Christ the Way and the Truth and the Life OR A Short Discourse Pointing forth the way of making use of Christ for justification and especially and more particularly for Sanctification in all its parts from JOHAN XIV Vers. VI. Wherein several cases of conscience are briefly answered chiefly touching Sanctification By JOHN BROWN Preacher of the Gospel ROTTERDAM Printed by H. G. for Iohn Cairns book seller in Edinburgh and are to be sold there 1677. THE EPISTLE DEDICATORY TO The Right Honourable and Religious Lady The Lady STRATHNAVER MADAM IEsus Christ himself being the cheife corner stone in whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord as it ought to be the principal concearne of all who have not sitten down on this side of Iordan to satisfy their souls once created for and in their owne nature requireing in order to satifaction Spiritual immortal and incorruptible substance with husks prepared for beasts to be built in and upon this corner stone for an habitation of God through the Spirit So it ought to be the maine designe and work of such as would be approven of God as faithful labourers and co-workers with God to be following the example of him who determined not to know any thing among those he wrote unto save Iesus Christ and him crucified O! this noble heart-ravishing soul-satisfying mysterious theme Iesus Christ crucified the short compend of that uncontrovertibly great mysterie of godliness God manifest in the flesh justified in the Spirit seen of Angels preached unto the Gentiles beleeved on in the world received up into glory wherein are things the Angels desire to look into or with vehement desire bend as it were their necks and bow down their heads to look and peep into as the word used 1 Pet. 1 12. importeth is a Subject for angelical heads to prie into for the most indefatigable industrious Spirits to be occupyed about The searching into and studying of this one Truth in reference to a closeing with it as our life is an infallible mark of a soul divinely enlightened and endued with spiritual and heavenly wisdom for though it be unto the jewes a stumbling block unto the Greeks foolishness yet unto them who are called it is Christ the power of God the wisdom of God because the foolishness of God is wiser then men the weakness of God is stronger then men O! what depths of the manifold wisdom of God are there in this mysterie The more it is preached known beleeved aright the more is it understood to be beyond understanding to be what it is a mysterie Did ever any Preacher or beleever get a broad look of this boundless ocean wherein infinite Wisdom Love that passeth all understanding Grace without all dimensions justice that is admirable and tremenduous and God in his glorious Properties Condescensions high and noble Designes and in all his Perfections and Vertues flow over all banks or were they ever admitted to a prospect hereof in the face of Iesus Christ were not made to cry out O the depth and height the breadth and length O the inconceivable and incomprehensible boundlesness of all infinitly transcendent perfections Did ever any with serious diligence as knowing their life lay in it study this mysterious Theme and were not in full conviction of soul made to say the more they promoved in this study and the more they descended in their diveings into this depth or soared upward in their mounting speculations in this height they found it the more an unsearchable mystery The study of other Themes which Alas many who think it below them to be happy are too much occupyed in when it hath wasted the spirits wearyed the minde worne the body and rarified the braine to the next degree unto a distraction what satisfaction can it give as to what is attained or encouragement as to future attainments And when as to both these something is had and the poor soul puft up with an aery and fancyful apprehension of having obtained some great thing but in truth a great Nothing or a Nothing pregnant with Vanity and vexation of Spirit foolish twines causing no gladness to the Father for he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow Eccles. 1 18. what peace can all yeeld to a soul reflecting on posting-away time now near the last point and looking forward to endless Eternity Oh! the thoughts of time wasted with and faire opportunities of good lost by the vehement pursueings and huntings after shadowes and vanities will torment the soul by assaulting it with pierceing convictions of madness and folly in forsaking All to overtake Nothing with dreadful and soul-terrifying discoveries of the saddest of disappointments and with the horrour of an everlastingly irrecoverable losse And what hath the laborious Spirit than reaped of all the travail of his soul when he hath lost it But on the other hand O with what calmness of minde serenity of soul and peace of conscience because of the peace of God which passeth all understanding will that poor soul