from healing too soon that they may make the cure the more admired do accordingly keep such souls with their wounds open and if they powre in any thing it is rather Wine then Oyl rather something of the Law then the Gospel so as they are not onely long in healing and getting peace through Jesus Christ But they carry a scar with them still and are as it were lame in their consciences a long time after like some poor Patients that have had as much of the sound flesh cut a way as the rotten and so have been healed though but to a bodily infirmity all their life time All this is for want of the knowledge of the Spirit of Adoption being in such a soul and the spirits workings in the clear apprehensions of Christ as it is not enough to enlighten the world that there is a Sun but there must be a clear body of Air for this Sun to shine through and of the application of Gospel-promises of perswading to faith and beleeving in Jesus Christ for the pardon of sin which settle and assure and establish a soul more and the light that comes in through such Gospel-applications and power will exceedingly melt a soul and wound a soul But they are the woundings and meltings of love and the Spirit of Adoption not of fear and bondage but of power love and of a sound minds Mary wept and washed Christs feet Peter wept bitterly not in fear but in love witnesse her Box of Oyntment Peters profession Lord thou knowest I love thee The passions which this Gospel-way works in the soul are such as bring inlargements and flowings and powrings out of Spirit But the passions which the Law works bring in a straightning a contraction or gathering up or narrownesse into the Spirit and therefore it is called bondage and fear V. The opening Jesus Christ in the Gospel is the best and surest way to deal with sinners I observe They that are wounded for sin and are enlightned to discern it and are so wrought on by the spirit as to feel and be sensible of it being taken into Covenant with God in Christ their stony heart taken out and yet dark in the purer conceivings of the Gospel such are ready rather to put away Gospel-promises then receive them and imagine themselvs rather in fitnesse for judgement then mercy or grace And then if Preachers run to the Law in their dealing with such souls for their thorow humiliation as they say or pretend and not to the Gospel Faith in Jesus Christ they bring fire and not water to quench them and so kindle them the more and setting the everlasting burnings of the Law before their souls put them all into a spiritual flaâ—m and vexation Nathan delt otherwise with David though under the Old Testament where there was more priviledge for the Law 2 Sam. 12.13 I have sinned saith David The Lord hath put away thy sin saith Nathan This is as Solomon saith To give strong drink to him that is ready to peâ—ish and wine unto those that be of an heavy hâ—art Prov. 13.6 If any one sin saith John we have an Advocate with the Father Christ Jesus the righteous Here is Gospel applyed to the very sin and the Physitian brought home to the sick and Jesus Christ brought to the very gates of a groaning spirit I know the Divinity of some former ages to these present times made up all their receipts for distempered souls of so much Law and so much Gospel and usually but a grane or dram of Gospel to a pound of Law not being then clear enough in judgement to unmingle things which Antichrist had confounded and put together as the two Testaments and two Covenants and not rightly discerning Christs manner or way of preaching and the Apostles both in their holding forth Law and Gospel Now we know that the Apostle saith Received ye the Spirit by the preaching of the Law or the preaching of Faith Gal. 3.2 And therefore they that would make the Law the Ministery of life and of the spirit are not of such a spiritual discerning as the Lord hath now revealed and such put a soul upon a legal method of conversion or coming to Christ First they must be kept so long under the Law for humiliation and contrition and confession and then brought to the Gospel as many Books and Teachers do when as the Law is not of any power to infuse such gracious passions into the soul as the Gospel cals for Blessed are they that mourn and they that are poor But this is not the mourning spirit under the Law nor the poor spirit under the curse of the Law for sin But the Gospel-mournings and Gospel-poverty even mournings of love like the groanings of the Turtle Cant. 2.12 If they be onely such as the Law brings forth and presses the soul into they are no better then the contritions of Esau and Judas but if they be such as the Law or Spirit of Jesus Christ or the Law of life works in the soul then they are of a more spiritual and pretious nature but this is from the Gospel and the preaching of Faith What Law did Peter preach to Cornelius or Philip to the Eunuch or Ananias to Paul