c. 8. A waiting with patience on Him who never said to the house of Iacob seek me in vaine Esai 45 19. still crying and looking to Him who hath commanded the ends of the earth to look to him and waiting for him who waiteth to be gracious Esai 30 18. remembering that they are all blessed that waite for him Ibid. and that there is much good prepared for them that waite for Him Esai 64 4. 8. The sinner would essay this beleeving and closeing with Christ and set about it as he can seriously heartily willingly yea and resolutely over the belly of much opposition and many discouragements looking to Him who must helpe yea and worke the whole work for God worketh in and with Man as a rationall creature The soul then would set the willingnesse it findeth on work waite for more and as the Lord is pleased to commend by his Spirit the way of grace more unto the soul and to warme the heart with love to it and a desire after it strick the yron while it is hote and looking to Him for help gripe to Christ in the covenant and so set to its seal though with a tembling hand and subscribe its name though with fear and much doubting remembring that He who worketh to will must work the deed also Phil. 2 13. and He that beginneth a good work will perfect it Phil. 1 6. 9. The soul essaying thus to beleeve in Christ's strength and to creep when it can not walk or run would hold fast what it hath attained and resolve never to recall any consent or half consent it hath given to the bargane but still look forward hold on wreastle against unbeleefe and unwillingnesse intertaine every good motion of the Spirit for this end and never admit of any thing that may quench its longings desires or exspectation Nay 10. If the sinner be come this length that with the bit willingnesse he hath he consenteth to the bargane is not satisfied with any thing in himself that draweth back or consenteth not with the little skill or strength he hath is writing downe his name and saying even so I take Him and is holding at this peremptorily resolving never to goe bake or unsay what he hath said but on the contrare is firmly purposed to adhere as he groweth in strength to grippe more firmly and adhere to Him he may conclude that the bargan is closed already and that he hath faith already for here ther is an accepting of Christ on his owne tearmes a reall consenting unto the covenant of grace though weak and not so discernable as the soul would wish The soul dar not say but it loveth the bargane and is satisfied with it and longeth for it and desireth nothing more than that it might partake thereof and enjoy Him whom it loveth hungereth for panteth after or breatheth as it is able that it may live in Him be saved through Him But Some will say If I had any evidence of God's approbation of this act of my soul any testimony of his Spirit I could then with confidence say that I had beleeved accepted of the covenant and of Christ offered therein but so long as I perceive nothing of this how can I suppose that any motion of this kinde in my soul is real faith For answere 1. We would know that our beleeving and God's sealing to our sense are two distinct acts and separable and oft separated our beleeving is one thing and God's sealing with the holy Spirit of promise to our sense is another thing and this followeth though not inseparably the other Eph. 1 13. In whom also after that yee beleeved yee were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise And so 2. We would know that Many a man may beleeve yet not know that he doth beleeve He may set to his seal that God is true in his offer of life through Iesus and accept of that offer as a truth and close with it and yet live under darknesse doubtings of his faith long many aday partly through not discerning the true nature of faith partly through the great sense and feeling of his owne corruption and unbeleefe partly through a mistake of the operations of the spirit within or the want of a clear distinct uptaking of the motions of his owne soul Partly because he findeth so much doubting and feare as if there could be no faith where there were doubting or fear contrare to Mark 9 24. Mat. 8 26. 14 31. Partly because he hath not that perswasion that others have had as if there were not various degrees of faith as there is of other graces the like Therefore 3. We would know that many may really beleeve and yet misse this sensible sealing of the Spirit which they would be at God may think it not yet seasonable to grant them that lest they forget themselves and become too proud and to traine them up more to the life of faith whereby He may be glorified and for other holy ends He may suspend the giving of this for a time 4. Yet we would know that all that beleeve have the seal within them 1. Iohn 5 10. He that beleeveth on the Son of God hath the witnesse in himself that is He hath that which really is a seal though he see it not nor perceive it not even the work of God's spirit in his soul inclining and determineing him unto the accepting of this bargan to a likeing of endeavouring after holinesse and the whole gospel clearing up what faith is is a seal confirmation of the businesse So that the matter is sealed and confirmed by the word though the soul want those sensible breathings of the Spirit sheding abroad his love in the heart and filling the soul with a full assurance by hushing all doubts and feares to the door yea though they should be a stranger unto the Spirits witnessing thus