which He purposed in himself 7. Beside Christ's Death and Resurrection which give ground of hope of pardon of dayly out-breakings there is likewise his Intercession usefull for this end for sayeth the Apostle Iohn 1 Epist. 2 1. 2. If any man sin we have an advocat with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous and He is the propitiation for our sins This intercession of his 〈◊〉 a special part of his Priesthood who was the great Highpriest Heb. 4 14 16. and a compleating Part Heb. 8 4 9 8. and upon this account 〈◊〉 that He is able to save to the uttermost all that come to God through Him because He liveth for ever to make intercession for them Heb. 7 25. for by his intercession is the work of redemption carryed on the Purchased benefites applyed and particularly new grants of remission are through his intercession issued forth He pleading and interceeding in a way suteable to his glorified condition upon his death and propitiation made while he was upon the crosse accepted of the Father and declared to be accepted by his resurrection asoâ—…sion and sitting at the Fathers right hand And thus as beleevers are reconciled to God by Christs death they are saved by his life Rom. 5 10. So that Christ's living for to be an intercessour makes the beleevers salvation sure and so layeth down a ground for taking away of dayly outbreakings which if not taken away would hinder and obstruct the beleevers salvation 8. And as for the condition requisite to renewed pardon viz faith and Repentance Christ is the worker of both for He is a Prince exalted to give Repentance first and last Act. 4 30. and as He is the author of faith so He is the finisher of it Heb. 12 2. As to the second particular namely what beleevers should do for getting the guilt of their dayly failings and outbreakings taken away by Christ or how they should make use of Christ for this end I shall for clearing of it propose those things to consideration 1. We would beware to think that all our after actuall transgressions are actually pardoned either when Christ dyed or when we first beleeved in Christ as some suppose for sin cannot properly be said to be pardoned before it be committed David was put to sue out for pardon after his actuall transgression was committed and not for the mere sense and feeling of the pardon or the intimation of it to his Spirit when he cryed out Psal 51 2 blot out my transgressions wash me c. vers 9 hide thy face from my sins and blot out all mine iniquities and vers 14. deliver me from blood guiltinesse Sure when he spoke thus he sought some other thing than intimation of pardon to his sense and conscience for that he desired also but in far more clear expressions vers 8. make me to hear joy and gladnesse c. and vers 12. restore unto me the joy of thy salvation c. Scripture phrases to expresse remission import this viz Covering of sin Pardoning of debts Blotting out of sins Hideing of God's face from sins not Remembering of them Casting of them behinde his back Casting of them into the sea Removing of sins Psal. 103 12. a lifting off of sin or Taking it away a Non-imputation of sin Psal. 33 1 2. These and the like phrases though many of them be metaphoricall yet do all of them clearly evince that sin must first have a being before it can be pardoned The same is clearly imported by the gospel conditions requisite before Pardon such as acknowledgment of sin 1 Ioh. 1 9. which we see was practised by the worthies of old David Psal. 32. 51. Nehemiah Cap. 9. Ezra Cap 9 Daniel Chap. 9. Confessing and Forsaking of it Prov. 28 13. Sorrowing for it Repenting of it and laying hold on Christ by faith c. The reason why I propose this is not only to guaird against this antinomian error but also to guaird the soul from security to which this doctrine hath a naturall tendency for if a person once think that all his sins were pardoned upon his first beleeving so that many of them were pardoned before they were committed he shall never be affected for his after transgressions nor complean of a body of death nor account himself miserable upon that account as Paul did Rom. 7 24. nor shall he ever pray for remission though Christ hath taught all to do so in that patern of prayer nor shall he act faith upon the promises of pardon made in the covenant of grace for after transgressions or for transgressions actually committed Ier. 31 34. 3â—… 8. Heb. 8 12. and so there shall be no use made of Christ for new pardons or remissions of new sins 2. The beleever would remember that among other things antecedently requisite to remission of posterior actuall transgressions gospel Repentence is especially required Luk. 13 3. Mat. 3 2. Ezeck 18 28 30 32. Luk. 15 17 18 Hoâ—… 2 6 7. Ezech. 