or Paul to the Jaylor and his houshold but only Jesus Christ nor can you finde the Law I mean the Law in its form or Covenant preached but to those that were under the Law and pretended to stand by the Law and to set up a righteousnesse by the Law as the Pharisees and Jews c. Though in all this I esteem no lesse of the Law then any other as it was a Law for the people of God under Moses and hath something of the Image of God in it But now we are under a better Law a more excellent Law and a more spiritual Commandment Even that Law which was but a few single beams of righteousnesse even ten but a decalogue of righteousnesse yet now in the Gospel the righteousnesse of God is brought forth in more glorious and spiritual Commandments and for ten there are scores and with this righteousnesse of God the righteousnesse of Christ is brought forth which makes the condition of Gods people a blessed condition so as they stand righteous now in all their obedience to the righteousnesse of God which is the more pure transcending and excellent Law of the Commandments of the Gospel or the more perfect Rule of the righteousnesse of God in the righteousnesse of Christ so as the New Testament is both the Law and Gospel or the righteousnesse of God and Christ more excellently manifested Do we therefore make voide the Law by the preaching of Faith Yea We establish the Law Christ being the end of the Law for righteousnesse VI A further opening of the doubtings of a soul not clearly discerning the power of the Gospel I observe A soul that is not informed by a pure Gospel-light nor apprehends not clearly the
of these who would persecute that Christ now whom hereafter they may preach But I have done and if I have erred in any thing for I see but in part and know but in part it is in filling out that Wine too freely which the Master of the Feast if I mistake not hath bidden me saying Drink yea drink abundantly O beloved Cant. 5. TO THE READER IN the Experiment of this soul you may see a Spirit of adoption in Bondage and one made poor in Spirit through the ignorance of the riches of grace and by a legal faith as I may say both under Grace and the Law at the same time Surely such legal beleevers are as much subject to death and bondage in their own apprehensions under the Gospel as they were before under the Law You have here the frame of this soul or the constitution and condition of a Spirit before conversion under conversion and under the relapse or falling back into the same sins and under the temptations for those sins and under a legal recovery out of those temptations and under a fuller revelation of grace and truth onely drawn out of their own experiences by which we may see what the want of the knowledge of Jesus Christ is And the more Christ is known and that love of God to the Sons of men which was manifest in the flesh the more that glorious liberty from the Law Sin and Satan is manifested in that soul This made Paul desire so to know nothing but Jesus Christ and him crucified And the more this light of the Gospel shines in the face of Jesus Christ the more doth the ignorance of flesh and blood dissolve and the shadows of the Law as doubts fears terrours which are cast in vanish before it For the day breaks and the shadows flie away The onely scope of this Discourse and Observations is to hold forth the glory of Free-grace and that by this one Experiment Wisdom might be justified of her Children O the riches of his grace O the fountain of his love O the exceeding and comprehensive freenesse and the flowing of his blood washing us when we are polluted in our own Thus he cals us beloved when we are not beloved and we who had not obtained mercy do obtain mercy And I thought my self not a little happy to have such an effectual door as this opened to deal with the experiences of a soul in this kinde And for the following Conference and for my Observations and other particulars I took this occasion to draw out my discourse of Grace and Gospel-glory from the faithful experiences of such a soul wherein the work of nature and grace and spirit and Satan was clearly visible and discernible rather then to found them upon meer notions and conjectural Principles For in the experiences of a soul we may more clearly discern the deep things of the Spirit reading them in the spirits of such as possesse Christ as in the Counterpane of the Scriptures for there truth answers to truth as in water face answers to face THE CONTENTS Of the Book CHAP. I. OF the Parties natural condition and how they felt themselves in their state of nature before they could perswade themselves they had taken Christ Pag. 1. Observations 1. Of the bondage that a meerly carnal man sins in and where true spiritual freedom is p. 3. 2. Of the resistings of sin and sorrowings for sin which are in a natural man p. 5. 