with their spirits that they are the children of God and clearning up distinctly the reall wotâ—… of grace within their soul and so saying in effect that they have in truth beleeved But enough of this seing all this and much more is abundantly held forth and explained inthat excellent usefull treatise of Mr. Guthries intituled The Christians great interest CHAP. V. How Christ is to be made use of as the VVay for Sanctification in generall HAving shown how a poor soul lying under the burden of sin wrath is to make use of Iesus Christ for righteousnesse justification and so to make use of Him goe out to Him and apply Him as He is made of God to us righteousnesse 1. Cor. 1 v. 30. and that but briefly this whole great businesse being more fully and satisfactoryly handled in thâ—…t fore mentioned great though small Treatise vix The Christians great Interest We shall now come and show how a beleever or a justified soul shall furder make use of Christ for Sanctification
might compend the account to be given shortly and give it most exactly yet trueln in these few words As the most undoubted deviation from and perfect opposition unto the whole contriveance of salvation and the conveyance of it unto the souls of men as revealed in this gospel which brings life and immortality to light that fighters against the grace of God in its value and vertue can forge stretching their blind reason to the overthrow of true religion and ruine of the souls of men for to this height these Masters of reason have in their blind rage risen up against the Lord and against his Anointed this is the dreadful period of that path wherein we are perswaded to walk yea Hectored if we would not forfeit the repute of men by these grand Sophies who arrogat to themselves the name and thing of knowledge as if wisdome were to dy with them The deep mysteries of salvation which Angels desire to look into and onely satisfy themselves with admiration at must appeare as respondents at their bar and if they decline the judge and court as incompetent they flee out and flout at subjecting this blinde mole mans reason to the revelation of faith in a mystery The manifold wisdome of God and the manifold grace of God must either condescend to their unfoldings and be content to speak in their dialect or else these wits these Athenian dictators will give the deep things of God because beyond their diveings the same entertainment which that great gospel preacher Paul met with from men of the same mould kidney and complexion because he preached unto them Jesus what would this babler say said they The Spirit of wisdom and revelation they know not they have not they acknowledge not nay they despise him in his saveing and soul ascertaining illuminations and the workings of that mighty power to them ward who beleeve is to the men of this new mould because they have not found it an insufferable fansy to be exploded with a disdain and indignation which discovers what Spirit acts them in this opposition But what do they say that will found this charge and free us from casting iniquity upon them They are of age and can speake for themselves when they have vomit out their gall against the imputed righteousnesse of Christ and the new birth and that holinesse which is imparted to the real members of Christ with a scoffeing petulancy they then make a great noise of holinesse as who but tâ—…ey the thing they plead for and perswade unto is a kinde of holinesse educed out of natural abilities wherein Christ the Spirit and the Gospel of the grace of God is permitted no greater interest nor allowed a more effectual adjuvancy then to concurre by way of precept motive and example Thiâ—… is now that admired and applauded Diana morality It is true they will sometime chirt thorow their teeth for what ever Christ the Spirit and Gospel gets of our Moralists it is against the hair and they are hard put to it ere they give it a tepid acknowledgement that the gospel doth afford men some special help and is of singular use and advantage in shewing the way and rule with greater clearnesse and guiding and directing how to walk in it with a plain perspicuity and exciting by noble examples and some do also adde some faint and frigid motions of the holy ghost in the dispensation of this truth put forth to make men more foreward but all this salvo jure of the great Diana so much and no more is yeelded to the gospel then to shew men with clearnesse how they may exert and put forth their proper and innat power it affords them some special help in holding the candle or rather snufing it that so they may with more promptitud see how to operat and by the motives it adduceth and examples it brings have a special provocation to the exercise of these vertues commanded the gospel with all it brings and doth does no more but hold the candle till these artists weave their web shape and shew their garment and then let them see how to put it on and being put on perswade them to weare it as the highest beauty and chief ornament of the soul this is all the provision they lay up for eternity and in this dresse and garb of guilded morality they mind to addresse themselves to God and appeare before his tribunal with confidence of acceptation they will beare their own charges to heaven and carry a summe with them to purchase the possession of the saints in light with a little abatement which a mercy of their own moulding for God mercy it is not must make and thus they make all sure But what