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- * ... THE *~ :- *-*.
GOSPEL-MYSTERY
. OF .
sANCTIFICATION
OPENED, .
IN
sundRY PRACTICAL DIRECTIONS:
3 UETED Especially to the case of those who L.A.
BöUR UNDER THE GUILT AND POWER !.
- , *. OF IND W.E L LIN G SIN.
•=ººm-
‘PO WHIch. IS A D DE D.
A SERMON ON JUSTIFICATION.
\
By MR, wal.TER MARSHALL,
LATE PREACHER OF THE GO SPEL.
ſ f ." .* - . [.
* { - * - -
. . . * I Cor. i. 27, 28, 29, 30. 31.
God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the
wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to con-
found the things which are mighty, &c. | -
~~"
* * *
yº -ºš º ºxº-
*
PHILADELPHIA:
PUBLISHED BY N. will By, souTHw EST CORNER or
MARKET AND THIRD STREETS,
– 3. W. Scoºr—PRINTER.
- 1894.

Z
THE contents.
Direction I. To herform duties required in the law,
first, learn the effectual means to attain so great
an end. - - , , - - - - - - , ,
Tirection II. Four endowments and qualifications ºne-
cessary : 1. An inclination and firoſhensity of heart
thereunto. 2. A fiersuasion of our reconciliation
- with God. 3. .4 fiersuasion of our enjoyment of
everlasting hafiftiness. 4. A fiersuasion of suffici-
ent strength both to will and fierform duties ac-
r
cehtably. ſº tº tº * - sº º
\ Direction III. The way to get these endowments to ena-
ble for firactice, is, to receive them from Christ's
fulness, by union and fellowshift with him. .
Birection IV. The means or instruments ºf this union,
, and all fellowshift, are, the gosſic!; and faith. What
faith is. - - - - - as as '
Direction V. We cannot attain holiness by our endea-
- vours in a natural State, without union and Jellow-
shif avith Christ. . sºme sº- * - - * ,
Page,
~3.
17
, 26
45
59
73
Birection VI. Those that endeavour sincere obedience,
as the condition to furocure a Tight and title to sal-
vation and as a ground to trust on Christ, do seck
salvation, by the works of the law. * . . m .
Direction VII. We are noż żo imagine that our hearts
and lives must be changed from sin to holiness in .
any measure, before we may trust on Christ. w
85
1 19
- - - • * - - f : • ,
* > - r - & ...” 4. -- ... ? -
contents. . . . . . . . . . . º.
- * * * . . § { -
iv,
*
. . . . * . " . . ." . Page,
Direction VIII. Seek for holiness, only in its due or- * &
der, after union, justification, and the gift of the *.
gº Holy Ghost; and by faith. - - - - - - 121
, Direction IX. We must receive the comforts of the .
goshel, that we may herform the duties of the law. 126
Direction X. That we may, by gosſiel comforts, fier- -
form duties of the law, we must get assurance in
- that very faith whereby we receive Christ. 133
Direction XI. Believe on Christ in a right manner
without delay, and then continue and increase in
faith ; that so enjoyment of Christ, and union and
Jellowshift with him, and all holiness by him may be
begun, continued and increased. - . - 160
Direction XII. Diligently use faith for fierformance of
, the duties of the law, by walking no longer accord-
ing to your old state firincifiles, or means offirac-
'tice; but only according to that new state you...'
receive by faith, and its firincifles, and means ..
of fractice. - - - - - tº 1.87
Direction XIII. Make a right use of all means aft-
fointed in the word, for obtaining and ſhractising
holiness, only in this way of believing and walk-
ing in Christ according to your new state. 214
Direction XIV. That you may thus seek holiness
only by believing and walking in Christ, take
encouragement from the good advantages of this
way, and the excellent froñérties of it. 251
|
The Sermon on Justification. sº - *- : - , 265
!. \- - f } -
PREFACE.
READER, 7 - - }
MR. WALTER MARSHALL, composer of these Di-
rections, how to attain to that practice and manner of
life, which we call holiness, righteousness orgodliness, was
educated in New College of Oxford, and was a fellow of the
said college and afterwards he was chosen a fellow of the
college of Winchester; but was put under the Bartholo-
mew Bushel, with near two thousand more lights (a sin .
not yet repented of) whose illuminations made the land.
a Goshen. He was esteemed a Presbyterian ; and was
called to be a pastor to a people at Gosportin Hampshire,
where he shined, though he had not the public oil. The
substance of these meditations was there spun out of his
own experiences; he having been much exercised with
troubled thoughts, and that for many years, and had, by
many mortifying methods, sought peace of conscience :
but, notwithstanding all, his troubles still increased.
Whereupon he consulted others, particularly Mr. Baxter,
whose writings he had been much conversant with ; who
thereupon told Mr. Marshall, he took them too legally.
He afterwards consulted an eminent divine, Dr. T. G.
giving him an account of the state of his soul, and parti-
cularizing his sins, which lay heavy on his conscience;
who, in his reply, told him, he had forgot to mention the
greatest sin of all, the sin of unbelief, in not believing
on the Lord Jesus for the remission of his sins, and sanc-
tifying his nature. Hereupon he set himself to the study-
ing and preaching Christ, and attained to eminent holi-
,” A 2 *
* -- -
v1. . . . . PREF AcE.
ness, great peace of conscience, and joy in the Holy
Ghost. Mr. Marshall’s dying words were these, “The
“wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal .
“life through Jesus Christ our Lord,” having but just
before said to those about him, “That, he now died in
“the full persuasion of the truth, and in the comfort of .
“that doctrine which he had preached.” The sum
whereof is contained in the ensuing discourse. —
- Some time since, he was translated by death, Elijah-like
dropping these sheetsas his mantle for succeeding Elishas
to go forth with, for the conversion of sinners, and com-
fort of drooping souls. - -
These papers are the profound experiences of a studi-
ous holy soul, learned of the Father, coming from his
very heart; and smell of no party or design, but for ho-
liness and happiness. Yet it is to be feared, they will
scarcely go down with the heady nationalists of this age, .
who are of the tribe of Reuben, wavering with every wind
of modish doctrine; but in Judah they will be praised.
And we hope that many shrubs and cedars may hereby
advance in knowledge and comfort. But not to detain
you longer, read over all these directions, that you may
fully understand the author, or read none. If you do it
with the serious humble spirit in which they were wrote,
it may be hoped, (the matter being so weighty, and
from so able an hand) through the grace of God, they
will sink into thy conscience, and make thee a solid
Christian, full of faith, holiness and consolation. -
July 21, 1692. -- *
*. N. N.
THE author of these directions was well known to
me, and was with me in my house a month together,
above twenty years past: and I esteem him a person de-
serving the character which this preface giveth him.
–- --> T, WOODCOCK.
July 21, 1692. • , ---
.”

( vii ) - …T.
REcoMMENDATORY PREFACE,
PREFIXED TO
THE EDITION PRINTED AT EDINBURGH,
ANNO 1733.
areasº ºnes
THIS excellent treatise of Mr. Marshall's, though
it be well known among the godly in England, where it
has undergone a twofold edition; yet, this being the first
time of its publication in Scotland, where it is but known
to a few, we could not refuse, at the desire of those con-
cerned in the publication of it among us, to declare, that
as we have perused the book ourselves with greatedifica-
tion and pleasure, so we know it hath had the high appro-
bation and testimony of many eminent for grace and holi-
ness: and judge the publication of it at this time of day
seasonable among us, for promoting practical religion and
godliness, and for giving a just view of the vast odds there
is betwixt heathenish morality, adorned with the finest
flourishes of human rhetoric, and true gospel holiness,
without which no man shall see the Lord. And this our
testimony we judged to be well supported by the words
of that great and evangelic person Mr. Robert Trail, late
minister of the gospel in the city of London, in his post-
script to a pamphlet, intitled A Windication of the Protest- .
ant doctrine concerning justification, and of its fireachers
and firofessors, from the unjust charge of Antinomianism,
“I think (says he) that Dr. Owen’s excellent book of
“Justification, and Mr. Marshall’s book of the Mystery
“of Sanctification by faith in Jesus Christ, are such vin-
“dications and confirmations of the Protestant doctrine,
“against which I fear no effectual opposition.—Mr. Mar-
“shall Was a holy and retired person, and is only known
( viii ) ~,
%.
{
“to the most of us by his book lately-published. The book
“is a deep, practical, well jointed discourse, and requires
“a more than ordinary attention in reading of it with pro-
“fit. And, if it be singly used, I look upon it as one of
“ the most useful books the world hath seen for many
“ years. Its excellence is, that it leads the serious rea-
“der directly to Jesus Christ, and cuts the sinews and
“ overturns the foundation of the new divinity by the
“ same argument of gospel holiness by which many at-
“tempt to overturn the old. And as it hath already had
“ the seal of high approbation by many judicious minis-
“ ters and Christians that have read it: so I fear not but
“it will stand firm as a rock against all opposition, and
“will prove good seed, and food, and light to many here-
“ after.” This testimony, abstracting from human frail-
ties and escapes, to which the greatest men are liable
while they know but in part, we homologate by our sub-
scription.
\
i. ALEx. HAMILTON . at Stirlin
EBENEzER ERSKINE g
-- , , RALPH ERSKINE at Dunferm-
J. WARDLAW line.
J. GIB at Cliesh.
JA, OGILVIE. at Aberdeen.
( ix. )
A RECOMMENDATION
BY THE REv. M.R. ADAM GIB, MINISTER OF THE
GOSPEL IN THE Assog IATE CongKEGATION OF .
x & ED IN BTſ R. G.H.
• *, * sº-
THOUGH the due reccommendations foregoing,
wherewith these following directions have been formerly
sent abroad, be what I pretend not to add any weight unto
by my assent; there seems not, however, any thing Su-
perfluous in applying, unto two sorts of persons, an ad-
vice which hath been already given, with respect to the
reading this book. ! =
Among the professors of a religious course, some do
still adhere unto a legal scheme of holiness, vainly mak-
ing it the reason of their peace and hope, or, at least, of
their venturing to found both on Christ; and others re-
conciled unto an evangelical scheme of holiness, verily
making it the result of their peace and hope, as already
founded on Christ, freely offered to them in the gospel.
The correction which one of these sorts, and the in-
struction in righteousness which both of them need, may
be peculiarly gained from this book: and, for these pur-
poses, they are earnestly intreated to peruse it completely,
and in the same order wherein written: so that the one
sort may not, from looking first into the latter part there-
of, throw it aside as Antinomian; nor the other sort, from
looking only into the former part, throw it aside as legal.
In fine, whereas I have scarcely ever been acquainted
with Ony practical composure, of human product, so evan-
gelical, in a thread more connect, and a method more
exact than this : I equally despair, that any shall reap
true benefit, in a partial and confused reading ; and hope
that excellent fruit shall, through the divine blessing,
redound therefrom, ufºto such as may read it otherwise.
* To proceed thus far in compliance with the inclination
of some gentlemen concerned in this edition, is presumed
by - ADAM G.I.B.
Edinburgh, Dec. 31, 1744. , -

SIR;
IT gives me no small pleasure to hear, that you are
going to republish Mr. Marshall’s Gosfiel Mystery ºf
Sanctification.* Theinstruction, consolation, and spiritual
improvement, which I myself have received from that
solid and judicious treatise, excite in me a pleasing hope
that it may be equally instructive and advantageous to
others.
The recommendation of itin Theron and Ashagio, with
which you propose to introduce the new edition, is at your
service. To this proposal I consent the more readily, be-
cause Mr. Marshah’s book may be looked upon as noim-
proper supplement to those dialogues and letters, the au-
thor of which intended to have closed his plan, with a
dissertation on practical holiness, or evangelical obedience.
But this design was dropped: partly, on account of his
very declining health; partly, because the work swelled
under his hands far beyond his expectation.
He has been advised, once more to resume the pen ;
and treat that grand subject with some degree of copious-
ness and particularity. If he should be enabled to exe-
cute, what he acknowledges to be expedient tº doctrines
aire dº º cºssed, and the prºs already displayed,
yºu ſºns tº prºpaºnatºrialsº his essay, Justifica-
- - -
- - -
* it is said, by the ºy best judge of propriety in sacred writing,
Great is the ºystºry ºf tºº, , in ºil 16. This passage, pre-
sunse, Mr. Marshaº had in his view, when he pitched upon a title
for his book. And this passage will reader it superior to all cºn-
sure, unexceptionally just aud proper.
R£C&MMEN DATORY LETTER. xi.
tion, free justification, through the righteousness of Jesus
Christ, is the sacred fleece from which he would spin his
thread, and weave his garments; agreeable to that im-
portant text, Ye are bought with a firice; therefore glorify
God”—If providence, in all things wise and in all things
gracious, should see fit to withhold either time or ability for
the accomplishment of my purpose, I do, by these presents,
nominate and depute Mr. Marshall, to supply my lack of
Sei'WłCe. - - " . 4.
Mr. Marshallexpresses mythoughts: he prosecutes my
scheme: and not only pursues the same end, but proceeds
in the same way. I shall therefore rejoice in the prospect
of having the Gosfiel Mystery of Sanctification stand as a
fourth volume to Theron and Asfiasio. Might Ibe allowed,
without the charge of irreverence to use the beautiful ima-
ges of an inspired writer, I could with great satisfaction
say, If this be a wall, that will build uſion it a falace of
ivory: if this be a door, that will enclose it with boards
of cedar.f - r - . d
Mr. Marshall represents true holiness as consisting in
the love of God, and the love of man:—that unforced, un-
feigned, and most rational love of God, which arises from
a discovery of his unspeakable mercy and infinite kind-
ness to us; that cordial, disinterested, and universal love
of man, which flows from the possession of a satisfactory
and delightful portion in the LoRD JEHow AH. These
duties, of love to our Creator and our fellow creatures,
are regarded as the sum and substance of the moral
law; as the root from which all other branches of pure
and undefiled religion spring—Holiness, thus stated,
is considered, not as the means, but as a part, a distin-
gºished part of our salvation; or rather, as the very cen.
tral point, in which all the means of grace, and all the
Ordinances of religion, terminate, -
Man in a natural state is absolutely incapable of prac.
tising this holinessor enjoying this happiness.--If you ask
what is meant by a natural state : It is that state in which
we are under the guilt of sin, and the curse of the law,
* I Cor. vi. 29, f Cant, viii. 9.
. . \'
, a *
xii. REcoMMENDATORY LETTER.
are subject to the power of Satan, and influenced by evil
propensities—From this state none are released, but by
being united to Christ; or, as the apostle speaks, by
Christ dwelling in the heart through faith.*
Faith, according to Mr. Marshall, is a real persuasion,
that Göd is pleased, to give Christ and his salvation; to
give him freely without any recommending qualifications,
or preparatory, conditions; to give him; not to some sin-
ners only, but to me a sinner in particular—It is likewise.
an actual receiving of Christ, with all the benefits, privi-
leges and promises of the gospel; in pursuance of the di-
vine gift, and on no other warrant than the divine grant—
This last office is particularly insisted on, as an essential
part, or as the principal act of faith. To perform which,
there,is no rational, no possible way; unless as our 'au-
thor declares, we do, in some, measure, persuade, and
assure ourselves,t that Christ and his salvation are ours.
a'-
As faith is such apersuasion of the heart, and such a re-
ception of Christ, it assures the soul of salvation by its own
* act; antecedent to all reflection on its fruits or effects, on
marks or evidences—Itassures the soul officquittance from
guilt, and reconciliation to God; of a title to the everlasting
inheritance, and of grace sufficient for, every case of need.
—By the exercise of this faith and the enjoyment of these
blessings we are sanctified: conscience is pacified, and the
ºr x. ... - ... * * *
heart purified: we are delivered from the dominion of sin,
... i-
- 4.
...” . .
* . . . . .
+ It is not by this expression, affirmed, or insinuated, that we are
able to produce faith in ourselves, by any power of our own : This
self-sufficiency the author has professedly and frequently disclaimed,
asserting, That “the Spirit of God habitually disposes and inclines
“our hearts to a right performance of this most important act.”—
This manner of speaking is used, I imagine, for two reasons: To
point out the first and chief work, which we are to be doing inces-
santly and assiduously, till our Lord come; to remind us, that we
must not expect to have faith wrought in us, by some fatality of
supernatural operation, without any application or endeavour of
our own; but that we must make it our diligent endeavour, and
our daily business, to believe in Christ. We must labour to enter
into this rest, and shew all diligence to attain to the full assurance of hope.
\ -
- - , -. *- * . . - 2 -
. . . . - - --
*.x-
.* -
Mr. HERVEY's recommendatory Letter. xiii.
Here, I apprehend, our author will appear singular.
This is the place, in which he seems to go quite out of
the common road. The generality of serious people look
upon these unspeakable blessings as the reward of holi-
ness; to be received after we have sincerely practised uni-
disposed to holy tempers, and furnished for an holy prac-
versal holiness; not as necessary, previously necessary,
to perform any act of true holiness. This is the stumb-
ling block, which our legal minds, dim with prejudice,
and swollen with pride, will hardly get over.—However,
these endowments of our new state are, in our author’s . .
opinion, the effectual, and the only effectual expedient, to
produce sanctification. They are the very method which
the eternal Spirit has ordained for our bringing forth those
fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ unto the
glory and firaise of God.”—Whereas if there be any ap-
pearances of virtue, or any efforts of obedience which
spring not from these motives and means of practice, Mr. . .
Marshall treats them as “reprobate silver.” He cannot
allow them the character of gospel holiness. .
- This is the plan, and these a -
of the ensuing treatise. To establish or defend them is
not my aim. This is attempted and I think executed,
in the work itself. My aim is only to exhibit the most
distinguishing principles, in one short sketch, and clear-
point of view ; that the reader may the more easily re-
member them, and by this key enter the more perfectly. . .
into the writer's meaning.—Let him that is spiritual f
judge; and reject or admit, as each tenet shall appear to
correspond or disagree with the infallible word. Only
let candour, not rigour, fill the chair; and interpret an
unguarded expression, or a seemingly inconsistent sen-
tence, by the general tenour of the discourse. -
. We are not to expect much pathos of address, or any
deligacy of composition. . Here the gospel diamond is set, "
not in gold, but in steel : not where it may display the
most sprightly beam, or pour a flood of brilliancy; but
- * Phil, i. 11. s # 1 Cor. ii. 1s.
--
~~~
re the leading sentiments
~
-
MR. HERVEY's recommendatory Letter.
xiv.
where it may do the most signal service, and afford a
fund of usefulness-Neither is the book so particularly
calculated for Careless insensensible sinners, as for those
who are awakened into a solicitous attention to their ever-
lasting interests; who are earnestly inquiring, with the
Philippian jailor, What shall I do to be saved 2* or pas-
sionately crying, in the language of the Apostle, O
wretched man that I am / who shall deliver me from the
body of this death ºf If there be any such, as no doubt.
there are many, in the Christian world, I would say with
regard to them as the Israelitish captive said concerning
her illustrious but afflicted master: Would God, my mas-
ter were with the firoſhhet that is in Samaria : for he would
recover him of his leftrosy || O that such persons were
acquainted with the doctrines, and influenced by the di-
rections contained in this treatise ! they would, under
the divine blessing, recover them from their distress, and
restore them to tranquillity : they would comfort their
hearts; and thereby establish then in every good word and
work.S - * * – . . , . -
But I am going to anticipate what the following ex-,
tract speaks. I shall therefore only add my hearty wish-
es, that you may meet with encouragement and success
in the publication of this truly valuable piece. Since
there is in this instance, an evident connection between
your private interest and the general good; I think you
may promise yourself the approbation and acceptance of
the public ; as you will assuredly have all the support and
assistance that can be given by, - ~ * * ,
Sir, Your humble servant,
f : . -- -- - -
Weston Faval, near *: JAMEs HERVEY.,
ton, JVov. 5, 1756.
* Acts xvi. 30, t Rom. wii. 24. | 2. Kings v. 3, § 2. Thess, ii. 17.
* .
REcoMMENDATION
IN THERON AND ASPASIO.
—º-
“IT is with great pleasure, and without any diffi-
“dence, that I refer my readers to Mr. Marshall’s treatise
“ on Sanctification. Which I shall not recommend in the
“style of a critic, nor like a person of taste, but with all
“ the simplicity of the weakest Christian ; I mean from
“my own exherience. It has been made one of the most use-
“ful books to my own heart. I scarce ever fail to receive
“spiritual consolation and strength from the perusal of it;
“ and were I to be banished into some desolate island,
“ possessed only of two books besides my Bible, this should
“be one of the two, perhaps the first that I would choose. .
“Should any person, hitherto a stranger to the work,
“ purchase it on this recommendation, I must desire to
“suggestone caution.—That he be not surprised, if, in the
“beginning, he meets with something new, and quite out
“of the common road' or, if surprised, that he would not
“be offended, but calmly and attentively proceed.—He
a “will find the author's design opening itself by degrees.
“He will discern more and more the propriety of his
“ method. And what might, at the first view, appear like
“a stumbling block, will prove to be a fair and ample.
“ avenue to the place of truth—to the temple of holiness.
“—and the bowers of happiness.” - '-
see the third edition of Hervey's Theron and Aspasio, vol. iii.
page 336, l
~
- ^ . . SOME SCRIPTURES -
- -ExPLAINEID , IN THIs Book.
-*• —*£ £<• %• —
gEN. ii. 17. § Rom. viii. §.
-<. Job i. 5. 23.
EccI. vii. 16. -*- xiii. 14.
29. 1 Cor. xi. 29.
2 Cor. viii. 12.
xiii. 5.
Eph. i. 3. ^
— 10. -^
— 13.
— ii. 5, 6.
— 20, 21.
iv. 22, 24.
Isa. xxxvii. 3.
—• !. 10, ! !.
Jer. xxxi, 29, 30.
Hos. xi. 4.
Matth. v. 12. .*<
vi. 12, 15.
-— ix. 14, 17. 3)
—- xi. 12.
- Mark i. 15. vi. 18.
Luke xiii. 24. _ Tim. i. 8.
— X. 5. — ii. 8.
John i. 16, 17. -. Heb. x. 10, 14, 18.
Acts xiii. 33. — 22. -
Rom. i. 5. — xii. 17.
3* ii. 6, 7. — James ii. 14, 15.
— iii. 25. ——-— 34. .
iv. 5.T 1 John i. 3.
- vii:^1. - ^~* iii. 9.
— ' 6. Rev, xxii. 12, 14,
— viii. 3, 4.
i
, "THE
Gospel, MYSTERY
SANCTIFICATION.
-ºš º ºs- /* -
Y -, DIRECTION I. -
That we may acceptably perform the Duties of Ho-
liness and righteousness required in the Law, our
first Work is, to learn the powerful and effectual
means whereby we may attain to so great an end. -
EXPLICATION.
THIS Direction may serve, instead of a preface, to
prepare the understandings and attention of the reader
for those that follow. And, -
First, It acquainteth you with the great end for which
all those means are designed, that are the principal sub-
ject to be here treated of. The scope of all is, to teach
you how you may attain to that practice and manner of
life which we call holiness, righteousness, or godliness,
obedience, true religion; and which God requireth of
us in the law, particularly in the moral law, which
is summed up in the ten commandments, and more
briefly in those two great commandments of love to God.
and our neighbour, Matth. xxii. 27, 39. And more
largely explained throughout the Holy Scriptures. My
work is, to show how the duties of this law may be
done, when they are known ; therefore expect not that I
should delay my intent, to help you to the knowledge of
them, by any large exposition of them ; which is a work,
already performed in several cathechisms and commien-
taries. Yet, that you may not miss the mark for want of
discerning it, take notice, in few words, that the holiness,
B 2 -
18 The Gospel MystERY Direct. f.
which I would bring you to, is spiritual, Rom. vii. 14.
It consists not only in external works of piety and charity,
but in the holy thoughts, imaginations, and affections of
the soul, and chiefly in love; from whence all other good
works must flow, or else they are not acceptable to God;
not only in refraining the execution of sinful lusts, but in
longing and delighting to do the will of God, and in a
cheerful obedience to God, without repining, fretting,
grudging at any duty, as if it were a grievous yoke and
burden to you. " -- ---
Take notice further, that the law, which is your mark,
is exceeding broad, Psal. cxix. 96. and yet not the more
easy to be hit; because you must aim to hit it, in every
duty of it, with a performance of equal breadth, or else
you cannot hit it at all, Jam. ii. 10. The Lord is not at
all loved with that love that is due to him as Lord of all,
if he be not loved with all our heart, spirit, and might.
We are to love every thing in him, his justice, holiness,
Sovereign authority, all seeing eye, and all his decrees,
commands, judgments, and all his doings. We are to
love him, not only better than other things, but singly,
as only good, the fountain of all goodness; and to reject
all fleshly and worldly enjoyments, even our own lives,
as if we hated them, when they stand in competition with
our enjoyment of him, or our duty toward him. We
must love him so as to yield ourselves wholly up to his
constant service in all things, and to his disposal of us as
our absolute Lord, whether it be for prosperity or adver-
sity, life or death. And, for his sake, we are to love our
neighbour, even all men, whether they be friends or foes
to us; and so do to them in all things that concern their
honour, life, chastity, worldly wealth, credit and content:
whatever we would that men should do to us in the like
condition, Matth. vii. 12. This spiritual universal obedi-
ence is the great end, to the attainment whereof I am
directing you. And that you may not reject mine enter-
prise as impossible, observe, that the most I promise, is no
more than an acceptable performance of these duties of
, the law, such as our gracious merciful God will certainly
delight in, and be pleased with, during our state of im-
perfection in this world, and such as will end in perfecº º
\
Direct. I. - OF SANCTIFICATION. . . 19
tion of holiness, and all happiness in the world to come.
Before I proceed farther, stay your thoughts a while in
the contemplation of the great dignity and excellency of
these duties of the law, that you may aim at the per-
formance of them, as your end, with so high an esteem,
as may cast an amiable lustre upon the ensuing discovery
of the means. The principal duties of love to God above
all, and to each other for his sake, from whence all the
other duties flow, are so excellent, that I cannot imagine
any more noble work for the holy angels in their glorious
sphere. They are the chief works for which we were at
first framed in the image of God, engraven upon man at
the first creation, and for which that beautiful image is
renewed upéºus in our new creation and sanctification by
Jesus Christ, and shall be perfected in our glorification,
They are works which depend not merely on the sove-
reignty of the will of God, to be commanded, or forbid-
den, or left indifferent, or changed, or abolished at his
pleasure, as other works that be ong either to the judicial
or ceremonial law, or to the means of salvation prescribed
by the gospel; but they are, in their own nature, holy,
just and good, Rom. vii. 12, and meet for us to perform,
because of our natural relation to our Creator and fellow
creatures ; so that they have an inseparable dependence
upon the holiness of the will of God, and an indispensible
establishment thereby. They are works sufficient to ren-
der the performers holy in all manner of conversation by
the fruits which they bring forth, if no other duties had
ever been commanded; and by which, the performance
of all other duties is sufficiently established as soon as they
are commanded; and without which, there can be no
holiness of heart and life imagined; and to which, it was
one great honour of Mosaical, and is now of Fvangelical
ordinances, to be subservient, for the performance of them .
as means which shall cease when they end, this never.
failing charity is perfectly attained, I Cor. xiii. They are
duties which we were naturally obliged to, by that reason
and understanding which God gave to manathis first crea-
tion, to discern what was just and meet for him to do, and
to which even heathens are still obliged by the light of na-
ture, without any written law, or supernatural revelation.

30 THE Gospel MystERY | Direct. I.
Rom. ii. 14, 15. Therefore they are called natural re-
ligion; and the law that requireth them, is called the na-
tural law, and also the moral law; because the manners of
all men, Infidels as well as Christians, ought to be con-
formed to it, (and, if they had been fully conformable,
they would not have come short of eternal happiness, Mat.
v. 19. Luke x. 27, 28.) under the penalty of the wrath
of God for the violation of it. This is the true morality
which God approveth of, consisting in a conformity of
all our actions to the moral law. And, if those that, in
these days, contend so highly for morality, do understand
no other than this, I dare join with them in asserting, that
the best morally honest man is the greatest saint; and that
morality is the principal part of true religiºand the test
of all other parts, without which, faith is dead, and all
other religious performances are a vain shew, and mere
hypochrisy; for the faithful and true Witness hath testi-
fied, concerning the twº great moral commandments of
love to God, and our neighbour; that there is none other
commandment greater than these, and that on them hang
all the law and the prophets, Matth. xxii. 36, 38, 39, 40,
Mark xii. 31. - - y *
The second thing contained in this introductory direc-
tion, is the necessity of learning the powerful and effec-
tual means, whereby this great and excellent end may be
accomplished, and of making this the first work to be done
before we can expect success in any attempt for the at-
tainment of it. - l
This is an advertisement very needful; because many
are apt to skip over the lesson concerning the means (that
will fill up this whole treatise) as superfluous and useless.
When once they know, the nature and excellency of the
duties of the law, they account nothing wanting but dili-
gent performance; and they rush blindly upon immedi-
wate pragtice, making more haste than good speed. They
are quick in promising, Exod. xix. 8. “All that the
“Lord hath spoken, we will do,” without sitting down
and counting the cost. They look upon holiness as only
the means of an end of eternal salvation; not as an end
itself, requireth any great means for attaining the prac-
tice of it. The inquiry of most, when they begin to have

...sº
Direct. I. of SANGTIFICATION, ; , . . . 24
k
a sense of religion, is, “ what good thing shall I do that
“I may have eternal life º Matth. xix. 16. not, How:
shall I be enabled to do any thing that is good? Yea
many that are accounted powerful preachers, spend all
their zeal in the earnest pressing the immediate practice
of the law, without any discovery of the effectual means
of performance: as if the works of righteousness, were
like those servile employments that need no skill and ar-
tifice at all, but industry and activity. That you may
not stumble at the threshold of a religious life, by this
common oversight, I shall endeavour to make you sensi-
ble, that it is not enough for you to know the matter and
reason of yotſ duty, but that you are also to leafn the
powerful and effectual means of performance, before you
can successfully apply yourselves to immediate practice.
And, for this end, I shall lay before you the considera-
tions following. T. .. $: . . : -
1st, We are all, by nature, void of all strength and
ability to perform acceptably that holiness and righteous--
ness which the law requireth, and are dead in trespasses
and sins, and children of wrath, by the sin of our first
father Adam, as the Scripture witnesseth, Rom. v. 12,
15, 18, 19. Eph. ii. 1, 2, 3. Rom. viii. 7, 8. This
doctrine of original sin, which Protestants generally pro-
fess, is a firm basis and ground work to the assertion now
to be proved, and to many other assertions in this whole
discourse. If we believe it to be true, we cannot ration- .
ally encourage ourselves to attempt an holy practice, un- .
til we are acquainted with some powerful and effectual
means to enable us for it. While man continued upright,
in the image of God, as he was at first created, Eccl. vii.
19. Gen. i. 27. he could do the will of God sincerely, as
soon as he knew it; but when he was fallen, he was
quickly afraid, because of his nakedness; but could not
help it at all, until God discovered to him the means of
restoration, Gen. x. 15. Say to a strong healthy servant,
Go, and he goeth; Come, and he cometh : Do this, and
he doeth it; but a bed ridden servant must know first
how he may be enabled. No doubt the fallen angels know
the neeessity of holiness, and tremble at theguilt of their
sin; but they know of no means for them to attain to
22. . . THE Gospel MystERY Direct. I.
holiness effectually and so continue still in their wicked-
ness. It was in vain for Samson to say, “I will go out
“ as at other times before; and shake myself,” when he
had sinned away his strength, Judges xvi. 20. Men shew
themselves strangely forgetful, or hypochritical, in pro-
fessing original sin in their prayers, catechisms, and con-
fessions of faith; and yet urging upon themselves and
others the practice of the law, without the consideration
of any strengthening, enlivening means; as if there were
no want of ability, but only of activity. . . . .
2dly, Those that doubt of, or deny the doctrine of ori-
ginal sin, may all of them know concerning themselves (if
their conscience benot blind) that the exact justice of God
is against them, and they are under the curse of God, and
sentence of death, for their actual sins, if God shoulden-
ter into judgment with them, Rom. i. 32. ii. 2. and iii.
9. Gal. iii. IO. Is it possible for a man that knoweth this
to be his case, and hath not learned any means of getting
out of it, to practise the law immediately; to love God
and every thing in him, his justice, holiness, and power,
as well as his mercy ; and to yield himself willingly to
the disposal of God, though God should inflict sudden
death upon him : Is there no skill or artifice at all re-
quired in this case, to encourage,the fainting soul to the
practice of universal obedience :
3dly, Though Heathens might know much of the work
of the law by the common light of natural reason, and
understanding, Rom. ii. 14. yet the effectual means of per-
formance cannot be discovered by that light, and there-
fore are wholly to be learned by the teaching of superna-
tural revelation. For what is our natural light, but some
sparks and glimmerings of that which was in Adam be-
fore the fall? and, even then, in its brightest meridian, it
was not sufficient to direct Adam how to recover ability
* to walk holily, if once he should lose it by sin; nor to as-
sure him before hand, that God would vouchsafe to him
any means of recovery. God had set nothing but death.
before his eyes in case of transgression, Gen. ii. 17. and
therefore he hid himself from God, when the shame of .
his nakedness appeared, as expecting no favour from him.
We are like sheep gone astray, and know not which way
Direct. I. of SANGTIFICATION, * 23
ſ' * & F- * * * * g
to return, until we hear the shepherd's voice. Can these
dry bones live to God in holiness? O Lord, thou know-
est, and we cannot know it, except we learn it of thee.
4thly, Sanctification, whereby our hearts and lives are
conformed to the law, is a grace of God, communicated
to us by means, as well as justification; and by means of
teaching, and learning something that we cannot see with-
out the word, Acts xxvi. 17, 18. There are several
things pertaining to life and godliness, that are given thro’.
knowledge, 2 Pet. 1, 2, 3. There is a form of doctrine
made use of by God, to make people free from sin, and
servants of righteousness, Rom. vi. 17. 18. And there are
several pieces of the whole armour of God necessary to
be known and put on, that we may stand against sin and
Satan in the evil day, Eph. vi. 13. Shall we slight and
overlook the way of sanctification, when the learning the
way of justification, hath been accounted worth so many
elaborate treatises? . . , -
5thly, God hath given, in the holy Scriptures by his in-
spiration, plentiful instruction in righteousness, “that
we may be thoroughly furnished for every good work,”
2 Tim. iii. 16, 17. especially since the day spring from on
high hath visited us, by the appearance of the Lord Jesus
Christ, “to guide our feet in the way of peace,” Luke i.
78, 79. If God condescend to us so very low, to teach
us this way in the Scriptures, and by Christ, it must
needs be greatly necessary for us, to sit down at his feet,
and learn it. . -
6thly, The way of attaining to godliness is so far from
being known without learning out of the holy Scriptures,
that, when it is here plainly revealed, we cannot learn it
so easily as the duties of the law; which are known in
part by the light of nature, and therefore the more easily
assented to. It is the way whereby the dead are brought
to live unto God; and therefore doubtless it is far above
all the thoughts and conjectures of human wisdom. It is
the way to salvation, wherein Godwill destroy the wisdom of
the wise, and bring to nothing the understanding of the firu-
dent, by discovering things by his Spirit, that the natural
man receiveth not ; for they are foolishness to him, neither
can he know them, because they are shritually discerned,
24 THE Gospel: MystERY Direct. I.
1 Cor. i. 19, 31.andii. 14. Without controversy, great is the
mystery of godliness, 1 Tim. iii. 16. The learning of it re-
quireth double work; because we must unlearn many of our .
former deeply rooted notions, and become fools, that we
māy be wise. We must pray earnestly to the Lord to
each us, as well as search the Scriptures, that we may
get this knowledge. “O that my ways were directed to
“keep thy statutes Teach me, O Lord, the way of thy
“statutes, and I shall keep it unto the end, Psalm crix.
“5, 33. Teach me to do thy will, Psalm cºliii. 10.
“The Lord direct your hearts into the love of God,” 2
Thess. iii. 5. Surely these saints did not so much want
teaching and direction concerning the duties of the law -
to be done, as concérning the way and means whereby
they might do them.
7thly, The certain knowledge of these powerful and ef-
fectual means, is of the greatest importance and necessity
for our establishment in the true faith, and avoiding er-
rors contrary thereunto: for we cannot rationally doubt,
that the moral duties of love to God and our neighbour,
are absolutely necessary to true religion, so that it cannot
subsist without them. And, from this principle we may
firmly conclude, that nothing repugnant to the practice
of these holy duties, ought to be received as a point of
faith delivered to us by the most holy God; and that
whatsoever is truly necessary, powerful, and effectual, to
bring us to the practice of them, ought to be believed as
proceeding from God, because it hath the image of his
holiness and righteousness engraven upon it. This is a
sure test and touch stone, which those that are seriously
religious will use to try spirits and their doctrines, whe-
ther they be of God, or not; and they cannot rationally
approve any doctrine as religious, that is not according
to godliness, 1 Tim. vi. 3. By this touch stone Christ
proveth his doctrine to be of God, because therein he
seeketh the glory of God, John vii. 17, 18. And he
teacheth us to knowfalse prophets by their fruits, Matth.
vii. 15; 16. wherein the fruits which their doctrine tend- .
eth unto, are especially to be considered. Hence it ap-
peareth, that, until we know what are the effectual means
of holiness, and what not, we want a necessary touch stone
X , ,
* \
Direct. I. of SANCTIFICATION. . . . . 2.5-
of divine truth, and may be easily deceived by false doc-
trine, or brought to live in mere suspence concerning the
truth of any religion, like the seekers. And, if you mis-
take, and think those means to be effectual that are not,
and those that are effectual to be weak, or of contrary ef-
fect, your error in this will be a false touch stone to try
other doctrines, whereby you will readily approve of er-
rors, and refuse the truth; which hath been a pernicious
occasion of many errors in religion in late days. Get
but a true touch stone, by learning this lesson, and you
will be able to try the various doctrines of Protestants,
Papists, Arminians, Socinians, Antinomians, Quakers;
and to discover the truth, and cleave to it, with much sa-
tisfaction to your judgment, amongst all the janglings and
controversies of these times. Hereby you may discover
whether the Protestant religion established among us,
hath in it, any sinews of Antinomianism; whether it be
guilty of any insufferable defect in practical principles, .
and deserve to be altered, and turned almost upside
down, with new doctrines and methods, as some learned
men in late times have judged by their touch stones.
* 8thly, It is also of great importance and necessity for
our establishment in holy practice; for we cannot apply
ourselves to the practice of holiness, with hope of success,
except we have some faith concerning the divine assist-
ance; which we have no ground to expect, if we use not
such means as God hath appointed to work by: “God
“meeteth them that remember him in his own ways,”
Isaiah lxiv. 5. “ and makes a breach upon those that seek
“ him not after the due order,” 1 Chron. xv. 13. He
hath chosen and ordained such means of sanctification
and salvation, as are for his own glory, and those only he
blesseth to us; and he crowneth no man that striveth,
except he strive lawfully, 2 Tim. ii. 5. Experience sheweth
plentifully, both of Heathens and Christians, how perhi-
cious ignorance, or mistaking of those effectual means, is
to an holy practice. The heathens generally fell short of
an acceptable performance of those duties of the law
which they knew, because of their ignorance in this point
(1) Many Christians content themselves with external
performances, becausesthey never knew how they might
- C -
- , ,
*.
*
"attain to spiritual service, (2) And many reject the way
of holiness as austere and unpleasant, because they know.
nºt how to cut off a right hand, or pluck out a right eye,
without intolerable pain: whereas they would find he
ways of wisdom (if they knew them) to be ways of fleasant-
feess, and all her faths to be ficace, Prov.iii. Iz. This occa-
* → z
Sioneth the putting off repentance from time to time, as
an uncouth thing... (3) Many others set upon the plac-
tice of holiness with a fervent zeal, and, run very fast,
but tread not a step in the right way; and, finding them-
selves frequently overcome and disappointed by their
lusts, they at last give over the work, and turn to wallowa-
gain in the mire; which hath occasioned several treatises,
to shew how far a reprobate may go in the way. of reli-
gion, whereby many weak Saints are discouraged, account-
ing that these reprobates have gone further than them-
*
selves; whereas most of them never knew the right way,
nor trode one step aright in it: for few there be that find it
Matth. vii. 14. (4) Some of those ignorant zealots doid-
humanly macerate their bodies with fasting and other
austerities, to kill their lusts; and, when they see their
lüsts are still too hard for them, they fall into despair, and
are driven, by horror of conscience, to make way with
themselves wickedly, to the scandal of religion. Perad-
venture. God may bless my discovery of the powerful
means of holiness so far, as to Save some one or other
from killing themselves. And such a fruit as this would
countervail my labour; though I hope God will enlarge
the hearts of many by it to run with great cheerfulness,
joy, and thanksgiving, in the ways of his commandments.
t
- * .*.*.*, *
-º- -- } *-i -º
- - ** - - ‘. T- -
w" 3 * - . w § -
{ * - - - - -
- x h, t r
- - * * - * . * * . . . . - - : - -
. . . . " - ... . . . . . . . . . ..., x . .'; ".” - 2, #3:
- - * * e . . . ." 4. - |
~ . - - #-er" ---, * : * ~ * * * , " ... " * * T - -
, ºrt * . . . . . . ... . . . . . . . . . * , - - -
- t t- o ~~’ - - - ‘.
- - - w - z - * * --- -
Several Endowments and Qualifications are neces- *
sary to enable us for the immediate Practice of
. . . . the Law. Particularly; we must have an incli-
nation and propensity of our Hearts thereunto ;
;
- *- :
- “t : ... . .”
. . . . .
. . .
THOSE means that are next to the attainment of
{ %.
Direct. II: ori's ANGTIFICAtion. 27
º, and therefore we must be well persuaded of our
Reconciliation with God, and of our future En-
º joyment of the everlästing heavenly Happiness,
mid of sufficient Strength both to will and per-
Enjoyment of that Happiness. . . .
fºrm all huties acceptably, until we come to the
- \, . . . . ." . .
* * * : * ~ *
the great end aimed at, are first to be discovered; that we
may learn how to get them by other means, expressed
in the following directions. Therefore I have named
here several qualifications and endowments that are ne:
cessary to make up that holy frame and state of the soul,
whereby it is furnished and enabled to practise the jaw
immediately; and that not only in the beginning, but
in the continuation of that practice. And therefore, note
diligently, that these endowments must continue in us
during the present life, or else our ability for an holy life
will be lost; and they must be before practice, not in any
distance of time, but only as the cause is before the effect.
I do not say, that I have named particularly all such ne-
cessary qualifications; but this much I dare say, that he
that gaineth these, may, by the same means, gain any
other that should be ranked with them ; and this is a
matter worthy of our serious consideration for few un-
derstand that any special endowments are required to
furnish us for an holy practice, more than for other volun-
tary actions. The first Adam had excellent endowments
bestowed upon him for an holy practice, when he was
first created according to the image of God; and the .
second Adam had endowments more excellent, to enable.
him for an harder task of obedience. And, seeing obe-
dience is grown more difficult, by reason of the opposi-
tion and temptations that it meeteth with since the fall of
Adam, we that are to be imitators of Christ, had need
have very choice endowments, as Christ had ; at least as
good, or something better than Adam had at first, as our
work is harder than his. ' What king going to make war
against another king; sitteth not down first, and consulteth
*
‘. . . e."
{
. . .



“. .” . . . .”
•rx. ...,\ { . . , -
~’. > *
28 THE Gosper Mystrºx Direct. H.
whether he be able, with ten thousand, to meet him that com-
eth against him with twenty thousand? And shall we dare
to rush into battle against all the powers of darkness, all
worldly terrors and allurements, and our own inbred -
domineering corruptions, without considering whether
we have sufficient spiritual furniture to stand in the evil
day? Yet many content themselves with such an ability
to will and do their duty, as they would have to be given
to men universally ; whereby they are no better enabled
for the spiritual battle, than the generality of the world,
that lie vanquished under the wicked one; and therefore
their standing is not secured by it. It is a hard matter to
find what this universal ability is, that so many contend
so earnestly for, of what it consits, by what means it is .
conveyed to us, and maintained. . . . . . . . . . . .
Bodily agility hath spirits, nerves, ligaments and bones,
to subsist by ; but this spiritual universal ability seemethº
to be some occult quality, that no sufficient account can
be given how it is conveyed, or of what it is constituted.
Th it none maydeceive themselves, and miscarry in their
enterprises for holiness, by depending on such a weak oc-
cult quality, I have here shewed Four ENDow MENTs, of
which a true ability for the practice of holiness, must ne-
cessarily be constituted, and by which it must subsistand
be maintained; I intend to shew afterwards, by what
means they are given to us; and whether the inclination
or propensity here mentioned be perfect or imperfect.
And they are of such a mysterious nature, that some who
own the necessity of endowments, to frame them for ho-º.
liness, are prone to think, that less than these will serve :
and that some of these frame us rather for licentiousness
than holiness, as they are here placed before any actual
performance of the moral law; and that some things con-
trary to them would put tis into a better frame for holi-
ness. Against all such surmises, I shall endeavour such
a demonstration of these endowments particularly; as
may gain the assent of right reason ; insisting on them
in the same order, wherein I have placed them in the º
In the FIRST place, I assert, thatan inclination and pro-
pensity of heart to the duties of the law, is necessary to
• . .
Direct. II. of sanctification. 29
frame and enable us, for the immediate practice of them.
And I mean not such a blind propensity as inanimate
creatures and brutes have to their natural operations, but
such an one as is meet for intelligent creatures, whereby
they are, by the conduct of reason, prone and bent to ap-
prove and choose their duty, and averse to the practice of
sin. “And therefore I have intimated, that the three other
endowments mentioned in the direction, are subservient to
this as the chief of all, which is sufficient to make it a ra-
tional propensity. This is contrary to those, that, out of
zeal for obedience, but not according to knowledge, con-
tend so earnestly for free will as a necessary and sufficient
* endowment to enable us to perform our duty, when once
we are convinced of it, and of our obligation to it; and
that extol this endowment, as the great benefit that uni-
versal redemption hath blessed all mankind with : though
they consider this free will without any actual inclination º
to good : yea, they cannot but acknowledge, that, in most
of mankind that have it, it is incumbered with an actual
bent and propensity of the heart altogether to evil. Such
a free will as this is, can never free is from slavery to sin .
and Satan, and fit us for the practice of the law ; and
therefore is not worthy the pains of those that contend so
hotly for it. Neither is the will so free as is necessary for
the practice of holiness, until it be endued with an incii-
nation and propensity thereto ; as may appear by the foi-
First, The duties of the law are of such natüre, that
they cannot possibly be performed while there is wholly an
aversion or mere indifferency of the heart to the perfor-
mance of them, and no good inclination and propensity
towards the practice of them: because the chief of all the
commandmentsis, to love the Lord with our whole heart,
might and soul, to love every thing that is in him, to love
his will and all his ways, and to like them as good. And
all duties must be influenced, in their performance, by
this love : we must delight to do the wiłł of God; it must .
be sweeter to us than the honey or honey comb, Psal. xi.
8. Job. xxiii. 12. Psal. Ixiii. 1. cxix. 20. and xix. 10. And
this love, liking, delight, longing, thirsting, sweet relish-
S-
". _- ~ - t • f -
try
ing, must be continued to the end; and the first indelibe-
rate motion of lust must be regulated by love to God
30 THE GoSPEL MYSTERY - Direct. II.
and our neighbour; and sin must be lusted against, Gal.
v. 17. and abhorred, Psalm xxxvi. 4. If it were true obe-
x * } H ", r < *. { .
dience (as some would have it) to love our duty only as a
market man loveth foul ways to the market, or as a sick,
man loveth an unpleasant medicinal potion, or as a cap-
tive slave loveth his hard work for fear of a greater evii;
then it might be performed with averseness, or want of
inclination ; but we must love it as the market man gain,
as the sick man health, as pleasant meat and drink, as the
captive liberty. Doubtless there can be no power in the
will for this kind of service, without an agreeableness of
our inclination to the will of God, a heart according to
his own heart, an aversion of our hearts from sin, and a
kind of antipathy against sin : for we know the proverp,
“Like loveth like.” There must be an agreeabſeness in
the person of thing beloved, to the disposition of the lover."
Love to God must flow from a clean heart, 1 Tim. i. 5.
an heart cleansed from evil propensities and inclinations.
And reason will tell us, that the first motions of lust;
which fall not under our choice and deliberation, cannot
be avoided without a fixed propensity of heart to holi-
Il CSS. - §
Secondly, The image of God (wherein God, according
to his infinite wisdom, judged it meet to frame the first
Adam in righteousness, and true holiness and upright-
ness, Gen. i. 27. Eph. iv. 24. Eccles. vii. 29.) consisted
in an actual bent and propensity of heart to the practice of
holiness : not in a mere power of will to choose good or
evil ; for this, in itself, is neither holy nor unholy, but
only a ground work, on which either the image of God,
or of Satan may be drawn : nor in an indifference of pro-
pensity to the choice of sin or duty ; for this is a wicked
disposition to an intelligent creature that knoweth his duty,
and sitteth us only to halt between God and Baal. God
sat Adam’s soul at first wholly in a right bent and inclina-
tion though Adam might act contrary to it if he would ;.
as we may be prevailed upon to do some things contrary
to our natural inclinations and it is easy to fail of our
f
f, .*
---
Direct. II. of SANCTIFICATION. 3 |
duty, though great preparation and furniture be required
for the performance of it. The second Adam also, the
Lord Jesus Christ, was born an holy thing, Luke i. 35.
with an holy disposition of his soul, and propensity to
goodness. And can we reasonably hope to arise to the
life of holiness, from which the first Adam fell, or to be
imitators of Christ, since duty is made so difficult by the
fail, if we be not renewed in a measure according to the
same image of God, and enabled with such a propensity
and inclination ? . . . f . .
Thirdly, Original corruption (whereby we are dead to
God and godliness from the birth, and made willing slaves
to the performance of all actual sins, until the son of God
make us free) consisteth in a propensity and inclination of
the heart to sin, and averseness to holiness. Without this
propensity to sin, what can that law of sin in our members
be that warreth against the law of our mind, and leadeth us
captive to the service of sin P Rom. vii. 23. What is that
poison in us, for which men may be called serpents, vipers?
What is that spirit of whoredoms in men, by reason of
which they will not frame their doings to turn to God?
Hos. v. 4. How is the tree first corrupt, and then its fruit
corrupt & Matth. xii. 33. How can man be said to be abo-
minable and filthy, that drinketh iniquity like water : Job
Xv. 16. How should the mind of the flesh be continual
enmity to the law of God? Rom. xiii. 7. I know there is
also ablindness of understanding, and other things belong-
ing to original corruption, which conduce to this evil pro-
pensity of the will; but yet this propensity itself, is the
great evil, the indwelling sin which produceth all actual
sins; and must of necessity be removed or restrained, by
restoring that contrary inclination, wherein the image of
God consisteth: or else we shall be backward and repro-
bate to every good work, and whatever freedom the will
hath, it shall be employed only in the service of sin.
Fourthly, God restoreth his people to holiness, by giv-
ing to them a new heart, and a new Shirit, and taking
away the heart of stone out of their flesh, and giving them
an heart offlesh, Ezek. xxxvi. 26, 27. and he circumciseth
their heart to love him with their whole heart and soul
*…**
- .”
--
32 THE Gospel MystERY | Direct. II.
And he requireth, that we should be transformed in the
'renewing of our mind, that we may firove what is his acceſ.
table will, Rom. xii. 2. and David prayeth for the same
end, that God would create in him a clean heart, and renew
a right shirit within him, Psalm li. 10. If any one can
judge, that this new, clean, circumcised heart, this heart
of flesh, this new right spirit, is such an one as häth no
actual inclińation and propensity to good, but only a
power to choose good or evil, undeservedly called free
will, with a present inclination to evil, or an indifferelice
of propensity to both contraries, it will not be worth my
Iabour to convince such a judgment: only let him con-
sider, whether David would account such an heart to
be clean and right, when he prayed, Psalm cºix, 36. In-
cline mine heart unto thy testimonies, and not to covetousness.
,-- #
, a
The SEconD ENDów MENT necessary to enable us for
the immediate practice of heliness, and concurring with .
the two others that follow to work in us a .# pro-
pensity to this practice, is, that we be well persuaded of
our reconciliation with God. . We must reckon, that the
breach of amity which sir, hath made between God and
us, is made up by a firm reconciliation to his love and
favour. And herein I include, the great benefit of justi-
fication, as the means—whereby we are reconciled to God,
which is described in scripture, either by forgiving our
sins, or by the imputation of righteousnes to us, Rom.
iv. 5; 6, 7. Because both are contained in one and the
same justifying act; as one act of iflumination compre-
hends expulsion of darkness and introduction of light;
one act of repentance containeth mortification of sin, and
vivification to righteousness; and every motion from any
thing to its contrary, is but one and the same, though it
imay be expressed by divers names, with respect to either
of the two contrary terms, the one of which is abolished,
the other introduced by it. This is a great mystery (con-
trary to the apprehensions, not only of the vulgar, but of
some learned divines) that we must be reconciled to God,
and justified by the remission of our sins, and imputation
of righteousness, before any sincere obedience to the law.
that we may be enabled for the practice of it. They acr
-*.
*
Direct. II. or sanctification. s3
count, that this doctrine tendeth to the subversion of an
holy practice, and is a great pillar of Antinomianism; and
that the only way to establish sincere obedience is to make
it rather a condition to be performed before our actual
justification, and reconciliation with God. Therefore.
some late divines have thought fit to bring the doctrine of
former Protestants concerning justification, to their anvil,
and to hammer it into another form, that it might be
more free from Antinomianism, and effectual to secure an
holy practice. But their labour is vain and pernicious,
tending to Antinomian profaneness, or painted hypocrisy
at best; neither can the true practice of holiness be se-
cure except the persuasion of our justification, and re-
conciliation with God, be first obtained without works of
the law, that we may be enabled thereby to do them; as
I shall now prove by several arguments; intending also
to shew in the following directions, that such a persuasion
of the love of God as God giveth to his people, tendeth
only to holiness, though a mispersuasion of it be in many.
an occasion of licentiousness.
First, When the first Adam was framed for the prac-
tice of holiness at his creation, he was highly in the favor
of God, and had no sin imputed to him, and he was ac-
counted righteous in the sight of God, according to his
present state ; because he was made upright according to
God’s image. And there is no reason to doubt, but that
these qualifications were his advantage for an holy prac-
tice, and the wisdom of God judged them good for that
end ; and, as soon as he lost them, he became dead in sin.
The second Adam also, in our nature, was the beloved of
the Father, accounted righteous in the sight of God, with-
out the imputation of any sin to him, except what his of
fice was to bear on the behalf of others. And can we
reasonably expect to be imitators of Christ, by performing
more difficult obedience than the first Adam’s was before
the fall, except the like advantages be given to us, by re-
conciliation, and remission of sins, and imputations of a
righteousness given by God to us, when we have none of
our own T - º ... •
Secondly, Those that know their natural deadness under
the power of sin and Satan, are fully convinced, that if
**
34 THE Gospel, MystERY Direct. II.
God leave them their own hearts, they can do nothing
but sin; and that they can do no-good work, except it
please God, of his great love and mercy, to work it in
them, John viii. 36. Phil. ii. 13. Rom. viii. 7, 8. There-
fore, that they may be encouraged and rationally inclined
to holiness they must hope that God will work savingly
in them. Now, I leave it to considerate men to judge,
whether such an hope can be well grounded, without a
good persuasion of such a reconciliation and saving love
of God to us, as depends not upon any precedent good-
ness of our works, but is a cause sufficient to produce
them effectually in us? Yea, we know further, if we know
ourselves sufficiently, that our death in sin proceedeth from
the guilt of the first sin of Adam, and the sentence de-
nounced against it, Gen. ii. 17. and that it is still main-
tained in us by the guilt of sin, and the curse of the law ;
and that spiritual life will never be given us, to free us
from that *º this guilt and curse be removed
from us ; which is done by actual justification, Gal. iii.
13, 14. Rom. vi. 14, And this is sufficient to make us
despair of living to God in holiness, while we apprehend
ourselves to be under the wrath and curse of God, by rea-
son of our transgressions and sins still lying upon us,
Ezek. xxxiii. 10.
2%irdly, The nature of the duties of the law is such, as
requireth an apprehension of our reconciliation with God,
and his hearty love and favour towards us for the doing
of them. The great duty is love to God with our whole
heart, and not such a contemplative love as philosophers
many have to the objects of sciences, which they are con-
cerned in no further, than to please their fancies in the
knowledge of them: but a practical love, whereby we are
Willing, that God should be absolute Lord and Governor
over us and all the world, to dispose of us and all others
according to his will, as to our temporal and everlasting
condition, and that he should be the only portion and hap-
piness of all those that are happy; a love whereby we
like every thing in him as he is our Lord ; his justice as
well as any other attribute, without wishing or desiring
that he were better than he is; and whereby we desire that
his will may be done upon us, and all others, whether for
—º
Direct. II. of SANCTIFICATION. . . . 35
prosperity or adversity; life on death; and whereby we
ºcan heartily praise him: for all things, and delight in our
obedience to him, in doing his will, though we suffer that
which is ever so grievous to us, even present death. Con-
sider these things well, and you may easily perceive, that
our spirits are not in a fit frame for the doing of them,
while we apprehend ourselves under the curse and wrath
of God, or while we are under prevailing suspicions that
God will prove an enemy to us atlast. Slavish fear may
extort some slavish, hypocritical performatices from us,
“such as that of Pharaoh in letting the Israelites go, Sore
against his will ; but the duty of love cannot be extorted
and forced by fear; but it must be won and sweetly allured
by an apprehension of God’s love and goodness towards
us ; as that eminent loving and beloved disciple testifieth, ,
1 John iv. 18, 19.: “ There is no fear in love, but perfect
“love casteth out fear, because fear hath torment; he that
“feareth is not made perfect in love. ... We love him, be-
“cause he first loved us.” Observe here, that we cannot
be before hand with God in loving him, before we appre-
hend his love to us. And consult your own experience,
if you have any true love to God, whether it were not
wrought in you by a sense of God's love first towards you?
All the goodness and excellency of God cannot render
him an amiable object to us, except we apprehend him an
agreeable good to us. I question not but the devils know
the excellency of God’s nature, as well as our greatest
metaphysical speculators; and this doth but fill them the
more with tormenting horror and trembling, that is con-
trary to love, James ii. 19. The greater God’s excellency
and perfection is, the greater evil he is to us, if he hate
us and curse us. And therefore the principle of self pre-
servation, deeply rooted in our natures, hindereth us from
loving that which we apprehend as our destruction. If a
man be an enemy to us, we can love him for the sake of
our loving reconciled God, because his love will make -
man’s hatred to work for our good; but if God himself
be our enemy, for whose sake can we love him ; who is
ºthere that can free us from the evil of his enmity, and
turn it to our advantage, until he be pleased to reconcile
himself to us?.. : ' ' ' ' ". . . . º
r } . - - - - . * .--
36 - - THE gospel, MystERY - Direct. II.
Fourthly, Our conscience must of necessity, be first
purged from dead works, that we may serve the living
God. And this is done by actual remission of sing procured
by the blood of Christ, and manifested to our consciences;
as appeared by Christ’s dying for this end, Heb. ix. 14;
15, and x. 1, 2, 4, 14, 17, 22. That conscience where-
by We judge ourselves to be under the guilt of sin, and
the wrath of God, is accounted an evil conscience in Scrip-
ture, though it perform its office truly ; because it is caus-,
ed by the evil of sin, and will itself be a cause of our
committing more sin; until it can judge us to be justified,
from all sin, and received unto the favour of God. Love,
which is the end of the law, must proceed from a good
conscience, as well as from any other cleanness of heart, I
Tim. i. 5. David’s mouth could not be opened to shew forth
the praise of God, until he was delivered from blood guilti-
ness, Psalm li. 14, 15. This evil guilty conscience, where-
by we judge that God is our enemy, and that his justice
is against us to our everlasting condemnation, by reason
-6four sins, doth strongly maintain and increase the do-
minion of sin and Satan in us, and worketh most mis-
chievous effects in the soul against godliness, even to bring
the soul to hate God, and to wish there were no God, no
heaven, no hell, so we might escape the punishment due
to us. It so disaffecteth people toward God, that they
cannot endure to think, or speak, or hear of him and his
law ; but strive rather to put him out of their minds by
fleshly pleasures and worldly employments. And thus
they are alienated from all true religion; only, blinding
it, and stopping the mouth of it. It produceth zeal in
many outside religious performances: and also false re-
ligion, idolatory, and the most inhuman superstitions in
the world. I have often considered, by what manner of
working any sin could effectually destroy the whole image
of God in the first Adam ; and I conclude, it was by
working first an evil guilty conscience in him, whereby he
judged, that the just God was against him, and cursed him
for that one sin. And this was enough to work a shame-
ful nakedness by disorderly lusts, a turning his love wholly
from God to the creature, and a desire to be hidden from
the presence of God, Gen. iii. 8, 10. which was a total
Direct. II. of SANCTIFICATION. 37
destruction of the image of God’s holiness. And we
have cause to judge, that from the same cause proceedeth
the continual malice, rancour, rage, and blasphemy of
the devil, and many notorious wicked men, against God
and godliness. Some may think Job uncharitable, in sus-
pecting, not merely that his sons had sinned, but that
they had been so abominably wicked as to curse God in
their hearts, Job. i. 5. But Job well understood, that if
the guilt of any ordinary sin lies upon the conscience, it
will make the soul to wish secretly, that God was not,
or that he were not so just a judge, which is a secret
cursing of God, that cannot be avoided, until cur con-
sciences be purged from t
of Christ for us; which was then figured out by the
burnt offerings of Job for his sons.
Fifthly, God hath abundantly, discovered to us, in his
word, that his method, in bringing men from 5in to holi-
ness of life, is, first to make them know that he loveth
them and that their sins are blotted out. When he gave the
ten commandments on Mount Sinai, he first discovered
himself to be their God, that had given them a sure pledge
of his salvation, by their delivery from Egypt, in the pre-
face, Exod. xx. 2. And during all the time of the Old
Testament, God was pleased to make the entrance into
religion to be by circumcision ; which was not only a
sign, but also a seal of the righteousness of faith, whereby
God justifieth people; while they are considered as ungod-
ly, Rom. iv. II, 15. And this seal was administered to
children of eight days old, before they could perform any
condition of sincere obedience, for their justification, that
their furniture for an holy practice might be ready before
hand. Furthermore, in the time of the Old Testament,
God appointed divers washings, and the blood of bulls.
and goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the un-
clean, to prepare and sanctify them for other parts of his
worship in his tabernacle and temple; to figure out his
purging their consciences from dead works by the blood
of Christ, that they might serve the living God, Heb. ix.
10, 13, 14, 22. This, I say, was then figurative sanc-
tification, as the word sanctification is taken in a large
sense, comprehending all things that prepare us for the
‘. . . . . . . . . D . -
Q
he guilt of sin, by the offering
38 THE GOSPEL MystERY Direct. II.
service of God, chiefly the remission of sin, Heb. x. 10,
14, 18. Though if it be taken in a strict sense, respect-
ing only our conformity to the law, it must necessarily be
placed after justification according to the usual method
of Protestant divines. God also minded them of the ne-
cessity of purging away their guilt; first, that their service
might be acceptable, by commanding them to offer the
sin-offering before the burnt offering, Lev. v. 8. and xvi.
3, 11. And, lest the guilt of their sins should pollute the
service of God, notwithstanding all their particular expi-
ations, God was pleased to appoint a general atonement
for all their sins one day every year, wherein the scape-
goat was “to bear upon him all their iniquities into a
“land not inhabited,” Lev. xvi. 22, 34. Under the
New Testament, God useth the same method, in lov-
ing us first, and washing us from our sins by the blood
of Christ, that he may make us priests, to offer the sacri-
fices, of praise, and all good works, to God, even the Fa-
ther. He entereth us into his service, by washing away
our sins in baptism ; he feedeth and strengtheneth us for
his service by remission of sins, given to us in the blood
of Christ at the Lord’s supper; he exhorteth us to obey
him, because he hath already loved us, and our sins are
already pardoned. “Forgive one another, even as God
“for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. Beye therefore
“ followers of God as dear children: and walk in love,
“ as Christ hath loved us, Eph. iv. 32, and v. 1, 2. I
“ write unto you little children, because your sins are for-
“given you for his name’s sake. Love not the world,
* neither the things that are in the world,” 1 John. ii. 12,
15. I might quote abundance of texts of the same na-
ture. We may clearly see by all this, that God hath ac-
counted it a matter of greatimportance, and hath conde-
scended to take wonderful care in providing plentiful
means, both under the Old and New Testament, that his
people might be first cleansed from guilt and reconciled
to himself, to fit them for the acceptable practice of ho-
liness. Away then with all the contrary methods of new
divinity. - - - -
The THIRD ENDownTENT necessary to enable us for the
- - - -
Direct. II. of SANCTIFICATION. 39
practice of holiness, without which, a persuasion of our
reconciliation with God, would be of little efficacy to
work in us a rational propensity to it, is that we are per-
suaded of our future enjoyment of the everlasting heaven-
Iy happiness. This must precede our holy practice, as a
cause disposing and alluring us to it. This assertion hath
several sorts of adversaries to oppose it. Some account,
that a persuasion of our own future happiness, before we
have persevered in sincere obedience, tendeth to licenti-
ousness; and that the way to do good works, is rather to
make them a condition necessary for the procuring of
this persuasion. Others condemn all works that we are
allured or stirred up to by the future enjoyment of the
heavenly happiness, as legal, mercenary, flowing from
self love, and not-from any pure love to God; and they
figure out sincere godliness by a man bearing fire in one
hand, to burn up heaven, and water in the other, to
quench hell ; intimating, that the true service of God
must not proceed at all from hope of reward, or fear of
punishment, but only from love. To establish the truth.
asserted, against the errors that are so contrary to it, and
to each other, I shall propose the ensuing considerations.
First, The nature of the duties of the law is such, that
they cannot be sincerely and universally practised without
this endowment. That this endowment must be present
in us, is sufficiently proved already, by all that I have
said concerning the necessity of the persuasion of our firm
reconciliation with God by our justification, to prepare
us for this practice ; because that includeth a persuasion”
of this future happiness, or else it is of little worth.
All that I have to add here, is, that sincere obedience
cannot rationally subsist, except it be allured, encouraged,
and supported by this persuasion. Let me, therefore,
suppose a Sadducee believing no happiness after this life,
and put the question, Can such an one love God with
his whole heart, might and soul ? Will he not think it.
reasonable, rather to lessen and moderate his love towards
God, lest he should be over much troubled to part with
him by death : We account it most reasonable, to sit
loose in our affections from things that we must part
with. Can such an one be satisfied with the enjoyment ºv
- * *
- ,.” . . . .” – . . . . . . . . . . . . . ; 2 --- | | -
*. * S- - - sº -
is 40 – 2 the Gospići.
| MystERy Direct. II.
of God as his happiness? will he not rather account, that
the enjoyment of God and all religious duties are vani-
ties; as well as other things; because in a little time he
shall have no more benefit by them, than if they had never
been How can such an one be willing to lay down his
life for the sake of God, when, by his death, he must part
with God, as well as with other things : How can he
willingly choose afflictions ratherthan sin, when he shall be
, more miserable in this life for it, and not at all happy here-
after & I grant, if afflictions come unavoidably upon such a
- person, he may reasonably judge, that patience is better
for him than impatience; but it will displease him, that
he is forced to the use of such a virtue; and he will be prone
to fret and murmur at his Creator, and to wish he had
never been, rather than to endure such miseries, and to be
... comforted only with vain transitory enjoyments, i think ,
I have said enough to shew how unfurnished such a man."
is for holiness. And he that will burn up heaven, and
quench hell that he may serve God out of love, doth
thereby leave himself little better furnished than the Sad-
ducee. The one denieth them, the other will not have

them at all to be considered in this case.
Secondly, The sure hope of the glory of heaven, is made
use of ordinarily by God, since the fall of Adam, as an
encouragement to the practice of holiness; as the Scrip-
ture doth abundantly shew. Christ, the great pattern of
holiness, “for the joy that was set before him, endured
“ the cross, despising the shame,” Heb. xii. 2. And though
I cannot say, that the first Adam had such a sure hope to
preserve him in innocency; yet he had, instead of it, the
present possession of an earthly paradise, and an happy
estate in it; which he knew would last, if he continued
in holiness, or be changed into a better happiness. The
apostles did not faint under affliction, because they knew
that it wrought for them “a far more exceeding and eter-
“nal weight of glory,” 2. Cor. iv. 16, 17. The believ-
ing Hebrews “took joyfully the spoiling of their goods,
“knowing in themselves that they had in heaven a bet-
“ter arid an enduring substance,” Heb. x. 34. The
apostle Paul accounts all his sufferings unprofitable, were
º, it not for a glorious resurrection; and that Christians
would be of all men most miserable, and that the doctrines
* R,+r w
, Direct. II. . . or sANCTIFICATION. . . . . 41
of the Epicures were rather to be chosen, “Let us eat
“and drink for to-morrow we shall die.” And he ex-
horts the Corinthians to be “abundant in the work of the
“Lord, knowing that their labour shall not be in vain in
“the Lord,” 1 Cor. xv. 58. As worldly hope keepeth
the world at work in their various employments; so God
giveth his people the hope of his glory, to keep them
close to his service, Heb. vi. 11, 12. I John. iii. 3. And
it is such a sure hope as shall never make them ashamed,
Rom. v. 5. Those that think it below the excellency of
their love, to work from a hope of the heavenly reward,
do thereby advance their love beyond the love of the
apostles and primitive saints, and even of Christ himself.
Thirdly, This persuasion of our future enjoyment of
everlasting happiness cannot tend to licentiousness, if we
understand well, that perfect holiness is a necessary part
of that happiness; and that though we have a title to
& that happiness by free justification and adoption, yet we
must go to the possession of it in a way of holiness, 1 John
iii. 1, 2, 3. Neither is it legal or mercenary, to be moved
by this persuasion; seeing the persuasion itself is not got-
ten by the works of the law, but by free grace through
faith, Gal. v. 5. And, if it be a working from self love;
yet, for certain, it is not that carnal self love which the
Scripture condemneth as the mother of sinfulness, 2 Tim.
iii. 2, but an holy self love, inclining us to prefer God above
the flesh and the world, such as God directeth us un-
to, when he exhortethus to save ourselves, Acts i. 40.,
1 Tim. iv. 16. And it is so far from being contrary to
the pure love of God, that it brings us to love God more
purely and entirely. The more good and beneficial we
apprehend God to us, to all eternity, doubtless the more
lovely God will be to us, and our affections will be the
more inflamed towards him. Godwill not be loved as
a barren wilderness, a land of darkness to us, neither .
will he be served for nought, Jer. ii. 31. Isaiah xlv. 19.
He would think it a dishonour to him to be owned by us
as our God, if he had not prepared for us a city, Heb.
ºxi. 16. And he draweth us to love him by the cords of
a man, such cords as the love of man useth to be drawn
by, even by his own love to us, in laying his benefits be-,

42 : THE Gospel MystERys Direct. II.
fore us, Hosea xi. 4. Therefore the way for us to keep .
ourselves in the love of God, is to look for his mercy un-
g
to eternal life, Jude ver. 21. . . . . . . . . .
The LAST ENDow MENT, for the same end as the former,
is, that we be well persuaded of sufficient strength both to .
will and perform our duty acceptably, until we come to
the enjoyment of the heavenly happiness. This is con-
trary to the error of those that account it sufficient, if we
have strength to practise holiness, if we will, or to will it if
we please; and this is the sufficient strength which they
earnestly contend for, as a great benefit bestowed on all
mankind by universal redemption. It is also contrary to
the error of those that think the practice of godliness and
wickedness to be alike easy, excepting only some difficulty
in the first alterations of vicious customs, and in bearing
persecutions, which they account to be a rare case; since
the kingdoms of the world have been brought to the pro-
fession of Christianity ; or that think that God requireth
of men only to do their endeavour, that is, what they can
do ; and it is nonsense to say they cannot do what they can
do. According to their judgment, it is needless to con-
cern ourselves much about sufficient strength for holy
practice. For the confirmation of this assertion, against
those errors, take these arguments. . . . . . .
First, We are, by nature, dead in trespasses and sins,
unable to will -or do any thing that is spiritually good,
notwithstanding the redemption that is by Christ, until
we be actually quickened by Christ, Eph. ii. 1. Rom. viii.
7, 8, 9. Those that are sufficiently enlightened and hum-
bled, know themselves to be naturally in this case; that
they do not only want executive power to do good, but
chiefly an heart to will it, and be pleased with it; that, if
God work notin them both to will and to do, they shall nei-
ther will nor do anything pleasing to him; that if he leave
them to their own corruption, after he hath begun the good
work, they shall certainly prove vile apostates; and their
latter end will be worse than their beginning. We may
conclude from hence; that whosoever can courageously
attempt the practice of the law, without being well per-
suaded of a sufficient power, whereby he may be enabled.
to be heartily willing, as well as to perform when he is
Direct. II. - of SANCTIFICATION. 43
willing, until he hath gone through the whole work of
obedience acceptably: such an one was never yet truly
humbled, and brought to know the plague of his own
heart; neither doth he truly, believe the doctrine of ori-
ginal sin, whatever formal profession he makes of it.
Secondly, Those that think sincere conformity to the
law in ordinary cases to be so very easy, shew that they,
neither know it nor themselves. Is it an easy thing to
wrestle, not against flesh only, but “against principalities,
“powers, spiritual wickedness in high places * Eph. vi.
12. Is it an easy thing not to lust or covet according to
the tenth commandment : The apostle Paul found it so
difficult to obey this commandment, that his concupis-
cence prevailed the more by occasion of the command-
ment, Rom. vii. 7, 8. Our work is not only to alter vi-
cious customs, but to mortify corrupt natural affections,
which bred those customs; and not only to deny the ful-
filling of sinful lusts, butto be full of holy love and desires;
yet even the restraining the execution of corrupt lusts,
and crossing them by contrary actions, is, in many cases,
like “the cutting off a right hand, and plucking out a
“ right eye,” Matth. v. 29, 30. If obedience be so easy,
how came it to pass that the heathens generally did those
things for which their own consciences condemned them
as worthy of death ; Rom. i. 32. and that many among
us seek to enter into this strait gate, and are not able,
Luke xiii. 24. and break so many vows and purposes of
obedience, and fall back to the practice of their lusts,
press hard upon their consciences : . . . .
As to those that find persecution for religion to be so
rare a thing in late days, they have cause to be suspected,
that they are of the world, and therefore the world loveth.
its own; else they would find, that national profession of
religion will not secure those that are truly godly from
several sorts of persecutions. . . And suppose men do not
persecute us for religion, yet there is great difficulty in
bearing great injuries from men on other accounts, and
losses, poverty, bodily pains, long diseases, and untimely
though in the mean time, the fears of eternal damnation
deaths, from the ordinary providence of God, with such
hearty love to God, and to injurious men for his sake,
44 THE gospel MystERY Direct. II.
• * : . . .
- * * – - -
. . . . /. . .
nd such a patient acquiescence in his will as the law of
God requireth. I acknowledge, that the work of God is
easy and pleasant to those whom God rightly furnishes
. . . with endowments for it; but those that assert it to be
easy to men in their common condition, shew their im-
prudence in contradicting the general experience of hea- -

thens and Christians. Though, many duties do not re-
quire much labour of body or mind, and might be done
with ease, if we were willing; yet it is easier to remove",
a mountain, than to move and incline the heart to will
and affect the doing of them. I need not concern myself
t
filling of his commands. What, if by our endeavours
we can do nothing in any measure according to the rule,
shall the law be put off with no performance? and shall
such endeavours be accounted sufficient holiness? And
what if we cannot so much as endeavour in a right way?
If a man’s ability were the measure of acceptable duty,
the commands of the law would signify very little. . .
Thirdly, The wisdom of God hath ever furnished peo-
ple with a good persuasion of a sufficient strength, that
they might be enabled both to will and to do their duty.
with those that account that all have sufficient strength
for an holy practice, because they can do their endeavor,
that is, what they can do ; for God requireth actual ful-
--
The first Adam was furnished with such a strength, and
we have no cause to think that he was ignorant of it, or :
that he needed to fear that he should be left to his own
corruptions, because he had no corruptions in him, until
he had produced them in himself by sinning against
strength ; and, when he had lost that strength, he could
not recover the practice of holiness, until he was acquaint-
ed with a better strength, whereby the head of Satan
should be bruised, Gen. iii. 15. Our Lord Christ, doubt-
* less knew the infinite power of his deity to enable him for
all that he was to do and suffer in our nature. He knew ,
the Lord God would help him, “therefore he should not
“be confounded.” Isaiah 1. 7. The scripture sheweth
what plentiful assurance of strength God gave to Moses,
Joshua, Gideon, when he called them to great employ-
ments: and to the Israelites, when he called them to sub-
} .’
- ,
‘. . . . "
‘. .
#. - - - --- -
!' . > - - - . . . . - - - - . , !,
-- due the land of Canaan, Christ would have the sons of
-º-; ; , . " . . . . . . . . .
º, S- V. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
- -- ~ *.
* :-
º r "45 -
Direct. III. of SANCTIFICATION.
Zebedee to consider whether they were able to “drink of
“ his cup, and to be baptized with the baptism that he
“ was baptized with,” Matth. xx. 29. Paul encourageth
believers to the life of holiness, by persuading them, that
sin shall not prevail to get the dominion over them, be-
cause “they are not under the law but under grace,”
Rom. vi. 13, 14. And he exhorteth them “to be strong
“in the Lord, and in the power of his might, that they
“might be able to stand against the wiles of the devil,”
Eph. vi. 10, 11. John exhorteth believers “not to love
“the world, nor the things of the world, because they
“ were strong, and had overcome the wicked one,” I John
ii. 14, 15. They that were called of God heretofore to
work miracles were first acquainted with the gift of power &
to work them : and no wise man will attempt to do them,
without knowledge of the gift : even so, when men that
are dead in sin are called to do the works of a holy life,
which are in them greatmiracles, God maketh a discovery,
of the gift of power unto them, that he may encourage
them in a rational way to such a wonderful enterprise."
/ * º — • - . . . . . . . -
& DIRECTION III. -
The way to get holy Endowments and Qualifications
necessary to frame and enable us for the immedi-
ate Practice of the Law, is to receive them out of
the Fulness of Christ, by fellowship with him;
and, that we may have this Fellowship, we must
be in Christ, and have Christ himself in us, by a
mystical Union with him. . . . . . . . . .
HERE, as much as any where, we have great cause
to acknowledge, with the Apostle, that, “ without con- ſº
“troversy, great is the mystery of godliness,” even so
&

46 THE Gospel Mystery Direct. III.
great, that it could “not have entered into the heart of
“ man to conceive it, if God had not made it known” in
the gospel by supernatural revelation. Yea, though it be
man hath not eyes to see it there; for it is foolishness to
him ; and if God express it ever so plainly and properly,
he will think that God is speaking riddles and parables.
And I doubt not but it is still a riddle and parable even
to many truly godly, who have received an holy nature
in this way ; for the apostles themselves had not the sav-
ing benefit of it, before the Comforter discovered it clearly
to them, John xiv. 20. And they walked in Christ as the
way to the Father, before they clearly knew him to be the
3 way, John xiv. 5. And the best of us know it but in part,
and must wait for the perfect knowledge of it in another
world. . . . . . . . .
One great mystery is, that the holy frame and disposi-
tion whereby our souls are furnished and enabled for im-
mediate practice of the law, must be obtained “by receiv-
“ing it out of Christ’s fulness,” as a thing already pre--
pared and brought to an existence for us in Christ, and
treasured up in him ; and that as we are justified by a
righteousness wrought out in Christ, and imputed to us;
so we are sanctified by such an holy frame and qualifica-
tions, as are first wrought out, and completed in Christ.
for us, and then imparted to us. And as our natural cor-
ruption was produced originally in the first Adam, and
propagated from him to us; so our new nature and holi-
ness is first produced in Christ, and derived from him to
us, or as it were propagated. So that we are not at all
to work together with Christ, in making or producing
that holy frame in us, but only to take it to ourselves, and
use it in our holy practice, as made ready to our hands.
Thus we have fellowship with Christ, in receiving that
holy frame of spirit that was originally in him : for fel-
lowship is, when several persons have the same thing in
, common, 1 John i. 2, 3. This mystery is so great, that,
notwithstanding all the light of the gospel, we commonly
think that we must get an holy frame by producing it
anew in ourselves, and by forming and working it out of
our own hearts. Therefore many that are seriously de-
Direct. III, or SANCTIFICATION. . 47.
vout, take a great deal of pains to mortify their corrupt .
nature, and begetan holy frame of heart in themselves, by
striving earnestly to master their sinful lusts, and by press-
ing vehemently upon their hearts many motives to godli-
ness, labouring importunately to squeeze good qualifica-
tions out of them, as oil out of a flint. They account, that .
though they be justified by a righteousness wrought out
by Christ, yet they must be sanctified by a holiness wrought
out by themselves. And though, out of humility, they
are willing to call it infused grace; yet they think they
must get the infusion of it by the same manner of working,
as if it were wholly acquired by their own endeavours.
On this account they acknowledge the entrance into a
godly life to be harsh and unpleasing, because it costs so
much struggling with their own hearts and affections to
new frame them. If they knew that this way of entrance
is not only harsh and unpleasant, but altogether impossible;
and that the true way of mortifying sin, and quickening
themselves to holiness, is by receiving a new nature, out
of the fulness of Christ; and that we do no more to the
production of a new nature, than of original sin, though
we do more to the reception of it; if they knew this, they
might save themselves many a bitter agony, and a great
deal of mis-spent burdensome labour, and employ their
endeavours to enter in at the strait gate, in such a way as
would be more pleasant and successful. . .
Another great mystery in the way of sanctification, is,
the glorious manner of our fellowship with Christ, in re-
ceiving an holy frame of heart from him. It is by our
being in Christ, and having Christ himself in us; and that
not merely by his universal presence as he is God, but by
such a close union, as that we are one spirit and one flesh .
with him ; which is a privilege peculiar to those that are
truly sanctified. I may well call this a mystical union, .
because the apostle calleth it a great mystery, in an epistle
full of mysteries, Eph. v. 22. intimating, that it is emi-
nently great above many other mysteries. It is one of
the three mystical unions that are the chief mysteries in.
religion. The other two are, the union of the Trinity of
persons in one Godhead, and the union of the divine and
human nature in one person, Jesus Christ, God and man,
48 THE Gospel, MystERY Direct. III.
Though we cannot frame an exact idea of the manner of
any of these three unions in our imaginations, because
the depth of these mysteries is beyond our comprehension;
yet we have cause to believe them all, because they are
clearly revealed in Scripture, and are a necessary founda-
tion for other points of Christian doctrine, Particularly,
this union between Christ and believers, is plain in several
... places of Scripture, affirming that Christ is, and “dwell-
“eth in believers, and they in him, John vi. 56. and xiv.
“20. and that they are so joined together as to become
“one spirit,” 1 Cor. vi. 17. and that believers are mem-
bers of Christ’s body, of his flesh, and of his bones; and
they two, Christ and the church, are one flesh, Eph. v.
30, 31 : Furthermore, this union is illustrated in Scripture
by various resemblances, which would be very much un-
like the things which they are made use of to resemble,
and would rather seem to beguile us by obscuring the
truth, than instructus by illustrating of it, if there were
no true proper union between Christ and believers. It is
resembled by the union between God the Father and Christ
John xiv:20. and xvii. 21, 22, 23. between the vine and
its branches, John xv. 4, 5. between the head and body
Eph. 1. 22, 22. between bread and the eater, John vi. 51,
53, 54. It is not only resembled, but sealed in the Lord’s
Supper; where neither the Popish transubstantiation, nor
the Lutherans consubstantiation, nor the Protestants spi-
ritual presence of Christ’s body and blood to the true re-
ceivers, can stand without it. And if we can imagine that
Christ's body and blood are not truly eaten and drunk by
believers, either spiritually or corporally, we shall make
the bread and wine joined with the words of institution,
not only naked signs, but such signs as are much more
apt to breed false notions in us, than to establish us in the
truth. And there is nothing in this union so impossible,
or repugnant to reason, as may force us to depart from
the plain and familiar sense of these Scriptures that ex:
press and illustrate it. Though Christ be in heaven, and
we on earth, yet we can join our souls and bodies to his at
such a distance, without any substantial change of either,
by the same infinite Spirit dwelling in him and us; and
so our flesh will become his, when it is quickened by his
cº-..
Direct. III, or sANctification. . . 49
Spirit ; and his flesh ours, as truly as if we did eat his flesh
and drink his blood; and he will be in us by himself by his
Spirit, who is one with him, and who can unite more
closely to Christ than any material substance can do, or
who can make a more close and intimate union between
Christ and us. And it will not follow from hence, that
a believer is one person with Christ, any more than Christ
is one person with the Father by that great mystical union.
Neither will a believer be hereby made God, but only the
temple of God, as Christ's body and soul are ; and the
Spirit’s lively instrument, rather than the principal cause.
Neither will a believer be necessarily perfect in holiness
hereby ; or Christ made a sinner: for Christ knoweth how
to dwell in believers by certain measures and degrees,
and to make them holy so far only as he dwelleth in them.
And though this union seem too high a preferment for
such unworthy creatures as we are ; yet, considering the
preciousness of the blood of God, whereby we are re-
deemed, we should dishonor God, if we should not ex-
peet a miraculous advancement to the highest dignity
that creatures are capable of, through the merits of that
blood. Neither is there any thing in this union contrary
to the judgment of sense, because the bond of the union,
being spiritual, falleth not at all under the judgment of
SellSé. - . . . . . . . . .
Several learned men of late acknowledge no other
union between Christ and believers, than such as persons
or things wholly separated, may have by their mutual re-
lations to each other; and accordingly they interpret the
places of Scriptures that speak of this union. When Christ -
is called the head of the church, they account that a po-
litical head or governor is the thing meant. When Christ '.
is said to be in his people, and they in him, they think that
the proper meaning is, that Christ’s law, doctrine, grace,
salvation, or that godliness is in them, and embraced by
them: so that Christhere must not betaken for Christ him-
self, but for some other thing wrought in them by Christ.
When Christand believers are said to be one spirit and one
flesh, they understand it of the agreement of their minds
and affections; as if the greatness of the mystery of this
union, mentioned, Eph. v. 32. consisted rather in a harsh
* - - * F. s i - - t - •- - ..
50 THE Gospºl, MystERY Direct. III.
* ... . . . . . . . . . . . . • ---. . . . . --> - - - . . . -
trope, or a dark improper expression, than in the depth
and abstruséness of the thing itself; and as if Christ and
his apostles had affected obscureintricate expressions when
... they speak to the church of things very plain, and easy to
be understood. Thus that great mystery, the union of
believers with Christ himself, which is the glory of the
church, and hath been highly owned formerly, both by
the ancient fathers, and many eminent Protestant divines,
particularly writers concerning the doctrine of the Lord’ sº
Supper, and by a very general consent of the church in
many ages, is now exploded out of the new model of di-
vinity. The reason of exploding it, as I judge in charity,
is not, because our learned refiners of divinity think them-
selves less able to defendit, than the other two mysterious
unions, and to silence the objections of those proud sophis-
ters that will not believe what they cannot comprehend;
but rather, because they account it to be one of the sinews
of Antinomianism, that lay unobserved in the former usual
doctrine; that ittendeth to puff up men with a persuasion,
that they are justified, and have eternal life in them already,
and that they need not depend any longer upon their un-
certain performances of the condition of sincere obedi-
ence for salvation ; whereby they account the very foun-
dation of a holy practice to be subverted. But the wis-
dom of God hath laid another manner of foundation for
an holy practice than they imagine, of which this union
(which the builders refuse) is a principal stone next to the
head of the corner. And, in opposition to their corrupt
glosses upon the Scriptures that prove it, I assert, that our
union with Christ is the cause of our subjection to Christas
a political head in all things, and of the abiding of his law,
doctrine, grace, salvation, and all godliness in us, and of our
agreement with him in our minds, and affections; and there-
fore it cannot be altogether the same thing with them. And
this assertion is useful for a better understanding of the
excellency of this union. It is not a privilege procured
by our singere obedience and holiness, as some may ima-
gine, or a reward of good works, reserved for us in another,
world; but it is a privilege bestowed on believers in their
very first entrance into an holy state, on which all ability
Direct. III. , or sanctification. 51
to do good works doth depend, and all sincere obedience -
to the law doth follow after it, as fruit produced by it.
- . Having thus far explained the direction, I shall now
shew, that though the truth contained in it be above the
reach of natural reason, yet it is evidently discovered to .
those that have their understandings opened, to discern
that supernatural revelation of the mysterious way of
sanctification which God hath given to us in the holy
Scriptures. . . . . . . . . . . . .
First, There are several places in Scriptures that do
plainly express it. Some texts shew, “that all things
“ pertaining to our salvation, are treasured up for tis in .
“ Christ, and comprehended in his fulness;” so that we
must have them thence, or not at all, Col. i. 9. “It
“pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell.”
And, in the same epistle, Col. ii. 11, 12, 13. the apostle
sheweth that the holy nature whereby we live to God,
was first produced in us by his death and resurrection;
“ In whom also ye are circumcised in putting of the bor
“dy of the sins of the flesh; buried with him ; quickened
“together with him, when you were dead in your sins,
“Eph. i. 3. Who hath blessed us with all spiritual bles-
“sings in heavenly places in Christ.” An holy frame
of spirit, with all its necessary qualifications, must needs.
be comprehended herein “in all spiritual blessings;” and
these are given us in Christ’s person in heavenly places, as
prepared and treasured up in him for us while we are
upon earth ; and therefore we must have our holy endow-
ments out of him, or not at all. In this text some choose
rather to read heavenly things, as in the margin, because
neither places nor things are expressed in the original ; ,
but the former textual reading is to be preferred before
the marginal, as being the proper sense of the original
Greek phrase, which is, and must necessarily be so ren-
dered in the two other places of this same epistle, chap.
iii. 10. and vi. 12. Another text is, 1 Cor. i. 30, which
sheweth, that “Christ is of God made unto us sanctifica- -
“tion,” by which we are able to walk holily; as well as
wisdom, by the knowledge of which we are savingly wise;
and righteousness, by the imputation of which we are jus-
52 THE Gospel, MystERY Direct. III.
tified ; and redemption, whereby we are redeemed from
all misery, to the enjoyment of his glory, as our happi-
ness in the heavenly kingdom. Other texts of Scripture.
shew plainly, that we receive 'our holiness out of his ful-
néss by fellowship with him : John i. 16, 17. § Of his
“fulness have we all received, and grace, for grace,”
And it is understood of grace answerable to the law given
by Moses, which must needs include the grace of sancti-
fication: 1 John i. 3, 5, 6, 7... “Truly our fellowship is
“ with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. God
“ is light. If we walk in the light, as he is in the light,
“we have fellowship one with another.” Hence we may
infer that our fellowship with God and Christ, dóth in-
clude particularly our having light, and walking in it ho-
lily and 1 ighteously. There are other texts that teach
the proof of the whole direction fully; shewing, not only
that our holy endowments are made ready first in Christ
for us, and received from Christ; but that we receive
them by union with Christ: Col. iii. 10, 11. “’Ye have
“put on the new man, which is renewed after the Image
“ of him that created him : where Christis all and in all,
“ 1 Cor. vi. 17. He that is joined to the Lord, is one
“spirit, Gal. ii. 20. I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth
“in me, 1 John v. 11, 12. This is the record, that God
“ hath given to us eternal life; and this life is in his
“Son. He that hath the Son, hath life : and he that
“ hath not the Son, hath not life.” Can we desire that
God should more clearly teach us, that all the fulness of .
the new man is in Christ; and all that spiritual nature
and life whereby we live to God in holiness; and that
they are fixed in him so unseparably, that we cannot have
them except we be joined to him, and have himself abid-
ing in us? Take heed, lest, through prejudice, and hard-
ness of heart, you be guilty of making God a liar, in not
believing this eminent record, that God hath given to us '
of his Son. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Secondly, God is pleased to illustrate this mysterious
manner of our sanctification by such a variety of simili-
tudes and resemblances, as may put us out of doubt that
it is truth, and such a truth as we are highly concerned
to know and believe. I shall endeavour to contract the
Direct. III. or sANCTIFICATION. 53
chief of these resemblances, and the force of them briefly
into one sentence ; leaving it to those that are spiritual, to
enlarge their meditation upon them. We receive from
Christ a new holy frame and nature, whereby we are ena-
bled for an holy practice, by union and fellowship with
him; in like manner. 1st, As Christ livethin our nature
by the Father, John vi. 57. 2d, As we receive original
sin and death propagated to us from the first Adam, Rom.
v. 12, 15, 16, 17, 3d, As the natural body receiveth .
sense, motion, nourishment, from the head, Col. ii. 19.
4th, As the branch receiveth its sap, juice, and fructify-
ing virtue from the vine, John xv. 4, 5. 5th, As the wife
bringeth forth fruit by virtue of her conjugal union with
her husband, Rom. vii. 4. 6th, As stones become an holy
temple, by being built upon the foundation, and joined
with the chief corner stone, 1 Pet. ii. 4, 5, 6. 7th, As we
receive the nourishing virtue of bread, by eating it, and
of wine, by drinking it, John vi. 51, 55, 57. which last
resemblance is used to seal to us our communion with
Christ in the Lord's Supper. Here are seven resemblances
instanced, whereof some do illustrate the mystery spoken
of more fully than others: All of them do some way inti-
mate, that our new life and holy nature are first in Christ,
and then in us, by a true proper union and fellowship
with him. If any should urge, that the similitude of A-
dam and his seed, and of married couples, do make ra- -
ther for a relative than-a real union, betwixt Christ and
us; let them consider, that all nations are really made
of one blood, which was first in Adam, Acts xvii. 26. and
that the first woman was made out of the body of Adam,
and was really bone of his bone, and flesh of his flesh.
And by this first married couple, the mystical union of
Christ and his church, is eminently resembled, Gen.ii.22,
23, 24. with Eph. v. 30, 31, 32. And yet it supposeth
both these resemblances in the nearness and fulness of
them ; because those that are joined to the Lord, are not
only one flesh, but one spirit with him. . . . . . . .
Thirdly, The end of Christ’s incarnation, death, and
resurrection was, to prepare and form an holy nature and
frame for us in himself, to be communicated to us by
union and fellowship with him ; and not to enable us to
34 THE Gospel MystERY Direct. III: .
produce in ourselves the first original of such an holy na-.
ture by our own endeavouas. . . . . . . . .
1. By his incarnation, there was a man created in a ‘
*
new holy frame, after the holiness of the first Adam's
. . . frame had been marred and abolished by the first trans-
gression; and this new frame was far more excellent than
ever the first, Adam’s was : because man was really join-
ed to God by a close inseparable union of the divine and
human nature in one person, Christ; so that these
natures had communion each with the other in their
actings, and Christ was able to act in his human
nature, by power proper to the divine nature, where-
in, he was one God with the Father. The words
that he spake while he was upon earth, he spake not of
himself, by any mere human power, but the Father that
dwelt in him, he did the works, John xiv. 10. Why
was it that Christ set up the fallen nature of man in
such a wonderful frame of holiness, in bringing it to live
and act by communion with God, living and acting in it 3
One great end was, that he might communicate this ex-
cellent frame to his seed, that should be born of him and
in him, by his Spirit, as the last Adam, the quickening
Spirit; that, “ as we have borne the image of the earthly
“man, so we might also bear the image of the heavenly,”
1 Cor. xv.45, 49. In holiness here, and in glory here-
after. Thus he was born Emanuel, God with us; be-
cause the fulness of the Godhead, with all holiness, did
first dwell in him bodily, even in his human nature; that
we might be filled up with that fulness in him, Matth. i.,
23. Col. ii. 9, 10. Thus he came down from heaven as
living bread, that, as he liveth by the Father, so those that
eat him, may live by him; John vi. 51, 56. by the same
life of God in them that was first in him. - `... . . .

2. By his death, he freed himself from the guilt of our
sins imputed to him, and from all that innocent weakness
of his human nature, which he had borne for a time for
our sakes. And, by freeing himself, he prepared a free-
dom for us, from our whole natural condition; which
is both weak as his was, and also polluted with our guilt.
and sinful corruption. … Thus the corrupt natural estate,
which is called in Scripture the old man, wan crucified to-
* ~~
Direct. III. or sANCTIFICATION. 55.,
And it is destroyed in us, not by any wounds that we
ourselves can give to it, but by, our partaking of that
freedom from it, and death unto it, that is already
wrought out for us by the death of Christ: as is signified
by our baptism, wherein we are buried with Christ by
the application of his death to us, Rom. vi. 2, 3, 4, 10,
gether with Christ, that the body of sin might be destroyed. .
1 1. “God sending his own Son in the likeness of sin-
“ful flesh, for sin (or, by a sacrifice for sin, as in the .
“margin) condemned sin in the flesh ; that the righteous-
“ness of the law might be fulfilled in us that walk not
“ after the flesh, but after the Spirit,” Rom. viii. 3, 5.
Observe here, that though Christ died, that we might
be justified by the righteousness of God and of faith,
not by our own righteousness which is of the law, Rom.
x. 4, 5, 6. Phil. iii. 9. yet he died also, that the righteous-
ness of the law might be fulfilled in us, and that by walk- {
ing after his spirit, as those that are in Christ, Rom. Ibid.
He is resembled in his death to a corn of wheat dying in
the earth, that it may propagate its own nature, by bring-
ing forth much fruit, John xii. 24. to the passover that
was slain, that a feast might be kept upon it; and to bread
broken, that it may be nourishment to those that eat it;
1. Cor. v. 7, 8. and xi. 24. to the rock smitten, that
water may gush out of it for us to drink, I Cor. x. 4.
his seed, i.e. such as derive their holy nature from him,
He died, that he, might make, of Jew and Gentile, one
new man in himself, Eph. ii. 15. and that he might see
*
... "
in Christ for us, by union and fellowship with him.
8. By his resurrection, he took possession of spiritual
life for us, as now fully procured for us, and made to be
our right and property by the merit of his death ; and
therefore we are said to be quickened together with Christ,
even when we were dead in sins, and to be raised up to-
gether, yea, and be made to sit together in heavenly
places, in Christ Jesus, as our head, while we continue
upon earth in our own persons, Eph. ii. 5, 6. His re-
Isaiah liii. 10. Let these Scriptures be well observed, and
they will sufficiently evidence, that Christ died, not that
we might be able to form an holy nature in ourselves,
but that we might receive one ready prepared and formed

5.6 THE Gospel, MystERY Direct. III.
surrection was our resurrection to the life of holiness, as
Adam’s fall was our fall into spiritual death. And we
are not ourselves the first makers and formers of our new
holy-nature, any more than of our original corruption ;
but both are formed ready for us to partake of them.
us;
And, by union with Christ, we partake of that spiritual
life that he took possession of for us at his resurrection, and
thereby we are enabled to bring forth the fruits of it; as
the Scripture sheweth by the similitude of a marriage
union, Rom. vii. 4. “‘We are married to him that is
“ risen from the dead, that we might bring forth fruit
“ unto God.” Baptism signifieth the application of
Christ's resurrection to us as well as his death ; we are
raised up with him in it, to newness of life, as well as
buried with him ; and we are taught thereby, that, be-
cause “he died unto sin once, and liveth unto God, we
“should likewise reckon ourselves to be dead indeed unto,
“sin, and alive unto God, through Jesus Christ our
* Lord,” Rom. vi. 4, 5, 10, 11. -
Fourthly, Our sanctification is by the Holy Ghost, by
whom we live and walk holily, Rom. xv. 16. Gal. v.
25. Now, the Holy Ghost first rested on Christ in all
fulness, that he might be communicated from him to us;
as was signified to John the Baptist, by the similitude of
the descending of a dove from the opened heavens, rest-
ing on Christ at his baptism, John i. 32, 33. And, when
he sanctifiethus, he baptizeth us unto Christ, and joineth
igto Christ by himself, as the great bond of union,
1. Gºr. xii. 13. So that, according to the scriptural phrase,
it is all one, to have Christ himself, and to have the Spirit
of Christ in us, Rom. viii. 9, 10. “He glorifieth
“Christ: for he receiveth those things that are Christ's,
“ and sheweth them to us,” John xvi. 14, 15. He giv-
eth us an experimental knowledge of those spiritual bles-
sings which he himself prepared for us by the incarnation,
death, and resurrection of Christ. . . . - -
. Fifthly, The effectual causes of those four principal en-
dowments which, in the foregoing direction, were asserted
as necessary to furnish us for the immediate practice of
holiness, are comprehended in the fulness of Christ, and
treasured up for us in him ; and the endowments them--

•ºrº -
Direct. III. or sANCTIFICATION. 57
selves together with their causes, are attained richly by
union and fellowship with Christ. If we be joined to
Christ our hearts will be no longer left-under the power
of sinful inclinations, or in a mere indifferency of incli-
nation to good or evil; but they will be powerfully endow-
ed with a power, bent, and propensity to the practice of
holiness, by the Spirit of Christ dwelling in us, and inclin-
ing us to mind spiritual things, and to lust against the
flesh, Rom. viii. 1, 4, 5, Gal. v. 17. And we have in
Christ a full reconciliation with God, and an advancement
into higher favour with him, than the first Adam had in
the state of innocency : because the righteousness that
Christ wrought out for us by his obedience unto death,
is imputed to us for our justification : which is called the
righteousness of God, because it is wrought by one that
is God as well as man; and therefore it is of infinite value,
to satisfy the justice of God, for all our sins, and to pro-
cure his pardon and highest favour for us, 2 Cor. v. 21.
Rom. v. 19. And, that we may be persuaded of this re-
conciliation, we receive the spirit of adoption through
Christ, whereby we cry, Abba, Father, Rom. viii. 15,
Hereby also we are persuaded of our future enjoyment of
the everlasting happiness, and of Safficient strength both
to will and to perform our duty acceptably, until we
come to that enjoyment. For the spirit of adoption teach-
eth us to conclude, that, if we be the children of God,
then we are heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ;
and that the law of the spirit of life that is in Christ
Jesus, maketh us free from the law of sin and death;
and that nothing shall be against us, nothing shall Se-
parate us from the love of God in Christ; but, in all
opposition and difficulties that we meet with, we shall
be at last, “ more than conquerors through him that
“loved us,” Rom. viii., 17, 29, 35, 37, 39. Further-
more, this comfortable persuasion of our justification
and future happiness, and all saving privileges cannot
tend to licentiousness, as it is given only in this way of
union with Christ: because it is joined inseparably with
the gift of Sanctification, by the spirit of Christ; so that
we cannot have justification, or any saving privilege in
Christ, except we receive Christ himself, and his holiness
**
* . .
58 THE Gospel MystERY Direct. III.
as well as any other benefit; as the scripture testifieth,
that, “There is no condemnation to them which are in
“Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the
“Spirit,” Rom. viii. 1. ----
Sixthly, Whereas it m ay be doubted, whether the saints -
that lived before the coming of Christ in the flesh could
possibly be one flesh with him, and receive a new nature
by union and fellowship with him, as prepared for them
in his fulness; we are to know, that the same Christ that
took our flesh, was before Abraham, John-viii. 58. and
was fore ordained before the foundation of the world, to
be sacrificed as a lamb without blemish, that he might
redeem us from all iniquity by his precious blood, 1 Pet.
i. 18, 19, 20. and he had the same Spirit then, which
filled his human nature with all its fulness afterwards, and
raised it from the dead; and he gave that Spirit then to
the church, 1 Pet. i. 11. and iii. 18, 19. Now, this spi-
rit was able and effectual to unite these saints to that flesh
which Christ was to take to himself in the fulness of time,
because he was the same in both, and to give out to them
that grace with which Christ would afterwards fill his
flesh, for their salvation, as well as ours. Therefore David
accounteth Christ's flesh to be his, and spake of Christ's
death and resurrection as his own, before-hand, as well -
as any of us can do, since their accomplishment, Psalm
xvi. 9, 10, 11, “My flesh also shall rest in hope ; for thou
“wilt not leave my soul in hell ; neitherwilt thou suſ-
“fer thine holy one to see corruption. Thou wiltshew
“me the path of life.” Yea, and saints before David's
time, “ did all eat of the same spiritual meat, and drink
“ of the same spiritual drink,” even of the same Christ,
as we do; and therefore were partakers of the same pri-
vilege of union and fellowship with Christ, 1 Cor:ºx. 3, 4.
And when Christ was manifested in the flesh, in the ful-
ºness of time, all things in heaven and on earth, all the
saints departed, whose spirits were then made perfect in
heaven, as well as these saints that then were, or should
afterwards be on earth, were “gathered together in one.”
and comprehended in Christ as their head, Eph, i. 10.
And he was “the chief corner stone, in whom the build-
“ing of the whole church upon the foundation of the
Direct, IV. or sANCTIFICATION. #9" …
“ prophets before, and the -apostles after his coming, ~
“being fitly framed together, groweth into an holy tem.
“ple in the Lord, Eph. ii. 20, 21... Jesus Christ is the
“same yesterday, and to-day, and for ever,” Heb. xiii,
8. His incarnation, death and resurrection, were the cause
of all the holiness that ever was, or shall be given to man, .
from the fall of Adam, to the end of the world; and that
by the mighty power of his Spirit, whereby all saints that
ever were, or shall be, are joined together to be members
of that one mystical body whereof he is the head.
*º-sº -
DIRECTION IV.
The Means or instruments, whereby the Spirit of
God accomplisheth our Union with Christ, and
our Fellowship with him in all Holiness, are the
Gospel, whereby Christ entereth into our Hearts
to work Faith in us ; and Faith whereby we
actually receive Christ himself with all his ful.
mess, into our Hearts. And this Faith is a
Grace of the Sprit, whereby we heartily believe
the Gospel, and also believe on Christ, as he is
revealed and freely promised to us therein, for all
his salvation. 2 * - s - . . .
ExPLICATION.
: THAT which I asserted, in the foregoing direc-
tion, concerning the necessity of our being in Christ,
and having Christ in us, by a mystical union, to enable
us for an holy practice, might put us to a stand in our en-
deavours for holiness; because we cannot imagine how
we should be able to raise ourselves above our natural
sphere, to this glorious union and fellowship, until God
be pleased to make known to us, by Supernatural revela- -
tion, the means whereby his Spirit maketh us partakers of
~~~ --~~
* ~.
60 rhi gospel MystERY Direct. IV.
at a stand, to go on forward, by revealing two means or
instruments whereby his Spirit accomplisheth the mystical
union and fellowship between Christ and us, and whereby
rational creatures are capable of attaining thereunto, by
his Spirit working in them.
One of these means is the gospel of the grace of God,
wherein God doth make known to us the unsearchable
riches of Christ, and Christin us, the hope of glory, Eph.
º, iii. 8. Col. i. 27. and doth also invite us and command us
to believe on Christ for his salvation, and doth encourage
us by a free promise of that salvation, to all that believe
on him, Acts xvi. 31. Rom. x. 9, 11. This is God's own
instrument of conveyance, wherein he sendeth Christ to
us, to bless us with his salvation, Acts iii. 26. It is the
ministration of the Sp
6, 8, 9. Faith cometh by the hearing of it; and there-
fore it is a great instrument, whereby we are begotten in
Christ, and Christis formedia us, Rom. x. 16, 17. I Cor.
irit and of righteousness, 2 Cor. iii.
iv. 15. Gal. iv. 19. There is no need for us to say in our
hearts, “Who shall ascend into heaven to bring Christ
“ down from above ; or, who shall descend into the deep,
º “to bring up Christ from the dead,” that we may be
united, and have fellowship with him in his death and re-
surrection? for the word is nigh to us, the gospel, the word
of faith, in which Christ himself graciously condescendeth
to be nigh to us; so that we may come at him there,
without going any further, if we desire to be joined to
him, Rom. x. 6, 7, 8. -
- ' The other of these means is faith, '. that is wroughtinus
by the gospel. This is our instrument of reception, where-
by the union between Chiist and us is accomplished on
our part, by our actual receiving. Christ him self, with all
his fulness, into our heart; which is the principal subj}ct
- - º . º º - º ;
* : º:# , , , , , , “ . . . . . . . y \, . . . . . . . . -
of the present explanation. . . . . . ." . . . .
The faith which philosophers commonly treat of, is only
an habit of the understanding, whereby we assent to a tes-
timony upon the authority of the testifier. Accordingly,
some would have faithin Christ to be no more than a be-,
lieving the truth af things in religion, upon the authority
of Christ testifying them. But the apostle sheweth, that

