the gracious workings of the gospel grace of God upon their hearts and so are in case as having this witness within them to give verdict against those assertions yea moe and many moe than were in several ages before yet Satan should become so bold as to vent these desperate opinions so diametrically opposite to the Grace of God declared in the Gospel and ingraven in the Hearts of many hundereds by the finger of God confirming in the most undoubted manner the truth of the gospel doctrines This would seem to say that there are such clear sun shine dayes of the Gospel and of the Son of man a coming and who can tell how soon this night shall be at an end that all these doctrines of nature shall receive a more conspicuous and shameful dash than they have received for these many ages Hithertil when Satan raised up and sent forth his qualified instruments for this desperat work God alwayes prepared carpenters to fright these horns and thus Gospel truth came forth as gold out of a furnace more clear and shineing And who can tell but there may be a dispensation of the pure grace of God in opposition to these perverting wayes of Satan yet to come that as to the measure of light and power shall excell whatever hath been siace the Apostles dayes Even so come Lord Iesus However Madam the Grace of God will be what it is to all the chosen and ransomed ones They will finde that in it which will make whatever cometh in competition therewith or would darken it contemptible in their eyes And happy they of whom in this day wherein darkness covereth the earth and grosse darkness the people it may be said the Lord hath arisen upon them and his glory hath been seen upon them for whatever others whose understanding is yet darkned and they alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them because of the blindness of their hearts imagine of the Gospel Grace and however they discerne nothing of the heavenly and spiritual glory of the Grace of God yet they being delivered or cast into the form and mould of the doctrine of the Gospel which they have obeyed from the heart through the powerful and irresistible efficacy of the mighty grace of God have seen such an allureing excellency in 〈◊〉 gracious contrivance of infinite wisdome to set forth the unparallelableness of the pure grace of God and are dayly seeing more and more of the graciousness wisdome of that heavenly invention in its adeqâ—…at sâ—…teablness to all their necessities that as they cannot but admire and commend the riches of that grace that interlineth every sentence of the gospel and the greatness of that love that hath made such a compleatly broad plaster to cover all their sores and wounds so the longer they live and the more they drink of this pure fountain of heavenly nectar and the more their necessities presse them to a taking on of new obligations because of new supplies from this ocean of grace the more they are made to admire the Wisdom Goodness of the Author and the more they are made to fall in love with to delightâ—… and lose themselves in the thoughts of this incomprehensible grace of God yea and to longe to be there where they shall be in better case to contemplate and have more wit to wonder at and better dexterity to prize a stronger head to muse upon and a more enlarged heart to praise for this boundless and endless treasure of the Grace of God with which they are enriched through Jesus Christ. Sure if we be not thus enamoured ravished with it it is because we are yet standing without or at most upon the threshold border of this Grace were we once goto within the jurisdiction of grace and had yeelded up ourselves unto the power thereof and were living and breathing in this aire O! how sweet a life might we have What a kindly â—…lement would Grace be to us As sin had reigned unto death even so grace should reigne through righteousness unto eternal life by Iesus Christ our Lord Rom. 5 21. Grace reigning within us thâ—…ough righteousness would frame fit our souls for that eternal life that is ensured to all who come once under the commanding enlivening strengthening confirming corroborating and perfecting power of Grace and seeking grace for grace and so living and walking and spending upon Grace's cost and charges O how lively and thriveing proficients might we be The more we spent of grace if it could be spent the richer should we be in grace O what an enriching trade must it be to trade with free Grace where there is no losse and all is gaine the stock and gaine and all is ensured yea more labouring in Grace's field would bring us in Isaack's blessing an hundered fold But Alas it is one thing to talk of Grace but a far other thing to trade with Grace When we are so great strangers unto the life of grace through not breathing in the aire of grace how can the name of the Lord Iesus Christ be glorifyed in us and we in Him according to the grace of our God and the Lord Iesus Christ 2 Thes. 1 12 Consider we what an affront and indignity it is unto the Lord dispenfator of Grace that we look so leane and ill favoured as if there were not enough of the fatning bread of the grace of God in our Fathers house or as if the great Steward who is full of grace and truth were unwilling to bestow it upon us or grudged us of our allowance when the fault is in ourselves we will not follow the course that Wise Grace and Gracious Wisdome hath prescribed we will not open our mouth wide that He might fill us nor goe to Him with our narrowed or closed mouthes that Grace might make way for grace and widen the mouth for receiving of more grace but lye by in our leanness and weakness and alas we love too will to be so O but grace be ill wared on us who cary so unworthily with it as we do yet it is well with the gracious soul that he is under grace's Tutory and care for Grace will care for him when he careth not much for it nor yet seeth well to his owne welfare Grace can will prevent yea must prevent afterward as well as at the first that Grace may be Grace and appear to be Grace and continue unchangeably to be Grace and so free Grace Well is it with the Beleever whom grace hath once taken by the heart and brought within the bond of the Covenant of Grace its deadest condition is not desperat when corruption prevaileth to such an hight that the man is given over for dead there being no sense no motion no warmth no breath almost to be observed yet Grace when violently constrained by that strong distemper to retire to a secret corner of the soul there to lurk and
commanded duties are full measure heaped up shaken together and runing over And though he who hath much hath nothing over yet he 〈◊〉 hath little hath no inlâ—…ke for he abounds towards us in 〈◊〉 wisdome I say therefore againe unto thee take heart let not thine hands fall down essay nothing thou would have well done or easily done in thine own strength but yet how difficult so ever the duty be approach it as haveing no confidence in the flesh but with an eye to thy stocâ—… that rich store house of all furniture and it shall be with thee as it was with the priests before whom jordan recoiled so soon as their foot entered within the 〈◊〉 God shall make thy difficulties evanish and by the 〈◊〉 the Spirit of power and might from Jesus Christ depended upon shall so strengthen thee that thy duty is made easy to admiration and becomes the delight of thy souli 〈◊〉 I have exceeded the just limits of an Epistle pray for the continuance of the life of the Author who by his assiduous working for Christ hath been often neir unto death not reguarding his own life to supply the lake of other meus service 〈◊〉 the interest Church of God let him be comforted for this piece of travel undertaken for thy soul's mâ—…erest by hearing thou dost improve it to thy advantage for which it is so exactly calculat And withall I beg thy fervent earnest intercessions for grace more grace to him who is Thy poor yet souls well wisher and servant for Christ's sake R. Mc. W. The Author to the Reader Christian Reader AFter the foregoing adress I need not put thee to much more trouble only I shall say That he must needs be a great stranger in our Israel or sadly smitten with that epidemick plague of indifferency which hath infected many of this Generation to a benumming of them and rendering them insensible and unconcearned in the matters of God and of their own souls and sunck deep into the gulfe of dreadful inconsideration who seeth not or taketh no notice of nor is troubled at the manifest and terrible appearances of the unexpressibly great hazard our all as Christians in this life is this day into I meane the mystery of the Gospel of the grace of God wherein the exceeding riches of His grace in his kindness towards us