is all this noise that these vain talkers make about holinesse they heap up words which weep to be so abused about vertue love to God mortification c. But they have really taken away our Lord Jesus Christ and will not tell us where they have laid him for feare we should go seek him and foresake them What are these rotten and loathsome raggs where with they would cloath us that the shame of our nakednesse may not appeare to that holinesse whereto we are predestinat before the foundation of the world and whereto in order to the obtaining of that salvation even the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ to which we are chosen we are created againe in Christ Jesus and made meet to be possessed of by sanctification of the Spirit and beleife of the truth What is all this tattle of theirs to the new birth the saveing work of regeneration without which a man cannot enter into the kingdome of God the new creature the new heart haveing the law written in it the Spirit which he puts within us causeing us to walk in his wayes that noble principle of spiritual life whereby we are quickened raised from the dead made alive unto God through Christ Jesus disposed enclined and enabled to live to God and walk before him to all pleasing Nay according to the imposeings of these new dogmatists beware of dogs says the Apostle of the same size and sort of men in stead of that principle implanted and that power produced in us by the effectual operation of the H. G. working in us mightily according to the workings of that mighty power which was wrought in Christ when raised from the dead we must be content with some what which was liveing though lazie and dormant in the natural powers of our own soul now awakened out of its sopor and educed into act by the meer application of external means in a word in stead of all that which is purchased and procured unto us by the death of Jesus Christ wrought in us by his Spirit who takes of his and shews it unto us whereby our conformity to Jesus Christ is begun and carried on we must be content with this morality good Lord prevent such madnesse whose Principle is natural
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
hence we are said to be chosen in him before the fundation of the world that we should be holy c. Ephes. â—… 4. and aâ—… dying for themâ—… for He gave himself son the church that He might sanctiâ—…y cleanse it that He might present it to himself a glorious church that it should be holy Ephes. 5 25 26 27. He hath reconciled them in the body of his flesh through death to present them holy Col. 1 21 22. So that the noble 〈◊〉 of Redemption may found the 〈◊〉 hope and expectation of the beleever upon â—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 First upon the account of the Fathers faithfulnesse who promised a seed to Iesus Viz. such as should be his children and so be sanctified through Him and that the pleasure of the Lord which in pâ—…rt iâ—… thâ—… work of sanctification should prosper in his hand And next upon the account of Christs undertaking and engaging as is said to bâ—…ing his sonâ—… and daughters to glory which must be through sanctification for without holinesse no man shall see God And they must look like himself who is a holy Head a holy Husband a holy Captane and therefore they must be holy members a holy spouse holy souldiers So that He standeth engaged to sanctifie them by his Spirit and word and therefore is called the Sanctifier Heb. 2 11. for both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one Yea their union with Christ layeth the foundation of this for being joyned to the Lord they become one Spirit 1 Cor. 6 17. and are animated and quickened by one the same Spirit of life and grace and therefore must be sanctified by that Spirit 10. The beleever likewise would act faith upon the promises of the new Covenant of grace strength life c whereby they shall walk in his wayes have Gods lawes put into their mindes and write into their hearts Heb. 8 10. Ier. 31 33. and of the new heart and new spirit and the heart of flesh and the Spirit within them to cause them walk in his wayes or statutes and keep his judgments and do them Ezech. 36 26 27. and the like wherewith the scripture aboundeth Because these are all given over to the beleever by way of Testament and legacy Christ becoming the mediator of the new Testament that by meanes of death for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first Testament they which are called might receive the promise of eternall inheritance Heb. 9 15. Noâ—… Christ by his death hath confirmed this Testament for where a Testament is there must also of necessity be the death ' of the testatour for a Testament is of force after men are dead vers 16 17. Christ then dying to make the Testament of force hath made the legacy of the promises sure unto the beleever so that now all the promises are yea and amen in Christ 2 Cor. 1 20. He was made a minister of circumcision to confirme the promises made to the Fathers Rom. 15 8. That the eyeing of these promises by faith is a noble meane to sanctification is cleare by what the Apostle sayeth 2 Cor. 7 1. Having therefore these promises let us cleanse ourselves perfecting holinesse in the feare of God And it is by faith that those promises must be received Heb. 11 33. So that the beleever that would grow in grace would eye Christ the fundamentall promise the Testatour establishing the Testament and the excutor or dispensator of