Direct. IV, or sanctification, 61
the faith wher eby we are justified, is faith in Christ's blood,
Rom. iii. 24, 25. not only in his authority as a testifier.
And though a mere assent to a testimony were sufficient
faith for knowledge of things, which the philosophers aim-
ed at ; yet we are to consider, that the design of saving
faith, is not only to know the truth of Christ and his sal-
vation, testified and promised in the gospel, but also to
apprehend and receive Christ and his salvation, as given
by and with the promise. Therefore, saving faith must
necessarily contain two acts, believing the truth of the
gospel, and believing on Christ, as promised freely to us
in the gospel, for all salvation. By the one, it receiveth .
the means wherein Christ is conveyed to us; by the other.
it receiveth Christ himself, and his salvation in the means;
as it is one act to receive the breast or cup wherein milk
or wine are conveyed, and another act, to suck the milk
in the breast, and to drink the wine in the cup. - And
both these acts must be performed heartily, with an un-
feigned love to the truth, and a desire of Christ and his
salvation above all things. This is our spiritual appetite,
which is necessary for our eating and drinking Christ, the
food of life, as a natural appetite is for bodily nourish-
ment. Our assenting unto, or believing the gospel, must
not be forced by mere conviction of the truth, such as
wicked men and devils may be brought to, when they had
rather it were false; neither must our believing in Christ
be only constrained for fear of damnation, without any
hearty love and desire towards the enjoyment of him;
but we must receive the love of the truth, by relishing
the goodness and excellency of it; and we must “ac-
“count all things loss for the excellency of the knowledge
“of Christ Jesus our Lord) and count them but dung,
“that we may win Christ, and be found in him,” 2 Thes.
ii. 10. Phil. iii. 8, 9. Esteeming Christ to be all our sai-
vation and happiness, Col. iii. 11. “in whom all fulness .
“doth dwell,” Col. i. 19. And this love must be to every
part of Christ's salvation; to holiness, as well as forgive-
iness of sins. We must desire earnestly, that God would
create in us a clean heart and right spirit, as well as hide
his face from our sins, Psal. li. 9, 10, not like many, that -
care for nothing in Christ; but only deliverance from hell.
~.
-
62 rhE gospel MystERY Direct. Iv.
“Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteous-
“ness : for they shall be filled,” Matth. v. 6. The for-
mer of these acts doth immediately unite us to Christ, be-
cause it is terminated only on the means of conveyance,
the gospel; yet it is a saving act, if it rightly be performed,
because it inclineth and disposeth the soul to the latter act,
whereby Christ himself is immediately received into the
heart. He that believeth the gospel with hearty love
and liking, as the most excellent truth, will certainly with
the like heartiness believe on Christ for his salvation.
“They that know the name of the Lord, will certainly
“put their trust in him,” Psal. ix. 10. Therefore, in
Scripture, saving faith is sometimes described by the
former of these acts, as if it were a mere believing the
gospel; sometimes by the latter, as a believing on Christ,
or in Christ, Rom. x.9. “If thou believe in thine heart,
“that God raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved,
“ver. I 1. The Scripture saith, that whosoever believeth
“on him, shall not be ashamed, 1 John v. 1. Whosoever
“believeth, that Jesus is the Christ, is born of God.
“Verse 13. These things have I written unto you that
“believe on the name of the Son of God, that ye may
“know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe
“ on the name of the Son of God.”
For the better understanding of the nature of faith, let
it be further observed, that the second and principal act
of it, believing on Christ, includeth, believing on God the
Father, Son, and Holy Ghost: because they are one and
the same infinite God, and they all concur in our salva-
tion by Christ, as the only Mediator between God and us,
“ in whom all the promises of God are yea and amen,
“2 Cor. i. 20. By him, as Mediator, we believe on God,
“ that raised him from the dead, and gave him glory,
“ that our faith and hope might be in God,” I Pet. i.
21. And it is the same thing with trusting on God, or
on the Lord, which is so highly commended in the whole
Scripture, especially in the Old Testament; as may easily
appeal', by considering, that it hath the same causes, ef-
fects, objects, adjuncts, opposites, and all the same circum-
stances, excepting only that it had a respect to Christ, 3.S
* promised before his coming, and now it respecteth him. as
- t
Direct. IV. of SANCTIFICATION. . . 63
already come in the flesh, “believing in the Lord, and .
“trusting on his salvation,” are equivalent terms, that.
explain one another, Psalm lxxviii. 22. I confess, that
trusting on things seen or known by the mere light of
reason, as on our own wisdom, power, riches ; on princes,
or any arm of flesh, may not so properly be called be-
lieving on them ; but trusting on a Saviour, as discovered
by a testimony, is properly believing on him. It is also
the same thing that is expressed by the terms of resting,
relying, leaning, staying ourselves on the Lord, called
hoping in the Lord ; because it is the ground of that ex-
pectation which is the proper act of hope, though our be-
lieving and trusting be for the present as well as future
benefit of this salvation. The reason why it is so com- .
monly expressed, in the Scriptures of the New Testament,
by the terms of believing on Christ, might be probably,
because, when that part of Scripture was written, there .
was cause in a special manner to urge believing the testi-
mony that was then newly revealed by the gospel.
Having thus explained the nature of faith, I come now
to assert its proper use and office in our salvation. That
it is the means and instrument whereby we receive Christ,
and all his fulness, actually into our hearts. This excel-
lent use and office of faith is encountered by a muł-
titude of errors. Men naturally esteem that it is .
too small and slight a thing to produce so great
effects; as Naaman & thought washing in Jordan too
small a matter for the cure of his leprosy. They
contemn the true means of entering in at the strait gate,
because they seem too easy for such purpose; and there-
by they make the entrance not only difficult, but impos- .
sible to themselves. Some will allow, that faith is the
sole condition of our justification, and the instrument to
receive it, according to the doctrine maintained formerly
by the Protestants against the Papists: but they account,
that it is not sufficient' or effectual to sanctification, but
that it rather tendeth to licentiousness, if it be not joined
with some other means that may be powerful and effec-
tual to secure an holy practice. They commend this
great doctrine of Protestants, as a comfortable cordial for
–J
\ - .* -. . . . . \
64 rar cosPEI, MystERY Direct. Iv,
persons on their death beds, or in agonies under terrors
of conscience ; but they account, that it is not good for
ordinary food, and that it is wisdom in ministers to preach
it seldom and sparingly ; and not without some antidote
or corrective, to prevent the licentiousness to which it
tendeth. Their common antidote or corrective is, that
sanctification is necessary to salvation as well as justifica-
tion ; and that though we be justified by faith, yet we are
sanctified by our own performances of the law ; and so
they set up salvation by works, and make the grace of
justification to be of none effect, and not at all comfort-
able. If it had indeed such a malignant influence upon
practice, it could not be owned as a doctrine proceeding
from the most holy God; and all the comfort that it af.
fords, must needs be ungrounded and deceitful. This
consequence is well understood by some late refiners of
the Protestant religion; and therefore they have thought
fit to new model this doctrine, and to make saving faith
to be only a condition to procure a right and title to our
justification by the righteousness of Christ, which must be
performed, before we can lay any good claim to the enjoy-
ment of it, and before we have any right to use any in-
strument for the actual receiving of it; and this they call
an accepting of, or receiving Christ. And, that they
may the better secure the practice of holiness by their .
conditional faith, they will not have trusting in God or
Christ for salvation, to be accounted the principal saving
act of it; because as it seemeth to them, many loose wicked
people trust on God and Christ for their salvation as much
as others, and are, by their confidence, hardened the more
in their wickedness; but they had rather itshould be obedi.
ence to all Christ’s laws, at least in resolution ; or a con-
sent that Christ should be their Lord, accepting of his -
terms of salvation, and a resignation of themselves to his
government in all things. It is a sign that the Scripture
form of teaching is grown into disesteem with our great
masters of reason, when trusting in the Lord, so much
commended in Scripture, is accounted a mean and ordi-
nary thing. They endeavour to affright us from owning
faith to be an instrument of justification, by telling us,
that thereby we that use the instrument, are made our
Direct. IV, or sANCT1FICATION. 65
own principal justifiers, to the dishonour of God; though
it might be easily answered, that we are made thereby
only the principal receivers of our owii justification from
God the giver of it, to whom all the glory belongs. . .
All these errors will fall, if it can be proved, that such
a faith as I have described, is an instrument whereby we
actually receive Christ himself into our hearts, and holi-
ness of heart and life, as well as justification, by union and
fellowship with him. For the proof of it, I shall offer the
following arguments. - , - . . .
łrst, by faith we have the actual enjoyment and pos-
session of Christ himself, and not only of remission of sins,
but of life, and so of holiness. “Christ dwelleth in our
“hearts by faith, Eph. iii. 17. We live to God; and yet
“ not we, but Christ liveth in us by the faith of the
“Son of God, Gal. ii. 19, 20. He that believeth on
“ the Son of God, hath the Son and everlasting life that
“ is in him, 1 John v. 12, 13. John iii. 36. He that heareth
“Christ’s word, and believeth on him that sent Christ,
“ hath everlasting life, and is passed from death unto life,
John v. 24. These texts express clearly such a faith as I
have described. Therefore the efficiency or operation of
faith; in order to the enjoyment of Christ and his fulness,
cannot be the procurement of a bare right or title to this
enjoyment; but rather it must be an entrance into it,
and taking possession of it. “We have access and en-
“trance by faith into that grace of Christ wherein we
“stand,” Rom. v. 2. 8. ". . . ..
Secondly, The Scripture plainly ascribeth this effect to
faith, that by it we receive Christ, put him on, are rooted
and grounded in him; and also that we receive the Spi-
rit, remission of sins, and an inheritance among them
which are sanctified, John i. 12. Gal. iii. 26, 27. Col. ii. 6,
7. Gal. iii. 14. Acts xxvi. 18. And the Scripture illustrateth
this receiving by the similitude of eating and drinking ;
“he that believeth on Christ, drinketh the living water
“ of his Spirit, John vii. 37, 38, 39. Christ is the bread
“ of life; his flesh is meat indeed, and his blood is drink
“ indeed.” And the way to eat and drink it, is to be-,
lieve in Christ; and, by so doing we dwell in Christ, and
Christ in us, and have everlasting life, John vi. 35, 47, 48,
66 THE gospel MystERY | Direct. IV.
X---->
we do receive food into our bodies by eating and drinking,
54, 55, 56. How can it be taught more clearly, that we
receive Christ himself properly into our souls by faith, as
and that Christ is as truly united to us thereby, as our
food, when we eat or drink it? So that faith cannot be
a condition to procure a mere right or title to Christ, no
more than eating or drinking procureth a mere right or
title to our food; but it is rather an instrument to receive
it, as the mouth that eateth and drinketh the food.
Thirdly, Christ with all his salvation, is freely given by
the grace of God to all that believe on him : for “we are
“saved by grace through faith ; and that not of our-
“selves; it is the gift of God, Eph. ii. 8, 9. We are
“justified freely by his grace, through faith in his blood,”
Rom. iii. 24, 25. The Holy Ghost, who is the bond of
union between Christ and us, is a gift, Acts ii. 38. Now,
that which is a gift of grace, must not at all be earned,
purchased, or procured by any work or works performed
as a condition to get a right or title to it: and therefore
faith itself must not be accounted such a conditional work.
“If it be by grace, it is no more of works; otherwise
“grace is no more grace,” Rom. xi. 6. The condition
of a free gift is only, Take and Have. And in this sense,
we will readily acknowledge faith to be a condition, al-
lowing a liberty in terms where we agree in the thing ;
but if you give a pepper corn to purchase a title to it, then
you spoil the freeness of the gift. The free offer of Christ
to you, is sufficient to confer upon you a right, yea, to
make it your duty to receive Christ and his salvation as
yours. And because we receive Christ by faith as a free
gift, therefore we may account faith to be the instrument,
and, as it were, the hand whereby we receive him. t
Fourthly, It hath been already proved, that all spiritual
life and holiness are treasured up in the fulness of Christ,
and communicated to us by union with him. Therefore
the accomplishing of union with Christ, is the first work
of saving grace in our hearts. And faith itself being an
holy grace, and part of spiritual life, cannot be in us be-
fore the beginning of it; but rather it is given to us, and
v
• { . ,
\
wrought in the very working of the union. And the way
wherein it conduceth to the union, cannot be by procur-
Direct. IV. or sANCTIFICATION. - 67
ing a mere title to Christ as a condition, because then it
should be performed before the uniting work beginneth ;
but rather by being an instrument, whereby we may act-
ually receive and embrace Christ, who is already, come
into the soul, to take possession of it as his own habitation.
Fifthly, True saving faith, such as I have described, hath
in its nature, and manner of operation, a peculiar apti-
union and fellowship with him. God hath fitted natural
instruments for their office, as the hands, feet, &c. so
that we may know, by their nature and natural manner
of operation, for what use they are designed. In like
manner we may know that faith is an instrument formed
*-,
tude or fitness to receive Christ and his salvation, and to
unite our souls into him; and to furnish the soul with a
new holy nature, and to bring forth an holy practice by
on purpose for our union with Christ, and sanctification,
if we consider what a peculiar fitness it hath for the work.
The discovery of this is of great use for the understanding
precious grace of faith. And to make you, as it were,
have asserted, I shall present it to your view in three par-
ticulars. -- - -
1st, The grace of faith is as well fitted for the soul’s re-
ceiving Christ and union with him, as any instrument of
the body is for receiving and closing with things needful
for it. By the very act of hearty trusting or believing on
distance from Christ; as all confidence in our strength,
endeavours, works, privileges; or in any worldly plea-
sures, profits, honours; or in any human helps and suc-
cours for our happiness and salvation: because such con-
fidences are inconsistent with our confidence in Christ for
all salvation. Paul, by his confidence in Christ, was taken
of the mysterious manner of our receiving and practising
all holiness by union and fellowship with Christ, by this
to see with your eyes, that it is such an instrument as I
Christ for all salvation and happiness, the soul casteth and
putteth away from itself, every thing that keepeth it at a
off from all confidence in the flesh; he suffered the loss of
glorying in his privileges and legal righteousness, and
'counted all other enjoyments in matters of the world or
of religion, to be but “dung, that he might win Christ,
“and be found in him.” Phil. iii. 3, 6, 7, 8, 9. The
68 THE Gospel MystERY Direct. IV.
s voice of faith is, “Ashur shall not save us, we will not
“ ride upon horses, neither will we say any more to the
“work of our hands, Ye are our gods; for in thee the
“fatherless findeth mercy, Hosea xiv. 3. We have no
“might against this great company of our spiritual ene-
“mies; neither know we what to do : but our eyes are
“upon thee,” 2 Chron. xx. 12. I might multiply places
of Scripture to shew what a self emptying grace faith is,
and how it casteth other confidences out of the soul, by
getting above them to Christ, as the only happiness and
salvation. The same act of trusting or believing on Christ,
or on God, is the very manner of our souls coming to
Christ, John vi. 35. “drawing near to the Lord, Psalm
“ lxxiii. 28. fleeing unto the Lord to hide us, Psalm czliii.
“9. making our refuge in the shadow of his wings, Psalm
“lvii. 1. staying ourselves and our minds upon the Lord,
“Isa. l. 10. and xxvi. 3. laying hold on eternal life, 1 Tim.
“vi. 12. lifting up our souls to the Lord, Psa. xxv. 1. roll-
“ing our way and casting our burden upon the Lord,”
Psal. xxxvii. 5. and Iv. 22. and of our eating and drinking
Christ, as hath already appeared. . Let us consider, that
Christ and his salvation cannot be seen, or handled, or at-
tained to, by any bodily motion; but are revealed and
promised to us in the word. Now, let any invent, if they
can, any way for the soul to exercise any motion or active-
ness in receiving of this unseen promised salvation, besides
believing the word, and trusting on Christ for the benefit
promised. If Christ were to be earned by works, or any
other kind of conditional faith ; yet a faith must be instru-
mental to receive him. Some think love as fit to be the
uniting grace; but I have shewed, that love to Christ's
salvation is an ingredient unto faith. And though love
be an appetite unto union, yet we have no other likely
way to fill this appetite, while we are in this world, be-
sides trust on Christ for all his benefits, as he is promised
in the gospel. -
2dly, There is in this saving faith, a natural tendency
to furnish the soul with an holy frame and nature, and all
endowments necessary thereunto, out of the fulness of T
Christ. An hearty affectionate trusting on Christ for all
his salvation, as freely promised to us, hath naturally
enough in it to work in our souls a rational bent and in- .
Direct. IV. of SANGTIFICATION. “ — 69
clination to, and ability for, the practice of all holiness;
because it comprehendeth in it atrusting, “that, through
“Christ, we are dead to sin, and alive to God, that our
“old man is crucified, Rom. vi. 2, 3, 4, and that we live
“by the Spirit, Gal. v. 25. and that we have forgiveness
“ of sin; and that God is our God, Psalm xxxi. 14. and
“ that we have in the Lord righteousness and strength,
“whereby we are able to do all things, Isa. xlv. 24. Phil,
“iv. 13. and that we shall be gloriously happy in the
“enjoyment of Christ to all eternity,” Phil. iii. 20, 21.
When the saints in Scripture speak so highly of such glo-
rious spiritual privileges, as I have here named, they ac-
quaint us with the familiar sense and language of their
faith, trusting on God and Christ, and they give us but
an explication of the nature and contents of it; and they
speak of nothing more than what they receive out of the
fulness of Christ. And how can we otherwise judge, but
that those who have an hearty love to Christ, and can,
upon a good ground, think and speak such high things
concerning themselves, must needs be heartily disposed,
and mightily strengthened for the practice of holiness 3
3dly, Because faith hath such a natural tendency to dis-
pose and strengthen the soul for the practice of holiness,
we have cause to judge it a meet instrument to accom-
plish every part of that practice in an acceptable manner.
Those who with a due affection believe stedfastly on Christ
for the free gift of all his salvation, may find by experience,
that they are carried forth, by that faith, according to the
measure of its strength or weakness, to love God heartily,
because God hath loved them first, 1 John iv. 19. to
praise him, to pray unto him in the name of Christ, Eph.
v. 20. John xvi. 26, 27. to be patient with cheerfulness,
under all afflictions giving thanks to the Father, that hath
called them to his heavenly inheritance, Col. i. 11, 12.
to love all the children of God, out of love to their heaven-
ly Father, 1 John v. 1. to walk as Christ walked, 1 John
ii. 6. and to give themselves up to live to Christ in all
things, as constrained by his love in dying for them,
2 Cor. v. 14. We have a cloud of witnesses concerning
the excellent works that were produced by faith, Heb.
Ki. I. And though trusting on Christ be accounted such a
70 THE Gospel, MystERY Direct. IV.
slight and contemptible thing, yet I know no work of obe-
dience, which it is not able to produce. And note the
excellent manner of working by faith. By it we live
and act in all good works, as people in Christ, as raised
above ourselves and our natural state, by partaking of
s s . . * ...' * * : - o e - - . . -
him and his salvation; and we do all in his name, and on
his account. This is the practice of that mysterious
manner of living to God in holiness, which is peculiar to
. the Christian religion, wherein we live; “and yet not
“we, but Christ liveth in us,” Gal. ii. 20. And who
can imagine any other way but this for such a practice,
the gospel ? . . . . . . . . .” - *-- - - - -,
The explanation that I have made of the nature and
office of true faith, and of its aptitude for its office, is suf-
ficient to evidence, that it is a most holy faith, as it is cal-
led, Jude verse 20. and that such a trusting on Christ
while Christ and his salvation are known to us only by
as I have described, in its own nature, cannot have any
tendency to licentiousness, but only to holiness; and that
it rooteth and groundeth us in holiness; more than the
mere accepting of any terms of salvation, and consenting
to have Christ for our Lord, can do; and is more power-
“ * - 3.
ful to secure an holy practice, than any of those resolu-
tions of obedience, or resignating acts, that some would
have to be the great conditions of our salvation; which are
indeed no better than hypocritical acts, if they be not pro-
duced by this faith. There is indeed a counterfeit dead
faith, such as wicked men may have ; and, if that tend to
licentiousness, let not true faith be blamed: but rather
mark the description of it which I have given, that you
of it.
may not be deceived with a counterfeit faith instead
I shall add something concerning the efficient cause of
this excellent grace, and of our union with Christ by it;
whereby it may appear, that it is not so slight and easy a
way of salvation as some may imagine. The author and
finisher of our faith, and of our union and fellowship with
Christ, by faith, is no less than the infinite spirit cf God,
and God and Christ himself by the Spirit; for, “by one
“Spirit we are all haptized into one body of Christ, and
“are all made to drink into one Spirit, 1 Cor. xii. 12, 13.
-->
Direct. IV. or sANCTIFICATION. y1
“God granteth us, according to the riches of his glory,
“ to be strengthened with all might, by his Spirit, in the
“inner man, that Christ may dwell in our hearts by faith,”
Eph. iii. 16, 17. If we do but consider, the great effect
of faith, that by it we are raised to live above our natural
condition, by Christ and his Spirit living in us, we cannot
rationally conceive, that it should be within the power of
nature to do any thing that advanceth us so high. If God
hath done no more for usin our sanctification, than to re-
store usto our first natural holiness; yet this could not have
been done, withoutputting forth his own almighty power
to quicken those that are dead in sin; how much more is
this almighty power needful to advance us to this wonder-
ful new kind of frame, wherein we live and act above all
the power of nature by an higher principle of life than was
given to Adam in innocency, even by Christ and his
Spirit living and acting in us; The natural man bringeth
forth his offspring according to his image, by that natural
power of multiplying with which God blessed him at his
first creation ; but the second Adam bringeth forth his
offspring new born according to his image, only by the
Spirit, John iii. 5. “As many as receive him, even those
“ that believe on his name, are born not of blood, nor of
“ the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God,”
John i. 12, 13. Christ took his own human nature into
personal union with himself, in the womb of the Virgin
Mary by the Holy Ghost coming upon her, and the power
of the highest overshadowing her, the same power where-
by the world was created, Luke i. 35. So he taketh us
into mystical union and fellowship with himself, by no less
than an infinite creating power; for “we are the work-
“manship of God, created in Christ Jesus unto good
“works, Eph. ii. 10. and if any man be in Christ, he is a
“new creature,” 2 Cor. v. 17.
For the accomplishing this great work of our new crea-
tion in Christ, the Spirit of God doth first work upon our
hearts by and with the gospel, to produce in us the grace
of faith. For, if the gospel should come to us in word
only, and not in power, and in the Holy Ghost, Paul
might labour to plant, and Appollos to water, without any
success, because we cannot receive the things of the Spirit
j
72 . . . THE Gospel MystERY Direct. IV.
of God; yea; we shall account them foolishness, until the
Spirit of God enable us to discern them, I Thess. i. 5.
~ 1 Cor. iii. 6. and ii. 14. We shall never come to Christ
by any teaching of man, except we also hear and learn
of the Father, and be drawn to him by his Spirit, John vi.
44, 45. And when saving faith is wrought in us, the
same Spirit giveth us fast hold of Christ by it. As he
openeth the mouth of faith to receive Christ, so he filleth
it with Christ : or else the acting of faith would be like a
dream of one who thinketh he eateth and drinketh, and,
when he awaketh he findeth himself empty. The same
Spirit of God did both give that faith whereby miracles
were wrought, and did work also the miracles by it; so
also the same Spirit of Christ doth work saving faith in us,
and doth answer the aim and end of that faith, by giving
us union and fellowship, with Christ by it : so that none
of the glory of this work belongeth to faith, but only to
him and his Spirit. And, indeed, faith is of such an
humble self denying nature, that it ascribeth nothing that
it receiveth, to itself, but all to the grace of God; and .
therefore God saveth us by faith, that all the glory may
be ascribed to his free grace, Rom, iv. 16. If Adam
had strength enough in innocency to perform the duty of
faith as well as we ; yet, it will not follow, that he had
strength enough to raise himself above his natural state
into union with Christ; because faith doth not unite us
to him by its own, but by the power of the Spirit work-
ing by it, and with it. Thus are we first passive, and then
active, in this great work of mystical union : we are first
apprehended of Christ, and then, we apprehend him.
Christ entereth first into the soul, to join himself to it, by
giving it the spirit of faith; and so the soul receiveth him
and his Spirit by their own power: as the sun first en-
lightened our eyes, and then we can see it by its own
light. We may note further, to the glory of the grace of
God, that this union is fully accomplished by Christ, giv-
ing the spirit of faith to us, even before we act that faith
in the reception of him : because, by this, grace or spirit
of faith, the soul is inclined and disposed to an active re-
ceiving of him. And no doubt, Christ is thus united to
many infants, who have the spirit of faith, and yet cannot
• , Direct, V. or sANCTIFICATION. 73
act faith, because th 2 * :- ------, ----,
derstandings; but those of riper years that are joined
passively to him by the spirit of faith, will also join them:
selves with him actively by the act of faith; and, until .
they act this faith, they cannot know or enjoy their union.
with him, and the comfort of it, or make use of it, in act-
ing any other duties of holiness acceptabl -
ey are not come to the use of their un-
y in this life.
. . . . . . .
- -- - *
, º
%
…”
. . \,
EXPLICATION.
A
We cannot attain to the Practice of true Holiness
by any of our Endeavours, while we continue
in our natural State, and are not Partakers of a
new State by Union and Fellowship with Christ
IT is evident, all have not that precious faith, where-
by Christ dwelleth in our hearts; yea, the number of
those that have it, is small, comparatively, to the whole
world that lieth in wickedness, 1 John v. 19, 20, and
many of those that at length attain unto it, do continue .
without it for some considerable time, Eph. ii. 12. And
though some have the spirit offith given to them from
their mother’s womb (as John the Baotist, Luke i. 15,
44, yet even in them there is a natural being by genera-
tion, before there can be a spiritual being by regenera-
I Cor. xv. 46. Hence ariseth the consideration of ,
two states or conditions of the children of men, in mat-
ters that appertain to God, and godliness; the one of
which is vastly different from the other. Those that have
the happiness of a new birth and creation in Christ by
faith, are thereby placed in a very excellent state, consist-
j
ing in the enjoyment of his righteousness, for their justi-
G
fication ; and of his Spirit, to live by, in holiness here,
and glory for ever; as hath already appeared. Those
that are not in Christ, by faith, cannot be in a better state
74 THE Gospel, MystERy . Direct. V.
than that which they received, together with their natures
from the first Adam, by being once born and created in
him ; or than they can attain to by the power of that na-
ture, with any such help as God is pleased to afford to it.
This latter I call a natural state; because it consisteth in
such things as we have either received by natural genera-
tion, or can attain to by natural power through divine as-
sistance; as the Scripture calleth man in this state the na-
tural man, 1 Cor. ii. 14. - The former I call a new state
because we enter into it by a new birth in Christ; and I
may call it a spiritual state, according to the Scripture;
beaause it is received from Christ the quickening Spirit:
and the natural and spiritual man are opposed, 1 Cor. ii.
14, 15, though some call both these states spiritual, be-
cause the everlasting well or wo of the soul or spirit of man
is chiefly concerned in them. . . . .
It is a common error of those that are in a corrupt na-
tural state, that they seek to reform their lives according
to the law, without any thoughts that their state must be
changed, before their lives can be changed from sin to
righteousness. The Heathens, that knew nothing of a
new state in Christ, were urged by their own consciences,
to practise several duties of the law, according to the know-
ledge they had by the light of nature, Rom. ii. 14, 15.
Israel, according to the flesh, had a zeal of God and god-
liness, and endeavoured to practise the written law, at least
in external performances, while they were enemies to the
faith of Christ. And Paul attained so far, that he was
blameless in these external performances of the righteous-
ness of the law, while he persecuted the church of Christ,
Phil. iii. 6. Some are so near the kingdom of God, while
they continue in a natural state, that they are convinced
of the spirituality of the law, that it bindeth us principal-
Iy to love God with all our whole heart, soul, mind, and
strength, and to love our neighbour as ourselves, and to
perform universal obedience to God, in all our inward
thoughts and affections, as well as in all outward actions,
and do all the duties that we owe to our neighbour, out
of this hearty love, Mark xii. 33, 34. And they struggle
and labour, with great earnestness, to subdue their inward
thoughts and affections to the law of God, and to abstain
Direct. V. or sANCTIFICATION. -- 75 .
not only from some sins, but from all known sins, and to
perform every known duty of the law with their whole
heart and soul, as they think; and are so active and in-
tent in their devout practice, that they over work their
natural strength ; and so fervent in their zeal, that they
are ready even to kill their bodies with fastings and other
macerations, that they may kill their sinful lusts. They
are strongly convinced, that holiness is absolutely necessa-
ry to salvation, and are deeply affected with the terrors
of damnation: and yet they were never so much enlight-
ened in the mystery of the gospel, as to know that a new
state in Christ is necessary to a new life; therefore they
labour in vain to reform their natural state, instead of get-
^ --"
ting above it in Christ. And some of these, when they
have mis-spent many years in striving against the stream
of their lusts, without any success, do at last fall misera
bly into despair of ever attaining to holiness, and turn to
wallowing in the mire of their lusts, or are fearfully swal-
lowed up with horror of conscience. There are several
false opinions whereby such ignorant zealots encourage
themselves in their fruitless endeavours. Some of them
judge, that they are able to practise holiness, because they
are not compelled to sin, and may abstain from it, if they
will. To this they add, that Christ, by the merit of his
death, hath restored that freedom of will to good, which
was lost by the fall, and hath set nature upon its legs
again ; and that, if they endeavour to do what lieth in
them, Christ will do the rest, by assisting them with the
supplies of his saving grace; so they trust upon the grace
of Christ to help them in their endeavours. They plead
further, that it would not consist with the justice of God
to punish them for sin, if they could not avoid it; and
that it would be in vain for the ministers of the gospel to
preach to them, and exhort them to any saving duty, if
they cannot perform it. They produce examples of Hea-
thens, and of such as had the name of Christians without
any acquaintance with the faith that I have described,
who have attained to a greatexcellency in religious words
and works. . . . . . . .
My work at present is to deliver those ignorant zealots
from their fruitless tormenting labours, by springing them
- - ...? .
where they
ing labour:
`-- * * i
76 . THE Gospel Mysºry Direct. V.
to despair of the attainment of holiness in a natural state,
that they may seek it only in a new state by faith in Christ,
may, certainly find it, without such forment-
ur, and anxiety, of spirit. For this end, I shall
confirm the truth asserted in the direction, and fortify
it against the forementioned false opinions, by the ensu-
ing considerations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
First, The foundation of this assertion is firmly laid in
the directions already explained, and confirmed by many
places of Scripture. For, if all endowments necessary to
enable us for an holy practice, he to be had only in a
state of union and fellowship with Christ by faith, and
faith itself, not by the natural power of free wiłł, but by
the power of Christ, coming into the soul by his Spirit, to
unite us with himself; who seeth not, that the attainment
of true holiness by any of Opie most vigorous endeavours,
while we continue in our natural condition, is altogether
hopeless : I need add no more, were it not to shew more
fully what abundance of light the Scripture affordeth to
guide us aright in this part of our way, that those who
* .
wander out of it, by following any false light of their own,
or other corrupted judgments, may find themselves the
more inexcusable, . . . . . . . . . . .
Secondly, It is evident, that we cannot practise true ho-
liness while we continue in a natural state ; because we
must be “born again, of water and of the Spirit, or else
“we cannot enter into the kingdom of God, John iii. 3,
“ 5. and we are created in Christ Jesus unto good works,
“ which God hath before ordained, that we should walk
“ in them,” Eph. ii. 10. If we could love God and ours
neighbour as the law requireth, without a new birth and
creation, we might live without them : for Christ hath
said, “ This do, and thou shalt live,” Luke x. 28. Now’
a new birth and creation is more than a mere reforming
and repairing our natural state. If we were put into a
certain state and condition by the first birth and creation,
much more by the second. For the first produceth the
substance of a man as well as a state ; the second had
nothing to produce, but a new state of the same person.
And note, that we are first created and born; in Adam







