2. As for the Book of it felf, thou wilt (Reader) if thou favourest the things that be of God, and not of Man, perceive an Evangelical Strain of Spirit throughout the whole. Ever since I knew him he was highly Evangelick, but I never thought him So much as this ensuing Tract shews him to be, the Matter whereof was Preached by him in fundry Sermons after a great Fit of Sickness, when we have reason to think bis Spirit was very warm. In fum, the most Excellent Subject to Discourse or Write of, is Jesus Christ, faith a Modern Author of our

own.

Austin having Read Cicero's Works, commended them for their Eloquence, but he passed this Sentence upon them, They are not sweet, because the Name of Jesus is not in them. Parallel with which is that of Bernard, If thou writeft, it doth not relish with me, unless I read Jesus there; if thou difputest or conferrest, it doth not relish well with me, unless Jesus sound there. This I can affure thee, Reader, to the best of my Remembrance, there is not a Page in this Book without the Name of Christ, ei ther once or more, and not impertinently or unneceffarily mentioned, at which I much wondred. Not that I am of the Opinion of some, as if Chrift could not be Preached, if he was not mentioned in totidem verbis; but to be sure when he is so much mentioned, not in a way of vain Tautologies, but every way according to the Revelation of him in his own Gospel, as I do count he is in this Book, furely then we may Say, Here is a Book that Treats of Christ. I shall not therefore any longer detain thee from the Book it felf, but commend It and Thee to the Blessing of God, who is ambitious of nothing else, but to be All in Chrift, and nothing in Self,

THOMAS POWELL.

Chriftian Reader.

T

HE foregoing Epistle of my respected
Friend hath given an Account of the Au-

thor and his Performances of this Undertaking, the Author himself declaring the Causes and Occasions of the Publication thereof; that which remaineth to me is to commend the diligent Attendance on the Duty here exhorted unto, of Living upon Chrift by Faith; and because a fixed View of Chrift, as he is revealed in the Scriptures, is an instituted Means whereby in and through him there is conveyed unto us Strength and Ability to live unto him as we ought, I shall therefore only shew the Reasonableness and Neceffity of Living to him; as it is an Argument that may induce us to live upon him, who is the Fountain in and through whom all Ability is conveyed unto us by the Grace of God, whereby we may comfortably walk with God, and live unto his Praise, and our own Peace. All I have to say on this Account therefore may be reduced to these Three Heads.

1. The Reasonableness. And 2. The Neceffity of Christians living to Jesus Christ. And 3. The grievous Neglect hereof in the Times wherein we live, endangering our Ruin unless we repent and

reform.

First, As to the first Obfervation, most reasonable to live unto Christ,

C

That it is this doth hereby

1

hereby appear, in that whatsoever it is that is meant by living to Chrift, whatsoever is included and comprised in it, or can be understood by it, the Lord Jefus is every way worthy of it; it is all his due, and no more than our reasonable Service; and this will further appear by an Induction of these Three Particular Properties, and most eminent Instances of this living to Christ. First, As it is an Act of Divine Honour and Homage that is paid unto Chrift by living to him; this he is worthy of as he is God. Secondly, As it is an Expreffion of the greatest Love to live to him; this he is. worthy of, who died for us while we were Sinners. Thirdly, As it confifts in a Refignation of our Selves to the Will and Difpofal of Chrift, by living to him; this is most reasonable also because he hath redeemed us to himself; we are his, and not our own.

First then, As it is an Act of Divine Honour and Homage that is paid unto Christ by living to him, to devote our selves to the Lord, he is worthy of the fame, in whom the Fulness of the Godhead dwelleth bodily, Col. 2. 9. To make any Thing the Object of Divine Honour but God alone, is Idolatry: the highest Love, Fear, Reverence, Truft and Obedience that our Natures are capable of performing, is the Homage that is peculiarly due unto God, as he is the Author of our Being; the Difference between the Respect we owe to God, and what we are allowed to shew unto Creatures, is stated in this Law, that requireth us to Love the Lord our God with all our Heart, our Might and Strength, Deut. 6. 5. And our Neighbour as our Selves, Mark 12. 30, 31. But the Glory and Homage which is peculiarly due unto God, he will not give unto another. Ifa. 42. 8. & 48. 11.

For

)

For what else do we, by performing Divine Honour to any, but own and acknowledge such to be God? Unto whom we thereby ascribe Divine Excellencies, with respect whereunto, we yield that peсиliar Reverence which is due to God alone as such.

And feeing he dwelleth in the Light which none can approach unto, 1 Tim. 6. 16. is infinite, invifible and incomprehensible in his Being, it hath pleased God to condescend to give forth such a Representation of himself, and such evident discoveries of his Divine Excellencies, as might be a meet Object of Divine Honour, and worthy to receive the Homage due from Creatures unto their Creator. This was the Shekinah, or Divine Prefence of old, evidencing it self by Divine Operations. Hence Jacob faith of it, Gen. 28. 16, 17. Surely the Lord is in this Place and I know it not, and be was afraid, and he said, How dreadful is this Place! This is none other but the House of God, and this is the Gate of Heaven. The Egyptians faid of the Plague of Lice, Exod. 8. 19. That it was the Finger of God. This Divine Prefence in the burning Bush obliged Mofes to pull off his Shoes, Exod. 3. 5. and Joshua to the like Act of Reverence, Josh. 5. 14, 15. Unto the Lord as Prince of the Lords Hoft; unto this Glory of God, as discovering it felf at the Door of the Tabernacle in a Cloud, Exod. 33. 10. The People bowed their Heads and Worshipped. This Divine Presence of God dwelling between the Cherubims, and filling the Temple, 1 Kings 8. 10, 11, 12, 13, 27, 28, 29, 30. obliged Ifrael to Worship towards that Holy Place, there being discovered the Tekmeria, or evident Marks of the Divine Glory; and to pay the fame Respect to any other Place, or to that Place now God is not there, is Idolatry, Deut.

16. 5, 6. & 12. 13, 14. 1 Kings 12. 28, 29, 30. Now proportionably unto that Degree and Measure of the Discovery which God is pleased to make of himself to his Church, as to the Obscurity or Clearness of it, such is the Glory or Defect of these Dispensations, 2 Cor. 3. 9, 10, 11, 14, 18. Heb. 1. 1. In this respect therefore it is that the Dispensation of the Gospel is so far excelling the Glory of all former Times, in that by the Incarnation and Exhibition of Jesus Christ God is manifeft in the Flesh, 1 Tim. 3. 16. is most clearly, fully and gloriously revealed in the Perfon of Chrift. No Man bath seen God at any Time, but the only begotten Son, that dwelleth in the Bosom of the Father, he hath declared him, John 1. 18. He was declared to be the Son of God with Power, by the Resurrection from the Dead, Rom. 1. 4. God who at fundry Times and in divers Manners. Spake unto our Fathers by the Prophets, hath in these last Days Spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed Heir of all Things, by whom also be made the Worlds, who being the Brightness of his Glory, and the Character or express Image of his Person, and upholding all Things by the Word of bis Power; when he had by himself purged our Sins, fat down on the Right Hand of the Majesty on high, Heb. 1. 1, 2, 3. Who Thought it not Robbery to be equal with God, Phil. 2. 6. Seeing it pleased the Father that in him should all Fulness dwell, Col. 1. 19. All the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge being hid in him, Col. 2. 3. And the Infinite, Eternal, Unchangeable Excellencies of God in his Counsel of Peace, his Love, Grace and Mercy to loft Sinners, being revealed by him, and represented in him, 1 John 3. 16. I 1 John 4. 8, 9, 10. By him is Glory brought to God in the highest,