14 6. whereby a Sinner through the helpe of the Spirit being convinced not only of his hazard by reason of sin but also of the filthinesse and hatefulnesse of sin and having a sight of the mercy of God in Christ Jesus to sinners turning from their sin doth turne from those sins unto God with a full purpose of heart in his strength to follow Him and obey his lawes and hereby the soul is brought to loath its self and sin and is made willing to desire seek for accept of and prize remission of sins This makes them more warry in time coming and carefull for behold sayes the Apostle 2 Cor. 7 11. This self same thing that yee sorowed after a godly sort what carefulnesse it wrought in you yea what clearing of yourselves what indignation yea what feare yea what vehement desire yea what Zeal yea what revenge c. Thus is God glorified in his justice Psal. 51 4. and his mercy is acknowledged in not entering with us into judgement nor casting us into hell as He might have done in justice 3. Yet it would be remembered that though it hath seemed good in the Lord's eyes to chuse this method and appoint this way of obtaining pardon of sins dayly committed for the glory of his grace and mercy and likewise for our good we must not ascribe too much unto Repentance in the matter of pardon we must not make it a cause of our remission either efficient or meritorious we must not think that it hath any hand in appeaseing the wrath of God or in satisfying of justice pardon must alwayes be an act of God's free grace unmerited at our hands procured alone through the merites of Christ we must not put repentance in Christ's room and place nor ascribe any imperfection unto his merites as if they needed any supply from any act of ours we must beware of leaning to our Repentance and godly Sorrow even so far as to think to
commend ourselves to God thereby that we may obtaine pardon 4. The beleever would consider seriously the dreadfulnesse of their condition who are lying under the lash of the law for sin The law sayeth cursed is every one that continueth not in all things written in the law and every sin is a transgression of the law so that acording to law and justice they are in hazard for evry sin in it self exposeth the sinner to eternal wrath sin being an offence against God who is a righteous judge and a breach of his law A right sight and apprehension of this would serve to humble the sinner before God and make him more earnest in seeking out for pardon that this obligation to punishment might be removed 5. The beleever would not only consider the sin it self but also take notice of all its Aggravations There are peculiar aggravations of some sins taken from the time manner and other circumstances which rightly considered will helpe forward the work of humiliation And the sins of beleevers have this aggravation above the sins of others that they are committed against more love and speciall Love and against more opposition and contradiction of the grace of God within the soul against more light and conviction c. and therefore their humiliation upon this account ought to be singular and serious So was it with David when he took notice of the speciall aggravations of his sin Psal. 51 4 6 14. and Ezra cap. 9. Nehemiah Cap. 9. and Daniel Cap 9. This considering of sin with its due aggravations would helpe to prize mercy at an high rate and cause the soul more willingly waite for and more seriously seek after Remission knowing that God is more angry for great sins than for sins of infirmity and may therefore pursue the same with sorer judgments as He broke David's bones withdrew his comforts c. 6. The beleever would be convinced of an impossibility of doing any thing in himself which can procure pardon at the hands of God should he weep cry afflict himself pray never so all will do nothing by way of merite for the taking away of the least sin that ever he commited and the conviction of this would drive him to despaire in himself and be a meane to bring him cleanly off himself and to look out for mere mercy in Christ Jesus So long as through the deceitfulnesse of Satan the false heart inclineth to the old byas and hath its eye upon any thing in it self from whence it draweth its hops and expectation of pardon and acceptance it will not purely act faith on Christ for this end and so he will lose all his labour and in end be disappointed Therefore the beleever would guard against this and that so much the more that the false deceitful heart is so much inclined thereto and that this deceit can sometime work so cuningly that it can hardly be discerned being fairded over with many false glosses and pretexts and that it is so dishonourable to Jesus and hurtful and prejudicial to the soul. 7. The beleever would act faith on the promises of pardon in the new covenant as having a right to them through Jesus Christ and challenge with humble boldnesse the fulfilling of the same according to that 1. Ioh. 1 9 If we confesse our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins So that the beleever may not only take hold of mercy and grace in God as an incouragement