through Christ Jesus hath been shoune VVe have enjoyed for a considerable time a clear and powerful dispensation hereof in great purity and plenty but Alas is it not manifest to all that will not wilfully shut their eyes that this Mercy and Goodness of God hath been wickedly abused and the pure administration of His Grace Love perfidiously sinned away by this Apostate Generation Are our spots this day the spots of his children Are there fruits answerable to the Lord's paines and labour about us to be seen even among the greatest of Professours Is there that gospel holiness tenderness watchfulness growing in grace and in the knowledge of Jesus Christ that growing up 〈◊〉 Christ in all things that heavenly mindedness that followshipe with the Father and with his Son Christ Iesus and that conversation in heaven that the dispensation of grace we have been favoured with beyond many and have been long living under did call for at our hands Alas our grapes are but wilde and stincking VVherefore and who can think it strange if it be so the Lord seemeth to be about to contend with us by covering our horizon with Egyptian darkness many who would not receive the love of the Truth that they might be saved being already given up to strong delusion that they should beleeve a lie and many moe in hazard to be drawn aside to crooked pathes by men of corrupt mindes who have been and are still busie to vent and spread abroad with no little petulancy and confidence damnable doctrines to the perverting of the doctrine of the Gospel of Iesus Christ and to the subverting and overturning of the very foundations of our Hope Assurance and that in such a way and by such meanes and stratagems as seem to have wrath written upon them in legible letters for the more plausible and taking a corrupt doctrine be it is the more dangerous judgment-like and moe are thereby in hazard to be deluded and drawn away Nay which is yet more terrible and dreadful it is to be feared that the jealous God in his holy and righteous judgment hath given a providential commission to speak so unto the seduceing Spirit to perswade and prevail for is not this the clear language of the present holy and righteous dispensations of God and of the stupenduously indifferent frame and disposition of the generality of men called Christians not only provoking God to spew them out of his mouth but disposeing them also unto a receiving of whatsoever men lying in waite to deceive shall propose and obtrude Alas the clouds are not now a gathering but our horizon is covered over with blakness and great drops are a falling that presage a terrible overflowing deluge of errour and Apostasie from the Truth and Profession of the Gospel of Iesus Christ to be at hand if the Lord wonderfully prevent it not And behold O wonderful the generality of Professours are sleeping in security apprehending no danger Satan is more cunning now than to drive men to Popery by rage and cruelty and yet what he may be permitted to do after this manner who can tell or by openly pleading in his emissaries for this abomination and yet even thus is he already prevailing with not a few or to send forth his agents for Arminianisme and Socinianisme though even this way too he is too much prevailing But his maine work now seemeth to be to bring in another Gospel and yet there is not another or rather an Antievangelick and Antichristian delusory dream overturning at once the whole Gospel of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ and for this end he inployeth the Quakers one the one hand Men of desperat and antievangelick principles the very sinke of all abominations old and late as I shall show if the Lord will continue health and strength in an examination of their doctrine and principles lately emitted by one Robert Barclay and on the other hand Men or Moralists if you will call them so pleading for and crying up an antievangelick holiness a meer shadow without substance or reality and that in place of Christ himself And in order to the carrying on of this desperat designe The old dragon is imploying men of seeming different principles and wayes whom though their faces seem to look to contrary aâ—…rths yet he holdeth notwithstanding fast tyed by their tails as Samson's foxes were that thereby if the Lord permit it he may by the fire of enmity to the pure Gospel of the grace of God burning in their tails cause a conflâ—…gration of that Truth wherein lyeth all our hope for this new model of Religion
out hope and exspectation in God alone and to look above the ordinances for our help 4. Albeit it be true that the power and grace of God alone doth beginne and carry on this work of sanctification in the soul yet though he might did He but see it for his glory carry on and finish this work in the soâ—…l without the intervention of second causes or meanes he hath notwithstanding thought it fit forth â—… glory of his name to worke this work by meanes and particulary by beleevers setting about the work He worketh not in man as if he were a block or a stone but useth him as a rationall creature endued with a rationall soul having useful and necessary facultyes and having a body fitted by organs to be â—…ubservient to the soul in its actions Therefore the beleever must not think to lye by and do nothing for he is commanded to worke out his owne salvation and that because it is God that worketh in him both to will and to do Because God worketh all therefore he should worke so reasoneth the Apostle so that God's working is an argument and motive to man to worke and not an argument to him to lye by idle and do nothing And here is the holy art divine skill requisite in this businesse to wit for the believer to be as diligent and active as if he could bring forth fruit in his own strength and by his owne working and yet to be as abstracted from himself his owne grace ability knowledge and experience in his working as if he were lying by like a meeâ—… block only moving as moved by externall force 5. The soul that would make progresse in Christianity and grow in grace would remember that Christ is proposed to us as a copy which we are to imitate and that therefore we should set Christ continually before us as our patterne that we may follow his steps 1. Pet. 1 15. and 2 â—…1 But with all it would be remembered that He is not like other ensamples or copies that can helpe the man that imitateth them no other way than by their objective prospect for looking by faith on this copy will bring vertue to the man that studyeth to imitate whereby he shall be inabled to follow his copie the better O 〈◊〉 we knew in experience what this were to take a look of Chrâ—…'s Love Patience Long suffering Meeknesse Hatred of sin Zeal c. and by 〈◊〉 to pore-in till by vertue proceeding from that copie we found our hearts in some measure framed into the same disposition or at least more inclined to be cast into the same mould 6. The beleever would act faith on Christ aâ—… the Head of the body and as the stock in which the branches are engrafted and thereby suck sap and life and strength from Him that he may work walk and grow as becometh a Christian. The beleever must grow up in Him being a branch in Him and must bring forth fruit in Him as the forementioned places clear Now Christ himselfe tells us that the branches cannot bring forth fruit except they abide in the vine and that no more can his disciples bring forth fruit except they abide in Him Iohn 15. Therefore as it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 faith that the soul as a branch is united to Christ as the vine and as it is by faith that they abide in Him so is it by faith that they must bring forth fruit and this faith must grippe Christ as the Vine and the Stock or Root from which cometh sap life and strength faith then must look to Christ as the fountain of 〈◊〉 as the head â—…om whence cometh all the in â—…ces of strength and motion Christ 〈◊〉 strength and life enough to give out for the fulnesse of the God head dwelleth in Him bodyly and he is also willing enough to communicate of his fulnesse as the relations He hath taken on do witnesse Thâ—… head will not grudge to give to the members of the body spirits for action and motion 〈◊〉 will a vine grudge to give sap unto the branches â—…ay life strength and furniture will as it were natively flow out of Christ unto beleevers except they through unbeleef and other distempers cause obstructions as life and sap doth natively and kindely flow from the root to the branches of from the head to the members unlesse obstructions stoppe the passage It is necessary therefore that beleevers eye Christ under these and the like relations and look upon Him as standing to speak so obliged by his place and relation to grant strength and influences of life whereby they may become fruitful in every good work and so with holy humble and allowed boldnesse presse in faith for new communications of grace vertue strength courage activity and what else they need for from the head all the body by joints bands having nourishment ministred increaseth with the increase of God Col. 2 19. Ephes. 