a stout couragious Spirit and resolution of heart avail If He who is the Life breathâ—… not all that will melt away and evanish 4. Nor will the stock of habitual grace which remaineth in the soul be sufficient to quicken and revive the sick soul if the Life breath not on these habites and if new influences of life and strength flow not in upon the soul and new rayes come not down from this sun of righteousnesse to warme the frozen soul the habites will lye by as dead 5. Far lesse will their great gifts and enduements helpe them out of that dead condition all their light and knowledge without the influences of this Life will prove weak and insufficient for this end and purpose 6. Nor will sound pure and lively like ordinances work out this effect for till He look down all those ordinances may prove dead and deadning to them It were good if beleevers were living under the conviction of this daylie and by their practice and carriage declareing that they believe that Christ only is the Life and that they must live in Him and be quickened and revived through Him alone Thirdly We see hence That Christ is the Life that is one that sufficiently yea and abundantly can helpe the beleever while under those fits of deadnesse which have been mentioned and the like There is in him a rich supply of all things that tend to revive encourage strengthen and enliven soul under spiritual deadnesse and fainting Therefore is He called the Life as having in Him all that which is necessary for and answereable to souls under spiritual sicknesses distempers desertions fainting swooning fiâ—…es c. for with Him is the fountaine of life Psal. 36 9. and He itis that upholdeth the soul in life Psal. 66 9. and can command the blessing even life for evermore Psal. 13 3 vers 3. For further clearing of this we would consider those things 1. That He is God equal with the Father in power and glory and thereby hath life in himself Iohn 5 26. and can quicken whom He will vers 21. By this He proveth there his own godhead equality with the Father So Iohn 1 4. Itis said that in Him was life and that life was the light of men whereby also his Godhead is confirmed This should be firmly beleeved and rooted in our hearts as being the ground of all our hope comfort and life for were it not so that our Mediator were the true God all our hopes were gone our comforts could not be long lived and our life were extinct 2. As mediator God-man He is fully and througly fournished to quicken and enliven his members and followers first and last and all alongs their life must be hid with Christ in God for in Him dwelleth the fulnesse of the godhead bodyly Col. 2 9. as mediator he is called a tree of life Prov. 3 18. quickening and enlivening all that feed upon Him and the bread of life Iohn 6 35 48. Yea because of power and authoritie to commmand life to the dead soul He is called the Prince of life Act. 3 15. and as a living quickening stone he giveth life to all that are built upon Him 1 Pet. 2 4. Yea as being fully fitted and fournished for this work He calleth himself the resurrection and the life Iohn 11 25. This should be riveted in our hearts as a comfortable and encouraging truth 3. Of this stock of life and quickening and reviveing grace which He hath gote and is furnished withal as Mediator and Redeemer of his people He is communicative of his fulnesse do we receive and grace for grace Iohn 1 16. He gote it that He might give it out and that from Him as an head it might flow out unto his members and therefore He is the bread that came downe from heaven and giveth life to the world Iohn 6 35. Yea He giveth eternal life to all his sheep Ioh. 10 28. and He is come for this end that his sheep might have life Iohn 10 10 Therefore hath he taken on such relations as may give ground of confirmation of this as of an head of a stock or root and the like This consideration is strengthening and reviveing 4. He communicateth of this stock of life and of reviveing strength which He hath most sweetly and on most easie tearmes So that 1. Such as seek him shall finde life by Him Psal. 69 32. 2. Yea such as know Him shall not misse life Iohn 17 3. 1 Iohn 5 20. 3. If we will beleeve on Him and rest upon him we have life first and last Iohn 3 15 16 36. 6 40 47. 1 Tim. 1 16. 4. If we will come to Him Iohn 5 vers 40. and cast our dead soul upon him we shall live 5. If we will heare his voce Esai 55 3. and receive his instructions we shall live for they are the instructions of life 6. Nay if the soul be so dead that it can neither walk nor hear if it can but look to Him he will give life Esai 45 22. 7. And if the soul be so weak that it cannot look nor lift up its eyes yet if it be willing He will come with life Revel 22 17. Oh! if this were beleeved 5. As he is communicative of that life which he hath goten as Head and that upon easie tearmes so He giveth out of that life liberally largely abundantly yea more abundantly Iohn 10 10. The water of life which He giveth is a well of water springing up to everlasting life Iohn 4 14. Therefore he alloweth his friends to drink abundantly Cant. 5 1. 6. Yet it would be remembered that He is Lord and master thereof and Prince of this life and so may dispense it and give it out in what measure He seeth fit and He is wise to measure out best for his own glory and to their advantage 7. All this life is sure in Him none of his shall be disappointed thereof His offices which He hath taken on and his commission which he hath of the Father abundantly cleare this and love to his will not suffer him to keep up any thing that iâ—… for their advantage He is faithful in his house as a Son and will do all that was committed unto Him to do The whole transaction of the covenant of Redemption and Surety-shâ—…pe and all the promiseâ—… oâ—… the new Covenant of grace confirme this to be a sure truth so that they that have Him have life 1 Iohn 5 12. Prov. 8 35. 8. Yea all that is in Christ contributeth to this life and quickening His Words and Doctrine are the words of eternal life Iohn 6 63 68. Phil. 2 16. His Works and Wayes are the wayes of life Act 2 28 His Natures Offices Sufferings Actings and all He did as Mediator concurre to the quickening and enlivening of a poor dead soul. 9. This fulness of life which He hath is fully suited to the beleevers condition in all points as we shall
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
1. Who will not lay hold on this life on Jesus who is the Life sure life yea everlasting life 2. Who seek life any other way than by and through Him who is the Life 3. Who oppose this way of life and not only reject the offers of it but prove enemies to it and to all that carry it or preach it Fourthly Here is strong encouragement to all that would be at heaven to enter into this gospel way which is away os life Such need not fear that their Salvation shall not be throughed let Satan and all their adversaryes do what they can all that enter into this way shall live for the way it self is life and nothing but life So that here all objections are obviated life can answere all If the believer fear that he shall never win thorow difficultyes he shall die by the way or by fainting succumbeing and swooning dishonour the profession and at length fâ—…ll off and apostatize or dispaire and give over all hope Here is that which may answere and obviat all life can quicken and who can perish in the way which is the way of life an enlivening way yea the way which is life it self yea the Life in a singular and eminent manner Fiftly Here is ground of reproof even of beleevers who though they have come to Christ yet do not live in Him as they ought do not walk in Him with that livelinesse activity which is called for but 1. Leane too much to their owne understanding gifts or graces and think thereby to ride out stormes and to wade thorow all difficulties whileas if He who is the Life do not breath upon us all that will faile us in the day of tryal our understanding and pairts or gifts may drie up and our graces may whither and decay and goe backward 2. Rest too much an duties when they should in them goe to Him who is the Life for only in Him is life to be had and Him should they seek to in the ordinances that they might have life from Him in those outward duties and this appeareth in their way of going about duties without that dependence on Him single eyeing of Him which is called for as also by their freting and repineing when duties do not their business as if life lay all in duties and concludeing all will be right because they get duties somewhat tolerably performed and on the contrary desponding when duties fall heavie on them and they finde themselves indisposed for duty all which clearly evinceth that they lay too too much weight on duties whileas it would be otherwayes with them if they were purely depending on Christ and looking for all from Him 3. Desponde too soon because they get not helpâ—… and reliefe instantly or because they are not preserved from every degree of fainting 4. Neglect to make use of Him and to come to Him with all their wants failings and necessities as they ought or come not with that freedome and boldnesse which the gospel grounds allow Sixtly This preacheth out the woful misery of such as are strangers to Christ for being strangers to the Life they have no life they are dead and death is ingraven on all they do even though 1. They should be very diligent in external duties yea and outstripe many true beleevers as the pharisees had their fasts twice a week Luk. 18. 2. They should be eminently gifted able to iustruct others and to speak of the mysteries of the gospel to good purpose and to edification for such gifts of knowledge and utterance may be where the lively operations of the grace of Christ are not and consequently where Christ is not 〈◊〉 the Life 3. They should seem eminent in all their outward carriage and seem to carry most christinaly in all their walk and appeare most devout in the matter of worshipe 4. And they should have something more than ordinary even taste of the heavenly gift be made partakers of extraordinary gifts of the holy ghost yea and taste the good word of God and the powers of the world to come Heb. 6 4 5. Seventhly This discovereth the noble advantage of such as have accepted of Christ for their life Their condition is happy sure desirable thriveing for Christ is theirs and life is theirs because Christ who is the Life is theirs Objection 1. But some wicked person may say we see not that happy and advantagious condition of such as go for beleevers for we observe them to be as little lively oftimes as others and as unfit for duties yea and sometimes as much subject to sin and corruption as others Answere 1. However it be with them either in thine eyes or possibly in their own sometimes yet thou may hold thy peace for in their worste condition they would not exchange with thee for a world In their deadest-like condition they are not voide of all life as thou art notwithstanding all thy motions and seeming activenesse in duty because all thy motion in and about duty is but like the moveing of childrens puppies caused by external motives such as a name applause peace from a natural conscience or the like and not from any inward principle of grace and life 2. Howbeit they sometimes seem to be dead yet they are not alwayes so life doth really worke sometimes in them whereas there was never any true or kindly motion of life in thee 3. There may be more life in them yea life in motion when they seem to be overcome with some lusts or corruption yea when really they are overcome then beholders that are strangers to the heart can observe for when temptation is violent as having the advantage of the time place of the constitution of the body and the like it argueth no small degree of life and of life in motion to make some resistance and opposition thereunto though at length he should be overcome thereby And this opposition and resistence flowing from a principle of grace speaketh out life though corruption having the advantage should at that time over power the motion of life and carry the man away 4. If it be not otherwise with beleevers than is objected they may blame themselves for not improveing Christ better for life Obj. 2. But some who are true beleevers will object the same and cry out of themselves as dead and say they finde not that livelinesse activity in their souls that will evidence Christ the Life dwelling and working in them Ans. It may be they prejudge themselves of that lively frame they might enjoy and so wronge themselves 1. In not exereâ—…eing faith on Christ nor drawing life from Him through faith The life which they live should be by faith Gal. 2 20. How then can such as do not eat become fat by faith we feed on Christ. 2. In not watching but giving way to security and thereby encourageing and strengthening the adversary as we see in David when they stand not on their watch towre
