First, every believer hath a fare intereft in Chrift; It is with the members of Chrift, as with the members of the body,though they are not all of equall ftrength, in a comparison one with the other, yet they are of equall conjunction in a relation of all of them to the head,

So one believer exceeds another in a fpecial measure of faich, yet every believer is a member firmly and furly knit to Chrift, the head of all believers. Chrift is not the Saviour and Lord only of the ftrong, but also of the weak, not only the old man, nor only the young man, but also the children, the little chil dren, (to whom Saint John wrote) they are all in Chrift: 1 Job. 2.

There is a wide difference 'twixt reflexive certainty, and 'cwixt real certainty of intereft, strong faith hath the pre-eminence of weak faith, in refpect of a reflexive and fenfible certainty, but not in refpect of a reall certainty, this is univocal, the union 'twixt Chrift and the foul, doth not depend upon the strength, but upon the truth of faith; If my will confents unto Chrift, if my heart accepts of him upon his own tearmes, if I take his whole perfon and his whole condition, the match is truly made 'cwixt Chrift and me, he is furely mine, and I am furely his Although I am not in an affured condition, yet I am in a fure union, Chrift doth certainly own that foul, which by faith doth truly embrace him: All mine are thine, and thine are mine, saith Chrift, Joh. 17. 10. He fpeaks of the Difciples, and of all the Elect, who were the fathers in respect of a gracious election, and gift, and Chrifts in refpect of a tender affection and union. So that here is one concordance of all faith in respect of fundamen tall comfort, viz. that the objective unity is one and common, the weak and the strong eye meet in the fame colours as the object, and weak and ftrong faith, are two different hands, yet both of them upon one and the fame Christ.

Secondly, every believer hath a beneficial intereft in Chrift: (that i) weak faith hath an intereft in the benefits of Chrift, as well as the ftrong faith.

fits.

I will inftance in fome fpecial and choife bene

Firft, Redemption from the Malediction of the Law, Chrift took that off, He was made a curfe for all that believe on him: He

did not ftand in the room only of eminent, but of every believer, and endured the wrath to the utmost for every one who doth believe on him.

Thou art freed from a curfed eftate by the leaft faith; every degree of true faith makes the condition to be a ftate of life, and paffeth us from death and condemnation. There is no condemnation to them that are in Chrift Jefus,Rom.

8. 1.

Secondly, Remission of finnes, what Chrift faid to that impotent perfon, Sonne be of good sheer, thy finnes are forgiven thee, that is true of every beleever, Chrift hath purchased a pardon for him, Acts 13.38. Be it known unto you,men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveneffe of finnes. Ver. 39. And by him all that beleeve are justified, &c.

If any believer went without his difcharge, then probable it is that the weakest should be he, but the Scripture (peaking of the weakest faith,makes it an hand holding a pardon in it. 1 John 2. 12. I write unto you little children, because your fins are forgiven you for his names fake; though children, though fittle children, yec pardoned children, and mark it, the cause of that pardon was common to them with the ftronger men (viz for his Names (ake:) a man is not pardoned for the ftrength of his faith, nor debarred of it for the weakneffe of his faith, but both th'one and the other enjoys it for his Names fake (that is) for Chrifts (ake.

Nay, obferve it, that though weak and strong faith may vary much in the manner and degree of the apprehenfion, or perfwalion, or reading of the pardon, yet they both agree in the strength, and in the latitude of pardon. The weak believer bath as an effectual, and as ample, and full remiffion as the frongeft believer; for Chrift did not become an unequal furety, or an uneven Sacrifice for finne; my meaning is this, that he did not only undertake the debts of fome believers, but of every one; nor did he undertake fone debts only of fome beleevers, but all the debts of all beleevers. Therefore it is aid Elay 53.6. The Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all; and Jer. 32.8. will pardon all their iniquities whereby they have finned, which words extend to all beleévers, because to all that are covenanted. Thirdly,

I 3.

4.

Thirdly, fuftification by imputed righteoufneffe. There is a common equal intereft in this by all beleevers: It is but one garment for every beleever, it is an entire thing. One believer bath not one righteousneffe to juftifie him, and another believer another, but all are juftified by the fame righteousneffe of Chrift; neither is the imputation of this righteoufneffe partial, or unequal,.but alike to all that believe. Rom. 3. 21. The righteou/neffe of God without the Law is manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets. Ver. 22. Even the righteousneffe of God, which is by faith of felu Chrift unto all, and upon all them that baleeve, for there is no difference. Therefore God is faid (in v. 26.) the Justifier of him that beleeveth in Jefus, if any man doth truely believe in Chrift, God juftifies that man, and Chrift is made righte oufneffe unto him, (chat is) the Lord will reckon unto him the righteousneffe of Chrift, he will in Chrift pronounce him juft and acquit him.