3. How far many go in a formal profession and meer natural Religion raised up a little by the power of the Word p. 7. CHAP. II. OF the Parties first trouble for the sins they lived in which is supposed to be the time of conversion or calling or light from Christ p. 11. Observations 1. Of the Preachers several dealings with this Party to settle them and not in a way of beleeving first pag. 26 2. The unstablenesse of such as are not converted in a pure Gospel-way p. 33. 3. The several wayes which the Lord makes use on to salvation p. 35. 4. The want of true Gospel-knowledge in Jesus Christ is the cause of many distractions in beleevers p. 36. 5. The opening Jesus Christ in the Gospel is the best and surest way to deal with sinners p. 39. 6. A further opening of the doubtings of a soul not clearly discerning the power of the Gospel p. 43. 7. The working of the Spirit of Christ in a soul though not so clearly enlightned p. 46. CHAP. III. OF the Parties falling into the same sins in some measure which they had lived in in their unregenerate state from whence all their late bondage hath been P. 50. Observations 1. The danger of placing assurance most in mortification of sin p. 53. 2. The danger of drawing our comforts most from the change in the outward man p. 54 3. The spiritual condition in this life more in being justified from sin then cleansed from sin p. 56. 4. The greatest temptations upon sinning in an enlightned condition p. 57. 5. That back-sliding or relapsing is much mistaken and mortification of sin of the more mystical mortification beleevers have p. 59. 6. The sum of the mystery of mortification of sin in a beleever p. 65. 7. That there is danger in putting too much upon the sin of relapsing or back-sliding in beleevers p. 69. 8. The conclusion concerning the mystical and spiritual mortification p. 73. 9. Some Scriptures concerning falling away interpreted p. 75. CHAP. IV. THe Party after such openings of the frame of their spirit is now discoursed with upon certain particular Questions p. 78. The Parties several Doubts answered 1. That they are not therefore beloved of God or in Christ because they fell back again into sin p. 79. 2. Because they found not a change in the whole man p. 80. 3. Because they feel not themselves sanctified they think they are not justified p. 81. CHAP. V. THe Parties great Doubt concerning faith or beleeving p 92. 1. The great Gospel secret concerning faith or beleeving Ibid. 2. We are first to beleeve and all other gifts will follow p. 97. The several wayes opened how the mystery of Godlinesse and Free-grace hath been received in and in what degrees it hath been enquired for in this present age p. 106. 1. GOds first revealing himself to man in goodnesse and Free-grace p. 107. 2. Gods Free grace to sinners more discovered p. 111. 3. More of Gods Free-grace and Love of mans sin and redemption discovered p. 114. 4. The Son of God how considered in the work of Salvation p. 119. 5. Gods love manifested in the Gospel-expressions p. 124. 6. The new Covenant no Covenant properly with us but with Christ for us p. 125. 7. Gods manner of Covenanting p. 127. 8. They that are under Grace revealed are no more under the Law p. 128. 9. When God is said to be in Covenant with the soul Ibid. 10. A justified person is a perfect person p. 129. 11. Sin separates not
way of Faith of Christ and the Promises and the glory of the New Testament is ever unsetled unstable full of fears doubtings distractions questioning and the more such a soul is reasoned with concerning their condition the more they question the truth of every spiritual working in them and this comes from the power of the Law still upon their consciences which is more powerful to convince and accuse them then the Gospel is to excuse or acquit them having more of the ministery of condemnation before them or in their eye then of the ministery of life Jesus Christ and Satan he takes advantage of their legal condition and stirs up jealousies and doubts and so much as there is of legal apprehensions so much there is to hinder the bringing in of the Kingdom of God into the soul which is not onely righteousnesse but peace and joy and therefore under the Old Testament where they saw the Blood of Christ onely through the blood of Bulls and Goats and heard the Apostles afar off in the Prophets and were brought to the Mountain that smoaked they lived in much bondage and being under the Law till the fulnesse of time that the Seed came were like servants though they were heirs too the heir as the Apostle saith then differing nothing from a servant though he was lord of all There is nothing but the taking in of the Law and accusings or condemnations of it which can trouble the peace quiet of any soul for where there is no law there is no transgression and where there is no transgression there is no trouble for sin all trouble arising from the obligement of the Law which demands a satisfaction