2. These in•uences are also fundamental, in which the Lord promiseth and doth put in act the habit of grace for the persevering of believers, Ezek. 36. 27. Isa. 54. 10. Isa. 59. 21. Psal. 1. 3, 4. Psal. 89. 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35. John 10. 27, 28, 29. John 15. 1, 2. If Christ plant, his planting lays on him some necessity, so far to give watering-influences, as not to suffer his planted trees to dry up by the roots,1 and to wither root and branch; and Christ so builds on a rock his people and believers, never to be prevailed against by the ports of hell; as he must watch the city that it be not surprised, nor the living stones hammered to nothing, and removed off the rock and the foundation Christ. Christ so buys with a price his own, that he carries them on to the purchased glory, and bringeth them actually to the fruition of life eternal; for Christ is an established high Priest to intercede for his own, and the intercession of Christ is nothing but a continual showering down upon the redeemed ones new vigorous influences as the head, so long as it lives, night and day, sleeping and waking, sends down influences of life to the members: ever-living and ever-interceding Christ is the fountain, running along through the roots of the Lords planting, so that they are ever green, ever blooming and budding, and in old age bring forth fruit, John 14. 19. Isa. 27. 3. Christ interceding is that live fire on the Altar, Isa. 6. ever sending forth live flamings, and heat of life through his live coals to all his, John 14. 19. Because I live, ye shall live also. Now there is no interruption of Christs living by sickness, sleeping, or death, and so he lives always. Just as the Sunbeams and rays of light and heat are kept in their being by the presence of the body of the Sun, casting out these influences, and the darting out of heat, and warmness, and ⟨p. 209⟩light, and the flamings are kept in being by the presence of the fire, which by new fuel is continued still in the act of flaming; so are the Saints kept still in a spiritual living, being by Christ issuing out his influences upon them. So sweet is the union of dependency daily and momently upon Christ that blessed root of Jesse. Ah, if we knew what it were to live in Christ, to breath in Christ, pray in him, love in him, rejoice in him, suffer and triumph in him, praise in him, wait in him for the Lord;
2. These in•uences are also fundamental, in which the Lord promiseth and doth put in act the habit of grace for the persevering of believers, Ezek. 36. 27. Isa. 54. 10. Isa. 59. 21. Psal. 1. 3, 4. Psal. 89. 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35. John 10. 27, 28, 29. John 15. 1, 2. If Christ plant, his planting layes on him some necessity, so far to give watering-influences, as not to suffer his planted trees to dry up by the roots,1 and to wither root and branch; and Christ so builds on a rock his people and believers, never to be prevailed against by the ports of hell; as he must watch the city that it be not surprised, nor the living stones hammered to nothing, and removed off the rock and the foundation Christ. Christ so buyes with a price his own, that he carries them on to the purchased glory, and bringeth them actually to the fruition of life eternal; for Christ is an established high Priest to intercede for his own, and the intercession of Christ is nothing but a continual showring down upon the redeemed ones new vigorous influences as the head, so long as it lives, night and day, sleeping and waking, sends down influences of life to the members: ever-living and ever-interceding Christ is the fountain, running along through the roots of the Lords planting, so that they are ever green, ever blooming and budding, and in old age bring forth fruit, John 14. 19. Isa. 27. 3. Christ interceding is that live fire on the Altar, Isa. 6. ever sending forth live flamings, and heat of life through his live coals to all his, John 14. 19. Because I live, ye shall live also. Now there is no interruption of Christs living by sickness, sleeping, or death, and so he lives alwayes. Just as the Sunbeams and rayes of light and heat are kept in their being by the presence of the body of the Sun, casting out these influences, and the darting out of heat, and warmness, and
- 1The comfortable necessity which lies on Christ to confer influences of grace.