4 16. 7. For this cause beleevers would lye open unto the influences of Christ and guaird against the puting of obstructions in the way through grieving of the Spirit by which He conveyeth communicateth those influences unto the soul and through questioning misbeleeving Christ's faithfulnesse and unchangable willingnesse which as a violent humore stoppeth the passage So then beleevers would lye open by looking and waiting drawing seeking from Him what they need and by guarding against every thing that may provoke the Lord to angerâ—… whether in omission or commission Here is requisite â—…n holy humble sober and watchfull walk an earnest serious and hungry looking out to Him and a patient waiting for supply and furniture from Him This is to open the mouth wide that He may fill it to lie before the sun of righteousnesse that the beames thereof may beat upon them warme revive them and to waite as a beggar at this kings gate till he give the almes 8. For the strengthening of their hope faith in this they would lay hold upon Christ dying and by his death purchaseing all those influences of life and strength which are requisite for carrying on of the work of grace and sanctification in the soul for we must be blessed in Christ with all spiritual blessings Eph. 1â—… 3. The beleever then would look on these influences as purchased at a deare rate by the blood of Jesus Christ so that the divine power giveth unto us all things that pertaine unto life and godlinesse through the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory virtue 2 Pet. 1 3. And this will encourage the soul to wait on and expect the flowing down of influences and spiritual blessings and showres of grace to cause the soul to flourish and become fruitfull and to urge and presse more earnestly by faith the bestowing of the purchased benefites 9. Moreover the beleever would look on Jesus as standing engaged and obliged to carry on this work both as receiving them for this end from the Father
rebelliousnesse in the will irregularity disorder in the affections whereby the soul is unfit for any thing that is good prone to every thing that is evil Rom. 3 10 20. Ephes. 2 1 2 3. Rom. 5 6. 8 7 8 whence proceedeth all our actual transgressions Iam 1 14 15. And moreover sometimes the soul is given up to a reprobat minde Rom. 1 28. to strong delusions 2 Thes. 2 2. to hardnesse of heart Rom. 2 5. horror of conscience Esa. 33 14. to vile affections Rom. 1 26 and the like spiritual plagues which though the Lord inflict on some only yet all are obnoxious to the same by nature can exspect no lesse if the Lord should enter with them into judgment And finally as to what is future of this kinde they are being fuel for Tophet obnoxious to that malignant sinful blasphemous and desperat rebellion against God in hell for ever more O how lamentable upon this consideration must the condition of such be as are yet in the state of nature Oh if it were but seen and felt But alas there is this addition to all that people know noâ—… this they consider it not they beleeve it not they feel it not they see it not and hence it cometh to passe that 1. They cannot bewail and lament their condition nor be humbled therefore 2. They cannot nor will not seek after a remedie for the whole will not trouble themselves to seek after a physician And sure upon this account their case calleth for pity and compassion from all that know what a dreadful thing it is to be in such a condition and should stirre up all to pray for them and to do all they can to helpe them out of that state of sin and misery which is dreadful to think upon Should not the thoughts and consideration of this put us all to try and search if we be yet translated from death to life and delivered out of that terrible and dreadful state and made partakers of the first resurrection It not being my purpose to handle this point at large I shall not here insist in giving marks whereby this may be known and which are obvious in Paul's Epistles to be found handled at large in several practical pieces chiefly in Mr. Guthries Great interest I shall only desire every one to consider and examine 1. Whether or not the voice of Christ which quickeneth the dead hath been heard and welcomed in their soul This is effectual calling 2. Whether or not there be a through change wrought in their soul a change in the whole Man so as all things are become new 2 Cor. 5 vers 17 3. Whether or not there be a Principle of life within And they be led by the Spirit 4. Whether or not there be a living to the glory of the Lord Redeemer And when by impartial tryal a discovery is made of the badness of our condition should we not be alarmed to look about us and to laboure by all meanes for an outgate considering 1. How doâ—…lful and lamentable this condition is 2. How sad and dreadful the consequents of it are 3. How happy a thing itis to be delivered from this miserable and sinful condition and. 4. How there is a possibility of outgate Finally It may break a heart of stone to think how people that are in such a condition are so unwilling to come out of it for 1. How unwilling are they once to suspect their condition or to suppose that it may be bad and that they may be yet unconverted 2. How unwilling are they to sit down seriously to try and 〈◊〉 the matter and to lay their case to the touch-stone of the word 3. Yea how unwilling are they to heare any thing that may tend to awaken them or to discover unto them the badness of their condition 4. How ready to stiffle challenges of conscience or any common motion of the Spirit which tendeth to alarme their soul 5. How great enemies are they to such ordinances as serve to awaken sleeping consciences 6. And how do they hate such ministers as preach such doctrine as may serve to rouz thâ—…m up and set them a work about their own salvation Secondly We learne hence That without Christ there is no imaginable way of delivery out of this natural state of death No other name is given under heaven whereby we can be saved Act. 4 12. and angels can make no help here nor can one of us deliver another the redemption of the soul is more precious then so Psal. 49 7 8. Not is there any thing we can do for ourselves that will availe here all our prayers teares whipeings fastings voâ—…es almes deeds purposes promises resolutions abstenance from some evils outward amendements good morality and civility outward religiousnesse yea and if it were possible our keeping of the whole law will not helpe us out of this pit And we may weary ourselves in such exercises in vaine for they will prove but bodylie exercises that profite little And when in this way we have spent all our time parts spirits and labour we shall at length see and say that we have spent our money for that which is not bread This should put all of us to try what itis which we leane to for life and what it is the consideration whereof giveth us peace and quietnesse when the thoughts of death judgment hell and the wrath of God come upon us and trouble us for if it be any thing beside Christ that our soul leaneth to and that we are comforted by and found all our hopes upon we will meet with a lamentable oh for ever lamentable disappointment Be sure then that our hearts renunce all other wayes and meanes of outgate out of this death beside Jesus the Resurrection and the Life else it will not be well with us Thirdly We see here That delivery out of this natural state of death is only had by Christ for He alone is the Life and the life that is in Him is suiteable and excellent Hence he is called the bread of life Iohn 6 35 48. The resurrection and the life Iohn 11 25. The water of life Revel 21 6. 22 17. The tree of life Revel 22 2 14. The Prince of life Act. 3 15. our life Col. 3 4. The word of life and life it self 1 Iohn 1 1 2. And as He is a suitable and excellent life so is He an alsufficient and perfect life able every way to helpe us and to deliver us from all the parts of our death For 1. He delivereth from the sentence of the law Rom. 5 17 18. undergoing the curse of the law and becomeing a curse for us 2 Cor. 5. last 2. He taketh away the curse and sting of all temporal plagues yea and of death it self causeing all work together for good to such as love Him Rom. 8 28. He hath killed Him that had the power of death that is the devil Heb. 2 14.