releife the quickening recovering from death of such as are given to Him that they may be finally raised up at the last day He must presente all his members lively in that day 4. He would by faith wrape himself up in the promises and lie before this Sun of righteousness till the heat of his beames thaw his frozen heart and bring warmth into his cold and dead soul and thus renew his grips of Him accepting of Him as the Life and as his Life Christ himself tells us Iohn 6 40. That this is the Fathers will that hath sent Him that every one which seeth the Son and beleeveth on Him might have everlasting life and He will raise him up at the last day Faith closeing with Him as it was the meane of life at first so will it be the mean of recovery out of a dead distemper afterward 5. He would mourne for such sins and provocations as he discovereth in himself to have caused and brought on this distemper Repentance and godly sorrow for such evils as have sinned Christ and life away is a way to bring life back againe 6. He would be sure to harboure no known sin in his soul but to set himself against every known evil as an enemie to the life and recovery which he is seeking 7. He must waite on Christ his Life in the appointed meanes for that is the will of the Lord that He should be waited upon there and sought for there There is little hopes of recovery for such as lay aside the ordinances Though the ordinances without him cannot revive or quicken a poor soul yet if He hath condescended so far as to come with life to his people in and through the ordinances and hath appointed us to waite for Him there we must be willing to accept of all his condescensions of love and seek him and waite for Him there where He hath said He will be found 8. In going about those ordinances of life He would beware of putting them in Christ's room that is He would beware of thinking that ordinances will do his business as some ignorantly do who think that by praying so often a day and reading so much and hearing so much they shall recover their lost lively frame when alas all the ordinances without Him signifie nothing They without Him are cold and lifeless and can never bring heat or warmth to a cold soul. It is He in the ordinances whom they are to seek and from whom alone life is to be expected and none else 9. Though life lyeth not in the ordinances as separated from Christ and life is to be expected from Him alone yet he would beware of going about the ordinances in a careless superficial and indifferent manner for this will argue little desire after life and will bring-on more deadness The ordinances than should be gone about seriously diligently and with great carefulness yea with such earnestness as if life were to be had in them and yet with such a single and pure dependence on Christ for life as if we were not about the ordinances at all This is the right way of going about ordinances 10. He must in all this waite with patience without freting or quarrelling with Him for his delaying to come He must waite with much humility It becometh not him who hath through his folly sinned life away to quarrel now with God because he restoreth him not againe to life at the first asking He may be glade if at length after long seeking waiting and much diligence He come and restore to him the joy of his salvation and if he be not made to lie as a bedrid all his dayes for a monument of folly in sinning away his life strength and legs as he did 11. He must beware of giving way to any thing that may increase or continue this deadnesse such as untendernesse in his walk unwatchfulnesse negligence and carelesnesse and especially he must beware to provock God by sinning against light 12. He would also beware of limiteing the Lord to any set measure of life and strength for it becometh not beggers to be carvers far lesse such beggers as through folly have sinned away a good portion It was not fit for the prodigal to seek â—… new patrimony after he had dilapidated the former it might suffice him to be made as a servant 13. He would use well any small measure of life he getteth for God and his glory getteth he but one talent he should use it that he may gaine thereby use we say limbs and have limbs use strength and have it This will be the way to get more 14. He would be taking on the vowes of the Lord and that in the Lord to walk more watchfully in time comeing charging all within and without not to stirre or provoke the Lord to depart further or to scarre Him from coming to the soul. As to the last particular If it be enquired 1. What can that soul do that is not sensible of this deadnesse and weaknesse Ans. Though there be not any reall sense or feeling of this condition yet there may be a suspicion that all is not right and if this be the soul must look out to Christ for the life of sense and for a sight of the provocations that have brought on that condition He that is the Life must recover the very beginnings of life and when the soul winneth to any real apprehension and sense of this deadnesse it must follow the course formerly prescribed for a recovery 2. But it will be asked How a soul can act faith in such a case And if it cannot act faith how can it come to Christ and make use of Him Answere It is true while the soul is in that case it cannot act a strong and a lively faith yet it can act a weak and a sickly faith and a weak and sickly faith can lay hold upon an enlivening Christ and so bring in more strength and life to the soul. If the soul be so weak as that it cannot grippe yet it can look to Him that can quicken the dead and hath helped many a poor soul before out of a dead condition Or if it cannot do so much as look yet it may give an half-look and lie before Him who waiteth to be gracious and sustaine it self if it can get no more with a may be He shall come 3. But further it will be asked what the soul can do when after all this it findeth no helpe or supply but deadnesse remaining yea and it may be growing Ans. The soul in that case must lye at his door waiting for his salvation and resolving if no better may be to die at his door and leave no approven mean or commanded duty unessayed that it may recover its former vigour activity and strength And while the beleever is waiting thus he is at his duty and this may yeeld him peace and he may besure that he shall never be ashamed Ps. 25 3.
the world amidst a croud of snares and throng of tentations as that evil one touch them not they carry as knowing that Satan who goeth about seeking whom he may devour way â—… layes them and watches to catch all advantages against them and therefore as not ignorant of his devices they study sobriety and vigilancy left through a secure incircumspection they be circumvented and give him the advantage he seeks and so beare the marke of his blake hand yea some of these at some rare times do not onely satisfy themselves to carry as defendants but are helped to such a heroick heavenly and Christ-like resistance as to make Satan flee from them and when they through him who strengtheneth them unto the battal and will at last once for all and for eveâ—… tread Satan under their feet and make the weakest wrigling that ever gave up their names to the Captain of salvation set their feeble feet as more than conquerours upon the neck of the great red dragon and off his neck to his everlasting confusion mount up in their triumphing charriot and receive the conquerours crown have acquit themselves as the good souldiers of Jesus Christ not onely in warding off the blowes of that soul enemy but in manageing the sword of the Spirit and the sheild of faith so in the conflict as they make the enemy who stretched out the hand to strick at them take in a stump they then pursue their victory on purpose to set the crown on the Captains head through whose strength alone they gained it But Alas even amongst this select number these more serious souls and single servants of God how few do improve as they ought and might that strength and help which is their allowance and whereby they might be made strong for the labour of Religion How many of these few followers after holinesse do move slowly and promove little They cannot give over the study of holinesse their heart being engaged to God and his wayes beyond a retreat but how heartlesse and handlesse are they at their work They tugge at duty and tire themselves in the wayes of God without any seen successe or experiencing the sweet of his service their profiting doth not appeare to all which as it is their sin is also attended with shame and sorrow yea they carry so despondently in duty as if the gospel required brick without furnishing straw whereas if they took the right way they might walk without wearying even the faint and they who have no might if they knew and had learned how to lay their help upon him who is mighty where God hath laid it should finde their strength encreased to a surmounting of all difficulties and an experienceing of a sweet facility in the wayes of God so that in stead of whineing and sobing over their duty of which they are often found as an enemy and sinking under a hand â—… weakening despondency they might sing in the sweet pleasant and plain wayes of holinesse they might make his statutes their songs in the house of their pilgrimage and be able from their own experience to say it and seal it that his yoke is easy and his burden is light Now that the lesse tender in whom the root of the matter is may be perswaded and provoked to a shineing seriousnesse to the adorning of that doctrine of God the Saviour which they profess And they whose souls are not onely byassed towards the wayes of God but have some holy habitual bentness heaven wards and it is their burden that the whole of their course doth not evidence a conversation in heaven To the end I say that both may not onely be prevailed with to study more conformity to the Head whose members they are and have a conversation such as becometh the gospel indeed but may through grace acquire a blessed facility in going from strength to strength and growing strong in the Lord and in the power of his might this ensuing Treatise is put in thy hand that thy heart may be lift up in the waves of the Lord wherein the Author hath with a peculiar perspicuity and special plainness not onely set before thine eye that blessed Sun of righteousness as shineing in this gospel with a meridian brightness to the irradiating with the rayes of his glorious light the darkened soul likewise thou hast him not onely here held forth as that alone liveing fountaine and overflowing spring of all spiritual life and strength But he hath taught thee and me how to make use of him in whom dwels the fulnesse of the God head bodily in all the several steps of darkenesse or difficulty which may emerge and occurre to the fore-slowing us in our course of Christianity so as we may finde a compleatnesse and competency of strength communicat unto us That blessed high way called the way of holinesse is made so plaine herein that the way fareing man cannot erre in it because it shewes how to give the hand to God as a guâ—…d to Jesus Christ that blessed leader who brings the blind by a way that they know not and leads them in paths that they have not knowen who maks darkenesse light before them and crooked things straight And the apparently rough and rigid wayes of godliness are discovered to be so easy and sweet that the lame may leap as an hart because of life-giveing influence and the tongue of the dumb or disconsolat Christian may sing under these gracious supportings and say his wayes are indeed ways of pleasantnesses It was not the Authors designe in this peece levelled onely at this marke to teach thee how to make use of the strength and grace that is in Christ Jesus and finde the promised ease in performance of duties in handleing of which argument he hath been remarkably assisted and thou canst not read with attention but thou must beare him witness and bless the Lord on his behalfe that he hath hit the marke at which he aimed to engage in a formal debate with these audacious moralists who would boast and bogle us out of the good old way wherein if men walk they must finde rest to their souls yet if by the doctrine he hath here explained and pressed as the onely way of life they do not finde what a mortal wound he hath given their morality all the lovers of the truth will see it and it may be the Lord spareing life and continueing the same gracious and great assistance he hath had in engageing with many great adversaries to the truth at home a broad they may see somewhat from his pen which may make the lovers of our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity and of the operations of his Spirit sing over these successors to Sisera who with their jumping charriots and rattleing wheels assault the truth at his feet they bowed they fell they lay down at his feet they bowed they fell where they bowed there they fell down dead so let all the enemies of thy truth
