sanctification so far as the Scriptures do as a lower motive and more carnally mixed and uncertain way of perswasion and assurance of justification But a little to note to you two sides sadly mistaking one another in points of this nature The one cryes out against the other as if they held we were justified partly from our being sanctified or from our works the other on the contrary cry out that such would cast out all sanctification Now such opinions are in neither of them Justly in them I mean in those of both that can spiritually judge But there are some expressions on both parts which make the one passe for legal Teachers and the other for Antinomians The one giving too much in their Sermons and Books to Faith and Works in an unwarrantable jealousie lest holinesse should be sleighted some other lesse then is fit lest free-grace should lose her due and both in an unwarrantable jealousie And indeed the latter I must prefer before the former For if I must erre I had rather cry down men to exalt Christ then Christ to exalt men though I would do neither but let both have their place and order In this point I hope in the Lord to keep from dashing against the Scriptures either way the Spirit of the Lord lighting my candle The Doubt Because I feel not my self sanctified I fear I am not justified The Doubt being thus I shall lay down these particulars 1. If you suppose that God takes in any part of your faith repentance or new obedience or sanctification as a ground upon which he justifies or forgives you you are clear against the Word For if it be of works it is no more of grace otherwise work is no more work 2. It must then be onely the evidence of your being justified that you seek for in your sanctification And these two things premised I now proceed 1. We must allow any to take in any thing of their sanctification to help their assurance which the Word allows as the Spirit and the fruits of it repentance mortification of sin new obedience c. But then it must be done in the Scriptures own cautions and way 2. The Scriptures lay down these following things 1. Christs sanctification to ours or his true holinesse 2. Faith about our own sanctification 1. As first Christ is revealed to be our sanctification Christ is made unto us righteousnesse sanctification I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me Ye are Christs but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus He hath quickned us together with Christ We are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone Christ may dwell in your hearts by Faith That new man which after God is created in righteousnesse and true holinesse We are members of his body of his flesh and of his bones And be found in him not having my own righteousnesse I can do all things through Christ which strengthneth me That we present every man perfect in Christ Jesus But Christ is all and in all Your life is hid with Christ in God See Heb. 13.20 21. All these Scriptures set forth Christ the sanctifiâ—ation and the fulnesse of his the all in all Christ hath beleeved perfectly he hath repented perfectly he hath sorrowed for sin perfectly he hath obeyed perfectly he hath mortified sin perfectly and all is ours and we are Christs and Christ is Gods 2. The second thing is faith about our own sanctification We must beleeve more truth of our own graces then we can see or feel which the Lord hath in his infinite wisdom and dispensation so ordered that here our life should be hid with Christ in God that we should walk by faith and not by sight So as we are to beleeve our repentance true in him who hath repented for us our mortifying sin true in him through whom we are more then conquerours our new obedience true in him who hath obeyed for us and is the end of the Law to every one that beleeveth our change of the whole man true in him who is righteousnesse and true holinesse And thus without Faith it is impossible to please God This is the Scripture-assurance for a childe of God or beleever to see every thing in himself as nothing and himself every thing in Christ Faith is the ground of things hoped for and the evidence of things unseen Heb. 11.1 All other assurances are rotten conclusions from the Word and such things as true legal Teachers have invented not understanding the mystery of the Kingdom of Christ The Scriptures bid you see nothing in your self or all as nothing These Teachers bid you see something in your self so as the leaving out Christ in sanctification is the foundation of all doubts fears and distractions And he that looks on his repentance on his love on his humility on his obedience and not in the tincture of the Blood of Christ must needs beleeve weakly and uncomfortably But now to propose some questions to you Quest You say you feel not the change of the whole man Answ Yea. Quest Then I must prove your sanctification to you not your justification Answ Yea for they that are justified are sanctified too which I cannot finde in my self Quest Will you say a thing is not there because you feel it not there Answ But I do not know it to be there Quest But will you conclude it is not there because you know it not to be there Answ Nay Quest You say well for David cryed out in the bitternesse of his soul that his sin was ever before him and then his sanctification was out of his sight and that God had forgotten to be gracious But I said says he this is my infirmity You know in a house when it is dark all things are there that were before but you see them not till the candle be brought in The womans groat in the Parable was in the house but she found it not till she had lighted her candle Therefore you must say as David Light my candle O Lord and the spirit of man is the candle of the Lord Answ But I feel corruption more violent which would not be if it were mortified Quest You are mistaken in that it is from life in you and spirit in you that you feel corruption if you were dead in sins and trespasses you could feel nothing no more then a dead man These oppositions in you shew a twofold law within you A law in your members with the law of your minds Two natures in you of flesh and spirit the flesh lusteth against the spirit nor is the light of a meer natural conscience or a soul commonly enlightned such a strange opposer and complainer against the law of sin in the flesh as you seem to have in you besides John saith If we say we have no sin we deceive our selves But I dare not carry you on too far by signs
