death be mine, then is Christ's life mine; and converse, if Christ's death be mine, then is Christ's life mine. Christ's active and passive obedience cannot be severed; Christ is not divided: we must not seek one part of our righteousness in his birth, another in his habitual holiness, another in the integrity of his life, another in his obedience of death. They that endeavour to separate Christ's active and passive obedience, they do exceedingly derogate from Christ, and make him but half a Saviour;¹ was not Christ our Surety? Heb. 7.22. and thereupon was he not bound to fulfil all righteousness for us? (i.e.) as to suffer in our stead, so to obey in our stead? oh take heed of opposing or separating Christ's death, and Christ's life; either we have all Christ, or we have no part in Christ; now if these two be concomitants, well may the one be as the sign of the other; search then, and try, O my soul, hast thou ⟨p. 387⟩any share in Christ's life? canst thou make out Christ's active obedience unto thy own soul? if herein thou art at a stand, peruse those Characters laid down in the life of Christ; the many glorious effects flowing out of Christ's life into a Believer's soul we have discovered before.

1. 1Heb. 7.22.

2. If Christ's death be mine, then is that great end of his death accomplished in me, viz. By the sacrifice of himself he hath put away sin, even my sin.—and,¹ in him I have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins. As on this account he suffered, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity; so if his death be mine, I may assuredly say, my sins are pardoned, and mine iniquities are done away. Come then, and try by this sign, canst thou assure thy self that thy sins are forgiven thee? hast thou heard the whispers of Gods Spirit, Son, or Daughter, be of good comfort, thy sins are remitted? there is no question then, but thou art redeemed by his blood, thou hast part in his sufferings. Indeed this very Character may seem obscure, assurance of pardon is the hidden Manna, the white Stone which no man knoweth, saving he which receives it and feels it; and yet if thou diligently observest the Spirit's actings, even this may be known; remission of sin and repentance for sin are twins of a birth; those two God in Scripture hath joined together: If we confess our sins,