THese Temporal favours which we ought thus to enumerate, though they are very excellent in themselves, and far beyond our deserts, yet are common with us, to Hypocrites, and such as shall hereafter be damned, and therefore ‘tis requisite that we should after a more especial manner, magnifie his glorious name for those spiritual mercies that concern our eternity. Chiefly for the Lord Jesus Christ, the author, and finisher of our faith, the fountain of all the other mercies which we enjoy. For his Birth, Incarnation, Sufferings, Death, Resurrection, Ascension, Intercession, with all those unspeakable benefits that we receive by them; for blessing us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.
(Eph. 1.3)More particularly for those remarkable effects of his love and merits in our
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Election: For that God hath predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, (Eph. 1.5) accordng to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of the glory of his grace, whereby he hath made us accepted in the beloved; (2 Thes. 2.13) and hath from the beginning chosen us to salvation, through sanctification of the Spirit, and beliefe of the truth. He might have designed us for vessels of wrath, as he did the fallen Angels, and then we had been eternally undone, without all possible remedy. There was nothing to move him in us, when we lay altogether in the general heap of mankind. It was his own free grace and bounty, that made him to take delight in us, to chuse us out from the rest, and to sever us from those many thousands in the world, who shall perish everlastingly.
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Redemption: For that incomprehensible miracle of his wisdome and mercy, in the contrivance of our redemption by the death of Christ. For he hath redeemed us by the precious blood of his dear Son,1 who is the Image of the invisible God, the first-born of every creature, who gave himself a ransome for all.
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Vocation: That he hath called us by the Gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ: And that with an holy calling, not according to our own works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began.
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Justification: For pardoning our sins, the least of which would have been enough to have undone us to all eternity. (Col. 2.13, 14) For that he hath forgiven our trespasses, blotting out the hand-writing of Ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to the crosse. (Eph. 1.7, 8) For the remission of our sins, through the blood of Christ, according to the riches of his grace, wherein he hath abounded towards us in all wisdome and prudence.
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Sanctification: For renuing upon our souls in any measure the blessed Image of the Lord Jesus Christ, the least glimpse whereof is infinitely more worth then the whole world: For that he hath changed our vile natures, and made us partakers of the divine nature; Of strangers and forreigners,2 raising us up to be fellow-Citizens with the Saints, and of the houshold of God: Making us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light; delivering us from the power of darknesse, and translating us into the Kingdom of his dear Son.
And because our Sanctification is considerable, both according to the Parts Means of it, therefore it may be further amplified from each of these.
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For the Parts of it, both in respect of our Judgements, Affections, Conversations.
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For our Judgements, that he hath not given us over to blindnesse of minde, a reprobate sense, to wilde and desperate errors, by which we see so many others deluded, but hath in some measure revealed unto us those mysteries of godliness, which are hid from many wise and great ones of the world; and hath, according to his divine power, given us all things pertaining to life and godlinesse, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and vertue,
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For our Affections: That he hath not given us over to hardnesse of heart, slightnesse of spirit, that he hath in any measure weaned our souls from looking after solid contentment in the creatures, and raised them up to any love of holiness, any desire of a neerer communion with himself.
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For our Conversations: That he hath in any measure enabled us to do him service, to renounce the hidden things of dishonesty; to walk in some degree, as becomes children of light; (2 Cor. 4.2) Having no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darknesse; not allowing our selves in any course, (Eph. 5.11) which we know to be unlawful.
The Means of our Sanctification, are principally these five.
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His Spirit, to convince, direct, assist, comfort us, to prevent, & follow us with his grace· to support us in afflictions, to strengthen us in temptations, to quicken us to duty, & to seal us up unto the day of redemption.
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His Word, so powerful in discerning the thoughts, & intents of the heart, (Heb. 4.12) able to make us wise unto salvation being profitable for doctrine, (2 Tim. 3.16) for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousnesse, that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good work; for his holy and righteous Law; for the many gracious invitations, and promises in his Gospel.
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The Sacraments; That he hath not left us as strangers, without the Covenant of promise, but hath ordained visible signes and seals, to represent that to our senses, wch we ought to apprehend by our faith.
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The Sabbaths and publike Ordinances, that we have liberty to behold the face of God in his sanctuary, and to enquire in his Temple that amidst some outward troubles,3 the bread of adversity, and the water of affliction, yet our Teachers are not removed into corners, but our eyes may see them. (1 Sam. 3.1) That vision does not fail in our days, that we are not punished with a famine of the Word; (Am. 8.11) that the Sun does not go down upon our Prophets. (Mich. 3.6)
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The Communion of Saints: for the benefit that we enjoy by their examples, counsels, experience. For all those who have been instruments of our good by their Prayers, Writings, Preaching, &c.
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For Hopes of Glory, (2 Pet. 1.4) for giving unto us exceeding great and precious promises; that by these we might be partakers of the divine nature. Having according to his abundant mercy begotten us again unto a lively hope of an inheritance, incorruptible, undefiled, (1 Pet. 1.3, 4) and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for us. For lifting up the light of his countenance upon us, which is better then life it self; for any comfortable evidences of our own salvation.
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