Direct. V. of sanctrfrcatten. 77
the natural man, but our new birth and creation are in
Christ the spiritual man. And if any man be in Christ,
he is in a new state, far different from the state of Adam
before the fall: he is wholly a new creature; as it is
written, “old things are pastaway; behold all things are
“ become new,” 2 Cor. v. 17. . . . . . . . . .
Thirdly, It is positively asserted by the apostle Paul,
that “those that are in the flesh, cannot please God,” Rom. .
...viii. 8. Many are too overly and negligent in considering
the sense of this gospel phrase, what it is to be in the flesh.
They understand no more by it than to be sinful, or to be
addicted inordinately to please the sensitive appetite.
They should consider, that the apostle speaketh here of
“being in the flesh,” as the cause of sinfulness; as in the
next verse he speaketh of being in the spirit, as the cause
of holiness; and, whatever cause, it be, it must needs be
distinct from its effect. Sin is a property of the flesh, or
something that dwelleth in the flesh, Rom. vii. 18. and
ºtherefore it is not the flesh itself. The flesh is that which
“lusteth against the spirit.” Gal. v. 17. and therefore it
is not merely sinful lusting. The true interpretation is,
that by flesh is meant the nature of man, as it is corrupted,
by the fall of Adam, and propagated from him to us, in
that corrupt state, by natural generation; and to “be
“in the flesh,” is to be in a natural state: as to be in the
“Spirit,” is to be in a new state, by the Spirit of Christ
dwelling in us, Rom. viii. 9. The corrupt nature is called
flesh, because it is received by carnal generation; and the
new nature is called spirit, because it is received by spiri-
tual regeneration. “That which is born. ... is.
“flesh ; and that which is born of the Spirit, is spirit.”
John iii. 6. So the apostle, if he be rightly understood,
hath said enough to make us despair utterly of attaining .
to true holiness, while we continue in a natural state.
Fourthly, The apostle testifieth, that “those that have
“been taúght as the truth is in Jesus, having learned to
“ avoid the former sinful conversation, by putting off the
“old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful
“lusts; and by putting on the new man, which after
“God is created in righteousness and true holiness,” Eph.
iv. 21, 22, 24.” Putting off the old man, and put-
*~, . . . . - G 3 . . . .
78 - rhr. Gospel Mystery Direct, V.
ting on the new man, is the same with not being in the
flesh ; but in the Spirit in the foregoing testimony; that is,
putting off our natural state, and putting on a new state,
by union and fellowship with Christ. The apostle him--
self sheweth, that by the new man is meant, that excel-
Ient state wherein Christ is all, and in all, Col. iii. 1 1.
Therefore by the old man, must needs be meant, the na-.

tural state of man, wherein he is without the saving en-
joyment of Christ; which is called old, because of the new
state to which believers are brought by their regenera-
tion in Christ. This is a manner of expression peculiar to
* the gospel, as well as the former, and as slightly consi-
dered by those that think that the apostle's meaning is
only, that they should put off sinfulness, and put on holi-
ness in their conversation ; and so they think to become
new men, by turning over a new leaf in their practice, and
leading a new life. Let them learn here, that the old
and new man are two contrary states, containing in them,
not only holiness, but all other things that dispose and in-
cline us to the practice of them ; and that the old man
must be put off, as crucified with Christ, before we can be
freed from the practice of sin, Rom. vi. 6, 7. And there-
fore we cannot lead a new life, until we have first gotten
a new state by faith in Christ. Let me add here, that
the meaning of the apostle is the same, Rom. xiii. 12, 13,
14. where he directeth us to put on the Lord Jesus Christ,
as the means whereby we may cast off the deeds of dark-
ness, and walk honestly, as in the day time; not fulfilling
the lusts of the flesh.
Fifthly, Our natural state hath several properties that
wholly disable us for the practice of holiness, and enslave
us to the practice of sin, while we continue in it. Here I
shall shew, that the old man, the flesh, or natural state, is
not only sin, as some would have it; but it containeth
in it several things, which I shall name, that maketh it to
be sinful, besides several other things that make it miser-
able. I have shewed, that in Christ we have all endow-
ments necessary to frame us for godliness; so, in our
natural state, we have all things contrary to that holy
frame. One thing belonging to our natural state, is, the
guilt of sin, even of Adam’s first sin, and of the sinful de-
Direct. V. or sANCTIFICATION. 79
pravation of our nature, and of all our own actual trans-
gressions; and therefore we are by nature the children of
wrath, Eph. ii. 3. and under the curse of God. The bè-
nefit of remission of our sins, and freedom from condem-
nation, is not given to us in the flesh, or in a natural state,
but only in Christ, Rom. viii. 1. Eph. i. 7. And can
we imagine, that a man should be able to prevail against
sin, while God is against him, and curseth him : Another
property, inseparably from the former, is, an evil consci-
ence, which denounceth the wrath of God against us for
sin, and inclineth us to abhor him, as our enemy, rather
than to love him, as hath, been shewed ; or, if it be a
blind conscience, it hardeneth us the more in our sins. A
third property, is, an evil inclination, tending only to sin;
which therefore is called, “sin that dwelleth in us, and
“ the law of sin in our members,” that powerfully sub-
dueth and captivateth us to the service of sin, Rom. vii.
20, 23. It is a fixed propensity to lust against the law
without any deliberation ; and therefore its lustings are
not to be prevented by any diligence, or watchfulness.
“The mind of the flesh is enmity against God; for it is
“not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be,”
Rom. viii. 7. How vain then is it to plead, that they can
do good, if they will, when their minds and will itself is
enslaved to sin 3 A fourth property is subjection to the
power of the devil, who is the god of this world, that
hath blinded the minds of all that believe not, 2 Cor.
iv. 4. and will certainly conquer all whom he fighteth,
with upon his own dunghill ; that is, in a natural state. .
And, from all these properties, we may well conclude,
that our natural state hath the property never to be good,
to be -stark dead in sin, Eph. ii. 1. according to the sen-
tence denounced against the first sin of mankind in Adam,
“ in the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely
“ die,” Gen. ii. 17. For you can no more bring it to holi-
ness, by any the most vehement motives and endeavours, .
than you can bring a dead carcase to life, by chafing and
rubbing it. You can stir up no strength or fortifying
grace in the natural man by such motives and endea-
vours; because thefe is no strength in him to be stirred
up, Rom. v. 6. Though you do all that lieth in you to
the utmost, while you are in this flesh, you can do nothing
but sin; for there is no good thing in you; as the apostle
Paul sheweth by his own experience, “I know that in me
* (that is, in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing,” Rom,
vii. 18. . . . . . . .
Sæthly, We have no good ground to trust on Christ, to
help us to will or to do that which is acceptable to him,
while we continue in our natural state ; or to imagine
that freedom of will to holiness is restored to us by the
merit of his death. For, as it hath been already shewed,
Christ aimed at an higher end, in his incarnation, death
and resurrection, than the restoring the decay and ruins
of our natural state. He aimed to advance us to a new
state, more excellent than the state of nature ever was, by
union and fellowship with himself; that we might live to
God, not by the power of a natural free will, but by the
power of his Spirit living and acting in us. So we
may conclude that our natural state is irrecoverable
and desperate, because Christ, the only Saviour, did
not aim at the recovery of it. It is, neither holy nor
happy, but subject to sin, and to all miseries, as long as it
remaineth. Even those that are in a new state in Christ,
and do serve the law of God with their mind, do yet with
... their flesh serve the law of sin, Rom. vii. 25. As far as it
remaineth in them, it lusteth against the Spirit, Gal. v. 17.
and it remaineth dead, because of sin, even when the
Spirit is life to them, because of righteousness, Rom. viii.
10. and must be wholly abolished by death, before we
can be perfected in that holiness and happiness that is by
faith in Christ. After God had promised salvation by
Christ, the seed of the woman, he placed cherubims and
a flaming sword to keep man out of paradise; thereby
teaching him that his first state was lost without hope,
and that the happiness intended for him, was wholly new.
Our old natural man was not revived and reformed by
the death of Christ, but crucified together with him, and
therefore to be abolished and destroyed out of us by virtue
of his death, Rom. vi. 6. It is like the part of a garment
infected with the plague of leprosy, which was to be rent
off as incurable, that the garment might be clean, Lev.
xiii. 56. “If Christ be not in us, we are reprobates,”
2 Cor. xiii. 5. i. e. we are in a state which God hath re-
Direct. V. or sANCTIFICATION. 81
jected from partaking of his salvation; so that we are not
to expect any assistance from God to make us holy in it,
but rather to deliver us from it. . . . . . . . . . .
Seventhly, This doth not at all discharge those that are
in a natural state from obligation to holiness of life, nor
reñder them excusable for their sins at the tribunal of
God’s justice. For God hath made man upright, but
“they have sought out many inventions,” Eccl. vii. 29.
Observe well the words of this text, and you will find that
all they who have sought out many inventions, rather
than upright walking, are comprehended in man that
was at first made upright. And man, in the text, signi-
fieth all mankind. . The first Adam was all mankind, as
Jacob and Esau were two nations in the womb of Rebec-
ca, Gen. xxv. 23. God made us all, in our first parent,
according to his own image; able and inclined to do his
law ; and in that pure natuire our obligation to obedience
was first laid upon us, and the first wilful transgression,
whereby our first parent bereaved himself of the image of
God, and brought upon himself the sentence of death,
was our sin as well as his ; for, “in one man, Adam, all
“ have sinned, and so death is passed upon all,” Rom. v.
12. because all mankind were in Adam’s loins, when the
first sin was committed; even as Levi may be said to have
paid tithes in Abraham before he was born ; because,
when his father Abraham paid tithes to Melchizedeck, he
was yet in his loins, Heb. vii. 9, 10. That the promise
of God, that he will not charge the iniquities of parents
upon their children, is a promise belonging to the new co-
venant confirmed in the blood of Christ; and it is yea
and amen to us only in Christ, in whom we have another
nature than that which our parents conveyed to us; so .
that we cannot justly claim the benefit of it in our old na-. .
tural state, Jer. xxxi. 29, 30, 31. and 2 Cor. i. 20. Those
that account their impotency a sufficient plea to excuse
them or others, shew that they were never truly humbled
for that great wilful transgression of all mankind in the
loins of Adam. Inability to pay debt, excuseth not a
debtor that hath lavished away his estate; neither doth
drunkenness excuse the mad actings of a drunkard, but
rather aggravates his sin. And our impotency consisteth . .
***'. ... '
N
s2 . The gospel MystERY Direct. V.

a willing mindy to practise true holiness and righteous-
ness. Naturally we love it not, we like it not, but lust
againstit, Gal. v. 17. and hate the light, John iii. 20. If
men in a natural state had a hearty love and liking to true
holiness, and a desire and serious endeavour to practise it
out of hearty love, and yet failed in the event, then they
might, under some pretence, plead for their excuse (as
some do for them) that they were compelled to sin by an in-
evitable fate. But none have just cause to plead any such
thing for their excuse; because none endeavour to prac-
tise true holiness out of hearty love to it, until the good
work be begun in their souls; and, when God hath be-
not in a mere y: executive power, but in the want of
gun, he will perfect it, Phil. i. 6. and will in the mean
time, accept their ready mind, though they fall short in
performance, 2 Cor. viii. 12. “How abominable, then,
“ and filthy is man, that drinketh iniquity as water.”
Job xv. 16. that cannot practise holiness, because he will
not 2 This is their just condemnation, “that they love
“ darkness rather than light.” They deserve to be par-
takers with the devils in torments, as they partake with
them in evil lusts; and their inability to do good, will no
more excuse them, than it excuseth the devils.
Eighthly, Neither will this assertion make it a vain thing
to preach the gospel to natural people, and to exhort them
to true repentance, and faith in Christ, for their conver-
'sion and salvation. For the design of our preaching is
not, to bring them to holiness in their natural state, but
to raise them above it, and to present them perfect in
Christ in the performance of those duties, Col. i. 28. And
though they cannot perform those duties by their natural
strength; yet the gospel is made effectual for their con-
version and salvation, by the power of the Holy Ghost,
which accompanieth the preaching of it, to quicken those
that are dead in sin, and to create them anew in Christ,
by giving to them repentance unto life, and a lively faith
in Christ. The gospel cometh to the elect of God not only
in word, but also in power and in the Holy Ghost, and in
such assurance that they receive it with joy of the Holy
Ghost, 1 Thes. i. 5, 6. “The gospel is the ministration of
“the Spirit, that giveth.life,” 2 Cor. iii. 6,-8, It is migh-
Direct. V. or sANCTIFICATION. 85
“ty through God,” 2 Cor. x. 4. It dependeth not at all
upon the power of our free-will, to make it successful for
our conversion ; but it conveyeth into the Soul that life and
power whereby we receive and obey it. Christ can make
those that are dead in sin to hear his voice, and live, John
v. 25. Therefore he can speak to them by his gospel, and
command them to repent and believe with good success, as
well as he could say to dead carcases, Talitha cumi, Mark
v. 41. “Lazarus, come forth, John xi. 43, 44. and to
“ the sick of the palsy, Arise, take up thy bed, and go
$ into thine house,” Matth. ix. 6. º
JWinthly, There is no reason that the examples of .
Heathen philosophers, or any Jews or Christians by out-
ward profession, that have lived without the saving know-
ledge of God in Christ, should moye us, by their wise say-
ings and renowned attainments, in the pracice of devotion
and morality to recede from this truth, that hath been so
fully confirmed out of the Holy Scriptures. Have we
not cause to judge, that the apostle Paul, while he was a
zealous Pharisee, and at least some few of the great mul-
titude of the Jews in his time that were zealous of the
law, and had the instructions of the holy Scriptures, at-
tained as near to that true holiness, as the Heathen philo-
sophers, or any others in their natural state 2 Yet Paul,
after he was enlightened with the saving knowledge of
Christ, judged himself the chief of sinners, in his highest
former attainments; though, in the judgment of others,
he was blameless touching the righteousness which is in
the law; and he found it necessary to begin to live to God
in a new way by faith in Christ, and to suffer the loss of
all his former attainments, and to count them but dung,
that he might win Christ, 1 Tim. i. 15. Phil. iii. 6,
7, 8. . . - - ** -
And none of the great multitude of Jews that followed
after the law" of righteousness, did ever attain unto it,
while they sought it not by faith in Christ, Rom. ix. 31,
32. What performances are greater in outward appear-
ance, than for a man to give all his goods to the poor, and
to give his body to be burnt 2 and yet the Scripture al-
loweth us to suppose that this may be done without true
charity, and therefore without any true holiness of the
84 THE Gospel. MystERY .. Direct. V.
heart and life, I Cor. xiii. 3. Men in a natural state may
have strong conviction of the infinite power, wisdom, jus-
tice; and goodness of God, and of the judgment to come,
and the everlasting happiness of the godly, and totments
of the wicked : and these convictions may stir them up,
not only to make an high profession, and to utter rare
sayings concerning God and godliness; but also to labour
with great earnestness to avoid all known sin, to subdue
their lusts, to perform universal obedience to God in all
kihown duties, and to serve him with their lives and estates
to the utmost, and to extort out of their hearts some kind
of love to God and godliness, that if possible they may es-
cape the terrible torments of hell, and procure everlasting
happiness by their endeavours; yet all their love to God
is but forced and feigned; they have no hearty liking to
God or his service; they account him an hard master, and
his commandments grievous, and they repine and fret in-
wardly at the burden of them ; and, were it not for fear
of everlasting fire, they would little regard the enjoyment
of God in heaven; and they would be glad if they might
have the liberty to enjoy their lust without danger of dam-
nation. The highest preferment of those that are born
. . . only"after the flesh in Abtaham’s family, is but to be
children of the bend womat, Gal. iv. 23. And though
they toil more in God’s service than many of his dear
children; yet God accepteth not of their service, because
their best performances are slavish, without any child-like
affections towards God, and no better than glistering sins.
And yet these natural men are not at all beholden to the
goodness of their natures for these counterfeit shews of
holiness, or for the least abstaining from the grossest sin.
If God should leave men fully to their own natural cor-
ruptions, and to the power of Satan (as they deserve) all
shew of religion and morality would be quickly banished
out of the world, and we should grow past feeling in wick-
ediness, and like to the cannibals, who are as good by na-
ture as ourselves. But God; that can restrain the bºrn-
ing of the fiery furnace, without quenching it, and the
flowing of water without changing its nature, doth also
restrain the working of natural corruption, without mor-
tifying it; and through the greathess of his wisdom and
Direct. VI. or SANGTIFICATION. -: 85
power, he maketh his enemies to yield feigned obedience
to him, Psalm lxvi. 3, and to do many things good for the
matter of them, though they can do nothing in a right ,
holy manner. He hath appointed several means to re-
strain our corruptions; as the law, terrors of conscience,
terrible judgments, and rewards in this life, magistrates,
human laws, labour for necessaries, as food and raiment. -
And those gospel means that are effectual for sanctifica-
tion, serve also for restraint of sin. God hath gracious
ends in this restraint of sin, that his church may be pre-
served, and his gospel preached in the world; and that
these natural men may be in a better capacity to receive
the instructions of the gospel; and that such of them that
are chosen, may, in due time, becomverted; and that those
of them that are not truly converted, many enjoy more of
the goodness of God here, and suffer the less torments.
hereafter. As vile and wicked as the world is, we have
cause to praise and magnify the free goodness of God that
it is no worse. . ... • - * . . . . .
DIRECTION VI.
Those that endeavour to perform sincere Obedience
to all the commands of Christ, as the Condition
whereby they are to procure for themselves a
Right and Title to Salvation, and a good Ground
to trust on him for the same, do seek their Sal-
vation by their works of the Law, and not by the
Faith of Christ, as he is revealed in the Gospel:
and they shall never be able to perform sincerely
any true holy Obedience by all such endeavours.
EXPLICATION. 4. *.
FOR the understanding the terms of this di-
rection, note here, that I take salvation as comprehending
-- . . Fi . - ..— ...
86 thrº Gospel. MyśTERY Direct. VI.
justification, as well as other saving benefits; and sincere
obedience as comprehending holy resolutions, as well as
the fulfilling of them. The most of men, that have any
sense of religions are prone to imagine, that the sure way
to establish the practice of holiness and righteousness, is to
make it the procuring condition of the favour of God, 5.
and all happiness. This may appear by the various false
religions that have prevailed most in the world. In this
way the Heathens were brought to their best devotion
and morality, by the knowledge of the judgment of God,
that those that violate several of the great duties to God,
and their neighbour, are worthy of death ; and by their
consciences accusing or excusing them, according to the
practice of them, Rom. i. 32. and ii. 14, 15. Our con-
sciences are Informed by the common light of natural rea-
son, that it is just with God to require us to perform these
duties, that we may avoid his wrath, and enjoy his fa-
vour. And we cannot find any better way than this to . "
obtain happiness, or to stir up ourselves to duty, without
divine revelation. Yet, because our own consciences testi-
fy, that we often fail in the performance of those duties,
we are inclined by self love to persuade ourselves, that
our sincere endeavours to the best we can, shall be suf-
ficient to procure the favour of God, and pardon for all
our failings. Thus we see, that our persuasion of salva-
tion by the condition of sincere obedience, hath its origi-
nal from our corrupt natural reason, and is part of the -
wisdom of this world. It is none of the wisdom of God
“in a mystery, that hidden wisdom which God ordained
“ before the world to our glory,” it is none of those
things of the Spirit of God, which “ have not entered in-
“ to the heart of man,” and which the “natural man can-
“ not receive ; for they are foolishness to him ; neither
“ can he know them, for they are spiritually discerned,”
1 Cor. ii. 6, 7, 9, 14. It is none of “the foolishness of
“preaching, whereby it pleased God to save them that
“believe,” 1 Cor. i. 21. And though we have a better .
way revealed to us in the gospel, for the enjoyment of the
favour of God, and holiness itself, and all salvation, with-
out any procuring condition of works, by the free gift of
God’s grace through faith in Christ; yet it is very difficult
s
>.
Direct. VI. of SANCTIFICATION. 87.
to persuade men out of away they are naturally addicted
to, and that hath forestalled and captivated their judg-
ments, and is bred in their bone, and therefore cannot
easily be gotten out of the flesh. Most of those that live
under the hearing and profession of the gospel, are notº
brought to hate sin as sin, and to love godliness for itself,
though they be convinced of the necessity of it to salva-
tion; and therefore they cannot love it heartily. The
only means they can take to bring themselves to it, is,
to stir up themselves to an hypocritical practice in their
old natural way, that they may avoid hell, and get heaven,
by their works. And their consciences witness, that the
zeal and love that they have for God and godliness, their
self-denial, sorrow for sin, strictness of life, are in a manner
forced and extorted from them by slavish fear, and mer-
cenary hope; so that they are afraid, that, if they should
trust on Christ for salvation by free grace without works,
the fire of their zeal and devotion would be quickly ex-
tinguished, and they should grow careless in religion, and
let loose the reins to their lusts, and bring certain damna-
tion upon themselves. This moveth them to account
them the only Boanergesses and powerful preachers, that
preach little or none of the doctrine of free grace, but
rather spend their pains in rebuking sin, and urging peo-
ple to get Christ and his salvation by their works, and
thundering hell and damnation against sinners. It hath
been further observed, that some that have contended
much for salvation by free grace, without any condition
of works have fallen into Antinomian opinions, and Ji-
centious practices. The experience of these things hath
much prevailed with some learned and zealous men of
late amongst ourselves, to recede from the doctrine of jus-
tification by faith, without works, formerly professed
unanimously, and strongly defended by the Protestants
against the Papists, as a principal article of true reli-
gion. "They have persuaded themselves, that such away
of justification is ineffectual, yea destructive to sanctifica-
ſtion; and that the practice of sincere obedience cannot be
established against Antinomian dotages and prevailing
ſusts except it be made the necessary condition of our
justification, and so of our eternal salvation. Therefore
. . . . ~. 2^ . . . . . . ." . . . . . . . . . . -- . . . -. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... – ‘’’
-- - -- " - . . . . . . --- . . ... *... . . •. - - - - - N- . . _-->''. . -- - - - - - , ,
, 88 rhE Gospel. MysºreRY Direct. VI
they conclude that God has certainly made sincere obe-
dience to be the condition of our salvation. And th
have endeavoured to new model the Protestant doctrine,
and to interpret the holy Scriptures in a way agreeable
and subservient to this their only sure foundation of holi-
And they
: , mess. º º - . . . º. º, . . . . . . .
But I hope to shew, that this their imagined sure foun-
dation of holiness was never laid by the holy God; but
that it is rather an error in the foundation, pernicious to
the true faith, and to holiness of life. I account it an error
especially to be abhorred and detested, because we are so
prone to be seduced by it, and because it is an error where-
by Satan; transforming himself into an angel of light, and
patron of holiness, hath greatly withstood the gospel in
the apostles' times, and stirred up men to persecute it,
out of zeal for the law: and hath since prevailed to set
up and maintain Popery, whereby the mystery of iniqui-
ty.worketh apace in these days, to corrupt the purity of
the gospel among Protestants, and to heal the deadly
wound given to Popery by preaching the doctrine of jus-
tification by faith without works. . . . . . .
- -" .."-- . .
One thing asserted in the direction against this funda-
mental error, is, that it is a way of salvation by the works of
the law, and not by the faith of Christ, as revealed in the
gospel; though the maintainers of it would have us be-
lieve, that it is the only way of the gospel ; that so we
may not doubt of its power and efficacy for our justifica-
tion, sanctification, and our whole salvation. Their rea- -
sons are, because the law, as a covenant of works, requir-
eth us to do all its commandments perfectly, that we may
live; whereas they plead only for a milder condition of
sincere doing, that we may live. And they plead not
for doing duties, as obliged thereunto by the authority of
the law given of God by Moses, but only in obedience to
the commands of Christ in the gospel. Neither do they
plead for salvation by sincere obedience without Christ,
but only by Christ, and through his merit and righteous-
ºness. And they acknowledge, that both salvation itself,
------- -
..~ *




, - . . . . - -- * -- • f
Direct. IV. of SANGTIFICATION. 89
ledge also that their salvation is by faith, because sincere
obedience is wrought in them by believing the gospel, and
is included in the nature of that faith, which is the entire
condition of our salvation : and some call it the resigna-
ting act of faith. But all these reasons are but a fallacious
vizard upon a legal way of salvation, to make it look like
pure gospel; as I shall evince by the following partieu-
First, All that seek salvation by the sincere performance
-
of goods works, as the procuring condition, are condemned
by the apostle Paul, for seeking righteousness by the
works of the law, and not by faith, Rom. ix. 32, and for:
seeking to be justified by the law, and falling from the
grace of Christ, Gal. v. 4. This one assertion, if it can
be proved, is enough to pluck off the fallacious vizard
from the condition of sincere obedience, and to make men
abhor it, as a damning legal doctrine, that bereaveth its
followers of all salvation by Christ. ...And the proof of
it is not difficult to persons that warily consider a point of
so great moment for their salvation. The Jews, and Ju-
daizing Christians, against whom the apostle chiefly dis-
puted in his whole controversy, did not profess any hope
of being justified by perfect obedience, according to the
rigour of the law, but only by such obedience as they ac-"
counted to be sincere, and not hypocritical. And we
have no cause to doubt that the Judaizing Galatians
had learned by the Gospel, to distinguish sincere obedience
from hypocrisy. The Jewish religion bound all that pro-
fessed it, to acknowledge themselves to be sinners; as ap-
peareth by their anniversary humiliation on the day of
atonement, and several other rites of the law, and many
clear testimonies in the oracies of God, that were com-
mitted to them, Psalm cºliii. 2. Prov. x. 9. Eccl. vii. 20.
Yet they knew they were bound to turn to the Lord with
all their hearts, in sincerity and uprightness, and that God
would accept of sincere obedience; for which cause they
might better put it for the condition of the law, than we
can of the gospel, Psalm li. 6, 10. Deut. vi. 5. and xxx,
10. So that, if the apostle had disputed against those that
held only perfect obedience to be the condition of justifi-
cation, he had contended with his own shadow. And
ºff THE Gospel MystERY Direct. VI.
thymight as readily judge sincere obedience to be the
chétion of justification under the law, as we can judge
itobe the condition under the gospel. Neither doth the
aposile condemn them merely for accounting sincere obe-
cłince to the law as given by Moses, to be the condition
oftheir justification ; but, more generally, for seeking sal-
vation by their own works. And he allegeth against
theim, that Abraham, who lived before the law of Moses,
was not justified by any of his works, though he did per-
form sincere obedience : and that David, who lived under
the law of Moses, was not justified by his works, though
he performed sincere obedience, and was as much bound
to obey the law given by Moses, as we are to obey any
commands of Christ in the gospel, Rom. iv. 2, 3, 5, 6.
Neither doth he condemn them for seeking their salva-
tion only by works, without respecting at all the grace
and salvation that is by Christ; for the Judaizing Gala-
ians were yet professors of the grace and salvation of
Christ, though they thought obedience to the law a ne-
cessary condition for the partaking of 1t, as also many
other Judaizing believers did. And, doubtless, they ac-
counted themselves obliged thereunto, not only by the au-
thority of Moses, but of Christ also, whom they owned as
their Lord and Saviour. And we may be sure it was no
damning error, to account Moses’ law obliging at that
time; for many thousands of the Jews, that were sound
believers, held the ceremonies of Moses to be in force at
that time; and Paul was tender towards them in it, Acts
xxi. 20, 26. xv. 5. And other Jews sought justification,
not only by their sincere works, but also by trusting on the
promise made to Abraham, and on their priesthood and
sacrifices; which were types of Christ. And the most le-
gal Pharisees would thank God for their works, as pro-
ceeding from his grace, Luke xviii. 11. And they could
as well acknowledge their salvation to be by faith, as the
assertors of salvation by sincere obedience can in these
days; for they accounted, that their sincere obedience
was wrought in them by believing the word of God,
which contained gospel as well as legal doctrine in it :
and therefore that it must be included in the nature of
faith, if faith were taken for the condition of their whole .
)
Direct, V.I. of SANGTIFICATION. 9.1
salvation. Let the assertors of the condition of sincere
º obedience learn from hence, that they are building again
that Judaism which the apostle Paul destroyed, whereby
the Jews stumbled at Christ, Rom: ix. 32. and the Gala-
tians were in danger of falling from Christ and grace,
Gal. v.2.4, and let them beware of falling under that
curse which he hath denounced, on this very occasion,
- against any man or angel that shall preagh, any other gos-
... ſpel than that which he hath preached, Gal. i. 8,9.
Secondly, 'The difference between the law and gospel
doth not at all consist in this, that the one requireth per-
fect doing : the other, only sincere, doing ; but, in this,
that the one requireth doing, the other, not doing, but
believing for life and salvation. Their terms are different,
not only in degree, but in their whole nature.
The apostle Paul opposeth the believing required in
the gospel to all doing for life, as the condition: proper
to the law, Gal. iii. 12. “The law is not, of faith: but
“the man that doth them, shall live in them. Rom.
“ iv. 5. To him that worketh not, but believeth on him
“that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for
* “righteousness.” If we seek salvation by ever so easy
and mild a condition of works, we do thereby bring our-
selves under the terms of the law, and do become debtors
to fulfil the whole law in perfection, though we intended
to engage ourselves only to fulfil it in part, Gal. v. 3...for
the law is a complete declaration of the only terms
whereby God will judge all that are not brought to de-
spair of procuring salvation by any of their own works,
and to receive it as a free gift freely given to them by the
grace of God in Christ. So that all that seek salvation

right or wrong, knowing or ignorantly, by any works,
less or more, whether invented by their own superstition,
or commanded by God in the Old or New Testament,
shall at last stand or fall according to those terms. . . .
. Thirdly, Sincere obedience cannot be performed to all -
the commands of Christ in the gospel, except it be also
performed to the moral law, as given by Möses, and as
obliging us by that authority. Some assertors of the con-
dition of salvation by sincere obedience to the commands
of Christ, would fain be free from the authority of the law
. . .
92 THE Gospel MystERY & Direct. VI,
of Moses, because that justifieth none, but thundereth out
of it, Gal. iii. 10, 11. But, if they were at all justified by
sinceré works, their respect to Moses’ authority would not
hinder their success : for many, that were good Christi-
ans, accounted themselves bound to obey, not only the
moral, but the ceremonial law; and, if they had sought
justification by any works, they would have sought it by
those; Acts xx. 20, 21. They knew not of any justification
by sincere works, as commanded only in the gospel; yet,
if they had erred in any thing absolutely necessary to
salvation, the apostles would not have tolerated their weak-
ness. And whether they will or no, they must seek their
salvation by the works of the moral law, as given by
Moses, or else they can never get it by sincere obedience.
to the commands of Christ. Christ never loved their new
condition so well, as to abolish the Mosaical authority of
the moral law, for the establishment of it. He came not
to destroy the law and the prophets, but to fulfil them,
in the practice required by them ; and hath declared that .
“ those that break one of the least of these commandº
“ments, and teach men so, shall be called the least in the
“kingdom of heaven : but whosoever shall do and teach
“them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of
“heaven, Matth. v. 17, 19. He commandeth us to do to
“men whatsoever we would they should do to us because
“this is the law and the prophets:” which is sufficient to
prove, that he would have us to account the law authori-
tative to oblige us in this matter. He requireth his dis-
ciples to observe and do whatsoever the Scribes and
Pharisees bid them, because they sat in Moses’ seat,
Matth. xxiii. 2, 3, . . . . . . . . . . . . .
And, to come to the point in hand, when Christ had
occasion to answer the questions of those that were guilty
of the same error that I am now dealing with, in seeking .
salvation by their own works, he shewed them that they
must obey the commands as they were already established
by the Mosaical authority, in the Scripture of the Old
Testament : “What is written ? how readest thou? This
º “do, and thou shalt live, Luke x. 25, 28. If thou wilt
“enter into life keep the commandments; which are,
a curse againstall those that seek salvation by the works
Direct. v1. of sanctification. ss
“Thou shalt lo no murder ; Thou shalt not commit
. “ adultery,” &c. :
. In like manner, the apostles of Christ urged the per-
formance of moral duties upon believers by the authority
of the law given by Moses. The apostle Paul exhorteth
“to “ love one another, because he that loveth another, -
“ hath fulfilled the law, Rom. xiii. 8. and to honor our
“father and mother, which is the first commandment,
“ with promise.” Eph. vi. 2. The apostle John ex-
horteth to love other's, as no new, but an old com-
mandment. Thé apostle James exhorteth “to fulfil
“ the royal law, according to the Scripture; Thou shalt
“ love thy neighbour as thyself;” and to keep all the
commandments of the law, one as well as another, be-
cause he that said “Do not commit adultery,” said also,
“Do not kill,” James ii. 8, 10, 11. Sound Protestants have
accounted the denial of the authority of the moral law of
Moses to be an Antinomian error. And though our late
prevaricators against Antinomianism maintain not this
error, yet they establish a worse error, justification by
their sincere gospel works. I think the denomination of
the Antinomians arose from this error. The law of Mosés
had its authority at first from Christ; for Christ was the
Lord God of Israel, that ordained the law by angels on
Mount Sinai, in the hand by Moses, a mediator for the
Israelites, who were then his only church, and with whom
we believing Gentiles are now joined, as fellow members
of one and the same body, Eph. iii. 6. And though
Christ hath since abrogated some of the commandments
then given by Moses, concerningfigurative ceremonies and . . .
judicial proceedings; yet he hath not annulled the obli-
gative authority of the moral law, but hath left it in its
full force, to oblige in moral duties, that still are to be
practised; as, when some acts of any parliament are re-
pealed, the authority of the same parliament remaineth
inviolable in other acts that are not repealed. I know
they object that the ten commands of the moral law, the
ministration of death, written and engraven upon stones, .
are also done away by Christ, 2 Cor. iii. 7. But this mak- -
eth altogether against their conditional covenant: for they
are the ministration of death, and done away, not as they
commanded perfect obedience, for even Christ himself
94 THE Gospel, MystERY Direct. WI.

commandeth us to be perfect, Matth. v. 48, but as they
were conditions for procuring life, and avoiding death,
established by a promise of life to the doers, and a curse
to the breakers of them, Gal. iii. 10, 12. The covenant
made with Israel on Mount Sinai, is abolished by Christ,
the Mediator of the new covenant, Heb. viii. 8, 9, 13.
And the ten commandments bindºus not as they were
Words of that covenant, Exod. xxxiv. 28. Imean, they
bind us not as conditions of that covenant, except we seek
to be justified by works: for the law, as a covenant, doth,
still stand in force enough to curse those that seek sal-
Vation by their own works, Gal. iii. 10. and if abolished,
it is only to those that are in Christ by faith, Gal. ii. 19,
20. Acts ii. 22,-25. and xv. 10, 11. But the ten com-
mandments bind us still, as they were then given to a
people that were at that time under the covenant of grace
made with Abraham, to shew them what duties are holy,
just and good, well pleasing to God, and to be a rule for
their conversation. The result of all is, that we must
still practise moral duties, as commanded by Moses: but
we must not seek to be justified by our practice. If we
use them as a rule of life, not as conditions of justification,
they can be no ministration of death, or killing letter un-
to us. Their perfection indeed maketh them to be harder
terms to procure life by, but a better rule to discover all
imperfections, and to guide us to that perfection which
we should aim at. And it will be our wisdom, not to
part with the authority of the decalogue of Moses, until
our new divines can furnish us with another system of mo-
+ality as complete as that, and as excellently composed
than that is. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
, Fourthly, Those that endeavour to procure Christ'ssal-
vation by their sincere obedience to all the commands of
Christ, do act contrary to that way of salvation by Christ,
free grace, and faith, discovered in the gospel, though they
own it in profession ever so highly. . . . . . . .
1st, They act contrary to the way of salvation by Christ;
for they would heal themselves, and save themselves from
the power and pollution of sin, and procure God’s favour,
by performing sincere obedience before they are come