are saith the Apostle his workmanship created in Christ Jesus Ephes. 2.10 And now why shall any servant of Christ refuse to give out that blood of his Masters which runs so freely to sinners And any sinner refuse to receive it because their vessels are not clean enough for it when it is such a blood as makes the vessels clean for it self LII The simplicity of the Gospel-Salvation easie and plain JEsus Christ and forgivenesse of sins in his Name and redemption through his blood is the first and onely thing held forth in the Gospel to sinners the other Mystery of righteousnesse is revealed to beleevers forgivenesse of sins is first taught that they may beleeve and the other glorious Mysteries are taught that they may know what they do beleeve they are first to see Gods love and afterwards his glory Jesus Christ crucified is the best story for sinners and Jesus Christ exalted for Saints and therefore it is that in all the Apostles Sermons the story of blood and redemption was first preached and when they did beleeve that then they wrote Epistles and Revelations of greater things unto them so as they spake of Christ onely to make them beleeve and wrote to them of him when they did beleeve Salvation is not made any puzzeling work in the Gospel it is plainly easily and simply revealed Jesus Christ was crucified for sinners this is salvation we need go no further the work of salvation is past and finished sins are blotted out sinners are justified by him that rose for justification And now if you ask me what you must do to be saved I answer Beleeve in the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved All that is to be done in the work of salvation is to beleeve there is such a work and that Christ died for thee amongst all those other sinners he died for To beleeve now is the onely work of the Gospel This is the work that ye beleeve on him whom he hath sent Joh. 6.29 This is the Commandment that ye beleeve on his Son Jesus Christ 1 Joh. 3.23 That is that ye be perswaded of such a thing that Christ was crucified for sins and for your sins and we are called on to beleeve because they onely that can beleeve are justified By him all that beleeve are justified Act. 13.39 So as salvation is not a businesse of our working and doing it was done by Christ with the Father sin and Satan and Hell were all triumphed over by Christ himself openly for us and all our work is no work of salvation but in salvation in the salvation we have by Christ we receive all not doing any thing that we may receive more but doing because we receive so much and because we are saved therefore we work not that we may be saved and yet we are to work as much as if we were to be saved by what we do because we should do as much for what is done already for us and to our hands as if we were to receive it for what we did our selves This is short work Beleeve and be saved and yet this is the onely Gospel-work and way Christ tels ye in few words and his Apostle in as few As Moses lift up the Serpent in the Wildernesse so must the Son of man be lift up That whosoever beleeves on him should have life Joh. 6. Paul tels you Say not in thy heart Who shall ascend unto Heaven That is to bring Christ from above Or who shall descend into the deep That is to bring up Christ from the dead But what saith it The Word is nigh thee even in thy mouth and in thy heart the Word of Faith which we preach If thou shalt confesse with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt beleeve in thy heart that God raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved Rom. 10.6 7 8 9 c. So as here is but looking up on Jesus Christ and salvation is in thy soul and beleeving with thy heart and thou art saved thou wert saved by Christ before but now in thy self There are yet these grounds why salvation is so soon done 1. Because it was done before by Christ but not beleeved on before by thee till now 2. Because it is the Gospel-way of dispensation to assure and passe over salvation in Christ to any that will beleve it 3. There needs no more on our sides to work or warrant salvation to us but to be perswaded that Jesus Christ died for us because Christ hath suffered and God is satisfied Now suffering and satisfaction is that great work of salvation 4. Because they and they onely are justified who can beleeve Righteousnesse is revealed from faith to faith and all that beleeve are justified Rom. 1.17 Acts 13.39 5. That it may be by grace and not of works Being justified freely by his grace Rom. 3.24 LIII Christ and every part of Christ to be studied and beleeved in THere is not any thing of Jesus Christ but it should be matter for a Beleevers faith to be exercised in from his divine nature to his incarnation and so to his exaltation that they may be able to comprehend with all Saints the height and depth and bredth of the love of God for God was infinitely influencing into every passage of his birth his growing up his infancy his circumcision his baptism his preaching his praying his temptations his fasting his obedience to the whole Law his sufferings his reproaches his poverty his humiliation his bloody sweating his judgement and Judges his condemnation his crucifying his peircing his nailing his drinking Vinagar and Gall his strong cryes and tears his crown of thorns his blood flowing out from his feet hands and side his giving up the ghost his death burial resurrection ascension exaltation and sitting on the right hand of God his Priesthood Mediation Intercession Dominion There is infinite vertue in all these and the Gospel is made up of these in these are those unsearchable riches of grace love and Redemption These are to be the subjects of every Beleevers meditation and he is to seek into the spiritual extent of these and deepnesse of these Out of these he is to draw strength power love holinesse spiritualnesse regeneration mortification new obedience faith repentance humiliation meeknesse temperance c. Christ and every thing of Christ is to be matter for him and meditation for him These are those ministerial and instrumental means of grace and life to sinners not an historical or tragical use of these but a beleeving use a relying resting comforting spiritualizing use These were all but parcels of the work of redemption but parts of the whole and to all these there is an infinite depth of sin and temptations opposed And therefore the more we are improving our selves in these things of Christ the more spiritual and infinitely provided shall we be against the other It is not enough to look on Jesus Christ in his single person glorified and