and invitation to go to God for pardon but even of the justice and righteousnesse of God because of his faithful promises and the beleever would have here a speciall eye to Christ in whom all the promises are yea and amen and look for the accomplishment of them through Him and for his sake alone 8. Faith would eye Christ as hanging upon the crosse and offering up himself through the eternall Spirit a sacrifice to satisfie divine justice for all the sins of his own chosen ones we cannot think that Christ bare but some of their sins or only their sins committed before conversion and if he bare all as the Father laid all upon Him the beleever is to lay hold on Him by faith as hanging on the crosse as well for taking away of the guilt of sins committed after conversion as before His sacrifice was a sacrifice for all and He bare our sins without distinction or exception in his owne body on the tree 1. Pet. 2 24. David had his eye on this when he cryed out Psal. 51 7. purge me with hysope hysope being sometimes used in the legall purifications which typified that purification which Christ really wrought when He gave himself a sacrifice for sin Levit. 14 6. Num. 19 18. 9. The beleever looking on Christ dying as a Mediator to pacifie the wrath of God and to make satisfaction to the justice of God for the sins of his people would renew his consent unto that gracious and wise contriveance of heaven of pardoning sins through a crucified Mediator that mercy and Justice might kisse each other and be glorified together and declare againe his full satisfaction with Christ's satisfying of justice for him and taking away the guilt of his sins by that blood that was shed upon the crosse by taking those sins whereof now he standeth guilty and for which he is desireous of pardon and by faith nailing them to the crosse of Christ and rolling them on his shoulders that the guilt of them as well as of the rest might be taken away through the merites of his death and satisfaction Thus the beleever consenteth to that noble act of free grace whereby the Lord made all our sins to meet together on Christ when he taketh those particular sins wherewith now he is troubled and casteth them in into the heape that Christ as the true scape-goat may carry all away This is to lay our hands on the head of our sacrifice 10. The beleever hath another ground of comfort to grippe to in this case and that is Christ's eternall Priesthood whereby he makes intercession for the transgressions of his people and as their advocate and atturnay with the father pleadeth their cause whereby he is able to save them to the last and uttermost step of their jurnay and so to save them from the guilt of all casuall and emergent sins that might hinder their salvation So that the beleever is to put those sins that now he would have pardoned into the hands of Christ the everlasting intercessour and alsufficient advocat that He by vertue of his death would obtaine a new pardon of these their failings and transgressions and deliverance from the guilt thereof and their acceptance with the Father notwithstanding of these transgressions 11. Thus beleevers eyeing Christ as Dying Riseing againe Ascending and as Sitting at the Fathers right hand there to be a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedeck and to interceed for his owne and to see to the application of
that therefore there is no pardon had or that this is not the way to pardon for as we shall shew afterward pardon is one thing and intimation of pardon is another thing we may be pardoned and yet suppose that we are not pardoned challenges will abide till the conscience be sprinkled and till the Prince of peace command peace to the conscience and put the accuser to silence who when he can do no more will marre the peace of a beleever as long as he can and stoppe the current of his comforts which made David pray that God would restore to him the joy of his salvation Psal. 51. 4. Nor would we think that upon our taking of this course for the pardon of our sins we shall never thereafter meet with a challenge upon the account of these sins It is true when sins are pardoned they are fully pardoned in God's court and that obligation to condemnation is taken away and the pardoned person is looked upon as no sinner that is as no person liable to condemnation because of these sins for being pardoned he becometh just before God yet we darre not say but conscience afterward being alarmed with new transgressions may mistake as people suddenly put into a fright are ready to do nor dar we say that God will not permit Satan to upbraid us with those sins which have been blotted out long ago as he suffered Shimâ—…i who was but an instrument of Satan to cast up to David his blood guiltinesse which had been pardoned long before The Lord may think good to suffer this that his people may be keeped humble and made more tender and watchfull in all their wayes 5. Beleevers would not mis improve or abuse this great condescendency of free grace take the greater liberty to sin because there is such a sure saifâ—… and pleasant way of getting those sins blotted out and forgiven Shall we sin because we are not under grace but under the law That be far from us sayeth 〈◊〉 Apostle Rom. 6 15. This were indeed to turne the grace of God into lasciviousnesse And it may be a question if such as have really repented gotten their sins pardoned will be so ready to make this use of it sure sense of pardon will work some other effect as we see Ezech. 