things 5 The right understanding of this fundamentall will helpe us to understand other truthes the better 6 A mistake in this and such like fundamentals or the ignorance of them is more dangerous then the ignorance of or a mistake in other things Oh if this were teaching us all in humility to be much in the study of such fundamentall necessary truthes as this is and to guaird against a piece of vanity in affecting knowledge the effect of which is nothing but a puffing of uâ—… up with pride conceite Sixtly WE may here take notice of what may serve to discover Thomas his mistake and what is the ground of Christ's assertion vers 4. which Thomas doth little lesse than contradict vers 5. viz. That such as had any acquantance with Christ did according to the measure of their knowledge of him both know heaven and the way to it whence we see those truthes 1 Persons may have some reall acquantance with Christ and yet be for a time very indistinct in their notions about him and apprehensions of him They may know Christ in some measure and yet look upon themselves as great strangers to the knowledge of heaven and be oft complaineing of their ignorance of the right way to heaven 2. Where there is the least measure of true acquantance with Christ with love to him and a desire to know more of him Christ will take notice thereof though it be covered over with a heap of mistakes and accompanyed with much ignorance weaknesse and indistinctnesse He seeth not as man seeth which is good newes to some that are weak in knowledge and unable to give any good account of any knowledge they have yet one thing they can say That he who knoweth all things knoweth that they love him 3. Various are the dispensations of Gods grace unto his owne to some he giveth a greater to others a lesser measure of knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven And to one the same person more at one time than at another Various are his manifestations and outlettings of grace and love Small beginnings may come to much at length Thomas and the rest of the disciples had but little cleare and distinct apprehensions of the way of Salvation through Iesus Christ and yet ere all was done they attained to such a measure of understanding in the mysteries of God as that we are said to be built upon the foundation of the Apostles Christ Iesus being the chief cornâ—…r stone Ephes. 2 20. This should teach the best much sobriety and not to judge of all by themselves or to think that Gods way with them must be a standart or a rule whereby to judge of all the rest as if his way of dealing were one and the same with all 4 The knowledge of Christ is all know him and we know heaven and the way to it for upon this ground doth Christ make good what he had said touching their knowing whither he went the way and answereth the objection that Thomas did propose viz Because he was the way c and they being acquant with him which here is presupposed were not ignorant of the place whither he was going nor of the way leading thither The knowledge then of Iesus Christ is a true and full compend of all saveing knowledge Hence It is life eternall to know him Ioh. 17 3. They that know him know the Father Ioh. 14 9. 8 19. They that see him see the Father also Iohn 14 9. He is in the Father and the Father in him Iohn 14 10 11 10 38. 17. 21. And so knowing him they know heaven for what is heaven else but the presence and glorious manifestations of the Father for when Christ speaks of his going to heaven he sayeth he was going to the Father So knowing him they knew the way both how Christ was to goe to heaven as our Cautioner Head Atturnay and how we must follow Let then a Man have never so much knowledge be acquanted with the mysteries of all artes sciences with the deepths of nature and intrigues of States and all the theorie of Religion if he be unacquanted with Iesus Christ he knoweth nothing as he ought to know And upon the other hand let a poor soul that is honest and hath some knowledge of and acquantance with him be satisfied though it cannot discourse nor dispute nor speak to cases of consciences as some others If we know him it matters not though we be ignorant of many things and thereby become lesse esteemed of by others Here is the true teste by which we may take a right â—…stimate of our owne or of others knowledge The true rule to try knowledge by is not fine notions clear and distinct expressions but heart acquantance with him in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge Col. 2 3. O sad that we are not more taken up in this study which would be a compendious way for us to know all Why spend we our money for that which is not bread and our labour for that which will not profite us Why waste we our time and spirits in learning this science and that art when alas after we with much labour and toyl have attained to the youdmost pitch there we are never one white the nearer heaven and happinesse yea it were well if we were not further off Oh! if we were wise at length and could think more on this one thing necessary and could be stirred up to learâ—…e more of him and to make this the subject of all our study and labour CHAP. II Of the words themselves in generall WE come now to the words themselves wherein Christ asserts that He is â—…1 the Way 2 the Truth 3 the Life 4 That no man cometh to the Father but by him In them we learne those two things in generall first The miserie of wretched man by nature This câ—…nnot be in a fâ—…w words expressed These words will point out those particulars thereof which we will but mention 1. That he is borne an enemie to and living at a distance from God by vertue of the curse of the broâ—…ken covenant of life made with Adam 2. That he neither can nor will returne to God of himself His way is not in himself He hath need of another to be his way 3. That he is a blinde wandering creature ready to take by wayes and to wander yea he loveth to wander He goeth astray as soon as he is borne speaking lyes 4 He cannot discerne the true way but is blinded with prejudice thereat and full of mistakes he is nothing but a lump of error 5 He is dead legally and really how can he then come home How can he walk in the way though it were pointed out to him 6. He even when entred into the way is subject to so many faintings swoonings upsittings c. that except he get new quickening he must lye be the way
considered And that it is not beleeved is manifest for 1. How rare is it to meet with persons that are not very well pleased and satisfied with themselves and their condition They thank the Lord it was ay well with them They have no complaints They see no wants nor necessities They wonder what makes folk complaine of their condition of their evill heart or of their hazard and danger They understand not these matters 2. Do we not finde people very quiet and at rest though they remaine in the congregation of the dead Pâ—…ov 21 16. They sleep in a sound skinne because they see no hazard The thoughts of their condition never bereave them of one nights rest no challenges have they all is at peace with them for the strong man keeps the house 3. How rare is it to finde people exercised about this matter and busied with it in their thoughts either while alone or while in company with others or once seriously thinking and considering of it yea or so much as suspecting the matter 4 How rare is it to see any soul brocken in heart and humbled because of this who is walking under this as under a load whose soul is bleeding upon the consideration of this Is there any mourning for this 5 Where is that to be heard Men and brethren what shall we do to be saved How shall we enter into the right way where is that good old way that we may walk in it Few such questions and cases troubling consciences and no wonder for a deep sleep is upon them 6. How cometh it then that the pointing forth of the way is so little hearkened unto Sure were this naturall condition perceived a report of the sure and saise way would be much more welcome then it is Christ by his Messengers would not be put to cry so often in vaine This is the way turne in hither Here is enough to convince of this ignorance and in sensiblenesse but it is his Spirit which convinceth the world of sin Iohn 16. that must beare home this conviction Secondly It pointeth out to us this That the way of man is not in himself Ier. 10 23. That is That nothing he can do can or will prove a way to him to the Father for Christ is the Way as excludeing all other meanes and wayes And that man can do nothing to help himself into the way is cleare for 1. His way is is as darknesse Prov. 4 14. He knoweth no better he is satisfied therewith there he sleepeth and resteth 2. He cannot nor doth not desire to returne He hateth to be reformed 3. Yea he thinketh himself saise no man can convince him of the contrary The way he is in seemeth right to him though the end thereof be death Prov. 14 12. 16 25. 4. Every man hath his owne particular way to which he turneth Esa. 53 6. some one thing or other that he is pleased with and that he thinks will abundantly carry him through and there resteth he and what these ordinaryly are we shall hear presently 5. In this his way which yet is a false way he trusteth Hos. 10 13. he leaneth upon it little knowing that it will faill him at length and that he and his hope and confidence shall perish Is it not strange then to see men and women gaudeing about to seek their way as it is said Ier 2 36. as if they could finde it out or as if they could of themselves fall upon the way What a lamentable sight is it to see people wearying themselves with very lies Ezech. 24 12 and wearyed in the multitude of their owne counsells Esa. 47 15. But what are those false and lying wayes which men weary themselves in and all in vaine which they choose trust into and yet are not the way which will prove saâ—… and sure Answere It will not be easie to reckon them all up we shall name some that are principall and most ordinary such as 1. Good purposes and resolutions with which many deceive themselves supposeing that to be all which is required and alas all their purposes are like to Ephraims goodnesse like the early cloud and morning dew that soon evanisheth their purposes are soon brocken off and soon disappointed because made without counsell Prov. 15 22. Many foolishly rest here that they have a good minde to do better and to amend their wayes and they purpose after such a time or such a time they shall beginne a new manner of life but their purposes never come to any effect and fo at length they and their purposes both perish 2. Some convictions and inward challenges The word now and then pâ—…erceth them so far and â—…ore and sharpe dispensations from the Lord so far affecte their heart that they see it is not well with them and they are made with Saul to cry out I have sinned 1 Sam. 15 24. and they advance no further those convictions either die out againe or work no further change And poor souls they think because at such a sermon or such a Communion they had some such convictions and sharpe challenges therefore they imagine all is well with them when a Iudas may have convictions sharper than ever they had a Felix Act. 24 25. 3. Convictions followed with some sort of amendement Some may dreadfully deceive themselves with this and conclude that all is right with them and that the way they are in is saife sure because they have had convictions which have been so effectuall as to cause them amend many things and become as to many things changed men women when alas their way is but a way of darknesse still it is not Christ they have never come to him Herod hearing Iohn Baptist had his owne convictions and amendements for he did many things Mark 6 20. 4. Many rest upon their outward civility morality or negative holinesse They cannot be challenged for grosse faults and that is all the way they have to rest in alas could not a wicked Phariseâ—… say as much as they viz That he was no extortioner unjust person nor an adulterer nor such as the publicane was Luk. 18 11 How many heathens as to this shall outstripe such as professe themselves Christians and yet they lived and dyed strangers to the right way to happinesse See what that poor young man said Luk. 18 21. 5. Some may win to more then civility and attaine unto a kinde of outward holinesse and outward performance of the duties of religion such as hearing reading prayer communicating and rest there and yet perish for that is but their owne way it is not the right way Had not the foolish virgins lamps and did they not waite with the rest Matt. 25 and will not many say in that day we have eaten and drunken in thy presence and thou hast taught in our streats to whom Christ shall answer I know not whence you are depart from me all ye workers of
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