exalted but to study every part and parcel and passage of Jesus Christ And thus to know nothing but Jesus Christ and him crucified The several wayes of Free-grace and the general point searched FRee-grace is conveyed to us under several notions in these times and I shall in few words gather up the conceptions intending a larger draught of it hereafter The first way of Free-grace free without all condition of Grace THe first and purest conceive of the Mystery thus That God the Father for manifestation of his mercy and love purposed some to glory whom he loved freely and gave his Son to be a way to them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and righteousnesse knowing that thâ—â—ould fall under sin and condemnation in the first Adam where he might justly have left them as the rest in their blood and pollution had it not been for that free-grace in himself and therefore that Son is called the second Adam or quickning spirit and this mystery of salvation is free infinitely free the Father loving freely and giving his Son the Son loving freely and giving himself freely and the spirit working from them both freely for the manifestation of this salvation in the souls of his elect and through the ministery of a free Gospel even to sinners as sinners and children of wrath in themselves A second way of Free-grace free onely with conditions THe second sort hold which is called the Reformed opinion and is the more general That God did freely decree or purpose some to salvation in Christ through the intervening and instrumental assistance of faith c. And that none are actually justified nor partakers of this free salvation but by faith and the Goâ—â—â—◠〈◊〉 ministery of conditions or qualificatio◠〈◊〉 this salvation And this I call a Decrâ—e with Graces A third way of Free-grace free onely upon condition THe third sort hold That God did freely purpose some to salvation and therefore gave Jesus Christ but it was onely to those whom he foresaw through the help of a Gospel-ministery and other spiritual sufficiency would embrace Jesus so given yea given for all if all would have embraced him And this I call a respective Decree for Graces A fourth way of Free-grace free meerly in the extent THe fourth sort hold That God purposed some to glory and salvation in Jesus Christ without respect to any thing but the intervenings of faith c. and gave this Jesus Christ to die for all not that all should have saâ—â—â—â—â—on by him but onely the elect who are onely made to beleeve and that the Gospel-ministery reveals such a kinde of general Redemption otherwise the Gospel could not justly be tendred to all nor any be condemned for not beleeving nor unbeleeving be any sin This last I shall onely speak on This is in part the general point and it is answered thus Some do it by a way of interpreting the general Scriptures as these of Gods loving the world c. Interpreting the world in opposition to Jews and by that understanding the Gentiles who were called the world And so of sending Jesus Christ to be a propitiation not for ours but the sins of the whole world c. Rom. 11.11 12. And so where ever the word all is that God will have all saved c. they interpret it with restriction to some of all c. Matth. 3.5 And so for the general tenders of the Gospel they interpret that by way of dispensation for the better gathering up the elect from all sorts and places Matth. 24.31 And so for not beleeving they say men are not damned for not beleeving simply but from the condemnation 〈◊〉 â—re left under though their not beleâ—â—â—â—â— may make their condemnation greater Some answer it by shewing forth the contradiction in this of Christ dying for all and saving some that it is as much as Christ died for all and not for all Some answer by turning it into immortality for all but not salvation for all Some answer by revealing Gods love and Jesus Christ as the effect of this love as it were the instrument and minister of this love and this love of God going out onely to the elect for whom Christ is given This way they conceive takes off general Redemption But we must take heed of making Christ more instrumental and ministerial then the Father hath made him and will stand with the honour of the Son who is the first born of the elect the head of the body And we must be spiritually wary in distinguishing too curiously upon Jesus Christ as Son and Mediator c. but onely in a Scripture-way for Christ is but one and salvation is one Thus far some worthy beleevers go in opposing the general point but we must go a little further in finding out the Mystery of the general point and meet with it there Now I humbly conceive the mystery lies onely in a rational way of justice and Gospel-dispensation That God will not meerly and arbitrarily damn any because he will So as he hath put every one under a state of Redemption and power of salvation and they are damned from their own will not from Gods Thus go the deepest and most notional of that way And the other part of the mystery which is lowest and most argued for in these times and by most is onely that the Gospel cannot rationally be tendred but upon some such general ground as Christ dying for all Thus I have opened though weakly the mystery and the opening it may be enough and the whole building of the universal Grations is all upon a rational notion strengthned with some general terms in the Word Now let them see whether meer Reason is a Principle high enough for a spiritual mystery And if bringing salvation down upon such a ground be proportionable to so glorious a work as that of Redemption besides all the intervenings it hath with free-grace and free-justification and election of grace c. Now let the Mystery be lookt on in their way which is this Christ died for all else the Gospel cannot be preached to all And in the other way which is this Christ died onely for his and it is offered to all that his who are amongst this all might beleeve and though he died not for all yet none are excepted and yet none accepted but they that beleeve and none beleeve but they to whom it is given And in this way of salvation there lies more mystery which is more sutable to a divine work Great is the mystery of godlinesse And this ground That none are excepted is as clear and spiritually rational for the Gospel to be preached to all as this ground That he died for all Seeing upon both grounds Some onely are saved and not all and a decree of meer grace and of faith foreseen do equally imply an impossibility of all to be saved and therefore why is it so contended for that all are redeemed Some Truths of Free-grace sparkling in former Writers and in
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
his from God but from Communion with God p. 130. 12. Christ in the flesh Ibid. 13. Christs being in our own nature p. 131. 14. Christs love Ibid. 15. Christ doing and suffering for our sakes p. 132. 16. Christs Mediatorship Ibid. 17. The right general Redemption by the second Adam p. 133. 18. Christs love p. 134. 19. Christs blood Ibid. 20. Christs blood powred out p. 135. 21. Christs Vesture dipt in blood Ibid. 22. Christs comelinesse p. 136. 23. Christs beauty Ibid. 24. Christs names p. 137. 25. Christ and His Ibid. 26. Christs love in Heaven to us or Christ exalted p. 138. 27. The Gospel is Christ revealed Ibid. 28. The mystery of Christ in the Gospel a mystery of love p. 139. 29. A beleevers glorious freedom p. 140. 30. All the sins of beleevers done away on the Crosse Ibid. 31. Christ offered to sinners p. 141. 32. A beleever must live in Christ not in himself Ibid. 33. How Christ and a beleever were one in sin and righteousnesse p. 143. 34. We must come before God as having put on Christ first not as sinners and unrighteous p. 144. 35. The Law is now in the Spirit and in the Gospel for a beleever to walk by p. 146. 36. Legal and Gospel-commands and duties p. 147. 