of the soul for the breach of it and such a satisfaction which the soul knows it cannot give and thereby remains unquiet like a debtor that hath nothing to pay and the Law too being naturally in the soul as the Apostle saith the conscience accusing or else excusing It is no marvel that such souls should be troubled for sin and unpacified the Law having such a party ingagement already within them which holding an agreement with the Law in Tables or Letters of Stone must needs work strongly upon the spirits of such as are but weakly faintly enlightned and are not furnished with Gospel enough to answer the indictments the convictions the terrours the curses which the Law bâ—ings therefore all the power of Christ and the Gospel is to be applyed to raise up such souls from under the power of those stones and burdens which the Law would â—oll upon them Such are to have more Gospel then ordinary applied because they have so much Law naturally within them Such are to know they are not now under the Law but under Grace and the Law hath no more dominion over them and they are dead unto that Husband and they are now upon a new foundation Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner-stone and we should say to such Let not your hearts be troubled ye beleeve in God beleeve also in Jesus Christ VII The working of the Spirit of Christ in a soul though not so clearly enlightned I observe That in a soul though legally enlightned or receiving Christ yet there are certain Gospel-workings whereby it will appear that Jesus Christ is there 1. There is a closing or fastning or clasping about Christ in the Promises of the Gospel especially some of the freest and fullest of Grace for such souls can onely finde some freedom of going out to Christ in them as some who delights most in men of easiest and hearty behaviour and can sooner make a friend of them then any other and if there be but any promises with the least condition of repentance c. they dare not meddle with such suspecting themselves not enough prepared for them and suspecting the promises like strangers of too narrow behaviours for them to be familiar with like some modest homely Maide that is unwilling to go abroad into company of greater quality then her self lest she should not be well thought on or received as too mean or ill-bred for their society So are the souls of such as cannot close with the conditional promises 2. There is in such some breathings of soul to God some flowings out of Spirit some meltings of heart in prayer and dispositions like a birth newly quickned where there are many motions of life so where Christ is new formed like a Lock in tune where there is in every wheel put turnings and stirrings My beloved saith the Spouse put in his hand by the hole of the door and my bowels were moved for him I rose up to open to my beloved and my hands dropped with Myrrhe and my fingers with sweet smelling Myrrhe upon the handles of the lock 3. There is in such a secret working against sin and lust or corruption the spirit that is come in is a pure a clean an holy spirit and all the motions and operations of it are to make the soul and body clean and spiritual as they that are of a neat and finer disposition they will not live in a room unswept and ungarnished I have put off my coat saith the Spouse how shall I put it on I have washed my feet how shall I defile them And he that hath this hope saith the Apostle purifieth himself even as he is pure and having received such promises there will be a cleansing themselves from all filthinesse both of flesh and spirit What communion hath light with darknesse 4. There is in such some acts of Communion with God in his several Ordinances and with the Spirit and Christ such will finde a power and efficacy a rellish and sweetnesse a stirring and awakening in the Word preached in prayer in spiritual conference in every Ordinance which others that are yet meerly carnal do not experience though it fares often with such as with Samuel when he was young and the Lord called him he thought it had been Eli that had spoken he was not acquainted with the voice and speakings of the Spirit or of God So the souls of such know not the Word not Spirit in their souls many times the voice of Christ is not heard for the voice of Moses nor the voice of Grace for the voice of the Law and they know not when the Lord breathes or comes as Eliah whether in the winde or in the fire when as he is in the still and small voice of the Gospel there are many things which hinder such in their discernings and perceivings of the Spirit of Christ not onely things without as the Law c. but something within the Passions and legalnesse of their own spirits which troubles both their spiritual hearing and seeing and that makes many souls walk so little in the Spirit and be at such a losse in their Communion with God and all this is for want of bringing the soul more out into the glory of the Gospel being called the Ministration
