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A61026 Free grace, or, The flowings of Christs blood free to sinners being an experiment of Jesus Christ upon one who hath been in the bondage of a troubled conscience ... / by John Saltmarsh. Saltmarsh, John, d. 1647. 1646 (1646) Wing S485; ESTC R28122 77,906 222

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are as bad as the rest as these in the prison who are as very theeves in the dungeon as they that are robbing by the high-way But further there would be something of our sanctification which we might call righteousnesse and so in time be as confident as they that will not lose the merit of their own works I speak here you see to further and advance a Gospel-mortification or a dying to sin in the power and life of Christ as well as the spiritual nature or new man But I would not have the power of mortification and conversion from sin mistaken to be in the not acting such or such a particular sin which was acted before or meerly in the particoloured change or inchoative sanctification onely we know what an overvaluing of that hath brought because such a mortification is too low and legal for pure beleevers but in that implantation and mystical ingrasting the soul into the glorious fellowship of Christ his death c. As for instance We put not a mans living and excellency of reason in an outward motion of the body or some one or two reasonable words spoken but in the life and soul and glorious spirit within him We put not the glory of the light in the Windows or panes of Glasse where it shines and cleerly too but in the body of the Sun the Fountain of light below So pure and spiritual mortification is radically or principally in our fellowship and union with him who killed sin in our nature in the body and thus we are spiritually and mystically dead to sin and that corruption which is within us will not be able to live long under the power of such a spiritual death and nature as Christs is but will waste and die daily though still pure mortification consists not principally in the not indwelling of corruption but in our implantation into fellowship with Christ for if such dying of corruption were true mortification then they that are dead in the Grave and can sin no more actually or they that are on their sick bed and disabled to former sins were mortified persons No it is an higher mystery to be mortified to sin then to not sin or not act corruption or to be spiritually changed by the spirit or spiritual nature within nor can any interpret as if they that were thus spiritually mortified need not strive against sin or the strength or the growing of it in the flesh or nature No that were a contradiction and is an impossibility for the cherishing corruption and fomenting or nourishing sinful nature will no more stand with such ●spiritually mystically mortified beleever then liberty to sin will stand with assurance of pardon for sin in the fame Childe of God Shew me any taken into the fellowship of Christs death that can make such provision for sin I speak not of some particular acts and that is the reason we read in Scriptures of so little conversation in sin or continuing in sin in the Saints former beleevers nor do the Scriptures put the form of sin or wickednesse upon particular acts of sin calling David an evil man for his uncleannesse or Job for his passions or Moses for his unbeleef or Peter for his denial but upon sinful and unregenerate nature as in Cain Esau Jeroboam Ahab Judas such are wicked men in the Scriptures account who are wicked by nature not from any particular action A Tree is not evil because it bears evil fruit but because it is naturally an evil Tree The sum of the mystery of mortification of sin in a beleever In a word to gather up this mystery of mortification of sin into a few plain words that it may be more clear both to the comforting weak beleevers that are wounded for sin and to help all beleevers more powerfully against sin in the mortifying of it 1. First let this be considered That mortification of sin is not in the not committing a sin for then children and civilly-moral men were mortified persons 2. That the fountain of sin or sinful nature is not wholly taken away by the spiritual nature begun in regeneration or the new birth 3. That pure mortification of sin is not in the meer absence of the body of sin for then dead or sick men were mortified persons 4. That the pure spiritual and mystical fountain of the mortification of sin is the being planted together in the likenesse of Christs death our old man being crucified with him Rom. 6.6 Our union with Christ our head our righteousnesse our Vine Now from these things thus considered we may raise up this consideration concerning mortification of sin That they who are mystically and spiritually planted into Christ are partakers of the power of his death which that highest purest and most mystical mortification that any have and with this there goes a spiritual power transforming and changing the whole man from former lusts this latter is called a putting on of the new man and a being renewed in spirit and in minde and a putting off the old man which is corrupt Eph. 4.22 23. Coloss. 3.10 Now that power wherein we are perfectly mortified is our union with Christ our being planted in the fellowship of his death c. and that wherein we are imperfectly or in part mortified is in that transformed nature or spiritual nature the body of sin being in a beleever more or lesse till he lay down this body and take it up a more glorious one So as a beleever is to consider himself dead to sin onely in the fellowship of Christs death mystically and to consider himself onely dying to sin in his own nature spiritually so as in Christ he is onely compleat and in himself imperfect at the best We are compleat in him saith the Apostle Coloss. 2.10 Yet there is such ● power and efficacy and mighty working in this mystical union and fellowship with Christ that he shall finde sin dying in him from this the spirit working most in the vertue of this this being like the spice or the spirit it in the wine that makes it powerful and quick Therefore we are said to be risen with Christ and to die with Christ and our life to be hid in Christ Coloss. 3.1 2 3. Christ being the life power vertue and energy of the spirit and the more of Christ we take against sin the greater and surer will our Victory against corruption and sin be And this would be well observed by those that are a little legally biassed or carried to mortifie sin by vows promises shunning occasions removing temptations strictnesse and severity in duties fear of hell and judgements scarce rising so high for their mortification as Christ Now these in themselves are but empty weak means of prevailing against sin like the mighty sails of a ship without either winde or tyde many of those do well in their place and order like Oares in a Boat which though it be carried with the tyde if well managed