Him in a day of tryall Confession of Him must be made with the mouth as with the heart we must beleeve Ro. 10 9. Let corruption speak against this what it will because it is alwayes desireous to keep the skinne whole yet reason cannot but say that it is equitable especially seing He hath said that whosoever confesseth Him before men He will confesse them before his Father which is in heaven Mat. 10. 32. And that if we suffer with Him we shall also reigne with Him 2 Tim. 2. 12. Is He our Lord and Master and should we not owne and avouch Him Should we be ashamed of him for any thing that can befall us upon that account What Master would not take that ill at his servants hands Hence then we see that there is nothing in all the conditions on which He offereth Himself to us that can give the least ground in reason why a poor soul should draw back and be unwilling to accept of this noble offer or think that the conditions are hard But there is one maine Objection which may trouble some and that is They cannot beleeve faith being the gift of God it must be wrought in them How then can they goe to God for this and make use of Christ for this end that their souls may be wrought up to a beleeving consenting to the bargan and hearty accepting of the offer To this I would say these things 1. It is true that faith is the gift of God Ephes. 2 8. and that it is He alone who worketh in us both to will to do Phil. 1 29 and none cometh to the son but whom the father draweth Iohn 6 44. and it is a great matter and no small advancement to win to the reall faith and through conviction of this our impotency for thereby the soul will be brought to a greater measure of humiliation and of despaireing of salvation in it self which is no small advantage unto a poor soul that would be saved 2. Though faith be not in our power yet it is our duty Our impotency to performe our duty doth not loose our obligation to the duty so that our not beleeving is our sin and for this God may justly condemne us His wrath abideth on all who beleeve not in his Son Jesus and will not accept of the offer of salvation through the crucified mediator And though faith as all other acts of grace be efficiently the work of the Spirit yet it is formally our work we do beleeve but it is the Spirit that worketh faith in us 3. The ordinary way of the Spirit 's working faith in us is by pressing home the duty upon us whereby we are brought to a despairing in ourselves and to a looking out to Him whose grace alone it is that can work it in the soul for that necessary 〈◊〉 and breathing without which the soul will not come 4. Christ Jesus hath purchased this grace of faith to all the elect as other graces necessary to their salvation and it is promised and convenanted to Him that He shal see his seed and shall see of the travell of his soull Esai 53 10 11. and that by the knowledge of him that is the rationall and understanding act of the soul griping to and laying hold upon Him as he is offered in the gospell many shall be justified Ibid. Hence he sayeth that all whom the father hath given to Him shall come unto Him Ioh. 6 37. and the Apostle tels us that we are blessed with all spiritual blessings in Him Ephes. 1 3. 5. Not only hath Christ purchased this grace of faith and all other graces necessary for the salvation of the elect but God hath committed to Him the administration and actuall dispensation and outgiving of all those graces which the redeemed stand in need of Hence He is a Prince exalted to give repentance and forgivenesse of sinns Act. 5 31. all power in heaven and earth is committed unto him Mat. 28 18 19. Hence He is called the author and finisher of faith Heb. 12 v. 2. and He telleth his disciples Iohn 14 13. 14. That whatever they shall ask in his name He will do it He is made Prince and a Saviour having all judgment committed unto him Iohn 5 22. and He is Lord of all Act. 10 36. Rom. 14 9. 6. Hereupon the sinner being convinced of his lost condition through sin and misery of an utter impossibility of helping himself out of that state of death of Christ's alsufficiency and willingnesse to save all that will come to Him and of its owne inability to beleeve or come to Him for life and salvation or to lay hold on and leane to his merites and satisfaction and so despaireing in himself is to look out to Iesus the author of eternall salvation the foundation and chiefe corner stone the author and finisher of faith I say the sinner being thus convinced is thus to look out to Iesus not that that conviction is any proper qualification prerequisite as necessary either to prepare dispose and fit for faith or far lesse to merite any manner of way or bring on faith But because this is Christ's methode to bring a soul to faith by this conviction to the glory of his grace The soul naturally being averse from Christ and utterly unwilling to accept of that way of salvation must be redacted to that straite that it shal see that it must either accept of this offer or die as the whole needeth not a physitian so Christ is come to save only that which is lost and his method is to convince the world of sin in the first place and then of righteousnesse Iohn 16 8 9. 7. This looking out to Iesus for faith comprehendeth those things 1. The Souls acknowledgement of the necessitie of faith to the end it may partake of Christ and of his merites 2. The souls satisfaction with that way of partaking of Christ by a closeing with Him and a resting upon Him by faith 3. A sense and conviction of the unbeleefe and stubbornnesse of the heart or a seeing of its own impotency yea and unwillingnesse to beleeve 4. A persuasion that Christ can overmaster the infidelity wickednesse of the heart and worke up the soul to a willing consent unto the bargane 5. A hope or a half hope to speak so that Christ who is willing to save all poor sinners that come to Him for salvation and hath said that He will put none away in any case that cometh will have pity upon him at length 6. A resolution to lye at his door till he come with life till He quicken till He unite the soul to Himself 7. A lying open to the breathings of his Spirit by guarding against every thing so far as they can that may grieve or provok Him and waiting on Him in all the ordinances He hath appointed for begetting of faith such as reading the scriptures hearing the word conference with godly persons and prayer
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
our looking long and waiting and asking and labouring and yet seeing no sensible advantage Such and such a beleever sayeth the soul made great progresse in a short time but I come no speed for as long as I have been at this school O! we should beware of limiteing the holy one of Israel Let us be at duty and commit the event to Him 9. It is not a fit time to take the measure of our graces as to their sensible grouth and fruitfulnesse when devils are broken loose upon us temptations are multiplyed corruptions make a great noise and we are meeting with an horrible tempest shaking us on all hands for it will be strong grace that will much appear then It will be a strong faith that will say though He kill me yet will I trust in Him At such a time it will be much if the man keep the ground he hath gained though he make no progress It will be much for a tree to stand and not be blowne out of the ground in the time of a strong and vehement storme of winde though it keep not its flourishes yeeld not fruit The trees which in a cold winter day bear neither leafs nor fruit must not be said to go back nor not to grow because when the spring cometh againe they may revive and be as fruitfull as ever 10. We would not alway measure our graces by what appeareth outwardly for there may be some accidental occurrence that may hinder that and yet grace be at work within doors which few or none can observe The Believer may be in a sweet and gracious frame blushing before the Lord yâ—…a melting in love or taken up with spirituall meditations wondering when as to some externall duties it can finde no present disposition through some accidentall impediment or other so that to some who judge most by out ward appearance no such thing as the active working of grace in life can appeare 11. We would think it no small measure or degree of holinesse to be with singlenessâ—… of heart pursueing it even though it should seem to flee from us to be earnestly panting after it and hungering and thirsting for it Nehemiah thought this no small thing when he said Neh. 1. last O Lord I beseech thee let now thine eare be attentive to the prayer of thy servants who desire to feare thy name 12. Whatever measure of holinesse the beleeveâ—… win to he would take speciall heed that he place no part of his confidence of his being accepted and justified before God in it as if that could come in as any part of the price to satisfy justice but when he hath done all let him call and account himself an unprofitable servant Though beleevers will not be so grosse as to speak thus yet sure their justifying of their holding aback from God because they finde not such a measure of grace and holinesse as they would have looketh too much this way and sayeth that they leane too much hereunto in the matter of the acceptance of their persons before God Now this would be specially guairded against lest their labour be in vaine Objections answered An Objection or two must here also be removed and first some may say That though they have been labouring and striveing and working now for some long time yet they can perceive no advancementâ—… they are as far short as ever Answer 1. Hath it not been found that some have compleaned without cause Have not some complained of their fruitlesnesse and want of grouth that other good Christians would have thought themselves very happy if they had but advanced half so farre as they saw them to have done 2. But be it so as it is alleiged what if the fault be their owne what if the cause of this be that they attempt things in their owne strength leaning to their own understanding or habites of grace or meanes c. and that they do not go about duties with that single dependence on Christ that is requisite nor do they suck life strength and sap from Him by faith through the promises nor give themselvs up to Him by faith that He may worke in them both to will and to do Should not this be seen mourned for and helped 3 If all this shortcoming and disappointment cause them lye in the dust and humble themselves more and more before the Lord the grace of humility is growing and that is no small advantage to be growing downward 4. Withall they would do well to hold on in duty looking to Christ for help and rolling all difficulties on Him give themselves away to Him as their Head and Lord and so continue their life of faith or their consenting to let Christ live in them by faith or work in them by his Spirit what is welpleasing in his sight and waite for the blessing and fruit in God's own time Next it will be Objected Though we might wait thus yet how unedifying are we unto others when there appeareth no fruit of the spirit of grace 〈◊〉 Answer A Christian behaviour and deportment under the sence of fruitlesnesse expressing an holy submission of soul unto God as Soveraigne much humility of minde before Him justifying of God and taking guilt to themselves with a firme resolution to waite on patiently in the use of meanes appointed cannot but be edifying to Christian soules such exercises being really the works and fruit of the Spirit of grace working within But thirdly Some may say How are then the promises of the covenant made good Answere 1. The same measure of sanctification and holinesse is not promised to all 2. No great measure is promised to any absolutly So much indeed is secured to all beleevers as shall carry them to heaven as without which they cannot see God but much as to the degrees depends on our performing through faith the conditions requisite to wit on condition of our abideing in the vine of our acting faith on Him c. and when these the like conditions are not faithfully performed by us what can we exspect So the Lord hath appointed a way wherein He will be found and will have us to waite for strength and influence from Him and if we neglect those meanes which He hath appointed how can we exspect the good which He hath promised in the use of these means 3. The Lord hath his owne time of making good all his promises and we must not limite Him to a day 4. Hereby the Lord may be trying and exerciseing thy Faith Patience Hope Dependence Submission Diligence c. and if these be in thee and abound they shall make that thou shall neither be barren noâ—… unfruitfull in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ 2. Pet. 1 11. But lastly it will be enquired what can support the beleeving soul in this case Answere 1. The consideration and saith of the covenant of Redemption wherein both the Fathers engadgment to the Son and the Sons engadgment to the Father secureth