short of infinitnesse in this respect that it can be swallowed up of infinit mercy But whence hath the soul all this light It owes all this and owns it self as debtor for it to him who opens the eyes of the blind it is he who commands the light to shine out of darkenesse who hath made these blessed discoveries and hath given the poor benighted soul the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Iesus Christ These irradiations are from the Spirits illumination it is the Spirit of wisdom and revelation that hath made day light in the darkened soul the man who had the heart of a beast as to any saveing or solid knowledge of God or himself hath now got an understanding to know him that is true now is Christ become the poor mans wisdome he is now renewed in knowledge after the image of him that oreated him he might well bable of spiritual things but till now he understood nothing of the beauty excellency of God and his wayes Nay he knew not what he knew he was ignorant as a beast of the life and lustre of those things which he knew in the letter nothing seemed more despicable to him in the world then true godlinesse but now he judgeth otherwise because he hath the mind of Christ the things which in his darkenesse he did undervalue as trifles to be mocked at he now can onely minde and admire since he became a child of light now being delivered from that blindnesse and brutishnesse of Spirit which possesseth the world and possessed himself till he was transformed by the renewing of his minde who esteem basely of spiritual things and set them at nought he prizeth as alone precious the world wonders what pleasure or content can be in the service of God because they see not by tasteing how good he is to be pryeing into and poreing upon invisible things is to them visible madnesse but to the enlightened minde the things that are not seen are onely worth seeing and while they appeare not to be they onely are whereas the things that are seen appeare but to be and are not Though the surpassing sweetnesse of spiritual things should be spoke of to them who cannot savour the things of God in such a manner as the giorious light of them did surround men yet they can perceive no such thing all is to them cuningly devised fables let be spoke what will they see no forme no comelinesse no beauâ—…y in this glorious object God in Christ reconcileing sinners to himself Alas the mind is blindâ—…d the dungeon is within and till Christ open the eyes aswell as reveal his light the foul abideâ—… in its blindnefse and is buryed in midnight darkenesse but when the Spirit of God opens the mans eyes and he is translated by an act of omnipotency out of the kingdome of darkenâ—…sse into the kingdome of his dear son which is a kingdom of marvellous light O! what matchlesse beauty doth he now see in these things which appeared despicable and â—…ke rothings to him till he got the unction the eye salve which teacheth all things now he sees what none without the Spirit can see the things which God hath prepared for them that love him and are freely given them of God and these though seen at a distance reflect such rayes of beauty into his soul that he beholds and is ravished he sees and is swallowed up in wonder But then in the next place this is not a Spiritlesse inefficacious speculation about these things to know no evil but sin and separation from God and no blessednesse but in the fruition of him it is not such a knowledge of them as doth not principle motion to pursue after them This I grant is part of the image of God when the sun of righteousnesse by ariseing upon the man hath made day light in his soul and by these divine discoveries hath â—…aught him to make the true parallel betwixt things that differ and to put a just value upon them according to their intrinsick worth But this divine illumination doth not consist in a meer notion of such things in the head nor doth it subsist in enlightening the mind but in such an impression of God upon the soul as transformes and changes the heart into his likenesse by love knowledge is but one line one draught or lineament of the souls likenesse to him that alone doth not make up the image but knowledge rooted in the heart and engraven on the soul shineing shewing it self forth in a gospel adorneing conversation that makes a comely proportion when the same hand that touched the eye and turned the man from darkenesse to light and give an heart to know him that he is the Lord doth also circumcise the mans heart to love the Lord his God with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his minde and this love manifesting its livelinesse in its constraining power to live to him and for him light without heat is but wild fire but light in the mind begetting heat in the heart making it burne Godward Christward and Heavenward light in the understanding setting on fire and enflameing the affections and these shining out in a heavenly conversation makes up the lively image of God both in feature stature both in proportion and colour faith begins this image and drawes the lineaments and love bringing forth obedience finishes and gives it the lively lustre the burneings of love in obedience to God is that which illuminats the whole and maks a man look indeed like him to whose image he is predestinat to be conforme and then maks him who is ravished with the charmes of that beauty say as in a manner overcome thereby how fair is thy love my Sister my spouse How much better is thy love then wine and the smell of thine ointments then all spices But consider that as these beames which irradiat the soul are from the Spirit of Christ so that spiritual heat and warmth come out of the same airth and proceed from the same Author for our fire burnes as he blowes our lampe shines as he snuffes and furnisheth oile men therefore would not indulge themselves in this delusion to think that that which will passe for pure Religion and undefiled before God consists either in an outward blamelesse conversation or in putting on and weareing an external garbe of profession no as the top of it reacheth higher so the root of it lies deepâ—…r it is rooted in the heart this seed being sowen in an honest heart or makeing the heart honest in which it is sowen takes root downe ward and brings forth fruit upward as trees that gâ—…ow as far under ground as above so these trees of righteousnesse the planting of the Lord that he may be glorified grow as far and as fast under ground as above godlinesse growes as far downward in self emptying self denyal and self abaseing in hungring and thirsting
cursed is every one that abideth not in all that is written in the law to do it Deut. 27 26. Gal. 3 10. What way this conviction is begun carryed on in the soul and to what a measure it must come I cannot now stand to explaine only in short know That upon whatsoever occasion it be begun whether by a word carryed home to the heart by the finger of God or by some sharpe crossing dispensation feare of approaching death some hainous outbreaking or the like it is a reall thing a heart reaching conviction not generall notionall but particular plaine and pinching affecting the heart with fear terrour making the soul seriously really to minde this matter to be taken up with the thoughts of it and anxiously earnestly to cry out what shall I do to be saved and finally will make the soul willing to hearken hear what hopes of mercy there is in the gospell and to imbrace the way of salvation which is there laid downe And the reason of this is because Christ himself tells us The whole needeth not the phisitian but the sick Mat. 9 12. He is not come to call the righteous that is such as are righteous in their owne eyes but sinners that is such as are no more now whole at the heart as seeing no evill no hazard or danger but pricked pierced with the sence of their lost condition being under the heavy wrath vengeance of the great God because of sin and seeing their owne vilenesse cursednesse wickednesse desperat madnesse Because naturally we hate God Christ Iohn 15 23 24 25. and have a strong naturall antipathy at the way of salvation through Iesus therefore nothing but strong inevitable necessity will drive us to a complyance with this gospell device of love 2. There must be some measure of humiliation under this conviction the man is bowed down and made mute before God no more boasting of his goodnesse of his happy condition no high or great thoughts of his righteousnesse for all are now to be looked on as filthy rags Esai 64 6. what things were as gaine before to the soul must now be counted losse yea and as dung Phil. 3 7 8. The man must be cast downe in himself and far from high and conceity thoughts of himself or of any thing he ever did or can do for the Lord resisteth the proud but giveth grace to the humble Jam 4 6. 1 Pet. 5 5. He reviveth the Spirit of the humble Esa 57 15. He that humbleth himself shall be exalted Mat. 18 4. 23 12. Luk. 14 11. 18 14. 3. There must be a despaireing of getting help or relief out of this condition by our selves or any thing we can do a conviction of the unprofitablenesse of all things under the sun for our reliefe No expectation of help from our supposed good heart good purposes good deeds works of charity many prayers commendation of others sober harmlesse walking or any thing else within us or without us that is not Christ for so long as we have the least hope or expectation of doing our owne businesse without Christ we will never come to Him Our heart hangeth so after the old way of salvation through works that we cannot endure to hear of any other nor can we yeeld to any other could we but have heaven by the way of works we would spare no paines no coast no labour no expences Nay we would put ourselves to much paine torment by whippings cuttings fastings watchings and the like we would not spare our first borne nay we would dig our graves in a rock with our nailes and cut our owne dayes could we but get heaven by this meanes such is our antipathy at the way of salvation through a crucified Christ that we would choose any way but that cost what it would therefore before we can heartyly close with Christ accept of him we must be put from those refuges of lies and see that there is nothing but a disappointment written on them all that all our prayers fastings cryes dutyes reformations sufferings good wishes good deeds c are nothing in his eyes but so many provocations to the eyes of his jealousie and so further causes of our misery 4. There must be a rational deliberate resolute relinquishing of all those things in our selves on which our heart is ready to dote The Man being convinced of the vanity of all things by which he hath been hopeing for salvation must now purpose to loose his grips off them to turn his back upon them to quite them with purpose of heart say to them get you hence as Esa. 30 22. This is to deny our selves which we must do ere we become his disciples Mat. 16. 