deal with him at all occasions but such submit not to the righteousnesse of God and the free-gift of justification by grace and give not glory to God For they that beleeve upon something first in themselves shall as they have kindled a fire lie down in the sparks of their own kindling and have nothing in Christ because they will not have all in him for we must either have all in him or nothing And though some will have all in Christ for salvation yet they will have something in themselves to beleeve their interest in this salvation and though this be not to reject Christ for righteousnesse yet it is to reject his free-promise or Word of assurance for this righteousnesse and rather to be perswaded upon sight then faith and sense then promise and something in our selves them in himself XXXV The Law is now in the Spirit and in the Gospel for a beleever to walk by THe Gospel is both a perfect law of life and righteousnesse of grace and truth and therefore I wonder at any that should contend for the ministery of the Law or Ten Commandments under Moses which is of lesse glory then that which is now revealed and exceeds in glory and should strive for a Law without the Gospel which is in the Gospel Nor is the holinesse and sanctification now such as is fashioned by the Law or outward Commandment but by the preaching of faith by which the Spirit is given which renews and sanctifies a beleever and makes him the very Law of Commandments in himself and his heart the very two Tables of Moses And though the Law be a beam of Christ in substance and matter yet we are not to live by the light of one beam now when the Sun of righteousnesse is risen himself that was a sitter light for those who lived in the region and shaddow of death And it is with the Law now or light of righteousnesse as it was with the light in the Creation when that which was scattered was gathered into one body of light So Christ now being revealed holinesse and righteousnesse as well as grace and love is revealed in him and gathered up in him And what need we light up a Candle for the children of the day to see by What is there any striving for a stream in the channel when the fountain is open Nor doth it become the glory of Christ revealed to be beholding to any of the light upon Moses face The word is now made flesh and dwels amongst us and we behold his glory as the glory of the onely begotten Son full of truth as well as grace XXXVI Legal and Gospel-Commandments and Duties GOspel-Commandments and Legal Commandments do not commandin the same power in the same manner or to the same end The Law commands us to obey to love to fear to be holy that God may be our God we his people the Gospel commands us to obey love because we are the people of such a God The Law commands us in the power of God as a Law-giver and Tutor or Minister the Gospel in the power of a Father the Law commands by promises and threatnings blessings and cursings the Gospel perswades rather then commands and rather by promises and exhorts rather then bids and reasons us to duty rather then enforces and rather draws us then drives us and by setting forth promises and priviledges and prerogatives and works done on Gods part and Christs part for us and in love rather argues us into doing working loving reflections again and Christ is chiefly propounded both for holinesse and obedience for mortification and newnesse of life So as the Gospel commands us rather by patern then precept and by imitation then command Heb. 12.1 2 3. Nor to the same End The end of the Law was to bondage fear tutorship revealing of sin outward obedience and conformity The end of Gospel-laws is to love newnesse of spirit praise and thanksgiving for righteousnesse and life received and testimony to our righteousnesse received in Christ Having these promises let us cleanse our selves from all filthinesse both of flesh and spirit Rom. And thus Christs yoke is easie and his burden light and his Commandments are not grievous for they are Commandments that carry life and power quicken to that duty they command like the Sun who warmeth us in the very shining upon us and we work and walk and live under the Gospel as being saved already and redeemed and bringing forth the power of this redemption and salvation though the spirit of adoption freely working to the praise of that free-grace and freely obeying for such free redemption and doing every thing in love because of the love shed abroad in our hearts and neither taking in judgements nor hell or damnation nay nor Heaven nor glory to force on the work or quicken the duty but doing all from the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus except when corruption or temptation hinders the freenesse and spiritualnesse in the duty XXXVII The Gospel in the holinesse and grace of it THere