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226。 Now as touching this； THAT Esau SOUGHT A PLACE OF REPENTANCE； thus I thought： FIRST； This was not for the BIRTHRIGHT； but THE BLESSING： this is clear from the apostle； and is distinguished by Esau himself； HE TOOK AWAY MY BIRTHRIGHT （that is； formerly）； AND BEHOLD NOW HE HATH TAKEN AWAY MY BLESSING。 Gen。 xxvii。 36。 SECONDLY； Now； this being thus considered； I came again to the apostle； to see what might be the mind of God； in a New…Testament style and sense concerning ESAU'S sin； and so far as I could conceive； this was the mind of God； THAT THE BIRTHRIGHT signified REGENERATION； and the BLESSING； the ETERNAL INHERITANCE； for so the apostle seems to hint。 LEST THERE BE ANY PROFANE PERSON； AS Esau； WHO FOR ONE MORSEL OF MEAT SOLD HIS BIRTHRIGHT； as if he should say； That shall cast off all those blessed beginnings of God； that at present are upon him； in order to a new…birth； lest they become as ESAU； even be rejected AFTERWARDS； when they would inherit the blessing。
227。 For many there are； who； in the day of grace and mercy； despise those things which are indeed the birthright to heaven； who yet when the deciding day appears； will cry as lord as ESAU； LORD； LORD； OPEN TO US； but then； as ISAAC would not repent； no more will God the Father； but will say； I HAVE BLESSED THESE； YEA； and THEY SHALL BE BLESSED； but as for you； DEPART； YOU ARE THE WORKERS OF INIQUITY。 Gen。 xxvii。 32； Luke xiii。 25…27。
228。 When I had thus considered these scriptures； and found that thus to understand them； was not against； but according to other scriptures； this still added further to my encouragement and comfort； and also gave a great blow to that objection； to wit； THAT THE SCRIPTURES COULD NOT AGREE IN THE SALVATION OF MY SOUL。 And now remained only the hinder part of the tempest； for the thunder was gone beyond me； only some drops did still remain； that now and then would fall upon me； but because my former frights and anguish were very sore and deep； therefore it oft befall me still； as it befalleth those that have been scared with fire。 I thought every voice was； FIRE！ FIRE！ Every little touch would hurt my tender conscience。
229。 But one day； as I was passing in the field； and that too with some dashes on my conscience； fearing lest yet all was not right； suddenly this sentence fell upon my soul； THY RIGHTEOUSNESS IS IN HEAVEN； and methought withal； I saw with the eyes of my soul； Jesus Christ at God's right hand： there； I say； was my righteousness； so that wherever I was； or whatever I was doing； God could not say of me； HE WANTS MY RIGHTEOUSNESS； for that was just before Him。 I also saw moreover； that it was not my good frame of heart that made my righteousness better； nor yet my bad frame that made my righteousness worse； for my righteousness was Jesus Christ Himself； THE SAME YESTERDAY； TO…DAY； AND FOR EVER。 Heb。 xiii。 8。
230。 Now did my chains fall off my legs indeed； I was loosed from my afflictions and irons； my temptations also fled away； so that from that time those dreadful scriptures of God left off to trouble me： now went I also home rejoicing； for the grace and love of God； so when I came home； I looked to see if I could find that sentence； THY RIGHTEOUSNESS IS IN HEAVEN； but could not find such a saying； wherefore my heart began to sink again； only that was brought to my remembrance； 1 Cor。 i。 30； CHRIST JESUS； WHO OF GOD IS MADE UNTO US WISDOM； AND RIGHTEOUSNESS； AND SANCTIFICATION； AND REDEMPTION； by this word I saw the other sentence true。
231。 For by this scripture I saw that the Man Christ Jesus； as He is distinct from us； as touching His bodily presence； so He is our righteousness and sanctification before God。 Here therefore I lived； for some time； very sweetly at peace with God through Christ； Oh！ methought； Christ！ Christ！ there was nothing but Christ that was before my eyes： I was not now （only） for looking upon this and the other benefits of Christ apart； as of His blood； burial； or resurrection； but considering Him as a whole Christ！ as He in whom all these； and all His other virtues； relations； offices and operations met together； and that He sat on the right hand of God in heaven。
232。 'Twas glorious to me to see His exaltation； and the worth and prevalency of all His benefits； and that because now I could look from myself to Him and should reckon； that all those graces of God that now were green on me； were yet but like those cracked groats and fourpence…halfpennies that rich men carry in their purses； when their gold is in their trunks at home： Oh！ I saw my gold was in my trunk at home！ In Christ my Lord and Saviour。 Now Christ was all； all my wisdom； all my righteousness； all my sanctification； and all my redemption。