37. The Gospel in the holinesse and grace of it p. 150. 38. The new Covenant further set forth to be meerly a promise p. 15â— 39. The way of assurance for beleevers p. 155. 40. The Gospel Ministration very glorious p. 157. 41. In what kinde the Gospel is glorious p. 160. 42. The form of the Gospel or way of dispensation p. 163. 43. Gospel promises p 164. 44. God under the Law and the Gospel legal and Gospel-worshippers p. 166. 45. God and His in Reconciliation p. 169. 46. The fears of weak beleevers and their remedies p. 171. 47. Remedies to each fear p. 175. 48. Legal conversion p. 177. 49. When the Spirit of adoption works not freely p. 179. 50. Opinions make men legal p 181. 51. Jesus Christ offered to sinners as sinners p. 184. 52. The simplicity of the Gospel salvation easie and plain p. 190. 53. Christ and every part of Christ to be studied and beleeved in p. 194. The several wayes of Free-grace and the general point searched p. 197. THe first way of Free-grace free without all conditions of Grace Ibid. A second way of Free-grace free onely with conditions p. 198 A third way of Free grace free onely upon condition p. 199. A fourth way of Free-grace free meerly in extent Ibid. Some Truths of Free grace sparkling in former Writers and in some famous approved men of our times in Testimony to what is in this Discourse of Free-grace p. 204. THe Law by the Preaching of it cannot reform but onely Faith Ibid. No preparatory works before Christ p. 205. Free-grace hath many enemies We should stand for Free-grace p. 206. Faith is no condition of the new Covenant of Grace Ibid. We have all in Christ p. 207. Christ is every thing to us p. 208. God was never an enemy to his p. 209. That we and those commonly called Antinomians differ little Ibid. Concerning our not resting on sight or our own graces for assurance p. 211. The Law as given by Moses no rule to Christians p 212. Faith before Justification is no Grace p. 213. God is never an enemy to his though sinning p. 214. Christ promised to sinners as sinners p. 215. A beleevers Law is Christ and his Spirit p. 216. ERRATA Page 198. lin. 19. and pag. 199. lin. 17. and pag. 202 lin. 21. for intervenings read interfeerings The flowings of Christs Blood freely to Sinners Occasioned by an Experimental Discourse 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 Quest WHat manner of life did you lead as you can well remember Answ I continued in a course of some particular sins long Quest Had you no fits of terrour of conscience in your continuance in those sins Answ I had some gripings and accusations in my continuance in those sins but they tarried not with me Quest Had you any reluctancy in sinning or did you it with full consent Answ Yea with full consent to my remembrance Quest Were you much delighted in those sins so as you committed them with greedinesse or were you over-powred partly through the strength of corruption Answ I delighted in them and felt no over-powring of that kinde Quest In this your natural state how far did the light of conscience check you or put you upon any Reformation Answ Upon some duties of Prayer and hearing the Word and checks divers times I had Quest Were not your checks such as put you upon some other religious duties Quest Did you not see any need of Christ Answ Yea but it was I thought rather for my self-ends then for love to Christ One asked me if I could be contented without Christ if it were possible that I had my sins pardoned and peace of conscience and not have Christ I answered I did not know Quest But after all these proceedings and soul-conflicts which I perceive you had and your dealings with many concerning your condition How came you to that assurance of your calling and the spirit as you were once perswaded you had Answ I shall relate unto you my experiences which I had as I was then assured on of my calling First When I was minded to make away my self for my sin the Lord sent into my minde this word I have loved thee with an everlasting love Ah thought I then hath God loved me with such an everlasting love and shall I sin against such a God! Secondly I had many doubts and fears but through the strength of Christ I overcame all These doubts and fears arose from the examination of my self how I could finde the work in my soul agreeable to that testimony for I was much afraid of being deluded Thirdly The promise in Isai. 55.1 did stay my heart and Christ in my partaking of him in his Ordinances did sweetly witnesse and exceedingly that he was my Christ Fourthly I went on for some time full of joy and of comfort upon these promises and another I had Fear not I will be with thee I will never leave thee I will never forsake thee Fifthly I was in fears again that I could not pray but I had a promise I will fulfill the desires of them that fear me These and many more were my grounds and evidences which I thought were right then when I had them Sixthly Sometimes in hearing the Word Christ did witnesse to my soul yet but seldom But O how I did strive against this work as I thought of my being called to put away all promises of mercy from me I may justly say The Lord saved me whether I would or no Sometimes I was dead and could not pray sometimes very much quickned and stirred up
spake and said unto me rise up my Love my fair one saith the Spouse 5. We ought to beleeve till we be perswaded that we do beleeve because the more we do beleeve the more we shall be perswaded to beleeve according to that place in the Ephesians In whom also after ye beleeved ye were sealed with the holy Spirit of promise And he that beleeveth hath the witnesse though there is more to be said to this last Scripture The way to be warm is not onely to ask for a fire or whether there be a fire or no or to hold out the hands towards it and away and wish for a greater but to stand close to that fire there is and to gather heat 6. We ought I suppose no more to question our Faith which is our first and foundation Grace then we ought to question Christ the foundation of our Faith For as all Christian Religion is destroyed by the one so all the salvation in that Religion to any soul in particular by the other Therefore it is said they entered not in because of unbeleef And again The Word did not profit being not mixed with Faith in them that heard it And hence is the Apostles caution Take heed lest there be in any of you an heart of unbeleef 7. It is Satans greatest policy to put a soul upon such a question For by this he sets on the soul for evidence from things which he knows can afford little but a questionable assurance as perswasion most upon marks and signes of our own sanctification or works which cannot hold good without Faith it self to bring down Christ upon them For he puts us clean back if we observe We are proving our faith by our works when as no works can be proved solidly good but by our faith for without Faith it is impossible to please God We know that every piece of coyn or money is valued according to the image and superscription