is doctrine of holinesse in the Gospel as well as grace love and there are commands for obedience as well as tydings of forgivenesse The grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all Teaching us that denying ungodlinesse c. we should live soberly righteously and godly Tit. 2.12 And this kinde of Gospel is such in the revelation of it as fits both God and man God the Father may be seen in commanding holinesse and the Spirit in forming the holinesse commanded and the Son in redeeming us to holinesse even to the will both of the father and the spirit And this Gospel fits man who is made up both of flesh spirit and so hath need of a law without and in the letter as well as in the heart and spirit The Law is spiritual but we are carnal Rom. 7. Nor can such a state of flesh and spirit be ordered by a law onely within for the Word and Law of the spirit meerly is for a spiritual condition or estate of glory as Angels who onely live by a law spiritual or word of Revelation But our estate here being partly carnal must needs be ordered yet in part by the Law of a carnal Commandment and yet this Law is not such as it was before a meer Law in the letter but it is now under the Gospel a law of life spirit and glory it is a Law in the hand of Christ and with the promises of Christ about it to make it spiritual indeed And this is according to the just wise and righteous distribution which God hath made to our divers estate of flesh and spirit by dealing out to us both the word and spirit the letter and life Therefore the Word is called Scriptures given by inspiration and is profitable for doctrine c. 2 Tim. 3.16 17. And the Spirit is called the anointing and teacheth all things
1 Joh. 2.27 And I will put my Law in their mindes Heb. 8.10.11 And the comforter whom I will send he shall teach you Joh. 14.26 1 Thes. 4.9 Acts 2.17 Thus whatever doctrine of holinesse is in the new Testament we are to receive it because it is now the doctrine of him who is the Lord Jesus Christ the Lord as well as Jesus Christ and one who commands as well as saves Nor is there any Covenant of works in such kinde of obedience Life is given us to make us obey but not for obeying XXXVIII The new Covenant further set forth to be meerly a promise THe Covenant that is called the new Covenant that God makes with his now under the Gospel is all on his own part without any thing on mans he makes himself ours and makes us his all is of his own doing though a Covenant in the strict legal common sense is upon certain articles of agreement and conditions on both sides to be performed Thus stood the old Covenant there was life promised on condition of obedience and so in covenants and contracts betwixt man and man but now there is a Covenant or rather promise in Jesus Christ who is called the Mediator or Mannager of the Covenant in which God gives himself freely in Christ to be the God of a poor sinner Christ undertaking all both with the father and the soul such a kinde of covenant was established with Noah Gen. 9.11 Behold I establish my covenant c. nothing required on mans part This is called a new Covenant for it is clear against the strain of the old wherein man was to have his life upon condition yet it were good that we did not rest too much in the notion of a covenant nor is it the way of a covenant that the Gospel uses but rather the promise or grace or salvation for the Spirit uses the word Covenant onely by way of allusion and because the soul being under the power of the spirit doth it self contract and covenant with God to obey though God gives no life in such a way of a covenant or obedience And I observe that the usage of this word hath a little corrupted some in their notion of free-grace makes them conceive a little too legally of it And I conceive that the Doctrine of it in Heb. 8.10 c. I will write my law c. And I will take away your stony heart c. And put a new spirit within you Jer. 31.31 Hezek 36.26 doth clear it to be onely promise and grace and free-love to a sinner for if any thing were to be done for life or salvation we should darken the glory of free-grace and make it a promise neither wholly of grace nor wholly of works And if it be of grace it is no more of works otherwise grace is no more grace Rom. 11.6 Nor is this promise of salvation given to sinners as sinners barely simply and singly nor as qualified or conditioned not to sinners as sinners for God can onely love in Christ nor as qualified and conditioned for so life should be purchased by us rather then for us so as we are onely sinners in our own and others judgements but truely loved in Christ when the promise comes And thus the Scripture cals us ungodly and sinners and children of wrath Not that we are so but seem so or not so in Gods account but the worlds So as here is ground enough for any to offer salvation to the veriest sinners and for the veriest