look back when standing on the border of Eternity on the bygone dayes oâ—… houres it spent in sâ—…eking after praying â—…seing all appointed meanes for some saying acquantance with and interest in this only soul up making and soul satisfying Mystery and upon its yeelding up it self through the efficaâ—…ious operations of the Spirit of grace wholly without disputing unto the powerful workings of this mystery within and in becoming crucified with Christ and living throughâ—… crucified Christ's living in it by his Spirit and power and with what rejoyceing of heart and gloriou singing of soul will it look forward to Eternity and its everlasting abode in the prepared mansions remembering that there it s begun study will be everlastingly continued its capacity to understand that unsearchable mystery will be inconceivably greater and the spiritual heavenly and glorious joy which it will have in that practical reading its divinity without book of ordinances will be its life and felicity for ever And what peace joy in the holy Ghost what inward and inexpressible quiet and contentment of minde will the soul enjoy in dwelling on these thoughts when it shall have withall the inward and well grounded perswasion of its right through Jesus Christ to the full possession of that All which now it cannot conceive let be comprehend the foretastes whereof filleth it with joy unspeakable and full of glory and the hope of shortly landing there where it shall see and enjoy wonder praise and rest in this endless and restless felicitating work making it to sing while passing thorow the valley of the shadow of death O if this were beleeved O that we were not drunk to a distraction and madness with the adulterous love of vaine and aery speculations to the postponing if not utter neglecting of this maine and only upmaking work of getting real acquaintance with and a begun possession of this
them that are out of the way and can be touched with the feeling of our infirmities Heb. 4 15. 5 2. Which truth as upon the one hand it should encourage all to choose him for their leader give up themselves to Him who is so tender of his followers so upon the other hand it should rebuke such as are ready to intertaine evill and hard thoughts of Him as if he were an hard Master and ill to be followed and put all from interteaning the least thought of his untendernesse and want of compassion But moreover Secondly WE see That weaknesses and corruptions breaking out in beleevers when they are honestly and ingenuously laid open before the Lord will not scarre Him away But rather engadge Him the more to helpe and succour Much of Thomas his weaknesse and corruption appeared in what he said yet the same being honestly and ingenuously laid open to Christ not out of a spirit of contradiction but out of a desire to learne Christ is so far from thrusting him away that He rather condescendeth the more out of love and tendernesse to instruct him better and to cleare the way more fully And that because 1. He knoweth our mould and fashion how fecklesse and frail we are and that if he should deal with us according to our folly we should quickly be destroyed 2. He is not as Man hasty rash Proud but gentle loving tender and full of compassion 2. It is his office and proper work to be an instructer to the ignorant and a helper of our infirmities and weaknesses a phisitian to binde up and cure our sores wounds Who would not then willingly give up themselves to such a teacher that will not thrust them to the door nor give them up to themselves alwayes when their corruptions would provoke Him thereunto And what a madnesse is this in many to stand aback from Christ because of their infirmities and to scarre at Him because of their weaknesse when the more corruption we finde the more should we run to him and it is soon enough to depart from Christ when he thrusts us away sayeth he will have no more to doe with us yea he will allow us to stay after we are as it were thrice thrust away only let us take heed that we approve not ourselves in our evils that we hide them not as unwilling to part with them that we obstinatly maintaine them not nor ourselves in them but that we lie open before him and deal with him with honesty ingenuity and plainnesse Thirdly WE see further That ignorance ingenuously acknowledged and laid open before Christ puts the soul in a faire way to get more instruction Thomas having candidely according as he thought in the simplicity of his heart professed his ignorance is in a faire way now to get instruction for this is Christs work to instruct the ignorant to open the eyes of the blinde Why then are we so foolish as to conceale our ignorance from him and to hide our case and condition from him and why doth not this commend Christ's School to us so much the more why do we not carry as ingenuous schollars really desireous to learnâ—… But. Fourthly WE may learne That our ill condition and distempers put