(2.) He will depart as to the efficacy of his working in thee, and leave thee so weak that thou shalt not be able to walk with God. His Spuit is " a Spirit of grace and supplications." He will so with- draw it that thou shalt find thy heart in a poor condition, as to those things. To be cold in prayer, dead in hearing, estranged from medi- tation, slight in all duties, — this shall be thy portion ; — a frame that a tender soul would tremble to think of Ah, how many poor creatures are come to this state in these days, by their neglect and contempt of Christ dwelling in them ! They have lost their first love, their first life ; tlieir graces are ready to die, and their whole soul is asleep, in a heartless, lifeless, zealless frame. They shall be saved, but " yet as through fire."
(3.) He will depart as to assurance of %vlia,t is to come, as well as to a sense of what is present. ^It is the indwelling Spirit of Christ that gives assurance : hereby are we " sealed to the day of redemption." He "beareth witness 'with our spirits that we are the children of God." Upon our grieving him, he will withdraw as to this also. We shall be bewildered, and in the dark, not knowing what will become of our souls to eternity. For if Christ by his Spirit do not speak peace, who shall?
Observation 3. Doth he dwell in us hj his gi'ace?
(1.) Let us first know whence all graces are, that in a want or weakness of them we may know whither to go for a supply. " Of his fulness we recfeive, and grace for grace." All supjolies of gi'aces are fi'om Christ. " Lord, increase our faith," say the apostles. Not only faith originally is from him, but all increases of it also. " I believe;
308 THE BRANCH OF THE LOUD
help thoii my unbelief," says the poor man. We wrestle and struggle with a little gi'ace, a little faith, a little love, a little joy; and are con- tented if we can keep our heads above water, that we be not quite sunk and lost. How sweet would it be with us, if, upon a serious con- sideration from whence all these graces flow, we would apply ourselves to draw out farther degrees and heightenings of them, whereby he might dwell more plentifully in us, and we might always converse with him in his gracious train of attendants ! How this may be done in particular, is not my business now to show.
(2.) Learn to tender [make much of] the graces of Christ, as those which hold out his presence to us. Let us tender them in our own hearts, and prize them in whomsoever they are. They are pledges of the indwelling of Christ. Certainly, if men valued Christ, they would more value his graces. Many pretend to love him, to honour him, yea, with Peter, to be ready to die with him, or for him; but what evil surmises have they of the graces of Christ appearing in others! how do they call them hypocrisy, humour, folly, pride, singularity, with other terms of a later invention ! I cannot so easily believe that any one can love the Lord Jesus and hate the appearances of him in others. Where is any thing of Christ, there is also Christ.
5thly. Jesus Christ is the great avenger of this house, and of all the injuries or ^^Tongs that are done unto it. " All," saith he, " that devour Israel shall offend," Jer. ii. 3. He will not hold him guiltless that rises up against it. See Isa. lix. 15-18. He takes' upon him the avenging of his house, as his own proper work: " Shall he not avenge his elect? He will do it speedily." See also Isa. Ixiii. 2-6. How dreadful is he in the execution of his revenging judgments against the enemies thereof ! So also is he described, Rev. xix. 1 3-1 5. He hath promised to make the stones of this house heavy stones ; they shall burden all that touch them, Zech. xii. 3. He comes forth of " the myrtle-trees in the bottom" (his lowly people in a low condition) with the "red horse" following him, Zech. i. 8. Upon this account he fearfully broke the old Roman-pagan empire, Rev. vi. 12-17; and will as fearfully destroy the antichristian Roman power, with all its adherents. Rev. xvii.-xix. Sooner or later he will call to an account every instnmient of persecution in the world. Hence he is said to be a lion in the behalf of this house, that treads down all before him, Micah v. 8. Jacob says of him in Judah, " He is a lion, as an old lion; who shall rouse him up?" Gen. xlix. 9. Suppose any do rouse him up : how tlicn ? " He will not lie down mitil he eat of the prey, and drink the blood of the slain," Numb, xxiii. 24. Many poor creatures have, by their opposition to his house, roused up this lion : and what hath been the issue? What attempts have been to cause him to lie down again ! — All in vain. If he be once roused up, he will not