the covenant and exspect the good things through Him and from Him through the conduite and channell of the promises 11. Yet further beleevers would eye Christ iâ—… his Resurrection as a publick person and so look on themselves and reckon themselves as riseing virtually in and with Him and take the resurrection of Christ as a certane paune and pledge of their sanctification for so reasoneth the Apostle Rom. 6 4 5 11 13. we are buryed sayâ—…s He with him by baptisme into death that likeas Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father even so we also should 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 of life for we shall â—…e 〈◊〉 also in the likenesse of his resurrection and if we 〈◊〉 dead with Christ we beleeve that we shall also live with him therefore reckon ye also yourselves to be alive unto God through Iesus Christ our Lord and yeeld yourselves unto God as these that are alive from the dead and your members as instruments of righteousnesse unto God The right improving of this ground would be of noble advantage unto the student of holinesse for thence he might with strong confidence conclude that the work of sanctification should prosper in his hand for he may now look upon himself as quickened together with Christ Epes 2 5. Christ dying and riseing as a publick person and he by faith being now joyned with him and united to him 12. Moreover this Resurrection of Christ may yeeld us another ground of hope and confidence in this work for there is mention made of the power of his resurrection Phil. 3 10. So that by faith we may draw strength and vertue from Christ as an arisen and quickened Head whereby we also may live unto God and bring forth fruit unto him and serve no more in the oldnesse of the letter but in the newnesse of Spirit Rom. 7 4 6. He was quickened as an Head and when the head is quickened the members cannot but look for some communication of life therefrom and to live in the strength of the life of the head See Col. 3 1 2. 13. Faith may and should also look to Christ as an intercessor with the Father for this particular Iohn 17 17. Sanctifie them through thy truth thy word is truth and this will adde to their confidence that the work shall go on for Christ was alwayes heard of the Father Iohn 11 41 42. and so will be in this prayer which was not put up for these few disciples alone The beleever then would eye Christ as engadging to the Father to begin and perfect this work aâ—… dying to purchase the good things promised and to confirme the same as quickened and riseing aâ—… head and a publick person to ensure this work and to bestow and actually conferre the graces requisite and as praying also for the Fathers concurrence and cast the burden of the work on Him by faith knowing that He standeth obliged by his place and relation to his people to beare all their burthens to work all their works in them to perfect his owne work that He hath begun in them to present them to himself at last a holy bride to give them the Spirit to dwel in them Rom 8 9 11 and â—…o quicken their mortall bodyes vers 11. and to lead them vers 14. till at length they be crowned and brought forward to glory This is to live by faith when Christ liveth acteth and worketh in us by his Spirit Gal. 2 20. Thus Christ dwelleth in the
will not be mocked 6. Of holy Hatred loathing and abhorrence of sin which maketh us so filthy and odious in the eyes of the Lord. 2. This course would be followed for the purging away of the least sins for till they be purged away we remaine in our filth and cannot exspect God's favourable countenance nor his warme imbracements nor the hearty intimations of his love and kindnesse And a small inconsiderable like spot may grow greater and provoke God to let the accuser of the brethren Satan who alwayes waits for his opportunity losse upon us and a conscience wakened may make much of a little defilement to keep the soul from approaching to God 3. This course would be followed with every sin quickly without delay for the longer those spots continue it will be the more difficult to get them taken away the soul will after some time become the lesse troubled about them and possibly forget them and so they will remaine and this may occasion at last a sad distance and provoke God to hide his face which will cause more bitternesse and sorrow It were good then to keep up a Spirit of tendernesse and feare 4. Let this be our Dayly work and exercise for we are daylie contracting new filth yesterdayes cleansing will not save us from new filth to day nor will our runing to the fountaine to day serve to take away new spots tomorrow new spots call for new washing so that this must be our very life and exercise to be dayly and continually runing to the fountaine with our foule souls and giving Christ the great purger much to do 5. We must not think to be perfectly Washen so long as we are here for we will be contracting new filth dayly our feet will still be to wash Iohn 13 10. We will not be without spote or wrinckle till we come home to that place wherein entereth nothing that defileth 6. Let the beleevers recourse in this matter be wholly to Iesus Christ and his blood and lay no weight on their sorrow repentance or teares or on any outward meane which they are commanded to use yet would they not lay aside these meanes but goe through them to the fountaine to Jesus there and there only to be cleansed 7. They would not be discouraged or dispaire when their spots appear great and not like the spots of his children for Christ's blood can purge from all sin and wash away all their filth of how deep so ever a dye it be Christ's blood is so deep an ocean that a mountain will be sunck out of sight in it as wel as a small peeble stone 8. Though Christ's blood be strong enough to purge from all sin even the greatest yet they would know that scandalous spots or a deep staine may cost them more frequent runing to the fountaine through humiliation godly sorrow prayer and supplication David's scandalous blot cost him more trouble and paines before he got it purged away than many others as we see Psal. 51. 