into Christs hand will have remarkable ouâ—…gates and an advantagious issue seeing Christ taketh occasion here from Thomas his laying open his condition not without some mixture of corruption to cleare up the truth more fully and plainely than it was before for hereby 1. Christ giveth an open declaration of the glory of his power mercy goodnesse wisdome c. 2. He hath occasion to give a proof of his divine art and glorious skill of healing diseased souls and of making brocken bones stronger than ever they were 3. Thus he effectually accomplisheth his noble designes and perfecteth his work in a way tending to abase Man by discovering his infirmities and failings and to glorifie Himself in his goodnesse and love 4 Thus he triumpheth more over Satan and in a more remarkable and glorious manner destroyeth his works 5. Thus he declareth how wonderfully he can make all things work together for good to his chosen ones that love him and follow him 6 Yea thus he engadgeth souls to wonder more at his divine wisdome and power to despaire lesse in time comeing when cases would seem hard to acknowledge his great and wonderfull grace and his infinite power and wisdome that can bring death out of life and also to be more sensible of the mercy and thankfull for it O beleever what matter of joy is here how happy art thou that hath given up thy self to him Thy worst condition can turne to thy advantage He can make thy ignorance vented with a mixture of corruption turne to the increase of thy knowledge Blesse him for this and with joy and satisfaction abide thou under his tutory at his school And withall be not discouraged be thy â—…ase of ignorance and corruption what it will lay it out before him with sincerity and singlenesse of heart and then thou mayest glory in thine infirmities that the power of Christ may rest on thee 2 Cor. 12 9. for thou shalt see in due time what advantage infinite love and wisdome can bring to thy soul thereby May not this be a strong motive to induce strangers to give up themselves to him who will sweetly take occasion at their failings and short comeings to helpe them forward in the way and what excuse can they have who sit the call of the gospell and say in effect they will not goe to Christ because their case is not good And oh that beleevers were not sometimes led away with this errour of scarring at Christ because of Infirmities seen and discovered Fiftly IT is remarkeable that as the disciples did ofttimes vent much of their carnall conceptions of the kingdome of Christ as apprehending it to be some carnall outward pompous stately and upon that account desireable condition so there might be much of this carnall apprehension lurking under this acknowledgment and question of Thomas And the Lord who knew their thoughts doth here wisely draw them off those notions and 〈◊〉 them about another study To tell us That it is â—…est and most usefull and profitable for us to be much taken up in the study searâ—… of necessary and fundamentall truths and particularly of the way to the father for 1. Here is the substantiall food of the soul other notions are but vaine and oftentimes they make the case of the soul worse but the study of this is alwayes edifying 2 The right understanding of this other fundamentall truthes will not puff up but keep the soul humble and will make the soul active and diligent in duty 3 The fruite of this study is profitable and lasting 4 And the right uptaking of these truthes will discover the vanity of other sciences falsly so called and the folly of spending our time about other
returne to the great God upon him Let all the creation of God wonder at this wonderfull condescending love of God that appointed such a way and of Christ that was content to louâ—… so low as to become this way to us this new and living way and that for this end he should have taken on flesh and become Emmanuel God with us and taberrackled with us that through this vaile of his flesh he might consecrate a way to us Let angels wonder at this condescendency 2. Hence we may see ground of being convinced of those things 1 That naturally we are out of the way to peace and favour with God and in a way that leadeth to death and so that our miserie and wreatchednesse so long as it is so cannot be expressed 2. That we can do nothing for ourselves set all our wits a work we cannot fall upon a way that will bring us home 3. That it is madnesse for us to seek out another way and to vex ourselves in vaine to run to this and to that meane or invention of owr owne and be found fools in end 4. That our madnesse is so much the greater in this that we will turne to our owne wayes that will fail us when there is such a noble and excellent every way satisfying way prepared to our hand 5. That our wickednesse is so desperat that the way which is pointed out to us doth not please us and that we will not enter into it not walk in it 6. That this Way which is also the Truth