The reason is, because all the church of God are heirs alike — heirs of the promise, children of Abraham, heirs of salvation. They have interest in Christ ahke, * in whom all the promises are yea and amen ;' in whom all the promises have their making and their performance. And by rea- son that there is an indifi'erent equality, in regard of the main things, of all the children of God, they have interest alike in all the benefits by Christ : in all truths, in all substantial duties to God, and all favours from God. That is the ground of the equity of apphcation.
2. But if you will have the ground of the uecessiti/ of if, nature will shew that. For the truths arc food. If food be not taken, what good doth it do without application ? The word of God is a sword : what will a sword do if it hangs up in a man's chamber ? or if it be not used when the enemy approaeheth ? The application of the sword of the Spirit gives the virtue to it. It is to no purpose else. Divine truths are physic. If it be not applied, what use is there of physic ?
There is a necessity, if we will obey God, of a spirit of application. There is nothing that will do good but by application, neither in nature nor in grace. There must be a virtual* application at least. The heavens * That is, = in efficacy, eucrgy. — G.
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work upon the earth. There is no application bodily, the heavens are too high. But there is a virtual application ; there comes light in, and influence to these inferior bodies. Therefore we say the sun is in the house, and in the place we are in, though there be only his influence there. But there must be application of divine truth to the soul. It must be brought near the soul before the soul can move. There is a necessity of application from a principle of nature to make it our own.
Now as in nature there is a power in the soul to work out of the food that that is good for every member, which we call a digestive power and faculty, that applies and assimilates the meat and nourishment we take to every part ; there ho Jibnr, sucking veins, that suck out of the meat strength for this and that purpose ; so there is in the soul of every Christian and holy man : there is a spiritual sucking ; there is a drawing digestive spirit, that digests and draws out nourishment out of the book of God, that is fit for him ; that he can say, This is mine, this is for me. I want comfort and strength and direction, here it is. I want light, here it is. I am weak, here is supply for it. So there is a digestive power by the Spirit of God in every Christian, to suck and to draw out of the word that that is fit for all purposes and turns ; and he can apply the word upon every occasion : as, if it be a command, he obeys it ; if it be a threatening, he trembles at it ; if it be comfort, he rests in it ; if it be a direction, he follows it like- wise. He applies it answerable to the nature of the word, whatsoever it is. His heart is moulded answerable to the word, by reason of the Spirit of application.
3. As there is a ground of the application of the word, and a necessity of it, so there is a principle of application ; that is, the Spirit of God in the hearts of the children of God, teaching their spirits to draw wholesome truths fitting to themselves ; and none but the children of God can do it, that have the Spirit of God. They cannot apply the word of God aright. False application of the word of God is the cause of all mischief sometimes, when those that apply the law should apply the gospel ; and on the con- trary, when those that should apply the law, sinful, secure persons, apply the gospel. Many times poor distressed persons, that comfort belongs to — ' Oh comfort my people,' Isa. xl. 1 — the}' apply the law that belongs not to them. In that case false application is the ground of mischief. Therefore the Spirit of God is the principle of application of divine truths, according to the exigence and estate of God's people.
Use. Therefore ive should he stirred up to heg the sjnrit of application, to maintain our communion and intercourse with God, that we may apply every thing duly and truly to ourselves and our own souls. All is to no purpose else, if we do not apply it, if it be not brought home to our souls and digested throughly in our hearts. We must say. This is from God, and this belongs to me ; when we hear truths unfolded, to say of ourselves. This concerns me, and say not. This is a good portion and a good truth for such a one and such a one, but. Every one take out his own portion, this is for me. God saith, ' Seek my face ; thy face, Lord, will I seek,' with a spirit of application.