16 62 63. 6. The beleever in going about this work of nailing his sins to the crosse of Christ and of improving Christ's Death Resurrection and constant intercession for the obtaining of pardon would not think of going alone or of doing this in his own strength for of himself he can do nothing He must look to Christ for grace to help in this time of need and must got about this duty with dependence on Him waiting for the influences of Light Counsell Strength and Grace from Him to repent and beleeve for He is a Prince exalted to give repentance first and last and He is the author and finisher of faith so that without Him we can do nothing 7. Let the beleever beware of concluding that he hath got no pardon because he hath met with no sensible intimation thereof by the flowing in of peace and joy in his soul. Pardon is one mercy and intimation of it to the soul is another distinct mercy and separable from it shall we therefore say we have not gotten the first because we have not gotten both The Lord for wise reasons can pardon poor sinners and not give any intimation thereof to wit that they may watch more against sin afterward and not be so bold as they have been and that they may finde more in experience what â—… bitter thing it is to sin against God and learne withall to depend on Him for lesse and more and to carry more humbly for it may be God seeth that if they saw their sins pardoned they would forget themselves and rush into new sins againe 8. The beleever must not think it strange if he finde more trouble after greater sins and a greater difficulty to lay hold on Christ for pardon of those then for pardon of others for as God hath been more dishonoured by these so is his anger more kindled upon that account and it is sureable for the glory of God's justice that our sorrow for such hainous sins be proportionably greater and this will likewise increase the difficulty and ordinarly the effects of God's fatherly displeasure make deeper wounds in the soul after such sins and these are not so easily healed all which will call for 〈◊〉 and proportionably greater godly sorrow and repentance and acts of faith because faith will meet with more opposition and discouragment there and therefore must be the more strong to go thorow these impediments and to lay hold on his crosse Yet though this should make all watchfull and to guaird against grosse and crying sins it should not drive any to dispaire nor to say with that dispairing wretch their sin is greater than it can be forgiven the ocean of mercy can drown and swallow up great as well as lesser sinnes Christ is an alsufficient Mediator for the greatest sins as well as for the least O for thy names sake pardon mine iniquitie for it is great will come in season to a soul ready to sink with the weight of this milstone â—…ied about its neck 9. as the greater sins should not make us dispaire of taking this course for remission so nor should the smalnâ—…sse of sin make us to neglect this way for the least sin cannot be pardoned but through Jesus Christ for the law of God is violated thereby justice provoked Gods authority vilipended c. and therefore cannot be now pardoned by reason of the threatnings annexed to the transgression of the law without a ransome death is the wages of all sin lesser and greater and the curse is due to all sinners greater and smaller Therefore the beleever would not suffer one sin seen and discovered to lie unpardoned but on the first discovery thereof take it away to Christ and nail it to his crosse 10. The beleever would not conclude that his sins are not pardoned because possibly temporal strokes inflicted because of them are not removed for though Davids sin was pardoned yet because of that sin of his a temporall stroke attended him and his family to his dying day for not only did God cut off the childe 2 Sam. 15 14. but told him that the sword should never depairt from his house and that He would raise up evil against him â—…ut of his own house and give his wives to one that should lie with them in the sight of the sun vers 10 11. So we read that the Lord took vengeance on their inventions whose sins he had pardoned Psal. 99 8. God may see this fit and expedient for his own glory and for humbling of them and causing them feare the more to sin against him Yea not only may temporal calamities be inflicted because of sin pardoned or continued after sin