and the Life is only worth the Imbraceing and is only saife and sure we should be convinced and perswaded of the worth sufficiency and desireablenesse of this way Reason with ordinary light from the word may teach these things But grace can only cary them into the heart and make them take rooting there 3. We may read here our obligation unto those particulars 1. To turne our bak upon all other false and deceitfull wayes and not rest there 2. To enter into this way though the gate be narrow straite Mat. 7 13. Luk. 13 24. yet to strive to enter in 3. To resolve to abide in that way as acquiesceing in it resting satisfied with it and this is to be rooted in him Col. 2 7. to dwel in him 1 Iohn 3 24. to live in him or through him 1. Iohn 4 9. 4. To walk in this way Col. 2 6. that is to make constant use of him and to make progresse in the way in through him to goe from strength to strength in him drawing all our furniture from him by faith according to the covenant And this sayeth that the soul should guaird against 1 stepping aside out of this good pleasant way 2. backslideing 3. sitting up fainting by the way In a word This pointeth out our duty to make use of Christ as our way to the father and only of Christ and this leads us to the particulars we shall speak a little to There are two maine things which stand in our way and hinder us from approaching to the Father 1. Unrighteousnesse and guilt whereby we are legally banished because of the broken covenant and the righteous sentence of God according to that covenant 2. Wickednesse impurity unholinesse which is as a physicall bar lying in our way because nothing that is uncleane can dwell and abide with him who is of purer eyes then he can behold inquitie and nothing that is uncleane can enter in there where He is So then there must be an usemaking of Christ as a way through both these impediments We need justification pardon for the one and sanctification cleansing for the other Now Christ being the way to the Father both as to justification in taking away the enmitie in changeing our state removing our unrighteousnesse guilt whereby we were lying under the sentence of the law adjudging such sinners as we are to hell and as to sanctification in cleansing us from all our pollutions renewing our souls washing away our spots defilements c. He must be made use of in reference to both In speaking to the first we shall be the shorter because through God's great mercy the gospell pure way of justification by faith in Christ is richly and aboundantly cleared up by many worthy authors of late both as concearning the theoreticall and practicall part CHAP. IV. How Christ is made use of for justification as a Way WHat Christ hath done to purchase procure to bring about our justification before God is mentioned already viz. That He stood in the room of sinners engadging for them as their cautioner undertaking at length paying down the ransome becoming sin or a sacrifice for sin a curse for them and so laying downe his life a ransome to satisfie divine justice and this he hath made known in the gospell calling sinners to an accepting of him as their only Mediator and to a resting upon him for life salvation and withall working up such as belong to the election of grace to an actuall closeing with him upon the conditions of the covenant to an accepting of him beleeving in him resting upon him as satisfied with and acquiesceing in that soveraigne way of salvation justification through a crucified mediator Now for such as would make use of Christ as the way to the Father in the point of justification those things are requisite to which we shall only premit this word of caution That we Judge not the want of these requisites a ground to exeem any that heareth the gospell from the obligation to believe rest upon Christ as He is offered in the gospell First There must be a conviction of sin miserâ—… a conviction of originall guilt whereby we are banished out of God's presence favour are in a state of enmity death are come short of the glory of God Rom. 3 23. becomeing dead or under the sentence of death through the offence of one Rom. 5 15. being made sinners by one Mans disobedience vers 19. and therefore under the reigneing power of death vers 17. and under that judgement which came upon all men to condemnation vers 18. And of originall innate wickednesse whereby the heart is filled with enmity against God and is a hater of Him of all his wayes standing in full opposition to him to his holy lawes loving to contradict and resist him in all his actings despiseing and undervalueing all his condescensious of love obstinately refuseing his goodnesse offers of mercy peremptoâ—…ily persisting in rebellion heart opposition not only not accepting his kindnesses offers of mercy but contemning them trampling them underfoot as imbittered against him As also there must be a conviction of our actuall transgressions whereby we have corrupted our wayes yet more run further away from God brought on more wrath upon our souls according to that sentence of the law