that it bears and if Cesar be not there though it be still silver yet it is not coyn it is not so currant and he that hath it cannot make such use of it and so assure himself to trade with it as otherwise he might do So there is not any thing of sanctification currant and of true practical use comfort to be a beleever unlesse Jesus Christ be there and the Image of Christ which is righteousnesse c. or true holinesse While Satan puzzles us in questioning our faith or beleeving he keeps us off from beleeving knowing that this is the condemnation He that beleeveth not is condemned already We are first to beleeve and all other gifts will follow c. HEre I cannot but wonder at any that keep souls in acts of preparation and qualification from the act of beleeving as if we could beleeve too suddenly and many a one loses some degrees of faith while they are seeking it thus in the evidence of their works for while faith is kept off from Christ and the soul suspended faith decayes and becomes weaker and weaker when as if it were still exercised upon Christ in the promises it would soon bring a clearer and more undeceivable evidence with it then can any other way be ministred unto it In the Gospel all are immediately called to beleeve to day if ye will hear his voice Sirs saith the Jaylor what must I do to be saved Beleeve say they on the Lord Jesus Christ And this is the work that ye beleeve on him whom he hath sent saith Christ and saith Philip to the Eunuch If thou beleevest with all thy heart thou mayst and he answered and said I beleeve So as I shall draw this conclusion for many that are in the dark in this point both Preachers and people That none can beleeve too hastily in Jesus Christ our righteousnesse because righteousnesse is revealed from faith to faith and while we beleeve not we live not properly for the just shall live by faith and while we beleeve not we may after a sort be said to be under condemnation for he that beleeveth not is condemned So as we ought not to stay the exercise of our faith either for repentance or humiliation or any other grace but we ought to beleeve that we may have these for faith worketh by love c. And adde to your faith vertue saith the Apostle and to vertue knowledge and to knowledge temperance and to temperance patience and to patience godlinesse and to godlinesse brotherly kindnesse All these are to be added to faith or work from faith nor are we to stay our beleeving till we be assured by some signes that we do beleeve we must beleeve that we may know that we do beleeve for the witnesse comes by beleeving The spirit bearing witnesse Yet to these I allow you any examination or tryal of your faith which may consist with beleeving Well I shall put some Questions to you after these grounds Quest Is faith alwayes with full assurance Answ Nay Quest Can you conclude you have no faith because you have no full assurance Answ Nay Quest You say well for there are degrees of beleeving one degree is to beleeve another is to be assured you beleeve There are in the Word beleevers of several ages some are called little ones weak ones babes children strong men some are such as have been sound beleevers and are made weak through sin and temptation and ignorance of the Covenant of free-grace and their righteousnesse in Christ and the glorious estate of a beleever under grace as a man that is not perfectly healed of some infirmity For the nature and properties of true saving Faith which I told you on They are better discerned in the Word Christ then in the soul that hath them because they are not in the soul purely but with mixture of corruption which like mud in the water troubles the sight and the spiritual discerning and that makes so many beleevers who can spiritually judge care so little to see themselves in their own righteousnesse but in Christs as Paul and be found in him not having mine own righteousnesse The nature and properties of true saving faith is almost the businesse of the whole new Testament 1. The nature of faith is this It is called the ground of things hoped for and the evidence of things that are unseen 2. The properties are everywhere described by repentance and humiliation and love godlinesse and purity and charity meeknesse and all holy conversation and prayer and hearing and obeying the Will of God All these are with true faith and a beleever is one who though he hath all these yet he will not behold them in himself but in Christ and as Paul I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me Now the great mistake which I finde in this and ages before is the singling out the properties of a true faith and sending a beleever for his assurance most thither in himself which caused the beleevers of
deal with him at all occasions but such submit not to the righteousnesse of God and the free-gift of justification by grace and give not glory to God For they that beleeve upon something first in themselves shall as they have kindled a fire lie down in the sparks of their own kindling and have nothing in Christ because they will not have all in him for we must either have all in him or nothing And though some will have all in Christ for salvation yet they will have something in themselves to beleeve their interest in this salvation and though this be not to reject Christ for righteousnesse yet it is to reject his free-promise or Word of assurance for this righteousnesse and rather to be perswaded upon sight then faith and sense then promise and something in our selves them in himself XXXV The Law is now in the Spirit and in the Gospel for a beleever to walk by THe Gospel is both a perfect law of life and righteousnesse of grace and truth and therefore I wonder at any that should contend for the ministery of the Law or Ten Commandments under Moses which is of lesse glory then that which is now revealed and exceeds in glory and should strive for a Law without the Gospel which is in the Gospel Nor is the holinesse and sanctification now such as is fashioned by the Law or outward Commandment but by the preaching of faith by which the Spirit is given which renews and sanctifies a beleever and makes him the very Law of Commandments in himself and his heart the very two Tables of Moses And though the Law be a beam of Christ in substance and matter yet we are not to live by the light of one beam now when the Sun of righteousnesse is risen himself that was a sitter light for those who lived in the region and shaddow of death And it is with the Law now or light of righteousnesse as it was with the light in the Creation when that which was scattered was gathered into one body of light So Christ now being revealed holinesse and righteousnesse as well as grace and love is revealed in him and gathered up in him And what need we light up a Candle for the children of the day to see by What is there any striving for a stream in the channel when the fountain is open Nor doth it become the glory of Christ revealed to be beholding to any of the light