9. When all this is done we must think of having on another righteousnesse as our cloathing and covering in the day of our appearance before our judge even the righteousnesse of Jesus Christ which only is perfect and able to save us from the wrath of God Let us be never so washen in the matter of sanctification and cleansed from our spots we cannot for all that be accounted righteous before God nor will that satisfie justice or take away the guilt so much as of one transgression before God Christ's righteousnesse will be ouâ—… upper-garment for all eternitie Ut his is the fine linning wherewith his bride is busked in heaven 10. At every time we run to the fountaine with our dayly contracted filth we would not forget to carry alongs with us the mother corruption which is the sinck and puddle of all filthinesse I meane our naturall corrupted rottennesse and pollution from whence flow all our other actuall pollutions We would do well to carry mother and daughter both together to the fountaine David prayeth to be washen and purged as well from his originall filthinesse wherein he was conceived and borne as from his bloudguiltinesse Psal. 51 5 7. 11. Let not this occasion our carelesnesse in watching against sin for that would be to turne his grace into wantonness but rather let it sharpen our diligence in watching against all occasions of sin lest we againe defile our soul. 12. Not only must we have our bodyes or our outward conversation washen but our soul within the frame of our heart our understanding will affections and conscience sprinkled with that blood The blood of Christ who through the eternall Spirit offered himself without spot â—…o God must purge our consciences from dead works to serve the living God Heb. 9 14. And we must have our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience Heb. 10 22. Finally If the beleever feare that he shall not be able to remember all these particular duties let him remember this to wit To put a â—…oule soul defiled with originall and actuall pollutions in Christ's hand dayly and leave it with him to wash by his blood and Spirit And yet remember to lay the weight of his acceptance before God upon the imputed righteousnesse of Iesus Christ and not upon his own cleannesse when thus sanctified and washen which is but imperfect Questions or objections answered But alas some may Object and say That their very faith which must carry the rest of their filth to the fountaine of Christ's blood is defiled How then can they expect to be made clean An. The blood of Iesus Christ is sufficiently able to wash all our filth away and the filth of faith as well as of other actions Therefore when faith as a hand is carrying the filth of the soul away to Christ to be washen in his blood let the foule hand go with the foule hand full give Christ faith and all to wash 2. But what shall I do when notwithstanding of all this my conscience shall still accuse me of uncleannesse and cry out against me as filthy and abominable Ans. Take it away also to the blood of Iesus that there it may be purged Heb. 9 14. and here alone will we get our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience Heb. 10 22. The conscience must be steeped to speak so in the blood of Iesus and so it shall be cleane and taking our filthy hearts to this cleansing fountaine to be washen we will get them delivered and sprinkled from an evil conscience that it shall no more have ground of accusation against us when we have it to say that we have put our filthy souls in the hands of the great cleanser Jesus Christ and brought all our pollutions to his blood what can conscience say to us The Lord it is true may suffer our consciences still to bark upon us and cast up our filthinesse to us that we may be the more humbled and be put to lye
motions of the heart and laboure for spirituality singlenesse of heart and truth in the inward parts which the Lord desireth Psal. 51 6. CHAP. XVI How to make use of Christ as the Truth when error prevaileth and the spirit of error carryeth many away THere is a time when the Spirit of error 〈◊〉 going abâ—…oad and truth is questioned an many are led away with delusions for Satan can change himself into an angel of light and make many great and faire like pretensions to holinesse and under that pretext ushere-in untruthes and gaine the consent of many unto them so that in such a time of temptation many are stollen off their feet and made to depart from the right wayes of God and to imbrace error and delusions in stead of truth Now the question is how a poor beleever shall make use of Christ who is the Truth for keeping him stedfast in the truth in such a day of tryal and from imbracing the way of error how plausible soever it may appeare for satisfaction to this we shall propose those few things 1. In such a time when a Spirit