The most elevated beleever cannot be prefented in a judicial way before Gods juftice fafely, in the ftrength of his own. perfections, and therefore hath no reason to glory or boast, and the most weak beleever is not excluded, but adorned with the robe of Christs compleat righteoufneffe, notwithstanding his own manifold imperfections, and therefore hath no reafon to be difcouraged or difmayed, for as much as Chrift is the end of the Law for righteoufneffe to every one that believes, Rom.10.4.

Fourthly, the inheritance of glory, even those weak Difciples who were oft rebuked for their fears and doubtings, were commanded by Chrift to rejoyce; because their names were written in the book of life.

If we be Believers,we are sonnes, and if sonnes, then heirs; beires of life, and co-beires with Chrift in glory, Rom.8.16,17 Gal. 4. 26. Te are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. Verf. 29. And if ye be Chrifts, then are ye Abrahams feed, and heirs according to the promife. John 3. 16. Whosoever believeth in him shall not perish, but have everlasting life, for eternal life is founded in Chrift, God hath put all life in him, from him we draw our life of grace, and by him we poffeffe our life of glory. 1 Johns. 11. God hath given unto us eternal life, and this life

is in his Sonne. Verse 12. He that hath the Sonne hath life.

Obj. Yea, but who are they who have the Son?

Sol. See ver. 13. These things I have written unto you, that believe on the Name of the Sonne of God, that je may know that ye have eternal life, as if he fhould fay, every believer is he who hath the Sonne, and by him that eternal life.

3. Every beleever hath vertual intereft in Chrift (that is) he fhall partake of the vertues, and graces, and strength of Chrift.

The vertues of Chrift are many; I will touch at fome,

viz.

1. A crucifying vertue which fubdues the love and domi nion of finne, now every beleever shares in this, though one beleever be more troubled with the infolent motions of finne, then another, yet no believer fhall lie under the dominion of finne, Rom.6.14. Sinne shall not have dominion over pos, for you are not under the Law, but under grace. Gal. 5. 24. And they that are Chrifts bave crucified the flesh with the affections and lufts. Every beleever is gathered under the rod and Scepter of Chrift, and is made alive to Chrift, and dead to finne, yea, and Chrift will more and more mortifie his corrupt beart; He will be made death to the strongest luft in the weakeft believer.

2. An affifting vertue, which aides the foul in matter of duty and fervice; now Chrift will not only guide the strong, but alfo lead the weak believer: He will fend forth his enabling Strength for all the fervices which he requires, 2 Cor. 12.9. He laid unto me, my grace is fufficient for thee, for my strength is made perfect in weakneffe; most gladly therefore will I glory in mine infirmities, that the power of Chrift may rest upon me. As if he should say, there was weakneffe and infirmity on Pauls part, but there was ftrength and power on Chrifts part, and this ftrength would Chrift make to appear in Pauls weakneffe (that is) though Paul faw and felt his own ftrength infufficient, yet he should find Chrift fufficient, fufficiently inabling him in that particular. Rom. 8. 26. Likewife, the Spirit alfo helpeth our infirmities, for we know not what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit it felfe maketh interceffion for

us with groanings which cannot be mitered. Mark that place, though we are very infirme, very weak to any holy duty, to prayer and the reft, yet Chrift will help, he will come in with his Spirit which fhall enable us with fupplications, fo that even very weak believers may take comfort in this, that Chrift will strengthen and aide them by his Spirit in duties as well as the frongest.

The greatest believer cannot performe fervice by his own ftrength, and the weakest fhall be inab'ed by Chrifts.

There be three things which Chrift will communicate to every believer, even to the weakest, about duty.

One is, an affection and heart.

Another is, ftrength and affistance.

The laft is, pardon and acceptance; what is amiffe, and wanting, fhall be pardoned, and what is imperfectly, and weakly good, fhall yet through his interceffion be accept

ed.

His Father (for his merits) will not defpife the day of small things.

3. Perfevering vertue, by which the foul comes at length to caft Anchor and to be fafely landed. Now the strong faith bath (in a fort) heaven already, yet weak faith (hall also make a faving voyage: as it was with them in Pauls fhipwrack, fome of them could fwim, and quickly, and better get to fhore, others were more unskilful, and therefore laid hold and made use of broken boards, yet the text faith, That they all came fafe to land: That I fay of strong and weak faith, though the ftrong believer can better cut through the manifold oppofitions of the world, though he can rife more easily above the waves of Satans temptations then the weak believer, yet both of them fhall hold out to the end, and meet at heaven. You fee feveral bottoms at fea, one makes more speed then another, and perhaps is better ordered; but those duller and flower bottoms follow after, and at length they come to the fame Haven, and fo caft Anchor together. So,&c,

That Chrift, who is the Author, will alfo be the finisher of all true faith, and though faith may be very weak, yet the weakeft faith is invincible: The gates (no not) of bell ( and they