upon Moses face The word is now made flesh and dwels amongst us and we behold his glory as the glory of the onely begotten Son full of truth as well as grace XXXVI Legal and Gospel-Commandments and Duties GOspel-Commandments and Legal Commandments do not commandin the same power in the same manner or to the same end The Law commands us to obey to love to fear to be holy that God may be our God we his people the Gospel commands us to obey love because we are the people of such a God The Law commands us in the power of God as a Law-giver and Tutor or Minister the Gospel in the power of a Father the Law commands by promises and threatnings blessings and cursings the Gospel perswades rather then commands and rather by promises and exhorts rather then bids and reasons us to duty rather then enforces and rather draws us then drives us and by setting forth promises and priviledges and prerogatives and works done on Gods part and Christs part for us and in love rather argues us into doing working loving reflections again and Christ is chiefly propounded both for holinesse and obedience for mortification and newnesse of life So as the Gospel commands us rather by patern then precept and by imitation then command Heb. 12.1 2 3. Nor to the same End The end of the Law was to bondage fear tutorship revealing of sin outward obedience and conformity The end of Gospel-laws is to love newnesse of spirit praise and thanksgiving for righteousnesse and life received and testimony to our righteousnesse received in Christ Having these promises let us cleanse our selves from all filthinesse both of flesh and spirit Rom. And thus Christs yoke is easie and his burden light and his Commandments are not grievous for they are Commandments that carry life and power quicken to that duty they command like the Sun who warmeth us in the very shining upon us and we work and walk and live under the Gospel as being saved already and redeemed and bringing forth the power of this redemption and salvation though the spirit of adoption freely working to the praise of that free-grace and freely obeying for such free redemption and doing every thing in love because of the love shed abroad in our hearts and neither taking in judgements nor hell or damnation nay nor Heaven nor glory to force on the work or quicken the duty but doing all from the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus except when corruption or temptation hinders the freenesse and spiritualnesse in the duty XXXVII The Gospel in the holinesse and grace of it THere is doctrine of holinesse in the Gospel as well as grace love and there are commands for obedience as well as tydings of forgivenesse The grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all Teaching us that denying ungodlinesse c. we should live soberly righteously and godly Tit. 2.12 And this kinde of Gospel is such in the revelation of it as fits both God and man God the Father may be seen in commanding holinesse and the Spirit in forming the holinesse commanded and the Son in redeeming us to holinesse even to the will both of the father and the spirit And this Gospel fits man who is made up both of flesh spirit and so hath need of a law without and in the letter as well as in the heart and spirit The Law is spiritual but we are carnal Rom. 7. Nor can such a state of flesh and spirit be ordered by a law onely within for the Word and Law of the spirit meerly is for a spiritual condition or estate of glory as Angels who onely live by a law spiritual or word of Revelation But our estate here being partly carnal must needs be ordered yet in part by the Law of a carnal Commandment and yet this Law is not such as it was before a meer Law in the letter but it is now under the Gospel a law of life spirit and glory it is a Law in the hand of Christ and with the promises of Christ about it to make it spiritual indeed And this is according to the just wise and righteous distribution which God hath made to our divers estate of flesh and spirit by dealing out to us both the word and spirit the letter and life Therefore the Word is called Scriptures given by inspiration and is profitable for doctrine c. 2 Tim. 3.16 17. And the Spirit is called the anointing and teacheth all things
acceptation That Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners of which I am chief 1 Tim. 1.15 As if he should say doth any of your hearts tell ye you are sinners Let not that be any ground at all to keep you from Christ let not any despaire because of that I my self was thus and thus a blasphemer a persecutor nay as if that were not enough I was the chief of sinners or the sinner in chief the grand and supreme sinner as if there could not well have been a greater and I says he obtained mercy So as here the Spirit hath laid in answers to the objecting or doubting soul If the soul should object If I were not such a sinner as I am I could beleeve the Spirit answers Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners As if he should say to save even just such as thou art If the soul should object further but there is not such a sinner as I am the Spirit answers yea But here is one greater then thou here is the chief of all sinners the Prince of sinners obtaining mercy of which I am the chief So as none can be such a sinner to whom Christ and the blood of Christ may not be tendered and offered and that upon these grounds 1. From the order of Gods decree he loved us and gave Christ for us when we were sinners God commendeth his love towards us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us Rom. 5.8 God so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Son John 3. 2. The offering the Gospel and Jesus Christ to a sinner as a sinner is but the bringing out this glorious love of God in time and dispensation it is but the offering that love which God loved them with from everlasting Neither is it any more to offer Christ to a sinner then to manifest God in his first love when he gave Christ for sinners in his own decree 3. It exalteth grace more and sheweth as a gift indeed what can be more of grace then that Jesus Christ should receive a sinner one who hath no money nor price no works nor righteousnesse to bring for him 4. It is the right lifting up Jesus Christ as Moses lift up the Serpent in the Wildernesse not for the healed to look upon but the stung and wounded 5. It leaves men without all excuse and brings the greater condemnation for when Christ is brought home to the very soul and the blood offered at every ones door for receiving then there can be no objecting Lord had I been thus and thus fit and prepared then I should have received thee but I was a foul sinner at that very time so and so guilty O will the Lord answer I come therefore to pardon thee and to wash thee in my blood because thou wert so foul and that is no excuse 6. It is most agreeable to the Gospel-way of dispensation and Christs own preaching The whole need not a Physitian but they that are sick I came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance 7. All that ever received Christ in the Gospel received him in a sinful condition the many beleeving Jews in the sin of crucifying Christ all the Churches of Corinth Ephesus and Colosse Such were some of you but ye are washed c. And ye were sometimes darknesse but are now light in the Lord Ephes. 