of error is let loose and rageth and carrieth severall away it were good for all who would be keeped streight honest to be walking in feare It is not good to despise such a sâ—…ye and subtile enemy especially in the houre and power of darknesse Then all are called to be on their guaird and to stand upon their watch toure and to be jealous of their corrupt hearts that are ready enough of their own accord to drink-in errour and to receive the temptation at any time and much more then 2. They would not think that their knowledge and ability to dispute for truth will keep them stedfast if there be not more for if the temptation grow they may come to reasone and dispute themselves out of all their former knowledge and skill The father of lies is a cuning sophister and knoweth how to shake their grounds and cast all loose 3. They would renew their covenant grips of Christ and make sure that maine businesse viz. their peace and union with God in Christ and their accepting of Christ for their Head and Husband They would labour to have the fundation sure and to be united unto the chief corner stone that so blow the storme as it will they may ride saifely and that hereby they may have accesse to Christ with boldnesse in their difficulty and may with confidence seek light from Him in the houre of darknesse 4. To the end they may be keeped more watchfull and circumspect they would remember that it is a dishonourable thing to Christ for them to step aside in the least matter of truth the denying of the least point of truth is a consequentiall denying of him who is the Truth and to lose a foot in the matters of truth is very dangerous for who can tell when they who once slip a foot shall recover it againe And who can tell how many and how dreadful errors they may drink in who have once opened the door to a small errour Therefore they would beware of tampering in this matter and to admit any errour upon the account that it is a small and inconsiderable one there may be an unseen concatenation betwixt one errour and another and betwixt a small one and a greater one so as if the little one be admitted and received the greater shall follow and it may be feared that if they once dally with errour and make a gape in their consciences that God give them up to judiciall blindenesse that ere all be done they shall imbrace that opinion which sometime they seemed to hate as death 5. They would eye the promises suteing that case viz. the promises of Gods Guideing the blindely a way which 〈◊〉 know not of making darknesse light before them and crooked tâ—…ings streigâ—…s Esâ—… 42 16. and of guideing continâ—…ally Esa. 8 〈◊〉 see also Esa. 49 10. and 57 18. and they would act faith on these and the like promises as now made sure through Jesus 6. Particularly they would fix their eye upon that principal promise of the Spirit of truth to guide into all truth Iohn 16 13. 7. With singlenesse of heart they would depend on Christ and waite for light from Him and beware of prejudice at the truth with singlenesse of heart they would lye open to his instructions and to the influences of his light and direction and receive in the beames of his divine light and thus go about duties viz. Prayer Conference Preaching Reading c. with an eye fixâ—…d on him and with a soul open to Him free of all sinful preingadgment and love to errour 8. With singlâ—…nesse of heart they would give up their souls to Christ as the Truth that He would write the truth in their souls and frame their souls unto the truth and unto that truth which is most questioned and by which they are most in hazard to be drawn away and urge and 〈◊〉 Him by prayer and supplication to do the duty of an Head an Husband guide and Commander c. unto them and that He would be a 〈◊〉 unto them in that day of darkness and not suffer them to dishonour Him or prove scandalous to others by departing from the truth and imbracing of errour A serious single-hearted dealing with Him upon the grounds of the covenant promises and his relations and engadgments might prove steadable in this case if accompanyed with a lying open to the influences of truth and to the light of information which He is pleased to send by the Spirit of truth Cautions and Directions For further clearing of this matter we shall hinte at some cautions and further directions useful here such as 1. They would beware of thinking that God should come to them with light and instruction in an extraordinary manner and reveal the truth of the question controverted somewhat immediatly for this were a manifest tempting and limitâ—…ing of the holy one of Israel We must be satisfied with the meanes of instruction which he hath provided and run to the Law and to the Testimony We have the Scriptures which are able to make the man of God perfect and throughly fournished unto all good works 2. Tim. 3 16 17. and to make wiâ—…e unto Salvation vers 15. There must we seek light and there must we waite for the breathing of his Spirit with life and coming with light to cleare up truth to us for they are the Scriptures of truth Dan. 10 21. and the law of the Lord which is perfect converting the soul and the commandement of the Lord that is pure enlightening the eyes c. Psâ—…l â—…9 7 8. We have the Ministery which God hath also appointed for this end to make known to us his minde there must we waite for him and his light Thus must we waite at the posts of wisdomes doors and waite for the king of light in his own way wherein He hath