24. This is to forsake our Fathers house Psal. 45 10. and to pluck out our right eye to cut off our right arme Mat. 5 29 30. This abandoning of all our former false props subterfuges must be resolute over the belly of much opposition within from the carnall naturall inclinations of the heart and of much opposition without from Satan's insnareing suggestions deceitfull temptations It must be a real rational act of the Soul upon solide and through conviction of their unprofitablenesse yea of their dangerousnesse destructivenesse 5. There must be some knowledge of the nature of the gospell covenant and of the way which now God hath chosen whereby to glorifie his grace in the salvation of poor sinners That God Father Son Holy ghost thought good for the glory of free grace and wisdome in a way of Justice mercy to send Jesus Christ to assume mans nature and so become God man in two distinct natures one person for ever to become under the law to undergoe the curse thereof and to die the cursed death of the crosse to satisfie Iustice and to pay the ransome for the redemption of the elect In which undertaking our Lord was a servant Esa. 42 1. 49 6. 52 13. 53 11. Zech. 3 8. Matth. 12 18. and had furniture from God for all his undertaking Esai 42 1. â—…1 1 2. Mat. 12 18. and had a promise of seeing his seed of prolonging his dayes c. Esa. 53 10. 11. Thus there was a covenant of Redemption betwixt God the Mediator and the Mediator undertaking was obliged to performe all that he undertook and accordingly did so for as the Lord laid on him or caused to meet together on him the iniquitie of us all Esa. 53 6. So in due time He bear our griefs and carryed our sorrowes He was wounded for our transgressions bruised for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was upon him He was cut off out of the land of the living and stricken for the transgression of his people He made his soul an offering for sin bear the iniquities of his people Pouring out his soul
worth Nor need they object their long refuseing and resisting many calls for he will make such as are willing welcome at the Eleventh houre Him that cometh he will in no case put away Ioh. 6 37. Nor can they object their changeablenesse that they will not stand to the bargan but break and returne with the dog to the vomite for Christ hath engadged to bring all thorow that come to him He will raise them up at the last day Joh. 6 40. He will present them to himself holy and without spote or wrinckle or any such thing Ephes. 5. The covenant is fully provided with promises to stoppe the mouth of that objection Nor can they object the difficulty or impossibility of beleeving for that is Christ's work also He is the author and finisher of faith Heb. 12 1. Can they not with confidence cast themselvs upon him yet if they can hunger and thirst for him and look to him he will accept of that look to me sayes he and be saved Esa. 45 22. If they cannot look to him nor hunger thirst for him yet if they be willing all is well are they willing that Christ save them in his way and therefore willingly give themselves over to him and are willing and content that Christ by his spirit work more hunger in them and a more lively faith and work both to will and to do according to his owne good pleasure it is well But it will be said that the tearmes and conditions on which he offereth himself are hard Ans. I grant the tearmes are hard to flesh and blood and to proud unmortified nature but to such as are willing to be saved so as God way be most glorified the tearmes are easie most rationall and satisfying for 1. We are required to take Him only for our mediator and to joyne none with him and to mix nothing with him Corrupt nature is averse from this and would at least mix something of self with him and not rest on Christ only corrupt nature would not have the man wholly denying himself and following Christ only and hence many lose themselves and lose all because with the Gallatians they would mix the law and the gospel together do something themselvs for satisfaction of justice take Christ for the rest that remaines Now the Lord will have all the glory as good reason is will have none to share with him He will give of his glory to none And is not this rationall and easy What can be objected against this 2. We are required to take him Wholly that He may be a compleat Mediator to us as a Prophet to teach as a King to subdue our lâ—…sts to cause us walk in his wayes as well as a Priest to satisfie justice for us to die inâ—…ercede for us Is it not reason that we take him as God hath made him for us Is there any thing in him to be refused And is there any thing in Him which we have no need of Is there not all the reason then in the world for this that we take Him wholly and what stumbling block is here 3. We are required to take Him Freely without money and without price Esa. 55 1 for He will not bâ—… boughâ—… any mâ—…nner of way thâ—…t free grace may be free grace therefore he will give all freely True enough it is corruption would be at buying though it have nothing to lay out Pride will not stoup to a free gift But can any say the tearms are hard when all is offered freely 4. We are required to take him absolutely without any reversion or mentall reservation Some would willingly quite all but one or two lusts that they cannot think to twinne with and they would deny themselvs in many things but they would still most willingly keep a back door open to some beloved lust or other And who seeth not what double dealing is here And what reason can plead for this double dealing Corruption it is true will think this hard but no man can rationally say that this is a just ground of discouragment to any or a sufficient ground to warrand them to stay away from Christ seing they cannot be supposed sincerely to desire redemption from any sin who would not desire redemption from every sin He who loveth any known lust and would not willingly be delivered therefrom hath no reâ—…ll hatred at any lust as such nor desire to be saved for one such lust would be his death 5. It is required that we accept of Him really and cordially with our heart and soul and not by a meer externall verbal profession and is there not all the reason in the world for this He offereth Himself really to us and shall we not be reall in accepting of Him what I pray can justly be excepted against this or what reall discouragement can any gather from this 6. We are to take Him for all necessities that iâ—… with a resolution to make use of Him as our alsufficient Mediator And is not this most reasonable Ought we not to take Him for all the ends and purposes for which God hath appointed Him and set Him forth and offered Him to us What then can any suppose to lie here which should scarre a soul from laying hold upon Him Nay should not this be looked upon as a very great encouragement And should we not blesse the Lord that hath provided such a compleet and alsufficient Mediator 7. We are to take Him and all the crosses that may attend our taking or following of Him we must take up our crosse be it what it will be that He thinketh good to appoint for us and follow Him Matth. 16 24 Mark 8 34. for he that taketh not up his crosse and followeth not after Him is not worthy of Him Mat. 10 38. I know flesh and blood will take this for a hard saying but they that consider that Christ will beare the heavyest end of the crosse yea all of it and so support them by his Spirit while they are under it that they shall have no just cause to compleane and how He will suffer none to goe his errand upon their owne charges but will be with them when they goe through fire and watter Esai 43 2. so that they shall suffer no losse neither shall the watters over flow them nor the fire kindle upon them and that he who loseth his life for Christ's sake the gospels shall save it Mark 8 35. yea that they shall receive an hundered fold for all thâ—… losses Matth. 19 29. and that even with persecution Mark 10. 30. and in the world to come eternall life They I say who consider this will see no discouragement here nor ground of complaint nay they will account it their glory to suffer any losse for Christ's sake 8. Hence it followeth that we are to take Him so as to avouch Him and his cause and interest on all hizards stand to his truth and not be ashamed of