... ',
*.
t \ , •.
Direct. VI. of SANctrffcArron. 95
to Christ, the only Physician and Saviour. They lay their
own obedience lowest in the foundation of their salvation,
and build the enjoyment of Christ upon it; who ought to
be the only foundation. They would sanctify themselves,
before they have a sure interest in Christ; and, “going
“about to establish their own righteousness, they do not
“submit themselves to the righteousness of God in Christ,”
Rom. x. 3, 4, Sometimes they will call the righteousness
of Christ, their legal righteousness, that they may make
room for an evangelical righteousnes of their own works,
to be the immediate procuriñg cause of their justification
by Christ; whereas the apostie Paul knew no evangelical
righteousness but that of Christ, which he called “ the
“righteousness of faith without the law,” Româ. iii. 21,
22. and not of the law, Phil. iii. 9. Thus they make void
Christ’s salvation while they pretend to own it, and he
profiteth them nothing. Christ is become of none effect
to them, while they would be justified by the law, Gal.
v. 2, 4. H we would be saved by Christ; we must own
ourselves dead, lost sinners, that can have no righteous- .
ness for justification but his, no life or ability to do good,
until God bring us into union and fellawship with him.
2dly, They do also act contrary to Salvation by grace,
according to the true meaning of the gospel. For we are
not saved by grace, as the supreme cause of salvation, by
the intervention of works given and accepted by grace as
the procuring cause; in which sense we might be saved by
grace, though by a covenant of works; as a servant that
hath monies given him by his master, to purchase an āh-
nuity of his master at a low rate, may profess that he had
an annuity given him freely, and yet that he hath purchased
it, and may claim it as due debt. But we are saved by
grace as the immediate and complete cause of our whole
salvation, excluding procurement of our salvation by the
condition of works, and claiming it by any law as due debt.
The Seiipture teacheth us, that there is a perfect opposi-
tion, and utter lireconcileableness, between 'salvation by
grace and, works : * If by grace, then it is no more of
“works; otherwise grace is no more grace; but, if it be
* of works, then it is no more grace; otherwise work is
“no more work,” Rom. xi. 6. So also there is an oppo-
96 THE Gospel MystERY Direct. VI.
sition between a reward reckoned of grace, and of debt, .
Rom. iv. 4. Between a promise of happiness by the law,
and by grace, Rom. iv., 13, 16. God is so jealous of the
glory of his free grace, that he will not save us, by any
works, though of his own working in us, lest any man
should boast, Eph. ii. 9. He knoweth when he healeth .
men by physic, or maintaineth them by the labour of their
hands, they are prone to attribute the glory, rather
to the means they use, than to his sole bounty and good- .
ness. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3dly, They do also exact contrary to the way of salva-
tion by faith; for, as I have shewed already, the faith
which is required for our salvation in the gospel, is to be
understood in a sense contrary to doing good works as a
condition to procure our salvation, and so the true differ-
ence between terms of the law and the gospel may be
maintained. Believing is opposed to all working for sal-
vation, and the “law of works to the law of faith,” Rom.
iv. 5. and iii. 27. ISph. ii. 8, 9. Therefore we must not
here consider faith as a work of righteousness, as compre-
hending any works of righteouness performed or done,
as a condition to procure a right and title to Christ, as the
hand whereby we work, to earn him as our bread and
drink, as our wages; but only as the hand whereby we
receive Christ, as freely given to us, or as the mouth
whereby we eat and drink him ; as hath been proved.
God giveth a sufficient right to receive Christ and his sal- .
vation, by the free gospel offer and invitation ; so that he
leaveth nothing for our death to do, but to lay hold of him
as a free gift that the glory of our salvation may not be
ascribed at all to our faith or works, but only to this free
grace of God in Christ : “It is of faith, that it may be by
“grace,” Rom. iv. 16. . . . . .
Fifthly, Christ, or his apostles, never taught a gospel
that requireth such a condition of works for salvation as
they plead for. The texts of Scripture which they usually
allege for their purpose, are either contrary to it, or
widely distant from it: as they might learn from many
Protestant interpreters, if their affection to a Popish tenet
had not blinded them. I shall instañce briefly only in a
few of those texts, whereby you may have some light to
***-->
r
Direct. VI. ºr sANGTIFICATION. 97
judge of the true meaning of the rest. That obedience
of faith, mentioned by the apostle Paul, as the great de-
sign of gospel preaching, Rom. i. 5. is as contrary to their
condition of sincere obedience for salvation, as the law of
faith is to the law of works, Rom. iii. 23. It is an obedi-
ence that consisteth in believing the report of the gospel;
as the apostle explaineth himself, Rom. x. 16. They
have not all obeyed the gospel: for Esaias saith, “Lord,
“who hath believed our report?” Faith is to be imputed
for righteousness, notbecause it is a work of righteousness
itself, but because we do by it renounce all confidence in
any righteous works whatsoever, and trust on him that
justifieth the ungodly ; as is clear by that very text which
they usually pervert for their purpose, Rom. iv. 5. They
grossly pervert those words of Paul, Rom. ii. 6, 7. “Who
“will render to every man according to his deeds; to
“ them, who, by patient continuance in well doing, seek
“for glory, and honour, and immortality, eternal life.”
Where they will have Paul to be declaring the terms of
the gospel, when he is evidently declaring the terms of
the law, to prove, that both Jews and Gentiles are all un-
der sin, and that no flesh can be justified by the works of
the law, as appeareth by the tenor of his following dis-
course, Rom. iii. 9, 10. They join evidently with the
papists, against the concurrent judgment of the best pro-
testant divines, in the interpretation of that text, James
ii. 24. “Ye see then, how that by works a man is justi-
º “fied, and not by faith only.” Where they will have
James to deliver the doctrine of justification in more pro-
per expressions than the apostle Paul, who teacheth justi-
fication by faith without works; though Paul treated on
this doćtrine as his principal subject, and James doth only
speak of it occasionáily, as a motive to the practice of.
goodworks; whereby me may easily judge which of their
expressions are to be taken for the most proper. Protes-
tants have shewed sufficiently, that James speaketh not
of a true saving faith, but of such a dead faith as devils
have ; not of justification in a proper sense, but of the de-
charation and manifestation of it by its fruits. Besides,
he speaks of justification by works, as commanded in the
law given by Moses; as appeareth by his siting the com-
98 THE gospel, MystERY Direct. VI:
mandments of the law, verse 8, 11. which our contrivers.
of the new divinity would have nothing to do with in
their model of the doctrine of justification. Another
text, alleged by them, is, Rev. xxii. 14. “Blessed are
“they that do his commandments, that they may have
“a right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the
“gates into the city.” But the Greek word which is here
translated right, is translated flower or firivilege. John i. 12.
It signifieth here, a rightful flossession of the fruit of the
tree of life, and not a mere title to it. So this text proveth
no more than what the Protestants generally acknowledge
that good works are the way wherein we are to walk to
the enjoyment and possession of the glory of Christ;
though a title to Christ, and his glorious salvation, be
freely given us without any procuring condition of work.
They account also, that when the happiness of heaven is
called a reward, it must needs imply a procuring condition
of works; as Rev. xxii. 12. Mat. v. i2. But tho' it be called
a reward because it is given after the doing of good works,
and because it recompenseth good works, better than any
wages on earth can recompense the labourer; yet it is a
reward of grace, not of debt, Rom. iv. 4. it is no proper
wages but a free gift : Rom. vi. 24. “For the wages
“ of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life, through
“Jesus Christ our Lord.” . . . . . . . . .
Another thing asserted in the direction, is, that those
that endeavour to perform this sincere obedience as the
condition to procure a right and title to Christ and his
salvation, shall never be able to perform sincerely any true
obedience by all such endeavours. Though they labour
earnestly, and pray fervently, fast frequently, and oblige
themselves to holiness by many vows, and press themselves
to the practice of it, by the most forcible motives, taken
from the infinite power, justice, and knowledge of God,
the equity and goodness of his commands, the salvation ...
of Christ, everlasting happiness and misery, or any other
motives improved by the most affectionate meditation : yet
they shall never attainto the end which they aim at in such
… an erroneous way. They may restrain their corruptions, and
bring themselves to many hypocritical slavish performan-
ces, whereby they may be esteemed among men, as emi-
ment Saints; but they shall not be able to mortify one cor-
* > - -
•- e. -
Direct. VI. of SANGTIFICATION. 99
ruption, or to perform one duty in such an holy manner
as God approveth. Yet here I censure only an error, not
the lives of the persons who maintain it. I have heard
that some preach legally, and pray revangelically. I
doubt not but the frame of their hearts and lives is rather
according to their prayers than their sermons. Though
Peter complied with Judaism in an outward act of profes-
sion : yet he lived himself like a Christian, Gal. ii. 11; 14.
I affirm only, that no godly person did or could attain to .
godliness in this erroneous way. And what a lamentable
disappointment this to those who have attempted to alter
the Protestant doctrine, and to pervert and confound law
and gospel, and have bred much contention in the church, ,
that they might secure the practice of sincere obedience
against Antinomian errors, by making it the procuring
condition of their salvation ; when, after all this ado, the
remedy is found to be as bad as the disease; equally un-
serviceable and destructive to that great end for which
they designed it; and that it hath an Antinomian effect
and operation, contrary to the power of godliness -
Much more might be said for the confutation of this
novel doctrine; but, if this one thing be well proved, it
may be sufficient to make the zealous contrivers of it to
be ashamed of their craft, and angry with themselves, and
sorry, that they have taken so much pains and stretched
their wits, to maintain such an unprofitable, unsanctifying
- opinion. It will be sufficient for the proof of it, if I shew,
that the practice of true holiness cannot possibly be attained
unto, by seeking to be saved by the works of the law ;
because I have already proved, that this doctrine of salva-
tion by sincere obedience, is according to the terms of the
law, and not of the gospel. And hereby those also may
see their error, that ascribe justification only to the gospel,
and sanctification to the law. Yet, because those assertors
of the condition of sincere obedience will hardly be per-
... suaded by what hath been said, that it is the way of the
law of works, I shall, for their more full conviction, suf-
-ficiently manifest, that it is of no other nature and opera-
tion, than any other doctrine that is proper to the law, and
hath no better fruit : as I proceed to prove by the follow-
ing arguments, that holiness cannot be attained by seek-
100 THE Gospel MystERY | Direct. VI.
ing it, by the law of works, that so it may appear not
worthy to be called gospel doctrine. . . . . . . .
directions, and manifestly proved out of the holy Scrip-
good persuasion of our reconciliation with God by justi-
him; and that Christ himself, with all his fulness, is unit-
ed to us by faith ; , which is not a condition to procure a .
right and title to Christ, but an instrument whereby we
•
receive him actually in our hearts, by trusting on him for
all salvation freely promised to us in the gospel. All
these means of an holy practice, are things wherein our
spiritual life and happiness do consit : so that, if we have
them, everlasting life is begun in us already ; and because
they are the necessary means of an holy practice, therefore
the beginning of everlasting life in us must not be placed
after such a practice, as the fruit and consequence of it;
but must go before it, as the cause before the effect.
Now, the terms of the law are directly contrary to this
1st, The way of salvation by the works of the law, is
contrary and destructive to those necessary means of an
holy practice that have been laid down in the foregoing
tures. I have made it appear, that an hearty propensity
to an holy practice cannot be attained without some
fication, and of our everlasting happiness, and of sufficient
strength both to will and to perform our duty; and that
these and all other endowments necessary to the same end
are to be had only in Christ, by union and fellowship with
method. They place the practice of holiness before life,
and make it to be the means and procuring cause of life;
as Paul, describeth them, Rom. x. 5. “ The man that
“ doth these things, shall live by them,” “By these terms,
you are first to do the holy duties commanded, before you
have any interest in the life promised, or any right to lay
of their office ; and instead of being causes, they are made
to be effects and fruits of an holy practice. And it will
hold of it, as yours, by faith. And you must practise holi-
ness without the forementioned means, or else you can
never attain to them. Thus the true means are turned out
be in vain ever to expect such effects, and fruits; for ho-
liness itself, with all its effects, must needs be destroyed,
when its necessary causes are taken away. Therefore
the apostle Paul testifieth, that the way of salvation by
Direct. VI. of sanctification. , 101
-->
the work of the law maketh faith void, and the promises.
of none effect; and frustrateth the grace of God, as if
Christ died in vain; and maketh Christ to be of no profit,
and of none effect to us, as those that are fallen from
grace, Rom. iv. 14. Gal. ii. 21. and v. 2, 4. Let us now
examine the modern doctrine of salvation, by the con-
dition of sincere obedience to all the commands of
Christ, and we shall quickly find it to be a chip of the same
block with the former legal way of salvation in the same
manner destructive to the means of holiness, and to ho-
liness itself. It requireth of us the performance of sincere
obedience, before we have the means necessary to produce
it, by making it antecedent to our justification, and per-
suasion of eternal happiness, and our actual enjoyment of
union and fellowship with Christ, and of that new nature
which is to be had only in him by faith. It destroyeth
-
\
the nature of that saving faith whereby we actually re-
ceive and enjoy Christ and all his benefits, and knocketh
off our hands from laying hold of Christand his salvation,
by telling us still, as Christ told the legal worker after all
his labour; that yet we lack something, Mark x. 21. that .
it is presumption to take him as our own, until we have per-
formed the condition for our right title to him ; which is
another kind of saving faith, otherwise called sincere obe-
dience. By this devised conditional faith, Satan keepeth
many poor souls at bay, poring upon their own hearts for
many years together, to find whether they have performed
the condition, and whether they have as yet any right to
Christ for their salvation, not daring to ºventure to take
him as their own. It is a strong partition wall, that will
certainly hinder the soul from coming to Christ, until it
be thrown down by the knowledge of salvation by grace,
without any procuring condition of works. And though
it be accounted but as the payment of a pepper-corn for a
great estate ; yet it is enough to break the ablest man in
the world, because it debars him from laying hold of the
only effectual means of holiness, whereby that pepper-corn
º, may be obtained.
3dly. Those that seek salvation by the works of the law,
do therein act according to their natural state. They live
and walk according to the flesh, or old man; not accord-
I. 2 . . . . .
I O2 2 THE Gosp?L MYSTERY Direct. VI.
ing to the new state, by Christ living in them. . I doubt
not but several of them that live under the light of the
gospel are partakers of a new state in Christ, and do walk
holily in it; but the best in this world have in thern flesh
as well as spirit, and may act according to either state in .
some measure : and in this matter they do act only accord-
ing to their carnal natural state. When the believing
Galatians were seduced to a legal way of Salvation, the
apostle Paul chargeth it yipon them as their folly, that
having begun in the Spirit, they would now be “made
“ perfect in the flesh,” Gal. iii. 3. And he resembleth
those that desire to be under the law, to Abraham’s son
born of Hagar the bond woman ; to shew, that such do
wałki as those that “are born after the flesh, not after the
“Spirit,” Gal. iv. 19, 23, 29. The law was first given
to Adam in his pure natural state, to prescribe terms for
his continuance in the happiness which he then enjoyed.
And, ever since that time, the flesh, or natural man, is
married to the law, and the “ law hath dominion over a
“man as long as he liveth,” i. e. until he be dead to his
fleshly state by the body of Christ, and married to him that
is raised from the dead. We are not at all under the law
as a covenant of works, according to our new state in
Christ; as the apostle testifieth. Rom. vi. 14. “Ye are not
*aunder the law, but under grace : and Gal. v. 18. If ye.
tº be led by the Spirit, ye are not under the law.” From
hence we may firmly conclude, that none can possibly
attain to true godliness by acting according to legal
terms; because I have fully proved already, that it
is impossible to be godly while we are in the flesh, or in a
natural state, and that, as far as we act according to it, we
can do nothing but sin. The law is so weak through the
flesh, that it cannot bring us to fulfil its own righteousness,
Rom. viii. 3, 4. It is married to a cross piece of flesh,
that is enmity to it, and can never be subject to it, Rom.
viii. 8. It sueth the natural man for an old debt of obedi-
ence, that he is utterly unable to pay since the fall; and
the success accordingly, it gets nothing. Neither do those
take a better course, that would bring themselves to ho-
liness, by making sincere obedience to Christ’s commands
the condition of their salvation. Their way is the same
for substance with that of the Galatians before mentioned,
TXirect. VI. of sanctific ATIow. 103
-,
who would be made perfect in the flesh, not by perfect
obedience, but sincere; as hath been shewed before. Their
endeavours to procure an interestin Christ, by their sincere
obedience, do testify themselves, that they do not act as
people that are in Christ, but rather as people that judge
themselves to be without an interest in Christ, and to be
yet to seek for it. And sincere obedience is as impossible
to be attained unto, as perfect obedience, if we act accord-
ing to our dead natural state.
3dly, As the law bereaveth of all strengthening means,
that are to be had by faith in Christ, and findeth us with-
out strength in our natural state; so of itself, it affordeth us.
no strength to fulfil its own commands : “If there had
“ been a law given that could have given life, verily
** righteousness should have been by the law.” Gal. iii.
21. It doth not so much as promise life, until we have
performed the obedience requireth by it. “The man that
“ doth these things shall live by them,” Rom. x. 5. It is
well called a voice of words, Heb. xii. 19. because its .
high and big words are not accompanied with an enlivera-
ing power. And the doctrine of life and salvation by
sincere obedience is no better natured, or more bountiful
to us; for it exacteth of us the performance of the condi-
tion, before it alloweth us any life or salvation by Christ.
Can any man rationally expect strength to obey sincerely,
by following a doctrine that doth not so much as promise
it? The true gospel is of a more benign nature; for it pro-
miseth, that “God will pour out of his Spirit upon all
“flesh, Acts i. 17. and will put his laws into our minds,
“and write them in our hearts, Heb. viii. 10. and will
“cause us to walk in his statutes, that we shall keep his
“judgments and do them,” Ezek. xxxvi. 27. This word
of God’s grace, that requireth not holiness of us as a con-
dition, but promiseth it to us as a free gift, must needs
be the only doctrine “that is able to build us up, and to
“give us an inheritance among them that are sanctified;" |
Acts xx. 32. , Seeing it pleaseth God to bring us to holi-
ness by believing a doctrine, we may reasonably expect
that God should work upon us suitably to the nature of
the doctrine which we believe; that he should give by a
giving doctrine, and exact by an exacting doctrine.
{
*
104 THE Gospel, Mystery Direct. VI.
4thy, The way-of procuring life and happiness by the
, condition of perfect or sincere works, is not a rational
method for the recovery of fallen man; though it were
good for the preserving of life before the fall; for it pre-
scribeth the immediate practice of holiness to recover a
man dead in sin; as if one should say to the sick of the palsy,
“Arise, and walk, and then thou shalt be whole, and able
“to walk.” We sometimes say jestingly to a child that
* is fallen on the ground, “Come hither and I will help
“thee up :” but if we should say so to one that is cast
upon his bed by a dead palsy, we should be guilty of
mocking and cruelly insulting the afflicted. Those that
are humbled and made sensible of their original sin, and
natural deadness, know that they must first live by the
Spirit, before they can act holily, Gal. v. 25. They will
inquire : “How shall we have strength to perform the
“ duty required " If you answer, that they must trust in
, God and Christ to help them, they may readily reply,
they have no sure ground to trust on God or Christ for
any saving grace, according to this doctrine, before they
have performed this condition, at least in a sincere resolu-,
tion of obedience, and that they are as unable to bring
. . their hearts to such a resolution, as a dead man is to raise
himself out of the grave. Take another instance. The
, method of the doctrine of works is, You must love God
first, and then on that condition he will love you again ;
whereas, on the contrary, “we love God, because he lov-
“ed us first,” 1 John iv. 19. And if God suspend his
, love to us upon any condition, our love to him will not be
, absolute, but suspended upon the same condition, and no
Way contrary to an actual hating of him. - . .
5/hly, The law is so far from healing our sinful cor-
ruption, that it proveth rather an occasion of sinful mo-
tions and actings in those that seek salvation by the works
of it. This cometh to pass by reason of the power of our
, natural corruption ; which is stirred up and rageth the
more, when the holy and just law of God is set in oppo-
sition against it; so that the fault is not in the law, but
in our hearts. Those that find not this by their own ex-
perience, should believe the apostle Paul, who teacheth it
plainly, and that from his own experience, Rom. vii. 5,
14. He affirmeth, that there are motions of sin by the
Direct. VI. or sANCTIFICATION. 105
law, in a fleshly state ; and that sin, taking occasion by the
commandment, “Thou shalt not covet,” wrought in him
all manner of concupiscence, deceived him, slew him, be-
came exceeding sinful; and that without the law, he was
alive, and sin dead ; but, when the commandment came,
sin revived, and he died. He sheweth the cause of this
irreconcileable enmity and contrariety between his sinfnl
nature, and the law; “The law is spiritual; but I am
“carnal, sold under sin.” Take notice here, from the
reason given by the apostle, that the doctrine of Salvation
by sincere obedience, will have the same event. Corrupt
nature is contrary to sincere obedience, as well as perfect;
and, if we make it the condition of our salvation, sin will
take the same occasion by it, to become exceeding sinful
in its motions and actings. The success of legal doctrine
upon the natural man is according to the proverb, “Re-
“prove not a scorner lest he hate thee,” Prov. ix. 8.
Rebuking a madman, is the way to enrage him : and such
is the natural man in spiritual things, since he fell out of
his right mind by the sin of Adam. We find, by mani-
fold experience, that though men be generally addicted
to the principles of salvation by works; yet multitudes of
them hate all strict preachers and professors of true holi-
ness, because they are a torment to their consciences.
They endeavour to shelter themselves in the ignorance of
the law ; accounting, that the less they know, the less they
shall answer for; and therefore they would not have right
things prophesied unto them, Isa. xxx. 10. And they
have prevailed generally in the world, to darken the na-
tural knowledge of moral duties, in such a degree, that
there is a necessity of learning them by divine revelation
out of the Scriptures. We may find how prone legal writers
are to corrupt the sense of the law, that they may leave
starting holes-for their corruptions, by the corrupt glosses
of the Scribes and Pharisees, from which Christ did vin-
dicate it, Matth. v. And as far as I have observed, none
more endeavour to discover the purity and perfection of
the law, than those that seek holiness and salvation, with-
out àny legal condition, by the mere free grace of God
in Christ. The doctrine of salvation by sincere obedience -
is but a mincing the perfection required in the law; and
106 rHE Gospel, Mysºrºry Direct. VI.
yet how is this doctrine minced again and again, until it
is become so small, that the substance of all true obedience
is lost : A willingness to be saved according to Christ's
terms, or a consent that Christ should be our Lord, or a
resolution to obey his commandments (which is little more
than ignorant men trust on when they say, they hope
God will save them, because they have a good meaning,
though they live in the neglect of all religion) without
any further practice of holiness, shall pass with many for
enough of sincere obedience, both to enter them into a
state of salvation, and to continue them in it; so that they
shall never be accounted breakers of the gospel covenant,
while so much can be pretended. The most that is made
necessary for salvation, shall be only, to endeavour to do
what we can to obey Christ’s commands: though all that
the most can do, is nothing that is truly good. Those
that have a little more zeal for their salvation by works,
are prone to spend it in superstitious observances, because
they suit better with their carnal nature, than the spiritual
commands of God and Christ. I doubt not but this hath
been one occasion of the prevailing of Heathenish, Jewish
and Popish superstitions in the world. We find, by ex-
perience, how Popery fell in several nations of late years,
when the great pillar of it, the doctrine of justification
by works, was overthrown by the Protestant doctrine of
justification by faith alone. If these legal zealots be forced,
by strong conviction to endeavour the practice of spiritual
duties for the quieting of their guilty consciences, they
may be brought to strive and labour earnestly and even
to macerate their bodies with fasting, that they may kill
their lusts; but still their lusts are alive, and as strong as
ever they were ; and do shew forth their enmity against
(the law of God by inward fretting, repining and grudging
at it, as a grievous taskmaster, though a slavish fear re-
strain, their gross outward actings. And, if once these
zealots beenlightened with the knowledge of the spiritual
nature, of the law, to discern that God rejecteth all their
slavish service, and will not own it for sincere obedience;
ºthen they fall into despair of their salvation, because they
see they have failed in their highest attempts to perform
the condition; and then they can easily discover them-
Direct. VI. of SANCTIFICATION. º. 107
selves, that their hearts swell in anger and manifest ha-
tred against the law, yea, and against God and Christ, for
prescribing such hard conditions of salvation, which they
cannot keep, and yet must expect to be damned eternally
for breeding them. This filleth them with blasphemous
thoughts against God and Christ, and they can hardly re-
frain from blaspheming with their tongues. And when
they are brought to this horrible condition, if God doth
not in mercy discover to them the way of salvation, by free
grace, through faith alone, they will endeavour, if they
can, to sear their consciences past feeling of sin and fully
to abandon all religion, which hath proved such an un-
sufferable torment to them : or, if they cannot sear their
consciences, some of them are easily prevailed with by
Satan, rather to murder themselves, than to live longer in
the hatred of God, the spirit of blasphemy, and continual
horror of conscience. This is the pestilent effect of legal
doctrine upon a carnal heart, that doth but rouse up, and
terribly enrage the sleeping lion, our sinful corruption, in-
stead of killing it: as is too evident by the sad experience -
of many that have endeavoured with all their might toº
practise it; and by the Scripture, that sheweth a sufficient
cause why it cannot be otherwise. Therefore, the doc-
trine of salvation by sincere obedience, that was invented -
against Antinomianism, may well be ranked among the
worst Antinomian errors. For my part, I hate it with
perfect hatred, and account it mine enemy, as I have found
it to be. And I have found by some good experience,
the truth of the lesson taught by the apostle, that the way
to be freed from the dominion of sin, is, “not to be un-
“der the law, but under grace,” Rom. vi. 17. -
, 6thly, The way of salvation by works was blasted by
the curse denounced agaisnt the first Adam's sin;. so that
now it cannot work life in us, or holiness, but only death ;
for the law which requireth both sincere and perfect obedi-
ence to God in all things, was made known to Adam at
his first creation, as the means of continuing the happy -
life that was then bestowed upon him ; and it would have .
been effectual for this end, if he had not trangressed in
the forbidden fruit. But when he had once brought him-
self and his posterity under the terrible sentence; “Thou
108 . . . THE Gospel MystERY Direct. VI.
shalt surely die,” Gen. ii. 17. All that knowledge of
God, or his law, that before wrought for continuance of
life, was turned by that cursing sentence the contrary
way, to work for his death, even for the death of his soul
in sh, as well as for the death of his body; and therefore
it quickly moved him to hide himself from God as an
enemy. It was as if God should say, “ All the light and
º “knowledge that thou hast, shall not be able to continue
“thy life or restore it; but it shall rather tend to thy
“ death.” Therefore, while we continue in our natural
state, under the first Adam’s guilt and curse, the know-
ledge of the law, yea, and all such knowledge of God and
his attributes as natural men may attain to, must needs be
in like manner accursed to us. And seeing man did not -
use his natural knowledge and wisdom aright, God is re-
solved to revenge the abuse of it, by giving us salvation in
a way contrary to it, that seemeth foolishness to the na-
tural man; and wholly to abolish the way of living by
any of our works, or by any wisdom or knowledge that
we can attain unto. “For it is written, I will destroy
“the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the
“ understanding of the prudent. Hath not God made
“foolish the wisdom of this world? for, after that, in the
“wisdom of God, the world by wisdom knew not God,
“it pleased God; by the foolishness of preaching to save
“ them that believe,” 1 Cor. i. 19, 20, 21. Hence we may –
conclude, that no truth, known by the light of nature, can
be an effectual principle or motive to work holiness in us;
and gospel principles and motives are but abused, when
they are applied to a legal way of salvation. . . . . . .
7thly, The end which God aimed at in giving the law
to Moses, was not, that any should ever attain to holiness
or salvation by the condition of perfect or sincere obedi-
ence to it; though, if there had been any such way of saf-
vation at that time, it must have consisted in the perform-
ance of that law, which was then given to the church to
be a rule of life, as well as a covenant. There was another
--covenant made before that time with Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob ; a covenant of grace, promising all blessings freely
through Christ, the promised seed, by which only they
were to be saved. And the covenant of the law was added

. . . . .
Direct. VII. or sANCTIFICATION. : 109
that they mightsee their sinfulness, and subjection to death .
and wrath, and the impossibility of attaining to life or ho-
liness by their works, and be forced to trust on the free
promise only for all their salvation, and that sin might be
restrained by the spirit of bondage, until the coming of
that promised seed, Jesus Christ, and the more plentiful
pouring out of the sanctifying Spirit, by him. This the
apostle Paul sheweth largely, Gal. iii. 15, 24. Rom. v.
------ 20, 21. and x. 3, 4. None of the Israelites under the
Old Testament were ever saved by the Sinai covenant;
neither did any them ever attain to holiness by the
terms of it. Some of them did indeed perform the com-
mandments of it sincerely, though imperfectly: but those
were first justified, and made partakers of life and holiness
by virtue of that better covenant made with Abraham,
Isaac, and Jacob, which was the same in substance with
the new covenant, or testament, established by the blood
of Christ. Had it not been for that better covenant, the
Sinai covenant would have proved to them an occasion
of no happiness, but only of sin, despair, and destruction.
Of itself it was only a killing letter, the ministration of
death and condemnation ; and therefore it, is now abo-
lished. 2 Cor. iii. 6, 8, 9, 11. We have cause to praise
God, for delivering his church, by the blood of Christ,
from this yoke of bondage : and we have cause to abhor
the device of those that would lay upon us a more grievous ...
and terrible yoke, by turning our very new covenant in-
to a covenant of sincere Works, and leaving us no such
better covenant, as the Israelites had under their yoke,
nº - -
to relieve us in our extremity. -
DIRECTION VII.
We are not to imagine that our hearts and lives must
be changed from sin to holiness in any measure,
before we may safely venture to trust on Christ
for the sure enjoyment of himself, and his salvation. -
110 THE Gospel MystERY Direct. VII. .
EXPLICATION. sº.--
WE are naturally so prone to ground our salvation
upon our own works, that, if we cannot make them
procuring conditions and causes of our salvation by
Christ, yet we shall endeavour at least to make them ne-
cessary preparatives, to fit us for receiving Christ and his "...
salvation by faith. And men are easily persuaded, that
this is not at all contrary to salvation by free grace, be-
cause all that is hereby ascribed to our works, or good qua-
lifications, is only, “That they put us in a fit posture
“to receive a free gift. If we were to go to a prince for
“a free gift, good manners, and due reverence, would
“teach us to trim ourselves first, and to change our
“slovenly clothes, as Joseph did when he came out of
“the dungeon into the presence of Pharaoh. It seemeth
“to be an impudent slighting and contemning the jus-
“tice and holiness of God and Christ, and an insufferable
“affront and, indignity offered to the divine Majesty,
“when any dare presume to approach his presence in the
“nasty pickle of his sins, covered all over with putrify-
“ing sores, not at all closed, bound up, or cleansed;
“ much more, when they endeavour to receive the Most
“Holy One, into such an abominable stinking kennel, as
“a sinner’s heart is, before it be at all reformed. The
“ parable concerning the man that was to be bound hand
“ and foot, and cast into utter darkness, for coming to
“ the royal wedding, without a wedding garment, seem-
“eth to be intended as a warning against all such pre-
“sumption,” Matth. xxii. 11, 13. Many that behold
with terror, the abominable filth of their own heart, are
kept off from coming immediately to Christ, by such
imaginations, which Satan strongly maintaineth and in-
creaseth in them by his suggestions; so that they can by
no means be persuaded out of them, until God teacheth
them inwardly, by the powerful illumination of his Spirit.
They delay the saving act of faith, because they think they
are not yet duly prepared and qualified for it. On the same
account many weak believers delay coming to the Lord’s
Supper for many years together, even as long as they
Direct. VII. - or sANCTIFICATION. 111
live in this world; and would be as likely to delay their
baptism, if they had not been baptized in infancy. Against
all such imaginations, I shall propose the following con-
siderations. . . . . . . .
First, This error is pernicious to the practice of holi-
ness, and to our whole salvation, in the same manner with
that treated of in the foregoing direction, and may be
confuted by the same arguments which are there produc-
ed. Whether holiness be made a procuring condition of our
salvation through Christ, or only a condition necessary to
qualify us for the reception of Christ, we are equally
brought under those legal terms, of doing first the duties
required in the law, that so we may live. Therefore, we
are equally bereaved of the assistance of those means of
holiness mentioned in the foregoing directions, as union
and fellowship with Christ, and the enjoyment of all his
sanctifying endowments by faith, which would go before
the practice of holiness, that they may enable us for it; . .
and we are equally left to labour in vain for holiness,
while we are in our cursed natural state, whereby our sin-
ful corruption will rather be exasperated than mortified: so
that we shall never be duly prepared for the reception of
Christ, as long as we live in the world. Thus, while we
endeavour to prepare our way to Christ by holy qualifi-
cations, we do rather fill it with stumbling blocks, and
deep pits, whereby our souls are hindered from ever at-
taining to the salvation by Christ. . . . --
Secondly, Any the least change of our hearts and lives
from sin to holiness before our receiving of Christ and his
Salvation by faith, is not at all necessary according to the
terms of the gospel, nor required in the word of God.
Christ would have the vilest sinners come to him for sal-
Vation immediately, without delaying the time to prepare
themselves for him. When the wicked jailor inquired,
“What he must do to be saved " Paul directed him forth-
with to believe on Christ, with a promise that in so doing
he should be saved : and straightway he and all his were
baptized, Acts xvi. 30, 33. Paul doth not tell him, that
he must reform his heart and life first, though he was in a
very nasty pickle at that time, having but a little before
fastened Paul and Silas in the stocks, and newly attempt-
, , . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . º.º. º.º.
- *z, * . . .. ... - ~, .. ‘. . . . . . - º -- - º ' , “ .. - - - - - '. “. . º - -- •. . . -.
. . . 1 12 . . . . . THE Gospel Mystery . . . . Direct. VII.
- --. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 't
id wilful self murder. Those three thousand
ed a hor -
Jews that were converted by Peter's preaching, and
added the same day to the church by baptism, Acts it. A 1.
seemed to have as much need of some considerable time
to prepare themselves for receiving Christ as others, be-
cause they had but lately polluted themselves with the
murder of Christ himself, ver. 23. Christ commands his
servants to go out quickly into the streets and lanes of
the city, and to bring in to his feast, the poor and the
maimed, and the halt and the blind; yea, to go out in-
to the high ways, and to compel them to come in with-
out allowing them to tarry until they had cleansed their
Sores and shifted off their filthy rags, and swarms of lice.
Christ would have us to believe on him that justifieth the
lingodly; and therefore he doth not require us to be godly
before we believe, Rom. iv. 5. He came as a physician
for the sick, and doth not expect that they should recover
their health, in the least degree, before they come to him,
Matth. iv. 12. The vilest sinners are fitly prepared and
qualified for this design, which is, to shew forth the ex-
ceeding riches of grace, pardoning our sins, and saving
us freely, Eph. ii. 5, 7. For this end the law of Moses en-
tered, that the “ offence might abound ; that so where
“sin abounded, grace might much more abound,” Rom.
v. 20. He loved us in our most loathsome sinful pollu-
tion, so as to die for us; and much more.will he love us
in it, so as to receive us when we come to him for the pur-
chased Salvation. He hath given full satisfaction to the
justice of God for sinners, that they might have all right-
eousness and holiness, and all salvation only by fellowship
with him through faith. Therefore it is no affront to
Christ, or slighting and contemning the justice and holi-
ness of God to come to Christ, while we are polluted sin-
ners; but rather it is an affronting and contemning the
saving grace, merit and fulness of Christ, if we endeavour
to make ourselves righteous and holy before we receive,
Christ himself, and all righteousness and holiness in him
by faith. Christ loathed not to touch a leper, and con-
descended to wash the feet of his disciples, and did not
expect that they should be washed and perfumed before-
hand, as some great ones of the world are said to do,
- -


Direct. VII. or sANGTIFICATION. 113
when they wash the feet of poor men in imitation of
Christ. . . . . . . . . . . . . º
Thirdly, Those that receive Christ with an unfeigned
faith, shall never want a wedding garment to adolin them
in the sight of God. Faith itself is very precious in the
sight of God, and most holy, 2 Peter i. 1. Jude verse 20.
God loveth it, because it giveth the glory of our salvation
only to the free grace of God in Christ, Rom. iv. 16. and
renounceth all dependence upon any conditions that we
can perform to procure a right to Christ, or to make our-
selves acceptable to him.’ It containeth in it an heart
love to Christ as a Saviour, and an hungering and thirst-
ing appetite for his salvation; and it is the mouth whereby
the soul feedeth hungrily upon him. What wedding gai-
ment can sinners bring with them more delightful than
this to their bountiful God, whose great design is to ma-.
nifest the abundant riches of his glorious grace and boun-
ty in this wedding feast : The Father himself loveth them
… because they love Christ, and believe that he came out
from God, John xvi. 27. But yet we see that the excel-
lency of faith lieth in this, that it accounteth hot itself, .
nor any other work of ours, a sufficient ornament to make
us acceptable in the sight of God. It will not be our wed-
ding garment itself, but it buyeth of Christ “white rai-
“ment, that we may be clothed, and that the shame of
“our nakedness may not appear,” Rev. iii. 18. Though
it loveth and desireth the free gift of holiness; yet it aban-
dons all thoughts of practising holiness immediately, be-,
fore we come to Christ for an holy nature. It puttetºon
Christ himself, and in hira all things that pertain to life
and godliness. Thus every true believer is “clothed
“with the sun,” Rev. xii. 1, even with the “Son of
“righteousness,” the Lord Jesus; who is pleased to be
himself both our wedding garment and feast, and all our
spiritual and eternal happiness, . . . . . .
For the more full satisfaction and consolation of those
distressed souls that lie under the terrible apprehensions
of their own sinfulness, and the wrath of God, and dare not
venture to trust stedfastly on Christ, for their salvation, ,
until they can find in themselves some change from sinto
holiness, I shallmention particularly several of those things
. . . . . . . . . K 2 - . . . . . .

**-x 4
114 the gos
that such would find in themselves; and I shall show, that,
if some of them be not partly comprehended in faith it.- .
self, they are fruits and consequences of faith; and there-
fore they cannot be rationally expected before we trust .
on Christ for our salvation. “… -
* 1st, They think it necessary to repent before they be-
lieve on Christ for their salvation, because repentance is
absolutely necessary to salvation, Luke xiii. 3. “Except
“ye repent, yeshall all likewise perish;” and Christ placeth
the duty of repentance before faith, Mark i. 15. “Repent,
“ and believe the gospel.” But we are to know, that
Christ requireth repentance first as the end to be aimed at,
and faith in the next place, as the only means of attaining
to it; and though the end be first in intention, yet the
means are first in practice and execution, though both be
absolutely necessary to Salvation. For what is repentance,
but an hearty turning from sin to God and his service
and what way is there to turn to God, but through
Christ, “who is the way, the truth, and the life; without
“whom none cometh to the father tº John xiv. 6. and
what way is there ofcoming to Christ, but by faith ? There-
fore if we would turn to God in the right way, we must
first come to Christ by faith; and faith must go before re-
pentance, as the great instrument afforded us by the grace
of God, for the effectual performance of it. Repentance
is indeed a duty which sinner's owe naturally to God;
but the great question is, How shall sinners be able to
perform it? This question is resolved only by the gospel
of Christ, Repent and believe. The way to repent, is, to
- begin with believing. Therefore the great doctrine of
John, in his baptism of repentance, was that they should
believe in him that should come after him, that is, on
Christ Jesus, Acts xix. 4.
2:lly, Regeneration also is necessary to Salvation, John
iii. 3. and therefore many would find it wrought in them-
selves before they trust on Christ for their salvation. But
consider what regeneration is. It is a new begetting or,
creating us in Christ, 1 Cor. iv. 15. Eph. ii. 10. in whom
we are partakers of a divine nature far different from that
which we received from the first Adam. Now, faith is
the uniting grace whereby Christ dwelleth in us, and we
Direct. VII. or sanctification. 1 is
in him, as hath been shewed; and therefore it is the first
grace wrought in our regeneration, and the means of all
the rest: when you truly believe, you are regenerated,
and not till then. Those that receive Christ by believing,
and those only, are the sons of God, “which are born not
“ of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of
“man, but of God,” John i. 12, 13. 2 *
3dly, They account it necessary to receive Christ as
their Lord and Lawgiver, by a sincere resignation of them-
selves to his government, and a resolution to obey his law,
before they receive him as their Saviour. This is one
principle lesson of the new divinity, and such a receiving
Christ as Lord, is made to be the great act of saving faith;
without which, such faith as I have described, whereby we
trust on Christ for salvation, is reckoned no better than
gross presumption. They teach, that Christ will not be-
stow his salvation on those that do not first yield their sub-
jection to his kingly authority; but he calleth them his
enemies, because they would not that he should reign over
them, and requireth that they be brought and slain be-
fore him, Luke xix. 27. And I own it as a certain truth,
that Christ will save none but those that are brought to
resign themselves sincerely to the obedience of his royal
authority and laws. But yet we must observe that the
are not brought to this holy resignation, or to any sincere
purpose and resolution of obedience, before they receive
his Salvation but rather by receiving it. Men that were
never thoroughly sensible of their natural death in sin, do
easily bing theºsºlve.Jin iversal obedien Ce to
God, when they arº, a cºe, death beds, or in any im-
raśyaev,u danger, or when they would prepare themselves
for the Lord’s Supper, that so they may make their peace
with God, and trust securely on Christ for his salvation.
But all resolutions of that kind are vain and hypocriti-
cal, sooner broken than made. Those that know the
plague of their own hearts, do find that their mind is eſ:- .
mity unto the law of God and Christ, and cannot be sub-
ject unto it, Rom. viii. 7. and that they can as soon re-
move a mountain, as give up themelves sincerely to obe-
dience, before they trust on Christ for his salvation, and
for the gift of a new heart, whereby they may be enabled
. . . . -
both to will and to do anything that is acceptable to God.
We should have been sufficiently obliged to all obedient
purposes, resolutions, and resignations, if Christ had never ,
come into the world to save us; but he knew that we
could perform nothing holily, except he made us first par-
takers of salvation, and that we shall never obey him as a
Lawgiver, until we receive him as a Saviour. He is a
saving Lord ; trust on him first to save you from the guilt
and power of sin, and dominion of Satan, and to give
you a new spiritual disposition ; then, and not till then,
the love of Christ will constrain you to resign yourself
heartily to live to him that died for you, 2 Cor. v. 14. and
;
you will be able to say, with an unfeigned resolution,
2.
“O Lord, truly I am thy servant, I am thy servant, and
“the son of thy hand maid : thou hast loosed my bands,”
Psalm. cxvi. 16.
4thly, It seemethto them evident, that some good works
are necessary, before we can trust on Christ safely for the
forgiveness of sins; because our Saviour teacheth us, that
if we forgive not men their trespasses neither will our
heavenly Father forgive our trespasses; and directeth us
to pray, “Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debt-
“ors,” Matth. vi. 12, 15. Restitution also was to be
made of things wrongfully gotten from others, before the
sacramental atonement was made by the trespass offering,
Lev. vi. 5, 7. I answer, this is sufficient to prove, that
forgiving others, and restitution, according to our abili-
ty, or at least a sincere desire and purpose so to do, are
* * .* º * * - cº --
**
very closely joined with thºssº
are very necessary tºº, -Étºis, for prayer, and for sacra-
mental applications of pardoning g.º.º.º. ourselves. A
lively faith cannot be without these fruits, and therefores,
we cannot pray or partake of sacraments, in faith, with-
out them ; but yet, if we strive to do either of these before
we trust on Christ for our pardon and salvation, we shall
do them slavishly and hypocritically, notin a holy, ac-
ceptable manner. Our forgiving others will not be ac-
companied with any hearty love to them as to ourselves,
for the sake of God; and Our restitution will be but a
forced act, like Pharaoh’s letting the children of Israelgo;
or, like Judas’restoring the thirty piecesofsilyer:being cºm”
*** A Nº. .",
- , /
...~~~~

- - . . . - • ?
- -: , . . . . . . . . ; - I -
- *.
Direct. VII. of s ANGTIFICATION. . . .
... /
117
pelled thereunto by terror of spirit; and when the terror
that forced us is removed, we shall be as ready to recalº
our forgiveness, and to wrong others again, as Pharaoh

was to bring the Israelites again into bondage after he
had let them go, Exod. xiv. 5. If you would forgive oth- ‘
•ers heartily, so as to love them again, you must first, by
faith in Christ, apprehend the love and mercy of God to-
wards yourselves; and then you will be able, according
to the apostle’s instructions to be kind, tender hearted,
forgiving one, another, “ even as God, for Christ’s sake,
“ hath forgiven you,” Eph. iv. 32. The readiness of
Zaccheus to make restitution, followed upon a discovery
of Christ's love to him; and his joyful receiving Christin-
to his house, was fruit whereby he did evidence the truth
of that faith that was already wrought in his heart.
5thly, I shall reckon up together several other qualifi-
cations that distressed souls would find in themselves, that
they may be duly prepared to trust on Christ for their sal- .
vation; and when they have laboured anxiously a long
time, and cannot get them, at last they lie down in sor-
| rowful despondence, not daring to apply the consolations
of the grace of God in Christ to their wounded consciences.
Let perplexed souls mark the particulars, and observe -
whether the condition of their own souls be reached in
any of them; “O thou afflicted, tossed with tempests, and
“ not comforted,” what good qualifications are they
that thou wouldst have, that thou mayest be encouraged
to lay hold on Christ for salvation . It is likely thou wilt
answer, in the bitterness of thy soul: “O let me have
“first some love to God and godliness in mine heart, and
“ freedom from mine hateful heart risings against him
“, and his service | Let me have some good thoughts
“of God, his justice, mercy, holiness, that I may be able
“ to justify him though he damn me, and that I may
“not be filled with murmuring and hellish blasphemies,

“in my mind against him. Let the raging of my lusts
“be abated, and the stinking kennel of my wicked heart
“a little cleansed. Let me, have some holy reverential .
“fear of God, and not only a pannic tormenting horror. .
“I would be more affected with the wrath of God, and
“ 1 wou e more affected with the wrath of God, and
“ not be of a slighting heedless spirit. I would be
118 THE Gospel, MystERY | Direct. VII.
***
“ more humbled for sin, loath it, and be ashamed of
“ and be sorry for it with a godly sorrow, not merely
“ because of the punishment, but because it griev-
“ eth and vexeth the Holy Spirit of God. I would be
“able to make a willing and ingenuous confession of sin,
“and to pour out my soul to the Lord in lively affection-
“ate prayer for forgiveness, and to praise and glorify
“ him heartily, and not be like a lifeless stone in the duty
“ of prayer, as I am.” Are these the things thou de-
sirest, O poor distressed soul? The best reply I can make
for thy speedy comfort, is to inform thee, that the things
are good, but thy desires are not well timed. It is un-
.* 3. - - - -- - - - • * ... •
reasonable for thee to expect these holy qualifications,
whilst thou art in thy natural state, under the guilt of sin,
and the apprehension of the wrath of God; before thou
hast received the atonement, and the new spiritual life
that is by Christ, through faith in his name. Thou dost
but exasperate thy corruptions, and harden thy heart,
and make thy wounds to stink the more because of thy
foolishness. Such good qualifications are included in the
nature of faith, and for the most part they follow after it;
so that they cannot possibly be obtained before thou trust-
est on Christ for thy salvation; as I shall shew concerning
them particularly in their order. A love to the salvation
of God, and to the free gift of holiness, is included in the
*
nature of faith; so that it cannot be hearty without it.

Act faith first, and the apprehension of God’s love to thy
soul will sweetly allure and constrain thee to love God and
his service universally : “We love him, because he first
“ loved us,” 1 John iv. 19. We cañnot be before hand
with God in love ; and we must perceive his love to make
us love him : for, if we look upon him as a God contrary
to us, that hateth us, and will damn us, our own innate
*
self love will breed hatred and heart risings against him,
in spite of our hearts. That love, which is the end of the
law, must flow from “ faith unfeigned,” 1 Tim. i. 3.
And, if hatred work in thee more than love, how canst
thou expect good thoughts of God, or any other, than
blaspheming or at least murmuring thoughts of him, in
this condition III will never speaketh or thinketh well.
The first right holy thoughts thou canst have of God,
J. : . .
Direct. VII. or sANGTIFICATION. 119
:-
are thoughts of his grace and mercy to thy soul in Christ, • ‘.
which are included in the grace of faith. Get these
thoughts first by believing in Christ, and they will breed
in thee love to God, and all good thoughts of him, and
free thee from blasphemous and murmuring thoughts by
degrees; for “love thinks no evil,” I Cor. xiii. 5. Then
wilt thou be able to account God just and merciful, if
he had damned thee, and extended his grace to others;
and thou wilt be able to think well of his holiness, and of
his decrees, which many cannot endure to hear of. The
way to get rid of thy raging Justs, is by faith, that “purifi-
“eth the heart, and worketh by love,” Acts xv. 9. Gal. v.
6. The soul must be brought to take pleasure in God and
Christ by faith, or else it will lust after fleshly and worldly
pleasures. And the more you strive against lusts without
faith, the more they are stirred up; though you prevail
so far as to restrain the fulfilling of them. Beg a holy
fear of God, with fear of coming short of the promised
rest through unbelief, Heb. iv. 1. Such a fear is an ingre-
dient of faith, and it will breed in us a reverential, yea, a
child like fear of God and his goodness: tieb. xii. 28.
Hosea iii.5. “We must have grace, whereby we may
“serve God with reverence,” &c. Pt is in the margin,
“We must have or hold fast grace.” And there is no
other way to hold fast grace but by faith; and this will -
quickly calm all pannic and tormenting horror. And if
you would be free from carelessness, and slighting the
wrath of God, your way is, first, by believing, to avoid
despairing : for people grow careless by despairing : and,
for their own quiet, they will endeavour to slight evils
which they have no hope to prevent; according to the
proverb, “Let us eat and drink for to-morrow we die,”
1 Cor. xv. 32. True humiliation for sin is either a part or
fruit of faith; for, on our believing, “we shall remember
“our own evil ways, and doings that were not good,
“ and shall loath ourselves in our own-sight for all our
W
&G
iii. 7, 8. But beggars will make the most of all their
nasty rags, till they be furnished with better clothes; and
& abominations,” Ezek. xxxvi. 31. We shall also then -
llingly renounce our own righteousness, and “account
it but dung, that we may win Christ” by faith, Phil. .
120 THE Gospel, MystERY Direct. VII.
:- .
cripples will not cast away their crutches, until they have
a better support to lean on. Godly sorrow for sin, is
wrought in us by believing the pardoning grace of God; .
as it is found by 'experience, that a pardon from a prince
will sometimes sooner draw tears from a stubborn male-
factor, than the fear of a halter will. Thus the sinful wo-
man was brought to wash Christ's feet with her tears,
Luke vii. 37, 38. We are not like to be sorry for griev-,
ing God with our sins, while we look upon him #n an ene-
my, that will ease himself well enough of his Bºrden, and
right himself upon us by our everlasting destruction. The
belief of God’s pardoning and accepting grace, is a ne-
cessary means to bring us to an ingenuous cogfession of
sins. The people freely conféssed their sins,ºhen they
were baptised of John in Jordan, “for the remission of
“sin,” Mark i. 4, 5. The confession of despairers is
forced, like the extorted confessions and cryings out of
malefactors upon the rack. A pardon sooner openeth
ºf the mouth to an ingenuous confession; than, Cotyſess and
&e hanged ; or, Confess and be damned. Therefore if you
... • would freely confess your sins, believe first, that “God
“is faithfift and just to forgive your sins,” through Christ,
1 John i. 9. Aid, if you would pray to God, or praise
him, with lively affections, you must first believe that God
will hear you, and give you what is best for you for Christ's,
sake, John xvi. 23, 24. otherwise your praying will be
only from the teeth outward; for how shalliyou call on
him “in whom you have not believed 3% Romãº. 14. You
must come first to Christ the altar, by faith, that by him,
you may “ offer the sacrifice of praise to God continual-
ly,” Heb. xiii. 10, 15. …
Finally, To pass from particulars, to the general asser-
tion laid down in the direction; if you ask, What shall we
do that we may work the works of God, or get any saving
qualifications : I must direct you first to faith, as the work
of works, and the great saving preparatory to all good quali-
fications, by answering in our Saviour’s words, “This
“is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he
“hath sent,” John vi. 28, 29. . . . . )
- ~x. -
- { ". .
3.
*- ...)


DIRECTION VIII.
~
.--
Be sure to seek for Holiness of Heart and Life only
in its due Order, where God hath placed it, after
Union with Christ, justification, and the Gift of
the Holy Ghost ; and in that Order, seek it ear-
nestly by Faith, as a very necessary. Part of your
Salvation. . . . . . .
EXPLICATION.
I HOPE the reader will observe warily in all these
directions, that the holiness aimed at as the great endº
in the whole discourse, consisteth not in the grace or act of
faith, required peculiarly by the gospel; which, though
it be a saving gift of Christ, yet is here considered rather
as a means precedent to the reception of Christ, and ail
his salvation, than a part of his salvation received. But
the holiness aimed at, consisteth in conformity to the
whole moral law, to which we are naturally obliged, if
there had never been any gospel, or any such duty as be-,
lieving in Christ for salvation. 'N
Now, in this direction, three things are conta
A
:ontained that
are very necessary to guide us to the attainment of this
great end; and therefore worthy of our serious consider-
ation." . . . - . . . .
First, It is a matter of high concern to be acquainted
with the due place and order wherein God hath settled
this holy practice in the mystery of our salvation; and a
great point of Christian wisdom to seek it only in that or-.
der. We know that God is the God of order, and that
his infinite wisdom hath appeared in appointing the Ör-
der of his creatures, which we are forced to observe for the
attainment of our ends in worldly things; so also in spi-
ritual things: “God hath made an everlasting covenant,
“ordered in all things, and sure,” 2 Sam, xxiii. 5. The
122 THE Gospel MystERY Direct. VIII.
* benefits of it have an orderly dependence each upon other,
as links of the same golden chain, though several of them,
and a title to them all, are given to us at one and the
same time. And I think enough hath been said already,
to shew in what order God brings us to the practice of the
moral law. He maketh us first to be in Christ by faith,
as branches in the vine, that we may bring forth much
fruit, John xv. 4, 5. He first purgeth our consciences
from dead works by justification, that we may serve the
living God, Heb. ix. 14. He maketh us first to live
in the Spirit, and then to walk in the Spirit, Gal. v. 25.
This is the order prescribed in the gospel, which is the
power of God unto salvation ; though the law prescribeth
- a quite contrary method, that we should first perform its
commands, that so we may be justified and live; and
thereby it proveth a killing letter unto us. Now, mark
well the great advantages you have for the attainment of
holiness, by seeking it in a right gospel order. You will
have the advantage of the love of God manifested to-
s ward you, in forgiving your sins, receiving you into fa-
vour, and giving you the spirit of adoption, and the hope
of his glory, freely, through Christ, to persuade and con-
strain you, by sweet allurements, to love God again, who
hath so dearly loved you, and to love others for his sake,
and to give up yourselves to the obedience of all his com-
mands out of hearty love to him : you will also enjoy the
help of the Spirit of God, to incline you powerfully unto
obedience, and to strengthen you for the performance of
it against all your corruptions; and the temptations of
Satan; so that you will have both wind and tide to for-
ward your voyage in the practice of holiness. Contrary-
wise, if you rush upon the immediate performance of the
law, without taking Christ’s righteousness and his Spirit
in the way to it, you will find both wind and tide against
you : your guilty consciences, and corrupt dead natures,
will certainly defeat and frustrate all your enterprises and
attempts to love God, and serve him in love, and you will
but stir up sinful lusts instead of stirring up yourselves to
true obedience; or at best, you will but attain to some
slavish and hypocritical performance. O ! that people
would be persuaded to consider the due place of holiness
`--- ---
Direct. VIII. of SANCTIFICATION. " 123
in the mystery of salvation, and to seek it only there where
they have all the advantage of gospel grace to find it.
Many miscarry in their zealous enterprises for godliness;
and, after they have spent much labour in vain, God
maketh a breach upon them, even to their everlasting
, destruction as he did upon Uzza, to a temporal destruc-
tion ; “ because they sought him not after a due order,”
1 Chron. xiii. 10. - - - … ."
Secondly, We are to look upon holiness as a very neces-
sary part of that salvation that is received by faith in
Christ. Some are so drenched in a covenant of works that
they accuse us for making good works needless to salva-
tion, if we will not ackowiedge them to be necessary,
either as conditions to procure an interestin Christ, or as
preparatives to fitus for the receiving him by faith. And
others, when they are taught by the Scriptures, that we
are saved by faith, through faith, without works, do be-
gin to disregard all obedience to the law, as not at all ne-
cessary to salvation, and do account themselves obliged
to it only in point of gratitude ; if it be wholly neglected,
they doubt not but free grace will save them harmless.
Yea, some are given up to strong Antinomian delusions,
that they account it a part of the liberty from the bondage
of the law purchased by the blood of Christ, to make no
conscience of breaking the law in their conversation. One
cause of these errors, that are so contrary one to the other,
is, that many are prone to imagine nothing else to be
meant by salvation, but to be delivered from hell,
and to receive and enjoy both heavenly happiness and
glory : hence they conclude, that, if good works be
a means of glorification, and precedent to it, they must
also be a precedent means of our whole salvation ; and
that if they be not a necessary means of our whole salva-
tion, they are not at all necessary to glorification. But
though salvation be often taken in Scripture; by way of
eminency, for its perfection in the state of heavenly glory;
yet, according to its full and proper signification, we are
to understand by it, all that freedom from the evil of our
natural corrupt state, and all those holy and happy en-
joyments that we receive from Christ our Saviour, either
in this world by faith, or in the world to come by glori-
124 / THE Gospel MystERY Direct. VIII.
fication. Thus justification, the gift of the Spirit to dwell.
in us, the privileges of adoption are parts of our salva-
tion, which we partake of in this life. Thus also, the con-
formity of our hearts to the law of God, and the fruits of
righteousness with which we are filled by Jesus Christin
this life, are a necessary part of our salvation. God saveth
us from our sinful uncleaness here, by the washing of
regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost, as well as
from hell hereafter, Ezek. xxxvi. 29. Tit. iii. 5. Christ
was called Jesus, i. e. a Saviour; because he saved his
people from their sins, Matth. i. 21. Therefore it is part
of our salvation, to deliver us from our sins; which is be-
gun, in this life, by justification and sanctification, and
perfected by glorification, in the life to come. Can we
rationally doubt, whether it be any proper part of our
salvation by Christ, to be quickened, to live to God, when
we were by nature dead in trespasses and sins; and to have
the image of God, in holiness and righteousness restored
to us, which we lost by the fall : and to be freed from a
vile dishonourable slavery to Satan and our own lusts,
and made the servants of God; and to be honoured so
highly, as to walk by the Spirit, and bring forth the fruits
of the Spirit 3 and what is all this but holiness in heart and
life? Conclude we then, that holiness in this life is abso-
lutely necessary to salvation, not only as a means to the º
end, but by a nobler kind of necessity, as part of the end
itself. Though we are not saved by good works, as pro-
curing causes; yet we are saved to good works, as fruits
and effects of Saving grace; which God hath prepared
that we should walk in them, Eph. ii. 10. It is indeed
one part of our salvation, to be delivered from the bondage
of the covenant of works; but the end of this is, not that
we may have liberty to sin (which is the worst of slavery)
but that we may fulfil the royal law of liberty, and that
we may serve “in newness of spirit, and not in the old-
“nešs of the letter,” Gal. v. 13. Rom. vii. 6. Yea, ho-
liness in this life is such a part of our salvation, as is a ne-
cessary means to make us meet to be partakers of the in-
heritance of the saints in heavenly light and glory : with-
out holiness we can never see God, Heb. xii. 14. and, are
as unfit for the glorious presence, as swine for the presence
chamber of an earthly prince. I confess, some may be
Direct. VIII. of sanctification. {
- . . . ." 125
I a
converted, when they are so near the point of death, that
they may have little time to practise holiness in this world:
but the grace of the Spirit is active live fire, Matth. iii.
11. and, as soon as it is given, it will immediately pro-
duce good inward working of love to God and Christ,
and his people; which will be sufficient to manifest the
righteous judgment of God in saving them at the great
day, when he shall judge every man accoording to his
work; though some possibly may not have so much time
to dicover their inward grace in any outward works, as
the thief upon the cross, Luke xxxiii. 40, 43.
The third and last thing to be noted in this direction,
is, that holiness of heart and life is to be sought for ear-
nestly by faith, as a very necessary part of our salvation.
Great multitudes of ignorant people, that live under the
gospel, harden their hearts in sin, and ruin their souls for
ever, by trusting on Christ for such an imaginary salva-
tion, as consisteth not at all in holiness, but only in for- º
giveness of sin, and deliverance from everlasting torments.
They would be free from the punishment due to sin; but
they love their lusts so well, that they hate holiness, and
would not be saved from the servive of sin. The way to
oppose this perficious delusion is, not to deny as some do,
that trusting on Christ for salvation is a saving act of faith;
but rather to shew; that none do or can trust on Christ for
true salvation, except they trust on him for holiness : nei-
ther do they heartily desire true salvation, if they do not
desire to be made holy and righteous in their hearts and
lives. If ever God and Christ give you salvation, holi-
ness will be one part of it; if Christ wash you not from
the filth of your sins, you have no part with him, John
xiii. 8. What a strange kind of salvation do they desire,
that care not for holiness : They would be saved and yet
be altogether dead in sin, aliens from the life of God, be-
reſt of the image of God, deformed by the image of Sa-
tan, his slaves, and vassals to their own filthy lusts, utter-
ly unmeet for the enjoyment of God in glory. Such a sal-
vation as that was never purchased by the blood of Christ;
and those that seek it abuse the grace of God in Christ,
and turn it into lasciviousness. They would be saved by
Christ, and yet out of Christ in a fleshly state ; whereas
126 - THE cospºt MystERy Direct. IX.
God doth free none from condemnation, but those that
are in Christ, that walk not after the flesh, but after the
Spirit; or else they would divide Christ and take a part
of his salvation, and leave out the rest ; but he is not di-
vided, I Cor. i. 13. They would have their sins forgiven
not that they may walk with God in love in time to come,
but that they may practise their enmity against him, with-
out any fear of punishment. But let them not be de--
ceived, God is not mocked. They understand not what
true salvation is, neither were they ever yet thoroughly sen-
sible of their lost estate, and of the great evil of sin; and
that which they trust on Christ for, is but an imagination
of their own brains; and therefore their trusting is gross
presumption. True gospel faith maketh us come to Christ
with a thirsty appetite, that we may drink of living water,
even of his sanctifying Spirit, John vii. 37, 38. and toº
cry out earnestly, to save us, not only from hell, but from
sin; saying, “ Teach us to do thy will ; thy Spirit is
“good, Psal. cxliii. 10. Turn thou me and I shall be
“turned, Jer. xxxi. 18. Create in me a clean heart, O
“God, and renew a right spirit within me,” Psal. li. 10.
This is the way whereby the doctrine of salvation by grace
doth necessiate us to holiness of life, by constraining us to
seek for it by faith in Christ, as a substantial part of that
salvation which is freely given to us through him. . . .
x * *
DIRECTION IX.
We must first receive the comforts of the Gospel that
we may be able to perform sincerely the duties of
the Law. . . . . . . . . . -
.*
w
... • SINCE man fell from obedience to God, which he
was enabled and engaged to perform by the comforts of
his first happy state in paradise, God might have justly re-
fused ever to give man again any comforts before hand,
to encourage him to his duty ; that the way to holiness
being hedged up against him with the thorns and briars
offear, grief and despair, he might never be able to escape
..)
Direct. IX. ex: SANCTIFICATION. 127
the sentence of death which was denounced against his
first transgression. This justice of God is manifest in the
method of the legal covenant, wherein God promiseth
us no life, comfort or happiness, until we have thoroughly
performed his law ; and may be seen in the Mount Sinai
promulgation explicated, Lev. xxvi, throughout. And we
are by nature so strongly addicted to this legal method of
salvation, that it is a hard matter to dissuade those that
live under the light of the gospel, from placing the du-
ties of the law before the comforts of the gospel. If they
cannot make salvation itself, yet they will be sure to make
all the comforts of it to depend upon their own works.
They think it as unreasonable to expect comfort before du-
ty, as wages before work, or the fruits of the earth, before.
the husbandman’s labour, 2 Tim. ii. 6. They account the
only effectual way to secure the obedience we owe to the
law of God, is, to ground all our comforts on the perform-
ance of it; and that the contrary doctrine strengthens the
hands of the wicked by prophecying peace to them, where
there is no peace, Ezek. xiii. 16, 22. and openeth the flood-
gates to all licentiousness. Therefore some preachers
will advise men not to be solicitous and hasty of getting
- comfort, but that they should rather exercise themselves
diligently in the performance of their duty; and they tell
them, that in so doing, their condition will be safe and
happy at last, though they never enjoy any comfort of
, their salvation as long as they live in this world.
That you may rightly understand what I have asserted
in the direction against such vulgar errors, take notice,
t’
that I do not make the only place of gospel comfort to
be before the duties of the law. I acknowledge, that
God comforteth his people on every side, Psalm Ixxi. 21.
both before and after the performance of their duty; and
that the greatest consolations do follow after duty; yet
some comforts God giveth to his people before hand, as
advance money, to furnish them for his service, though
most of the pay comes in afterward. Neither do I here-
by speak any peace to those that continue in their sinful
natural state : for the comforts I speak of, cannot be re-
ceived without rejecting those false confidences whereby
natural men harden themselves in sin; nor without that
effectual working of the Spirit whereby we are made
t?8 THE Gospel, MystERY Direct. IX.
good trees, that we may bring forth good fruit. Though
they are given before the sincere practice of the law; yet
- they are not given to us in our corrupt sinful nature, but
in, and with the new holy nature ; which immediately
produceth a holy practice, though it must necessarily go
before, as the cause before the effect: and they are no
other than comforts of those spiritual benefits by which
our new state and nature is produced, and of which it is
constituted and made up ; as the comforts of redemption, ,
justification, adoption, the gift of the Spirit, and the like.
Neither do I intend here any transport or ravishment of
joy and delight, but only such manner of comfort, as ra-
tionally strengthens, in some measure, against the op-
* pression of fear, grief, and despair, which we are liable
unto, by reason of our natural sinfulness and misery. *-
This explanation of the sense of my assertion, is suffi-
cient to answer some common objections againstit. And I
hope the truth of it will be fully evidenced by the follow-
/
ing arguments. , - - . . . . . . .
First, This truth is a clear consectary from those prin-
ciples of holiness that have been already confirmed. I
have shewed, that we must have a good persuasion of our
réconciliation with God,' and of Cºir happiness in heaven,
and of our sufficient strength both to will and to do that
which is acceptable to God through Jesus Christ, that we
may be rationally inclined and bent to the practice of holi-
ness; and that these endowments mustbe had, by receiving
Christ himself, with his Spirit and all his fulness, by
trusting on him for all his salvation, as he is freely,
promised to us in the gospel ; and that by this faith we
do as really receive Christ, as our food by, eating and
drinking. Now, let right reason judge ; can we be per-
suaded of the love of God, of our everlasting happiness,
and our strength to serve God, and yet be without any
comforts? 'Can the glad tidings of the gospel of peace be
believed, and Christ and his Spirit actually received into
the heart, without any relief to the scul from oppressing:
fear, grief, despair : Can the salvation of Christ becomi-
- fortless, or the bread and water of life without any sweet
relish, to those that feed on him, with hungering ańd
thirsting appetites? God will not give such benefits as
these to those that do not desire and esteem them above
^,
|
}
* * -

Direct. IX. of SANCTIFICATION. 129
the world. And certainly the very receiving of them
will be comfortable to such, except they receive them
blind-fold : which they cannot do, when the very giving
and bestowing them, openeth the eyes of a sinner, and
turns him from darkness to light, whereby he doth, at
least in some measure, see and perceive spiritually the
things that concern his present and future peace, and
reap some encouraging and strengthening comfort there-
by to the practice of holiness. . . .
Secondly, Peace, joy, hope, are recommended:tous in
Scripture, as the springs of other holy duties; and fear
and oppressing grief forbidden, as hinderances to true re-
ligion: “ The peace of God keepeth our hearts and minds
“ through Christ Jesus, Phil. iv. 7. Be not sorry : for
“the joy of the Lord is your strength, Neh. viii. 10.
“Every man that hath this hope in him, purifieth him-
“self, even as he is pure, 1 John iii. 3. Fear hath tor-
“ment: he that feareth, is not made perfect in love,”
1 John iv. 18. This is the reason why the apostle
doubleth his exhortation, to rejoice in the Lord alway, as
a duty of exceeding weight and necessity, Phil. iv. 4.
What are such duties, but comfort itself? And can we
think that these duties are necessary to our continuance in
an holy practice, and yet not to the beginning of it, where
the work is most difficult, and encouragement most need-
ful. Therefore we must make haste, in the first place to
get a comfortable frame of spirit, if we would make haste,
and not delay, to keep God’s holy commandments.
Thirdly, The usual method of gospel doctrine, as it is
delivered to us in the holy Scriptures, is, first to comfort
our hearts, and thereby to establish us in every good
word and work, 2 Thess. ii. 17. And it appears, how
clearly this method is adjusted in several epistles written
by the apostles, wherein they first aquaint the churches .
with the rich grace of God towards them in Christ, and
the Spiritual blessings which they are made partakers of,
for their strong consolation: and then they exhort them
to an holy Coversation, aswerable to such privileges.
And it is not only the method of whole epistles, but of
many particular exhortations to duty, wherein the com-
fortable benefits of the grace of God in Christ, are made
use of as arguments and motives to stir up the saints to
-> -., -
130 rhE-Gospel, MystERY Direct. IX.
- - - - - . . - 2 -- - --
an holy practice ; which comfortable benefits must first
be believed, and the comfort of them applied to our own
souls, or else they will not be forcible to engage us to the
practice for which they are intended. To give you a few
instances out of a multitude that might be alleged ; we
are exhorted to practise holy duties, because we are dead.
to sin, and alive to God through Jesus Christ our Lord,
Tom. vi. 1 1. and because sin shall not have dominion over
us: for we are not under the law, but under grace, Rom.
vi, 14. because we are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit;
and God will quicken our mortal bodies, by his Spirit
dwelling in us, Rom. viii. 9, 11, 12. because our bo-
dies are the members of Christ, and the temples of
the Holy Ghost, 1 Cor. vi. 15, 19. because God hath
made him to be sin for us who knew no sin; that we
might be made the righteousness of God in him, 2 Cor.
v. 21. and hath promised, that he will dwell in us, and
walk in us, and be to us a father, and we shall be to him
sons and daughters, 2 Cor. vi. 18. with chap. vii. 1. be-
cause God hath forgiven us, for Christ’s sake: and ac-
counteth us his dear children ; and Christ hath loved us
and given himself for us; and we that were sometime
darkness, are now light in the Lord, Eph. iv. 32. and v.
1, 2, 8. because we are risen with Christ; and when
Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then we shall also ap-
pear with him in glory, Col. iii. 1, 4. because God hath
said, “I will never leave thee nor forsake thee,” Heb. xiii.
5. because of the many promises made to us, 2 Cor. vii.
1. Search the scriptures, and you may, with delight,
see that this is the vein that runneth through gospel ex-
hortations: and you may find the like vein of comfort
running through the prophetical exhortations in the Old
Testament. -
Some may object, “That the apostles used this me-
“thod in their writings to saints, who had practised ho-
“ liness already, that so they might continue and increase
“ therein.” But to that I may easily reply, if it be a
method needful for grown saints, much more for begin-
ners that find the work of obedience most difficult, and
have most need of strong consolation. And I hope to
shew how we may be able to lay hold of these consola-
tions by faith, in the very first beginning of a holy life.
Direct. IX. or sANCTIFICATION. 131
Besides, the gospel proposeth peace and comfort freely to
those that are not yet brought to holiness, that, if they
have hearts to receive it, they may be converted from sin
to righteousness. When the apostles entered into an
house they were first to say, Peace be to this house, Luke
x. 5. At their very first preaching to sinners, they ac-
quainted them with the glad tidings of salvation by Christ,
for every one that would receive it as a free gift by faith,
Acts iii. 26. and xiii. 26, 32, 38. and xvi. 30, 31. They
assured them, ifthey would but trust heartily on Christ, for
all his salvation, they should have it, although they were
at present the chief of sinners which was comfort sufficient
for all that duly esteem spiritual comfort, hungering and
thirsting after it. And this is a method agreeable to the
design of the gospel; which is to advance the riches of
the grace of God in all our spiritual enjoyments. God
will give us his consolations before our good works, as
well as after them, that we may know, that he giveth us
everlasting consolation, and good hope through grace,
and not through the procurement of our works, 2 Thess.
ii. 16. . . . - .
Fourthly, The nature of the duties of the law requireth
a comfortable state of the soul for the performance of them.
I have before proved sufficiently, that they require a per-
Suasion of our reconciliation with God, and of our future
happiness, and strength whereby we may be able to walk
in holy obedience: Joshua must be strong and very cou-
rageous, that he might observe to do according to the -
law that Moses, the servant of the Lord, commanded him,
Joshua i. 7. I shall instance briefly in the comforts, with-
out which, several great duties cannot be sincerely per-
formed, Can we love God, and delight in him above all,
while we look upon him as our everlasting enemy, and
apprehend no love and mercy in him towards us, that
may render him a suitable good for us, and lovely in our
eyes : What doleful melody will the heart make in the .
duty of praise, if we account, that all those perfections for
which we praise him, will rather aggravate our misery,
than make us happy : What a heartless work will it be to
pray to him, and to offer up ourselves to his service, if we
have no comfortable hope that he will accept of us? is it
132 THE Gospel MystERY Direct. IX.
possible for us to free ourselves from carking cares, by
casting our care upon the Lord, if we do not apprehend
he careth for us? Can we be patient in affliction, with
cheerfulness, and under persecutions, except we have peace
with God and rejoice in hope of the glory of God? .
Rom. v. 1, 2, 3. What reason can persuade us to sub-
mit willingly according to our duty, to the stroke of pre-
sent death, if God. be pleased to lay it upon us, when we
nave no comforts to relieve us against the horrible fear of
intolerable torments in hell for ever ?
If we should be called to suffer martyrdom for the Pro-
testant religion, as our ancestors in this nation have done,
we should find it necessary to abandon the late upstart no-
tions that have been bred in a time of ease, and to embrace
the comfortable doctrine of former Protestants, which,
through the grace of God, made so many courageous
and joyful martyrs. . . . . . . . . .
Fifthly, The state of those that are to be brought from
sin to godliness, requires necessarily, that after they be
convinced of the vanity of their former false confidences,
and of their deadness in original sin, and subjection to the
wrath of God, they should have a supply of new gospel
comforts afforded, to encourage their fainting souls to holy
practices. How little do many physicians of souls consider
the condition of their unconverted patients, that are alto-
gether without spiritual life and strength, and are or must
be convinced thereof: . He that prescribeth bodily exer-
cise to a man lying bed ridden under a dead palsy, before
any effectual means be used to strengthen him, deserves
the name of a merciless insulting tormentor, rather than
of a wise and tender hearted physician. How unreason-
able is it to prescribe the immediate practice of love to
God, and universal obedience to him out 9° love, as the
means of curé, for those that see nothing…at wrath and
enmity in God towards them in their present condition ?
What is it but to require a man to work without strength,
promising him, that he shall have strength when his work
is done? for comfort or joy is so called, because it strength-
eneth, Neh. viii. 10. True it is, that the law, which is
the ministration of condemnation, obligeth them to obedi-
ence: but our merciful God expectethno sincere perform-