him that hath not shall be taken away even that he hath which is so plain that to many of these pleaders for this new way and their prosâ—…lyts in the righteous judgement of God it happeneth according to the true proverb the dog is turned to his owne vomit againe and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire It cannot escape thy observation how busie Satan is this day upon the one hand to keep men under the call of the Gospel to give all diligence to make their calling and election sure idle all the day so that no perswasion can enduce them to engage seriously to fall about a working out their own salvation in feare and trembling and on the other equally diligent and industrious to divert men from trusting in the name of the Lord and staying upon their God seting them on work to go and gather fewel and kindle a fire and compasse themselves about with sparks that they may walk in the light of their own fire and in the sparks that they have kindled knowing well that they shall this way most certainly lose their toil and travel and have no other reward at his hand of all their labour but to ly down in everlasting sorrow while the stout hearted and far from righteousnesse and salvation shall get their soul for a prey and be made to rejoyce in his salvation and blesse him who hath made them meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light It is fit therefore in order to thy own establishment in the present truth and that thou mayest so work that thy labour be not in vaine but God may accept thy works often to think and seriously to consider in thy own soul what that Gospel holinesse is and what these men substitute in the place of it that thou may choice the perfect and pleasant way of Gospel holinesse and exercise thy self to that godlinesse which is profitable for all things haveing the promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come I am neither the fit person for so great an undertaking nor do these limits within which I must bound my self permit me to expatiat in many notions about the nature of this excellent and precious thing true Gospel holinesse Oh if in the entry I could on my own behalfe and others sob out my Alas from the bottome of my soul because be what it will it is some other thing then men take it to be few habituat themselves to a thinking upon it in its high nature and soul enriching advantages till their hearts receive suteable impressions of it and their lives be the very transumpt of the law of God written in their heart the thing Alas is lost in a noise of words and heap of notions about it neither is it a wonder that men fal into mistakes about it since it is onely the heart possessed of it that is capable to understand perceive its true excellency But if it be asked what it is we say it may be shortly taken up as the elevation and raising up of a poor mortal unto a conformity with God As a participation of the divine nature or as the very image of God stamped on the soul impressed on the thoughts affections and expressed in the life and conversation so that the man in whom Christ is formed and in whom he dwells lives and walks hath while upon the earth a conversation in heaven not only in opposition to those many whose end is destruction whose God is their belly whose glory is in their shame who minde earthly things but also to these pretenders unto personaters of religion who have confidence in the flesh Worship God with their own Spirit which in the matters of God is flesh and not Spirit and have somewhat else to rejoyce in then in Christ Jesus and a being found in him not having their own righteousnesse True Gospel holinesse then consists in some similitude and likenesse to God and fellowship with him founded upon that likenesse there is such an impression of God his glorious attributes his infinit Power Majesty Mercy Justice Wisdom Holinesse and Grace c. As sets him up all alone in the soul without any competition and produceth those real apprehensions of him that he is alone excellent and matchlesse O how preferable doth he appeare when indeed seen to all things And how doth this light of his infinit gloriousnesse shineing into the soul darken abscure to an invisiblenesse all other excellencies even as the riseing of the sun makes all the lesser lights to disappear Alas how is God unknown in his glorious being and attribute When once the Lord enters the soul and shines into the heart it is like the riseing of the sun at midnight all these things which formerly pretended to some lovelinesse and did dazil with their lustre are eternally darkened now all natural perfections and moral vertues in their flowr and perfections are at best looked upon as aliquid nihil what things were formerly accounted gaine and godlinesse are now counted losse for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus the Lord and