sinners to receive for God is in Christ reconciling the world unto himself not imputing their trespasses unto them and hath committed to us the word of reconciliation 2 Cor. 5.19 XXXIX The way of assurance for beleevers THe surest knowledge that any one hath that they have received the promise is the closing of their heart with Christ the real receiving and beleeving the relying and going out of the heart upon Christ The just shall live by faith Rom. 1.17 We walk by faith and not by sight This was the assurance the Father of the faithful had who staggered not at the promise but gave glory to God Yet this assurance is such as the soul cannot be content with onely there is something in man beside faith to be satisfied reason will have more light to see by and therefore the working of the spirit in new obedience and love and repentance and self-denial are such glimmerings as the soul may be refreshed by though not strengthned by and comforted by though not supported by Works though they cannot assure by themselves yet raised up by faith may with it cheer up the soul if we beleeve more of those works then we see or feel and so strengthen them by faith they may be like the tokens and change of raiment by which Jacob was perswaded that Joseph was alive by these we may be better perswaded that we live and live in Christ Therefore the soul being a reasonable and discoursive spirit is much satisfied in such a way when the Spirit of God helps it to reason and draw conclusions as thus The Word sayes Whosoever beleeves shall not perish But I beleeve saith the Soul and therefore according to this Word shall not perish The Word sayes To beleeve is to receive or put confidence in or trust as in John 1.12 But I receive Jesus Christ for mine I trust in him for salvation therefore I beleeve The Word sayes Repentance love self-denial obedience to the Will of God are all the fruits of the spirit but these are in me I can repent and love and deny my self and obey The Word sayes That we are compleat in Christ and righteous in Christ but when I repent or love or obey I beleeve I am in Christ and therefore my love and repentance and obedience is such as I may beleeve though not in themselves yet in him to be good and spiritual And thus a beleever may beleeve for assurance and yet reason for assurance and some other questions a beleever may put to his own spirit and draw it out into more conclusions for beleeving Am I Christs or my own If I be Christs do I walk with Christ And live to Christ And obey Christ Do I delight in Christ and those that are Christs Or do I live to my self to my lust To my profit or credit To others or the world XL The Gospel-Ministration very glorious THe ministration of the Gospel exceeds in glory for now under the ministery of Jesus Christ himself the heavenly things themselves are brought forth the free-love of God in Jesus Christ and the free-love of Jesus Christ himself all the powrings out of spirit and the full discoveries of love were reserved for Christs own day the Kingdom of God the righteousnesse the justification the forgivenesse of sins the spirit of comfort the glorious liberty of peace and joy unspeakable are the glory of Christ come in the flesh the treasures that went with his
Gospel-promises THe promises are but words of Gods ingaging himself to man freely and of grace and as his promises are of grace so his performances are in faithfulnesse And in these promises the love of the Father Son and Spirit are conveyed and the treasures and riches of salvation to sinners And thus in this life all is passed over upon Word to us and for our beleeving this Word and taking in the things of Jesus Christ thus upon Gods bare ingagement he hath bound himself freely to give all hereafter and yet all is of free-gift too things freely given to us And in this time of our waiting and beleeving and relying we have one earnest even a spiritual and glorious earnest given to us here even the holy Spirit of promise which is the earnest of our inheritance though some promises speak of conditions as of faith and repentance c. Yet they are onely ours upon this condition that they were Christs before for in him all the promises are Yea and Amen The promises that God makes thus in Christ are free and being made in Christ are more free for Christ is all that to God that we should be unto him and we are in Christ so as Christ takes away all discouragements and excuses in any that dare not beleeve them to be theirs and therefore The spirit and the bride say come and whose-ever will let him come and take of the waters of life freely Revel. 