and filthinesse taken away that we may be holy As to the first For the purging away of the filth of our dayly failings and transgressions Christ hath done those things 1. He hath died that He might procure this benefite and advantage to us and thus he hath washed us meritoriously in his blood which he shed upon the crosse Thus he loved us and washed us from our sins in his owne blood Revel 1 5. and this is from all sins as well such as are committed after as such as are committed before conversion Thus He by himself purged our sins Heb. 1 3. viz by offering up of himself as an expiatory sacrifice to make an atonement and so procure this liberty So also it is said Ephes. 5 25 26 27. that Christ gave himself for his Church that He might sanctify and cleanse it that He might present it to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be holy without blemish So Tit. 2 14. He gave himself for us that he might purify to himself a peculiar people Zealous of good works Here then is the foundation and ground of all our cleanseing and purification Christ's death procuring it 2. As He hath procured so he sendeth the Spirit to effectuate this and to worke this washing and sanctification in us Hence it is said 1 Cor. 6 11. that we are sanctified and washed in the name of the Lord Iesus and by the Spirit of our God We are said to be saved by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the holy ghost which he shed upon us abundantly through Iesus Christ our Saviour Tit. 3 5 6. The sending then or shedding of the holy and sanctifying Spirit upon us whereby we are sanctified and consequently purified and purged from our filth is a fruit of Christ's death and mediation being purchased thereby and is an effect of his resurrection and glorification and intercession in glory 3. He hath made a fountaine of his blood for this end that we may go to it daylie and wash and be cleane thus his blood cleanseth from all sin 1 Ioh. 1 7 9. This is the fountaine opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Ierusalem for sin and for uncleannesse Zech. 13 1. 4. He hath purchased and provided the externall meanes whereby this cleansing and sanctification is brought about viz the preaching of the gospell which He himself preached and thereby sanctified Iohn 15 3. Now are yee clean through the word that I have spoken unto you Ephes. 5 26. the Church is sanctified and cleansed with the washing of water by the word 5. So hath He procured and worketh in the soul those graces that promove and cary on this work of sanctification and purifying such as faith which purifyeth the heart Act. 15 9. whereof he is the author and finisher Heb. 12. and hope which whosoever hath purifyeth himself even as He is pure 1 Iohn 3 3. 6. He hath confirmed and ratified all the promises of the covenant which are ample and large touching this cleansing and washing Ier. 35 8. And I will cleanse them from all their iniquity whereby they have sinned against me Ezech. 36 25. Then will I sprinkle cleane water upon you and yee shall be cleane from all your filthinesse So Ezech. 37 23. and I will cleanse them And all the other promises of the covenant apprehended by faith have no small influence on our cleanseing 2 Cor. 7 1. having there oâ—…e these promises let us cleanse our selves c. all which promises are yea and amen in Christ 2 Cor. 1 20. Thus Christ hath made all sure for the cleanseing and washing of his people conforme to that article of the covenant of Redemption So shall he sprinckle many nations Esai 52 15. Secondly As to the way of our usemaking of Christ for the purging away of our filth and daylie pollutions Beleevers would take this course 1. They would remember and live in the conviction of the exceeding abominablnesse and filthinesse of sin which is compared to the vomite of a dog and to the mire wherein the sow walloweth 2 Pet. 2 22. to filthy rags Esai 64 6. to a menstruous cloath Esai 30 22 and the like that this may move them to seek with greater care and diligence to have that filth washen away 2. They would remember also how abominable sin maketh them in the eyes of an holy God who cannot behold iniquity being a God of purer eyes than to behold it Habak 1 13. nor can He look on it And how therefore no unclean thing can enter in into the new Jerusalem nor any thing that defileth And this will make them so much the more to abhore it and to seek to be washen from it 3. They would look by faith upon the blood of Christ that is shed for this end to wash filthy souls into and run to it as a fountaine opened for this end that they might come to it and wash be cleane 4. For their encouragement they would grip by faith to the promises of the new covenant which are large and full 5. And remember the end of Christ's death viz to purchase to himself a holy people Zealous