the soul cannot onely suffer the losse of them all without a sob but be satisfied to throw them away as dung that it may win him and be found in him Now the wonder of a Deity in his greatnesse power and grace swallowes up the soul in sweet admiration O how doth it love to lose it self in finding here what it cannot fathome And then it begins truely to see the greatnesse and evil of sin then it is looked upon without the covering of pleasure or profit and loathed as the leprosy of hell Now the man is truely like God in the knowledge of good and evil in the knowledge of that one infinit good God to the knowledge of that one almost infinit evil sin This is the first point of likenesse to him to be conformed to him in our understanding that as he knowes himself to be the onely self being and fountain good and all created things in their flour and perfection with all their real or fancied conveniencies being compared with him but as the drop of a bucket the small dust of the ballance or nothing yea lesse then nothing vanity which is nothing blown up by the force or forgery of a vainly working imagination to the consistence of an appearance so for a soul to know indeed and beleeve in the heart that there is nothing deserves the name of good besides God to have the same superlative and transcâ—…dent thoughts of that great and glorious self being God and the same diminishing and debaseing thought â—…o all things beings besides him And that as the Lord seeth no evil in the creation but sin and hates that with a perfect hatred as contrary to his holy will so for a soul to aggravat sin in its own sight to an infinitnesse of evil at least till it see it onely
commanded duties are full measure heaped up shaken together and runing over And though he who hath much hath nothing over yet he 〈◊〉 hath little hath no inlâ—…ke for he abounds towards us in 〈◊〉 wisdome I say therefore againe unto thee take heart let not thine hands fall down essay nothing thou would have well done or easily done in thine own strength but yet how difficult so ever the duty be approach it as haveing no confidence in the flesh but with an eye to thy stocâ—… that rich store house of all furniture and it shall be with thee as it was with the priests before whom jordan recoiled so soon as their foot entered within the 〈◊〉 God shall make thy difficulties evanish and by the 〈◊〉 the Spirit of power and might from Jesus Christ depended upon shall so strengthen thee that thy duty is made easy to admiration and becomes the delight of thy souli 〈◊〉 I have exceeded the just limits of an Epistle pray for the continuance of the life of the Author who by his assiduous working for Christ hath been often neir unto death not reguarding his own life to supply the lake of other meus service 〈◊〉 the interest Church of God let him be comforted for this piece of travel undertaken for thy soul's mâ—…erest by hearing thou dost improve it to thy advantage for which it is so exactly calculat And withall I beg thy fervent earnest intercessions for grace more grace to him who is Thy poor yet souls well wisher and servant for Christ's sake R. Mc. W. The Author to the Reader Christian Reader AFter the foregoing adress I need not put thee to much more trouble only I shall say That he must needs be a great stranger in our Israel or sadly smitten with that epidemick plague of indifferency which hath infected many of this Generation to a benumming of them and rendering them insensible and unconcearned in the matters of God and of their own souls and sunck deep into the gulfe of dreadful inconsideration who seeth not or taketh no notice of nor is troubled at the manifest and terrible appearances of the unexpressibly great hazard our all as Christians in this life is this day into I meane the mystery of the Gospel of the grace of God wherein the exceeding riches of His grace in his kindness towards us through Christ Jesus hath been shoune VVe have enjoyed for a considerable time a clear and powerful dispensation hereof in great purity and plenty but Alas is it not manifest to all that will not wilfully shut their eyes that this Mercy and Goodness of God hath been wickedly abused and the pure administration of His Grace Love perfidiously sinned away by this Apostate Generation Are our spots this day the spots of his children Are there fruits answerable to the Lord's paines and labour about us to be seen even among the greatest of Professours Is there that gospel holiness tenderness watchfulness growing in grace and in the knowledge of Jesus Christ that growing up 〈◊〉 Christ in all things that heavenly mindedness that followshipe with the Father and with his Son Christ Iesus and that conversation in heaven that the dispensation of grace we have been favoured with beyond many and have been long living under did call for at our hands Alas our grapes are but wilde and stincking VVherefore and who can think it strange if