Direct, ix. 6; SANGTIFICATION. . . . . 133
ance of his law, from such impotent miserable wretches,
in order to their salvation by Christ, till he hath first de-
livered them in some measure from those discomforts,
slavish fears and despondences, that hold them captive,
under the law of sin and death. We may require a strong
healthy person; first to work, and then to expect meat,
drink arid wages; but a fainting, famished person, must . .
first have food, or a reviving cordial, to strengthen his
heart, before he can work. is
Sæthly, Both Scripture and experience shew, that this, ...
is the method whereby God bringeth his people from sin
to holiness. Though some of them are bronght under
terrors for a while, that sin may be the more imbittered,
and the Šalvation of Christ rendered more precious, and
acceptable to then ; yet such are again delivered from
their terrors by the comfort of God’s salvation, that they
may be fitted for holities. And generally, a holy life
beginneth with comfort, and is maintained by it. God
gàve to Adam, at his first creation, the comfort of his
love and favour, and the happiness of paradise to encou-
rage him to obedience; and, when he had lost those com-
forts by the fall, he was no longer able to obey, until he
was restored by the new comfort of a promised seed.
Christ, the second Adam, set God always before his face;
and he knew, that because God was at his right hand, he
should not be moved, therefore his heart was glad, and
his glory rejoiced, Psalm. xvi. 8, s. This made him
-Willing to bear his agony and bloody sweat, and to be
obedient, unto death, even the death of the cross. God
drew the Israelites to obedience, with the cords of a man,
with the bands of love, by taking off the yoke on their
jaws, and laying meat before them, Hos. xi. 4. David
tellêth us, for our instruction how he was brought to an
... holy conversation: “ Thy Ioving kindness is before mine

“‘eyes ; and I have walked in thy truth, Psalmºxxvi. 3.
Lºrd, I have hºped for thy salvation, and dºne thy
“commandments.” Psalm crix. 166, ºfteilave several
$xamples in the New Testament of the joy that sinners
had in the first receiving of Christ, Acts. ii. Ai, Aaj .
& #ars "... - ". . . . . " º G * , , ºr, . . . .-y-. • ‘’s - - y: - - , ºt - - - {
lºgºpºlº came to the 'ſhessalonians, & they
* received the word in much aińiction, with joy In the
. . . . . . . . at "… ". . .”.”
134 THE Gospel, MystERY Direct. IX.
“Holy Ghost, 1. Thess. i. 4, 5, 6. When the Gentiles
“ heard the word of God, they were glad; and as thany
“as were ordained to eternal life, believed,” Acts xiii.
48. The apostle Paul was constrained, by the love of
Christ, to give up himself to live to Christ, 2 Corºv. 14,
15. I dare appeal to the experience of any that obey
God out of hearty love. Let them examine themselves,
and consider, whether they were brought to give up them-
selves to serve God in love, without comfortable appre-
hensions of the love of God towards them : I dare say,
there are no such prodigies in the new birth.
Seventhly, What comfortless religion do those make,
that allow people no comfort before hand, to strengthen
them for holy performances, which are very cross, dis-
pleasing and grievous to their natural inclinations, as the
plucking out a right eye, cutting off a right hand; but
would have them first to do such things with love and de-
... light, under all their present fears, despondences, and cor-
rupt inclinations, and to hope, that, by doing the work
thoroughly and sincerely, they shall at last attain to a
more comfortable state : All true spiritual comfort, as
well as salvation, is indeed quite banished out of the world,
if it be suspended upon the condition of our good works,
which has already appeared to be the condition of the law,
that worketh no comfort, but wrath, Rom. iv. 14, 15.
This makes the way of godliness odious to many. They
think they shall never enjoy a pleasant hour in this world,
if they walk in them; and they had rather comfort them-
selves with sinful pleasures than have no comforts at all.
Others labour a while in such comfortless religion with
inward fretting and repining at its bondage, and at last
grow weary and throw off all religion, because they know
none better. They that bind such heavy burdens upon
men, and grievous to be borne, will plead, that they are :
not to be blamed, because they do not preach the gospel.
of God and Christ: whereas indeed they preach a gospel
of man’s own forging, contrary to the nature of the true.
gospel of Christ, which is glad tidings of great joy to all
people, Luke ii. 10. An uncomfortable gospel cannot
proceed from God the father, who is the Father of mer-
&es, and the God of all comfort, 2 Cor. i. 3. nor from
:- " - . . . . . . . * * . " - Z - Z. - -- - - - - - - - - - - -
... • ‘ ‘. . . . . . ". . . ; :---- . . . •. - * • , ; - - - . . .
•. . . . . — ... " * . • * - " - - - -
* ,
W
Christ, who is the consolation of Israel, Luke ii.25. nor
from the Spirit, who is the comforter, John xiv.16, 17. .
‘God meetéth him that rejoiceth and worketh righteous-
ºness, Isa. lxiv. 5. He will be served with gladness and
singing, as he shewed by the type of variety of music, and
great numbers of musicians in the temple. Christ speaks .
to us by his gospel, that his joy may abide in us, and that
our joy may be full, John xv. 1 1. No sorrow is approved
of by God, except godly sorrow, which can never be in
us without some comfort of the love of God towards us. . . . .
They that are offended at the uncomfortableness of a re- &
ligious life, never yet knew the true way of religion ; eise
they would find, that “ the ways of wisdom are ways of
* pleasantness and all her paths are peace,” Prov. iii 17. . .
~.
2-— .
– ... - —sº-
-
--- - . * - - •- *
3. * -
That we may be prepared by the Comfºrts of the Gos-
pel to perform sincerely the Duties of the Law, we
must get some Assurance of our Salvation, in that
very Faith whereby Christ himself is received in- -
to our Hearts, therefore we must endeavour to , ,
believe on him confidently, persuading and assur-.
ing ourselves, in the Act of believing, that Godfree-
ly, giveth to us an Interest in Christ and his Saiva-
*tion, according to his gracious Promise.
EXPLICATION.
IT is evident, that those comforts of the gospel that
are necessary to an holy practice, cannot be truly received
without some assurance of our interest in Christ and his
salvation, for some of these comforts consist in a good per-
suasion of our reconciliation with God, and of our future ºr
heavenly happiness, and of strength both to will and to
do that which is acceptable to God through Christ; as
hath been before. Shewed. Hence it will clearly follow, ſº
that this assurance is very necessary to enable us for the
practice of holiness, as those comforts that must go before






- if t y
** , ,
meth
dence of our own salvation by Christ; and
be sure to apply him and his salvation to ol
lieving: And this doctrine was one of the -"
whereby they prevailed to overthrow the Popish súpersti-
tion whereof doubtfulness of salvation is one of the prin-
cipal pillars. But many of the successors of those Pro-.
testants have deserted them, and left their writings to be
shamefully insulted by the Papists. And this innovation,
hath been of longer standing amongst us, than several
other parts of oup new divinity, and maintained by those
that profess to abhor that corrupt doctrine which the Pa-
pists have built upon such principies. Modern divines -
taay think they stand upon the shoulders of their prede-
cessors, whose labours, they enjoy, and that they can see
father than they ; as the schoolmen might have like
so far, if the eyes of their prede-
lightened by the Spirit of God, to
may not be able to see
cessors were better enli - God, to
understand the mystery of the gospel. And why may We
hot judge that it is so in the present case? The eyes of
a these late years have been blinded in this point of
-: -
ty.
• 11. 3 EP f
oùpºsaly
; and if, upon this,
at it is true saving fa
































































Direct. X. or sANCTIFICATION. . . . . 137
not before, we may believe assuredly, that we in particu-
lar shall be saved. On this account, they say, that our
salvation is by the direct, and our assurances by the reflex
act of faith; and that many have true faith, and shali be .
saved, that never have any assurance of their Salvation as
long as they live in this world. They find, by Scripture s
and experience, that many precious saints of God are fre- . .
quently troubled with doubtings whether they shall be
saved, and whether their faith and obedience be sincere,
so that they cannot see assurance in themselves; there-
fore they conclude, that assurance must not be account- i.
edabsolutely necessary to justifying faith and Saivation, lest
we should make the hearts of doubting saints sad, and
drive them to despair. They account that former Pro-
testants were guilty of a manifest absurdity, in making.
assurance to be of the nature and definition of saving faith ; , .
because all that hear the gospel are bound to saving faith,
and yet they are not bound absolutely to believe that they
themselves shall be saved: for then many of them would
be bound to believe that which is not declared in the gośr
pel concerning them in particular; yea, that which
is a plain lie, because the gospel shews that many of
those that are called, are not chosen to salvation, but pe—
rish for ever, Matth. xx. 16. No wonder if the appearance:
of so great an absurdity move many to imagine, that
saving faith is a trusting or resting on. Christ as the only
sufficient means of salvation, without any assurance ; or,
that it is a desiring and venturing to trust or rely upon
him, in a mere state of suspence and uncertainty concern-
ing our salvation, or with a probable opinion or conjec-
tural hope of it at best. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Another objection against this doctrine of assurance, is,
That it deströyeth self examination; bringeth forth the
evil fruits of pride and arrogancy, as if they knew their -
places in heaven already, before the day of judgment:
causeth carelessness of duty, carnal security, all-manner
of licentiousness. And this maketh them commend doubt-
fulness of Ohr salvation, as necesary to maintain in us
humility, religious fears, watchfulness, much searching
and trying our spiritual state and ways, diligence in good
works, and all devotion. . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . 14 2.
- - -- .* . . * , - - - • - - - -
- - • *. , - '-' , . - -:- " - - - - - * --> -
138 rh E gospel Mysºre Ry Direct. X
Against all these contrary imaginations, I shall endear
vour to maintain this ancient Protestant doctrine of assur-
ance, which I have expressed in the direction. And, first,
•I shall lay down some observations for the right under-
standing of it, which will be sufficient to turn the edge of
the strongest objections that can be made against it. . . .
First, Gbserve diligently, that the assurance directed,
unto, is not a persuasion that we have already received
Christ and his salvation, or that we have been already bro’t
into a state of grace; but only, that God is pleased gra-
ciously to give him and his salvation unto us, and to bring.
us into a state of grace though we have been altogether in
a state of sin and death until this present time: So that
this doctrine doth not at all tend to breed presumption in
wicked and unregenerate men, that their state is good al-
ready ; but only encourageth them to come to him con-
fidently for a good state. I acknowledge, that we may,
yea, many must be taught to doubt whether their present
state be good 2 and that it is humility so to do; and that
we must find out the certainty and sincerity of our faith
and obedience by self examination, before we can have
a well grounded assurance that we are in a state of grace
and salvation already; and that such an assurance belong-
eth to that which they call the reflex act of faith, (if any
act of faith can be made of it, it being a spiritual sense of .
feeling of what is in myself) and is not of the essence of
that faith whereby we are justified and saved : and that
many precious saints are without it, and subject to many
doubts that are contrary to it; so that they may not .
know at all that it shall go well with them at the day of
judgment: and that it may be sometimes intermitted,
if not wholly lost, after it is gotten: and that we should
strive to walk holily that we may attain to it, because it.
is very useful for our growth and increase in faith, and
in all holiness. Most Protestants among us, when they
speak or write of assurance, mean only that which is by
reflection. And I have said enough briefly to shew, that
what I assert, is consistent with the doctrine which is
commonly received concerning it, and destructive to none
of the good fruits of it? therefore not guilty of those evils
that some falsely charge it with. This kind of assurance
which I speak of answereth not the question, Whether I
Direct. X. or sANcrific ATION. f$9
am already in a state of grace and salvation : There is
another great question that the soul must answer, that it,
may get into a state of grace. Whether God be graciously
pleased now to bestow Christ and his salvation upon me,
though I have been hitherto a very wicked creature? We .
must be sure to resolve this question comfortably; by an-
other kind of assurance in the direct act of faith, wherein "
we are to persuade ourselves, (without reflecting upon
any good qualifications in ourselves,) that God is ready
graciously to receive us into the arms of his saving mercy
in Christ, notwithstanding all our former wickedness, ac-
cording to that gracious promise, “I will call them my
“people, which were not my people; and her beloved,
“which was not beloved. And it shall come to pass,
“ that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are
“not my people, there shall they be called the children
“ of the living God, Rom. ix. 25, 26. * . . . .
Secondly, The assurance directed unto, is not a persua-
sion of our salvation, whatever we do, or however we live
and walk; but only in a limited way through mere free
grace in Christ, by partaking of holiness as well as for-
giveness, and by walking in the way of holiness to the en-
joyment of the glory of God. We shall not heartily de-
sire or endeavour to assure ourselves of such a salvation as
this is, if we be not brought first to see our own sinfulness
and misery, and to despair of our own righteousness and
strength, and to hunger and thirst for the sanctifying as
well as justifying grace of God in Christ; that so we
may walk in the ways of holiness, to the enjoyment of
heavenly glory. The faith whereby we receive Christ,
must have in it, not only a persuasion of happiness, but
these, and the like good qualifications, that will make it
a most holy faith. Certainly an assurance thus qualified,
will not beget any pride in us, but rather humility, and
self loathing, except any account it pride, to rejoice and
glory in Christ, when we have no confidence in the flesh,
Phil. iii. 3. It will not destroy religious fear, and breed
carnal security, but rather it will make us fear going aside
from Christ our only refuge and security, and walking
after the flesh. Noah had cause to enter into the ark,
and to abide there with assurance of his preservation;
140 riſk gos
PEI. MystERy Direct, X.
i._-...'
yet he might well be afraid to venture out of the ark,
because he was persuaded, that continuance in the ark ...
was his only safety from perishing in the flood. . And
how can a persuasion of salvation in a way of holiness,
breed slothfulness in duty, carelessness and licentious:
ness? It doth rather mightily allure, and stir us up to
“be always abounding in the work of the Lord, for
“ as much as we know, that our labour shall not be in
“vain in the Lord,” I Cor. xv. 58. They that are
persuaded of the free grace of God toward them in
“standing.”
Christ are not indeed solicitous about earning their sal-
ºvation by their own legal works. And Satan as ready
to suggest to them, that this is a sinful carelessness, and
tendeth to licentiousness. But they that will believe this
false suggestion of Satan, shew plainly, that they do not
yet know what it is to serve God in love; and that they
are held in, to all their obedience, by the bit and bridle of
slavish fear, “as the horse and mule, that have no under-
* Psal. xxxii. 9, . . . . . . . .
Thirdly, Beware of thinking so highly of this assurance
as if it were inconsistent with any doubting in the same . .
soul. A great reason why many Protestants have re-
ceded from the doctrine of their ancestors in this point,
is, because they think there can be no true assurance of
salvation in any that are troubled with doubtings, as they
find many be, whom they cannot but own as true believers
and precious Saints of God. True indeed, this assurance
if it were perfect in the highest degree, it would exclude
all doubting out of the soul, and it doth now exclude it
must be contrary to doubtings, in the nature of it; and so,
in some degree. But is there not flesh as well as spirit in
- . * ºr -2 ° .
the best saints on earth : Gal. v. 17. Is there not “a law
“ in their members warring against the law of their
4 minds : Rom, vii. 23, May not one that truly believ-
eth, say, “Lord, help my unbelief?” Mark. ix, 34.

Čań any on earth say, they have received any grace in
the highest degree, and that they are wholly free from
the contrary corruption ? Why then should we think, that
assurance cannot be true, except it be perfect, and free
the soul from all doubtings? The apostle accounts it a
great blessing to the Thessalonians, that they had much
-- *-
. ...?
º
assurance; iºtimating, that sometrue assurance might be
.,--
30, 3.1." It is strange, if the flesh and the
of SANGTIFICATION. - 141
in a less degree, 1 Thess. i. 5. Peter had some good as
surance of Christ's help, when he walked on the water at
Christ’s command; and yet he had some doubtfulness in
He had some faith contrary to doubting, though it were
but little as Christ's words to him shew : “Q..thod of
- - the devil shall never
oppose a true assurance, and assault it with doubtings. A
ings, that he may not be able to perceive an assurance in
himself. He is so fag from knowing his place in heaven º

he knoweth not any assurance that he hath of being there,
and needeth diligent self examination to find it out. Yet,
if at that time he can blame his aoui for doubting, “Why:
“art thou cast down, O my. Soul P and why. art thºu dis-
- - - -
. .4% quieted within me? hope thou in G § d; - for I shali yet
“ praise him,” Psalm xiii. 11. If he can condemn his
doubtings, as sinful, and say with himself, “This is my-
5
“infirmity,” Psalm Ixxvii. 10. these doubtings are of the
flesh, and of the devil: if he still endeavour to call God,'
Father, and complain to him, that he doubte th. whether
he be his Father, and pray, that God will give him the
assurance of his fatherly love, which he is not sensible of
and dispel those fears and doubtings; I say, that such an
one hath Some true assurance, though he must strive to
grow to a higher degree, for; if he were not persuaded
of the truth of the love of God towards him, he could
not rationally condemn his fears and doubts concerning it. "
father, or
doth not think to be true.
to resist and struggle with slavish fears of wrath, and .
doubting of our own Salvation ; and you grant, in effect,
that there is, and must be something of assurance of our
salvation in Saving faith, whereby it resisteth doubtings,
*
and you are, in e
- *-
that God would assure him of that love that he
- - - - - - - ect, of the same judgment with mein
the assertion, however strangemy expressions seem toyou.
-- . ºr
142 THE Gospel, MystERyº
If this that I have said concerning our imperfection in as-
surance, as well as in other graces were well considered,
this ancient Protestant doctrine would be freed much from
prejudice, and gain more esteem among us, - …
, Fourthly, In the last place, let it be well observed, that
the reason why we are to assure ourselves in our faith,
that God freely giveth Christ and his salvation to us par-
tleularly, is not, because it is a truth before we believe it,
but because it becometh a certain truth when we believe
it, and because it will never be true, except we do, in some . . .
measure persuade and assure ourselves that it is so. We
have no absolute promise or declaration in Scripture, that
God certainly will or doth give Christ and his salvation to
any one of us in particular, neither do we know it to be
true already by scripture, or sense, or reason, before we
assure ourselves absolutely of it : yea, we are without
Christ's salvation at present, in a state of sin and misery,
under the curse and wrath of God. Only I shałł prove, that
we are bound; by the command of God, thus to assure cur-
selves and the scripture doth sufficiently warrant us, that
we should not deceive ourselves in believing a lie : but,
according to our faith, so shall it be to us, Matth. ix. 29.
This is a strange kind of assurance, far different from other
ordinary kinds ; and therefore no wonder if it be found
weak and imperfect, and difficult to be obtained, and as-
saulted with many doubtings. We are constrained to be-
lieve other things on the clear evidence we have that they
are true, and would remain true, whether we believe them
or no; so that we cannot deny our assent, without rebel-
ling against the light of our senses, reason, or conscience.
But here our assurance is not impressed on our thoughts
by any evidence of the thing: but we must work it out
in ourselves by the assistance of the Spirit of God, and
thereby we bring our own thoughts into captivity to the ,
obedience of Christ. None but God can justly require of .
us this kind of assurance, because he only “calleth those
He only can give existence to things that yet are not, and
make a thing to be true upon our believing it, that was
not true before. He only can make good that promise,
“What things soever ye desire when you pray, believe








Direct. X. of sanctiFIGATION. 143
•. “ that ye receive them, and ye shall have them, Mark xi.
“24. Who is he that sayeth, and it cometh to pass, when
“ the Lord commandeth it not!” Lam, iii. 37. There-
fore, this faith is due to God only; and greatly redoundeth
to his glory. Men will often require a believing some-
thing like it; as when one says, “I will forgive your of
“fence, and be your friend, if I can find that you believe
“it, and that you take me for a friend.” But their fai-
lible word is not sufficient ground to make us persuade
ourselves absolutely, that we shall have their promised fa-
vour. The faith of miracles gives us some light in this .
and who had power given them of working them, that
the miracles should be wrought, if they believed without
doubting of the event, Mark xi. 22, 23. And there is a
reason for this resemblance ; because the end of working
miracles, was, to confirm the doctrine of salvation by faith
in Christ’s name, as the scriptures clearly shew; and, in- - -
deed, the salvation of a sinner is a very great miracle. It
is reported, that wizards do often require those that come
to them, that they should believe, they shall obtain what
they desire of them, or at least that they are able to fulfil
their desires; whereby the devil, the master of those wi-
zards, shews himself to be God’s ape, and that he would
fain have that honour and glory ascribed to himself, that
is due to God alone. . . . . .
Having thus explained the nature of that assurance
which I have directed unto, I shall now produce several
arguments to prove, that there is, and must necessarily be,
such an assurance or persuasion of our salvation in saving
faith itself. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . "
First, This assurance of salvation is implied in the de- .
scription before given of that faith whereby we receive . .
Christ, and his salvation, into our hearts. I described
faith to be a grace of the Spirit, whereby we heartily be-
lieve the gospel, and also believe on Christ, as he is re-
vealed and freely promised to us therein, for all his salva-
tion...And I shewed, in the explanation; that believing on
Christ is the same with resting, relying, leaning, staying
ourselves on Christ or God thro’ Christ, for our salvation

144 riff Gosłki, Mystery Direct. X.
It may be somewill like that description the better, because
faith was there described by terms that are ordinarily used,
even by those that deny the necessity of assurance; but
these ordinary terms do sufficiently include assurance in
the nature of faith, and they cannot stand without it.
And this sheweth, that mariy hold the doctrine of assur-
ance implicitly, and profess it, though they think the con-
trary. Believing on Christ for salvation, as freely pro-
mised to us, must needs include a dependence on him,
with a persuasion, that salvation shall be freely given, as
it is freely promised to us. Believing with a divine faith,
grounded on the infallible truth of the promise, if it did
not in some measure exclude a mere suspence and waver-
ing opinion or conjecture, were not worthy to be so called.
Some may be so absurd as to say, that faith is only a be-
lieving, that we shafi be saved by Christ, if we perform
such conditions as he requireth : and then, indeed, it
wiłłłeave us where it foundºus, as to any certainty of Sal-
vation, antil those conditions be performed. But I have
ałready prevented such an absurdity, by shewing that this
believing of Christ, is, itself not only the condition of our
− salvation, but also the instrument whereby we actually
receive it. Believing, being the proper act of faith must
needs have the same contraries to it; as štaggering, Rom.
iv. 20. wavering, Heb. x. 25. doubting, Matth. xiv. 31.
fear, Mark v. 36. These contraries do much illustrate the
nature of faith; and do shew, that believing must have
some confidence in it, else it would have doubting in the
very nature of it; for what man that understandeth the
preciousness of his immortal soul, and his danger of losing
it, can ever avoid fear, dottòting, and trouble of heart, by
any believing, whereby he doth not at all assure himself
of his salvation 3. The other terms of trusting and resting
on Jesus Christ, &c. whereby faith is often described by
orthodox teachers, midstºnclude assurance of salvation,
because they signify the same thing with believing on
-Christ. The soul-mtist have its sufficient support, to bear
it up against oppressing fears, troubles, cares, despair,
that it may this trust and rest. The right manner of
trusting and hoping in the Lord, is, by assuring ourselves
against all fears aid-doubtings, that “the Lord is our
Direct. X. of sanctiFIGATION. 145
4 God, and he is become our salvation, I trusted on thee,
“O Lord; I said, thou art my God, Psalm xxxi. 14. . .
“The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliv-
“erer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust, Psal.
“ xviii. 2. Behold God is my salvation : I will trust, and
not be afraid, Isa. xii. 2. O my soul, hope thou in God
“who is the health of my countenance and my God,”
Psalm xlii. 1 1. True hope is grounded in God only,
that he will bless us, that he may be an anchor for the
soul, sure and stedfast, Heb. vi. 17, 18, 19. If you trust,
rely, and stay yourselves on Christ, or hope in him, with-
out assuring yourselves at all of salvation by him, you
make no better use of him, than if he were a broken
reed: and, if you would stay yourselves on the Lord, you
must look upon him as your God; as the prophetteacheth,
Let him trustin the name of the Lord, and stay upon his
God, Isa. 1. 10. If you will restin the Lord you must believe
that he dealeth bountifully with you, Psalm czvi. 7. or
else, for ought you know, you may make your bed in hell.
And you will shew little regard of Christ, and of your own
soul if you dare to rest under the wrath of God, without
persuasion of a sure interest in Christ. People may please
themselves with such a trusting or resting, &c. when they
are at ease, but in time of temptation, it vanisheth away,
and appeareth to be no true faith, but is turned into shame.
The soul that liveth in such wavering and doubting con-
cerning salvation, doth not stay itself nor rest at ali; but
is like a wave ofthe sea, driven with the wind, and tossed;
he is a double minded man, unstable in all his ways, Jam
i. 6, 8. If you continue in mere suspense and doubtful-
ness of salvation by Christ, your desire to trust, is but a
lazy woulding, without any fixed resolution, and you dare
not yet venture to trust on him stedfastly. If you call
it only your desire to trust and rely on Jesus Christ I may
answer, that you cannot do this much in a right manner
except you desire and venture to persuade and assure yotirº
selves of your salvation by him, notwithstanding all the
éauses that you have to doubt and fear the contrary. “If
it be objected, that we may trust on Christ only as a sº
ficient means of salvation, without any assurance of thiº.
effect; I shall acknowledge, that the sufficiency, ºf Göd
…


146 thE Gospel MystERY Direct. X.
and Christis a good ground for us to reston: but we must
understand by it, not only a sufficiency of power, but also
of good will and mercy towards us; for what have we to
do more with the sufficiency of God and Christ's power
than fallen angels without his good will towards us? And
if this be truly believed, it will exclude doubtfulness con-
cerning your salvation. . . . . . . . . . .
Secondly, Several places of Scripture declare positively
and expressly, that we are to be assured of our salvation
in that faita whereby we are justified and saved... I shall
produce some instances. We are exhorted to “draw near
“ to God with full assurance of faith,” Heb. x. 22. Many
apply this text to that which they call the reflex act of
faith, because they imagine that all assurance must be by
reflection. But the words of the text do clearly teach us
to understand it of that act of faith whereby we draw
near to God; that is, the direct act : and it is that very
faith, whereby the just do live, even justifying saving
faith, verse 38. And this, assurance must be full, at least
in the true and proper nature of it, in opposition to mere
doubtfulness and uncertainty, though we are yet further
to labour for that which is full in the highest degree of
perfection. And the same faith whereby we are exhorted
to draw nigh unto God, and whereby the just liveth, is,
a little after, chap. xi. 1. affirmed to be the substance of
things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen.
Why should saving faith have these high titles and attri-
butes given to it, if it did not contain in it a sure persua-
sion of the great things of our salvation hoped for; making
them to be evident to the eyes of our mind as if they were
already present in their substance, though yet not visible
to our bodily eyes }. That faith whereby we are made par-
takers of Christ, and to be Christ’s house must be worthy
to be called confidence, and accompanied with rejoicing
hope; Whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence
and rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end, Heb. iii. 6,
14. What is confidence concerning any thing, but trust-
ing concerning it with a firm persuasion of the truth of it?
If we have only astrong opinion concerning a thing, with- .
out any absolute certainty, we use to say; that we are not
altogether confident of it. The faith whereby we are


justified, must be in a measure like to the faith whereby
w
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Direct. X, or sANGTIFICATION. 14%
Abraham “ against hope believed in hope, that his seed
“should certainly be multiplied according to the pro-
“mise of God: though, by reason of the deadness of his
“own body, and of Sarah's womb,” he could have no
evidence from his own qualifications to assure himself of
it; but all appearances were rather to the contrary; as
the apostle teacheth clearly, Rom. iv. 18, 19, 23, 24. As
absolutely as this promise was, thus made to Abraham,
yet it was not to be fulfilled without this assurance of faith ;
and by the like faith, the free promises of salvation by
Christ, will be absolutely fulfilled to us.” The apostle
James expressly requires that we should ask good things of .
God in faith, nothing doubting: which includes assurance
manifestiy; and he tells us plainly, that without it a man
ought not to think that he shall receive any thing of the
Lord. Therefore we may firmly conclude, that without
it we shall not receive the salvation of Christ, Jam. i. 6,
7. And that which the apostle James requireth us not
to doubt of, is the obtaining the things that we ask; as
We may learn from an instruction to the same purpose
given to us by Christ himself, “What things soever ye.
“ desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and
“ye shall have them.” Mark xi. 34. More places of
Scripture might be alleged to the same purpose: but
these are sufficient to evince, that we are bound to
assure ourselves of our salvation in faith itself, or else we
are never likely to enjoy it; and that it is not humility,
but rather proud disobedience, to live in a state of mere
suspence and doubtfulness concerning our salvation ; and
that this assurance must be in the directact of faith where-
by we are justified and saved. For, as for that which is
called the reflex act of faith, it is a certain truth, and ge-
nerally owned, that it is not absolutely necessary to salva-
tion to any ; and that it is sinful and pernicious to many
. grace and salvation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . - -
Thirdly, God giveth us sufficient ground in scripture
to believe, that they are already entered into a state of
to come to Christ with confident faith at the very first;"
trusting assuredly, that Christ and his salvation shall be
given to us without any failing and delay, however vile
and sinful our condition hath been hitherto. The scrip-
- Y -
$48 THE Gospel, MystERY Direct. X.
-
sture speaketh to the vilest sinners in such a manner as
ifit were framed on purpose to begetassurance of salvation
in them immediately, Acts ii. 39. iii. 26. This promise
is universal, that whosoever believeth on Christ, shall not
be ashamed, without making a difference between Jew
and Greek, Rom. x. 11, 12. And this promise is con-
firmed by the blood of Christ, who was given for the
World, and lifted up upon the cross for this very end, that
“Whosoever believeth on him, should not perish, but
“ have everlasting life,” John iii. 14, 15, 16. His in-
vitation is free to any, “if any man thirst, let him come
“to me, and drink;” and this drink is promised to every
one that believeth, John vii. 37, 39. The command of
believing is propounded, not only in general, but in par-
... ticular ; and the promise of salvation upon believing, is
also applied personally, and that to such as have been bi-
therto in a state of sin and wrath; as to the wicked, per-
secuting, self-murdering jailor, Acts xvi. 31. “Believe
“on the Lord Jesus, and thou shalt be saved, and thine
“house.” God commandeth them that walked altogether
in sin hitherto, to call him their own father, in their very
first returning, Jer, iii. 4. So, Hos. ii. 25. God saith, he
will say, “Thou art my people; and they shall say, Thou
“art mºv God;” confidently avering their personal in-
terest in him. - God hath joined confidence and salvation
inseparably together: “ In returning and rest shall ye
“be saved : in quietness and in confidence shall be your
“strength,” Isa. xxx. 15. What a poor slender use and
improvement do many make of these discoveries of the
rich grace of God towards sinners, who say, that, if we
see that we have performed the condition of believing, then
we may take Christ confidently as our own : They skip
over the first principal use they ought to make of them.
The very performance of the condition is, to take Christ.
as our own immediately, and to eat him and drink him,
by believing confidently on him for our salvation. If an
honest rich man say to a poor woman, “I promise to be
“thy husband if thou wilt have me: say, but the word,
“ and I am thine;” may not she presently answer con-
fidently, “Thou art my husband, and I claim thee for
“my husband * And should she not rather say so, than
Direct. X. of sanctific Arron. 14°
say, “I believe not what thou sayest ?” If an honest man
say, “Do but take this gift and it is your own ; do but
“eat and drink, and you are freely welcome :” may not I
take the gift, and eat and drink at first without any fur-
ther ado, and with assurance that it is mine freely? if I do
it doubtingly, I disparage the honesty and credit of the
donor, as if he were not a man of his word. In like man-
ner, if fearing to be too confident, lest we should believe
a lie, we should come to Christ doubtingly, and in mere
suspence, whether we shall be freely entertained, after all
God’s free invitations and promises, should we not dispa-
rage the faithfulness of God And should we not be
guilty of making God a liar; As the apostle John teach-
eth because of our not believing the reedrd, which God
gave of his Son; and this is the record “ that God.
“ hath given to us eternal life : and this life is in his
“Son,” 1 John v. 10, 11. And what if the salvation
promised, be not absolutely intended for all to whom the
gospel cometh : It is enough, that God giveth us his
faithful word, that they that believe shall have it, and
none else; and hath absolutely intended to fulfil his word
that none should find it to be alie to them, and hath joined
believing and salvation inseparably together. On this
ground God may justly cause the promise of this salvation
to be published to all, and may justly require all to be-
lieve on him assuredly for their own Salvation, that so it
may appear whether they will give him the glory of his
truth: and, if they will not, he may justly reject them,
and punish them severely for dishonouring him by their
, unbelief. In this case, we must not look to the secret de-
crees of God, but to his revealed promises and com-
mand. Thus God promised to the Israelites in the wil-
derness, that he would give them the land of Canaan,
and would fight for them against their enemies : and re-
quired them not to fear or be discouraged, that so the
promise might be fulfilled to them; yet God never abso-
lutely decreed or intended, that those Israelites should en-
ter in ; as the event did quickly manifest, Deut. i. 20, 21, .
29, 30. Yet were they not bound in this case to trust confi.
dently in God, to give them victory over their enemies, and
to give them the possession of the land? had they not suf.
150 - THE Gosph. L. MystERY Direct. X.
ficient ground for such a faith? was it not just with God to
consume them in the wilderness for their unbelief? “Let
“us therefore fear, lest a promise being made of enter-
“ing into this everlasting rest through Christ, we should
“ come short of it, and fall after the same example of un-
“belief.” Heb. iv. 1, 11. " . . . . . . . .
Fourthly, The professors of true godliness, that we read
of through the Scriptures of the Old and New T estament,
did commonly profess their assurance and persuasion of
their interest in God and his salvation, and were directed
by the word of God so to do; and true saints had still
some true assurance of it. And we have no cause to judge, .
that this assurance was grounded on the certainty of their
own good qualifications, but rather on the promises of God
by the direct act of faith. We may judge of the ordinary
profession of the frame of spirit that was in saints, by some
instances. I shall begin with the profession that the church
made when it was very corrupt, at its first coming out of
Egypt, when few of them could assure themselves, by their
own good qualifications, that they were in a state of grace
already; which many now imagine to be the only way of
assurance. Even in that corrupt time, the children of
Israel sung that triumphant song of Moses, “The Lord
“is my strength and my song, and he is become my sal-
“vation; he is my God,” &c. Exod. xv. 2. Moses
taught them in this song, to assure themselves of their
own personal interest in the salvation; and he guided
them to the practice of their duty. And they did not
find fault with Moses, as some do with ministers in these
ºdays, for putting them to express more confidence in their
song, than they can find ground for from their qualifica-
tions ; but they applied themselves to the exercise of their
faith, agreeably to the song ! and, doubtless, this faith
was unfeigned in some few of them, though but feigned
in others; for it is testified of them, that then they be-
lieved his words, they sang his praise, Psal. cvi. 12. Se-
veral other psalms and songs that were by divine appoint-
ment in common use under the Old Testament, are as
clear an evidence as we can desire, of that assurance of
faith which is commonly professed, and that people were
generally bound te, under the Old Testament; as Psal,
—tº
Direct. X. - of SANCTIFICATION. 151
xxiii. xxvii. xliv, and xlvi. Many other psalms, or ex-
pressions in Psalms, might be alleged. The spirits of few
in comparison, could have thoroughly complied with such
psalms, though they were true believers, if all the assur-
ance of the love of God must altogether depend upon the
certain knowledge of the sincerety of their own hearts.
We have a great cloud of witnesses gathered out of the
whole history of the Old Testament, Heb. xi. who did,
and suffered, and obtained great things by faith; whose
examples are produced on purpose that we follow them
in believing, to the saving of our souls, Heb. x. 39. And,
if we consider these examples particularly, we shall find,
that many of them do evidently guide us to such a saving
faith as hath an assurance of the effect contained in the na-
ture of it. I confess we read several times of the fears
and doubtings of the saints under the Old Testament; but
we read also how their faith opposed such fears and doubts,
and how they themselves condemned them as contrary to
faith as in the Psalms; Psal. xlii. 1 1. xxxi. 22. and lxxvii.
7, 10. The most mournful psalm in Scripture begins with
an expression of some assurance, Psalm lxxxviii. 1. And
we may note, that the doubtings that we meet with of
the saints of old were commonly occasioned by some ex-
traordinary affliction, or some heinous transgression; not
by common failings, or the common originardepravation of
nature or the uncertainty of their election, or any thought
that it is humility to doubt, and that they were not bound
to be confident of God’s salvation, because then many
might be bound to believe a lie. It is hard to find any
of these occasions of doubting under the Old Testament,
though they are grown so general among us now under
the New Testament. , . . .
In the time of the apostles, we may well expect that the
assurance of faith grew higher, because the salvation of
Christ was revealed, and the Spirit of adoption poured
forth plentifully, and the church made free from its former
bondage under the terrifying legal covenant. Paul could
prove to primitive Christians, by appeals to their own ex-
perience, that they were the children and heirs of God,
* because they had not received the spirit of bondage
“ again to fear, but the spirit of adoption, whereby they

f-
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I ~ *
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i52 . . . THE gospel, Mystery Direct. X.
“ cry, Abba, Father. The spirit itself bearing witness
* with our spirits, (or beareth our shirit, witness,” as the
Syriac and vulgar Latin render it and as the like Greek
phrase is rendered, Rom. ix. 1.) “that we are the chil-
. . . dren of God. And if children then heirs,” Rom. viii.
15, 16, 17. Gal. iv. 6. And the apostle tells the Ephe-
sians, that after they believed, “they were sealed with
“ the Holy Spirit, which was the earnest of their inheri-
“tance,” Eph. i. 13. 14. i. e. They were sealed from
the time that they believed; for the original words are in
the same tense. If this witness, seal, and earnest of the
Spirit had not been ordinary to believers, it would not
have been sufficient to prove, that they were the children
of God ; and such a manner of arguing might have
driven some to despair, that wanted this witness, seal and
earnest. . . . . . . .
Let us inquire now, whether the Spirit beareth witness
that we are the children of God, and enables us to cry,
Abba, Father, by the direct act, or by that which they call -
the reflex act of faith ? For we must not think that it is
done by an enthusiasm, without any ordinary means: nor
can we reasonably imagine, that no true believers can call
“God Father, by the guidance of the Spirit, but only those
few that are so sure of their own sincerity, that by reflecting
upon it, they can ground an act of faith concerning their
own interest in Christ: no, surely. Therefore we may
judge rather, that the Spirit worketh this in us, by giving
us saving faith itself, by the direct act of which all true be-
lievers are enabled to trust assuredly on Christ for the en-
joyment of the adoption of children, and all his salvation
according to the free promise of God: and to call God -
Father, without reflecting on any good qualifications. in
themselves: for the Spirit is received by the direct act of
faith, Gal. iii. 2. and so he is the Spirit of adoption, and **
comfort to all that receive him. They that assert, that
the Spirit witnesseth our adoption, only by assuring us of .
the sincerity of our faith, love, and other gracious-quali- -
fications, and by the reflex act of faith, do teach also com-
monly, that you must again try, whether the Spirit thus
witnessing, be the spirit of truth, or of delusion, by search-
ing narrowly, whether our inward grace be sincere or

- - f
Birect. X. es SANGT1F1GAtron. . 158
counterfeit : so that hereby the testimony of the Spirit is
rendered so hard to be, discerned, that it standeth us in
no stead, but all our assurance is made at last to depend
on our own certain knowledge of our own. sincerity.
There are several other evidences to shew that believers
generally were persuaded of their salvation in the apostles
time. They loved and waited for the coming of Christ
to judge the world, 1 Cor. i. 7. 2 Tim. iv. 8. They
loved all the saints for the hope that was laid up for them
in heaven, Col. i. 3, 4, 5. The Corinthians, that were
very carnal, and but babes in Christ, were persuaded that
they should judge the world, and angels, and that their
bodies were members of Christ, and the temples of the
Holy Ghost, 1 Cor. vi. 2, 3, 15, 19. The very first
coming of the gospel to the Thessalonians, was in the Holy
Ghost, and much assurance ; so that they received it in
much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost; when as yet
they had no considerable time to get assurance, by re-
flecting on their good qualifications, i Thess. i. 5, 6. Like-
wise, the believing Hebrews, when they were illuminated
at their first conversion, took joyfully the spoiling of their
goods, knowing that they had in heaven a better and an
enduring substance; and this was their confidence, which
they were not to cast off, because the just liveth by faith.
And therefore it appeareth, that this confidence belong-
eth necessarily to justifying saving faith, Heb. x. 32, 34,
35, 38. . . . . . . . -
Now, let those that allege the examples or experiences
of many modern Christians to disprove all that I have as-
serted, consider well whether these are fit to be laid in the
balance against all the scripture examples and experiences
that I have produced out of the Old and New Testament.
I confess that assurance of salvation is more rarely profes-
Sed by Christians in these times than formerly: and we
may thank some teachers for it, that have deserted the
doctrine of former protestants in this point, and vented
against it several errors, such as have been already named;
and now would take advantage to confirm the truth of
their doctrines for those doubtings in Christians, that have
been chiefly occasioned by it. But, however, the nature
of Saving faith is still the same, And I assert, that, in
K.
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154 THz gesprl, MystERY | Direct. X. . .
these days, as well as formerly, it always hath in it some
assurance of salvation by Christ, which doth and will ap-
pear, at least in resisting and condemning all doubtings,
and praying against them, and endeavouring to trust as-
suredly, and to call God Father; except in extraordinary w
désertions, by which our case must not be tried. We are
notto trust the judgment of many concerning themselves.
They will judge falsely, that they have no assurance at all,
because they know not yet, by marks and signs, that they
are in a state of grace already or because they think that
there is no assurance when there are many doubtings, and
because it is so weak, and so much oppressed with doubt-
ing, that it can hardly be discerned, as life in a fainting
fit. But, if their judgments be better informed, they
may be brought to discern some assurance in themselves.
We are also to take heed of mistaking those for true be-
lievers, that are not so, and of judging this point by their
experiences; which is a vulgar error. . The blind charity
of some moveth them to take all for true believers who
are full of doubts and troubles concerning their salvation,
though it may be they only are convinced of sin, and
brought to some zeal of God that is not according to the
knowledge of the way of salvation by Christ; and they
think it duty to comfort such ignorant persons, by persuad- .
ing them that their state is good, and their faith right,
though they have no assurance of salvation. Thus they
are brought to judge falsely concerning the nature of faith,
out of their blind charity to such as are yet in ignorance
and unbelief; and, instead of comforting such they rather
faith in Christ, and to ruin their souls for ever.
take the direct way to harden them in their natural states:
and to divert them from seeking consolation by saving
Fifthly, The chief office of this faith in its direct saving .
act, is, to receive Christ and his salvation actually into
our hearts, as hath been proved ; which office cannot be
rationally performed except we do, in some measure, per-
suade our hearts and assure ourselves in the enjoyment of
- him. As the body receiveth things into itself by the hands
and mouth; so the soul receiveth these things to itself
and layeth actual hold on them, by the faculty of the will,
kmaking choice of them and embracing them in a way of
ſ
Direct. X. of SANGTIFICATION. 155
present enjoyment and possession, as it doth by the faculty
of the understanding see and apprehend them. Thus the
soul receiveth comfort from outward things; as a righ-
teous person cannot receive inward comfort from outward
things, as from worldly estate, wife, husband, friends, &c.
except he choose them as good, and account them his OWI).
by a right and title. This is the only rational way where:
by the soul can actively lay hold on Christ, and take actual.
possession of him, and his salvation, as he is freely offered
and promised to us in the gospel, by the grace of faith,
which God hath appointed to be our great instrument for
the receiving of him, and closing with him. If we do not
make choice of Christ as our only salvation and happiness,
or if we be altogether in a state of suspence, and doubting
whether God will be pleased to give Christ to us or no,
it is evident that our souls are quite loose from him, and
have no holdfast or enjoyment of him. They do not so
much as to pretend at any actual receiving or laying hold,
or choosing of him, neither are they fully satisfied that it is
lawful for them so to do ; but rather they are yet to seek
whether they have any, good ground and right to lay hold
on him or no. Let any rational man judge, whether the
soul doth or can put forth any sufficient act for the recep-
tion and enjoyment of Christ, as its Saviour, Head or
Husband, while it is yet, in doubt, whether it be the will
of Christ to be joined with it in such a near relation? Can
a woman honestly receive any one as her husband, with-
out being assured that he is fully willing to be her hus-
band? The same may be said concerning the several partsº
of Christ's salvation, which are to be received by faith. It
is evident, that we do not aright receive the benefit of re-
mission of sins, for the purging of our consciences from.
that guilt that lieth upon them, unless we have an assured
persuasion of God’s forgiving them. We do not actually
receive into our hearts our reconciliation with God and
adoption of children and the title to an everlasting inherit-
ance, until we can assure ourselves, that God is graciously
pleased to be our God and Father, and take us to be his
children and heirs. We do not actually receive any suf.
ficient strength to encourage our hearts to holiness in all
_* *
''
...”
156 tº sesert Mysºrry Direct. X.
difficulties, unti! we can stedfastly beliće, that God is
with us and will not fail nor forsake us, . . . .
Hence then we may firmly conclude, that whoso seek-
eth to be saved by faith, and doth not seek to have assur-
ange or confidence of his own salvation doth but des
ceive himself, and delude his soul with a mere fancy in-
stead of saving faith, and doth, in effect, seek to be saved,
in his corrupt natural state, without receiving, and laying
actual hold on the Lord Jesus Christ and his salvation.
Sixthly, It is also a great and necessary office of saving
faith, to purify the heart, and to enable us to live and
walk in the practice of all holy duties, by the grace of
Christ and by Christ himself living in us, as hath been
shewed before, which office faith is not able to perform,
except some assurance of our own interest in him and his
salvation be comprehended in the nature of it. If we
would live to God, not ourselves, but by Christ living
and abiding in us, aceording to Paul’s examples, we
must be able to assure ourselves, as he did, “ Christ
“loved-me, and gave himself for me, Gal. ii. 20. We
“are taught, that if we live in the Spirit, we should walk in
“the Spirit,” Gal. v. 25. It would be high presumption
if we should endeavour to walk above our natural
strength and power by the Spirit, before we have made
sure of our living by the Spirit. I have shewed, that we
cannot make use of the comfortable benefits of the saw-
sing grace of Christ, whereby the gospel doth engage and
encourage us to an holy practice, except we have some
confidence of our own interest in those saving benefits.
If we do not assuredly believe, that we are dead to sin
and alive to God through Christ, and risen with him, and
not under the law, but under grace, and members of
Christ’s body, the temple of his Spirit, the dear children .
of God, it would be hypocrisy to serve God upon the ac-
count of such privileges, as if we reckoned ourselves to
be partakers of them. He that thinks he should doubt
of his salvation, is not a fit disciple for this manner of doc-
trine; and he may reply to the preachers of the gospel,
if you would bring me to holiness, you must make use of
other more effectual arguments; for I cannot practise up-
on these principles, because I have not faith enough to be
Direct. X. of SANCTIFICATION. 157
lieve, that I have any interest in them. Some arguments
taken from the justice and wrath of God against sinners
and his mercy towards those that perform the condition
of sincere obedience, would work more powerfully upon
me. O what a miserable worthless kind of saving faith
is this, that cannot fit a believer to practise in a gospel.
manner, upon the most pure and powerful, principles of
grace, but rather leaveth him to work upon legal princi-
ples, which can never bring him to serve God acceptably
out of love . And as such a faith faileth wholly in the
rightmanner of obeying upon gospel principles, so it fail-
eth also in the very matter of some great duties, which
are of such a nature, that they include assurance of God’s
love in the right performance of them ; such are those
great duties of peace with God, rejoicing in the Lord al-
ways; hope that maketh not ashamed : owning the Lord
as our God and our Savion: ; praying to him as our Fa-
ther in heaven; offering up body and soul as an accepta: .
ble sacrifice to him ; casting all our cares of body and
soul upon him; contentment and hearty thanksgiving in
every condition ; making our boast in the Lord ; tri-
umphing in his praise ; rejoicing in tribulation ; putting
on Christin our baptism; receiving Christ'sbody as broken
for us, and his blood shed for us in the Lord’s supper ;
committing our souls wiłlingly to God as our Redeemer
whenever he shall be pleased to call for us; loving Christ's
second appearance, and looking for it as that blessed hope.
When we fall into any sudden doubting whether we are
in a state of grace already ; when we are called to any
present undertaking, as to partake of the Lord’s supper,
or any duty that requires assurance to the right perform-
ance of it, we must relievedurselves, by trusting confident-
ly in Christ for the present gift of his salvation, or else
we shall be driven to omit the duty, or not to perform it
rightly or sincerely. Can we judge ourselves already-in
a state of grace by the reflex aet of faith, if we do not find;
that we perform these duties, at least several of them, sin-
cerely ; or, if we do not find, that we have such a holy
faith as doth enable of incline us to the performance of
them : And can we thus enabled and inclined by any
faith that is without some true assurance of our salvation?
-- - Ö -
158 THE Gospel MystERY Direct. X.
Therefore, I conclude, that we must necessarily have some
assurance of our salvation in the direct act of faith, where-
by we are justified, sanctified and saved, before we can,
upon any ground, assure ourselves, that we are already in
a state of grace, by that which they call the reflex act,
~give me such a saving faith as will produce such fruits as
these. No other faith will work by love ; and therefore
will not avail to salvation in Christ, Gal. v. 6. The apos-
tle James putteth thee upon shewing thy faith by thy
works, Jam. ii. 18. And in this trial, this faith of assur-
ance cometh off with high praise and honour. When God
called his people to work outward miracles by it, all things
Thave been possible to them ; and it hath frequently
, brought forth such works of righteousness, as may be de-
servedly esteemed great spiritual miracles. Flom hence
hath proceeded that heroic fortitude of the people of God,
whereby their absolute obedience to God hath shined forth
in doing and suffering those great things which are re-
corded in the hely scriptures, and in the histories of the
church. And if we be ever called to the fiery trial, as
Protestants formerly were, we shall find their doctrine of
'assurance will encourage us in suffering for the sake of
Christ. " .. 2:.. . . .
... Seventhly, The contrary doctrine, which excludeth as-
surance out of the nature of saving faith, bringeth forth
many evil fruits. It tendeth to bereave, our souls of all
assurance of our Salvation, and solid comfort, which is the
life of religion, by placing them after sincere universal
obedience ; whereas, if we have them not first, we can
never attain to this obedience, nor to any assurance that
* dependeth. on it, as hath been proved. . And this, as far
as it prevails, makes us subject to continual doubtings
concerning our salvation, and to tormenting fears of wrath,
which casteth out true love to God, and can produce no
better than slavish hypocritical service. It is one of the
principal pillars whereby manifold superstitions in Popery
are supported, as their monkish orders, their satisfactions
for sin by works of penance, bodily macerations, whip-
pings, pilgrimages, indulgences, trusting on the merits of
saints, &c. When once men have lost the knowledge of
º, the right way to assure themselves of salvation, they will
-*
Direct. X. eF s ANCTIFICATION. . . . 1.59
'N
catch at any straw, to avoid drowning in the gulph of
despair. - - . . . . .
“This is no way to administer any solid comfort to the
wounded spirits of those that see themselves void of all
holiness under the wrath and curse of God, dead in sin,
not able so much as to think a good thought. You do
but increase their terror and anguish, if you tell them,
they must first get faith and obedience; and when they
find they have done that, they may persuade themselves,
that God will receive them into his grace and favour.
Alas ! they know that they can neither believe nor obey,
unless God assist them with his grace and favour. And
what if they be even at the point of death, struggling with
death’s pangs, so that they have no time nor leisure to get
good qualifications, and examine the goodness of them.
You must have a more speedy way to consfort such, by
discovering to them the free promises of salvation to the
worst of sinners by faith in Christ ; and by exhorting
them to apply to those promises, and trust on Christ con-
fidently for remission of sins, holiness and glory ; assur-
ing them also that God will help them to believe sincerely
on Christ if they desire it with all their hearts, and that it
is their duty to believe, because God commands it. . .
Several other evils are occasioned by tie same doctrine.
en are unwilling to know the worst of themselves, and
prone to think their qualifications better than they are,
that they may avoid despair. Others please and content
themselves without any assurance of their interest in
Christ, because they think that it is not necessary to sal-
vation, and that but few attain to it; and in this they shew
little love to Christ, or to their own souls. Some foster
doubting of-salvation as signs of humility, though they
will hypocritically complain of them. Many mispend
their time in poring upon their own hearts, to find out
some evidence of their interest in Christ, when they should
rather be employed in receiving Christ, and walking in
him, by a confident faith. . -
Some are troubled with doubts, whether they should
call God father, and what apprehensions they should have
of him in prayer, and are offended at ministers, that, in
their public prayers, use any expressions that the people
\ .
# 6O THE Gospel MystERY Direct. XI.
cannot join in ; as when they do own God as their God
and Father, and Christ as their Saviour; and upon the
same account they are offended at the public singing of
many of David’s psalms, and avoid partaking of the
Lord's supper, because they are not satisfied about their
interest in Christ. - - - - - -
Though true believers have some assurance of salvation
in saving faith itself, yet it is much weakened in many by
this contrary doctrine, and assaulted with many doubtings;
and then other good qualifications must needs be low and
weak together with it, and so obscure, that it is very hard
to discern them. . How hard a thing then will it be for
true believers to assure themselves, by the certain know-
ledge of their own sincerity, that they are in a state of
grace already, which some say is the only assurance of
faith? Some prescribe such marks and signs to distinguish
sincerity from hypocrisy, that believers cannot sufficiently
try themselves by them, except they have more know-
ledge and experience than ordinary. ..
Thus many believers walk heavily in the bitterness of
their souls, conflicting with fears and doubtings all their
days. And this is the cause that they have so little cou-
rage and fervency of spirit in the way of God; that they
so much mind earthly things, and are so afraid of suffer-
ings and death: and, if they get some assurance by the re-
flex act of faith, they often soon loose it again by sins and
temptations. The way to avoid these evils, is, to get your
assurance, to maintain it, and renew it on all occasions by
the direct act of faith, by trusting assuredly on the name
of the Lord, and staying yourself upon your God, when
you walk in darkness, and see no light in any of your own
qualifications, Isa. 1. 10. I doubt not that the experience
of choice Christians will bear witness to this truth. "
| - —º-. * --
DIRECTION XI. . . . . .
Endeavour diligently to perform the great work ºf
... believing on Christ, in a right Manner, with-
out any Delay, and then also to continue and in-
crease in your most holy Faith; that so your Fn-
Direct. XI. or sANctIFICATION. 16-i
r
joyment of him, Union and Fellowship with him,
and all Holiness by him, may be begun, continued,
and increased in you. . * -
EXPLICATION.
HAVING already discovered to you the power-
ful and effectual means of an holy practice, my remain-
ing work is, to lead you to the actual exercise and im-
provement of them, for the immediate attainment of the
end. And I think, it may be clearly perceived by the
foregoing directions, that faith in Christ is the duty with
which a holy life is to begin, and by which the foundation of
all other holy duties is laid in the soul. It is before suffi-
ciently proved, that Christ himself, with all endowments
necessary to enable us to an holy practice is received actu-
ally into our hearts by faith. This is the uniting grace,
whereby the Spirit of God knitteth the knot, of mystical
marriage between Christ and us, and maketh us branches
of that noble vine: members of that body, joined to that
excellent head; living stones of that spiritual temple, built
upon the precious living corner stone, and sure foundation;
partakers of the bread and drink that came down from
heaven, and giveth life to the world. This is the grace
whereby we pass from our corrupt natural state, to a new
holy state in Christ, also from death in sin, to the life of
righteousness; and whereby we are comforted, that so we
may be established in every good word and work. If we,
put the question, “What must we do, that we may work,
“the work of God?” Christ resolveth it, that we “believe
“on him whom he hath sent,” John vi. 28, 29. He
putteth us first upon the work of believing, which is the
work of God, by way of eminency, the work of works,
because all other good works proceed from it.
The First thing in the present direction, is to put you
upon the performance of this great work of believing on
Christ, and to guide you therein, for you are to consider
distinctly four things contained in it.
1. The First is, You are to make it your-diligent en-
deavour to perform the great work of believing on Christ
- s f -69 , 2 *" - -
- S
*
• /
T - - ^- ſ' 1 -
té? . . THE Gese EL, MYSTERY | Direct. XI.
Many make little conscience of this duty. It is not
known by natural right, as many moral duties are, but
only by supernatural revelation in the gospel, and it is
foolishness to the natural man. These are sometimester-
rified with apprehensions of other sins, and will examine.
-themselves concerning them : and it may be, will write
them down, to help their memories and devotion. But
the great sin of not believing on Christ, is seldom thought .
of in their self examinations, or registered in the large
catalogues of their sins. And even those who are con-
vinced that believing on Christ is a duty necessary to Sal-
.
.*.
º
vation, do neglect all diligent endeavours to perform it;
either because they account that it is a motion of the heart
which may be easily performed at any time, without any
*—z , , s = * |
labour or diligent endeavours : or on the contrary, be-
cause they account it as difficult as all the works of the
law, and utterly impossible for them to perform by their
most diligent endeavours, except the Spirit of God work
it in them by his mighty power; and that therefore it is
in vain for them to work, until they feel this working of
the Spirit in their hearts: or because they account it a
duty so peculiar to the elect, that it would be presumption
for them to endeavour the performance of it, until they
know themselves to be elected to eternal life through
Christ. I shall urge you to diligent performance of this
duty, notwithstanding all these impediments, by the fol-
lowing consideration. It is worthy of our best endeavours
as appeareth by the preciousness, excellency and necessity
of it already discovered. . . . .
r: ".
#º.
4.
# If the light of nature were not darkened in the matters
of salvation, it would shew us, that we cannot of ourselves
find out the way of salvation, and would condemn those
that despise that revelation of the way of salvation that
God hath given us in the gospel, declared in the holy
scriptures. The great end of preaching the gospel, is for
the obedience of faith, Rom. i. 5. that so we may be
brought to Christ, and all other obedience. Yea, the great
end of all revealed doctrines in the whole scripture is, to
* make us wise unto salvation by faith that is in Christ
“Jesus,” 2 Tim. iii. 15. The “end of the law given by
* Moses was for righteousness to every one that believ-
“eth,” Rom. x. 4, and Christ was that end for righteous-
Direct. XI. of SANCTIFICATION, < 163
ness. The moral law itself was revealed, in order to our
salvation by believing on Christ; or else the knowledge of
it had nothing availed fallen man, that was unable to
perform it. Therefore they that slight the duty of be-
lieving, and account it foolishness, do thereby slight, des-
pise and vilify the whole counseſ of God revealed in the
scripture. The law and the gospel and Christ himself,
are become of none effect to the salvation of such. The
only fruit that such an one can attain to, by all the saving
doctrines of the scripture, is only some hypocritical mo-
ral duties, and slavish performances, which will be as filthy
rags in the sight of God in the great day. However, many
mind not the sin of unbelieſ in their self examinations, and
write it not in their scrols l yet let them know, that this
is the most pernicious sin of all. All the sins in theiß
scrols would not prevail to their condemnation, yea, they
would not prevail in their conversation, were it not for
their unbelief. This one sin prevailing, maketh it impossi-
ble for them to please God iſ any duty whatsoever, Heb.
xi. 6. If you will not mind this one main sin now, God will
at last mind you of it with a vengeance : for “ he that
“believeth not on the Son, shall not see life: but the
“ wrath of God abideth on him, John iii. 36. The Lord
“Jesus shall he revealed from heaven, in flaming fire,
“taking vengeance on those that obey not the gospel of
“our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Thess, i. 7, 8. . . . -
2. Believing on Christ, is a work that will require dili.
gent endeavour and labour for the performance of it.
We must labour to enter into that rest, lest any man fall
by unbelief, Heb. iv. 11. “We must shew diligence to
“the full assurance of hope to the end, that we may be fol-
“lowers of them who through faith and patience inherit
“ the promises,” Heb. vi. 11, 12. It is a work that re-
quireth the exercise of might and power; and therefore
we have need to be strengthened with might by the Spirit
in the inward man, that Christ may dwell in our hº by
faith, Eph. iii. 16, 17. I confess, it is easy, pleasant and
delicious in its own nature, because it is a motion of the .
heart, without any cumbersome bodily labour: and it is
a taking Christ, and his salvation as our own, which is
very comfortable and delightful; and the soul is carried
forth in this, by love to him and its own happiness, which
¥64. THE GOSPEI, MYSTERY Direct. XI.
*
is an affection. that’ maketh even hard works easy and
pleasant; yet it is made difficult to us, by reason of the
opposition that it meets with from our own inward cor-
ruptions, and from Satan’s temptations. It is no easy
**
matter to receive Christ as our happiness, and free-sal-
vation, with true confidence and lively affection, when the
guilt of sin lieth heavily upon the conscience, and the
Wrath of God is manifested by the word and terrible
judgments: -especially when we have been long accus-
tomed to seek salvation by the procurement of our own
works, and to account the way of salvation by free grace,
foolish and pernicious: when our lusts incline us strongly .
to the things of the flesh and the world: when Satan doth
his utmost, by his own suggestions, and by false teachers,
and by worldly allurements and terrors, to hinder the sin-
cere performance of this duty. Many works that are easy
in their own nature, prove difficult for us to perform in
our circumstances. To forgive our enemies, and to love
them as ourselves, is but a motion of the mind, easy to be
performed in its own nature; and yet many that are con-
vinced of their duty find it a hard matter to bring their
hearts to the performance of it. It is but a motion of the
mind, to cast our care upon God for worldly things, and
rich men may think they can do it easily ; but poor men,
that have great families, find it a hard matter. That
easy comfortable duty which Moses exhorted the Israelites
to, when Pharaoh, with his chariots and horsemen over-
took them at the Red Sea, “Fear ye not, stand still, and
“ see the salvation of the Lord, which he will shew to you
* to day,” Exod. xiv. 13. was not easily performed. The
very easiness of some duties make their performance dif-
ficult; as Naaman the Syrian was hardly brought to
wash and be clean, because he thought it to be too slight
and easy a remedy for the cure of his leprosy, 2 Kings v.
12, 13. Even in this very case, people are offended at the
duty of believing on Christ, as too slight and easy a remedy
to cure the leprosy of the soul; they would have some
... harder thing enjoined them, to the attainment of so great
an end as this everlasting salvation. The performance
of aH the moral law is not accounted work enough for
this end, Matth. xix. 17, 20. However easy the work
of believing seemeth to many; yet common experience
Direct. XI. or sANGTIFICAtron. #65
*.
hath shewed, that men are more easily brought to the
most burdensome, unreasonable, and inhuman observa-º.
tions; as the Jews and Christian Galatians were more . .
easily brought to take upon their necks the yoke of Moses’ “
law which none were able to bear, Acts xv. 10. The .
heathens were more easily brought to burn their sons and .
daughters in the fire to their gods, Deut. xii. 31. The
Papists are more easily brought to their vows of chastity.
and poverty, and obedience to the most rigorous rules of
monastic discipline ; to macerate and torture their bodies.
with fasting, scourges, and pilgrimages; and to bear all
the excessive tyranny of the Papal hierarchy, in a multi- .
tude of burdensome, superstitious and ridiculous devotions.
They that slight the work of faith for its easiness, shew,
that they were never yet made sensible of innumerable .
sins, and the terrible curse of the law and wrath of God
that they lie under ; and of the darkness and vanity of
their minds, the corruption and hardness of their hearts,
and their bondage under the power of sin and Satan; and
have not been truly humbled, without which they cannot
believe in a right manner. Many sound believers have
found by experience, that it hath been a very hard mat-
ter to bring their hearts to the duty of believing : it hath
cost them vigorous struggles and sharp conflicts with their
own corruptions, and Satan’s temptations. It is so dif-
ficult a work, that we cannot perform it without the
mighty working of the Spirit of God in our hearts, who
only can make it to be absolutely easy to us, and doth make
it easy or suffer it to be difficult, according as he is pleased
to communicate his grace in various degreesunto our souls.
3. Though we cannot possibly perform this great work
in a right manner, until the Spirit of God work faith in
our hearts by his mighty power; yet it is necessary that
- we should endeavourit; and that before we can find the
Spirit of God working faith effectually in us, or giving
strength to believe. We can perform no holy duty accep-
tably, except the Spirit of God work it in us; and yet we
are not hereby excused from working ourselves, but we are
the rather stirred up to the greater diligence: “Work out -
“ your salvation, with fear and trembling; for it is God
“ that worketh in you both to will and to do of his good
V--
166. THE gospel MystERY Direct. XI.
“ pleasure,” Phil. ii. 12, 13. The way by which the Spirit.
works faith in the elect, is by stirring them up to endea-
vour to believe. And this is a way suitable to the means
that the Spirit useth ; i. e. the exhortations, commands,
and invitations of the gospel; which would be of no force,
if we were not to obey them, until we find faith already
wrought in us. Neither can we possibly find that the Spirit
of God doth effectually work faith, or give strength to be-
lieve, until we act it: for all inward graces, as well as all
other inward habits, are discerned by their acts, as seed in
the ground by its springing. We cannot see any such
thing as love to God or man in our hearts before we act
it. Children know not their ability to stand upon their feet,
until they have made trial, by endeavouring so to do: so
we know not our spiritual strength, until we have learned
by experience from the use and exercise of it. Neither can
we know, or assure ourselves absolutely, that the Spirit of
God will give us strength to believe, before we act faith ;
for such a knowledge and assurance, if it be right, is saving
faith itselfin part: and whosoever trusteth on Christ as-
suredly for strength to believe by his Spirit, doth, in effect
trust on him for his own salvation, which is inseparably
joined with the grace of saving faith. Though the Spirit
worketh other duties in us by faith; yet he worketh faith
in us immediately by hearing, knowing, and understand-
ing the word : “Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing
“ by the word of God,” Rom. x. 17. And in the word he
maketh no absolute promise or declaration, that he will
work faith in this or that unbelieving heart, or that he will
give strength to any one in particular to believe : or begin
the work of believing in Christ; for faith itself is the first
grace whereby we have a particular interest in any saving
promise. . . It is a thing hidden in the secret council and
purpose of God concerning us, whether he will give us
his Spirit and saving faith until our election be discovered
by our believing actually. Therefore, as soon as we know
the duty of believing; we are to apply ourselves immedi-
ately to the vigorous performance of the duty, and, in so
doing we shall find that the Spirit of Christ hath strength-
ened us to believe, though we know not certainly, that he
will do it before hand, The Spirit cometh indiscernibly
Direct. XI. of s ANCTIFICATroN. - 16?
upon the elect, to work faith within them : like the wind
that bloweth where it lists, and none knoweth whence it
Cometh, and whither it goeth, but only we hear the sound
of it, and thereby know it when it is past and gone, John
iii. 8. We must therefore begin all the work, before we
know that the Spirit doth or will work in us savingly; and
we shall be willing to set upon the work, if we be Christ’s
people; for “Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy
power,” Psalm cz. 3. It is enough that God discovereth to
aus before hand in the gospel what faith is, and the ground
we have to believe on Christ for our own salvation ; and
that God requireth this duty of us, and will help us in the
performance of it, if we apply ourselves heartily thereunto:
“Fear not, I command thee, be strong, and of good cou-
“rage, Josh. i. 6. Arise, and be doing, and the Lord will
“ be with thee,” 1, Chron. xxii. 16. Therefore whoso re-
ceiveth this gospel discovery as the word of God in hearty
love, is taught by the Spirit, and will certainly come to
Christ by believing, John vi. 45. Every one that receiveth
it not, despiseth God, maketh him a liar, and deserveth
justly to perish for his unbelief. .
4. Though the Spirit worketh saving faith only in the
elect, and others believe not because they are not of Christ’s
sheep, John x. 26. and on that account it is called the
“faith of God’s elect,” Tit. i. 1. yet all who hear the gos-
pel are obliged to the duty of believing, as well as to all
the duties of the moral law, and that before they know
their own particular election ; and they are liable to con-
demnation for unbelief as well as for any other sin: “He
“ that believeth not, is condemned already, because he
“ hath not believed on the name of the owly begotten Son
“of God,” John iii. 18. The apostle Paulsheweth that,the
elect Israelites obtained salvation, and the rest, who were
not elected, were blinded : and yet even these were
broken off from the good olive tree, because of their unbe-
lief, Rom. xi. 7, 20. We cannot have a certain knowledge
of our election to eternal life before we do believe ; it is a
thing hidden in the unsearchable council of God, until it be
manifest by our effectual caſſing, and believing on Christ.
The apostle knew the election of the Thessalonians, by
finding the evidence of their faith, that the gospel came to
#68 THE Gospel MystERY. Direct. XI.
them, not in “word only, but also in power, and in the
“Holy Ghost, and in much assurance : and that they had
- “ received the word in much affliction, with joy in the
“Holy Ghost,” 1 Thess. i. 4, 5, 6. We are to see our call-
ing, if we would find out, that God hath chosen us, I Cor.
i. 26, 27. Therefore we must believe on Christ before we
know our election, or else we shall never know it, and shall
hever believe. And it is no presumption for us to trust
confidently on Christ for everlasting life, before we have
any good evidence of our election ; beeause God, who can-
not lie, hath made a general promise, “ That whosoever
“believeth on him shall not be ashamed,” without making
the least difference among them who perform this duty, .
Rom. x. 1 1, 12. The promise is as firm, and sure to be ful-
filled, as any of God’s decrees and purposes : and there-
fore it is a good and sufficient ground for our confidence.
It is certain, that all that the Father hath given to Christ,
by the decree of eternal election, shall come to Christ: and
it is as really certain, that Christ will in no wise cast out
any that cometh to him, whosoever he be, John vi. 37.
And we need not fear that we shall infringe God’s decree
of election, by believing on Christ confidently for our sal-
vation, before we know what God hath decreed concern-
ing us; for, if we believe, we shall at lastbe found among
the number of the elect; and, if we refuse to believe, we
shall thereby wilfully place ourselves among the reprobates
that stumble at the word, being disobedient, “ whereunto
“ also they are appointed,” 1 Pet. ii. 8.
I shall add further, that though we have no evidence
of our particular election before we believe; yet we are
to trust on Christ assuredly, to make it evident to us, by
giving us that salvation which is the peculiar portion of
the elect only. All spiritual saving blessings wherewith
God blesseth his people in Christ, are the peculiar portion
of them whom “God hath chosen in Christ before the
“foundation of the world,” Fph. i. 3. 4. yet we mustne-
cessarily trust on Christ for those saving blessings, or have
none at all. We are to pray in faith nothing doubting,
that God will remember us with the favour that he bear-
eth to his people; that we may see the good of his chosen,
and glory with his inheritance, Psalm cvi, 4, 5. There-
Direct. XI. of SANGTIFICATION. 169
} * .*
fore we are to trust assuredly on God, that he will deal
with us as his chosen people. Thus it appeareth that it
is not presumption, but your bounden duty, to apply your-
'selves to the great work of believing on Christ for salva-
tion, without questioning at all before-hand, whether you
are elected or not: “Secret things belong to God, but
“ those things that are revealed, belong unto us, that we
º -
“may do them,” Deut. xxxix. 29.
lay do - -
The SECOND thing directed to, is, that you shall en-
deavour for a right manner of performing this duty.
This is a point of great concernment, because the want
of it will render your faith ineffectual to sanctification and
Salvation. The great duty of love, which is the end of
the law, and the principal fruit of sanctification, must flow
from faith unfeigned, 1 Tim. i. 5. There is a feigned
faith, that doth not really receive Christ into the heart,
and will not produce love, or any true obedience ; such as
Simon Magus had, Acts viii. 13, 23. for, notwithstand-
ing his faith, he was in the “gail of bitterness, and in
“ the bond of iniquity:” and such as those Jews had, to
whom Christ would not commit himself, who did not
Confess him; lest they should on that account be put out
of the synagogue, John ii. 23. and xii. 43. and such as
the apostle James speaks of, “What doth it profit, my
“brethren, if a man say he hath faith, and have not
“works? Can that faith save him : The devils also be-
“lieve and tremble,” James ii. 14, 19. Take heed
therefore, lest you deceive your souls with a counterfeit
faith, instead of the precious faith of God’s elect. The way
to distinguish the one from the other is by considering
well what is the right manner of that believing which is
effectual to salvation. Hypocrites may perform the same
works for the matter, with true saints; but they are de-
fective in the manner of performance, wherein the excel-
lency of the work doth chiefly consist. One great reason
'why many seek to enter in at the strait gate, and are not
able, Luke xiii. 24. is; because they are ignorant and de-
fective in the right manner of acting this faith whereby
they are to enter. Now, I confess, that God only is able
to guide us effectually in the right way of believing. And
º P -
.*
17O THE Gospel MystERY Direct. XI.
\ we have this great consolation, when we see our own folly
and proneness to mistake our way, that if we heartily de-
sire and endeavour to believe on Christ aright, we may
confidently trust on him to guide us. God hath pro-
mised, that the way faring men, though fools, shall not
err in the way of holiness; and that he will teach sinners
in the way ; “The meek will he guide in judgment, and
“the meek will he teach his way,” Psal. xxv. 8, 9. and
he commandeth them that lack wisdom “to ask it of
“God in faith, nothing doubting,” James i. 5, 6. But,
however, we are to know, that God guideth us only ac-
cording to the rule of his word ; and we must endeavour
to learn the right way of believing out of the word, or
else we are not able so much as to trust rightly on God
for guidance and direction, in this great work. To help
you therein, I have given you before, in this treatise, a de-
scription of Saving faith ; and have shewed, that it con-
taineth two acts in it; the one is, believing the truth of
the gospel ; the other is, believing on Christ as revealed
and freely promised to us in the gospel, for all his salva-
tion. Now, your great endeavour must be, to perform
both these acts in a right manner : as I shall shew con-
cerning each of them in particular. * > -
In the first place, You are highly concerned to en-
deavour for a right belief of the truth of the gospel of
Christ; that so you may be well furnished, disposed, and
encouraged to believe on him, as revealed and promised
in the gospel. Hereby you are to remove all discomfort-
able theughts and objections of Satan and your own con-
-science, and to overcome all corrupt inclinations, that
hinder a cheerful embracing of Christ and his salvation.
It is found by experience, that when any fail in the se-
cond act of faith, the reason of their failing is commonly
some defect in this first act. There is some false imagi-
nation or other in them, contrary to the belief of the truth
of the gospel: which is a strong hold of sin and Satan
that must be pulled down, before they can receive Christ
into their hearts by believing on him. If they knew the
name of Christ, as he is discovered in the gospel, and
judged aright of the truth and excellency of it, they would
not fail to put their trust in him. And we are in great
Direct. XI. of sanctification. “ 171
danger of entertaining such false imaginations, and to ac-
count many truths of the gospel strange paradoxes, yea,
foolish and pernicious, because of our ignorance, self con-
ceitedness, guilty consciences, corrupt affections, and ma-
Inifold el'I'OI's, wherewith our judgments are prepossessed
in matters of salvation : and because Satan laboureth to
beguile us, as he did Eve, through his subtility, to cor-
rupt our minds from the simplicity of the gospel that is in
Christ, 2 Cor. xi. 3. I shall therefore give you some par-
ticular instructions, that are of the greatest moment, to
prevent such defects as we are most liable to in the first
act of our faith. ~ * -
1. You must believe with a full persuasion, that you are
a child of wrath by nature, as well as others: fallen from
God by the sin of the first Adam : dead in trespasses and
sins; subject to the curse of the law of God and to the power
of Satan, and to insupportable misery to all eternity ; and
that you cannot possibly procure your reconciliation with
God, or any spiritual life and strength to do any good
work, by any endeavouring to get salvation according to
the terms of the legal covenant; and that you cannot find
any way to escape out of this sinful and miserable condi-
tion by your own reason and understanding, without super-
natural revelation, nor be freed from it, except by that in-
finite power that raiseth the dead. We must not be afraid
as Some are, to know our own vileness and sinfulness, nei-
ther must we be willing to think ourselves better than we
are ; but must be heartily desirous and glad to know the
worst of our own condition; yea, when we have found
out the worst that we can of ourselves, we must be willing
to believe, that our hearts are deceitful, and desperately
wicked, beyond all that we can know and find out, Jer.
xvii. 9. This is all necessary, to work in us true humi-
liation, self-despair, and self-loathing, that we may high-
ly esteem, and earnestly seek the salvation of Christ, as
the one thing necessary. It maketh us sick of sin, and sen-
sible of our need of the great Physician, and willing to be
ordered according to any of his prescriptions, whatsoever
we suffer, rather than to follow our own wisdom, Matth.
ix. 12. It was for want of this humiliation that the
Scribes and Pharisees were not so forward to enter into
172 THE gospel MystERY Direct. XI.
Matth. xxi. 31.
the kingdom of heaven as the publicans and harlots,
2. You are to believe assuredly, that there is no wayto
be saved, without receiving all thesaving benefits of Christ,
his Spirit as well as his merits, sanctification as well as
remission of sins, by faith. It is the ruin of many souls,
that they truston Christ for remission of sins, without any
regard to holiness; whereas these two benefits are insepa-
rably joined in him, so that none are freed from condemna-
tion by Christ, but those that are enabled to walk holily;
i. e. not after the flesh, but after the Spirit, Rom. viii. 1.
It is also the ruin of souls, to seek only remission of sins
by faith in Christ, and holiness by our endeavours, accord-
ing to the terms of the law ; whereas we can never live
to God in holiness, except we be dead to the law, and live
only by Christliving in us by faith. That faith which re-
ceiveth not holiness as well as remission of sins from.
bring us to heavenly glory, Heb. xii. 14.
3. You are to be fully persuaded of the “all sufficiency
“ of Christ for the salvation of yourself, and of all that
“believe on him ; that his blood cleanseth from all sin.”
1 John i. 7. Though our sins be never so great and
horrible, and continued in never sº long, yet he is able
to deliver from the body of death, and mortify our cor-
ruptions, be they ever so strong. We find in scripture
that abominable wicked persons have been saved by him,
idolaters, adulterers, effeminate, covetous, drunkards, ex-
tortioners, &c. 1 Cor. vi. 9, 19. Such as have sinned
against the light of nature, as the heathen, and the light
of scripture, as the Jews: such as have denied Christ, as ,
Peter, and persecuted and blasphemed him as Paul. Ma-
ny that have fallen into great sins are ruined for:ever, be-
‘. . .”
cause they do not account the grace of Christ sufficient
ºtheir pardon and sanctification: when they think they
are gone, and past all hope of recovery, ...that their sins
are upon them, and they pine away iſºthem, how shall they
live? Ezek, xxxiii. 10. This despair works, secretly in
many souls, without such trouble and horror, andmäketh
them careless of their souls and true religion. The devil
fills some with horrid, filthy, blasphemous thoughts, on
º
$
Christ, will never sanctify us; and therefore it will never