of these who would persecute that Christ now whom hereafter they may preach But I have done and if I have erred in any thing for I see but in part and know but in part it is in filling out that Wine too freely which the Master of the Feast if I mistake not hath bidden me saying Drink yea drink abundantly O beloved Cant. 5. TO THE READER IN the Experiment of this soul you may see a Spirit of adoption in Bondage and one made poor in Spirit through the ignorance of the riches of grace and by a legal faith as I may say both under Grace and the Law at the same time Surely such legal beleevers are as much subject to death and bondage in their own apprehensions under the Gospel as they were before under the Law You have here the frame of this soul or the constitution and condition of a Spirit before conversion under conversion and under the relapse or falling back into the same sins and under the temptations for those sins and under a legal recovery out of those temptations and under a fuller revelation of grace and truth onely drawn out of their own experiences by which we may see what the want of the knowledge of Jesus Christ is And the more Christ is known and that love of God to the Sons of men which was manifest in the flesh the more that glorious liberty from the Law Sin and Satan is manifested in that soul This made Paul desire so to know nothing but Jesus Christ and him crucified And the more this light of the Gospel shines in the face of Jesus Christ the more doth the ignorance of flesh and blood dissolve and the shadows of the Law as doubts fears terrours which are cast in vanish before it For the day breaks and the shadows flie away The onely scope of this Discourse and Observations is to hold forth the glory of Free-grace and that by this one Experiment Wisdom might be justified of her Children O the riches of his grace O the fountain of his love O the exceeding and comprehensive freenesse and the flowing of his blood washing us when we are polluted in our own Thus he cals us beloved when we are not beloved and we who had not obtained mercy do obtain mercy And I thought my self not a little happy to have such an effectual door as this opened to deal with the experiences of a soul in this kinde And for the following Conference and for my Observations and other particulars I took this occasion to draw out my discourse of Grace and Gospel-glory from the faithful experiences of such a soul wherein the work of nature and grace and spirit and Satan was clearly visible and discernible rather then to found them upon meer notions and conjectural Principles For in the experiences of a soul we may more clearly discern the deep things of the Spirit reading them in the spirits of such as possesse Christ as in the Counterpane of the Scriptures for there truth answers to truth as in water face answers to face THE CONTENTS Of the Book CHAP. I. OF the Parties natural condition and how they felt themselves in their state of nature before they could perswade themselves they had taken Christ Pag. 1. Observations 1. Of the bondage that a meerly carnal man sins in and where true spiritual freedom is p. 3. 2. Of the resistings of sin and sorrowings for sin which are in a natural man p. 5. 3. How far many go in a formal profession and meer natural Religion raised up a little by the power of the Word p. 7. CHAP. II. OF the Parties first trouble for the sins they lived in which is supposed to be the time of conversion or calling or light from Christ p. 11. Observations 1. Of the Preachers several dealings with this Party to settle them and not in a way of beleeving first pag. 26 2. The unstablenesse of such as are not converted in a pure Gospel-way p. 33. 3. The several wayes which the Lord makes use on to salvation p. 35. 4. The want of true Gospel-knowledge in Jesus Christ is the cause of many distractions in beleevers p. 36. 5. The opening Jesus Christ in the Gospel is the best and surest way to deal with sinners p. 39. 6. A further opening of the doubtings of a soul not clearly discerning the power of the Gospel p. 43. 7. The working of the Spirit of Christ in a soul though not so clearly enlightned p. 46. CHAP. III. OF the Parties falling into the same sins in some measure which they had lived in in their unregenerate state from whence all their late bondage hath been P. 50. Observations 1. The danger of placing assurance most in mortification of sin p. 53. 2. The danger of drawing our comforts most from the change in the outward man p. 54 3. The spiritual condition in this life more in being justified from sin then cleansed from sin p. 56. 4. The greatest temptations upon sinning in an enlightned condition p. 57. 5. That back-sliding or relapsing is much mistaken and mortification of sin of the more mystical mortification beleevers have p. 59. 6. The sum of the mystery of mortification of sin in a beleever p. 65. 7. That there is danger in putting too much upon the sin of relapsing or back-sliding in beleevers p. 69. 8. The conclusion concerning the mystical and spiritual mortification p. 73. 9. Some Scriptures concerning falling away interpreted p. 75. CHAP. IV. THe Party after such openings of the frame of their spirit is now discoursed with upon certain particular Questions p. 78. The Parties several Doubts answered 1. That they are not therefore beloved of God or in Christ because they fell back again into sin p. 79. 2. Because they found not a change in the whole man p. 80. 3. Because they feel not themselves sanctified they think they are not justified p. 81. CHAP. V. THe Parties great Doubt concerning faith or beleeving p 92. 1. The great Gospel secret concerning faith or beleeving Ibid. 2. We are first to beleeve and all other gifts will follow p. 97. The several wayes opened how the mystery of Godlinesse and Free-grace hath been received in and in what degrees it hath been enquired for in this present age p. 106. 1. GOds first revealing himself to man in goodnesse and Free-grace p. 107. 2. Gods Free grace to sinners more discovered p. 111. 3. More of Gods Free-grace and Love of mans sin and redemption discovered p. 114. 4. The Son of God how considered in the work of Salvation p. 119. 5. Gods love manifested in the Gospel-expressions p. 124. 6. The new Covenant no Covenant properly with us but with Christ for us p. 125. 7. Gods manner of Covenanting p. 127. 8. They that are under Grace revealed are no more under the Law p. 128. 9. When God is said to be in Covenant with the soul Ibid. 10. A justified person is a perfect person p. 129. 11. Sin separates not