it be so the Lord seemeth to be about to contend with us by covering our horizon with Egyptian darkness many who would not receive the love of the Truth that they might be saved being already given up to strong delusion that they should beleeve a lie and many moe in hazard to be drawn aside to crooked pathes by men of corrupt mindes who have been and are still busie to vent and spread abroad with no little petulancy and confidence damnable doctrines to the perverting of the doctrine of the Gospel of Iesus Christ and to the subverting and overturning of the very foundations of our Hope Assurance and that in such a way and by such meanes and stratagems as seem to have wrath written upon them in legible letters for the more plausible and taking a corrupt doctrine be it is the more dangerous judgment-like and moe are thereby in hazard to be deluded and drawn away Nay which is yet more terrible and dreadful it is to be feared that the jealous God in his holy and righteous judgment hath given a providential commission to speak so unto the seduceing Spirit to perswade and prevail for is not this the clear language of the present holy and righteous dispensations of God and of the stupenduously indifferent frame and disposition of the generality of men called Christians not only provoking God to spew them out of his mouth but disposeing them also unto a receiving of whatsoever men lying in waite to deceive shall propose and obtrude Alas the clouds are not now a gathering but our horizon is covered over with blakness and great drops are a falling that presage a terrible overflowing deluge of errour and Apostasie from the Truth and Profession of the Gospel of Iesus Christ to be at hand if the Lord wonderfully prevent it not And behold O wonderful the generality of Professours are sleeping in security apprehending no danger Satan is more cunning now than to drive men to Popery by rage and cruelty and yet what he may be permitted to do after this manner who can tell or by openly pleading in his emissaries for this abomination and yet even thus is he already prevailing with not a few or to send forth his agents for Arminianisme and Socinianisme though even this way too he is too much prevailing But his maine work now seemeth to be to bring in another Gospel and yet there is not another or rather an Antievangelick and Antichristian delusory dream overturning at once the whole Gospel of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ and for this end he inployeth the Quakers one the one hand Men of desperat and antievangelick principles the very sinke of all abominations old and late as I shall show if the Lord will continue health and strength in an examination of their doctrine and principles lately emitted by one Robert Barclay and on the other hand Men or Moralists if you will call them so pleading for and crying up an antievangelick holiness a meer shadow without substance or reality and that in place of Christ himself And in order to the carrying on of this desperat designe The old dragon is imploying men of seeming different principles and wayes whom though their faces seem to look to contrary aâ—…rths yet he holdeth notwithstanding fast tyed by their tails as Samson's foxes were that thereby if the Lord permit it he may by the fire of enmity to the pure Gospel of the grace of God burning in their tails cause a conflâ—…gration of that Truth wherein lyeth all our hope for this new model of Religion
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
sin This was Elihu's advice to Iob Cap. 34 vers 31 32. Surely it is meet to be said unto God I have borne chastisement I will not offend That which I see not teach thou me is I have done iniquity I will do no more 6. He would grip to Christ in the Covenant and â—…est there with joy and satisfaction he would hold that fast that he may ride out the storme in a darke night Though he make not mine house to grow said David 2 Sam. 23 vers 5. Yet this was all his salvation and all his desire that He had made with him an everlasting Covenant ordered in all things and sure The Spouse took this course when he could not get a sight of Him whom her soul loved Cant. 6 vers 3. and asserted her interest in Him I am my beloveds and my beloved is mine 7. He would be intertaining high and loving thoughts of God commending Him highly let His dispensations be what they will So did the Spouse Cant. 5 vers 10 16. 