of good works to present them to Himself holy and without spot and wrinkle or any such thing and this will be a further encouragement 6. They would put the work by faith in his hand who hath best skill to wash a foule soul and to purge away all their spots and by faith pray for and exspect the Spirit to sanctifie and cleanse them from all their filthinesse that is they would make known and spread forth their abominations before the Lord and eyeing Christ as the only great Highpriest whose blood is a fountaine to wash in would lay the work on Him and by faith put Him to wash away that filth and to purifie their souls by his Spirit pardoning their bygone iniquities renewing them in the spirit of their mindes by grace that they may walk before him in fear Thus they would roll the work on Him and leave it there Cautions Directions 1. The beleever would in all this work be keeped in the exercise of those graces following 1. Of Humility seeing what a vile filthy wreatch he is that stands in need of washing and purging dayly because of his daylie pollutions and transgressions 2. Of Love considering with what a loving God he hath to do that hath provided so liberally 〈◊〉 things for him and particularly hath provided a fountaine and such a fountaine whereto he noâ—… only may but is commanded to resort dayly 3. Of Thankfulnesse remembering how great this mercy is how unworthy he is on whom it is bestowed and who He is that doth grant it 4. Of Fear least God's goodnesse be abused and He provoked who is so gracious to us 5. Of Sincerity and godly ingenuity avoiding all hypocrisie and formality knowing that we have to do with Him who
To teach them to walk more circumspectly afterward and to guaird more watchfully against Satans temptations and to imploy Christ more as their Strength Light and Guide 5. To cause them see their great obligation to Jesus Christ for delivering them from that state of wrath wherein they were by nature as well as others and would have lyen-in to all eternity had not He redeemed them 6. To exercise their Faith Patience and Hope to see if in hope they will beleeve against hope and lay hold on the strength of the Lord that they may make peace with him Esai 27 5. 7. To give a fresh proof of his wonderful Mercy Grace Love and Compassion upholding the soul in the meane time at length pardoning them and speaking peace to their souls through the blood of Jesus But as to the third particular We may look on Christ as the Life to the soul in this case upon those accounts 1. He hath satisfied justice and so hath borne the pure wrath of God due for their sinnes He hath troden the winepresse alone Esai 63 3. He was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our sins Esai 53 5 10. And therefore they drink not of this cup which would make them drunk and to stagger and fall and never rise againe 2. Yea He hath procured that mercy and love shall accompany all those sharpe dispensations and that they shall flow from mercy yea and that they shall be as a covenanted blessing promised in he covenant Psal. 89 30 31 32 33. 3. And sometimes He is pleased to let them see this clear difference betwixt the strokes they lye under and the judgments of pure wrath which attend the wicked and this supporteth the soul for then he seeth that those dispensations how sharpe so ever they be shall work together for good to him and come from the hand of a gracious and loving Father reconciled in the blood of Christ. 4. He is a Prince exalted to give repentance and remission of sins to Israel Act. 5 31. Yea He hath procured such a clause in the covenant which is wel ordered in all things and sure that upon their renewing of faith and repentance their after sin shall be pardoned and besides the promises of faith and repentance in the covenant His being â—… Prince exalted to give both giveth assurance oâ—… their receiving of both 5. He cleareth to them their interest in the Covenant and their right to the promises of the Covenant and through their closeing with Christ bâ—… faith He raiseth up their heart in hope causeâ—… them to exspect an outgate even remission of theâ—… sins and turning a way of the displeasure in due timâ—… through Him and this is a great part of their life 6. Being the author and finisher of faith 〈◊〉 â—… Prince to give repentance He by His Spirit worketh up the soul to a renewing of its grips oâ—… Himself by faith and to a â—…uning to the death and blood of Christ for pardon and washing and worketh godly sorrow in the heart whereupon followeth Pardon according to the gospel constitution though the beleever as yet perceiveth it not And sin being pardoned before God conforme to the tenor of the covenant of grace the man is a living man whatever feares of death he may be keeped under for a time 7. He helpeth also the soul to a justifying of God and to a holy submissive frame of Spirit under that dispensation so that they are willing to beare the indignation