22. XLIV God under the Law and the Gospel legal and Gospel-worshippers BEfore Jesus Christ came in the flesh and offered up himself God offered him beforehand in Types and Sacrifices of blood c. and the whole Ministery was a Priesthood so as the Priesthood and Sacrifices of the Law did set forth and shadow Christ in way of offering or sacrifice to God the Father and therefore God under that dispensation did appear rather under a condition of reconciliation then reconciled though all were saved then actually in the same Christ who was to suffer But how much of this salvation they knew is a question it is very likely and something clear from the Word That God was very sparing in that time of the discoveries of himself in Christ and they rather saw him in his glory above then below and possessed the inheritance of the Redemption rather then the Ministration or Gospel of it God appearing thus the whole ministery of the Law was taken in as agreeable to this manner or patern and the Law of Commandments revealed on Mount Sinai did help to the form of this ministery and made sin appear and abound more for which such sacrifices were prepared And thus the whole frame of the old Testament was a draught of Gods anger at sin the Law revealing sin and Jesus Christ offering for sin And so God in this time of the Law appeared onely as it were upon terms and conditions of reconciliation and all the worship then and acts of worship then as of prayer fasting repentance c. went all this way and according to God under that appearance and every thing of worship seemed to bring something of peace and atonement in relation to the great atonement to come by Jesus Christ And in this strain runs all the Ministery of the Prophets too in their exhortations to duties worship as if God were to be appeased and entreated and reconciled and his love to be had in the way of purchase by duty and doing and worshipping so as under the Law the efficacy and power was put as it were wholly upon the duty and obedience performed as if God upon the doing of such things was to be brought into terms of peace mercy and forgivenesse so as their course then and the service then was as it were a working for life and reconciliation But now under the new Testament God appears in Christ reconciliation is finished peace is made by the blood of his Crosse and now the Ministery of the new Testament is not a Priesthood of any more offering Christ to God in sacrifice but of offering and tendering the tydings of a fully reconciled God in Christ to man and of a sacrifice already accepted for sin so as now there are no Priests but Ministers or Stewards or Ambassadours for dealing out and dispensing the love of God to man and for publishing the glad tydings of peace so as all worship now and spiritual obedience is to run in the way of this dispensation not for procuring love or peace from God nor for pacifying but for love procured and peace purchased by Jesus Christ If these things thus stated were more fully spiritually opened there would be more Gospel-teaching and obeying for mans obedience towards God is not so notionally nor orderly carried nor so purely as the Gospel calls for but they run in a legal strain and would work God down into his old and former way of revealing himself as under the Law when he seemed to be onely in the way to reconciliation and peace rather then pacified and thus in prayer and fasting and other acts of obedience they deal with God as they did under the old Testament not considering the glorious love revealed in Christ crucified and how all Gospel-Ordinances are onely wayes and means for God to reveal this love and grace by the spirit of adoption not any wayes and means of ours for getting some love from God which Christ himself hath not gotten for us XLV God and His in reconciliation THey that have received the word of reconciliation are in a very pretious and comfortable and peaceable condition they are lovers of God and Christ they are no more such enemies in their mindes by wicked works they oppose not the will of God as they did they resist not the Word of the Gospel they sleight not the communion of the spirit of God they are tender of any thing that is Gods they count not any thing their own for God he shall be welcome to all if he call for their credit he shall have it they know they have a spirit of glory resting on them if he call for their possessions they leave father and mother and brethren and sisters and lands for his Names sake they know these are not to be compared to the glory which shall be revealed and they shall have an hundred fold in this life if he call for their life he shall have it they know he that will lose his life for his sake shall finde it And being thus reconciled to God they are friends with every thing of his every Gospel-Mystery they know they receive and every thing of his they know not they wait till he reveal even this unto them and though they do not receive it because they know it not yet to come from God yet they do not reject it because it comes in the likenesse of his Word lest they be found fighters against God and crucifie the Lord of glory in ignorance like the Jews And