and death And beside this slight and cunning it hath strength and power to draw by lusts into destruction and perdition 1 Tim. 4 9. and to carry the soul headlong So that it makes the mans case miserable Rom. 7 24. All which would say that the beleever should call in other help than his owne and remember that through the Spirit he must mortifie the deeds of the body Rom. 8 13. 7. And therefore the beleever must lay aside all his carnall weapons in dealing with this adversary and look out for divine help assistance even for the promised Spirit through which alone he can be instructed inabled for this great work for of himself he can do nothing not so much as think a good thought as of himself 2 Cor. 3 5. faâ—… lesse will he be able to oppose such a mightie adversary that hath so great many advantages and therefore all his carnall meanes purposes vowes fightings in himself will but render himself weaker a readyer prey unto this adversary which gaineth ground while he is so opposed It is Christ alone and his Spirit that can destroy the works of the devil and kill or crucify this enmity 8. So that the beleever must have his recourse for help and succour here unto Iesus the Captaine of salvation and must follow Him and fight under his bâ—…nner make use of his weapons which are spirituâ—…ll fight according to his counsell and conduct taking Him as a leader commander lying open for his orders instructions waiting for the motions of his Spirit following them and thâ—…s oppose fight against this deadly enemie with an eye alwayes on Christ by â—…aith depending on Him for light to the minde resolution to the will and grace to the whole soul to stand in the battel and to withstand all assaults and never engadge in a disput with this enemie or any lust or member of this body without Christ the Principall that is the soul would dispaire in it self and be strong in Him and in the power of his might by faith gripping to Him as Head Captaine and Commander in chiefe resolving to fight in his strength and to oppose through the helpe of his Spirit 9. And for this cause the beleever would eye the covenant of Redemption the basis of all our hope and consolation wherein finall and full victory is promised to Christ as head of the elect viz that He shall bruise the serpents head and so that in Him all his followers and members of his mysticall body shall lift up the head and get full victory at length over both sin and death Now it is God thâ—…t giveth us the victory through our Lord Iesus Christ 1 Cor. 15 57. The bâ—…leever would also eye by faith the covenant of Grace where in particularly this same victory is promiâ—…ed to the beleever in and through Jesus Rom. 16 20 the God of peace shall brâ—…ise Satan under your feet shortly and Sin shall not have dominion over you for yee are not under the law but under grace Rom. 6 14. The beleever I say would look out by faith unto and lay hold on these and the like promises and thereby get strength conveyed to him self whereby he may strive lawfully and fight valiently and oppose with courage and resolution 10. Further the beleever would eye Christ as a fountaine of Furniture as a full and compleat magazine standing open ready for every one of his honest souldiers to run to for new supply of what they want so that whatever they finde wanting in their Christian armour they must run away to the open magazine Christs fulnesse that standeth ready for them and by faith take put on what they want stand in need of in their warfare If their girdle of truth be slacked loosed or weakened and they be meeting with temptations anent their hypocrisie and Satan objecting to them their double dealing of purpose to discourage them and to make them fainte give over the fight they must away to Him who is the Truth that He may binde on that girdle better and make their hearts more upright before God in all they do And if their breast plate of righteousnesse be weakened Satan there seem to get advantage by casting up to them their unrighteous dealings towards God or Men they must flee to Him who only can help here and beg pardon through his blood for 〈◊〉 failings and set to againe a fresh to the battel If their resolution which is understood by the preparation of the gospell of peace grow weak it must be renewed in Christs armory and the feet of new be shode therewith If their shield of faith beginne to fail theâ—… away must they get to Him who is the Author finisher of faith Heb 12 2. And if their helmet of hope beginne to fail them In this armory alone can that be supplied And if their sword be blunted in their hand or they unable to weild it aright the Spirit of Jesus can only teach their hands to fight and instruct them how to mannage that usefull weapon with advantage Thus must the beleever be strong in Him and in the power of his might Ephes. 6 10. He is their God that girdeth them with strength and maketh their way perfect He maketh their feet like hindes feet setteth them upon their high places He teacheth their hands to war so that a bow of steal is brocken by their armes He giveth them the shield of Salvation His right hand upholdeth them He girdeth with strength unto the battell c. Psal. 18 vers 32 33 34 35 39. c. 11. For the further strengthening of their Hope Faith Confidence beleevers would eye Christ as hanging on the crosse and overcomeing by death Death and him that had the power of death the Devill so as meritoriously purchaseing this redemtion from the slavery of sin and Satan and particulary from the slavery of that body of death and of the law of sin death for the Apostle tells us Rom. 8 2 that the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Iesus doth make us free from the law of sin and death and that because as he sayeth further vers 3 4. what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh God sending his owne son in the likenesse of sinfull flesh and for sin condemned sin in the flesh That the rigâ—… teousnesse of the law might be fulfilled in us So that the beleever may now look upon that enemy how fearfull so ever it appear as condemned and killed in the death of Christ. He having laid downe the price of Redemption hath bought this freedom from the chaines fetters with which he was held in captivity faith then on the death of Jesus satifying justice for the poor captive may should support and strengthen the hope confidence of the beleever that he shall obtaine victory at length 12. And it will
further confirme the hope and faith of the beleever to look to Christ hinging on the crosse and there vanquishing and evercomeing this 〈◊〉 as a publick person representing the elect who died in him and virtually and legally did in him overcome that Jailour and break his fetters and the soul now beleeving may yea should reckon it self in Christ dying as it were upon the crosse and there overcomeing all those spirituall enemies likewise sayeth the Apostle Rom. 6 11. Reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin From hence even while fighting the beleever may account himself a conquerour yea more then a conquerour through Him that loved him Rom. 8 37. Now faith acting thus on Christ as a publick person dying and overcomeing death and sin the beleever may not only inferte the certainty of victory knowing that our old man is crucified with Christ Rom 6 6. but also from the crosse of Christ draw strength to stand fight against the struglings of this vanquished and killed enemy They that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections lusts Gal. 5 24. But how even by the crosse of Christ for thereby is the world crucified unto me sayeth the Apostle Gal. 6 14. I unto the world your old man is crucified with him that the body of sin might be destroyed Rom. 6 6. 13. The beleever being dead indeed unto sin through the crosse of Christ is to look upon himself as legally freed from that yock of bondage under sin death The law hath dominion over a man so long as he liveth Rom. 7 1. but by the body of Christ beleevers are become dead to the law vers â—… That law of sin death which hath dominion over a man that liveth still in nature and is not yet by faiâ—…h planted in the likenesse of Christs death noâ—… buryed with him by baptisme into death Rom. 6 4 5. hath not that dominion over beleevers it had once for the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Iesus hath made them free from the law of sin death Rom. 8 2. So that now the beleever is free from that tyranny and that tyrant can exerce no lawfull jurisdiction or authority over him and therefore he may with the greater courage repell the insolencies of that tyrant that contrare to all right and equity seeketh to Lord it over him still They are no lawfull subjects to that cruell and rageing Prince or to that spirituall wickednesse 14. So that the beleever renunceing that jurisdiction under which he was formerly and being under a new husband and under a new law even the law of the Spirit of liâ—…e in Christ Iesus is to look upon all the motions of sin as illegall and as treasonable acts of a tyrant The old man being crucified with Christ that the body of sin might be destroyed the beleever is not any more to serve sin Rom. 6 6. And being now dead they are freed from sin vers 7. and are married to another even to Him who is raised from the dead so they should not serve sin but bring forth fruit unto God Rom. 7 4. therefore look upon all motions of the flesh and all the inclinations and stirrings of the old law of sin as acts of treachery and rebellion against the right and jurisdiction of the beleevers new Lord Husband and are therefore obliged to lay hold on this old man this body of death and all the members of it as traitours to the rightfull King Husband and to take them prisoners to the King that He may give out sentence and execute the same against them as enemies to his kingdome and interest in the soul They being now no more servants of sin but of righteousnesse Rom. 6 18. they ought no more to yeeld their members servants to uncleannesse iniquity unâ—…o iniquity vers 19. and being debters no more to the flesh to live after the flesh Rom. 8 12. they are to mortifie the deeds of the body through the Spirit vers 13. and to crucify the flesh with the affections lusts Gal. 5 24. that is by bringing them to the crosse of Christ where first they were condemned and crucified in their full body and power that a new sentence as it were may goe out against them as parts of that condemned Tyrant and as belonging to that crucified body 15. So that the beleever that would carry faithfully in this matter and fight lawfully in this warfare and hope to obtaine the victory through Jesus Christ must bring these Traitours that appeare in their sinfull motions and lusts in the soul working rebellion against the lust authority and equitable lawes of the lawfull Prince Iesus before the tribunal of Him who hath now gote all power and authority in heaven and earth Mat. 28 18. and hath all judgment committed to Him Ioh. 5 22. And to this end both died and rose revived that he might be Lord both of the dead and living Rom. 14 9. that He may execute justice upon the Tâ—…aitor head and members that He may trâ—…mple these devils under and bruise the head of these serpents within us The beleever then is by faith in prayer to carry these open enemies to Christ and declare and witnesse against them as Traitours by what mischief they have done in the soul by their hindering the righteous lawes of the king to be obeyed and constraining forceing what by arguments or allurements and what by forceable inclinations and pousings to disobedience and a counteracting of Christ and he should urge and plead upon the fundamentall lawes of the land viz the articles of agreement betwixt the Father and the Son and the faithfull promises of the Covenant of grace and upon Christs office as King and Governour and his undertaking as Mediator upon the merites of his death and sufferings upon his dying as a common person upon the constitution of the gospell whereby they are in law repute as dying in him and so free from the law of sin and death and upon their relation to Him as their new Lord Head Husband King Commander c. Upon these arguments I say to plead for justice against the rebell that is now brought to the barre and so by faith leave the prisoner in His hand that He may in his own time and way give a second blow unto the neck of this implacable and rageing enemy that he may noâ—… rise up to disturbe the peace of the soul as before or to trouble impede and molest the soul in paying the homage and obedience due to his lawfull Master and Soveraigne King Jesus Cautions Directions For furder clearing of the premises I would propose a few particulars for caution direction as 1. This work of laying the burthen of this businesse on Christ by faith would be gone about with much singlenesse of heart aimeing at the glory of God and the carying on of his work in the soul and not for
