Page images
PDF
EPUB

ministry of Christ, in Ananias under the preaching of Peter, and in Demas under the labours of Paul.

The next pleasing stream of divine life that rises in the soul is that which so powerfully works in the renewed mind; "For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace," Rom. viii. 6. The mind is the busiest faculty in the soul of man, and will be busily

but this by the Spirit of God is purified and renewed. Hence you read in Peter of a pure mind; and by Paul of being renewed in the spirit of the mind, which consists in the Holy Spirit's subduing our sin, and bringing under the carnality and enmity that works in the mind, and those fleshly lusts which war against the soul, and writing the law of faith in it, accompanied with that love that is the fulfilling of the law, shedding it abroad in the heart. And now, the book of God being unsealed, the covenant of grace exhibited to the renewed mind, and to the enlightened understanding, it roves in and plows up the secret mysteries of the kingdom, the secret decrees of God, his good-will of purpose and of promise, his council and his covenant, the many folds of his wisdom, and the rich displays of his grace, the present earnest and the future lump, the firstfruits of the spirit in hand, and the harvest of glory in hope. These things now become the employ of the mind, and the meditation of the heart: these

things the renewed soul loves, in these it delights; and the Holy Spirit still gives us fresh discoveries. to explore, and fresh matter of wonder; and here we give up our conversation and contemplations to the higher world; and the spirit of wisdom, which writes these laws of faith and love in the mind and heart, speaks by them to the soul; "When thou goest it shall lead thee, when thou sleepest it shall keep thee, and when thou awakest it shall talk with thee," Prov. vi. 22. "To be spiritually minded is life and peace. Nor is this divine life an inactive principle which lies dormant, but a working one, as the Apostle intimates when speaking of the infirmities of old age gaining upon him, where he says; "So then death worketh in us, but life in you," 2 Cor. iv. 12. And hence we are said not only to be quickened, but raised up, and made to sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus, and to be planted together in the likeness of his resurrection: not representatively only, but by the soul's ascension to God under the influence of the Holy Spirit, which is expressed by having our hope as an anchor of the soul within the veil, and by setting our affections on things above, at the right hand of God where Christ sitteth, and by having our conversation in heaven. Moreover, this powerful springing up of divine life is discovered to us by the most delightful refreshings and entertainments which the Holy Spirit sets forth in the soul; "And they shall spring up as among the grass,

as willows by the water-courses: one shall say, I am the Lord's; and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob; and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the Lord; and surname himself by the name of Israel," Isai. xliv. 4, 5. Here is first their springing up as among the grass, leaving the grass, the children of this world, behind. This growth is set forth by the willow, and the spirit and his grace by the water-courses. And you may see what works in the heart, by the confessions of their mouths; I am the Lord's; he has loved, chosen, redeemed, called, justified, and sanctified me. This is a lively faith in God's mercy through Christ. The next calls himself by the name of Jacob: and rightly so called says the believer, for I have got both the birthright and the blessing; I am born again, and am a partaker of the blessing of heaven, even life for evermore. The third subscribes with the hand of faith to the Lord; he lays his hand of faith upon the promises, and sets to his seal that God is true to his word; a God hearing and answering prayer; and styles himself a prevailer with God, an Israelite indeed, though not an Israelite after the flesh.

Moreover, there is a continual flowing of the Spirit of grace from the Mediator's fulness, by the word, to all believers; and, as the waters of life flow into us, so grace springs up in us: "And the Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bor.es; and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like

a spring of water whose waters fail not," Isai. Iviii. 11. For, as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth, so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations." This springing up in us is the exercising of the different graces of the Spirit upon God through a Mediator, and the heart discharging its spiritual contents in confessions, in prayers, praises, blessings, joyful acclamations and songs, with grace in the heart, making melody to God.

And it is this grace of life by the Spirit that feeds the gifts of all the real ministers of Christ, who are ministers of the Spirit, and stewards of the mysteries and of the manifold grace of God: and, without this grace of life, the most splendid abilities and the most shining parts; zeal, apparent fervour, understanding, and fluency of speech, all will wither, fade, and come to nothing at last; for, as the Spirit never blowed so as to wither the grass and fade the flowers at their entering into a profession, these flowers are sure to spring up and choke their profession sooner or later. And whenever a consciousness of hypocrisy, presumption, and deception, stares them in the face, and Satan, who has emboldened them and supported them, comes to turn the tables upon them, as he always does when our heavenly Father takes the fruitless branch from the vine, as he did Judas; then they find Paul's saying true, "It is a

fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." Thus have I endeavoured, as well as I am able, to set forth the beginning and springing up of eternal life in the souls of God's elect, and also how it roots out death as it rises, as

1st. When God by his Holy Spirit quickens us, then are we brought forth from the sleep of death, Psal. xiii. 3.

2d. That the light of life rescues the mind and understanding from the dark regions of the shadow of death, Isaiah ix. 2.

"We

3d. That God, begetting us to a lively hope, counteracts despair, which leads to death. are saved by hope."

4th. That faith, apprehending the atonement and purifying the heart by it, brings the life promised to faith, and purges sin, which is the sting of death.

5th. That faith, putting on an imputed righteousness for the justification of our persons, we are then said to pass from death to life, so as never more to come into condemnation: this is called justification unto life, Rom, v. 18. This delivers our souls from the sentence of death, and from the ministration of it; for, "There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus," Rom. viii. 1.

6th. That the kingdom of God set up in the heart, which stands in divine power, in righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost, this delivers us from him that had the power of death,

« PreviousContinue »