8. He would earnestly seek after Him The Spouse did so Cant. 5 vers 6. the discouragement she met with at the hands of the watch men did not put her off her pursuite Vers. 7. but she continued yea was sick of love Vers. 8. and here looks had a prevailing power with him as we see Cant. 6 vers 5. where the Bridgroom uttered that most astonishing word Turn away thine eyes from me for they have overcome me 9. This new manifestation which he is seeking for must be expected in and through Jesus who is the true Tabernacle and he who was represented by the Mercy seat He is the only trysting place in Him alone will the Father be seen 10 He would also look to Him for strength and support in the meane time and for grace that he may be keeped from fainting and may be helped to waite til he come who knoweth the fittest season wherein to appeare But it will be said what if after all this we get no outgate but He hideth his face still from us I answere Such would know that life is one thing and comfort is another thing Grace is one thing and warme blainks of Gods face is another The one is necessary to the very being of a Christian the other not but only necessary to his comfortable being and therefore they should be content if God give them grace though they â—…isse comfort for a time 2. They would lairne to commit that matter to Christ who knoweth how to give that which is good and what is best for them 3. They would be hanging on Him for strength for duty and in his strength seting about every commanded duty and be exercising Faith Love Patience Hope Desire c. 4. Let the well ordered covenant be all their salvation and all their desire and though they should not get a comfortable blaink of God's face so long as they were here yet holding fast this covenant they should at length be saved souls and what would they have more and when they get this what will they misse CHAP. XXVII How shall one make use of Christ as the Life when wreastling with an angry God because of sin THat we may give some satisfaction to this question we shall 1. Shew what are the ingredients in this case or what useth to concurre in this distemper 2. Shew some reasons why the Lord is pleased to dispense thus with his people 3. Shew how Christ is life to the soul in this case 4. Shew the beleevers duty for a recovery and 5. Adde a word or two of caution As to the first There may be those parts of or 〈◊〉 in this distemper 1. God presenting their sins unto their vieu so as they shall cry out our sin is ever before us Psal. 51 3. and say as it is Psal. 90 8. Thou hast set our iniquities before thee our secret sins in the light of thy countenance and so cause them see the Lord contending for sin as the Church did Esai 59 we roare all like bears and mourn sore like doves we look for judgment but there is none for salvation but it is far off from us for our transgressions are multiplied before thee and our sins testifie against us for our transgressions are with us and as for our iniquities we know them c. 2. Yea God may bring upon them the iniquities of their youth as Iob speaketh Cap. 13 26. and so bring upon them or suffer conscience to charge them with their old sins formerly repented of and pardoned And this is more terrible David is made to remember his original sin Psal. 51. 3. And as Iob speaketh Cap. 15 17. God may seem to be sealing up all their sins in a bag that none of them may be lost or fall by without being taken notice of and as it were be gathering them together in a heape 4. He may pursue sore with signes of wrath displeasure because of those sinnes as we see in David Psal. 4. 38. 51. and in several others of his people chastened of the Lord because of their trangressions whereof there are many instances in scripture 5. Yea and that for a considerable time together and cause them cry out with David Psal. 4 3. but thou O Lord how long 6. And that not only with outward but also with inward plagues And strokes as David's case cleareth in the forecited Psalmes 7. Yea and not only themselves but even their posterity as Davids childe was smiten with death and the posterity of Manasses who found mercy himself 2 Chron. 33 13. was caryed into captivity for his sin 2 Kings 23 26 27. 8. Further the Lord may deprive them of all their former joy and comfort which made David cry out Psal. 51 12. restore unto me the joy of thy salvation and grant me thy free Spirit 9. And which is yet more terrible write their sin upon their judgment as when He caused the sword and whoredom follow Davids house 10. And finally He may cause them feare utter offcasting as Psal. 51 11. cast me not away said he from thy presence And this the Lord thinketh good to do that we may speak a word to the second particular for those and the like reasons 1. To discover to them and to all the world how Just Holy and Righteous a God He is that cannot approve of or beare with sin even in his own children 2. To make all fear and tremble before this great and holy God who is terrible in his judgements even when they come from a Fathers hand that is not pursueing in pure anger and wrath but chastening in love Sure all must think that his dispensations with the wicked will be much more fearful and horrible seing they are not yet reconciled unto Him through the blood of â—…esus 3. To presse Believers more earnestly in to Christ that they may get a new extract of their pardon and their souls washen in the blood of Iesus 4.