what benefites pardons favours and other things they need from all which they have strong ground of comfort and of hope yea and assurance of pardon would acquiesce in this way and having laid those particular sins under the burden whereof they now groan on Christ the mediator dying on the crosse to make satisfaction and ariseing to make application of what was purchased and having put them in his hand who is a faithfull High priest and a noble Intercessour would remember that Christ is a Prince exalted to give Repentance and Remission of sins and so exspect the sentence even from Him as a Prince now exalted and as having obtained that of the Father even a power to forgive sins justice being now sufficiently satisfied through his death yea as having all power in heaven and in earth as being Lord both of the dead and of the living Sure a right thought of this would much quiet the soul in hope of obtaining pardon through Him seing now the pardon is in his owne hand to give out who loved them so dearly that he gave himself to the death for them and shed his heart blood to satisfie justice for their transgressions Since he who hath procured their pardon at so dear a rate and is their atturnay to agent their businesse at the throne of grace hath now obtained the prayed-for looked-for pardon and hath it in his ownehand they will not question but He will give it and so absolve them from their guilt 12. The beleever having taken this course with his dayly provocations and laid them all on Him would acquiâ—…sce in this way and not seek after another that he may obtaine pardon Here he would rest committing the matter by faith in prayer to Christ leaving his guilt and sins on Him expect the pardon yea conclude that they are already pardoned and that for these sins he shall never be brought unto condemnation whatever Satan and a misbeleeving heart may say or suggest afterward Thus should a beleever make use of Christ for the taking away of the Guilt of his dayly transgressions and for further clearing of it I shall adde a few cautions Cautions 1. However the beleever is to be much moved at affâ—…cted with his sins and provocations which he committeth after God hath visited his soul with salvation and brought him into a covenant with himself yet he must not suppose that his sins after justification do marre his state as if thereby he were brought into a Non-justified state or to a Non reconciled state It is true such sins especially if grosse whether in themselves or by reason of circumstances will darken a mans state and put him to search and try his condition over againe But yet we dar not say that they make any alteration in the state of a beleever for once in a justified state alwayes in a justified state It is true likewise that as to those sins which now he hath committed he cannot be said to be acquited or justified till this pardon be got out by faith and repentance as is said yet his State remaineth fixed and unchanged so that though God should seem to deal with such in his dispensations as with enemies yet really his affections change not he never accounteth them real enemies nay love lieth at the bottom of all his sharp st dispenâ—…ations If they for sake his law and walk not in his judgements if they break his statutes and keep not his commandements he will visite their transgression with the rod and their iniquitâ—… with stripes neverthelesse his loving kindnesse will he not utterly take from them nor suffer his faithfulnesse to â—…ail his covenant will he not break nor alter the thing that is gone out of his lips Psal. 89 30 31 32 33 34. And againe though after-transgressions may waken challenges for former sins which have been pardoned and blotted out and give occasion to Satan to raise a storme in the soul and put all in confusion yet really sins once pardoned cannot become againe unpardoned sins The Lord doth not revoke his sentence nor alter the thing that is gone out of his mouth It is true likewise that a beleever by committing of grosse sins may come to misse the effects of God's favour and good will and the intimations of his love and kindnesse and so be made to cry with David Psal. 51 8. make me to heare joy and gladnesse and vers 12. restore unto me the joy of thy salvation c. Yet that really holdeth true that whom he loveth he loveth to the end and He is a God that changeth not and his gifts are without repentance Yea though grieving of the Spirit may bring souls under sharp throwes and pangs of the Spirit of bondage and the terrors of God and His sharpe arrowes the poyson where of may drink up their spirits and so be far from the actuall witnessings of the Spirit of Adoption yet the Spirte will never be againe really a Spirit of bondage unto fear nor deny his his owne work in the soul or the souls real right to or possession of that fundamentall privilege of Adoption or say that the soul is no more a Son noâ—… within the covenant 2. The course before mentioned is to be taken with all sins though 1. They be never so haiâ—…ous and grosse 2. Though they be accompanyed with never such aggravating and crying aggravations 3. Though they be sins frequently fallen into and. 4. Though they be sins many and heaped together Davids transgression was a hainous sin and had hainous aggravations yea there was an heap and a complication of sins together in that one yet he followed this course We finde none of those kinde of sins excepted in the new covenant and where the law doth not distinguish we ought not to distinguish where God's law doth not expressely exclude us we should not exclude our selves Christs death is able enough to take away all sin If through it a beleeveâ—… be justified from all his transgressions committed before conversion why may not also a beleever be through vertue of it justified from his grosse and multiplied sins committed after conversion The blood of Christ cleanseth from all sinâ—… Christ hath taught his followers to pray forgive us our sins as we forgive them that sinne against us and he hath told us also that we must forgive our brother seventy times seven times Mat. 18 22. We would not be discouraged then from taking this course because our sins are such and such nay rather we would look on this as an argument to presse us more unto this way because the greater our sins be the greater need have we of pardon and to say with David Ps. 25 11. Pardon mine iniquity for it is great 3. We would not think that upon our taking of this course we shall be instantly freed from challenges because of those sins for pardoning whereof we take this course nor should we think that because challenges remaine
we get a noble prospect of that glorious object So that all such as would make use of Christ for this end that they might come to have right and suteable thoughts and apprehensions of God must be well acquanted with the whole draught and frame of the gospel and so acquanted therewith as to see Christ the substance ground and all of it and to see Him in every part of it 7. Whatever we know or learne of God by his works of Creation or Providence in the world or about ourselves we would bring it in here that it may receive a new tiucture and a deeper impression That is done when we finde and learne something of Christ there and are brought nearer Christ thereby and made thereby to discover something more of the glory of God in the face of Christ or are made to understand better something of the revelation that is made of God in the gospel or moved thereby to improve it better 8. In all this matter we must not go without our guide lest we wander in this wildernesse and it prove a labyrinth to us We must take Christ with us all alongs He must teach us to understand his own face and to read the glorious characters of that excellent glory which is to be seen in his face He must be our interpreter and teach us how to read this book and how to understand what is written therein He must give the discerning eye and the understanding heart even the Spirit of wisdome and understanding to take up the mysteries of God 9. And for this cause we would by faith lay hold upon the promises of the Spirit whereby we may be made spiritual and have our understandings enlightened more and more to understand the mysterious characters of divine Majesty and Glory 10. In all this exercise we would walk with fear carry with us impressions of the dreadful Majesty and Glory of God that we may tremble and feare and stand in awe and read what we read of this glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ this glorious bible with reverence and godly fear And thus may we be helped to win to right and suteable thoughts of God yet with all we would for Cautions Consider a few things further as 1. That we must not think to search out the Almighty unto perfection Iob. 11 7. 