of the Lord because they have sinned against Him Micah 7 9. and to waite for an outgate in God's own time and to kisse the rod and accept of the punishment of their sin 8. When He seeth it fit for his own glory and their advantage He speaketh peace at length to the soul and sayeth Son or daughter be of good cheer thy sinnes are forgiven thee And then is the soul restored to life As to the fourth particular The soul that is wreastling with an angry God for sin and would make use of Christ as the life would do those things 1. He would look to Christ as standing under God's curse in our room and as satisfying justice for all the elect and for all their sinnes 2. He would eye the covenant wherein new pardon is promised upon the renewing of faith and repentance 3. He would eye Christ as the great Lord dispensator of both Faith and Repentance and hing on Him for both and thus beleeve that he may beleeve and repent or lay his soul open to Him that He may work in him both Repentance and Faith 4. He would flee to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than the blood of Abel that he may be washen and sprinkled with hysope as David did Psal. 51 7. 5. He would eye Christ as a prince to pardon and give remission of sins and as exalted for this end and would fix his eye upon Him as now exalted in glory for this end 6. He would close with Christ of new as his only alsufficient mediator and having done this and repented of his sins whereby God hath been provoked he would conclude through faith that a pardon is past in the court of heaven conforme to the tenor of the gospel and waite on Christ until the intimation come As for the cautions which I promised to speak to in the last place take those few 1. Do not conclude there is no pardon because there is no intimation thereof made to thy soul as yet According to the dispensation of grace condescended upon in the gospel pardon is had immediatly upon a souls beleeving and repenting But the intimation sense and feeling of pardon is a distinct thing and may for several ends be long â—…eeped-up from the soul Sure they go not alwayes together 2. Do not conclude there is no pardon because the rode that was inflicted for sin is not as yet taken off God pardoned Davids sin and did intimate the same to Him by Nathan and yet the sword did not depart from his house till he died God can forgive and yet take vengeance on their in venâ—…ions Psal. 99 8. 3. Do not upon this ground question God's Faithfulnesse or conclude that God's covenant doth not stand fast He is the same and the covenant abideth fast and firme but the change is in thee 4. Do not think that because thou hast once received Christ that therefore without any new act of faith on Him or of repentance towards God thou should immediatly be pardoned of thy sinnes as soon as they are committed for the gospel methode must be followed and it should satisfie us CHAP. XXVIII No man cometh to the Father but by me THis being added for furder confirmation of what was formerly said will pointe out unto us several necessary truthes as First That it is most necessary to be sound and cleare in this fundamental point of coming to God only in and through Christ for 1. It is the whole
mystery in our souls Christ the grand mystery formed within us living and working within us by his Spirit and working us up unto a conformity unto and an heart-closeing with God manifested in the flesh that we may finde in experience or at least in truth and reality have a true transumpte of that Gospel mystery in our souls Oh when shall we take pleasure in pursueing after this happiness that will not flee from us but is rather pursueing us when shall we receive with joy and triumph this King of glory that is courting us dayly and is seeking accesse and entry into our souls Oh why cry we not out in the hieght of the passion of spiritual longing desire O come Lord Iesus King of glory with thine owne key and open the door and enlarge dilate the chambers of the soul that thou may enter and be entertained as the King of glory with all thy glorious retinue to the ennobling of my soul satisfying of all the desires of that immortal spark Why do we not covet after this knowledge which hath a true and firme connexion with all the best and truely divine gifts O happy soul that is wasted and worne to a shadow if that could be in this study and exercise which at length will enliven and as it were bring in a new heavenly spiritual soul into the soul so that it shall look no more like a dead disspirited thing out of its native soile and element but as a free elevated and spiritualized Spirit expatiating it self fleeing abroad in the open aire of its owne element and country O happy day O happy houre that is really and effectually spent in this imployment what would souls sweeming in this ocean of all pleasures and delights care for yea with what abhorrency would they look upon the bewitehing allurements of the