Him who is the Truth 5. They have none to go to for help and light in the day of their darknesse confusion and perplexity for they are not reconciled unto the Truth which alone can prove steadable and comfortable in that day 6. They can do nothing to helpe themselves out of that state of darknesse and ignorance and whatever they do to helpe themselves shall but increase their darknesse and misery because there is no truth there and Truth even the Truth alone can dispell these clouds of errour mistakes ignorance c. Secondly Hence we see the happy and blessed condition of beleevers who have imbraced this Truth and gotten their souls opened to Him who is the Truth for 1. They are in part delivered from that masse of lies mistakes misapprehensions errours deceitfulnesse and ignorance under which they lay formerly and all the unregenerate do yet lye and though they be not fully delivered therefrom yet the day is comeing when that shall be and the begun work of grace and truth in them is a certane pledge thereof and at present they have ground to beleeve that that evil shall not againe have dominion over them they being now under grace and under the guidance of Truth 2. Howbeit they have many perplexing thoughts doubts and feares of their state and condition and think many a time that they shall one day or other perish by the way and all their hopes and confidence shall evaniâ—…h yet having given up themselves to Truth and to the Truth they shall not be disappointed in end The Truth shall land them saife on the other side The Truth shall prove no lie 3. They have a fast and steadable friend to go to in a day of darknesse clouds doubts when falshood and lies are like to prevail even the Truth who alone can help them in that day 4. Howbeit the knowledge they have of God and of the mysteries of the gospell be but small yet that small measure being taught by Him who is the Truth and flowing from Truth shall prove sanctifying and saving 5. They have ground to hope for more freedome from errours and deceitfull lies than others for they have chosen the way of truth and given themselves up to the leading of Truth Object But do not even such drink-in and receive and plead for errours as well as others and is it not sometime found that they even live and die in some mistakes and errours Answere I grant the Lord may suffer even some of his own to fall into and to continue for some time in errors yea and it may be all their dayes as to some errours that hereby all may learne to tremble and feare and to work out their salvation with fear and trembling 2. Some may be tryed thereby Dan. 11 35. 3. Others may break their neck thereupon 4. To punish themselves for not making that use of Truth and of the Truth that they should have done yet we would consider these few things 1. That there are many moe unregenerat persons that fall into errour 2. If his people fall into errour at any time they do not alwayes continue therein to the end God for his own glory maketh some time or other truth shine in upon their soul which discovereth that mistake and presently the grace of God in their soul maketh them to abhore the same 3 Or if some continue in it to their dieing day yet they repent of it by an implicite repentance as they do of other unknown and unseen evils that lye in their soul so that that errour doth not destroy their soul. 4 There are some grosse errours which a regenerat soul cannot readyly imbrace or if through a mistake or the power of a temptation they do imbrace them yet they cannot heartyly close with them whatever for a time through corruption and pride they may seem outwardly to do and that because the very dayly exercise of grace will discover them and so they will be found to be against their dayly experience as some opinions of the Papists Arminians and Socinians together with the abominable Quakers which a gracious soul when not carryed away with the torrent of corruption and with the tempest of a temptation cannot but observe to contradict the dayly workings of grace in their soul and the motions of their sanctified soul in prayer and other holy dutyes and so such as they cannot but finde to be false by their own experience Thirdly Here is ground of a sharpe reproof of the wicked who continue in unbeleef and I Will not beleeve nor give any credite to his promises wherewith He seeketh to allure poor souls to come to Him for life 2 Nor will they beleeve His threatnings wherewith He useth to alarme souls and to pouse them forward to their duty 3 Nor will they beleeve and receive His offers as true 4 Nor will they beleeve that He is the true Prophet Priest and king that must save souls from hell and death and therefore they will not give Him imployment in his offices All which cannot but be an high provocation for in effect it is to say that He is not the Truth nor worthy to be beleeved Let them consider this and â—…ee how they think he shall take this off their hands No man will take it well that another should either call or account Him a liar and can they think that Christ shall take it well at their hands to be accounted by them a liar What will they think to be challenged for this in the great day Now the truth is all unbeleevers as they make God a liar o horrid and abominable crime Whose haire would not stand on end to hear this 1 Iohn 5 10 11 He that beleeveth not God hath made him a liar because he beleeveth not the record that God gave of his Son and this is the record that God hath given to us eternall life and this life is in his Son So do they make the Son of God a liar in all his sayings in all his Offices and in all his works And they make the holy ghost a liar in not beleeving that truth that He hath sealed as a firme truth They make the covenant of surtyshipe betwixt the Father and the Son a mere lie and a forgery o dreadfull They make the word of truth a lie and they make all the saints liars and all the officers of Iesus Christ who declare this truth and the saints who beleeve it and test upon it liars Fourthly Hence is there ground of reproof to the godly in that 1. They do not firmely enough beleeve his sayings neither his promises nor his threatnings as appeareth too oft upon the one hand by their faintings and feares and upon the other hand by their carelesnesse and loose walk 2. They make not use of Him in all cases as they ought his offices lye by and are not improven noâ—… is He gone to as the Truth in cases requireing his helpe as the Truth that is
against God and enmity through wickednesse naturally resideing there and which the Prince of the powers of the aire the Spirit that worketh in the children of disobediance increaseth and stirreth up 2. That this evil is not totally taken away even in the godly but helped only in pairt for they see and know but in pairt 1 Cor. 13 vers 13. 3. That hence it cometh to passe that through the working of corruption the soul of a beleever can sometime win to no right thought of God at all or at best to some very narrow and unsutable conceptions of Him and his wayes yea sometimes all the thoughts that they can get of God are vaine and idle if not misshapen and blasphemous 4. That as we are we cannot see God for no man hath seen Him Mat. 11 27. Iohn 4 46. for He is an invisible God 1 Tim. 1. 17. Heb. 11 27. He dwelleth in light which no man can approach unto Him no man hath seen nor can see 1 Tim. 6 16. 1 Iohn 4 12. 5. That all that knowledge of God which iâ—… saveing is to be found in Christ who is the brightnesse of his glory the expresse image of his person Heb. 1 2. and the image of the invisible God Col. â—… 15. and is for this end come out from the bosome of the Father that He might acquant us with Him and with all his secrets Iohn 1 18. Mat. 11 27. so far as is needful for us to know He is God incarnate that in Him we may see the invisible Thus God is manifest in the flesh 1 Tim. 3 16. and the word was made flesh and dwelt among us Iohn 1 vers 14. 6. That therefore if we would see and know God we must go to Christ who is the temple in which God dwelleth and manifesteth his glory and in and through Him must we see and conceive of God The light that we get of the knowledge of the glory of God must be in the face of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 4 6 that is in the manifestations that Christ hath made of himself in his Natures Offices Ordinances Works Dispensations of grace mediate and immediate c. And thus doth God who commanded the light to shine out of darknesse cause this light of the knowledge of his glory shine into our hearts viz. in the face of Iesus Christ that is in the dispensations of grace in the gospel which is the glorious gospel of Christ 2 Cor. 4 4. and as it were the face of Iesus Christ for as by the face a man is best known and distinguished from others so Christ is visibly discernably and manifestly seen and known in and by the gospel dispensations there are all the lineaments and draughts of the glory of God which we would know lively and clearly to be seen So then if we would make use of Christ for this end that we may win to a right sight of God and suteable conceptions of his glory we would consider those things 1. We would live under the sense and through conviction of the greatnesse and incomprehensiblenesse of God as being every way past finding out and also under the conviction of our own darknesse and incapacitie to conceive aright of Him even as to what He hath revealed of himself 2. We would know that what the works of Creation and Providence declare and preach forth of God though it be sufficient to make Heathens and others that do not improve the same to a right acknowledging of him inexcuseable as Paul teacheth us Rom. 1 20. yet all that is short of giving to us that saving knowledge of Him which must be had and which is life eternal Iohn 17 2. 3. We would know that what of God is to be found-out by the works of creation and providence is more distinctly seen in Christ and in the gospel Here is a greater and more glorious discovery of God and of his glorious attributes his Iustice Power Wisdome Goodnesse Holiness Truth c. than can be found by the deepest diveing naturalist and most wise moral observer of providence that is not taught out of the Gospel 4. Yea there is something of God to be seen in Christ in the gospel which can be observed â—…o none of his works of creation or common providence there is the grace of God that bringeth salvation that is made to appear only by the gospel T it 2 â—…1 and there is a peculiar kindenesse and love of God toward man which is only discovered by Christ in the gospel Tit. 3 4. There is that manifold wisdome of God that mysterie which was hid from the beginning of the world in God that Principalities and powers in heavenly places the greatest and wisest of naturalists must learne by the church wherein that is preached and proclaimed by the dispensations of the gospel Ephes. 3 9 10. His mercy pardoning poor sinners justice being satisfyed can not be cleared by nature Nature cannot unfold that mystery of justice and mercy concurring to the salvation of a sinner only the gospel can cleare that riddle 5. We would remember that all the beames of that glory which are necessary and useful for us to know are to speak so contracted in Christ and there vailed to the end that we may more steadyly look upon them We may go to our Brother who is flesh of our flesh and there through the vaile of his flesh see and behold what otherwayes was invisible as we can look to the sun better shineing in a pale of water than by looking up immediatly so can we behold God and his glory better in Christ where there is a thinne vail to speak so drawne over that otherwise blindeing yea killing glory than by looking to God without Christ for alas we could not endure one glance of an immediat ray of divine glory it would kill us out right 6. We must then go to Christ and there see God for He who seeth Him seeth the Father also Iohn 14 9. Particularly we must go to the face of Iesus Christ that is that whereby He hath made himself known the noble contriveance of the glorious gospel wherein all things are so carryed on as that God is glorified in his Son in the salvation of poor sinners The whole work of salvation is laid on Christ and the Father is glorified in Him who is his servant and his chosen whom He upholdeth and furnisheth for the work Esai 42 1 2. He is called the Covenant it self He is the undertaker in the covenant of Redemption and in the covenant of Grace all is founded on Him all the good things of it are given out by Him all the grace by which we close with it and accept of Him according to it is given by Him Now in this gospel contrivance are all the lines of the glorious face of Christ to be seen and in that face must we see and discerne the glory of God all the rayes of which are centred in Christ and there will
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.