2. Nor must we think to get any one point of God known understood perfectly corruption will mix-in itself do our best and our short comeings will not easily be reckoned up 3. We must beware of carnalâ—… curiosity and of unlawful diveing-in in this depth least we drowne 4. We would not dreame of a state here wherein we will not need Christ for this end Yea I suppose in glory He will be of use to us as to the seeing of God for even there as he is to day so â—…hall he for ever abide God and man in two distinct natures and one person and that cannot be for â—…ought and as God will be still God invisible â—…nsearchable so we though glorified will remaine â—…ite creatures and therefore will stand in need of Christ that in his glorious face we may see the invisible He must be our lumen gloriae 5. We should think it no small matter to have the impression of this sight upon our hearts that we cannot see Him and that we in this state of sin cannot get right and sutable apprehensions of Him I say the impression of this on our spirits that is such a sight of an impossibility to get Him seen aright as will keep the heart in awe cause us walk before Him in feare and reverence and to humble ourselves in the dust to tremble when ever we make mention of his name or beginne to meditate on Him knowing how great an one He is and how dangerous it is to think amisse of Him how difficult to get a right thought of him CHAP. XIX And the Life How Christ is the Life THis as the former being spoken indefinitly may be universally taken as relating both to such as are yet in the State of nature and to such as are in the state of grace and so may be considered in reference to both ground three points of truth both in reference to the one and in reference to the other To wit 1. That our case is such as we stand in need of his helpe as being the Life 2. That no other way but by Him can we get that supply of life which we stand in need of for He only is the Life excluding all other 3. That this help is to be had in Him fully and compleetly for not only is He able to quicken but He is called the Life So that the help which he giveth is full excellent and compleet Looking upon the words in reference to such as are in Nature they point out those three truthes to us First That all of us by nature are dead standing in need of quickening and of life for this is presupposed while He is said to be the Life and that both legally and reallâ—… legally being under the sentence of death for Adams transgression Rom. 5 15. and for that original corruption of heart we have and Really the sentence of the law being in part executed that both as to the body as to the soul. As to the body It is now subject to death and all the sorerunners thereof such as weaknesse paines sicknesse feares torment trouble wearynesse yea and in hazard of hell fire and the torments of the second death for ever As to the soul it also is many wayes dead both first in away that is purely penal and next in a way that is also sinful and both wayes as to what is present and as to what is future for as to that which is penal and present It is 1 separated from God and his favour Gen. 3 8 10 24. 2 is under his curse and wrath whence it cometh to passe that by nature we are children of wrath Ephes. 2 2 5. Servants of Satan 2 Tim. 2 26. The consequence of which is sad and heavy for hence it is that we cannot please God do what we will till we be brought out of that state our ordinary civil actions even plowing the ground is sin Prov. 21 4. Yea out Religious actions whether natural or instituted are abomination even our sacrifices Prov. 15 8. 31 27. prayers Prov. 2â—… 9. Ps. 10 7. Yea and all our thoughts purposeâ—… Prov. 15 26 and likewise all our wayes Prov. 15 9. As to what is penal and future it is obnoxious to that everlasting excommunication from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power 2 Thes. 1 8 9. and to the torments of hell for ever Mark. 9 44 46 48 Luk. 16 As to what is not only penal but also sinful the soul here is under the stroke of darknesse in the understanding perversenesse and
hear 10. This life is eminently and transcendently in Him and exclusively of all others Itis in Him and in Him alone and itis in Him in a most excellent manner So that He is the Life in the abstract not only a living head and an enlivening head but Life it self the Life the Resurrection and the Life CHAP. XX. Some general uses BEfore we come to speak of some particular cases of deadnesse wherein beleevers are to make use of Christ as the Life we shall first propose some useful consequences and deductions from what hath been spoken of this life and. First The faith of those things which have been mentioned would be of great use and advantage to beleevers and therefore they should study to have the faith of this truth fixed on their hearts and a deep impression thereof on their spirits to the end that 1. Be their case and condition what it will they might be keeped from dispaire and despondency of spiâ—…it from giving over their case as hopless and from looking upon themselves as irremediably gone The faith of Christs being Life and the Life would keep up the soul in hope and cause it say how dead so ever my case be yet Life can help me and He who is the resurrection and the Life can recover me 2. Yea be their case and condition what it wil they would have here some ground of encouragement to goe to Him with their dead soul and to look to Him for helpe seing He is the Life as mediator to the end He might enliven and quicken his dead fainting swooning members and to recover them from their deadness 3. They might be freed from many scruples and objections that scar and discourage them This one truth beleeved would cleare up the way so as that such things as would have been impediments and objections before shall evanish and be rolled out of the way now such as are the objections taken from their own worthlesness their long continuance in that dead condition and the like 4. They might hereby likewise be freed from that dreadful plagâ—…e and evil of jealousie whereby the soul is oft keeped aback from comeing to Christ for they feare He will not make them welcome they doubt of his love and tendernesse and questione his pity and compassion yea their jealousie maketh them to doubt of his faithfulnesse So that the faith of this truth would cure this jealousie and deliver the soul therefrom and open a way for the soul to come forward with boldnesse and confidence 5. They might also be hereby helped to waite with patience and to be still and quiet under the Lord 's various dispensations so as they would not frete nor repine against him knowing that He would prove himself to be Life even the Life in his own good time so that the soul would paitiently waite at his door till He were pleased to look out and with his look convey life in to their dead soul. 6. They might be preserved hereby from looking out to or expecting any help from any other arth knowing that He alone is the Life and so that help can no where else be had The faith of this truth would guaird from many sinistrous wayes which the soul in a time of straite is ready to run to for reliefe for hereby would it see that neither instruments nor meanes nor outward administrations nor any thing of that kinde can quicken their dead soul and that He and He alone must breathe in life into them as at first so now againe Secondly May we not see and observe here great matter of admiration at the goodnesse and rich bounty of God towards his people who hath found out and condescended upon such a sure saife and satisfying way whereby he becometh all things to his â—…ple which they stand in need of and that notwithstanding 1. That we are most unworthy of any such dispensation of grace at his hands 2. That we too oft are too desirous of other guests in our hearts beside Him O How much corruption sin and death lodge we within our souls and how more desirous are we oftimes of death than of life 3 That we little improve the noble advantages for life which we have granted unto us yea many a time we abuse them and this He did foresee and yet notwithstanding would condescend thus unto us 4. That we do little expresse our thankfulnesse for such mercies But not for our sakes hath He done this but for his owne names sake for noble and holy ends hath He resolved upon this course as 1. That He might be all and in all Col. 3 11. and they nothing That He alone might fill all in all Ephes. 1. ult and they be empty nothing without Him 2. That He might weare the glory of all for of Him and through Him and to Him are all things Rom. 11. last and that no man might share therein 3. That Man might be His everlasting debtor and cast downe in testimony thereof his crowne at His feet who sitteth on the throne as those did Revel 4 10. and might câ—…y out with these same elders vers 11. Thou art worthy O Lord to receive glory honour and power c. and with those Chap. 5 12. worthy is the lamb that was staine to receive power and riches and wisdome and strength honour and glory and blessing 4. That mans mouth might be stopped forever and all boasting excluded for man is a proud creature and ready to boast of that which is nothing and vanity Now God hath chosen this noble way of the covenant of grace that man might boast no more Where is boasting then It is excluded By what law by the law of works no but by the law of faith sayeth the Apostle Rom. 3 vers 24. 5. That all might be sure to the poor chosen beleever The Lord will not have the stock of life any longer to be in mans own hand for even Adam in the state of innocency could not use it well but made shipewrack thereof and turned a bankerupt much more would man now do so in this state of sin in which he lyeth at present therefore Hath God out of love and tendernesse to his chosen ones put all their stock in the hand of Christ who is better able to manage it to God's glory and mans advantage being faithful in all things and a trusty servant having the fulnesse of the Godhead dwelling in Him bodyly Therefore sayeth the Apostle Rom. 4 16. It is of faith that it might be by grace to the end the promises might be sure to all the seed 6. That beleevers might have strong consolation notwithstanding of all the opposition of enemies without and within when they see that now their life is hid with Christ in God Col. 3 3. and that their life is in their Head they will not feare so much devils and men without nor their own dead and corrupt hearts within Thirdly How inexcuseable must all such be
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