purest kinde of carnal delights which flow from the mindes satisfaction in feeding on the poor apprehensions groundlesly expected comprehensions of objects suited to its natural genius and capacity O! what a more hyperbolically exceeding and glorious satisfaction hath a soul in its very pursueings after when it misseth cannot reach that which is truely desireabâ—…e How doth the least glimpse through the smallest cranie of this glorious and glorifying knowledge of God in Christ apprehended by faith raise up the soul to that pitch of joy and satisfaction which the knowledge of natural things in its purest perfection shall never be able to cause and to what a surmounting measure of this joy and contentation will the experienceing feeling by spiritual sense the sweet and spiritual relish of this capivating and transcendently excellent knowledge raise the soul unto O! must not this be the very suburbs of heaven to the soul When the soul thus seeth apprehendeth God in Christ and that as its owne God through Christ for as all saving knowledge draweth out the soul unto an imbraceing closeing with the object so it bringeth in the object to the making up of the recâ—…procal union and in-being it cannot but admire with exultation and exult with admiration at that condescendence of free grace that hath made it in any measure capable of this begun glory and will furâ—…her mak it meet by this begun glory to be a 〈◊〉 of the inheritance of the Saints in light and what will a soul that hath tasted of the pure delights of this river of gospel manifestations hath seen with soul-ravâ—…shing delight in some measure the manifold wisdome of God wrapped up therein and the compleâ—…t and perfect â—…ymmetrie of all the parts of that noble contexture and also the pure designe of that contrâ—…vance to abase Man and to extoll the riches of the free grace of God that the sinner when possessed of all designed for him and effectuated in him thereby may know who alone should weare the crown and have all the glory what I say will such a soul see in another gospelâ—… calculated to the meridian of the natural crooked and corrupted temper of proud man who is soon made vaâ—…ne of nothing which in stead of bringing a sinner fallâ—…n from God through pride back againe to the enjoyment of Him through a Mediator doth but foster that innate plague and rebellion which caused and procured his first excommunication from the favour and banishment out of the paradice of God that shall attract its heart to it and move it to â—… compliance with it When the poor sinner that hath bin made to pant after a Saviour and hath bin pursued to the very ports of the city of refuge by the aveâ—…ger of blood the justice of God hath tasted and seen how good God is and felt the sweetness of free love in a crucified Christ and seen the beauty and glory of the mystery of free grace sutably answeringâ—… and overcoming the mystery of its sin and misery O what a complacency hath he therein and in the way of gospel salvation wherein free grace is seen to overflow all banks to the eternal praise of the God of all grace How saltless and unsavoury will the most cunningly devised and patch together mode of salvation be that men studying the perversion of the gospel and seeking the ruine of souls with all their skill indusery and learning are setting off with forced rhetorick and the artifice of words of mans wisdom and with the plausible advantages of a pretended sanctity and of strong grounds and motives unto diligence and painfulness to a very denying and renunceing of Christian liberty when once itis observed how it entrencheth upon and darkneth the lustre or diminisheth the glory of free grace and hath the least tendency to the setting of the crown on the creatures head in whole or in part The least perception that hereby the sinners song ascribeing blessing honour glory and power unto him that was sâ—…ain hath redeemed them to God by his blood out of every kinâ—…ed and tongue and people and nation and hath made them unto their God kings and prieâ—…ts shall be marred will be enough to render that device detestable and convince the soul that itis not the gospel of the grace of God nor that mystery of God and of Christ but rather the mystery of â—…niquity What a peculiar savouriness doth the humbled beleever finde in the doctrine of the true gospel grace and the more that he be thereby made Nothing and Christ made All that he in his highest atainments be debaised and Christ exalted that his most lovely peacoke feathers be laid the crown flourish on Christ's head that he be laid flat without one foot to stand upon and Christ the only supporter and carryer of him to glory that he be as dead without life and Christ live in him the more lovely the more beautiful the more desireable and acceptable is it unto him O what a complacency hath the graced soul in that contrivance of infinite wisdom wherein the mystery of the grace of God