233。 Further； the Lord did also lead me into the mystery of union with the Son of God； that I was joined to Him； that I was flesh of His flesh； and bone of His bone； and now was that word sweet to me in Eph。 v。 30。 By this also was my faith in Him； as my righteousness； the more confirmed in me； for if He and I were one； then His righteousness was mine； His merits mine； His victory also mine。 Now could I see myself in heaven and earth at once： in heaven by my Christ； by my head； by my righteousness and life； though on earth by my body or person。
234。 Now I saw Christ Jesus was looked upon of God； and should also be looked upon by us； as that common or public person； in whom all the whole body of His elect are always to be considered and reckoned； that we fulfilled the law by Him； died by Him； rose from the dead by Him； got the victory over sin； death； the devil； and hell； by Him； when He died； we died； and so of His resurrection。 THY DEAD MEN SHALL LIVE； TOGETHER WITH MY DEAD BODY SHALL THEY ARISE； saith He。 Isa。 xxvi。 19。 And again； AFTER TWO DAYS HE WILL REVIVE US； AND THE THIRD DAY HE WILL RAISE US UP； AND WE SHALL LIVE IN HIS SIGHT。 Hosea vi。 2。 Which is now fulfilled by the sitting down of the Son of Man on the right hand of the Majesty in the heavens； according to that to the EPHESIANS； AND HATH RAISED US UP TOGETHER； AND MADE US SIT TOGETHER IN HEAVENLY PLACES IN CHRIST JESUS。 Eph。 ii。 6。
235。 Ah！ these blessed considerations and scriptures； with many others of like nature； were in those days made to spangle in mine eyes； so that I have cause to say； PRAISE YE THE LORD。 PRAISE GOD IN HIS SANCTUARY； PRAISE HIM IN THE FIRMAMENT OF HIS POWER； PRAISE HIM FOR HIS MIGHTY ACTS： PRAISE HIM ACCORDING TO HIS EXCELLENT GREATNESS。 Psalm cl。 1； 2。
236。 Having thus in a few words given you a taste of the sorrow and affliction that my soul went under； by the guilt and terror that this my wicked thought did lay me under； and having given you also a touch of my deliverance therefrom； and of the sweet and blessed comfort that I met with afterwards； which comfort dwelt about a twelvemonth with my heart； to my unspeakable admiration： I will now （God willing）； before I proceed any farther； give you in a word or two； what； as I conceive； was the cause of this temptation； and also after that； what advantage； at the last； it became unto my soul。
237。 For the causes； I conceived they were principally two： of which two also I was deeply convinced all the time this trouble lay upon me。 The first was； for that I did not； when I was delivered from the temptation that went before； still pray to God to to keep me from the temptations that were to come； for though； as I can say in truth； my soul was much in prayer before this trial seized me； yet then I prayed only； or at the most principally； for the removal of present troubles； and for fresh discoveries of His love in Christ； which I saw afterwards was not enough to do； I also should have prayed that the great God would keep me from the evil that was to come。
238。 Of this I was made deeply sensible by the prayer of holy DAVID； who when he was under present mercy； yet prayed that God would hold him back from sin and temptation to come； THEN； saith he； SHALL I BE UPRIGHT； AND I SHALL BE INNOCENT FROM THE GREAT TRANSGRESSION。 Psalm xix。 13。 By this very word was I galled and condemned quite through this long temptation。
239。 That was also another word that did much condemn me for my folly； in the neglect of this duty。 Heb。 iv。 16： LET US THEREFORE COME BOLDLY UNTO THE THRONE OF GRACE； THAT WE MAY OBTAIN MERCY； AND FIND GRACE TO HELP IN TIME OF NEED。 This I had not done； and therefore was thus suffered to sin and fall； according to what is written； PRAY THAT YE ENTER NOT INTO TEMPTATION。 And truly this very thing is to this day of such weight and awe upon me； that I dare not； when I come before the Lord； go of my knees； until I intreat Him for help and mercy against the temptations that are to come； and I do beseech thee； reader； that thou learn to beware of my negligence； by the afflictions； that for this thing I did for days； and months； and years； with sorrow undergo。
240。 Another cause of this temptation was； that I had tempted God； and on this manner did I do it： Upon a time my wife was great with child； and before her full time was come； her pangs； a