And through Him the sting of death which is sin is taken away 1 Cor. 15 56 57. 3. He reconcileth to God taking away that distance and enmity 2 Cor. 5 20. and so He is our peace and peace-maker purchaseing accesse to us to the Father Ephes. 2 14 16. 3 12. 4. He also delivereth from the power of sin and corruption Rom. 7 24. 5. And from all those spiritual stroakes such as blindnesse hardness of heart c for He is our light and hath procured a new heart for us even â—…n heart of flesh 6. So delivereth He from hell fire having satisfied justice and having brought life and immortality to light And He giveth life eternal as â—…e see Rev. 2. 3. Oh! it is sad that Christ is so little made use 〈◊〉 and that so many will forsake the fountaine of â—…wing waters and dig to themselves brocken cisteâ—…s that can hold no water and slight despise â—…d undervalue the gospel of Christ which bringeth life and immortality to light Oh! if the consideration of this could move â—…ch as never found any change in themselves to â—…to and make use of Jesus Christ for life and would for this end 1. Cry to Him that He would make them â—…ensible of their deadnesse and waken them out of their deep sleep 2. Cry to Him to set them a work to renunce â—…ll other helpe beside his as being utterly unable â—…o quicken and put life in them 3. Cry to Him that He would draw and determine their souls to a closeing with Him by faith â—…lone to a hearing of his voice to an obeying â—…f his call to a following of his direction to a giving up of themselves to Him leaning to Him â—…d waiting for all from Him alone in a word to â—…ake Him for their life in all points and to leane â—…o Him for life and to expect it from Him through â—…th in the promises of the gospel Next This being spoken to the disciples whom â—…e suppose to have been beleevers it will give us â—…round to speak of it in reference to beleevers and 〈◊〉 yeeld three points of truth which we shall briefly â—…ch and then come to speak of use-making of â—…hrist as the Life in some particular cases First It is here clearly presupposed that even beleevers have need of Christ to be life unto them so have their fits of deadnesse If it were not so why would Christ have said to beleevers that He was life And daylie experience doth abundantly confirme it For 1. They are oft so weak and unable to resist temptation or to go about any commanded duty as if they were quite dead 2. They are oft so borne down with discouragement because of the strength of opposition which they meet with on all hands and because of the manifold disappointments which they meet with that they have neither heart nor hand and they faint and sit up in the wayes of the Lord and cannot go thorow difficulties but oftimâ—… lye by 3. Through daylie fighting and seeing no victory they become weary and faint hearted so that they lie by as dead Esai 40 29. 4. They oft fall sick and decay and have need of restauration and quickning 5. The want of the sense of God's favour and 〈◊〉 the comforts of the holy ghost maketh them 〈◊〉 dwine and droup and look out as dead 6. While under soul desertions upon one account or other they look upon themselves as fâ—… among the dead that is as dead men of the society of the dead with Heman Psal. 88. 7. Yea many times they are as dead men â—…d captive in chaines of unbeleef and corrupâ—…ons as we see David was when his heaâ—… panted and his strength failed him and 〈◊〉 light of his eyes was gone from him Psal. 38 10. 8. Many times the frequent changes and ups and downs they meet with take all courage and heart from them that they become like men tossed at sea so as they have no more strength And many such things befall them which make them look as dead and to stand in need of quickening reviveing and strengthening cordialls from Him who is the Life And thus the Lord thinketh good to dispense with his owne people 1. That they may be keeped humble and know themselves to be indigent creatures needing influences of life daylie 2. That they may have many errands to Him who is the Life and have much to do with Him and depend upon Him continually 3. That He may shew himself wonderful in and about them giving proof of His skill in quickening the dead and in bringing such thorow unto everlasting life who were daylie as it were giving up the ghost and at the point of death 4. That heaven may be heaven that is a place where the weary are at rest Iob. 3 17. and the troubled rest 2 Thes. 1 7. And where the inhabitants shall not say they are sick Esai 33 vers 24. 5. That they may be taught more the life of faith and of dependence on Him and trained up in that way 6. That He may be owned acknowledged and submitted unto as a Soveraigne God doing what He will in heaven and in earth For all this there is no cause that any should take up any prejudice at christianity for for all this their life is sure and the outgate is sure and saife Nor would they think it strange to see beleevers oft mourning and drouping seing their case will oft call for new supplies of life Their fits are not known to every one nor doth every one know what lyeth sometime at their heart Nor would they think it such an easie matter to win to heaven as they imagine and so deceive themselves The righteous are saved through many deaths And as for beleevers They would not think it strange to meet with such fits of deadnesse nor thence conclude that all their former work was but delusion and that they are still into the state of nature But rather observe the wisdome faithfulnesse and power of God in bringing their brocken shipe thorow so much brocken water yea and ship wracks and his goodnesse in ordering matters so as they shall be keeped humble watchful diligent and constant in dependence upon Him who is and must be their life first and last And hence learne a necessitie of living alwayes neare to Christ and depending constantly upon Him by faith for he being their life they cannot be without Him but they must die and decay Secondly We hence learne That under all these fits of deadnesse to which his people are subject nothing without Christ will helpe Not 1. All their paines in and about ordinary meanes prayer reading hearing meditation conference c. They will all cry out that help is not in them for He is the Life 2. Nor extraordinary duties Such as fasting and prayer and vowes these will never revive quicken a drouping or fainting sickly soul for they are not Christ nor the Life 3. Nor will
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
they invite Satan to set on and he is vigilant enough and knoweth how to take his advantage and to improve his opportunity 3. In giving way to leazinesse and not stirring up themselves as we see in the Bride Cant. 3 1. 5 3. When they stirre not up the grace of God which is in them how can they belively If grace be laid by it will contract rust The best way to keep grace lively is to keep it in exercise how little so ever it be 4. By their rashnesse walking without feare as is to be observed in Peter wheâ—… he slipped so foulely When through their want of circumspection they precipitate themselves into danger and cast themselves among their enemies hands is it any wondeâ—… that it goe not with them as they would and that they provock God to leave them to themselves that they may know what they are and learne afterward not to tempte the Lord and to walk more circumspectly 5. By leaning too much to their attainements and not looking out for new influences of grace and life Hereby they provock God to let them know to their expences that for as great a length as they are come they must live by faith and be quickened by new influences from the Spirit of life 6. So they may wronge themselves through their ignorance of Christ and of the way of makeing use of Him and if they through unacquantednesse with Christ and the right way of improveing the fulnesse that is in Him misse the fruit and advantage which otherwise they might have they can only blame themselves 7. They may also prejudge themselves by their self love self esteem self seeking self pleasing c. which piece and piece will draw them off Christ and cause them forget the way of sucking life from Him who is the fountaine of life 8. When they give way to small sins they open a door for greater and they lose thereby their tendernesse and so provock the Lord to withdraw and this is another way whereby they prejudge themselves of that benefite of livelinesse which they might otherwise have 9. So also by wordly mindednesse which alienateth their minde from God and. 10. By their impatience and fretâ—…ing and repineing against God and his wiâ—…e dispensations they also prejudge and wrong themselves for while they are in that mood they can not with â—…e composednesse of Spirit go to Christ and draw life from Him through faith Obj. 3. But is there not even some of those who are most tender that compleane of their deadnesse and shortcomings Ans. 1. It may be that they complaine without cause that they have more cause of rejoyceing and of blessing the Lord for what He hath done to them than of complaineing 2ly Their complaineing will not prove the want of life but the contrare rather for when they complaine most they must be most sensible if their complaints be real and not meerly for afashion and sense is a manifest evidence of life 3ly It would be remembered that the Lord can make their failings and shortcomings contribute to the furthering of their life as we see it did in Peter 4ly It would also be remembered that Christ doth not distribute and give out of this life to all his members and followers in a like measure but to some more and to others lesse according as He seeth it meet and convenient both for his own glory and their good He hath more service for some than for others and some He will imploy in greater and more difficult work which will call for more life and others He will imploy in common work which will not call for such an eminent degree of life 5ly And upon the same account He may think it good to give to the same person a larger measure of grace at one time than at another 6ly And that for wise reasons and noble ends as 1. That all may see how absolute He is in his dispensations a Soveraigne that doth with his owne what He will and will not give an account of any of his wayes or communications to us 2. That we may learne submission and quietly to stoup before Him whatever measure He be pleased to dispense towards us 3. That we may learne to depend upon Him more closely all alongs and in all our wayes to acknowledge Him 4. That we may learne to exercise patience which must have its perfect work in waiting upon Him as a great king This is his glory and itis the testifying of our homage to Him 5. He will traine us up so as to be welcontented and satisfied if He bring us home at length though not with such a convey of the graces of his Spirit as we would wish 6. That we may see and read our dayly obligation to Christ our life and the dayly need we have of his keeping our life in by fresh gaâ—…ls of his Spirit and new heavenly influences 7. And that getting new proofs of his kindnesse â—…nd faithfulnesse we may give Him new songs of praise daylie and so expresse our thankfulnesse to Him which will tend to set forth his glory Eightly This may point out unto beleevers several duties to which they are called we shall name some few of many as 1. That they should rejoyce and be comforted in the thoughts of this that they have such a compleet Mediator one that is throughly furnished and made all things for them not only the Way and the Truâ—…h but the Life also 2. The thoughts of this should also stirre up to wondering at the wisdome graciousnesse and goodnesse of God to thankfulnesse for providing such an alsufficient way for them 3. This should also encourage them under all temptations faintings backsets and fits of deadness that they fall into that there is one who is the Life and that He whom their soul hath chosen is the Life and so fully able to quicken and enliven them 4. This should teach them humility and not to be proud of any thing they have or do for it is He who is the Life who keepeth them in life and helpeth them to any duty yea it is life that worketh all in them 5. And likewise it should teach them to acknowledge Him to whom they are obliged for any thing they do for any life they have or any acts or frutes of life that appeare in them and to be thankful to Him therefore 6. And mainly They should here read their obligation and duty to improve this advantage and to draw life out of this fountaine and so live by this life act and do all in and through this life and so be quickened by this life in all their fits of deadnesse and for this cause would keep those things in minde 1. That they should live in a constant conviction of their own weaknesse deadnesse and inability to do any acts of life of themselves and far lesse to recover themselves out of any distemper and fit of deadnesse which they fall into 2.
