things might shame and humble your souls
Inf. 4. Then certainly no man is, or can be supposed to be a loser by conversion, seeing from that day, whatever Christ is or hath be- comes his.
O what an inheritance are men possessed of by their new birth ! Some men cry out, Religion will undo you ; but with what eyes do these men see ? Surely, you could never so reckon, except your souls were so incarnated, as to reckon pardon, peace, adop- tion, holiness, and heaven, for nothing; that invisibles are non- entities, and temporals the only realities. It is true, the convert- ed soul may lose his estate, his liberty, yea, his life for Christ ; but what then ? Are they losers that exchange brass for gold ? or part with their present comforts for an hundred-fold advantage ? Mark x, 29. So that none need be frightened at religion, for the
154 THE METHOD OF GRACE. SEKM. VIII.
losses that attend it, whilst Christ and heaven are gained by it : they that count religion their loss have their portion in this life.
Inf. 5. How securely is the saints inheritance settled upon them, seeing they are in common with Jesus Christ f Christ and his saints are joint-heirs, and the inheritance cannot be alienated but by his consent. ; he must lose his interest, if you lose yours. Indeed Adam's inheritance was by a single title, and moreover, it was in his own hand, and so he might, (as indeed he soon did) divest himself and his posterity of it ; but it is not so betwixt Christ and believers ; we are secured in our inheritance by Christ our co-heir, who will never alienate it : and therefore it was truly observed by the father, Faelicior Job in sterquilinio, quam Adamus in paradiso : Job was happier upon the dunghill, than Adam was in paradise. The cove- nant of grace is certainly the best tenure ; as it hath the best mer- cies, so it gives the fullest security to enjoy them.
Inf. 6. How rich and full is Jesus Christ, who communicates abundantly to all the saints, and yet hath infinitely still more in him- self', than hath ever been received by them all.
Take all the faith of Abraham, all the meekness of Moses, all the patience of Job, all the wisdom of Solomon, all the zeal of David, all the industry of Paul, and all the tender-heartedness of Josiah ; add to this, all the grace that is poured, (though in lesser meaure,) into all the elect vessels in the world, yet still it is far short of that which remains in Christ ; " He is anointed with the " oil of gladness above his fellows :" And in all things he hath, " and must ever have the pre-eminence. There are many thou- sand stars glittering above your heads, and one star differs from another star in glory, yet there is more light and glory in one sun, than in many thousand stars. Grace beautifies the children of men exceedingly, but still that is true of Christ, Psal. xlv. 2. " Thou art fairer than the children of men, grace is poured into " thy lips.1" For all grace is secondarily, and derivatively in the saints, but it is primitively and originally in Christ, John v. 16. Grace is imperfect and defective in them, but in him it is in its most absolute perfection and fulness, Col. i. 19. In the saints it is mixed with abundance of corruption, but in Christ it is altoge- ther unmixed, and exclusive of its opposite, Heb. vii. 26. So that as the Heathen said of moral virtue, I may much more say of Christ, That were he to be seen with mortal eyes, he would com- pel love and admiration from all men, for " he is altogether lovely," Cant. v. 16.
Inf. 7. What delight and singular advantage must needs be in the communion of the saints, who have communion with Jesus Christ in all his graces and benefits.
4( That which we have seen and heard, declare we unto you,
SERM. Vfll. THE METHOD OF QSJLi I 153
"that ye also may have' fellowship with us: And truly our fel- " lowship is with the Father, and with hi;, Son Jesus Christ,"' 1 John i. 3. O it is sweet to have fellowship with those that have fellowship with God in Jesus Christ. Christ hath communicated to the saints varieties of graces, in different measures and degrees ; and as they all receive from Christ the fountain, so it is sweet and most delightful to be improving themselves by spiritual communion one with another: Yea, for that end one is furnished with one grace more eminently than another, that the weak may be assisted by the strong, as a modern divine * well observes. Athanasius was prudent and active, Basil of an heavenly, sweet temper, Chrysos- tom laborious, without affectation, Ambrose resolved and grave, Luther courageous, and Calvin acute and judicious. Thus every one hath his proper gift from Christ, the fountain of gifts and graces, 1 Cor. vii. 7. One hath quickness of parts, another soli- dity of judgment, but not ready and presential ; one is zealous, but ungrounded ; another well principled, but timorous ; one is wary and prudent ; another open and plain ; one is trembling and melt- ing ; another cheerful and joyous ; one must impart his light, another his heat : The eye, the knowing man, cannot say to the hand, the active man, I have no need of thee. And O how sweet would it be, if gifts, graces, and experiences were frequently and humbly imparted : But idle notions, earthly mindedness, self-inte- rests, and want of more communion with Christ, have almost destroyed the comfort of Christian fellowship every where in the world.
Inf. 8. In a word, those only have ground to claim interest in Christ, who do really participate of his graces, and In zc/wm are found the effects and fruits of their union and communion rclth him. If you have interest in Christ, you have communion in his graces and benefits ; and if you have such communion, it will appear in your maintaining daily actual communion with God in duties; whereby will be produced,
First, The increase of your sanctification, by fresh participations from the fountain ; as cloth which is often dipt into the vat receives the deeper dye, and livelier tincture ; so will your souls by assiduous communion with God. It will also be discerned,
Secondly, In your deeper humiliation, and spiritual sense of your own vileness : The more any man partakes of God, and is acquaint- ed with him, and assimilated to him, the more base and vile in his own sight he still grows, Job xlii. 5, 6. Isa. vi. 5.
Thirdly, It will appear in your more vehement longings after the full enjoyment of God in heaven, 1 Pet. i. 8. and Rom. viii. 23.
156 THE METHOD OF GRACE. SERM. IX,
You that have the first fruits will groan within yourselves after the full harvest, and satisfying fruition ; you will not be so taken with things below, as to be content with the best lot on earth for your everlasting portion. O ! if these communicated drops be so sweet, what is there in Christ the fountain ?
And thus I have opened the method of grace in bringing home Christ and his benefits to God's elect by union, in order to commu- nion with him.