Direct. Xſ. of sanctification. . . , 173
purpose, that they think their sins too great to be forgiven;
though commonly such thoughts, are the feast of the sins
of those that are pestered with them, aſid father the devil's
siń than theirs, because they are hurried into them söre
against their wiłłs : but, if their hearts be somewhat pol-
Inted within them, Christ tesifieth, “ that ałł rhalifier of
“sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven, except the bias.
“ phemy against the Holy Ghost,” Matth. xii. 31. And
as for those that are guilty of blasphemy against the Holy
Ghost, the reason why they are never forgiven, is hot be-
cause of any want of sufficiency in the blood of Christ, of
in the pardoning mercy of God; but because they never
repent of that śīn; and fiever seek to God for mercy thro'
him, but continue obstinate until death ; for the scripture
testifieth, that it is impossible to refiew them again unto
repentañee, Heb. vi. 5, 6. So that the merits ºf Christ
are sufficient for all that seek to him for mercy by believ-
ing. There are others that despair of ever getting any
victory over their tists;because they have formerly made
finany vows arid resolutioſis, and have tised many vigor-
ous endeavours against them in vain. Such are to per-
strade themselves, that the grace of Christ is sufficient for
them, wheti all other theaſis have failed; as the womati
that had the isstie of biood, arid was nothing bettered, but
rather grew worse by any remedies that physiciańs could
prescribe, yet perstraded herself, that, if she might but
touch the clothes of Christ, she should be whole, Mark
v. 25,-28. Those that despair, by reason of the great-
Hess of their guiſt and corruption; do greatly dishonour
and tridervalue the graee of God, his infinite mercy, and
the fºrfiriterrierits of Christ's blood, and the power of his
Spirit, and deserve to perish with Cain and Judas. Abun-
, dance of people that give up themselves to affficentions.
ress in this wicked generation, fie under secret despair:
which maketh them so desperate in swearing, blasphern-
ing, whofing, draftkeriness; and ałł marrier of wickedness.
How Hörrid and heinous soever oar sins and corruptions
have been, we should learn to account them a smaſſ mat-
ter in comparison to the grace of Christ, who is Gód as
weſt as man, and offered up himself, by the éternal Spi-
fit, as a sacrifice of infinite value, for our salvation: and
. . . . . . . " P., 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . .


\ s’
~,
174 THE Gospel, MystERY Direct. XI. "
can create us anew as easily as he created the world by
a word speaking. . . N-2
4. You are to be fully persuaded ofthe truth ofthe ge-
neral free promise, in your own particular case, that if you
believe on Christ sincerely, you shall have everlasting life.
as Well as any other in the world, without performing any
condition of works to procure an interest in him: for the
promise is universal, “Whosoever believeth on him, shall
“ not be ashamed,” Rom. ix. 33. without any exception.
And, if God exclude you not, you must not exclude your-
selves; but rather conclude peremptorily, that, how vile,
wicked and unworthy soever you be, yet, if you come,
you shall be accepted as well as any other in the world.
You are to believe that great article of the creed, the re-
mission of sins, in your own case, when you are principally
concerned, or else it will little profit you, to believe it in
the case of others. This is that which hinders many
broken wounded spirits from coming to the great Phy-
sician, when they are convinced of the abominable filthi-
ness of their hearts, that they are dead in sin without the
--
Ieast spark of true grace and holiness in them. They think
that it is in vain for such as they are, to trust on Christ
for salvation : and that he will never save such as they
are. Why so : they can be but lost creatures at worst;
and Christ came to seek and save those that are lost. If
they that are dead in sin, cannot be saved, then all must
despair and perish : for none have any spiritual life, until
they receive it by believing on Christ. Somethink them-
selves to be worse than any. others, and that none have
such wicked hearts as they : and though others be accept-
ed, yet they shall be rejected. But they should know,
that Christ came to save the chief of sinners, 1 Tim. i. 15.
And that the design of God is to shew the exceeding riches
of his grace, in our salvation, Eph. ii. 7, which is most glo-
rified by pardoning the greatest sinners. And it is but our
ignorance, to think ourselves like nobody; for all others,
as well as we, are naturally dead in trespasses and sins;
their mind is enmity to God, and is not subject to his law,
nor indeed can be, Rom. viii. 7. and every imagination
of the thoughts of their hearts are only evil, and continu-
ally so, Gen. vi. 5. they have all the same corrupt foun-
Direct. XI, of sanctiFICATION. 175
tain of all abominations in their hearts, though we may
have exceeded many others in several actual sins. Others
think that they have out stayed their time, and therefore
now they should find no place for repentance, though they
should seek it carefully with tears, Heb. xii. 17. But, be-
hold now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of
salvation, 2 Cor. vi. 2. even as God calleth upon you by
the gospel. And although Esau was rejected, who sought
rather the earthly than the spiritual blessings of the birth-
right; yet they shall not be rejected, that seek the enjoy-
ment of Christ, and his salvation, as their only happiness.
If you come unto Christ's vineyard at the eleventh hour of
the day, you shall have your penny, as well as those that
come early in the morning: because the reward is of grace,
and not of merit, Matth. xx. 9, 10. And here you must
be sure to believe stedfastly, that Christ and all his salva-
tion is bestowed as a free gift upon those that do not work
to procure any right or title to him, or meekness or un-
worthiness to receive him, but only believe on him that
justifieth the ungodly, Rom. iv. 5. If you put any con-
dition of works or good qualifications between yourselves
and Christ, it will be a partition wall which you can never
climb over.
5. You are to believe assuredly, that it is the will of God
you should believe in Christ, and have eternal life by him,
as well as any other; that your believing is a duty very
acceptable to God; and that he will help you, as well as
any other, in this work, because he calleth and command-
eth you, by the gospel, to believe on him. This maketh ‘
us to set cheerfully upon the work of believing; as when
Jesus commanded the blind man to be salled, they said
unto him, “Be à. comfort, rise: he calleth thee,” .
Mark x. 49. A command of Christ made Peter to walk
upon the water, Matth. xiv. 29....And here we are not
to meddle with God’s secret of predestination; or the
purpose of his will to give the grace of faith to some rather
than others; but only with his revealed will, in his gra-
cious invitations and commands, by which we are requir-
ed to believe on Christ. This will of God is confirmed
by his oath, “As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no
“ pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked

176 THE GOSPEE, Mysºry Direct. XI.
tº turn from his way, and live : turn ye, turn ye from
* your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel,”
Ezek. xxxiii. 11. Christ testifieth, that he “would often
* have gathered the children of Jerusalem, even as a hem
* gathereth her chickens under her wings, and they
“ would not.” Matth. xxiii. 37. And the apostle Paul
testified, that God “will have all men to be saved,”’ &c.
| Tim, ii. 4 You are to reject and abandon all thoughts
that are contrary to this persuasion. What if few be saved?
tºy salvation will not make the number too great: for
few will follow tºe in the duty of believing. What if
the wrºth of God be revealed from heaven against thee in
many terºble judgments, and the word, and thine own
conscience condemn thee, and Christ seem to reckon thee
no better than a dog, as he did the woman of Canaan :
Matt, ºv. 25. Thou art to make a good interpretation of
all these tººgs, that the end of them is to drive thee to
Christ, as this was the end of the curses of the law, and all
the terrible dispensations of them, Rom. x. 4. If a pro-
pºet, or an angel from heaven were sent of God, on pur-
pose to declare, that the sentence of everlasting damnation
is declared against thee, it would be thy duty to believe,
that Godsent him to give thee timely warning, for this very
end, and thou mightest believe, and turn to God by faith
and repetitance. Jeremiah prophesied against the Jews,
that God would pluck them up, pull them down, and
destroy them for their sins; yet he himself taught them,
* if they turned from their evil ways, God would repent
* him of the evil,” Jer. xviii. 7, 8, 11. Jonah preached
nothing but certain destruction to Nineveh, to be executed
upon them within forty days, chap. iii. 4. yet the intent
of that terrible message was, that those heathenish people
might escape destruction by repentance. The most ab-
solute and peremptory denunciations of divine vengeance
against us, while we are in this world, must always be un-
derstood with a secret reserve of salvation for us, upon our
faith and repentance. And we are to account, that the
reason why God doth so terribly denounce his judgments
against us by his word, is, that we may escape them, by
ºying for refuge to his free mercy in Christ. Take heed of
fºstering any thoughts, that God hath absolutely decreed
* , , " " -> -
* i
Direct. XI.
committed the unpardonable sin; or that it is in vain for,
you to attempt the work of believing, because God wiłł
not help you in it. If such thoughts prevail in your hearts,
they will do you more hurt than the most blasphemous
thoughts that terrify you, or any of the grossest abomi-
nations that ever you were guilty of because they obstruct
your believing on Christ for salvation. “ The Spirit and
“the bride-say, come. Christ saith, Whosoever will, let
“him take the water of life freely,” Rev. xxii. 17. There--.
fore we are to abandon all thoughts that hinder our com-
ing to Christ, as very sinful and perpicious, arising in us
from our own corruptions, and Satáà's delusions, and ut-
terly opposite to the mind of Christ, and teachings of the
Spirit. And what ground can we have to entertain such
unbelieving thoughts : Hath God made us of his privy-
council, that we should be able to know that God hath de-
creed us to damnation, before it be manifest by our final
unbelief and impenitence : As for the unpardonable sin, .
it consisteth in renouncing the way of salvation by Christ
with the whole heart, after we have attained to the know-
ledge of it, and are convinced of the truth of it by the .
gospel. It is the sin that the Christian Hebrews would
have been guilty of, if they had revolted from Christiani-
ty to the religion of the unbelieving Jews, that account-
ed Christ to be an impostor, and were most rancorous per-
secutors of him and his ways, Heb. vi. 4, 5. They that
have committed that sin, continue implacable, malicious
enemies to Christ and his ways to the end, without any
repentance. Therefore, if you can but find, that you de-
sire seriously to get an interest in Christ, and to be better
Christians than you are ; if you be troubled and grieved,
*that your hearts and lives are so wicked, and that you want
faith, love, and true obedience; yea, if your hearts be
not maliciously bent to persecute the gospel, and prefer
atheism, licentiousness, or any false religion before it,
you have no cause to suspect yourselves to be guilty of
this unpardonable sin. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
to shew no saving mercy to you, or that you have already.

6. Add to all these, “a full persuasion of the incom-
“parable glorious excellency of Christ, and of the way
“ of salvation by him.” You are to esteem the enjoy
• * > .
^
v.--> .
178 - THE Gespri. MystERY Direct. XI.
ment of Christ as the only salvation and true happiness,
and such an happiness as hathin it unsearchable riches of
glory, and will make our cup to run over with exceeding
abundance of peace, and joy, and glory, to all eternity.
We must account all things but loss for the excellency
of the knowledge of Christ Jesus our Lord, &c. Phil. iii.
8. Such a persuasion as this, will allure and incline your
wills and affections to choose and embrace Christ as the
chief good, and never to rest satisfied without the enjoy-
ment of him ; and to reject every thing that stands in .
competition with him, or the enjoyment of him. Christ
is precious in the esteem of all true believers, 1 Pet. ii. 7.
Their high esteem of his incomparable preciousness and
excellency, induceth them to sell all, that they may buy
this pearl of great price, Matth. xiii. 46. This maketh
them to say, “Lord, evermore give us this bread, that
“Cometh down from heaven, and giveth life to the world.
“Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of
“eternal life, John vi. 32, 33, 34, 68. Because of the
“savour of his good ointments, his name is as ointment
“poured forth ; therefore do the virgins love him, àong
“ i. 3. They are sick of love to him, because he is, in
“ their eyes, the chiefest among ten thousand,” Song v.
8, 10. As the glory of God that appeared in the wonder-
ful beauty of the temple, and in the wisdom and glory of
Solomon, drew worshippers to God from the utmost parts
of the earth ; so the unparalleled excellency of Christ,
which was prefigured by the glory of Solomon and the
temple, doth more powerfully draw believers in these gos-
pel days. The devil, who is the god of this world, knows
how necessary it is for our salvation, to discern all the
a glory, and excellency of Christ and therefore where
the gospel is preached he maketh it his great work to
eclipse the glory of Christ's ministry, and to blind the
minds of the people, lest the light of his glorious gospel
should shine unto them, 2 Cor. iv. 4. One that is con- -
vinced of the truth of the gospel, may be averse to the
embracing of it until he see also the goodness of it, that
Christ is altogether lovely and excellent.
‘second principal act offaith where-
“by Christ himself, and his Spirit, and all his saving be-
“nefits, are actually received into the heart, which is be-
Direct, XI. or sANCTIFICATIon. 179.
“lieving on Christ, as revealed and freely promised to
“ us in the gospel, for all his salvation.” The Spirit, of
God doth habitually dispose and incline our hearts to a
right performance of this act, by enabling us to perform
the first act, according to the former instructions, by be-
lieving assuredly those great things of the gospel whereby
we are delivered into a form of doctrine, Rom. vi. 17.
which we are to obey from our hearts, and to follow as
our pattern, in the manner of our acting faith in Christ
for our salvation. Therefore I need only exhort you briefly
to act your faith in Christ according to that form and pat-
tern, in which you have been already so largely instructed.
You are to believe in Christ as alone sufficient, and as
being all sufficient for your happiness and salvation ;
despairing altogether of any attainment of happiness by
your own wisdom, strength, works of righteousness, or
any fleshly, worldly confidences whatsoever. We must
be as dead people to all other confidences and account
them to be loss for Christ, according to the example of
the blessed apostle, Phil. iii. 3, 7, 8. We must not be
grieved, that we have nothing to trust upon besides Christ.
for our salvation ; but rather we are to rejoice, that we
need nothing else, and that we have a sure foundation to
rely upon, incomparably better than any other that can
be imagined. And we must resolve to cast the burden
of our souls wholly on Christ, and to seek salvation no
other way, whatever becomes of us. If the cripple lay
not the whole weight of his body upon a strong staff, but
part of it on a rotten one, he is like to receive a fall. If
the swimmer will not commit his body wholly to the
water to bear him up, but catch at weeds, or struggle to
feel out ground, he may sink to the bottom. Christ will
be all our salvation, or nothing. If we seek to be saved
any other way, as the Galatians did by circumcision,
Christ will profit us nothing, Gal. v. 2. . . . . .
… You are also to receive Christ merely as a free gift,
given to the chief of sinners, resolving that you will not
-perform any conditions, to procure yourselves a right and
title to him ; but that you will come to him as a lost sin-
ner, an ungodly creature, trusting on him that justifieth
the ungodly ; and that you will buy him without money,
180 . . . The gospel Mystery Direct. XI.
. . . . . . . . ; . . ." . . . . . . , * \ . . . . . . . . *
arid without any price whatsoever, Rom. iv. 5. Isa. lv.2.
Egok not on your own faith or love or any good qualifi-
cations in yourselves, as the ground of your trusting in
christ, but only to the free grace and loving kindness, of
God in Christ: “How excellent is thy loving kindness,
& 6 God ... therefore the children of men put their trust
“ under the shadow of thy wings,” Psalm xxxvi. 7.
For; if you make your faith, love, or good qualifications,
to be your first and principal foundation, and you build
Christ upon them instead of building all upon him, you
invert the order of the gospel, and he will profit you no-
ºther thing to be observed diligently, is, that you
must come to Christ for a new holy heart and life, and all
things necessary thereto, as well as for deliverance from
the wrath of God, and the torments of hell. You must
also come to him with an ardent love and affection, and
esteem him better than a thousand worlds, and the only.
excellent portion, loathing and abhorring yourself, as a
vile, sinful and miserable creature, and accounting all
things dung in comparison of his excellency; that you may
be able to say from the bottom of your heart, “Whom
“ have I in heaven but thee, and there is none upon earth
“ that i desire besides thee,” Psalm lxxiii. 25.
Lastly, You must endeavour to draw near with full
assurance of faith, Heb. x. 22. trusting on Christ constantly
for your own particular salvation, upon the account of
that general promise, that whosever believeth on him
shall riot be ashamed, Roma. ix. 33. You must check
youpselves for all doubtings, fears, staggerings, concern-
ing your own salvation by Christ, saying with the Psalm-
ist, “Why art thou cast down, O my soul ?” &c. Psalm
: The THIRD thing contained in this direction, is, the
avoiding all delay in the performance of this great work
of believing in Christ. Until we have performed it, we
continue under the power of sity and Satan, and
under the 'wrath of God; and there is nothing be-
tween hell and us, besides the breath of our nostrils. It
is dangereus fºr Lot to linger in Sodom, lest fire and
brimstone come down from heaven upon him. The man-
*
*.*.
Direct. XI. of sanctification. 181
slayer must flee with all haste to the city of refuge, lest the
avenger of blood pursue him, while his heart is hot, and
slay him, Deut. xix. 5, 6. We should make haste and not
delay to keep God’s commandments, Psalm crºix. 60, and
flee for refuge to the hope set before us, (Heb. vi. 18.
And God commandeth us to flee thus by faith, without
which it isjmpossible to please God in other duties. The
work is of such a nature, that it may be performed as soon
as you hear the gospel. “As soon as they hear of me,
“ they shall obey me, Psal. xviii. 44. As soon as Zion
“travailed, she brought forth her children,” Isa. lxvi. 8.
* We have many examples of those who received the word
by faith at the first hearing of it. Three thousand were
added to the church on the very same day wherein Peter
first published the gospel in Jerusalem, Acts i. 41. So,
many Jews and Gentiles were converted at the first hear-
ing "of the apostie Paul at Antioch, Acts xiii. 48. The
jailor and all his house believed, and were baptized the
same night wherein Paul first preached to them, Acts xvi.
33, 34. The gospel came at first to the Thessalonians,
“not in word only, but in power, and in the Holy Ghost,”
1 Thess. i. 5, 6. If God open the hearts of his people to
attend diligently. They may be instructed in the know-
ledge of the gospel by one brief sermon sufficiently, to be-
gin the practice of saving faith. And when they know
their duty, God requireth immediate performance, with-
out allowing us the least respite in the state of unbelief.
When Satan cannot prevail with people to reject wholly
the duty of believing, his next attempt for the ruin of their
souls, is, to prevail with them at least to delay and shift
off the performance of it from time to time, by several
false reasonings and imaginations which he putteth into
their minds. The most ignorant and sensual are easily
prevailed with to defer this duty, until they have taken
their fill of the pleasures, profits and honours of this world,
and are summoned to prepare for another, by infirmities,
age, sickness, praying and hoping, that a large time of .
repentance will be granted unto them before they die.
But such delays shew, that they are really unwilling to re-
pent and believe, until they are forced by necessity ; and
that they prefer the pleasures, profits and honours of the
182 THE Gospel, MystERY Direct. XI. .
T-
world above God, and Christ, and their own souls. Thus
they unfit themselves more and more for this great duty,
by their customary walking in sin, and by mispending the
precious time of their health and strength, which is most
meet for the performance of this great work. They
highly provoke God never to give them time or grace to
repent hereafter. Others imagine, that, after they have
heard the gospel of salvation by Christ, they may lawfully
defer the believing it, until they have sufficiently examined
the truth of some other different doctrine, or until God
be pleased to afford them some other means, to assure
them fully of the truth of the gospel, Thus they that are
called Seekers mispend the day of grace, “ever learning,
“but never coming to the knowledge of the truth,”
2 Tim. iii. 7. But the truth of the gospel doth so clearly
evidence itself by its own light, that, if people do not
wilfully shut their eyes, or blind themselves by their own
pride, and love of their lusts, they would easily perceive,
that it is the truth of God; because the image of his grace,
mercy, power, justice and holiness, appears manifestly
engraven upon it. It is a sign people are proud, when
they consent not to the words of our Lord Jesus Christ,
and to the doctrine which is according to godliness, 2 Tim.
vi. 3. If they were humble, and sincerely inclined to do
the will of God, they would know whether the doctrine
be of God, or no, John vii. 17. they would quickly be
persuaded of the truth by Moses and the prophets,
Christ and the apostles, spoken to them in the scripture.
And, if they will not hear them, neither will they be per-
suaded though one rose from the dead; or whatever
other miracle be wrought, to confirm the divine authori-
ty of the gospel, Luke xvi. 31. Another sort of people
there are, that delay the great work of believing, to the
ruin of their souls, resting in an attendance upon the out-
ward means of grace and salvation, instead of any endea-
vours to receive Christ by faith, though they be convinced
of the truth of the gospel. This they call waiting upon
God at the doors of his grace and salvation, in the use of
means appointed by him, and sitting under the droppings
of the sanctuary. But let them know, that this is not the
right waiting on God required in scripture. It is rather
disobedience to God, and to the means of his appointment,
birect. XI. ef s ANCTIFICATI on. 183
who requires, that we should be doers of the word, and
not hearers only, “deceiving ourselves,” James i. 22. And
that we should come in to the spiritual feast, Lukexiv. 23.
and not only stand at the door, or sit under the droppings
of the house of God, lest Christ repute us no better than
eve-droppers. That wholly waiting on the Lord com-
mended to us in scripture, is ever accompanied with be-,
lieving and hoping in the Lord, and dependeth thereon :
“I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness
“ of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait on the
“Lord ; be of good courage, and he shall strengthen
“thine heart; wait, I say, on the Lord, Psalm xxvii. 13,
“ 14. It is good that a man should both hope and quiet-
“ly wait for the salvation of the Lord,” Lam. iii. 26.
^What is it that these deluded ones wait for, before they
perform the duty of believing : Is it for more knowledge
of the gospel ? The way to increase thy knowledge, as
well as any other talent, is, to make use of what thou hast
received already. Believe heartily on Christ for all thy
salvation, according to that little knowledge of the gospel
which thou hast, and thou wilt have an interestin the pro-
mise of knowledge contained in the new covenant:
“They shall all know me, from the least to the greatest
“of them, saith the Lord,” Jer. xxxi. 34. Is it for the
appointed time of thy conversion that thou waitest? Then
thou waitest as those impotent folk that lay at the pool of
Bethesda, waiting for the season when the angél will
come down and move the water. Know then, that if
you enter into Christ now by faith, thou shalt find in him
Waters of life, and the Spirit moving them for the heai-
ing and quickening of thy soul. God hath appointed by
his word, that it shall be thy duty to endeavour, that the
Present time should be the time of thy conversion : As
the Holy Ghost saith, “To day, if thou wilt hear his
“voice, harden not thy heart,” Heb. iii. 7, 8. And thou
shalt never know at what time God hath purposed, in his
Secret council, to give faith to thee, until thou dost acte-
ally believe. Dost thou wait for any manifestations or
flowings in of God’s saving love to thy soul ? Then the
way to obtain it, is, to believe, that the God of hope
may fill thee with all joy and peace in believing, Rom,
- \ . . . .
xv. 13. Thou hast sufficient manifestation of God’s lov
J. . . . - - - , ... ' 's . . . . . * - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . , ‘Y : “. . ." . " . . A
to thy soul, by the free promi --
ses of life and salvation by .
Christ. Dobut trust on the name of the Lord, and stay
upon thy God, when thou walkest in darkness and seest
no light of sensible comforts any other way; otherwise
thou waitest for comfort in vain, and this shalt thou have
at the Lord’s hand, “ thou shalt lie down in sorrow,”
Isa. 1. 10, 11. Dost thou wait for any qualifications to .
prepare thee for the work of believing? If they be good
and holy qualifications, thou canst not have them before
faith, but they are rather included in the nature of faith,
or they are fruits of it: as hath been largely proved. If
they be bad and sinful, it is strange that any should wait
for them, and yet no more strange than true. Some fool-
ishly wait to be terrified with a sense of God’s wrath, and
despairing thoughts; and these they call the pangs of the
new birth; though, in their own nature, they are rather
God, rather than holiness: and therefore we should strive
to prevent them, by believing God’s love in Christ,
rather than to wait for them. It is true, God maketh
these despairing thoughts as well as other sins, work for
- . . . $. * ~ * ~ *: tº ''', t , , r s . . . *
good to them that are delivered from them by faith in
Christ; they are moved thereby to hate sin, and to prize
him the moie, and the comforts of his gospel, and to
- Y. " .
t . w - - ſ
loath and abhor themselves: yet many are brought to
him without them, by God’s giving them the knowledge
of their own sins, and of Christ’s salvation together. Se-
ºveral examples of these were above mentioned, who re-
ceived the word with joy at the first hearing of it. And
we must not desire or wait for any evil of sin, such as these
despairing thoughts are, that good may come of it; neither
should we expect to be worse before we be better, when
we may and ought to be better presently, by believing
- ta. .
on Christ. . . . . . . . . . .
The Foti RTH thing in the direction, is, that we should
continue and increase in the most holy faith. And, that
we may, we must not think, that, when we have once at-
tained to the grace of saving faith and thereby are begot-
ten anew in Christ, our names are up in heaven; and
º
Direct. XI. er sANcrific Arron. 185
therefore me may be careless: but as long as we continue
in this life, we must endeavour to continue in the faith,
grounded, and settled not moved away from the hope of
the gospel, Col. i. 23. and to hold the beginning of our
confidence, and the rejoicing of hope, stedfast to the end,
Heb. iii. 6, 14. and to build up ourselves in our most holy
faith, Jude ver. 20. abounding therein with thanksgiving,
Col. ii. 7. Though we receive Christ freely by faith ;
yet we are but babes in him, 1 Cor. iii. 1. And we must
not account, that we have already attained or are already
perfect, Phil. iii. 12, 13. but we must strive to be more
rooted and built up in him, until we come unto a “perfect
“man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of
“ Christ,” Eph. iv. 13. If the new nature be really in us
by regeneration, it will have º to its own con-,
tinuance and increase, until it come to perfection, as the
new born babe, 1. Pet. ii. 2. And we are not only to re-
ceive Christ and a new holy nature, by faith ; but also to
live and walk by it, and to resist the devil, and to quench
all his fiery darts by it, and also to grow in grace, and to .
perfect holiness in the fear of God ; for we are kept by
the mighty power of God through faith unto salvation,
T Pet, i. 5. As all out Christian warfare is the good
fight of faith, 1 Tim. vi. 12. all spiritual life and holiness
continue, grow or decay in us, according as faith conti-
mueth, groweth or decayeth in vigour; but, when this
faith beginneth to sink by fears and doubtings, the man
himself beginneth to sink together with it, Matth. xiv.
29, 31. Faith is like the hand of Moses: while it is held
up, Israel prevails: when it is let down, Amalek prevails,
Exod. xvii. 1 1. This continuance and growth in faith,
will require our labour and industry; as well as the be-
ginning; though we are to ascribe the glory of aff to the
grace of God in Christ who is the finisher, as well as the
author of it, Heb. xii.2. The church méeteth with great
difficulties in her marching through the wilderness of

this world to the heavenly Canaan, as well as in her first
deliverance from Egyptian bondage; yea, we often meet
with greater difficulties in going to perfection, than we
did in the beginning of the good work; the wisdom and
merey of God se eraering it, that we shall be exercised
186 THE Gospel, MystERY Direct. XI.
with the sharpest dispensations of Providence, and the
fiercest assaults of our own corruptions, and Satan's temp-
tations, after we have grace given us to stand in the evil
day. You must therefore endeavour to continue and go;
on in the same right manner, as I have taught you to be-,
gin this greatwork of believing in Christ, that your faith
may be of the same nature from the beginning to the end
though it increase in degrees: for our faith is imperfect,
and joined with much unbelief in this world: and we have
need to pray still “ Lord, I believe, help thou mine un-
“belief.” Mark ix. 24. and therefore we have need to
strive for more faith that we may receive Christingreater
perfection. If you find your faith hath produced good
Works, you should thereby increase your confidence in
Christ, for salvation by his mere grace. But take heed
of changing the nature of your faith, from trusting on the
grace and merits of Christ, to trusting on your own works,
according to the Popish doctrine, That our first justifi-
cation is by grace and faith only, but our secondjustifica-
tion is also by works. Beware also of trusting on faith it-
self, as a work of righteousness, instead of trusting on
Christ by faith. If you do not find, that your believing in
such a right manner as I have described, doth produce such
fruits of holiness as you desire, you ought not to diminish,
but rather to increase your confidence in him: knowing
that the weakness of your faith hindereth its fruitfulness;
and the greater your confidence is concerning the love of
God to you in him, the greater will be your love to God
and to his service. If you fall into any gross sin after the
work is begun in you, as David and Peter did, think not
that you must cast away your confidence, and expect no-
thing but wrath from God and Christ, and that you must
refuse to be comforted by his grace, atleast for sometime;
for thus you would be the more weak, and prone to fallinto
other sins; but rather strive to believe more confidently,
that you have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the
righteous : and that he is the propitiation for our sins,
1 John ii. 1, 2. And let not the guilt of sin stay at all
upon your conscience, but wash it away with all speed, in
the fountain of Christ's blood, which is opened for us,
that it may be ready for our use on all such incidentaloe-

—3. t
Direct. XII. of SANGTIFICATION. • 187.
casions; that so you may be humbled for your sins in a
gospel way and may hate your own sinfulness, and be sor-
ry for it with godly sorrow, out of love to God. Peter
might have been ruined for ever by denying Christ, as
Judas was by betraying him, if Peter’s faith had not been
upheld by Christ's prayer, Luke xxi. 31, 32. If a cloud
be cast over all your inward, qualifications, so that you
can see no grace at all in yourselves; yet still trust on him.
that justifieth the ungodly, and came to seek and to save
them that are lost. If God seem to deal with you as an:
enemy, by bringing on you some horrible affliction, as he:
did upon Job, beware of condemning your faith and its .
fruits as if they were not acceptable to God; but rather
say with holy Job, “ Though he slay me, yet will I trust.
“ in him; but I will maintain mine own ways before him,” .
Job xiii. 15. Strive to keep and to increase faith by faith;
i.e. by acting faith frequently, by trusting on God to keep.
and to increase it; being confident, that “he who hath
“begun a good-work in you, will perform it until the
“ day of Jesus Christ,” Phil. i. 6. - - - - -
A " " -
~...~
* ,
DIRECTION XII.
Make-diligent use of your most holy Faith, for the
immediate performance of the Duties of the Law,
by walking no longer according to your old natu-
ral State, or any Principles or means of Practice
that belong unto it, but only according to that
new ſtate which you receive by Faith, and the
Principles and means of Practice that properly
belong thereunto ; and strive to continue and in-
crease in such manner of Practice. This is the
only way to attain to an acceptable Performance of
, these holy and righteous Duties, as far as it is .
possible in this present Life. . . . . . . - -
i. - * * - & " )
*~~~ -
~ * *
**
188 . . . . THE gospel, MystErx ºpirect. XII.
EXPLICATION. . .
HERE I am guiding you to the manner of practice,
wherein you are to make use of faith, and of all other
effectual means of holiness before treated of, which
faith layeth holdon, for the immediate performance of the
law; which is the great end aimed at in this whole treatise.
And therefore this deserveth to be diligently considered,
as the principal direction, to which all the foregoing and
following are subservient. . . As for the meaning of it, [.
have already-shewed, that our old natural state is that
which we derive from the first Adam by natural genera-
tion; and it is called, in the scripture, The old man; and
while we are in it, we are said to be in the flesh. And Our
new state is that which we receive from the second Adam,
Jesus Christ, by being new born in union and fellowship
with him through faith ; and it is called, in scripture,
The new man : and when we are in it, we are said to be
in the Spirit. The principles and means of practice be-
longing to a natural state, are such as persons do or may
attain and make use of, before they are in Christ by faith.
Such as belong properly to the new state, are the mani-
fold holy endowments, privileges and enjoyments, which
we partake of in Christ by faith, such as have already ap-
peared to be the only effectual means of a holy life. We
are said to walk according to either of these states, or to
the principles or means that belong to either of them,
when we are moved and guided, by virtue of them, to
such actings as are agreeable to them. Thus kings act
according to their state, in commanding authoritatively,
and in magnificent bounty: poor men, in the way of ser-
vice and obedience; and children indiscriminately, Esther
i. 7. Prov. xviii. 23.51 Cor. xiii. 11. So the manner of
practice here directed to, consists in moving and guiding
ourselves, in the performanee of the works of the law, by
gospel principles and means. This is the rare and excel-
lent art of godhness, in which every Christian should
strive to be skilful and expert. The reason why many
come off with shame and confusion, after they have a
long tims laboured with much zeal and industry for the
J
* Direct. XII. or sANCTIFICATION. 189
attainment of true godliness, is, because they were never ,
acquainted with this holy art, and never endeavoured to
practise it in a right gospel way. Some worldly arts are
called mysteries: but, above all, this spiritual art of god-
liness is, without controversy, a great mystery, 1 Tim.iii.
16, because the means that are to be made use of in it,
are deeply mysterious, as hath been shewed: and you are
not a skilful artist, till you know them, and can reduce
them to practice. It is a manner of practice farabove the
sphere of natural ability, such as would never have en-
tered into the hearts of the wisest in the world, if it had
not been revealed to us in the scriptures; and, whenit is
ºthere most plainly revealed, continueth a dark riddle to ºr
those that are not inwardly enlightened and taught by the
holy Spirit; such as many godly persons guided by the Spi-
rit do in some measure walk in, yet do but obscurely dis-
cern ; they can hardly perceive their own knowledge of it,
and can hardly give any account toothers of the way where-
in they walk; as the disciples that walked in Christ, the
way to the Father, and yet perceived not that knowledge
in themselves: “Lord we know not whither thou go-
“est, and how can we know the way ? John xiv. 5. This
is the reason why many pºor believers are so weak in
Christ, and attain so small a degree of holiness and righ-
teousness. Therefore, that you may the better be ac-
quainted with a mystery of so high concernment, I shall
shew, in the first place, that the holy scriptures do di-
rect you to this manner of practice; as only effectual for
the performance of holy duties; and then I shall lay be-
fore you some necessary instructions, that you may un-
derstand how to walk aright in it, and continue and go
forward therein, till you be made perfect in Christ.
For the FIRST of these, the holy scriptures are very
large and clear, in directing us to this manner of practice,
and to continuance and growth therein. And here it is
useful for us, to observe the great variety of peculiar words
and phrases whereby the Holy Ghost teacheth, this mys-
tery, which many that frequently read the scriptures, yea,
that pretend to be preachers of the gospel, do little under-
stand or regard; shewing thereby, that the things of the
•r . '
196 The gospel MystER Y. Direct, XII.
Spirit of God are foolishness to them, and that they are
not yet acquainted with the form of sound words, and are
strangers to the very language of the gospel, which they
profess, and pretend to preach. I shall therefore present
to your view several of these peculiar words and phrases
whereby this mysterious manner of practice is expressed
in the holy scriptures, and commanded to you as the only
way for the sure attainment of all holiness in the heart
and life. I shall rank such of them altogether as agree
2 in sense, that the multitude of them may not breed con-
fusion in your thoughts. . . . . .
1. This is the manner of practice inscripture, which is
expressed by “living by faith, Heb. ii. 4. Gal. ii. 20. Heb.
“x. 38: walking by faith, 2 Cor. v. 7; faith working
“by love, Gal. v. 6; overcoming the world by faith,
“. . John v. 4; quenching all the fiery darts of the wicked,
“ by the shield of faith,” Eph. vi. 16. . . Some make no
more of living and walking by faith, than merely a stir-
ring up and encouraging ourselves to our duty by such
principles as we believe. Thus the Jews might account
that they lived by faith because they professed and assented
unto the doctrine of Moses and the prophets, and were
moved thereby to a zeal of God, though they sought
righteousness not by faith, but as it were by the works of
the law, Rom. ix. 32. Thus Paul might think he lived
by faith, while he was a zealous Pharisee; but afterwards
he knew, that the life of faith consisted in dying to the
law, and living to God; and that not himself but Christ
lived in him, Gal. ii. 19, 20. - As it is one and the same
thing, to be justified by faith, and by Christ believed on,
Rom. v. 1. so to live, walk and work by faith is all one
with living, walking, working by means of Christ, and
his saving endowments; which we receive and make use
of by faith to guide and move ourselves to the practice
of holiness. 1- -
2. The same thing is commended to us by the terms
of “walking rooted and built up in Christ, Col. ii. 6, 7.
“living to God, and not to ourselves but to have Christ.
“living in us, Gal. ii. 19, 20. good conversation in Christ,
“1 Pet. iii. 16. putting on the Lord Jesus Christ, that
“we may walk honestly as in the day, Rom, xiii. 13, 14.
--r
2–
*-.
}
A*
Direct. XII. of s ANGTIFICATION. 191
“being strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might,
“Fph. vi. 10. doing all things in the name of Christ,
“Col. iii. 17. walking up and down in the name of
“ the Lord, Zech. x. 12. going in the strength of the
“Lord; making mention of his righteousness, even of
“his only,” Psalm lxxi. 16. These phrases are frequent, and
do sufficiently explain one another; and do shew, that we
are to practise holiness, not only by virtue of Christ's all-
thority but also of his strengthening endowments moving
us and encouraging us thereunto. . . . . . . -
3. It is also signified by the phrases of being strong in the
grace that is in Christ Jesus, 2 Tim. ii. 1. having our
conversation in the world, not with fleshly: wisdom; but
by the grace of God, 2 Cor. i. 12. having or holding
fast grace, that we may serve God acceptably, labouring
abundantly, in such a manner; as that the whole work is
not performed by us, but by the grace of God that is
with us, 1 Cor. xv. 13. By grace, therefore, we may
well understand the privileges of our new state given to
us in Christ, whereby we ought to be influenced and
guided in the performance of holy duties. - -
4. It is also signified, when we are to “put off the old,
“ and put on the new man;” yea to continue in so doing;
though we have done it in a measure already, and that we
avoid our former sinful conversation, Eph. iv. 21, 22, 24.
and to avoid sin, because we have put off the old, and put
on the new man, Col. iii. 9, 10. I have already shewed,
that by this twofold man is not meant merely sin and
holiness; but by the former is meant our natural state,
with all its endowments, whereby we are furnished only
to the practice of sin; and, by the latter our new state in
Christ, that whereby we are furnished with all means ne-
cessary for the practice of holiness. > - . . .
5. We are to understand the same thing, when we are
taught “not to walk after the flesh, but after the Spirit,”
that we may be free from the law of sin, and that the
righteousness of the law may be fulfilled in us, Rom. viii.
1, 2, 3. “ and through the Spirit to mortify the deeds of
“ the body: and to be led by the Spirit,” because we live
by the Spirit, and have crucified the flesh, with the affec-
tions and lusts, Gal. v. 24. The apostle doth, shew, by
y
f
193 rhE gospel MystERY Direct. XII.
these expressions, not only thatwe are to practise holiness,
but also by that means we may do it effectually. By the
flesh is meantour old nature derived from the first Adam;
and by the Spirit is meant the Spirit of Christ, and that
new nature which we have by him dwelling in us. We
are said to walk after either of these natures, when we
make the properties or qualifications of either of them to
be the principles of our practice. So when we are taught
to serve in “newness of Spirit, and not in the oldness of
“ the latter,” that so we may bring forth fruit unto God,
the meaning is, that we must endeavour to bring forth
the fruits of holiness, not by virtue of the law, that killing
letter, to which the flesh is married, and by which the mo-
tions of sin are in us; but by virtue of the Spirit, and his
manifold riches, which we partake of in our new state by
a mystical marriage with Christ, Rom. vii. 4, 5, 6, and
by virtue of such principles as belong to the new state de-
clared in the gospel, whereby the holy Spirit is minister-
ed to us. . . . . t * * * . -
... 6. This is the manner of walking which the apostle
Paul directeth us unto, when he teacheth us by his own.
example, that the continual work of our lives should be,
“ to know Christ, and the power of his resurrection, and
“the fellowship of his sufferings; being made conform-
“ able to his death; if by any means we may attain unto
“the resurrection of the dead, and to encrease and press
“ forward in this kind of knowledge,” Phil. iii. 10, 11,
12, 13. Certainly, he meaneth such an experimental know-
ledge of Christ, and his death and resurrection, as effect-
ually makes, us conformable thereunto in dying unto sin,
and living unto God. And he would hereby guide us, to
make use of Christ, and his death and resurrection, by
faith, as the powerful means of all holiness in heart and
life; and to increase in this manner of walking, until we
attain unto, perfection in him. * -
The SEgoND thing proposed, was, to lay before you some
necessary instructions, that your steps may be guided a-
right, to continue and go forward in this way of holiness;
until you be made perfect in Christ. And seeing we are
maturally prone to mistake this way, and are utterly un-
able to find it out or discernlit by our own reason-and-un-
\, .
Direct. XII. or sANCTIFICATION. 193
derstanding, we should the more diligently attend to these
instructions taken out of the holy scriptures. And we
should pray earnestly, that God would give unto us the
spirit of wisdom and revelation, that we may discern the
way of holiness thereby, and walk aright in it; according
to that gracious promise, “The wayfaring men though
“fools, shall not err therein,” Isa. xxxv. 8.
1. Let us observe, and consider diligently, in our whole
conversation, that though we are partakers of a new holy
state by faith in Christ, yet our natural state doth remain
in a measure, with all its corrupt principles and properties.
As long as we live in this present world, our apprehension
of Christ, and his perfections in this life, is only by faith :
whereas by sense and reason, we may apprehend much in
ourselves, contrary to him ; and this faith is imperfect ; so
that true believers have cause to pray to God to help their
unbelief, Mark ix. 24. Therefore, though we receive a
perfect Christ by faith, yet the measure and degree of en-
joying him is imperfect; and we hope still so long as we
are in this world to enjoy him in a higher degree of per-
fection than we have done. We are yet but weak in Christ,
2 Cor. xiii. 4. children in comparison to the perfection
we expect in another world, 1 Cor. xiii. 10, 1 1. and we
must grow still, till we come to the perfect man, Eph. iv.
13. and some are weaker babes than others, and have re-
ceived him in so small a measure that they may be account-
ed carnal rather than spiritual, 1 Cor. iii. 1. And, be-
cause all the blessings and perfections of our new state, as
justification, the gift of the Spirit, and of the holy nature,
and the adoption of children are seated and treasured up
in Christ, and joined with him inseparably, we can receive
them no farther than we receive Christ himself by faith :
which we do in an imperfect measure and degree in this
life. The apostle Paul proposeth himself as a pattern for
all those that are perfect in the truth of grace to imitate :
and yet he professeth that he was not yet made so perfect
in the degree or measure of saving endowments, but that
he did still press forward towards the mark for the prize of
the high calling of God in Christ Jesus, labouring still to
apprehend and win him more perfectly, and to be found
in him, not having his ownrighteousness, but that which
- . R. -
,
194 THE Gespel MystERY Direct. XII,
is of God by faith; and to gain more experimental know-
ledge of him, and of the fellowship of his sufferings, and
the power of his resurrection, being made conformable
r"