That they should live in the faith of this That there is life enough in Him who is the Life to do their businesse They should be perswaded of His alsufficiency 3. That He is not only an alsufficient deliverer able to deliver a soul that is as it were rotting in the grave and to cause the dead to heare his voice and live but also most willing and ready to answere them in all their necessities according to wisdome and as He seeth it is for his glory and their souls advantage The faith of this is necessary and will be very encourageing 4. That they should go to Him how dead-like so ever their condition be and by faith roll their dead case upon Him who is the Life 5. That they should pray upon the promises of grace and influence even out of the belly of hell or of the grave with Ionah Cap. 2 2. for He is faithful and true and tender hearted and will heare and give a good answer at length 6. That in the exercise of faith and prayer they should waite with patience till He be pleased to come and breath upon the dry bones and till the â—…un of righteousnesse arise on their souls with healing 〈◊〉 his wings But of this more particularly in the following cases which now we come to speak a little unto of purpose to cleare up more fully how the beleever is to make use of Christ as the Life when he is under some one distemper or other that calleth foâ—… life and quickening from Christ the Life We cannot handle distinctly all the particular cases which may be brought under this head it will suffâ—… for clearing of this great duty to speak to some few CHAP. XXI How to make use of Christ as the Life whâ—… the beleever is so sitten-up in the wayes of God that he can do nothing SOmetimes the beleever is under such a distemper of weaknesse and deadnesse that there is almost no commanded duty that he can go about his heart and all is so dead that he cannot so much as groan under that deadnesse Yea he may be undâ—… such a decay that little or no difference will be observed betwixt him and others that are yet in nature and be not only unable to go actively and livelily about commanded duties yea or to 〈◊〉 astle from under that deadnesse but also be so dead that he shall scarce have any effectual desirâ—… or longing to be out of that condition Now in speaking to the use making of Christ foâ—… quickening in this dead case we shall do thoâ—… things 1. For clearing of the case we shall shew how probably it is brought on 2. How Christ is life to the soul in such a case as this 3. How the beleever is to make use of Christ for life in this case and 4. Further cleare the matter by answering a question or two As to the first Such a distemper as this may be brought upon the soul 1. Through some strong and violent temptation from without meeting with some evil disposition of the heart within and so surprizeing overpowering the poor soul as we see in David Peter 2. Through the cunning and slight of Satan stealing the beleever that is not watchful enough insensibly off his feet and singing him asleep by degrees 3. Through carelesnesse in not adverting at first to the beginnings and first degrees of this deadnesse and upsiting when the heart beginneth to grow formal and superficial in duties and to be satisfied with a perfunctorious performance without life and sense 4. Through thortureing of conscience in light â—…nd smaller matters for this may provock God to â—…et conscience fall a sleep so the soul shall become more untender and scruple little at length at greater matters and thus deadnesse may come to an hieght God ordering it so for a further punishment to them for their untendernesse and uncircumspectnesse 5. Through their not stirring up themselves and shaking off that Spirit of lazinesse and drousinesse when it first ceaseth upon them but with the sluggard yet another slumber another sleep and a folding of the hands to sleep 6. Continuing in some known sin and not repenting of it may bring on this distemper as may be observed in David As to the Second particular Christ is life to the soul in this case in that 1. He keepeth possession of the soul for the seed remaineth the root abideth fast in the ground there is life still at the heart though the man make no motion like one in a deep sleep or in a swoon yet life is not away 2ly He is due time awakeneth and rouzeth up the soul so recovereth it out of that condition by one meane or other either by some alarme of judgment and terror as He did David or dispensation of mercy and tenderness as He did Peter And usually He recovereth the soul 1. By discovering something of this condition by giving so much sense and knowledg and senâ—…ing so much light as will let the soul see that it 〈◊〉 not well and that it is under that distemper of lifelesness 2. By discovering the dreadfulness of such a condition and how hazardous it is to countinue therein 3. By puting the soul in minde that He 〈◊〉 the Life and the resurrection and through thâ—… stirring up of grace airting the soul to look to Him for quickening and outgate 4. By raseing up the soul at length out of that drouziness and sluggish folding of the hands to sleep and out of that deep security and putting it into a more lively vigilent and active frame As to the Third The beleever that would make use of Christ for a recovery out of this condition would minde those duties 1. He would look to Christ as the light of Men and the enlightner of the blinde to the end he may get a better and a more through discovery of of his condition for it is halfe health here to be sensible of this disease The soul that is once brought to sense is halfe recovered of this feaver and lethargie 2. He would eye Christ as God able to cause the dead and dry bones to live as Ezech. 37. and this will keep from despondency and despaire yea it will make the poor beleever conceive hope when he seeth that his physitian is God to whom nothing is impossible 3. He would look to Him also as Head and Husband an Life to the poor soul that adhereth to Him and this will strengthen his hope expectation for he will see that Christ is ingadged to speak so in point of honour to quicken a poor dead and lifeless member for the life in the head is for the good of the whole body and of every member of the body that is not quite cut off and the good that is in the husband is forthcoming foâ—… the reliefe of the poor wife that hath not yet gotten a bill of divorce And Christ being Life the Life he must be appointed for the
the Father will not say Him nay why then may I not lift up my head in hope and sing in the hope of the glory of God 〈◊〉 the midst of all my discouragements 7. By faith they would cast all their discouragements entanglements and difficulties as burdens too heavy for their back on Christ and â—…eave them there with Him who only can remove them and withal resolve never to give over but â—…o go forward in his strength and thus become dayly â—…ronger and stronger in resolutions purposes desires and endeavours when they can do no â—…ore 8. They would look to Jesus the author and â—…isher of faith and set Him before them as a copie â—…f courage who for the joy that was set before Him â—…dured the crosse despiseing the shame and enâ—…red contradiction of sinners against himself Heb. 12 2 3. and this may prove a meane to keep us â—…om wearrying and fainting in our mindes as the â—…postle hinteth there 9. They would remember that Christ going â—…fore as the Captaine of salvation hath brocken â—…e yee to them and the force and strength of all â—…ose discouragements as we did lately show so â—…at now they should be looked upon as brocken â—…owerlesse discouragements 10. They would fix their eye by faith on Iesus as â—…ly able to do their businesse to beare up their â—…ad to carry them thorow discouragements to â—…ply cordials to their fainting hearts and remaine â—…red in that posture and resolution looking for â—…rengthening and encourageing-life from Him â—…om Him alone and thus declare that 1. They â—…e unable in themselves to stand-out such storms of discouragements and to wreastle thorow such difficulties 2. They beleeve He is only able to beare them up and carry them thorow make them to despise all those discouragements which the Devil and their own evil hearts muster up against them 3. That come what will come they will not quite the bargane they will never recal or take back their subscription and consent to the covenant of grace and to Christ as theirs offered therein though they should die and die againe by the way 4. That they would faine be keeped-on in the way and helped forward without failing and fainting by the way 5. That they cannot run thorow hard wals they cannot do impossibilities they cannot break thorow such mighty discouragements 6. That yet through Him they can dâ—… all things 7. That He must helpe or they 〈◊〉 gone and shall never win thorow all these difficulties and discouragements but shall one day or other die by the hand of Saul 8. That they wilâ—… waite earnestly seeking helpe from Him crying for it and looking for it and resolve never â—… give over and if they be disappointed 〈◊〉 aâ—… disappointed Now for the last particular The word of caâ—…tion Take these 1. They would not think to be altogether 〈◊〉 of fainting for there is no perfection here anâ—… there is much flesh and corruption remaining 〈◊〉 that will occasion fainting 2. Nor would they think to be free of all 〈◊〉 causes and occasions of this fainting viz the discouragements formerly mentioned or the like for if the devil can do any thing he will work discouragements both within and without So that they would lay their resolution to meet with discouragaments for few or none ever went to heaven but they had many a storme in their face and they must not think to have a way paved for themselves alone 3. They would not pore too much nor dwell too long and too much upon the thoughts of those discouragements for that is Satans advantage tendeth to weaken themselves But it were better to be looking beyond them as Christ did Heb. 12 2. when he had the crosse and the shame to wreastle with He looked to the joy that was set before Him and that made Him endure the crosse and despise the shame and as Moses did Heb. 11 25 26 27. when he had afflictions and the wrath of the King to wreastle against He had respect unto the recompence of the reward and so he endured as seeing Him who is invisible 4. They would remember that as Christ hath tender bowells and is full of compassion and is both ready able to helpe them so is He wise knoweth how to let-out his mercies best He is not like a foolish affectionat mother that would hazarde the life of the childe before she put the childe to any paine He seeth what is best for his owne glory and for their good here and hereafter that He will do with much tendernesse readinesse 5. They would look upon it as no mean mercy if notwithstanding of all the discouragements and stormes that blow in their face they are helped to keep their face up the hill are fixed in this resolution never willingly to turne their back upon the way of God but to continue creeping forward as they may whatever stormes they meet with yea upon this account ought they heartily to blesse his name and to rejoyce for their hearts shall live that seek Him Psal. 22 26. 6. They would remember for their encouragement that as many have been helped thorow all discouragements have been brought home at length so may they be brought thorow all those stormes which now they wreastle with It is the glory of the Mediator to bring his brocken torne sincking vessels saife to shore Now I come to a third case that is CHAP. XXIII How to make use of Christ as the Life when the soul is dead as to duty SOmetime the beleever will be under such â—… distemper as that he will be as unfit unable for dischargeing of any commanded duty as a dead man or one in a swoon is to work or go a journay it were good to know how Christ should be made use of as the Life to the end the diseased soul may be delivered from this for this cause we shall consider those foure things 1. See what are the several steps degrees of this distemper 2. Consider whence it cometh or what are the causes or occasions thereof 3. Consider how Christ is life to the soul in such a dead case 4. Point out the way of the souls usemaking of Christ that would be delivered herefrom As to the first This distemper cometh-on by several steps degrees it will be sufficient to mention some of the maine most remarkable steps such as 1. There is a falling from our watchfulnesse tendernesse when we leave our watchtour we invite encourage Satan to set upon us as was said before 2. There is going about duty but in a lazie way when we love seek after carnal ease and seek out wayes of doing the duty so as may be least troublesome to the flesh as the Spouse did Cant. 3 1. when she sought her beloved upon her bed 3. There is a lying by not stirring up ourselves to an active way of going about duty
