All that I shall add hereunto is this : — Seeing there is in Scripture a double worship of Christ that is immediate (for his person is con- sidered absolutely, and as mediator between God and man), which of these ought we principally to apply ourselves unto?
I answer plainly, —
(] .) Our direction for solemn worship in the church generally re- spects Christ as mediator, in Scripture. The general worship that is to be performed unto God in the assemblies of the saints, doth look upon Christ as executing his mediatory office ; and so our address is unto the throne of grace by him. By him we enter into the holy place, — through him and by him unto God. " I bow my knees unto (God) the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ," Eph. iii. 14. God, consi- dered as the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, is the proper, ultimate object of the solemn worship of the church.
(2.) In treating and dealing about our owd souls, under the con- duct of the Spirit of God, it is lawful and expedient for us in our prayers and supplications to make addresses to the person of Christ; as Stephen did.
376 HOW TO APPLY TO CHRIST FOR GRACE.
DISCOURSE YL1
Question. How may we make our addresses to Christ for the exer- cise of grace; that is, that we may have grace strengthened, and be ready for all exercise ? or, How may we make appli- cation to Christ, that tve may receive grace from, him to re- cover from decays?
ANSWER. I think the direction given by our Saviour himself is so plain, and doth so fall in with our experience, that we need not look much farther. Saith he, " Unless ye abide in me, ye cannot bear fruit." The business we aim at is fruit-bearing; which consists as much in the internal, vigorous actings of grace, as in the performance of outward duties, — to be faithful in our minds and souls, as well as in our lives. "The way for that/' saith our Saviour, "is, ' Abide in me/" And unless we do so, he tells us plainly, do we whatever we will else, we " cannot bring forth fruit." So that the whole of our fruitfulness depends upon our abiding in Christ. There cannot, then, be much more said unto this business, but to inquire a little what it is to abide in Christ.
Certainly, it is not a mere not going off from Christ; as we say, a man abides when he doth not go away. For I hope that, under all the decays we have complained of, and want of fruitfulness, yet we have not left Christ, and gone away from him. We have so far abode in him as the branch abideth in the root, from whence it hath its communication and supplies. Therefore there is something in parti- cular included in this abiding in Christ, dwelling in Christ, and Christ dwelling in us.
And there seems to be this in it, — that to abide in Christ, is to be always nigh unto Christ, in the spiritual company of Christ, and in communication with Christ. It doth not lie in a naked, essential act of believing, whereby we are implanted into Christ, and will not go from him ; but there is something of an especial, spiritual activity of soul in this abiding in Christ: it is abiding with him, and in his presence.
And as this abiding with Christ must be by some acts of our souls, let us consider what acts those are ; which may give a little farther light into this matter. And, First, It must be, certainly, by some act of our minds. Secondly, By some act of our wills. Thirdly, By some act of our affections. And thus we abide with Christ; which is the way certainly to bring forth fruit.
1 Delivered April 19, 1676.
HOW TO APPLY TO CHRIST FOR GRACE. 377
First. There is an abiding with Christ in our minds. Now this, to me, is in contemplation and thoughts of him night and day, — " I sought him on my bed, in the night/' saith the spouse; — to consider very much the person of Christ, to contemplate upon him as vested with his glorious office, and as intrusted and designed by the Father to this work. " We all," saith the apostle, " with open face beholding the glory of the Lord as in a glass, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, by the Spirit of the Lord." My brethren, that which you and I are aiming at is, to be " changed into the same image;" that is, into the image and likeness of the glory of God in Christ. I dare boldly say, by those of us who have reason to have daily apprehensions of our going out of the world, and leaving this state of things, that Ave have no greater desire, nor is there any thing more frequent in our minds, than this, that we may be more and more changed into that image before Ave go out of this Avorld; for we are looking after perfection in likeness to Christ. Therefore aged Christians especially will bear Avitness, that there is nothing noAv we long for more than to be more and. more changed into the image and likeness of Christ. How shall we get to this? Why, saith he, " The Avay is, by looking steadily upon Christ, as a man looks with an optic glass to an object at a great distance. We behold him," saith he, " by looking steadily upon Christ himself, and the glory of God in him." Noav there is a Avonderful large object for us to behold ; for when you look upon the glory of God in Christ, you have Avhat you please of Christ for the object of your eye and vieAv; — the person of Christ, the office of Christ, the merit of Christ, the example of Christ, the death of Christ, and what you will, so you be much in- tent in your thoughts and minds, much in immediate contemplation about Christ. I do not knoAV hoAV you find it, brethren ; but it is the advice I would give you avIio are aged Christians, and not likely to continue long in this Avorld, to exercise yourselves in immediate contemplations upon Christ. All the teachings you have had from ministers, the principal end of them has been to enable you to this ; and really, if I know any thing, Ave shall find them accompanied AAith a sweet transforming poAver, beyond Avhat Ave have had experience of in other ways and duties. " We shall be changed into the same likeness."