5. Ye who were dead in trespasses and sins and were enemies in your mindes by wicked works yet now hath he quickned Coloss. 1. So as to offer Jesus Christ to sinners as sinners is but 1. To offer him in time as God gave him before all time God gave him to us because we were sinners and now he is but offered as he was given 2. There is more of grace in it to offer him to a sinner as a sinner that where sin hath abounded grace may abound much more 3. There is a clearer lifting up Christ as Moses for the wounded to look on as well as the whole 4. Men are left without excuse because when he is held out to sinners as sinners all are in a condition for him sin and a saviour are most suteable 5. It is as Christ himself did who both calls sinners and converses with sinners with Mary Magdalen an harlot and with the Publicans and with the woman of Samaria who lived in uncleannesse when the pure Messiah preached himself to her 6. It is as all that ever received him both in Jerusalem Corinth Ephesus c. who had they not been foul had never been washed had they not been darknesse had never been light in the Lord But you will tell me of conditions in the Gospel of faith and repentance c. and certain legal preparations before Christ should be offered and brought to the soul Yea but that ye may not be puzzled as many are In the Gospel-way or dispensation faith and repentance is to be preached but Jesus Christ still with it Beleeve in the Lord Jesus Christ And you are not to consider repentance from beleeving nor beleeving from repentance nor either from Jesus Christ nor Jesus Christ without them and yet neither of them as bringing in Christ to the soul but Christ bringing in them and working them more and more in the soul and that upon these grounds 1. Christ is not ours by any act of our own but Gods God imputing and accounting To make Christ ours is an Almighty work not the work of any thing created So as Christ is ours without faith by a power more glorious and infinite but we cannot here know him to be ours but by beleeving nor partake of him as ours but by beleeving 2. If faith should give us our interest in Christ then as our faith increases our interest should increase and we should be more and more justified and forgiven which none allow calling these other acts of faith faith of assurance and acts of manifestation and if faith be thus in its other degrees of working why not in its first It is the evidence of things unseen Heb. 11. 3. If Christ should be ours by faith in this sense then when faith ceases shall we cease to be justified Shall faith begin our interest here and not be able to continue it hereafter 4. Can a sinner be too foul for a Saviour and too wounded for a Physitian to heal and too filthy for a fountain opened to wash 5. He that offers Christ offers all the conditions in him both of faith and repentance For Christ is exalted to give repentance c. And faith is called the faith of the Son of God Gal. 2. 6. It is no more to offer Jesus Christ then any grace of Christs or gift of Christs to a sinner for a sinner is as unprepared and unfit for the one as the other equally in sin and pollution to both 7. This spiritual work is a new creation and so works of preparation are not so proper in that We
some famous approved men of our times in Testimony to what is in this Discourse in part asserted and in these times by others Assertors of FREE-GRACE The Law by the preaching of it cannot reform but onely Faith and Grace Dr. Preston in his Serm. on the new Coven Comment. in Galat. 3.5 which he quotes Pag. 347. IF I should onely preach to you the Commandments c. I might preach long enough ere you could keep them Do you receive the Spirit by the preaching of the Law No but by preaching promise of pardon and forgivenesse Page 333. 2. If a man would desire to change his course to be made a new Creature the way is not to consider the Commandments what he ought to do but my beloved the way is to get assurance that thy sins are pardoned to consider the Covenant of Grace Heb. 9.14 No preparatory works before Christ Master Rogers in his Book of the right way to be saved c. P. 54. DIvers mistake and look for something to ground on in themselves and so are wofully bewildered and in great perplexity It is as if one should not set a young Tree but let it lie above the ground till they see what it will bear Free-grace hath many enemies We should stand for Free-grace Dr. Sibbs his Book of the excellency of the Gospel above the Law Pag. 241. DO ye wonder why the Free-grace of God hath found such enemies c. The heart of man is in a frame of enmity against God and sets it self most against that God will be most glorified in Let us vindicate nothing so much as grace We must live by grace and die by grace and stand at the day of judgement by grace not in our own righteousnesse Faith is no condition of the new Covenant of grace Master Perkins Commentary on the Galathians P. 157. THe Gospel called by Paul the Promise offers and gives life freely without the condition of any work and requires nothing but the receiving of that which is offered It may be objected that the Gospel promiseth life upon the condition of our Faith Answ. The Gospel hath in it no moral condition of any thing to be done of us Indeed Faith is mentioned after the form and manner of a condition but in truth it is the free gift of God as well as life eternal c. Pag. 184. We have all in Christ Thou must not receive the Promise immediately of God but Christ must do it for thee though thou be unworthy yet there is dignity sufficient and worthinesse enough in him If thou say that thou must at the least receive the promise at the hand of Christ I adde further That he will not quench the smoaking flax c. And ou◠salvationg stands in this not that we know and apprehend him but that he knows and apprehends us first of all Christ is every thing to us Mr. Calvin in his Book of Institutions Book 2. chap. 16. P. 167.8 WE must take heed of drawing any part of Salvation but from Christ If we seek Salvation let it be in the Name of Jesus Christ if the Spirit or any gifts or graces let us seek them in his Unction if strength let us seek it in his power if purity in his conception if mercy in his nature which was touched with our infirmities if redemption in his passion if forgivenesse in his condemnation or being a curse for us if satisfaction in his sacrifice if cleansing in his blood if mortification in his Sepulcher and death if newnesse of life in his Resurrection if immortality in the same if an heavenly inheritance in his entering into Heaven if all good things in his Kingdom and Dominion here