Him till He should be pleased to come to them with salvation And who can tell how soon He may come But enough of this there is a Fourth case of deadnesse to be spoken to and that is this CHAP. XXIV How shall the soul make use of Christ as the life which is under the prevailing power of unbeleef infidelity THat we may helpe to give some clearing to a poor soul in this case we shall 1. See what are the several steps and degrees of this distemper 2. Consider what the causes hereof are 3. Shew how Christ is life to a soul in such a case and 4. Give some directions how a soul in that case should make use of Christ as the Life to the end it may be delivered therefrom And first There are many several steps to and degrees of this distemper we shall mention a few as 1. When they cannot come with confidence and draw ouâ—… of Him by faith what their souls case calleth for they cannot with joy draw waters out of the wels of salvation Esai 12 3. But keep at a distance and intertaine jealous thoughts of Him this is a degree of unbeleefe making way for more 2. When they cannot confidently assert and avow their interest in Him as the Church did Esai â—…2 2. saying Behold God is my salvation I will trust and not be afraâ—…ed for the Lord Ie hovah is my strength my song He also is become my salvation 3. when they much question if ever they have indeed laid hold on Christ and so cannot go to Him for the supply of their wants and necessities 4. When moreover they question if they be allowed of God and warranted to come to Him and lay hold upon Him yea and they think they have many arguments whereby to maintaine this their unbeleefe and justify their keeping aback from Christ. 5. Or when if they look to Him at all it is with much mixture of faithlesse fears that they shall not be the better or at least doubting whether it shall be to their advantage or not 6. This unbeleef will advance further and they may come to that not only to conclude that they have no part or portion in Him but also to conclude that their case is desperat and irremediable and so say there is no more hope they are cut off for their part as Ezech. 37 11. and so lye by as dead and forelorne 7. Yea they may come higher and vent some desperat thoughts and expressions of God to the great scandal of the godly and to the dishonour of God 8. And yet more they may come that length to question all the promises and cry out with David in his haste Psal. 116 11. that all men are liars 9. Yea they may come to this to account the whole gospel to be nothing but a heap of delusions and a cunningly devised fable or but mere notions and fancies 10. And at length come to question if there be a God that ruleth in the Earth These are dreadful degrees and steps of this horrid distemper and enough to make all flesh tremble Let us see next whence this cometh The causes hereof we may reduce to three heads First The holy Lord hath a holy hand in this and hath noble ends and designes before Him in this matter as 1. The Lord may think good to order matters thus that He may magnifie his power and grace in reseueing such as were returned to the very brinke of hell and seemed to many to be lost and irrecoverably gone 2. Thaâ—… in punishing them thus for giving way to the first motions of unbeleefe he might warne all to guaird against such an evil and not to foster and give way to groundlesse complaints nor intertaine objections moved against their condition by the devil 3. To warne all to walk circumspectly and to worke-out their salvation with fear and trembling not knowing what may befal them ere they die 4. To teach all to walk humbly not knowing what advantage Satan may get of them ere all be done and to see their dayly need of Christ to strenthen their faith and to keep their grips of Him fast 5. So the Lord may think good to dispense so with some that he may give a full proof of his wonderfully great patience and longanimity in bearing with such and that so long 6. As also to demonstrate his Soveraignity in measureing out his dispensations to his own as he seeth will most glorifie himself Next Satan hath an active hand in this for 1. He raiseth clouds and mists in the believer so that he cannot see the work of God within himself and so is made to cry out that he hath no grace and that all was but delusions and imaginations which he looked upon as grace before 2. He raiseth up in them jealousies of God and of all his wayes and puts a false glosse and construction on all which God doth to the end he may confirme them in their jealousies which they have drunk in of God 3. Having gained this ground he worketh then upon their corruption with very great advantage and thus driveth them from evil to worse and not only to question their present interest in Christ but also to quite all hope for the time to come 4. This being done he driveth the soul yet further and filleth it with prejudices against God his glorious truthes and from this he can easily bring them to call all in question 5. Yea he will represent God as an enemy to them and when this is done how easie is it with him to put them on desperat courses and cause them speak wickedly and desperatly of God 6. And when this is done he can easily darken the understanding that the poor soul shall not see the glory of the gospel and of the covenant of grace nor the lustre and beauty of holinesse yea and raise prejudices against the same because there is no hope of partaking of the benefite thereof and so bring them on to a plaine questioning of all as â—…eer delusions 7. And when he hath gotten them brought this length he hath faire advantage to make them question if there be a God and so drive them forward to Atheisme And thus deceitfully he can carry the soul from one step to another But thirdly There are many sinful causes of this within the man self as 1. Pride and haughtinesse of minde as thinking their mountain standeth so strong that it cannot be moved and this provoketh God to hide his face as Psal. 30. 2. Self confidence a concomitant of pride supposing themselves to be so well rooted that they cannot be shaken whileas it were better for them to walk in feare 3. Want of watchfulnesse over a deceitful heart and an evil heart of unbeleef that is still departing from the living God Heb. 3 12. It is good to be jealous here 4. Giving way to doubtings and questionings too readyly at first It is not good to tempt the Lord by
parlying too much and too readyly with Satan Eva's practice might be a warning sufficient to us 5. Not living in the sight of their wants and of their dayly necessity of Christ nor acting faith upon Him dayly for the supplying of their wants and when faith is not used it may contract rust and be weakned and come at length not to be discerâ—…ed 6. Intertaining of jealous thoughts of God and harkening too readyly to any thing that foster and increase or confirme these 7. Not delighting themselves in and with pleasure dwelling on the thoughts of Christ of his offices of the gospel and promises so that these come at length to lose their beauty and glory in the soul and have not the lustre that once they had and this doth open a door to much mischiefe 8. In a word not walking with God according to the gospel provoketh the Lord to give them up to themselves for a time We come now to the Third particular which is to show How Chist is life to the poor soul in this case And for the clearing of this consider 1. That Christ is the author and finisher of faith Heb 12 2. and so as He did rebuke unbeleef at the first he can rebuke it againe 2. That He is the great Prophet clearing up the gospel and every thing that is necessary for us to know bringing life and immortality to light by the gospel 2 Tim. 1 11. and so manifesting the lustre and beauty of the gospel 3. He bringeth the promises home to the soul in their reality excellency and truth being the faithful witness and the Amen Revel 3 14. and the confirmer of the promises so that they are all yea and Amen in him 2 Cor. 1 20. And this serveth to establish the soul in the faith and to shoot-out thoughts of unbeleefe 4. So doth He by his Spirit dispel the mists clouds which Satan through unbeleef had raised in the soul. 5. And thereby also rebuketh those mistakes of God and prejudices at Him and his wayes which Satan hath wrought there through corruption 6. He discovereth himself to be a ready help in time of trouble the hope and anchor of salvation Heb. 6 19 and a Priest living for ever to make intercession for poor sinners Heb. 7 25. 7. And hereby he cleareth up to the poor soul a possibility of helpe and reliefe and thus rebuketh dispaire or preventeth it 8. He manifesteth himself to be the maâ—…ow and substance of the gospel and this maketh every line thereof pleasant and beautiful to the soul and so freeth them from the prejudices that they had at it 2. So in manifesting himself in the gospel he revealeth the Father that the soul cometh to the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 4 6. and this saveth the soul from atheisme 10. When the soul cannot grippe Him nor look to Him yet He can look to the soul and by his look quicken and revive the soul and warme the heart with love to Him and at length move and incline it sweetly to open to Him And thus grippe and hold fast a lost sheep yea and bring it home againe But what should a soul do in such a case To this which is the Fourth particular to be spoken to I answere 1. They would strive against those evils formerly mentioned which procured or occasioned this distemper a stop should be put to these malignant humors 2. They would be careful to lay againe the foundation of solide knowledge of God and of his glorious truthes revealed in the gospel and labour for the faith of God's truth and veracity for till this be nothing can be right in the soul. 3. They would be throughly convinced of the treacherie deceitfulnesse and wickednesse of their hearts that they may see it is not worthie to be trusted and that they may be jealous of it and not hearken so readyly to it as they have done especially seing Satan can prompt it to speak for his advantage 4. They would remember also that it is divine helpe that can recover them and cause them grippe to the promises and lay hold on them of new againe as well as at the first and that of themselves they can do nothing 5. In useing of the meanes for the recovery of life they would eye Christ and because this eyeing of Christ is faith and their disease lyeth most there they would do as the Israelits did who were stung in the eye with the serpents they looked to the brazen serpent with the wounded and stung eye so would they do with a sickly and almost dead faith grip Him and with an eye almost put out and made blinde look to Him knowing how ready He is to help and what a tender heart He hath 6. And to confirme them in this resolution they would take a new vieu of all the notable encouragements to beleeve wherewith the whole gospel aboundeth 7. And withal fix on Him as the only author and finisher of faith 8. And in a word They would cast a wonderderfully unbeleeving and atheistical soul on Him who is wonderful in counsel and excellent in working and is wonderful in mercy and grace and in all his wayes And thus may He at length in his own time and in the way that will most glorify Himself raise up that poor soul out of the grave of infidelity wherein it was stincking and so provâ—… Himself to be indeed the resurrection and the life to the praise of the glory of his grace We come now to speak to another case which is CHAP. XXV How Christ is to be made use of as the life by one that is so dead and senselesse as he cannot know what to judge of himself or his own case except that it is naught WE spoke something to this very case upon the matter when we spoke of Christ as the Truth Yet we shall speak alittle to it here but shall not enlarge particulars formerly mentioned and therefore we shall speak alittle to those five particulars and so 1. Shew what this distemper is 2. Shew whence it proceedeth and how the soul cometh to fall into it 3. Shew how Christ as the life bringeth about a recovery out of it 4. Shew how the soul is to be exercised that it may obtaine a recovery and 5. Answere some Questions or Objections As to the first Beleevers many times may be so dead as not only not to see and know that they have an interest in Christ and to be uncertaine what to judge of themselvs but also be so carried away with prejudices and mistakes as that they will judge no otherwayes of themselves than that their case is naught yea and not only will'deny or mis-call the good that God hath wrought in them by his Spirit but also reason themselves to be out of the state of grace and a stranger to faith and to the workings of the Spirit and hereupon will come to call