thereunto, Phil. iii. 8, 10, 14. Believers are justified alrea--
dy; yet wait for the hope of righteousness by faith, i.e. for
the full enjoyment of the righteousness of Christ, Gal. v. 5.
They have received but the first fruitof the Spirit, and must
wait for a more full enjoyment of it. The Spirit witnesseth
now to them, that they are the children of God; and yet
they groan within themselves, waiting for more full enjoy-
ment of adoption, Rom. viii. 23. Now, seeing the degree
and measure of our reception, and enjoyment of Christ,
with all the blessings of our new state in him in this life,
is imperfect, it followeth clearly, that our contrary natural
this world do, in some degree partake of these two contrary
states. Believers have indeed put off the old man, and put
state, with its properties, remaineth still in usin some de-
gree, and is not perfectly abolished: so that all believers in
on the new man where Christ is all and in all, Col. iii. 10,
1.1. Yet they are to put the old man off, and the new man on
more and more, because the old man remaineth still in a
Trieasure. They are said to be, not in the flesh, but in the
Spirit, because their being in the Spirit is their best and
lasting state: as denominations are usually taken from the
better part; but yet the fleshis in them, and they findwork
enough to mortify the deeds of it, Rom. viii. 9, 13. There-
fore several things which are contrary to each other, are
frequently attributed to believers in the scripture, with
i
respect to these two contrary states, wherein one place
seems to contradict another; and yet both are true in
divers respects. Thus holy Paul saith truly of himself, I
live, yet not I, Gal. ii. 20. because he did live to God by
Christ living in him; and yet, in another respect, accord-
ing to his natural state, he did not live to God. Again,
he professeth that he was carnal, sold under sin; and yet,
on the contrary, that he allowed not sin, but hated it. He
sheweth how both these were true, concerning himself, in
divers respects. He saith, “in me (that is, in my flesh)
“ dwelleth no good thing; and, I delight to do the will .
“ of God according to the inward man. With the mind
“ I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the
“ law of sin,” Rom. vii. 14, 15, 18, 22, 25. John saith,
Direct, XII. or sANcrific Arion, 195
“ He that saith he hath no sin, deceiveth himself and is
“a liar,” 1 John i. 8. and also that it is true, that who-
soever is born of God, doth not commit sin : for his seed,
i.e. Christ's the new spiritual nature, “remaineth in him:
“ and he cannot sin, because he is born of God,”— 1 John
iii. 9. It is true that we are weak and can do nothing,
and yet strong and able to do all things, 2 Cor. xii. 10, ii.
| Phil. iv. 13. It is true, that believers are dead because of
sin; but alive because of righteousness, Rom. viii. 10.
and that when they die by a natural death they shall ne-
ver die, John xi. 25, 26. They are sor;3 that have the in-
heritance by their birth right, and yet, in some respects,
may differ nothing from servants ; and so they may be
under the law, in a sense and yet under grace, and heirs
according to the free promise, at the same time, Gal. iv.
1, 2. They are redeemed from the curse of the law, and
have forgiveness of sins, and a promise, that God will ne-
ver be wroth with them, nor rebuke them any more, Gal.
iii. 13. Eph. i. 7. Isa. liv. 9. and yet on the contrary, the
curse written in the law is sometimes poured out upon
them, Dan. ix. 1 1. and they have need still to pray, that
God would deliver them from their guiltiness, and for-
give their debts, Psalm li. 14. Matt. vi. 12, and they may
expect that God will punish them for all their iniquities,
Amos iii. 2. These contrary things asserted concerning
believers in the scriptures, do sufficiently manifest, that
they partake of two contrary states in this life. And this
is a plain, easy, and ready way to reconcile these seeming -
contradictions, whatever other ways may be used to recoil-
cile some of them. And what reason is there to question
that the old state remaineth in believers in some degrees;
seeing all sound Protestants acknowledge, that the sinful
depravation and pollution of our natures, commonly caä-
ed original sin, which is one principal part of this old state, .
doth remain in all as long as they live in this world Now,
though some penal evils may be said to remain in us, yet
we cannot suppose, that this original pollution is conti-
nued in us as considered in Christ; but as considered in
our old state, derived from the first Adam. Therefore
the first sin of Adam is imputed, in some respect, even
to those who are justified by faith; and they remain, in
•, -- ~, -
< * *
a measure, as aforesaid, under the punishment and curse
denounced, Gen. ii. 17. In the day thouseatest thereof
thou shalt surely die. And on this account, the same
original guilt and pollution is propagated to the children’
of believing parents, as well as others, by natural genera-
tion. And if such a great and fundamental part of the
natural state continue in believers, as subjection to the
guilt of the first sin, and original corruption, which is one
great part of the punishment and death threatened, and
by which we are prone and inclined to all actual sins, why
should we not judge, that other parts of the same state do
likewise continue in them, as the guilt of their own actual
sins, and subjection to the wrath of God, and the curses
and punishments denounced against them in the law? and
why should we not judge, that all the miseries of this life,
and death itself, are inflicted upon believers, at least in
some respect, as punishments of sin It may be objected
that this doctrine of a twofold state of believers in this
life, doth much derogate from the perfection of our justi-
fication by Christ, and from the fulness of all the grace and
spiritual blessings of Christ, and from the merits of his
death, and the power of his Spirit; and that it greatly
diminisheth the consolation of believers in him. But it -
may be easily windicated from this objection, if we under-
stand it rightly ; for, notwithstanding this twofold state,
it still holdeth true, that believers, while they are on earth
have all perfection of spiritual blessings, justification,
adoption, the gift of the Spirit, holiness, eternal life, and
glory in and with Christ, Eph. i. 3. In the person of
Christ, who is now in heaven, the old man is perfectly
crucified ; they are dead to sin, and to the law and its
curse, and they are quickened together with him, and
raised up with him and made to sit in heavenly places, in
Christ Jesus, Eph. ii. 6. And believers do, in their own
. . . persons receive and enjoy, by faith, all these perfect spi- .
ritual blessings of Christ, as far as they receive and enjoy
Christ himself dwelling in them, and no further. Thus
far they are in a new state, free from the guilt, pollution,
and punishment of sin, and so from the wrath of God, all
miseries, and death itself while they are in this world: .
yea, all the guilt, pollution, and punishments of sin; and
all evils whatever which they are subject to, according to

their natural state, do them no harm according to this new
state, but work for their good; and are no evils, but
rather advantages to them, tending to the destruction,
only of the flesh, and to the perfection of the new man in
Christ. Yet it holdeth true also, that our reception and en-
joyment of Christ himself, and all his perfections, is but an
imperfect measure and degree, until faith be turned into
heavenly vision and fruition of him; and therefore our
/
old sinful state, with the evils thereof, is not perfectly ‘.
abolished during this life. The kingdom of heaven or the
grace of Christ within us, is like leaven in meal which doth
not unite itself perfectly to the meal in an instant, but by
degrees, until the whole be leavened, Matth. xiii. 33, or
like the morning light that expelleth darkness by degrees,
shining more and more unto the perfect day, Prov. iv. 18.
This cannot be justly accounted any derogation from the
merits of Christ's death, or from the power of his Spirit,
seeing he never intended to bring to pass, by his death,
or by the power of his Spirit, that we should enjoy his
spiritual blessings any further than we are in him, and en-
joy him by faith; or that we should be made holy or happy
:according to the flesh, by a reformation of our natural
state; as hath been shewed. Neither doth this diminish
the consolation of believers in Christ; for thereby they
may know, that they have the perfection of grace and
happiness in him, and that they enjoy it in this world, as far tº
as they enjoy Christ himself by faith ; and that they shall
enjoy itin a perfect measure, and be fully freed from their
sinful and miserable state, when that frame of nature, which
they received from the first Adam is dissolved by death.
This instruction is very useful to frame our souls aright
for the practising holiness only by those gospel principles
and means that belong to our new state, which we are par-
takers of by faith in Christ, And thus it is easily vindi-
cated from another great objection, wherein the Papists
and Quakers do much triumph. They appeal to men's
consciences to answer this question. Which doctrine is
most likely to bring people to the practiče of true godliness? .
theirs, which teacheth, that perfect holiness may be attain- Ş.
ed in this life: or ours which teacheth, that it is impossible
for us to keep the law perfectly, and to purge ourselyºs
R 2
198. | THE Gospel MystERY Direct. XII.
from all sin, as long as we live in this world though
we use our best endeavours ? They think, that common
reason will make the verdict pass for them against our
doctrine, as that which discourageth all endeavours for ."
perfection, and hardeneth the hearts of people, to allow
themselves in sin, because they cannot avoid it. But on
the contrary, the doctrine of the perfectionists hardens
people, to allow themselves in sin, and to call evil good :
as the Papists account, that the concupiscence of the flesh
against the Spirit, is no sin, but rather good matter for the
exercise of their virtues, because the most perfect in this
life are not withoutit. It also discourageth those who labour
to get holiness in the right way by faithin Christ, and mak-
eth them to think that they labour in vain, because they
find themselves still sinful and far from perfection, when
they have done their best to attain it. It hindereth our dili-
gence in seeking holiness by those principles and means
whereby only it can be found; for who will be diligent and
watchful to avoid walking according to his own carnal prin-
ciples, if he think that his own carnal state, with its princi-
ples is quite abolished, and is out of him, so that at present
- he is in no danger of walking according to them : What-
soever good works the doctrine of the perfectionists may
serve to promote, I am sure it hindereth a great part of .
that work which Christ would have us to be employed in
as long as we live in this world. We must know that our
old state, with its evil principles, continueth still in a mea-
sure, or else we shall not be fit for the great duties of con-
fessing of sins, loathing ourselves for them, praying ear-
nestly for the pardon of them, a just sorrowing for them
with a godly sorrow, accepting the punishment of our sins,
and giving God the glory of his justice, and offering to him
the sacrifice of a broken and contrite spirit, being poor in
spirit, working out our salvation with fear and trembling.
Some have doubted, how it can consist with ourjustification
by Christ, that we should be still liable to be punished for
our sins, and obliged to pray for the pardon of them be-
cause they have not well considered the twofold state of be-
lievers in this life. And except we know this, and keep it
in mind, we shall never be fit to practise continually the
great duties that tend to the putting off the old man, and
putting on the new man, and mortifying the deeds of the
Birect. XII. of SANCTIFICATION. s 1939
body by the Spirit; praying continually, that God would , *
renew a right spirit in us, and sanctify us throughout ;
pressing forward to perfection, desiring the sincere milk of
the word, and the enjoyment of other ordinances. Christ
hath appointed, that his church on earth should be em-
ployed in such works: and perfectionists either do, or fain
would account them needless for them, and that they have
no longer need of Christ himself, to be their spiritual phy-
sician and advocate with the Father, and prepitiation for
their sins; therefore they are not fit to be members of the
church on earth, and are never likely to be members of
the church in heaven, except they can make a ladder, and
climb up thither, before their time. - . . .
2. Despair of purging the flesh or natural man of its
sinful lusts and inclinations, and of practising holiness, by
your willing and resolving to do the best that lieth in your
own power, and trusting on the grace of God and Christ,
to help you in such resolutions and endeavours: rather
resolve to trust on him, to work in you to will and to do
by his own power, according to his own good pleasure.
They who are convinced of their own sin and misery, do
commonly first think to tame the flesh, and to subdue and -
root out its lusts, and to make their corrupt nature to be
better natured, and inclined to holiness, by their strug-
gling and wrestling with it; and, if they can but bring
their hearts to a full purpose and resolution, to do the best
that lieth in them, they hope that by such a resolution they
shall be able to achieve great enterprizes in the conquest
of their lusts, and performance of the most difficult duties.
It is the great work of some zealous divines, in their preach-
ing and writing, to stir up people to this resolution, where- -
in they place the chiefest turning point from sin to godli-
ness. And they think that this is not contrary to the life of
faith, because they trust on the grace of God through
Christ, to help them in all such resolutions and endeavours.
Thus they endeavour to reform their old state, and to be
made perfect in the flesh, instead of putting it off, and
walking according to the new state in Christ. They trust
on low, carnal things for holiness, and upon the acts of
their own will, their purposes, resolutions, and endea-
vours, instead of Christ; and they trust on him, to help.
them in this carnal way; whereas true faith, would teach
200 rhE sesſ EL, MystERY Direct, XII.
them that they are nothing, and only labour in vain. They
may as well wash the black moor white, as purge the flesh
or natural man from its vile lusts, and make it pure and
holy. It is desperately wicked, past all cure. It will un-
avoidably lust against the Spirit of God, even in the best
saints on earth, Gal. v. 17. Its mind is enmity to the
law of God; and neither is, nor can be, subject to it, Rom.
viii. 7. They who would cure it, and make it holy, by
their own resolutions and endeavours, do act quite con-
trary to the design of Christ’s death.: for he died not that
the flesh, or old natural man might be made holy : but
that it might be crucified and destroyed out of us, Rom.
vi. 6. and that we might live to God, not to ourselves,
or by any natural power of our own resolutions and en-
deavours, but by Christ living in us, and by his Spirit
bringing forth the fruits of righteousness in us, Gal. ii.
20. and v. 24, 25. Therefore we must be content to live
in the natural man vile and wicked, as we found it, until
it be utterly abolished by death; though we must not
allow its wickedness, but rather groan to be delivered
from the body of this death, thanking God that there is
Á
deliverance through Jesus Christ our Lord. Our way to
mortify sinful affections and lusts, amust be, not by purging
them out of the flesh, and by putting off the flesh itself, and
getting above into Christ by faith, and walking, in that
new nature that is by him. Thus, “the way of life is
“ above to the wise, that he may depart from hell be-
“ neath,” Prov. xv.24. Our willing, resolving, and endea-
vouring must be, to do the best, not that lieth in ourselves,
or in our own power, but that Christ and the power of his
Spirit shall be pleased to work in us; for in us, i. e. in
our flesh, there dwelleth no good thing, Rom. vii. 18.
We have great ground to trust in God and Christ for
help in such resolutions, and endeavour after holiness, as
in things that are agreeable to the design of Christ in our
redemption, and to the way of acting and living by faith.
It is likely, that Peter sincerely resolved to die with Christ,
rather than to deny him, and to do all that he could by
his own power for that end : but he made him quickly
to see the weakness and vanity of such resolutions. And
we see by experience, Whatmany resolutions made in sick-
*
Direct. XII. of SANCTIFICATION, - 30; .
ness and other dangers mostly come to. It is not enough
for us to trust on Christ, to help us to act and endeavour
so far only as creatures; for so the worst of men are help-
ed: he is the JEHOVAH in whom they live, move, and
have their being, Acts xvii. 28. And it is likely the
Pharisee would trust on God, to help him in duty, as he
would thank God for the performance of duty, Luke
xviii. 1 1. And this is all the faith that many make use
of in order to a holy practice. But we must trust on Christ,
to enable us above the strength of our own natural power,
by virtue of the new nature which we have in him, and
by his Spirit dwelling and working in us; or else our best
endeavours will be altogether sinful, and mere hypocrisy,
nothwithstanding all the help for which we trust upon him.
We must also take heed of depending for holiness upon
any resolution to walk in Christ, or any written covenants,
or any holiness, that we have already received; for we
must know, that the virtue of these things, continues no
longer than we continue walking in Christ, and he in us.
They must be kept up by the continual presence of Christ
In us; as light is maintained by the presence of the sun,
and cannot subsist without it. A *~
3. You must not seek to procure forgiveness of sins, the
favour of God, a new holy nature, life, and happiness, by
any works of the moral law, or by any rites and ceremo-
nies whatever; but rather you must work as those, who
have all these things already, according to your new state
in Christ; as such who are only to receive them more
and more by faith as they are ready prepared, treasured
up, and freely given to you, in your spiritual head, the
Lord Jesus Christ. If we walk as those who are yet
wholly to seek for the procurements of such enjoyments
as these, it is a manifest sign, that, at present, we judge
ourselves to be without them, and without himself; in
whose fulness they are all contained; and therefore we
walk according to our old natural state, as those who are
yet in the flesh, and who would get salvation in it, and by
our carnal works and observances, instead of living alto-
gether on him by faith. This practice is, according to
the tenor of the covenant of works as I have beforeshewed.
And we have no ground to trust on Christ and his Spirit,
&
202 the gospel MystERY Direct. XII,
to work holiness in us this way; for we are dead to the
legal covenant by the body of Christ, Rom. vii. 4. and
“if we are led by the Spirit we are not under the law,”
Gal. v. 18. When the Galatians were seduced by false
teachers, to seek the procurement of justification and lifeby .
circumcision, and other works of the Mosaical law, the
apostle Paul rebuketh-them for seeking to be made per-
fect in the flesh directly contrary to their good beginning
in the Spirit, for rendering Christ of none effect to them,
and, for falling from grace, Gal. iii. 3. and v. 4. And -
when some of the Collossians sought perfection in like .
manner, by observation of circumcision, holy meats, holy .
times and other rudiments of the world, the same apostle
blameth them for not holding the head Jesus Christ, and
as such as were not dead and risen with Christ, but living -
merely in the world, Col. ii. 19, 20. and iii. 1. He clear-
ly, shewed, that those who seek any saving enjoyments
in such a way, do walk according to their old natural
state; and that the true manner of living by faith in
Christ, is, to walk as those that have all fulness and per-
fection of spiritual blessings in him by faith, and need not .
seek for them any other way to procure them for them-
selves. In this sense it is a true saying; "That believers
should notact for life, but from life. They must act as those
that are not procuring life by their works, but as such who
have already received and derived life from Christ, and
act from the power and virtue received from him. And
hereby it appears, that the Papists, and all others that
think to justify, purify, sanctify, and save themselves by
any of their own works, rites or ceremonies whatever,
do walk in a carnal way, as those that are without any
present interest in Christ, and shall never attain unto holi-
- ness or happiness, until they learn a better way of reli-
4. Think not, that you can effectually incline your
heart to the immediate practice of holiness, by any such
practical principles, as serve only to bind, press, and urge
you to the performance of holy duties; but rather letsuch
principles stir you up, to go to Christ first by faith, that
- you may be effectually inclined to the immediate practice
of holiness in him by gospel principles, that strengthen
Direct, XII. or sANCTIFICATION. 203
and enable you, as well as oblige you thereunto. There -
are some practical principles, that do only bind; press, and
urge us to holy duties, by shewing the reasonableness,
equity, and necessity of our obedience, without shewing at
all how we that are by nature dead in sin, under the Wrath
of God, may have any strength and ability for the per-
formance of them : as, for instance, the authority of God
the law giver, our absolute dependence on him as our
Creator, Preserver, Governor, in whose hand, is our life,
breath and all our happiness here and for ever: his all-
seeing eye, that searcheth our heart, discerneth our very
thoughts and secret purposes: his exactjustice, in render-
ing to all according to their works; his almighty and
eternal power, to reward those that obey him, and to
punish transgressors for ever : the unspeakable joy of
heaven, and terrible damnation of hell. Such principles
as these do bind our consciences very strictly, and do work
very strongly upon the prevalent affections of hope and
fear, to press and urge our hearts to the performance of
holy duties, if we believe them assuredly, and work them
earnestly upon our hearts, by frequent, serious, lively
meditation. And therefore some account them the most
forcible and effectual means to form any virtue in the soul,
and to bring it to immediate performance of any duty,
though never so difficult; and that the life of faith con-
sisteth principally in our living to God in holiness, by a
constant belief and meditation on them. And they ac-
count those things that serve to mind them of such prin-
ciples, very effectual for holiness; as looking on the pic-
ture of death, or on a death’s head, keeping a coffin by
them ready made, walking about among the graves, &c.
But this is not that manner of living to God whereof the
apostle speaketh, when he saith, “I live, yet not I, but
“ Christ liveth in me; and the life which I live in the
“flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved
“me, and gave himself for me,” Gal. ii. 20. If a man
make use of these obliging principles, to stir him to go to
Christ for strength to act bodily, he walketh like one that
has received him as his only life by faith; and if other-
wise he only walketh like other natural men. For the
natural man may be brought to act by these principles,
r^
204 THE coser:L Mystery Direct. XII.
partly by natural light, and more fully by scripture light,
without any true knowledge of the way of salvation by
Christ, and as if Christ had never come into the world.
And he may be strictly bound by them, and vehemently
urged and pressed to holy duties; and yet all this while,
is left to his own natural strength, or rather weakness,
being not assured by any of these principles that God
would give him strength to help him in the performance
of these duties: and can do nothing aright until he get
new life and strength by Christ, by a more precious, sav-
ing faith. There would be no need of a new life and
strength by Christ if these principles were sufficient to
bring us to a holy conversation. Therefore this manner
of practice is no better than walking after the flesh, accord-
ing to our corrupt state, and seeking to be made perfect
in the flesh. No question but Paul was very diligent in
it while he was a blind Pharisee. Yea, the heathen Phi-
losophers might attain to it in some measure, by the light
of common reason. The devils have much principles, as .
they do believe assuredly ; yet they are never the better
for them. It is a part of the natural wisdom whereby the
world knew not God, not that wisdom of God in a mys-
tery discovered in the gospel, which is the only satisfying
wisdom and power of God unto Salvation. What can you
produce but corruption, by pressing with motives to holi-
ness, one that hath no soundness in him, from the soal of
the foot, even to the head, only wounds, and bruises, and
putrifying sores. He that is made truly sensible of his
own vileness and deadness by nature, will despair of ever
bringing himself to holiness by principles that afford him
no life and strength, but only lay obligations upon him, and
urge and press him to duty. What are mere obligations to
one that is dead in sin & While the soul is without spiritual
Fife, sin is the more moved and enraged by pressing and
urging upon the soul the obligations of the law, and its
commands. “ The motions of sin are by the law ;
“ and sin taking occasion by the commandment, worketh
“ in us all manner of concupiscence,” Rom. vii. 5, 8.
And yet these obliging principles are very good and ex-
cellent in this right gospel use of them ; as the apostle
S
Direct. XII. of s ANCTIFICATION. 205
faith of the law, that it is good, if it be used lawfully,
1 Tim. i. 8. The humbled sinner knoweth well his obli-
gations, but it is life and strength that he wanteth, and de-
spairing of walking according to such obligations, until
he get this life and strength by faith in Christ. There-
fore these obliging principles do move him to go, in the
first place to Christ, that so he may be enabled to answer
their end, by the strengthening and enlivening principles
of God’s grace in Christ. Some there are that make use
of gospel principles, only to oblige and urge to duty, with-
out affording any life and strength for the performance :
as they who think that Christ died and rose again to estab-
lish a new covenant of works for our salvation, and to
give us a pattern of good works by his own obedience,
rather than to purchase life, obedience, and good works
for us. Such as these do not understand and receive the .
principles of the gospel rightly : but they pervert and
abuse them, contrary to their true nature and design; and
thereby they render them as ineffectual for their sanctifi-
cation, as any other natural or legal principles.
5. Stir up and strengthen yourself, to perform the
duties of holiness, by a firm persuasion of your enjoyment
of Jesus Christ, and all spiritual and everlasting benefits
through him. Set not yourselves upon the performance
of the law, with any prevailing thoughts or apprehensions,
that you are yet without an interestin Christ, and the love
of God through him ; under the curse of the law, the .
power of sin and Satan, having no better portion than
this present world ; no better strength, than that which -
is in the purposes and resolutions of your own free will.
While such thoughts as these prevail, and influence your
actings, it is evident, that you walk according to the prin-
ciples and practices of your old natural state; and you will
be moved thereby, to yield to the dominion of sin and
Satan, to withdraw yourselves from God and godliness as .
Adam was moved, from the sight of his own nakedness,
to hide himself from God, Gen. iii. 10. Therefore your
way to a holy practice, is, first to conquer and expel such
tunbelieving thoughts, by trusting confidentiy on Christ,
and persuading yourselves by faith, that his righteousness,
Spirit, glory and all his spiritual benefits, are yours; and
‘. . ---
that he dwelleth in you, and you in him. In the might
of his confidence, you shall go forth to the performance
of the law, and you will be strong against sin and Satan,
and tible to do all things through Christ that strengthens
you. This confident persuasion is of great necessity to the
right framing and disposing our hearts to walk according
to our new state in Christ. The life of faith principally
consisteth in it. And herein it eminently appeareth, that
faith is an hand, not only to receive Christ, but also to
work by him ; and that it cannot be effectual for our
sanctification, except it contain in it some assurance of our
interest in him ; as hath been shewed. ' Thus we act as
those that are above the sphere of nature, advanced to .
union and fellowship with Christ. The apostle maintained
in his heart a persuasion that Christ had loved him, and
given himself for him ; and hereby he was enabled to live
to God in holiness, through Christ living in him by faith.
He teacheth us also, that we must maintain the like per-
suasion, if we would walk holily in Christ. We must know
... that our old man is crucified with him ; and we must
reckon ourselves dead indeed unto sin, and alive unto.
God through Jesus Christ our Lord, Rom. vi. 6, 1 1.
This is the means whereby we may be filled with the
Spirit, strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might;
which God would not require of us, if he had not appoint-
ed the means, Fph. vi. 20. Christ himself walked in the
constant persuasion of his excellent state; he set the Lord
always before him, and was persuaded, that, because God
was at his right hand he should not be moved, Psalm
xvi. 8. How should it be rationally expected, that a man
should act according to this new state, without assurance
that he is in it ! It is a rule of common prudence in all
worldly callings and conditions, that every one must
know and well consider his own state, lest he should act
. . proudly. above it, or sordidly below it. And it is a hard
thing to bring some to a right estimate of their own world-
ly condition. If the same rule were observed in spiritual
things, doubtless the knowledge and persuasion of the
glory and excellency of our new state in Christ, would
more elevate the hearts of believers above all serdid
slavery to their lusts, and enlarge them. to run cheerfully
".- . . . . ;
S.
, -, - - - A. - - - - - - - - -- - - -
… i - - - - - '' . . . . . t - . - - - ' ' ...” ... . . * * w", "... y , -
º - . • ** • ' • ' - - - - * , ‘.
- ...,' t - * , , , - . . .
Direct. XII. of 's ANCTIFICATION. . . . . 20%
in the way of God’s commandments. If Christians knew . . .
their own strength better, they would eliterprize greater -
things for the glory of God. But this knowledge is dit-
ficultly attained; it is only by faith and spiritual illumi-
nation. The best know but in part ; and hence it is, that º
the conversation of believers falleth so much below their
holy and heavenly calling. . . . . . . . . . . .
6: Consider what endowments, privileges or properties
of your new state are most meet and forcible to incline and
strengthen your heart to love God above all, and renounce
*-- all sin, and to give up yourself to universal obedience to -
his commands; and strive to walk in the persuasion of .
them, that you may attain to the practice of these great
duties. I may well join these together, because to love
the Lord with all our heart, might and soui, is the first
and great command, which influenceth to ail obedience,
with a hatred and detestation of all sin, as it is contrary
and hateful to God. The same effectual means that pro-
duceth the one, will also produce the other ; and holiness,
chiefly consisteth in these. So the chief blessings of our
holy state are most meet and forcible to enable us for the
immediate performance of them, and are to be made use
of to this end by faith. Particularly, you must believe
stedfastly, that all your sins are blotted out, and that you
are reconciled to God, and have access into his favour by
the bleod of Christ, and that he is your God and Father
and altogether love to you, and your all sufficient everlast-
ing portion and happiness through him. Such apprehen-
sions as these, do present God as a very lovely object to
our hearts, and do thereby allure and win our affections,
that cannot be forced by commands, or threatnings, but
must be sweetly won and drawn by allurements. We must
not harbour any suspicions that God would prove a ter-
rible, eyerlasting enemy to us, if we would love him': for . . .
, there is no fear in love : but perfect love casteth out fear: .
because fear hath torment: he that feareth is not made
perfect in love. ‘We love him, because he first loved us,
1 John iv. 18, 19. David loved the Lord because he
was persuaded, he was his strength, rock, fortress: his God
and the horn of his salvation, Psalm xviii. 1, 2. Love . .
that causeth obedience unto the law, must proceed from a
--- ~-
~,
- *
good conscience purged from sin; and this good consci-
ence must proceed from faith unfeigned, whereby weap-'
prehend the remission of our sins, our reconciliation with .
N God by the merits of the blood of Christ, 1 Tim. 1. 5.
Heb. ix. 14. For the same end that your hearts may be
rightly fitted and framed for the performance of these
principal duties, the holy Scripture directeth you to walk
in the persuasion of other principal endowments of your -
new state; as that you “ have fellowship with the Father,
“and with his Son Jesus Christ, 1 John i. 3. that you are
“the temple of the living God, 2 Cor. vi. 16. that you -
- “live by the Spirit, Gal. v. 25. that you are called to ho-
“liness, and created in Christ Jesús unto good works ;
“ that God would sanctify you wholly and make you per-
“fect in holiness, at the last, 1 Thess. v. 23. Eph. ii. 10.
“ That your old man is crucified with Christ; and
“through him you are dead unto sin, and alive unto
* God; and being made free from sin, you are become
“ the servants of righteousness, and have your fruit unto
“holiness, and the end everlasting life, Rora. vi. 6, 22. .
“Ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
“When Christ who is your life shalſ appear, then shall ye
“also appear with him in glory,” Col. iii. 3. 4. Such
persuasions as these, when they are deeply rooted and
constantly maintained in our hearts, do strongly arm and
encourage us to practise universal obedience, in opposition
to every sinful just ; because we lock upon it, not only .
as our duty, but our great privilege, to do all things thro’
Christ strengthening us ; and God doth certainly work in
us both to will and to do by these principles, because they
properly belong to the gospel, or New Testament, which
is the ministration of the Spirit, and the power of God
is unto salvation, 2.Cer. iii. 6, 8. Rom. i. 16. . . . . . .
7. For the performance of other duties of the law, you
are to consider, not only these endowments, privileges,
and properties of your new state, which are meet and for-
cible to enable you to the love of God, and universal obe-
... dience, but also, those who have a peculiar force and ap-
titude suitable to the special nature of stich duties; and
you must endeavour to assure yourselves of them by faith,
----- --- . ...~~

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) . . . . . . . / . . ; . . . . . . *
Direct. XII. or sanctification. 20°
that you may be encouraged and strengthened to perform
the duties. I shall give you some instances of this ºanner
of practice in several duties, whereby you may the better’.
understand how to guide yourselves in the rest. And as
to the duties of the first table, if you would draw near to
God in a duty of his worship with a true heart, you must .
do it in full assurance of faith concerning your enjoyment
of Christ and his salvation. And would you perform the ,
great duty of trusting on the Lord with all your heart,
casting your care upon him, and committing the disposal
of yourself to him in all your concerns? Persuade your- .
self through Christ, that God, according to his prêmise, ".
will never fail you nor forsake you ; that he taketh a fa-
therly care of you, that he will withhold no good thing from
you; and will make all things to work for your good.
And thus you will be strong and courageous in the prac-
|-tice of this duty; whereas, if you live in a mere suspence
concerning your interest in the privileges, you will be sub-
ject to carnal fears and carking cares, in despite of your
heart; and you will be prone to trust on the arm of flesh,
though your conscience tell you plainly, that, in so doing,
you incur the heinous guilt of idolatry. Would you be
strengthened to submit to the band of God with a cheerful
patience, in bearing any affliction, and death itself: the
way to fortify yourselves is to believe assuredly, that your
afflictions which are but for a moment, do work for you a
far more exceeding and an eternal weight of glory;
that Christ is your gain in death and life : that his
grace is sufficient for you, and his strength made perfect
in your weakness; and that he will not suffer you to be
tempted above that you are able ; and will at last make ,
you more than conquerors over all evil. Untif yola attain
to such persuasions as these, you will be prone to fret and
murmur under the burden of affliction, and to use indirect
means to deliver yourselves, notwithstanding the clearest
convictions to the contrary. Would you limit yourseives
to the observation of God’s own institutions in his wor-
ship? believe that you are complete in Christ, and have
all perfection of spiritual blessings, in him ; and that God
will build you up in him by the ordinances of his own ap-
pointment. . This will make you account his ordinances
* * *
.*.*.*- v
-
2 18 THE Gospel Mystic Rr Direct. XII.
sufficient, and men's traditions and invention needless in
the worship of God: whereas, if you do not apprehend
all fullness in Christ, you will be like the Papists, prone
to catch at every straw, and to multiply superstitious ob-
servations without end, for the supply of your spiritual
Wańts. Would you confess your sins to God, pray to him,
and praise him heartily for his benefits? Would you praise
him for affliction, as well as prosperity ? believe assuredly
that God is faithful and just to forgive your sin through
Christ; that you are made an holy priesthood, to offer
spiritual sacrifices of prayer and praises, that are accept-
able to God through him ; and that God heareth your
prayers, and will fulfil them, so far as they are good for
you ; and that all God’s ways are mercy and truth to-
Ward you, whether he prosper or afflict you in this life.
If you be altogether in doubt, or otherwise persuaded,
concerning these privileges, all your confessions, prayers
and praises will be but heartless lip labours, slavish or
pharisaical works. In like manner, if you be enabled to
hear and receive the word as the word of God, and to
meditate on it with delight; then you will be willing to
know the strictness and spirituality of the commands of
God, and to try and examine your ways impartially by
them, if you believe assuredly, that the words is the power
of God unto Salvation; and that Christ is our great phy-
ician, willing and able to heal you, be the case never so
bad; and where your sin abounds his grace towards you
doth so much the more abound; whereas, without these
comfortable apprehensions, all the works of hearing, me-
ditation, self-examination, will be but uncouth, heartless
works, and they will be performed negligently, and by
halves or hypocritically, and out of slavish fear with much
reluctancy, without any good will or readiness of mind.
So also, for the right receiving the sacrāments, you will
find yourself much strengthened by believing, that you,
may have communion with God and Christ in them,
and that you may have a great High Priest to bear the
iniquity of your holy things and to make you for ever ac-
cepted before the Lord. | - - - -
In the same way you are to apply yourselves to all
duties towards your neighbour required in the second
Direct. XII. of SANGTIFICATION. 211
table of the law, by acting in a persuasion of such privileges
of your new state, as have a peculiar force to encourage
- and strengthen you for the performance of them. That
you may love your neighbour as yourself and do to him
in all things as you would he should do to you, without
partiality and séïf seeking; that you may give him his
due honour and abstain from injuring him in his life, chase
tity, worldly estate, good name, or from coveting anything
that is his, according to the several commands in the se-
cond table of the decalogue: you must walk in a persuasioſi
not only that these things are just and equitable toward
your fellow creatures, and that you are strictly bound to .
the performance of them ; but that they are the will of
your heavenly Father, who hath begotten you according
to his own image in righteousness and true holiness, and
hath given you his Spirit, that you may be like minded to
him in all things: and they are the mind of Christ who
dwelleth in you, and you in him; that God in Christ
are kind, tender hearted, long suffering, and full of good-
ness to men, whether good or bad, friends or enemies,
poor or rich, and that he came into the world, not to
destroy but to save : and that you are of the same spirit:
that the injuries done to you by your neighbours, can do -
you no harm; and you need not seek any good for your-
selves by injuring them, because you have all desirable
happiness in Christ; and all things, though intended by
your enemies for your hurt, certainly work for your good, ,
through him. Such apprehensions as these wrought in
us by the Spirit of faith do certainly beget in us a right
frame of spirit, thoroughly furnished for ever good work
towards your neighbour. Likewise your hearts will be
purified to unfeigned love of the brethern in Christ, and
you will walk toward them with all lowliness, meekness,
long suffering, forbearing one another in love, if you
maintain a steadfast belief and persuasion of those mani-
fold bonds of love whereby you are inseparably joined with
them through him ; as particularly, that there is one
body, and one Spirit, one hope of your calling, one Lord,
one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who
is above all, and through all, and in you all. Finally,
you will be able to abstain from all fleshly and worldly
12 THE Gospel MystERY Direct. XII.
<-
lusts, that war against the soul, and hinder all godliness,
g
by an assured persuasion, not merely that gluttony, drun-
kenness, lechery, are filthy swinish abominations: and
that the pleasures, profits and honours of the world, are
vain; empty things; but that you are crucified to the flesh
and the world, and quickened, raised, and sit in heavenly
places, together with Christ, and that you have pleasures,
tº profits, honours, in him, to which the best things in the
world are not worthy to be compared; and that you
are members of Christ, the temple of his Spirit, citizens
of heaven, children of the day, not of the night, nor of
darkness, so that it is below your state and dignity to
practise deeds of darkness, and mind fleshly worldly things.
Thus I have given instances enough, to stir you up to ac-
quaint yourselves with the manifold endowments, privi-
leges, properties of your new state in Christ, as they are
discovered in the gospel of your salvation, whereby the
new nature is fitted for holy operations; as the cemmon
nature of man is furnished with the endowments necessa-
ry for those functions and operations to which it is design-
ed; and also to stir you up, to make use of them by faith,
as they serve to strengthen you either for universal obe-
dience, or for particular duties. And, by this manner
of walking, your hearts will be comforted, and establish-
ed in every good word and work; and you will grow
in holiness, until you attain unto perfection in Jesus Christ.
, 8. If you endeavour to grow in grace, and in all ho-
liness, trust assuredly that God will enable you by this
manner of walking, to do every thing that is necessary
for his glory, and your own everlasting salvation; and
that he will graciously accept of that obedience through -
Christ, which you are enabled to perform according to
the measure of . and pardon your failings, tho’
you offend in many-t . -
as to degrees of holiness and high acts of obedience. And
therefore attempt not the performance of duty, in any