All treasures are in him and they who are not content onely with him shall have no rest anywhere although too they may look principally at him Nor can there be any unbelief nor doubtings where his fulnesse is thus known God was never an enemy to his Calvin quoting Augustine in his Book of Institut Tract. in Evangel Johan 110.2 Chap. 16. P. 106.1 INcomprehensible and unchangeable is the love of God not that love which we obtain from reconciliation by the Blood of Christ but wherwith he loved us before the foundations of the world therefore when it is said Christ reconciled us it is not to be understood as if then he begun to love those whom he hated before but he reconciled us even to that love wherwith he loved us Rom. 5.8 therefore in a wonderful manner he loved us when it is said he hated us That we and those commonly called Antinomians differ little Mr. Gattakers Testimony in a late Treatise Gods eye c. in Epist. to the Reader P. 10. THe matter in controversie between us and these men is not how far forth sin is removed or abolished in Beleevers or how far forth it is by Justification abandoned or in what sense God is said to see or not see sin or to take notice of it in beleevers and justified persons c. As if all these things were granted on both sides Note Men of learning you see and judgement do not cry out Antinomianism on Free-grace or free justification as others do c. But acknowledge a consent in all these c. Why Luther is not quoted here LVther I could quote but he is now lookt on by some as one that is both over-quoted and over-writ Free-grace and bending himself against works which was the Popery and Antichristianism of those times He raised up grace rather in opposition as some think to whom I dare not so fully agree to the excesse of works then to the just advantage of grace and yet they can allow him in other things Thus we can pick and chuse from a Reformer what fits to the standerd of our own Light and Reformation and cast the other by I shall therefore quote some later Concerning our not resting on sight or our own graces for assurance Mr. Tho. Goodwin in his Book Christ set forth in Epist. to the Reader Pag. 1 2. AN immoderate recourse unto signes though barely considered as such is as unwarrantable when therby we are diverted taken off from a more constant actual exercise of daily thoughts of faith towards Christ immediately as he is set forth to be our righteousnesse c. And yet the mindes of many are so wholly taken up with their own hearts that as the Psalmist sayes of God Christ is scarce in all their thoughts· But let these consider what a dishonour this must needs be unto Christ that his trai◠and favourites our graces should have a fuller court and more frequent attendance from our hearts then himself who is the King of glory and likewise what a shame also it is for beleevers themselves who are his Spouse to look upon their husband no otherwise but by reflections and at second hand through the intervention and assistance of their own graces as mediators between him and them Now
to rectifie this errour the way is not wholly to reject all use of such evidences but to order them c. We are justified in Christs Justification when he rose Pag. 202. Christ his Resurrection was the original act of Gods justifying us in Christ we were virtually justified then in Christ his being justified as in a common person God remembers not our sins P. 207. As by reason of his Intercession God remembers not old sins so likewise he is not provoked by new The Law as given by Moses no Rule to Christians Mr. Bolton in his Book of the true bounds of Christian freedom P. 74. OThers say we are freed from the Law as given by Moses and are onely tied to the obedience of it as given by Christ and as Christ renews it and as it comes out of the hand and from the authority of Christ and we have it immediatly from the hands of Christ I shall not much dislike this c. Beleevers and God are never at enmity P. 14. As none of our sins shall condemn us so none of our sins shall put us into a state of â—ondemnation more none of our sins shall ever put us under the curse under wrath again God doth not punish Beleevers for sin P. 14. We are freed from all miseries afflictions punishments which yet are the fruits of sin as they may be conceived to be fruits of wrath or have wrath in them Faith before Justification is no Grace Mr. Rogers on the Articles Art 13. P. 57. WOrks done before Justification please not God before men do please nothing that they do can please him hereby the vanity of them is perceived who think before mans justification his deeds do please God Note What is faith then to be accounted before Justification according to this principle God is never an enemy to his though sinning Mr. Herbert Palmer in his Charact. of a Christian in Paradox c. P. 10. HE beleeves the God that hates all sin to be reconciled to himself though sinning continually and never making nor being able to make him satisfaction We are justified though ungodly P. 11. He beleeves the most just God c. To have justified himself though a most ungodly sinner We are not saved by any thing we do P. 58. He knows he shall not be saved by his works and yet doth all the good works he can A beleever sins not P. 68. He cannot sin yet he can do nothing without sin A beleever beleeves against hope P. 74. He beleeves like Abraham in hope against hope God freely pardons P. 12. He beleeves himself freely pardoned Beleevers are pure in Gods sight P. 13. He beleeves himself to be pretious in Gods sight Christ promised to sinners as sinners Master Tho. Goodwin in his Book of Christ set forth P. 30. THere are absolute promises made to no conditions as when Christ is said to come to save sinners c. Now in these it is plain Christ is the naked object of them so that if you apply not him you apply nothing for the onely thing held forth in them is Christ We are justified in Christs justification P. 122. Even so it is in the matter of our justification it was done virtually in Christ and afterwards when we beleeve it is actually passed in and upon our selves So by Christs being justified we are all virtually justified and in Law through a secret yet irrepealable Covenant between God and Christ who onely did then know who were his A Beleevers Law is Christ and his Spirit Mr. Perkins in his Comment on the Gal. P. 128. THey which are true Beleevers are a free and voluntary people obeying God as if there were no law to compel them they have Christ to live in them the Spirit of life that is in Christ is in them and that is their Law It is the property of a childe of God to obey God as it is the nature and quality of the fire to burn c. Thus in the quoting or citing these Divines concerning some pretious truths of Christ I have done as Paul said to the Athenians when he would prove a God As certain also of your own Poets have said So the truths which are abroad mistaken by many are truths as also some of your own Divines have said FINIS