hings, and fall short of many others,
other way, though you cannot yet attain to do so much as
you would in this way. This is a necessary instruction
to establish us in the life of faith, that the sense of our
manifold failings and defects may not move us either to
-->
despair, or to return to the use of carnal principles and
Direct. XII. . . . of SANctIFICATIeN. . . . . 213
means, for help against our corruptions, as account
ing this way of living and acting by faith to be insuffi-
cient for our sanctification and salvation. The apostle
Paul exhorts the Galatians to walkin the Spirit, tho’ the
flesh lusts against the Spirit, so that they cannot do the
things that they would, Gal. v. 16, 17. We are to
know, that though the law requireth of us the utmost
perfection of holiness, yet the gospel maketh an allow-
ance for our weakness, and Christ is so meek and lowly
in heart, that he accepteth of that which our weak faith
can attain to by his grace, and doth not exact or expect
any more of us for his glory and our salvation, until we
grow stronger in grace. God sheweth his greatindulgence
to his people under the Old Testament, that Moses the
lawgiver suffered them because of the hardness of their
hearts, to put away their wives, tho’ from the beginning
it was not so, Matth. xix. 8. and also in tolerating the
customary practice of Polygamy. Tho' Christ will not
tolerate the continuance of such practices in his church,
since the Spirit is more pientifully poured forth under the
*
gospel : yet he is as forward as ever, to bear with the
failings of his weak saints who desire to obey him sin-
cerely. We have another instance of God’s indulgence,
more full to our present purpose, in his commanding
that the fearful and faint hearted should not be forced to
enter into battle against their enemies, but suffered to ".
return home to their houses; tho’ fighting in battle
against their enemies, without fear and faint heartedness,
was a duty that God did much exercise his people in, at . .
that time, Deut. xx. 3, 8. So under the gospel, though
it be an eminent part of Christ's service, to endure the "
greatest fight of afflictions, and death itself courageously,
for his name's sake; yet if any be so weak in faith, that
-- they have not sufficient courage to venture into the bat- .
tie, no doubt but Christ alloweth them to make use of
any honest means whereby they may escape the hands of
persecutors, with safety to their holy profession. He will lº
accept them in this weaker kind of service, and will ap- - -
prove of them better than if they should hazard a denial
of his name, by venturing themselves upon the trial of
matyrdom, when they might have escaped it. Peter
2
~ s--- ' ' '
2 14 rh E Gospel MystERY Direct. XII.
came off with sin and shame, by venturing beyond the .
measure of his faith, into the hands of his persecutors,
when he went after Christ to the High Priest's hall;
whereas he should rather have made use of that indulgent
demission that Christ gave to him and the rest of his dis-
ciples: “Let these go their way,” John xviii. 8. Christ
dealeth with his people as a good careful shepherd, that
will not over drive his sheep; “He shall gather the
“lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and
“shall gently lead those that are with young,” Isa. xl.
11. He would not have his disciples urged rigorously up-
on the duty of fasting, when their spirits were unfit for
it ; because he knew, that imposing duties above their
strength, is like putting a piece of new cloth into an old
garment, and new wine into old bottles; which spoileth
all at last, Matt, ix. 14, 15, 16, 17. That precept of So-
lomon, “Be not righteous overmuch,” Eccles. vii. 16.
is very useful and necessary, if rightly understood. We
are to beware of being too rigorous in exacting righte-
ousness of ourselves and others, beyond the measure of
faith and grace. Overdoing commonly proveth undoing.
Children who venture on their feet beyond their strength,
have many a fall ; and so have babes in Christ, when
they venture unnecessarily upon such duties as are beyond
the strength of their faith. We should be content, at
present to do the best that we can, according to the mea-
sure of the gift of Christ, though we know. that others
are enabled to do much better; and we are not to de-
spise the day of small things, but to praise God that he
worketh in us any thing that is well pleasing in his sight,
hoping that he will sanctify us throughout, and bring us
at last to perfection of holiness through Jesus Christ our
Lord. And we should carefully observe in all things,”
that good lesson of the apostle, “Not to think of our-
“selves more highly than we ought to think; but to
“think soberly according as God hath dealt to every
“man the measure of faith,” Rom. Xii. 3.
Yirect. XIII. or sANCTIFICATIow. 21s
- DIRECTION XIII.
Endeavour diligently to make the right use of a Means'
appointed in the Word of God, for the obtaining
and practising Holiness, only in this Way of be-
lieving in Christ, and walking in him, according
to your new State by Faith. - *.
EXPLICATION. . # ,
THIS might have been added to the instructions in
the explication of the former direction, because its use is
the same, to guide usin the mysterious manner of practising
holiness in Christ, by the life of faith; but the weight and
comprehensiveness of it, maketh it worthy to be treated of
by itself, as a distinct direction. Two things are observable
In it. * - - . . . . -
First, That though all holiness be effectually attained
by the life of faith in Christ, yet the use of any means ap-
pointed in the word for attaining and promoting holi-
ness, is not hereby made void, but rather established.
This is needful to be observed against the pride and ig-
norance of some carnal gospellers, who being puffed up
with a conceit of their feigned faith, imagine themselves
to be in such a state of perfection, that they are above all
ordinances, except singing hallelujahs; and also against
the Papists, who run into the contrary extreme, by heap-
ing together a multitude of means of holiness, which God
never Commanded, neither ever came they into his heart,
and who slander the Protestant doctrine of faith and free
grace, as if it tended to destroy ail diligent use of the
means of holiness and Saivation, and to breed up a com-
pany of lazy Soliñdians. We do indeed assert and pro-
fess, that a true and lively faith, in Christ is alone suffici-.
ent and effectual, through the grace of God, to receive
him and all his fulness so far as is necessary in this life,
for our justification, sanctification, and eternal salvation,
but yet we also assert, and profess, that several means are
appointed of Cod for the begetting, maintaining and in-
creasing this faith, and the acting and exercising it, in
order to tile attainment of its end ; and that these means
,--
316 THE Gesprl MystERY Direct. XIII.
are to be used diligently, which are mentioned in the se-
quel. True believers find, by experience, that their faith
needeth such helps; and they that think themselves abové
any need of them, do reject the counsel of God against
themselves, like to those proud Pharisees and lawyers,
who thought it a thing beneath them, and refused to be
baptized of John, Luke vii. 30. Yet we account no means
necessary or lawful to be used for the attainment of holi-
ness, besides those that are appointed by God in his word.
We know, that holiness is a part of our Salvation: and
therefore they who think men may. or can invent any
means effectually for the attainment of it, do ascribe their
salvation partly to men, and rob God of his glory in being
our only Saviour ; and they do thereby plainiy shew, that
though they “draw nigh unto God with their mouth,
“ and honour him with their lips ; yet thcir hearts are
“ far from him. And in vain do they worship him, teach-
“ing for doctrines the commandments of men,” Matth.
xv. 7, 8, 9. - . . . -
The SECOND thing observable, and principally design-
ed, in this direction, is “the right manner of using all
“ the means of holiness,” for the obtaining and practising
it no other way besides that of believing in Christ, and
walking in him according to our new state by faith ; waich
hath been already demonstrated to be the only way where-
by we may effectually attain to this great end. We must
use thern as helps to the life of faith, in its beginning,
continuance and growth ; and as instruments subservi-
ent to faith, the principal instrument, in all its acts and
exercises, whereby the soul receiveth Christ, and walketh
in all holiness by him. We must beware, lest we use them.
rather in opposition than in subordination to the way of
sanctification and salvation by free grace in Christ, through
faith; and lest, by our abuse of them, they be made ra-
ther hindrances than helps to our faith. We must not
idolize any of the means, and put them into the place of
Christ, as the Papist’s do, by trusting in them ; as if they
were effectual to confer grace to the soul, by the work
that is done in the use of them. Neither may we use
them as works of righteousness, to be performed as con-
ditions for the procuring the favour of God, and the sal-
3-43.4%
Direct. XIII. of sanctific ATION. 217'
vation of Christ. Neither must they be accounted so ab-
solutely necessary to salvation; as if a true faith were void
and of none effect, when we are debarred from the en-
joyment of several of them. The holy scriptures, with
all the means of grace appointed therein, are able to
make us wise unto salvation, no other way than by faith
in Jesus Christ, 2 Tim. iii. 15. And therefore our
wise endeavour must be, not to use them in any opposi-
tion to the grace of God in Christ. For God’s ordinances
are like the cherubims of glory, made with their faces
looking towards the mercy seat. They are made to guide
us to Christ for salvation by faith, alone. If any turn
them to another use, it is a great violation of divine in-
stitutions; as if any sacrilegious person had presumed
to turn the faces of the cherubims from the mercy seat
some other way. This right use of the means of grace, is
a point wherein many are ignorant, that use them with
great zeal and diligence ; and thereby they do not only
lose their labour, and the benefit of the means, but also
they wrest and pervert them to their own destruction. The
Jews under the law of Moses, enjoyed many more ordi-
nances of worship than we do under the gospel; but their
table became their snare, and they fell miserably from God
and Christ, because the “veil of ignorance was upon
“ their hearts,” that they could not jook to the end of
those ordinances, even to the Lord Jesus Christ; and they
sought not salvation by faith, but by the ordinances, as
works of righteousness, and by other works of the law ;
for “they stumbled at the stumbling stone,” Rom. ix.
31, 32. and x. 4, 5. 2 Cor. iii. 13, 14. That you
may not stumble and fall by the same pernicious error, I -
shall shew particularly how several of the principal means
of holiness appointed in the word of God, are to be made
use of in that right manner expressed in the direction.
1. We must endeavour diligently to know the word.
of God contained in the holy scripture, and to improve it
to this end, that we may be made wise unto salvatiºn,
through faith which is in Christ Jesus, 1 Tim. iii. 15.
Other means of salvation are necessary to the more abun-
dant well being of our faith, and of our new state in Christ;
218 ºr HE Gospel MystERY Direct. XIII,
- -
but this is absolutely necessary to the very being thereof; |
because faith cometh by hearing the word of God, and
receiveth him as manifested by the word ; as I have be-,
fore proved. Rahab the Canaanite was justified by faith,
before she had any visible communion with the church in
any of God’s ordinances; yet liot without the word of
God, even the same word, for substance, which was writ-
ten in the scriptures, and was then extant in the book of
Moses; though that word was not brought to her by any .
book of holy scripture, not by the preaching of any holy
minister, but by the report of the heathens, Josh. ii. 9, 11.
Buthere our great work must be, to get such a knowledge
of the word, as is necessary and sufficient to guide us in
the receiving Christ, and walking in him by faith. You
must not be of their minds that think the knowledge of
*
the ten commandments to be sufficient to salvation, or
that would have mysteries to remain hid from the under-
standing of the vulgar, and nothing to be preached to
them but what they can readily assent to, and receive by
the light that is in all men ; of which mind, it may be,
some ministers are, who unwittingly agree with the Qua-
kers in a fundamental of their heresy. But you must en-
deavour chiefly, to know the mystery of the Father and
the Son, as it is discovered in the gospel, wherein are
hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, Col. ii.
of it, is death eternal, John xvii. 3. 2 Cor. iv. 3. You
must know, that “Christ is the end of the law,” Rom.
x. 4. and therefore you must endeavour to know the
commands of the law; flot that you may be enabled, by
that knowledge, to practise them immediately, and so to
procure salvation by your works; but rather, by your
knowledge of them, you may be anade sensible of your
inability to perform them, and that the enmity that is in
your heart against them; and the wrath that you are un-
der for breaking them, and the impossibility of being saved
by your own works; that so you may fly to Christ for "
fication, and strength to fulfil the law acceptably through
2, 3, which to know is life eternal, and the ignorance,
refuge, and trust only to the free grace of God for justi-
him in your conversation. And for this end, you rºust.
endeavour to learn the utmost strictness of the commands,
Direct. XIII. of s ANCTIFICATION. 219
the exact perfection and spiritual purity which they re-
quire, that you may be the more convinced of sin, and
stirred up to seek unto Christ for remission of sin, for pu-
rity of heart and spiritual obedience, and be brought near-
er to the enjoyment of him; as he testifieth, that the
Scribe who understood the greatness of that command of
t
s
“ loving the Lord with all the heart and soul, was not
“far from the kingdom of God,” Matt. xii. 34. The
most effectual knowledge for your salvation, is, to under-
• *, *, ***
staid these two points; the desperate sinfulness and mi-
sery of your own natural condition, and the alone suffici-
ency of the grace of God in Christ for your salvation ; that
& O -
you may be abused as to the flesh, and exalted in him
alone. And, for the better understanding these two main
points, you should jearn how the first Adam was the figure
of the second, Rom. v. 14. how sin and death came up-
on all the natural seed of the first Adam, by his disobe-
die.ce in eating the forbidden fruit, and how righteous-
ness and everlasting iife come tºpon aſ the Spiritual seed of
the second Adam, Jesus Christ by his obedience unto
death, even the death of the cross. You also should learn
the true difference between the two covenants, the old
and the new, or the law and the gospel : that the former
shºtteth us up under the guilt and power of sin, and the
wrath of God and his curse, by its rigorous terms, “Do
“all the commandments, and live; and cursed are you,
“if ye do them not, and fall in the least point ;” the latter
openeth the gates of righteousness and life to all believers.
(i. e. the new covenant) by its gracious terms, “ B2- .
“lieve in the lord Jesus Christ, and live,” i. e. AH your
sins shall be forgiver, and holiness and glory shall be
given to you freely by his merit and Spirit. Further-
more you should learn the gospel principles that you
are to walk by, for the attainment of holiness in Christ.
And here I shall mind you particularly, that you would
be a good proficient in Christian learning, if you get a
- > - - 13, you get
good understanding of the 6th and 7th chapters of the
apostle Paul to the Romans; where the powerful principles
of sanctification are purposely treated of, and differenced
from those weak and ineffectual principles, which we are
220 THE Gospel MystERY Direct. XIII.
most naturally prone to walk by. I need not particular-
ly commend any other points of religion to your learning;
for, if you get the knowledge of these principal points,
which I have mentioned, and improve it to a right end,
which is, to live and walk by faith in Christ, your own
renewed mind will covet the knowledge of all other
things that appertain to life and godliness; and, if in
any thing you be otherwise minded than is according to
saving truth, “God shall reveal even this unto you,” Phil.
iii. 15. Yet let me caution you, lest instead of gaining
Christ by your knowledge, you rather lose him, by putting
your knowledge in the place of Christ, and trusting on it
for your salvation. One cause of the Jews perishing was,
that they rested on a form of knowledge, and of the truth
in the law, Rom. ii. 20. And, doubtless, all that many
Christians will gain by their knowledge in the end, will
only be, to be beaten with more stripes, because they
place their religion and salvation chiefly in the knowledge
of their Lord’s will, and in their ability to talk and dis-
pute of it, without preparing themselves to do according
thereunto, Luke xii. 47. Much less are you to place
your religion, and hope of salvation, in a daily task o
reading chapters, or repeating sermons, without under-
standing more than the Papists do their lessons in the La-
tin mass, and canonical hours; as sad experience sheweth,
that many seemingly devout and frequent hearers of the
word, do notwithstanding remain in lamentable and won-
derful ignorance of the saving truth. And in them is
fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, “ That in hearing, they
“shall hear, and not understand; and, in seeing, they
“shall see,” &c. Matth. xiii. 14, 15.
2. Another means to be used diligently for the pro-
moting the life of faith, is, examination of our state and
ways according to the word; whether we be, at present,
in a state of sin and wrath, or of grace and salvation ;
that, if we be in a state of sin, we may know our sickness,
and come to the great Physician, while it is called to
day : and, if we be in a state of grace, we may know
that we are of the truth, and assure our hearts before God,
with the greater confidence, by the testimony of a good
conscience. 1 John iii. 19. that so our hearts may be
Direct. XIII. or sANCTIFICATION. 221
more strongly comforted by faith, and established in eve-
ry good work; and that, if our ways be evil, we may
turn from them to the Lord our God through Christ;
without whom none cometh to the Father, Lam. iii. 40.
John xiv. 6. But your great care, in this work of self-
examination, must be, to perform it in such a manner,
that it may not hinder and destroy the life of faith, as it
doth in many, instead of promoting it. Therefore be-
ware lest ye trust upon your Self-examination, rather
than upon Christ; as some do, that think they have made
their peace with God, merely because they have examined
themselves upon their sick bed, or before the receiving of
the Lord’s supper, though they have found themselves
stark naught, and do not depend on Chiist, to make thern
better, but on their own deceitful purposes and resolutions.
Think not that you must begin this work with doubting
whether God will extend mercy to you, and save you;
and that you must leave this a question wholly under de-
bate, until you have found out how to resolve it by self-
examination. This is a common and very pernicious er-
ror in the very foundation of this work, which is hereby
laid in the great sin of unbelief; which, as soon as it pre-
valleth, doth, by its great influence, dash and obscure
all inward gracious qualifications of peace, hope, joy,
love to God and his people, before they be at all tried,
whether they can give any good evidence for their salva-
tion. And it makes people willing to think their own
qualifications better than they are, lest they should fall
into an utter despair of their salvation ; and thus it
wholly marreth the good work of self-examination, and
maketh it destructive to our souls; for to them that
are defiled and unbelieving, there is nothing pure. Tit.
i. 15. You should rather begin the work with much as-
surance of faith, that though you may at present find your
heart never so wicked and reprobate, (as many of God’s
choicest servants have found,) yet the door of mercy is open
for you, and that God will certainly save you for ever, if
you put your trust in his grace through Christ. I have
formerly shewed, that this confident persuasion is of the
nature of saving faith, and that we have sufficient ground
- T 2 – ,
222 THE Gospel MystERY Direct. XIII.
for it in the free promises of the gospel, when we walkin
darkness, and can see no lightshining forth in our graci-
ous qualifications. If we begin the work with this con-
fidence, it will make us impartial, and not afraid to find
out the worst of ourselves, and willing to judge, that our
hearts are deceitful above all things, and desperately
wicked, beyond what we can find out, Jer. xvii. 9. And
if we have any holy qualifications, this confidence will
preserve them in their vigour and brightness, that they
may be able to give clear evidence, that we are at present
in a state of grace. Mark well the difference between
those two questions, Whether God will graciously accept
and save me, though a vile sinner, through Christ; as
before wasfsaid, and whether I am already brought in-
to a state of salvation ? The former of these, I say, is to
be resolved affirmatively by a confident faith in Christ;
the latter is only to be inquired into by self-examination.
Mispend not your time, as many do, in poring upon your
hearts, to find whether you be good enough to trust on
Christ for your salvation, or to find whether you have
any faith, before you dare be so bold as to act faith in
him. But know, that though you cannot find that you
have any faith or holiness, yet, if you will now believe
on him that justifieth the ungodly, it shall be accounted
to you for righteousness, Rom. iv. 5. And if you love
Christ, and your own soul, mispend not your time in
examining, whether you have committed the unpardon-
able sin against the Holy Ghost, except it be with a full
purpose, to assure yourself, more and more, that you are
not guilty thereof; for any doubtfulness in this point, will
but harden you in unbelief. Remember well, that the
question to be resolved, is, whether you be at present in a
state of grace? and to resolve it, you must be willing to
know the best of yourself, as well as the worst : and you
must not think, that humility bindeth you to overlook your
good qualifications, and to take notice only of your cor- .
ruptions. But your great work must be, to find whether
there be not some drop of saving grace in the ocean of
your corruption? And it will consist well with humility,
to take notice of, and own any true spark of holiness that
is in you; because the praise and glory of it belongeth not
>
• º
Direct. XIII. or sANGTIFICATION. 22s
to you, but to God, Phil. i. 11. And you must try in-
herent grace by the touch stone, not by the measure ; by
its nature, not its degree ; nor denying any lustings of
the spirit in you, because of the strong lustings of the flesh
against the spirit: or denying that you are spiritual in
some degree, and babes in Christ, because you find your-
selves carnal in a more prevailing degree, and the old
man bigger than the new, Gal. v. 17. 1 Cor. ii. 1.
Especially you are to examine and prove, whether you
be in the faith. For, if you make sure of this, you make -
sure of all the things that pertain to life and godliness; and,
if you doubt of this, you will certainly doubt of the truth
of any other qualifications, and will suspect them to be
merely carnal and counterfeit; because it is a known
truth, that to the unbelieving there is nothing pure and
that all that have not truly received Christ by faith, are
at present in an unregenerate state, though they seem ne-
ver so pure and godly, 2 Cor. xiii. 5. Tit. i. 15. And
let not the issue of this trial depend at all upon your
knowledge of the time when, or of the sermon, con-
ference, or place of scripture, by which you were first
converted, to the faith; though that is good to know
too, if it may be. And some who have formerly lived
in gross-ignorance, or in a manifest opposition to true
faith and holiness, may know such circumstances of their
conversion, and may reflect upon them comfortably, as
the apostle Paul did, who was turned of a sudden, from
his persecuting rage, to be a disciple and an apostle of
Christ; yet others, sincere believers, may be wholly ig-
norant of them, as John the Baptist, who was filled with
the Holy Ghost from his mother’s womb, Luke' i. 15.
and they that have been trained up religiously, and know
the holy scripture from their childhood, as Timothy,
2 Tim. iii. 15. yea, and many that are first turned from
gross ignorance and profaneness, to some external re-
formation, and then, in process of time, brought nearer
to the kingdom of heaven, by insensible degrees, before
they be really new begotten by the spirit of faith. There
are also some that deceive their souls, by imagining,
they know, at what time, and by what text of scripture,
they were converted, and can make large discourses of
. .
224 the gospel, Mystery Direct. XIII.
the workings of God upon their hearts, and are prone to
taſk unseasonably, with vain giorying, of their own ex-
periences: when, at last, all their experiences are not
: sufficient to evidence, that they are attained to the least
-- measure of true saving faith. . . . . . . .
. Therefore, that we may not unjustly condemn or justi-
fy our faith, by proceeding on insufficient evidences in its
trial; our best way is, to examine it by the inseparable
properties of a true saving faith, by putting to ourselves
, such questions as these : Are we made thoroughly sensi-
ble of our sinfulness, and of the deadness and misery of
our natural state, so as to despair absolutely of ever attain-
ing to any righteousness, holiness, or true happiness,
while we continue in it? Are the eyes of our understand-
ing enlightened, to see the excellency of Christ, and the
alone sufficiency and all sufficiency of his grace for our
salvation? Do we prefer the enjoyment of him above aſſ
things, and desire it with our whole heart, as our only
happiness, whatsoever we may suffer for his sake? Do we
desire with our whole heart, to be delivered from the
power and practice of sin, as well as from the wrath of
God, and the pains of hell ? Do our hearts come to
Christ, and lay hold on him for salvation, by trusting him .
only, and endeavouring to trust on him confidently, not-
* . withstanding all fears and doubts that assaultus? If you
find in yourself asfaith that hath these properties, though
as small as a grain of mustard seed, and opposed with much
unbelief and manifold corruptions in your soul, you may
conclude that you are in a state of salvation at present,
and that your remaining work is, to continue and grow
in it more and more, and to walk worthy of it. You
should also examine the fruits of your faith, and try
whether you can, “shew your faith by your works,” as
you are taught, James ii. 18. that you may be sure not
to be deceived in your judgment concerning it. And
though it be true, as I have noted, that doubts concern-
ing your faith will breed doubtings concerning the sinceri- .
ty of other qualifications that are fruits thereof; yet pos-
sibly you may get such clear evidences of your sincerity,
as may overcome and expet all your doubts. And here
you are not only to enquire, whether your inclinations,
Direct. XIII. of sANCTIFICATION. 223
~
Fº affections and actions, be materially good and
holy; but also, by what principles they are bred and in-
—fluenced 3 whether it be by slavish fears of hell, and mer-
cenary hopes of getting heaven by your works, which
are legal and carnal principles that can never breed true
holiness: or by gospel principles as by love to God, be-
cause God hath loved you first, and to Christ, because he
hath died; and by the hopes of eternal life, as the free
gift of God through him, and dependence on God, to
sanctify you by his Spirit according to his promises: Re-
member, that the New Testament is the ministration of
the Spirit, 2 Cor. iii. 6, and the Spirit will sanctify us,
not by legal, but by gospel principles. Take notice, far-
ther, that you need not trouble yourself, to find out a
multitude of marks and signs of true grace, if you can
find a few good ones. Particularly, you may know,
that “you are passed from death to life, if you love the
brethren,” I John iii. 14. i. e. If you love all whom
you can in charity judge to be true believers, and that
because they are true believers, and for the truth’s sake,
that dwelleth in them. As Solomon discerned the true
mother of the child, by her very great affection to-
wards her child; so the mother grace of faith may
be discerned by the love that it breeds in us toward all
true believers. To conclude this point, happy are you if
you can find so much evidence of the fruits of your faith, as
may enable you to express your sincerity in these mode-
rate terms, “Pray for us: for we trust we have a good
“conscience; in all things willing to live honestly,” Heb.
3. Meditation on the word of God is of very great use
and advantage for the attainment and practice of holiness
through faith in Christ. It is a duty whereby the soul
doth feed and ruminate upon the word as its spiritual
food, and digesteth it and turneth it into nourishment,
whereby we are strengthened for every good work. Our
souls are satisfied therewith, as with marrow and fatness;
when we remember God upon our beds, and meditate on
him in the night watches, Psal. lxiii. 5, 6. The new
nature may well be called the mind, Rom. vii. 25. Be-
cause it liveth and acteth, by minding and meditating on
spiritual things. Therefore it is a duty to be practised,
226 A
THE cospiti, MystERY Direct. XIII.
cernment iles, in practising this duty in such a manner, as
that it may be subservient, and not at all opposite to the
t
not only at some limited times, but all the day, Psalm
cºix. 97 yea day and night, Psalmi, 2. even in our or-
dinary employments at home and abroad. An habitual
knowledge of the word will not profit us, without an ac-
tive minding it by frequent meditation. Some think,
that much preaching of the word is not needful, where a
people are already brought to the knowledge of those
things that are necessary to salvation. But they who are
regenerated by the word, find by experience, that their
spiritual life is maintained and increased by often minding
the same word; and therefore, “as new born'babes they
“ desire the sincere milk of the word, that they may grow
“ thereby,” I Pet. ii. 2. and would by the preachers, be
put often in remembrance of the same things tº at they
imay feed upon them by meditation, though they know
them already, and are “established in the present truth,”
2 Pet. i. 12. But here our greatest skill and chief con-
life of faith. We must not rely upon the performance of
a daily task of meditation, as a work of righteousness for
the procurement of the favour of God, instead of relying
of the righteousness of Christ; as indeed we are prone
to do, to catch at any straw, rather than to trust only on
the free grace of God in him for our salvation. And the
end of our meditation must-not be mere speculation and
knowledge of the truth, but rather the vigorous pressing
it upon our consciences, and the stiring up our hearts and
affections to the practice of it. And, in stiring up ourselves
to an holy practice, we must warily observe, how far the
several parts of the truth of God are powerful and effec-
tual to the attainment of this end, that we may make use
of them accordingly. We must not imagine, as too many
do, yea, and some great masters in the art of meditation,
that we can bring our hearts effectually to the love of God,
and holiness, can work strange alterations, and frame
… in our hearts any holy qualifications or virtue, merely by
working in ourselves strong apprehensions of God’s eter-
nal power and godhead, his sovereign authority, omni-
science, perfect holines, exactjustice, the equity of his law,
and reasonableness of our obedience to it; the unspeak-
~.
Direct. XIII. or sANGTIFICATION. . . . 227
able happiness prepared for the godly, and misery to the
wicked, to all eternity. Meditation on such things, as
these, is indeed very useful to press upon our Conscienges
the strictness of our obligation to holy duties, and to move
us to go by faith to Christ, for life and strength to-per-
form them. But, that we may receive this life and
strength, whereby we are enabled for immediate per-,
formance, we must meditate believingly on Ciuist’s sav-
ing benefits, as they are discovered in the gospel; which
is the only doctrine which is the power of God to our sal-
vation, and whereby the puickening spirit is ministered to
us, and that is able to build us up, and give us an inherit-
ance among all them who are sanctified, Rom. i. 16.
2 Cor. iii. 6. Acts xx. 32. You must take special care
to act faith in your meditation, mix the word of God’s
grace with it, or eise it will not profit you, Heb. iv. 2, And,
if you set the loving kindness ºf God frequently before
your eyes, by meditating, on it believingly, you will be
strengthened to walk in the truth, Psalm xxvi. 3. and by
“beholding as in a glass, the glory of the Lord, you
&
“will be changed into the same image, from glory to
“glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” 2 Cor. iii. 18.
This kind of meditation is sweet, and delightful to
those that aré, guided to it by the Spirit of faith;
and it needs not the help of such artificial metrods
as the vulgar cannot easily learn. You may let your
to any rules of method. You will find your souls much
enlivened by it, and enriched with the grace of God;
which cannot be effected by any kind of meditation,
though it be never so methodical, and curiously framed
according to the rules of art. . .
fe - 1 -
, 4: The sacrament of baptism must needs be of great use.
* * * * *
to promote the life of faith, if it be made use of according
... to its nature and institution; because it is a seal of the
righteousness of faith, as a circumcision was formerly,
Rom. iv. 11. But then we must take heed of making it a seal
of the contrary righteousness of works; as the carnal Jews
did, that sought to be justified by the law of Moses; and
as many Christians do, that transform the new covenant
into a covenant of works, requiring sincere obedience to
228. rHE gospel Mysºrºry Direct. XIII.
*.
- all the laws of Christ, as the condition of our justification 3.
into which new devised covenant—they think themselves
to be entered by their baptism. I may say of baptism
thus perverted and abused, as the apostie saith of circum-
cision, “Baptism verily profiteth, if thou keep the law;
“but, if thou be a breaker of the law, thy baptism is
“made no baptism,” Rom. ii. 25. If thou be baptised,
so long as thou continuest in the abuse of that holy ordi-
nance, “ Christ shall profit you nothing; he is become of
“none effect to you; ye are fallen from grace,” Gal. v.
. . * * * *
2, 4. Beware also of making an idol of baptism, and
putting it in the place of Christ as the Papists do, who
hold that it concerneth grace by the very work that is per-
formed in the administration of it; and as many ignorant
- .. - w 9 ***
people do, that trust rather on their baptism, than on him ;
like the pharisees, who placed their confidence on circum-
cison, and other external privileges, Phil. iii. 4, 5.
We are to know, that God is not well pleased with many
that are baptised, 1 Cor. x. 2, 5. and the time will
come, when he will punish the baptised with the unbap-
tised, as well as the circumcised with the uncircumcised,
Jer. ix. 25. Beware also of advancing baptism to an
equal partnership with faith in your salvation; as some
do, who account aſ baptism as null and void, besides that
which is administered to persons grown up to years of
discretion; and tiley that refuse to be rebaptised at those
years, are to be accounted aliens from the true church,
from Christ and his salvation, notwithstanding all their
faith in him. If the baptism of infants were null and
void; yet the want of true baptism would be no damn-
ing matter to those that are otherwise persuaded. Circum-
cision was as necessary as baptism in its time; and yet
the Israelites omitted it for the space of forty years in the
wilderness, without fearing, that they should fall short of .
salvation for want of it, Josh. v. 6, 7. Many precious
saints in the primitive times of persecution, having gone
to heaven through a baptism of suffering for the name of
Christ, before they had opportunity to be baptised with
water. And, in those ancient times, when the custom of
defering baptism too much prevailed, we are not to think
that none were in a state of salvation by faith in Carist
Direct. XIII. of sanctific ATION. 229 º'
that deferred that ordinance, or neglected it. Take no- -
tice, further, that it is not sufficient to avoid the perni-
cious errors of those that pervert baptism, contrary to its
institution; but you must be also diligentin improving it
to the ends for which it was instituted. And here let me
desire you to put the question seriously to your souls,
What good use do you make of your baptism : How often,
or seldom, do you think upon it? The vulgar sort of
Christians, yea, it may be feared, many sincere converts,
do so fittie think upon their own baptism, and study to
make a due improvement of it, that it is of no more profit
to their souls than if they never had been baptized; yea,
their sin is the more aggravated, by rendering such an or-
dinance of none effect to their souls thro’ their own gross
neglect. Though baptism be administered to us but once
in our lives; yet we ought frequently to reflect upon it,
and on all occasions to put the question to ourselves, Unto
what were we baptized Acts xix. 3. What does this
ordinance seal? what did it engage us to ? And accord-
ingly we must stir up and strengthen ourselves by ourbap-
tism, to lay iſſoid on the grace which it seals to us, and to
fulfil its engagements. We should often remember, that
we are made Christ’s disciples by baptism, and engaged
to hear him, rather than Moses, and to believe on him
for our salvation; as John baptized with the baptism of re-
pentance, saying to the people, that they should believe on
him that should come after him, i. e. on Christ Jesus.
*We should remember, that our baptism seaſed our putting -
on of Christ, and our being the Children of God by faith
in him, and our being no longer under the former school-
master, the law, Gal. iii. 25, 26, 27. and that it sealed
to us the putting off the body of sin, and our burial
and resurrection with Christ by faith, and the forgiving
of our trespasses, Col. ii. 12, 13. Our being made
members of one body, Christ, and to drink into one º
Spirit, 1 Cor. xii. 12, 13. We may find by such
things as these, which are more fully discovered in
the gospel, that it is the proper nature and tendency
of baptism, to guide us to faith in Christ alone for remis-
sion of sins, holiness and all salvation, by unions and
fellowship with him; and that a diligent improvement of
230 THE Gospel MystERY Direct. XIII. •.
life of faith. - ~, . . . . . .
5. The sacrament of the Lord’s supper is as a spiritual
feast to nourish our faith, and to strengthen us to walk
in all holiness by Christ living and working in us, if
it be used according to the pattern which he gave us in
its first institution, recorded by three Evangelists, Matt.
xxvii. 26, 27, 28. Mark xiv. 22, 23, 24. Luke xxii.
12, 20. and was extraordinarily revealed from heaven
by Christ himself to the apostle Paul, 1 Cor. xi. 23,
24, 25. that we might be the more obliged and stirred
up to the exact observation of it. Its end is, not only
that we may remember Christ’s death in the history, but
in the mystery of it; as that his body was broken for us,
that his blood is the blood of the New Testament, or co-
venant shed for us; and for many, for the remission of
sins ; that so we may receive and enjoy all the promises
of the new covenant which are recorded, Heb. viii. 10,
l 1, 12. Its end is, to mind us, that Christ’s body and
blood are bread and drink, even all sufficient food to nou-
rish our souls to everlasting life; and that we ought to
take, and eat, and drink him by faith : and to assure us
that when we truly believe on him, he is as really and
closely united to us by his Spirit, as the food which we
eat and drink is united to our bodies. Christ himself,
John vi. doth more fully explain this mystery. Further-
more, this sacrament doth not only put us in mind of
the spiritual blessings wherewith we are blessed in Christ,
and our enjoyment of them by faith, but also it is a mean
and instrument, whereby God doth really exhibit and
give forth Christ and his salvation to true believers, and
whereby he doth stir up, and strengthen believers, to re-
ceive and feed upon him by present actings of faith, while
they partake of the outward elements. When Christ
saith, “...Eat, drink; this is my body, this is my blood,”
no less can be meant, than that he doth as truly give his
body and blood to true believers in that ordinance, as the
bread and cup; and they do as truly receive it by faith,
as if a prince invest a subject in some honourable office,
by delivering to him a staff, sword or signet; and say to
him, “Take this staff, sword or signet; this is such an
“office or preferment;” or, if a father should deliver a
this ordinance, must needs be of great advantage to the
Ejirect. XIII. or sANGTIFICATION. -- 23 I
deed for conveyance of land to his son, and say, “Take
“ it as thy own ; this is such a farm or manor ;” how
can such expressions import anything less, in common
sense and reason, than a present, gift, and conveyance of
the offices, preferments, and lands, by and with those
outward signs : Therefore the apostle Paul asserteth, that
the bread in the Lord’s supper, is the communion of the
body of Christ, and the cup is the communion of his
blood, 1 Cor. x. 16. which sheweth, that his body and
blood are really communicated to us, and we do really
partake of them, as well as of the bread and cup. The
chief excellency and advantage of this ordinance is, that
it is not only a figure and resemblance of our living upon
a crucified Saviour, but also a precious instrument, whereby
Christ, the bread and drink of life, is really conveyed to us,
and received by us thro’ faith. This makes it to be a love
token, worthy of that ardent affection towards us, which
filled Christ’s heart at the time when he instituted it,
when he was on the point of finishing his greatest work of
love, by laying down his life for us, 1 Cor. xi. 23. And
this is diligently to be observed, that we may make a right
improvement of this ordinance, and receive the saving be-
nefits of it. One reason why many do little esteem, and
seldom or never partake of this ordinance, and do find
little benefit by it, is, because they falsely imagine, that
God in it only holds ‘orth naked signs and resemblances
of Christ and his salvation, which they account to be held
forth so plainly in scripture, that they need not the help
of such a sign ; whereas, if they understood, that God
doth really give Christ himself to their faith, by and with
those signs and resemblances, they would prize it as the
most delicious feast, and be desirous to partake of it on all
opportunities, Acts ii. 42. and xx. 7. Another reason
why many partake seldom or never of this ordinance, and
know little of the benefit of it, is, because they think them-
selves brought by it into great danger of eating and
drinking their own damnation ; according to these ter-
rifying words of the apostle, “For he that eateth and
“drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation
“ to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body,” I Cor.
xi. 29. Therefore they account it the safest way, wholly
232 the gospel Mystrºy Direct. XIII.
to abstain from such a dangerous ordinance, or, at least,
that once a year is enough to run so great a hazard. And
if they be brought to it sometimes by constraint of con-
science, their slavish fears bereave them of all comfortable
fruit of it. So that instead of striving to receive Christ
and his salvation therein, they account themselves to have
succeeded well if they come off without the sentence of
damnation ; as the Jewish Rabbies write, that the High
Priest’s life was so imminently hazarded by his entering
once a year into the Holy of Holies, that he staid there
as little time as he could, lest the people should think him
to be struck dead by the hand of God; and when he was
come forth alive, he usually made a feast of thanksgiving
for joy of so great a deliverance. But there is no reason
why we should be so much terrified by those words of the
apostle; for they were darted against such a gross profa-
nation of the Lord’s supper among the Corinthians, as
we may easily avoid, by observing the institution of it,
which the apostle proposeth to them as a sufficient re-
medy against the gross abuse, in not discerning or differ-
encing the Lord’s body from other bodily food, and par-
taking of it as their own supper, with such disorder .
that one was hungry, and another drunken. Besides,
that terrifying word damnation, may be rendered more
mildly judgment, as it is in the margin ; yea, the apostle
himself, ver. 22. doth interpret it of a merciful, tem-
poral judgment, whereby we are chastened of the Lord,
that we should not be condemned, with the world. We
are indeed prone to sin, in receiving this ordinance un-
worthily ; and so we are also to pollute, more or less, all
other holy things that we meddie with. So that the con-
sideration of our danger might fill us with slavish fear in
the use of all other means of grace, as well as of this,
were it not, that we have a great High Priest, to bear
this iniquity of our holy things, Exod. xxviii. 38. under
the covert of whose righteousness we are to draw near
unto God, without slavish fear, in the full assurance of
faith, in this as well as in other holy ordinances; and
we are to rejoice in the Lord in this spiritual feast, as the
Jews were bound tò do in their solemn feasts, Deut. xvi.
i4, 15. There are other abuses of this ordiñance, like
Direct. XIII. or sANCTIFICATION. 233
tº o'
to those of baptism forementioned, whereby it is rendered
opposite, rather than subservient to the life of faith. Some
put it in the place of Christ, by trusting on it as a work
of righteousness for the procuring of God’s favour, or an
ordinance sufficient to confer grace to the soul by the ve-
ry work wrought. Others make it so necessary, that they
account faith is not sufficient without it; and therefore
they will partake of it, if they can possibly, though it be
in a disorderly manner, upon their sick beds, when they
are in fear of death, as their viaticum. The Papists do
horribly idolize it by their sigment of transubstantiation,
and the adoration of their breaden god, and their sacri-
fice of the mass for the sins of the quick and the dead.
We ought warily to conceive that the true body and blood
of Christ are given to us, with the bread and wine in a
spiritual mysterious manner, by the unsearchable opera-
tion of the Holy Spirit, uniting Christ and us together
by faith, without any transubstantiation in the outward
elements.
5. Prayer is to be made use of as a means of living
by faith in Christ, according to the new man. And it
is the making our requests with supplication and thanks-
giving. That it is to be used so, as an eminent means,
appears, because God requireth it, 1 Thess. v. 17.
\
Rom, xii. 12, it is our priestly work, 1 Pet. ii. 5. com-
pared with Psalm cºli. 2, and the property of saints,
I Cor. i. 2, and God is a God hearing prayer, Psalm
Ixy. 2. God will be prayed to by his people, for the be-
nefit that he is minded to bestow upon them, when once
he hath enabled them to pray; though at first he is found
of them who seek him not, Ezek. xxxvi. 27, 37. Phil.
i. 19, 20, that he may prepare them for thanksgiving,
and make benefits double benefits to them, Psalm lxvi.
16, 18, 19. and I. 15. 2 Cor. i. 10, 11. Though
his will be not changed by this means; yet it is accom-
plished, ordinarily, and his purpose is to accomplish it
this way. And therefore, trusting assuredly should not
make us neglect, but rather perform this duty, 2 Sam.
yii. 27. Christ the Mediator of the new covenant, by
whom justification and sanctification are promised, is also
the Mediator for acceptance of our prayers, Heb. iv, 11,
16. The Spirit that sanctifieth us, begetteth usin Christ
and sheweth the things of Christ to us, is a Spirit of pray-
er, Zech. xii. 10. Gal. iv. 6. He is as fire inflaming
the soul, and making it to mount upward in prayer to
God, prayerless people are dead to God. If they are
children of Zion, yet they are but still born, dead chil-
dren, who cry not, Acts ix. I l. not written among the
living in Jerusalem : Heathens in nature, though Chris-
tians in name, Jer. x. 21. It is a duty so great, that
it is put for all the service of God, as a fundamental du-
ty, which, if it be done, the rest will be done well and
not without it; and other ordinances of worship are helps
to it, Isa. lvi. 7. It is the great means whereby faith
doth exert itself to perform its whole work, and poureth
itself forth in all holy desires and affections, Psalm lxii.
S. and so yields a sweet savour, as Mary’s box of preci-
ous spikenard, Mark xiv. 3. John xii. 3. and so the
same promises are made to faith and prayer, Rom. x.
11, 12, 13. It is our continual incense and sacrifice,
whereby we offer ourselves, hearts, affections, and lives
to God, Psalm czli. 2. We act all grace in it; and
must act it this way, or else we are not likely to act it
any other way. And as we act grace, so we obtain grace
by it, and all holiness, Psal. cxxxviii. 3. Luke xi. 13.
Heb. iv. 16. Psal. lxxxi. 10. Our riches come in by
it. Israel prevails while Moses holds up his hands, Exod.
xvii. 1 1. By prayer Hannah is strengthened against her
sorrows, 1 Sam. i. 15, 18. peace is continued, Phil.
iv. 6, 7, the disordered soul is set in order by it, as Han-
nah, 1 Sam. i. 18. Psalm xxxii. 1–11. Incense was still
burnt, while the lamps were dressed, Exod. xxx. 7, 8.
It is added to the spiritual armour, not as a particular
piece of it, but a means of putting on all, and making
use of all aright, that we may stand in the evil day, Eph.
vi. 18. It is a means of transfiguring us into the likeness.
of Christ in holiness, and making our spiritual faces to
shine, as Christ was transfigured bodily, whilst he prayed,
Luke xi. 29; and Moses’ face shone, whilst he talked
with God, Exod. xxxiv. 29. Hence the frequent use
of this duty is commended to us; Eph. vi. 18. Praying
always, (fianti kairo) on all seasons and opportunities;
Direct. XIII. or sanctification. ass
and, by the example of the saints, in public with the
congregation, Acts ii. 42. and x. 30, 31. Solemn acts
of prayer should be continued daily, Matth. vi. 11.
yea, several times in a day, as morning and evening sa-
crifice, Dan. vi. 10. Psal. xcii. 2. or thrice, Psal. lv.
17. besides special occasions, James v. 13, 15. and
brief ejaculations, that hinder not other bussiness, Psal.
cxxix. 8. 2 Sam. xv. 31. Neh. ii. 4. Prayers should
be solemn, in our closets, Matth. vi. 6. in families,
Acts. x. 30, 31. And as sacrifices were multiplied upon
the Sabbath days, and days of atonement, and at other
appointed seasons, Numb. xxviii. besides the continual
burnt-offerings; so ought prayer also. In a word, a
Christian ought to give up himself eminently to this du-
***
ty, Psal. cik. 4. without limits, Psal. cxix. 164. But
the great work is to practise this duty rightly for holi-
ness, only by faith in Christ. Here we had need say,
Lord teach us to pray, Luke xi. 1. and that not only
as to the matter, but as to the manner: both which are
taught by Christ, in some measure, in that brief pattern
of prayer which he taught his disciples. But for the
understanding of it, we must consult the whole word,
2 Tim, iii. 16, 17. And we have need of the Spirit
of Christ to guide us in the duty; and therefore we are
taught to pray by the Spirit, i. e. the Holy Ghost, Jude
ver. 20. Eph. ii. 18. the Spirit of God only guideth
and enabled our souls to pray aright. And, that you
may do so, take these rules. . . . . . .
(1.) You must pray with your hearts and Spirits, Isa.
xxvi. 9. John iv. 24. where the Spirit of Christ, and
of prayer, prinsipally reside, Gal. iv. 6. Eph. i. 17.
with understanding, 1 Cor. xiv. 15, 16. for we are
renewed in knowledge, Col. iii. 10. 2 Pet. i. 3. so that
praying in ignorance cannot sanctify. And it must be
with sincere hearty desire of the good things we ask in
prayer; for God seeth the heart, Psal. lxii. 8. Prayer
is chiefly a heart work, Psal. xxvii. 8. God heareth the
heart without the mouth, but never heareth the mouth
acceptably without the heart, 1 Sam. i. 18. Your
prayer is odious hypocrisy, mocking of God, and taking
his name in vain, when you utter petitions for the com.
336 rhE gospel Mystrºy Direct. XIII.
ing of his kingdom, and doing his will, and yet hate
godliness in your heart. This is lying to God, and flat-
‘. . tering with your lips, but no true prayer; and so God.
takes it, Psal. Ixxviii. 36. And you must have a sense
of your wants and necessities, and that God only can sup-
ply them, 2 Chron. xx. 12. And ſervency if those desires
is required, James v. 16. And you must pray with at-
tention, minding yourselves what you pray, or else you
cannot expect that God should mind it, Dan. ix. 3.
Watch unto it, 1 Pet. iv. 7. Set yourselves to this
duty intently. God seeth where your heart is wander-
ing, when you pray without attention, Ezek. xxxiii.
31. When you say never so many prayers without un-
derstanding, attention, affection, it is not praying at all,
but sinning, and playing the hypocrite; as Papists mum-
ble over their Latin prayers upon the beads by tale, prat-
ing like parrots what they cannot understand. And thus
ignorant people say: over their forms of English pray ers,
and account they have well discharged their duty, though
their hearts prayed not at all, and were minding other
things. This is a mere lip labour, and bodily exercise,
offering a dead carcase to God; plain deceit, Mal. i. 13,
14. a form of godliness, with denying the power, 2 Tim.
iii. 5. whereby Popery hath cheated the world of the
power of this, and all other holy ordinances. They say,
God minds and knows what they speak, and approves it.
I answer, He sees them so as to judge them for hypocrites
and profane persons, for not knowing, minding, and ap-
proving what they utter themselves: he hath no pleasure
in fools, Eccl. v. 1; 4. They would not deal so with an
earthly prince. - - ~
(2.) You must pray “in the name of Christ:” for the
Spirit glorifies Christ, John xvi. 14. and leadeth us to God
through him, Eph. ii. 18. As I have shewed, that walk-
- ing in the Spirit, and walking in Christ, is all one; so
praying in the Spirit, and by and through Christ. And
as we are to walk in the name of the Lord, and to do all
things in his name, so to pray in his name, as is command-
ed, John xiv. 13, 14. It is not enough to conclude our
prayers, “through Jesus Christ our Lord,” but we must
some for blessings ºn the garments of our elder brother,
“,
#. .
Direct. XIII. or sANGTIFICATION. 23r
and must depend upon his worthiness and strength for all.
So also, we must praise God for all things in his name, ,
as things received for his sake, and by him, Eph. v. 20,
We must lay hold on his strength only, and pleadnothing,
and own nothing, for our acceptance, but him. We must
not plead our own works arrogantly, like the proud Pha-
risee, Luke xvii. 11, 12. Except only as fruits of grace,
and rewards of grace, Isa. xxxviii. 3. Praying in the
Spirit is upon gospel, not legal principles, Rom. vii. 6.
2 Cor. vi. 3. with great humiliation, and sense of un-
worthiness, Psal. li. with a broken spirit; with despair of
acceptance, otherwise than upon Christ’s account, Dan. ix.
18. It your enlargements, strugglings, meltings, have been
never so great; yet without this all is abominable.
(3.) Hence you must not think to be accepted for the
goodness of your prayers, and trust on them as works of
righteousness; which is making idols of your prayers, and
putting them into the place of Christ quite contrary to
praying in his name. Thus Papists hope to be saved by
saying their tale of prayers upon their bead rows; and
they have indulgences granted upon their saying so many
prayers, and of such a sort. Yea, some ignorant Protes-
tants trust on their prayers as duties of righteousness;
and they think one prayer to be more acceptable than an-
other, by reason of the holiness of the form, if it were made
by holy mea ; especially the Lord’s prayer, which they
use to help them in any exigence of danger; how little so-
ever they can apply it to their own case, they make an idol
of it. And some use it, and other places of scripture, as
a spell or charm, to drive away the devil. And others
think their prayers more acceptable in one place, than in
another, by reason of the holiness of the place, John iv. 31,
24. 1 Tim. ii. 8. Others trust on their much speaking,
Matth. vi. 7. which they call the enlarging of their hearts.
They think to put off God and to stop the mouth of con-
science with a few prayers, and so to live as they list.
(4.) Pray to God as your Father, through Christ as
your Saviour, in faith of remission of sins, and your ag- .
ceptance with God, and the obtaining all other things
which you desire of him, as far as is necessary for your
salvation, James i. 5, 6, 7, and y, 15. 1 John v. 14, 15.
288 riſk gospel Mysºrrºry Direct. XIII.
Mark xi. 24. Heb. x. 14. Psalm. Ixii. 8. Bºxxvi. 7. Iv.
16. lvii. 1, 2. and xvii. 6. This is praying in Christ,
Eph. iii. 12. and by the Holy Ghost, the Spirit of
adoption, Rom. viii. 15. Gal. iv. 6. Without this,
prayer is lifeless and heartless, and but a dead carcase,
Rom. x. 14. Psalm lxxvii. 1, 2. By this you may
judge whether you have prayed rightly, more than
by your melting affection, or largeness in expression.
Though you be not assured that you shall have every
thing that you ask, yet every thing that is good. This
faith you must endeavour to act; and therefore, if any
sin lie on your conscience, you must strive first to get
the pardon of it, Psal. xxxii. 1; 5. and purification from
it by faith, that you may lift up holy hands without wrath
and doubting, 1 Tim. ii. 8. The sin of wrath there is
especially mentioned, because that is contrary to love,
and forgetting others. Here lies the strength, life and
powerfulness of prayer. Set faith on work, and you
will be powerful, and prevail. -
(5.) You must strive in prayer, to stir up, and act every
other sanctifying grace, through faith moving youthereto.
Thus your spikenards will yield their smell; as godly sor-
row, Psalm xxxviii. 18. peace, Isa. xxvii. 5, joy, Psalm
cv. 3. hepe, Psalm lxxi. 5. desire and love to God, Psalm
iv. 6. and love to all his commands, Psalm crix. 4, 5.
and to all his people out of love to him, Psalm cºxii. 8.
you must seek the Spirit himself, in the first place, Luke
xi. 13. Psalm xxxvii. 5. and all spiritual things, Matth.
vi. 33. Praying only for carnal things, shews a carnal
heart, and leaves it carrial. Pray for faith, Mark ix. 24.
and for such things as may serve most for the glorifying
God, 2 Chron. i. 11, 12, and, for outward things, you
( must act faith in submission to his will. And this prayer
sets you in a holy frame, Matth. xxvi. 52. Luke xxii. 42,
43. Hallowing God’s name must be your aim, Matth.
vi. 9; not your justs, James iv. 3. . . . . . . . . .
(6.) Strive to bring your soul into order by this duty,
however disordered by guilt, anguish, inordinate cares,
or fears, Psalm xxxii. 1, 3. lv. 16, 17, 20, 21. and ,
lxix. 32. Phil. iv. 6, 7. 1 Sam. i. A watch must
be often wound up. You must wrestle in prayer, against
f :
Direct. XIII. or sANCTIFICATION. 289
your unbelief, doubtings, fears, cares, reluctancy of the
flesh to that which is good ; against all evil lusts and
desires, coldness of affection, impatience, trouble of spi-
rit; every thing that is contrary to an holy life, and the
graces and holy desires to be acted for yourselves or
others, Col. iv. 12. Rom. xv. 39. Stir up yourselves
to the duty, Col. ii. 1, 2, Isa. lxiv. 7. Though the
flesh be cross and reluctant, we must not yield, but resist
by the Spirit, Matth. xxvi. 14. and thus we shall find
the Spirit helping our infirmities, Rom. viii. 26, 27.
Though God seem to defer long, we must not faint nor be
diseouraged, Luke xviii. 1, 7. The greater our agonies
be, the more earnestly we are to pray, Psalm xxii. 1, 2.
Luke xxii. 42. This is [firoskarterci te froseichel “to
continue instant in prayer,” Rom. xii. 12. Eph. vi. 18.
Thus you will find prayer a great heart work, and not
such a thing as may be done while you think on other
things, and that it requireth all the strength of faith and
affection that you can possibly stir up. Thus you may get
a holy frame. . . .
(7.) You must make a good use of the whole matter,
and all the manner of prayer, as ordinary and extraordi-
nary exigences may require, to stir up grace in you, by
wrestling, and to bring your hearts into a holy frame.
A3, in confession, you must condemn yourself according
to the flesh, but not as you are in Christ. You must not
deny that grace that you have, as if you were only wicked
hitherto, and now to begin again; which hinders praise
... for grace received in those that are already converted. In
supplication, you must endeavour to work up your heart
to a godly sorrow, Psal. xxxviii. 18, and a holy, sense of
your own sin and misery: and lay before you the aggra-
vations thereof, Psal. li. 3. and cii. Complaint and la-
mentations are one great part of prayer, as the Lamen-
tations of Jeremiah. And you must add pleadings to
yourpetitions, with such arguments as may servetostreng-
then faith, and to stir up and kindle affection, Job. xxiii.
4. which pleadings are taken from attributes, Num. xiv.
17, 18. promises, 2 Sam. vii. 27, 28, &c. Gen. xxxii.
9, 12, the equity of our cause, Psalm xvii. 2, 3. the ad-
Yantage and benefit of the thing, to the glory of God,
*".
240 wife cospºl. Mysºrry Direct. XIII.
t
and our comfort, Psal. cxv. 1, 2, and lxxix. 9, fo, 13.
Naked petitions are not sufficient, when the soul findeth
special cause of struggling and wrestling against corrup-
tions and dangers, and for mercies, Carist’s large prayer
(John xvii.) is made up of pleading, and very few peti-
tions. And we must make use also of praise and tanks-
giving, to stir up peace, joy, love, &c. Gen. xxxiii. 10.
Psal. xviii. 1, 2, 3, xxxiii. 1. lxxiv. 14. and civ. 34,
Especially be much in praising God for mercies of the
new state in Christ, Eph. i. 3. and then you will the bet-
ter give thanks for all benefits on this account, Eph. v.
20. 1 Thess. v. 18, and plead for those benefits, to stir
up to faith and duty. That brief ejaculation, “Lord
have mercy on me,” is very good to be used ; but it will
not answer the end and use of the whole duty of prayer;
as some lazy carnal people would have it, and so harden
themselves in the neglect of the duty; though the large
improvement and use of all the matter of prayer, at
all times, is not required, but only as ordinary alid
extraordinary occasions may require. .
(8.) You must not confine and limit your prayers by
any prescribed form : seeing it is impossible that any such
forms should be contrived, as should answer and fit all the
various conditions and necessities of the soul at all times.
I do not condemn all forms, as that made by Christ, the
'Lord’s prayer; though it were easy to shew, that he never
intended it for a form of prayer, so as to bind any to the
precise form of words: and it is plain the Spirit of God
'hath expressed it in different words, Matth. vi. Luke xi.
But better to pray by that form, or other forms, than not
at all. It is uncharitable, to take away crutches, or wood-
‘en legs, from lame people; yet none will look upon thern
tout as dead helps. 'I say, it is utterly unlawful to bind
ourselves to any form; because none can answer the duty
‘fity, and suitable to particular occasions, Eph. vi. 8.
Phil. iv. 6. John xv. 7. 1 Thess. v. 38. Eph. v. 20. You
‘must make the wholescripture your commonprayer book,
‘as the primitive church did; being the language of the
‘Spirit, reaching all occasions and conditions, and fitest to
r ‘speak to God in. And, if you use a form, you must fol- * *
low it by the Spirit, farther than the form goes, accord-
Af
Direct. XIII. or sANCTIFICATIon. 24.1
ing as he shall guide you by the word; or else you quench
the Spirit, 1 Thess. v. 19. If you know the principles
of prayer, and have a lively sense of your necessities, and
hearty desires of God's grace and mercies, you will be
able to pray without forms, and your affections will bring
forth words out of the fulness of your heart. And you'
need not be over solicitous and timorous about words ;
for doubtless, the Spirit, who is the help to us in speak-
ing to men, will also much more help us to speak to God,
if we desire it, I Cor. i. 5. Mark xiii. 1 1. Luke xii.
11, 12. And God regards not eloquent words, nor ar-
tificial composure; neither need we regard it in private
prayer, Isa. xxxviii. 14. If you limit yourself to forms,
you will thereby grow formal, and limit the Spirit. .
7. Another means appointed of God, is singing of
psalms, i. e. songs of any sacred subject, composed to
a tune, hymns or songs of praise, and spirtual songs of
any sublime spiritual manner, as Psalm xlv. and the Song
of Solomon. God hath commanded it in the New Testa-
ment, Col. iii. 16. Eph. v. 19. though, now in these
days, many question whether it be an ordinance or no.
And there were many commands for it under the Old
Testament, Psalm crlix. 1, 2, 3. xcvi. 1. and c. Moses
and the children of Israel sang before David's time, Exod.
xv. David composed psalms by the Spirit, to be sung
publicly, 2 Sam. xxiii. 1, 2, yea, privately too, Psalm
xl. 3. 2 Chron. xxix. 30. Psalm cv. 2. Other songs
also were made upon several occasions, and used, whe-
ther they were parts of the scripture or no; as Solomon
made a thousand and five, 1 Kings iv. 32. And they
made songs upon occasion. Which teacheth that it is
lawful for us to do so, if they be according to the word,
Isa. xxxviii. 9, 14. The matter of scripture may be
sung, Psalm crix. 54. Christ and his disciples sung a
hymn, Matth. xxvi. 30. Supposed to be one of David’s
psalms : and they were written for our instruction, as
well as other parts of scripture, Rom. xv. 4, &c. and
so to be used now in singing. They speak of the things
of the New Testament, either figuratively or clearly ; and
we may understand them better now, than the Jews could
- X' - . . .
242 THE Gospel, MystERY Direct. XIII.
under the Old Testament, 2 Cor. iii. 16. Gal. ii. 17. -
Christians heretofore practised this duty as well as Jews,
Acts xvi. 25. Hence their antelucani hymi (the hymns
they sung before day light) were noted by Pliny a Hea-
then. These songs or hymns may be used at all times,
especially for holy mirth or rejoicing, James v. 13. But
this text is not to be taken exclusively in singing, any more
than in prayer, Psalm xxxviii. 18, 2 Chron. xxxv. 25.
But the right manner of this duty is chiefly to be noted.
And, here (1) Trust not upon the melody of the voice;
as if that pleased God, who delighteth only in the melody
of the heart, Col. iii. 16. Neither let the recreating
your senses be your end, which is but a carnal work; JVon
mixeica chordula, sed cor ; non clamans, sedamans, ſisallit in
aure Oc f ; “ Not a musical string, but the heart; not
“crying, but loving sounds in the ear of the Lord.”
This spiritual music was typified by musical instruments
of old. (2) You must use it for the same end as medi-
tation and prayer, according to the nature of what is sung,
i. e. to quicken faith, 2 Chron. xx. 21, 22. Acts xvi.
25, 26. and joy and delight in the Lord glorying in
him, Psalm civ. 33, 34. cv. 3. exlix. 1, 2. and xxxiii.
1, 2, 3, You are never right until you can be heartily
merry in the Lord, to act joy and mirth holily, James
v. 13. Eph. v. 19. and also to get more knowledge,
and instruction in heavenly mysteries, and in your duty,
teaching and admonishing, Col. iii. 16. Many Psalms
are Maschils, (as their title is,) i. e. psalms of instruc-‘
tion. Thus we are to sing such psalms as speak in the first
person, tho' we cannot apply them to ourselves as words
uttered by ourselves concerning ourselves: and in this we
do not lie. David speaks of Christ as of himself, as a pat-
tern of affliction and virtue, to instruct others; and we
sing such psalms, not as our words, but words for our
instruction. And therein we do not lie, any more than
the Levites, the sons of Korah, or Jeduthun, or other
musicians bound to sing them, Psalms v., xxxix, and xlii.
Though it be good to personate all the good that we can ;
yet we have so much liberty in the use of psalms, that
though we cannot apply all to ourselves, as speaking and
thinking the same, yet we shall answer the end, if we
Direct. XIII. or sANCTIFICATION. 248
sing for our instruction, as in Psalms vi, xxvi, xlvi, ci,
and cºxxi. And Psalms have a peculiar fitness for teach-
- ing and instructing; because the pleasantness of metre -
said or sung, is very helpful to the memory. See Deut.
xxxi. 19, 21. And there is a variety of curious artifice
in the piacing of words in the psalms upon this account;
and there are some atphabetical psalms, as Psalms xxv,
xxxiv, xxxvii, czi, CXii, cºix, and cºlv. And, by the
melody of the sound, the instruction comes in with de-
fight, as a physical dose sugared ; and sorrow is naturally
ailayed, to fit the mind for spiritual joy; and distemper-
ed passions appeased, 2 Kings iii. 15. 1 Sam. xvi. 14,
-15, 16. So Orpheus, Amphion, and others, were fa-
mous for civilizing rude and barbarous people by music.
8. Fasting is also an ordinance of God to be used for
the same purpose and end, and is commanded to is under
the New Testament, Matth. ix. 15. and xvii. 21. 1 Cor.
vii. 5. And we have examples of it, Acts xiii. 2, 3.
and xiv. 23. Under the Old Testament, there were
frequent commands for it, and examples, chiefly upon
occasion of extraordinary afflictions, 1 Sam, vii. 6. Neh.
1x. 1. Dan. ix. 3, and x. 2, 3, 2 Sam. xii. 16. Psalm
xxxv. 13. 2 Sam. iii. 31. Joel ii. 13. beside the anniver-
sary great day of atonement, Lev. xvi. 29, 31. when
every one was to fast on pain of being cut off. There is
a prophecy of the same for the times of the New Testa-
ment, Zech. xii. 12. It was used most on extraordinary
occasions; and it is a help to holiness by faith, because
it is a meet help for extraordinary prayer and humiliation
Joel i. 14, and ii. 12. , But the great matter is, to use
it rightly, as followeth. . . . . .
(1) Trust not in it, as meriting or satisfying, as Pa-
pists and Pharisees do, Luke xvii. 18. putting it in the
place of Christ; or as a means of itself conferring grace,
and mortifying lusts, as many do, who may sooner kill
their bodies than their ſusts; or as any purifying rite:
yea, or in or for itself acceptable to God, T Tim. iv. 8.
Heb. xii. 9. Col. ii. 16, 17, 20, 23. Imagine not,
that prayer is not acceptable without it: for this is against
faith. Fasts, as well as feasts, are no substantial parts of
! - -- - -
244 THE Gospel, MystERY Direct. XIII.
-
-
worship, because not spiritual, but bodily; though, un-
* der the Old Testament, they were parts, as instituted rites
figurative and teaching. But that use is now ceased; as
that on the day of atonement, and so many significative
iites adjoining to fasting, as Saekcloth, ashes, rending,
garments, pouring out water, lying on the earth. The
kingdom of God consists not in these things, Rom. xiv.
16. The soul is hardened by trusting in them, Isa. Iviii.
3, 6. Zech. vii. 5, 6, 10.
(2). Use it as a help to extraordinary prayer and hu-
miliation ; that the mind may not be unsuited for it, by
eating, drinking, or bodily pleasures, Joel ii. 13. Isa.
xxii. 12, 13. Zech. xii. 10–14. It is good only as a
help to the soul, removing impediments. The best fast
is, when the mind is taken off from delights, as in John
the Baptist’s case, Matth. iii. 4. when heaven and godly
sorrow take off the soul, Zech. xii. 10–14.
(3) Use it in such a measure as may be proper for its
end; without which it is worth nothing. If abstinence
divert your mind, by reason of a gnawing appetite, then
you had better eat sparingly, as Daniel, in his great fast,
chap. x. 2, 3. Some have not enough of spiritual mind-
ediness, to give up themselves to fasting and prayer, with-
eut great distraction : and such had better eat, than go
beyond their strength in a thing notabsolutely necessary.
which produceth only a slavish act, as in the case of vir-
ginity, 1 Cor. vii. 7, 8, 9, 34, 35, 36. Christ would
not have his weak disciples necessitated to the duty, Matt.
ix. 14, 15. In the mean time, such should strive to be
sensible of the weakness and carnality that hinders their
use of this excellent help. . . . . . . .
9. You may expect here something to be spoken of
vows. But I shall only say this of them. Think not to,
bring yourselves to good by vows and promises, as if the
strength of your own law could do it when the strength of
God’s law doth it not. We bring children to make pro-
mises of amendment; but we know how well they keep
them. The devil will urge you to vow, and then to
break, that he may perplex your conscience the more.
10. Another great mean, is, fellowship, and commu-
nion with the Saints, Acts i. 42. . . . . .
i S. - .
2. \, . . .
Direct. XIII, or sANcTIFICATION, 245
FIRST, This mean must be used diligently. Whoso-
ever God saveth, should be added to some visible church,
and come into communion of other saints; and, if they
have opportunity for it, their heart should be bent towards
it. Sometimes the church is in the wilderness, and hin-
dered from visible communion and ordinances ; but they
that believe in Christ, are always willing and desirous so
to add and join themselves, Acts ii. 41, 44, 47. “And
“they continued stedfast in fellowship,” I John ii. 19.
And God binds his people to leave the fellowship and So-
ciety of the wicked as much as may be, 2 Cor. vi. 17.
And, so far as we are necessitated to accompany with
them, we ought to shew charity to their souls and bodies,
1 Cor. v. 9. This communion with Saints is to be exer-
cised in private converse, Psalm ci. 4, 5, 6, 7. And in
public assemblies, Heb. x. 25. Zech. xiv. 16, 17. And
doubtless it ought to be used for the attainment of holi-
ness ; as may be proved. . . . . . - . . "
1st, In general, Because God communinates all Salva-
tion to a people ordinarily, by or in a church; either
by taking them in fellowship, or holding forth the light.
of truth by his churches to the world. A church is the
temple of God, where God dwells, 1 Tim, iii. 15. He
hath placed his name and salvation there, as in Jerusalem
of old, Joel ii. 32. -2 Chron. vi. 5, 6. He hath given
to his churches those officers and ordinances whereby he
&
converts others, 1 Cor. xii. 28. His springs are there,
Psalm Ixxxvii. 7. He makes the several members of a
church instruments, for the conveyance of his grace and
fulness from one to another, as the members of a natural
body convey to each other the fulness of the head. Eph.
iv. 16. All the new born are brought fortii and nourish-
ed by the church, Isa. lxvi. 8, 11. xix. 20. and Ix. 4.
and therefore all who would be saved should join to a
church : they shall prosper who love the church, so as to
stand in its gates, and unite as members, brethren and
Companións, Psalm Cºxii. 2, 4, 6. And wrath is de-
nounced against those who are not members of it, at least
of the mystical body ; they cannot have God for their fa-
ther, who have not that for their mother, Song i. 7, 8.
x 2
{
245 THE Gospel, MystERY Direct. XIII.
duceth to holiness many ways. ,
This maketh those who desire fellowship with God, to take
hold of the skirts of his people, Zech. viii. 23. . . . .
& * , -
2dly, In particular, Fellowship with the saints con-
I. By manifold helps to holiness, which are received
thereby : As, . . . . . . . . . . .
(1) The word and sacraments, Acts i. 42. Isa. ii. 3.
Matth. xxviii. 19, 20. and all the ministerial office and
labour in watching over souls, Heb. xiii. 17. 1 Thess.
v. 12, 13. Isa. xxv. 6. None of these helps can be `
enjoyed without fellowship of saints, each with other.
And, if believers had been to have stood single by them-
selves, and not maintained fellowship with each other, for
mutual assistance and common good, none of these things
could have continued ; neither could any believer have
been extant at this day, in any ordinary way, but even
the very name of believers had been abolished. . . . .
(2) Mutual prayer, which is the more forcible, when
all pray together, Matth. xviii. 19, 20. 2 Cor. i. 10, 11.
James v. 16. Rom. xv. 30. ' ' ' ' ' *Y.
(3) Mutual admonition, instruction, consolation, to
help each other when they are ready to fall, and to pro-
mote the good work in each other, 1 Thess. v. 14. “He
“ that walketh with wise men, shall be wise, Prov. xiii.
* 20. Wo to him that is alone when he falleth.” See Eccl.
iv. 9–12. In church fellowship there are many helpers;
many to watch. Soldiers have their security in compa-
ny ; and the church is compared to an army with ban-
ners, Song vi. 4, 10. So, for quickening affections, iron
sharpeneth iron, Prov. xxvii. 17. Likewise, the counsel
of a friend, like ointment and perfume, rejoiceth the
heart, Prov. xxvii. 9. Yea, the wounds and reproofs
of the righteous are as precious balm, Psalm cºli. 5.
(4) External supports; which mitigate afflictions, and
are to be communicated mutually, Eph. iv. 28. 1 Pet.
iv. 9, 10. The affliction is increased, when none careth
for our souls, Psalm crlii. 4. . . . . .
(5) Excommunication, when offences were exceeding
heinous, or men obstinate in sin. This ordinance is ap-
pointed for the destruction of the flesh, that the Spirit
may be saved, 1 Cor. v. 5. Better and more hopeful it is,
Direct. XIII. or sANGTIFICATION. , 247
to be cast out by the church for a person's amendment,
than to be wholly without the church at all times: and
better to be a lost sheep, than a goat or swine. For ex-
communication cuts off actual communion only, until re-
pentance be evident; and not absolutely abolisheth the ti-
tle and relation of a brother and church member, though
it judgeth one to be an unnatural brother, and a pernici-
ous rotten member at present, not fit for acts of com-
munion. Besides, admonition is still to be afforded,
2 Thess. iii. 15. and any means are to be used, that may
serve to cure and restore him. The church reacheth
forth a hand to help such a person, though it do not join .
hands in fellowship with him ; or it communicateth to
him not with him. Yet if he have not so much grace as
to repent, it were better he had never known the way of
righteousness, 2 Fet. ii. 21. . . . . . . . . .
(6.) The lively examples of Saints are before our eyes
in church fellowship, to teach and encourage, Phil. iii.
17. and iv. 9. 2 Tim. iii. 19, 11. 2 Cor. ix. 2. . . . . . .
2. By those holy duties that are required and do ap-
pertain to this fellowship and communion. All acts that
belong to this fellowship are holy ; as, hearing, receiv-
ing the sacrament, prayer, mutual admonition, &c. I
shall consider some such holy acts, whereby we are rather .
doers than receivers, and which we perform towards
others : As, r
(1), Godly discourse, teaching, admonishing, com-
forting others in Christ; which we cannot so perform to-
wards others, as towards those we have strict fellowship
with in Christ. Others, like swine, trample these jewels
under foot; and saints therefore are forced to refrain
from godly discourse in their company, Amos v. 10, 13.
and vi. 10. But holy discourse is most acceptable to the
saints, and to be practised with them, Mal. iii. 16. and
is greatly to the advantage of holiness, Prov. xi. 25.
(2) In helping, succouring, and conversing with Christ
in his members, we do good to Christ in his members in
church fellowship: and we ourselves, as members of
Christ, act as well from him as towards him : whereas
if we dogood to others without, we do good only for Christ's
sake, but not to him, Mat. xxv. 35,49. We have advantage
in general, to do all duties that belong to us as members
&
248 THE Gospel Mystºry Birect. XIII.
| -
of Christ to fellow members; which we cannot do, if se-
parate from them ; as a natural member cannot perform
its office to other members, if separate from them,
- SEGONDLY, The means must be used rightly, for the
tº- *
attaining of holiness in Christ. . . ... ."
I. One rule is, Do not trust on church membership,
or on churches, as if this or that relation in fellowship
commended you to God of itself; whereas, church- .
way is but a help to fellowship with Christ, and walking
in the duties of that fellowship. The Israelites stumbled
at Christ, by trusting on their carnal privileges, and set
them in opposition to him; whereas they should have on- .
ly made them subservient to him. Confidence in them.
should have been abandoned, as Paul’s example teacheth,
Phil. iii. 3, 4, 5. &e. We must not glory in Paul,
Apollos, Cephas, but in Christ; else we glory in the
flesh, and in men, 1 Cor. i. 12, 13. and iii. 21. Trust-
ing on church privileges is an inlet to formality and licen-
, tiousness, Jer. vii. 4, 8, 9, 10. and thence the corrup-
tion of churches, Isa. i. 10. 2 Tim. ii. 20. -- -
2. Follow no church any farther than you may follow
it in the way of Christ; and keep fellowship with it only
upon his account, because it follows him, and hath fel-
lowship with him, I John i. 3.- Zech. viii. 23. If a
church revolt from Christ, we must not follow it, how
ancient soever it may be ; as the Israelitish church was not
to be followed, when it persecuted him and his apostles;
and many, by adhering to that church, fell from Christ,
| Phil. iii. 6. Acts vi. 13, 14. and xxi. 28. We are in-
deed to hear the church, but not every one that calls it-
self so, and none any farther than it’speaketh as a true
church, according to the voice of the shepherd, John X.
27. We must subject ourselves to ministers of Christ, and
stewards of his mysteries, 1 Cor. iv. 1. but must give
up ourselves first to Christ absolutely, and to the church.
according to the will of Christ, 2 Cop. viii. 5. Gur fear
must not be taught by the precepts of men, Matt. XV.
The doctrines of any men are to be tried by scripture,
whateyer authority they pretend to, Acts xvii. 11. An
unlimited following church guides, brought the church
into Babylon, and into all manner of spiritual whore-
Direct. XIII. or sANcrification. 24s
doms and abominations. You are not baptized into thº
name of the church, but into the name of Christ, 1 Cor.
3. Do not think, that you must attain this or that de-
gree of grace, before you join yourself in full communion
with a church of Christ in all ordinances. But when you
have given up yourself to Christ and learned the duty of
communion, give up yourself unto a church of Christ,
though you find much weakness and inability. For church
ordinances of special communion serve to strengthen you;
- and how can you get heat, being alone! The disciples, as
soon as converted, embraced all fellowship, Acts i. 42.
And churches, that they may forward holiness in them-
selves and others, raust be willing to receive Christ’s weak
ones, and to feed his lambs as well as better grown sheep,
and bear them on their sides, Isa. lxvi. 12. How else shall
Shrist’s weak ones grow strong by that nourishment that
other parts supply? they are very unreasonable, that expect
Christians should grow, out of church fellowship, to as
high a degree of grace, as these that are in those pastures
of tender grass: and are unwilling to receive any that they
are like to have occasion to bear with : whereas bearing
and long suffering are great duties of church fellowship,
Eph. iv. 2, 3. Rom. xiv. 1. The weakest have most need
to be strengthened by church communion; and we are
bound to receive them, as Christ hath received us, Rom.
xv. 7. We do not reject or separate the weaker parts of
the body, 1 Cor. xii. 23. 24. but put more honour and
comeliness on them. Admission into the churches in the
apostólic times was gained upon profession, with a shew of
seriousness; though tares got in among the wheat, and
many scandals arose to the reproach of the ways of Christ;
and the greatest strictness wiłł not keep outall hypocrites;
yet the best care must be taken so far as not to hinder
any that have the least truth of grace.
4. Keep communion with a church, for the sake of
communion with Christ, 1 John i. 3. Zech. viii. 23.
Therefore you must keep communion inchrist's pure ways
only, and, in them, seek him by faith; that, in the en-
joyment of those advantages you may receive and act the
godliness and holiness forementioned, and aim at spiritual
r - - - \, - - . - - - t ...--.
, --
| -
250 the gospel MystERY Direct. XIII.
flourishing and growth in grace. Choose therefore fellow-
ship with the most spiritual churches. Judge of churches
and men, according to the rule of the new creature, 2 Cor.
v. 16. 17. and try them, Rev. ii. 2. and iii. 9. other-
wise a church may corrupt you. See that thy communi-
on answer its end, tend to thy edification, not to thy destruc-
tion; which you ought to take all the advantage of, not
only in the church where you are a member, but by com-
munion with other churches, as occasionally providence
casts you among them ; for your communion with a par-
ticular church obligeth to communion with all churches
of Christ in his ways, as you are called thereto, I Cor. x.
27. And it is an abuse to say, We are members of a
church in London, and therefore refuse fellowship with a
church in the country; seeing, if we are members of
Christ, we are members of one another, whether single
persons or churches. And endeavour to join in fellow-
ship with the godly of the place where you live, that you
may have the more frequent and constant communion.
Onesimus, though converted at Rome, must be one of
the church of the Colossians, because he lived there, Col.
iv. 9. compared with Philemon, verse 10. The union of
the saints together in distant societies, according to the
places where they lived, was the apostolic practice, and
cannot be violated without sin. Such can best watch over,
admonish, comfort, and edify each other; which is the
benefit of communion. And they indeed destroy com-
munion, that seek it where they cannot have this benefit.
I only add to this head, that church fellowship, without
practising the ways of Christ, is but a conspiracy to take
his name in vain, and a counterfeit church fellowship of
hypocrites. It is impudence for such to invite others to
their community : tyranny, to compel them. Every
Christian is bound to seek a better church fellowship by
reformation ; and those that do so, are the best sons of
Christ’s church, who inquire, is this the way to enjoy
Christ? a church way being appointed to enjoy him
5. Especially leave not the church in persecution, when
you need its help most, and are then most tried whether
you will cleave to it. This is a sign of apostacy, Heb. x.
Direct. XIV. of sanctification. 331
25, 26. Matth. xxiv. 9, 10, 12, 13, 14. We should
cleave to one another as one flesh, even to prisons and
death; or else we deny Christ in his members, Matth.
DIRECTION XIV.
*That wou may seek Holiness and Righteousness,
only by believing in Christ, and walking in him
by Faith, and according to the former Directions,
take Encouragement from the great Advantages of
this Way, and the excellent properties of it.
ExPLICATION.
THIS direction may serve as an epilogue or con-
clusion, by stirring us up unto a lively and cheerful
embracing those gospel rules forementioned, by several
weighty motives. Many are kept from seeking godliness,
because they know not the way to it; or the way that
they think of seems uncouth, unpleasant, disadvantageous
and full of discouragement: like the way through the
wilderness of Canaan, which wearied the Israelites, and
occasioned their many murmurings, Numb. xxi. 4.
But this is a way so good and excellent, that those who
have the true knowledge of it, and desire heartily to be
godly, cannot dislike it. I shall shew the excelleney of
it, in several particulars. But you should first call to
mind what is the way I have taught, viz. union and fel-
lowship with Christ, and by faith in him, as discovered
in the gospel; not by law, or in a natural condition,
or by thinking to get it before we come to Christ, to pro-
cure him by it, which is striving against the stream; but
that we must first apply him and his salvation to ourselves,
for our comfort, and that by confident faith; and then
walk by that faith; according to the new man, in Christ,
and not as in a natural condition; and use all means of
holiness rightly for this end. Now that this is an excel- .
lent advantageous way appears by the following desirable
properties of it, .
253 rif gospel MystEnr Direct. XIV.
1st, It hath this property, that it tends, to the abase-
ment of all flesh, and exaltation of God only in his grace
and power through Christ. And so it is agreeable to
God’s design in all his works, and the end that he aimeth
at, Rom. xi. 6. Isa. ii. 17. Fzek. xxxvi. 21, 22, 23, 31,
32. Psalm cºlv. 4. and a fit means for the attaining the
end that we ought to aim at in the first place, which is
through faith. For,
* , w
the hallowing, sanctifying, glorifying God’s name in all
things; and is the first and chief petition, Matth. vi. 9.
and is the end of all our acting, *1 Cop. x. 31. was the
end of giving the law, Rom. iii. 19, 20. God made all
things for Christ, and would have him have the pre-emi-
nence in all, Col. i. 17, 18. that the Father may be glo-
rified in the Son, John xiv. 13. And this property of it
is a great argument to prove, that it is the way of God,
and hath the character of his image stamped upon it. We
may say, that it is like him, and a way according to his
heart; as Christ proveth his doctrine to be of God, by
this argument, John vii. 18. And Paul proveth the doc-
trine of justification, and of sanctification, and salvation
by grace through faith to be of God: because it excludes
all boastings of the creature, Rom. iii. 27, 28. 1 Cor. i.
29, 30, 31. Eph. iii. 8, 9. Thus property appears evi-
dently in the mystery of sanctification by Christ in us
1. It sheweth, that we can do nothing by our natural
will or any power of the flesh; and that God will not en-
able us to do any thing that way, Rom. vii. 18. however
nature be stirred up by the law, or natural helps, Gal. iii.
21. And so it serveth to work self loathing and abase-
ment, and to make us look upon nature as desperately
wicked, and past cure, and not to be reformed, but put
off, by putting on Christ. It remains wicked, and only
wicked, after we have put on Christ. . . . . .
... A 2. It sheweth that all our good works, and living to God,
are not by our own power and strength at all, but by the
power of Christ, living in us by faith; and that God ºn-
ableth us to act, not merely according to our natural
. power, as he enableth carnal men and all other creatures, -
but above our own power, by Christ united to us and in
us through the Spirit. All men live, move, and have
\,
Direct. XIV. of SANCTIFICATION. 253
their being in him; and, by his universal support and
maintenance of nature in its being and activity, they act,
Heb. i. 3. so that the glory of their actings as creatures
belongs to God. But God acts more immediately in his
people; who are one flesh and one Spirit with Christ;
and act not by their own power, but by the power of the
Spirit of Christ in them, as closely united to them, and
being the living temples of his Spirit; so that Christis the
immediate principal agent of all their good works; and
they are his works properly, who works all our works in
us and for us; and yet they are the saints’ works by fel-
lowship with him, by whose light and power the facul-
ties of the saints do act, and are acted, Gal. ii. 20. Eph.
iii. 16, 17. Col. i. I. so that we are to ascribe all our .
works to God in Christ, and thank him for them as free
gifts, 1 Cor. xv. 10. Phil. i. 11. God enables us to -
act, not by ourselves, as he doth others, but by himself.
The wicked are supported in acting only according to ‘. .
their own nature: so they act wickedly : Thus all are
said to live, move, and have their being in God, Acts
xvii. 27. But God enableth us to conquer sin, not by
ourselves, but by himself, Hos. i. 7. and the glory of en-
abling us doth not only belong to him, which the Pha-
risee could not but ascribe to him, Luke xviii. 1 1. But
also the glory of doing all in us. And yet we work as
one with Christ, even as he works as one with the Father,
by the Father working in him. We live as branches by
the juice of the vine, act as members by the animal spi-
rits of the head, and bring forth fruit by marraige to him
as our husband, and work in the strength of him as the
living bread that we feed on. He is all in the new man,
Col. iii. 11.’and all the promises are made good in him,
2 Cor. i. 20. -
2dly, It hath this property, that it consisted well with
other doctrines of the gospel; which contrary errors do
not. And hence this is the way to confirm us in many
other points of the gospel; and therefore appears to be
true by its harmony with other truths, and fit linking
with them in the same golden chain of the mystery of
godliness; and evidenceth them to be true by their har-
f
254. THE gospel MystERY . . Direct. xiv. -
-- mony with it. I have shewed, that men's mistaking the
true way of sanctification, is the cause of perverting the
scriptures in other points of faith, and of declining from
the truth, to Popish, Socinian, and other Arminian tenets;
because men cannot seriously take that for truth, which
they judge not to be according to godliness. But this way
of holiness will evidence, that these gospel doctrines which
they refuse, are according to godliness; and that those
tenets which a blind zeal for holiness moveth them to
embrace, are indeed contrary to holiness; however Satan
appeareth to their natural understandings as an angel of .
light in such tenets. Whatever men say, it is certain that .
legalists are indeed the Antinomians, I shall instance in
some truths confirmed by it. . . .
1. The doctrine of original sin, viz. not only the guilt
of Adam's sin, and a corrupt nature, but utter impoten-
cy to do spiritual good, and proneness to sin, which is
death to God, and all people according to nature, Psalm
li. 5. Rom. v. 12. There is an utter inability to keep
the law truly in any point. Many deny this doctrine;
because they think, that, if people believe this they will
excuse their sins by it, and be apt to despair of all striv-
ing to do good works, and leave off all endeavours, and
grow licentious; and they think it will be more condu-
cing to godliness to hold and teach, either that there is no
original sin, or corruption derived from Adam, or at least,
it is done away, either in the world, by universal redemp-
tion, or, in the church, by baptism; and that there is
free will restored, whereby people are able to incline them-
selves to do good, that men may be more encouraged to
set up good works and their neglect made inexcuseable.
All this is indeed forcibly against seeking and endeavour-
ing for holiness by the free will and power of nature;
which is the way of endeavouring which I directed you
to avoid; and, if there were no new way to holiness since
the fall, original sin might make us despair ; but there
is a new birth, a new heart, a new creature; and there-
fore we have directed you to the seeking of holiness, by
the Spirit of Christ, and willing good freely by a spiritual
power, as new creatures partakers of a divine nature in
him. Yea, it is necessºry to know the first Adam that
Direct. XIV. of SANCTIFICATION. 255
we may know the second, Rom. v. 12. to believe the fall
and original sin, that we may be stirred up to fly to Christ
by faith for holiness by free gift, knowing that we can-
not attain it by our own power and free will, 2 Cor. i. 9.
Matt. ix. 12, 13. Rom. vii. 24, 25. 2 Cor. iii. 3. Eph.
v. 14. There were no need of a new man or a new crea-
tion, if the old were not without strength and Íife, John
iii. 5, 6. Eph. ii. 8. But original deadness cannot hin-
der God’s working faith, and hungerings and thirstings
after Christ, by the spirit through the gospel, in those
that God chooseth to walk holily and blamelessly before
him in love, 1 Thess. i. 4, 5. Acts xxvi. 18. And so
we are made alive in a new head, and become branches
of another vine, living to God by the Spirit, not by na-
ture. . . . . .
2. It confirms us in the doctrine of predestination,
which many deny, because they say, it takes men off from
endeavour, as fruitless, by telling men, that all events are
predetermined. This argument would be more forcible,
against endeavours by the power of our own free will
but not at all against endeavours for holiness by the ope-
ration of God, giving us faith and all holiness by his own
Spirit working in us through Christ; we are to trust on
him for the grace of the elect, and God’s good will to-
wards men, Matt. iii. 17. Luke ii. 14. Psal. cvi. 4, 5.
Election by grace destroys seeking by works, but not by
grace, Rom. xi. 5, 6. And we are here taught to seek
for salvation only in the way of the elect, and we may
conclude that holiness is to be had by God’s will, and
not by our own: and it may move us to desire holiness by
the will of God, Rom. ix. H6. Psalm cº. 3. And seeing
it appears, by this doctrine of sanctification through Christ,
that we are God’s workmanship as to all the good wrought
in us, Phil. ii. 12, 13. Eph. ii. 10. We may well
admit, that he hath appointed his pleasure from eternity,
without infringing the natural liberty of our corrupt wills,
which reacheth not unto good works, Acts xv. 18. Com-
pared with 36. Man’s natural free will may well consist
with God’s decree: as in paradise, Decretum radic contin-
genţiae. - . . . . .
3. It confirms us in the true doctrine of juctification and
256 THE Gespel MystERY Direct. XIV.
reconciliation with God by faith, relying on the merits of
Christ’s blood, without any works of our own; and with-
out considering faith as a work to procure favour by the
righteousness of the act, but only as a hand to receive the
gift, or as the very eating and drinking of Christ actually
rather than any kind of condition entitling us to him as
our food. This great doctrine of the gospel many hate,
as breaking the strongest bonds of holiness, and opening a
way to all licentiousness, for they reckon that the condition-
ality of works to attain God’s favour, and avoid his wrath,
and the necessity of them to salvation, are the most ne-
cessary and effectual impulsives to all holiness; and they
account that the other doctrine opens the flood gates to
licentiousness. And truly this consideration would be of
some weight, if people were to be brought to holiness by
moral persuasions, and their natural endeavours stirred up
by the terms of the law, and by slavish fears and merce-
nary hopes; for the source of these motives would be alto-
gether enervated by the doctrine of justification by free
grace. But I have already shewed, that a man, being a
guilty dead creature, cannot be brought to serve God out
of love, by the force of any of these motives; and that
we are not sanctified by any of of our own endeavours to
work holiness in ourselves, but rather by faith in Christ's
death and resurrection, even the same whereby we are
justified, and that the urging of the law stirs up sin; and
that freedom from it is necessary to all holiness, as the
Apostle teacheth, Rom. vi. 11, 14. and vii. 4, 5. And
this way of sanctification confirms the doctrine of justifi-
cation by faith, as the Apostle informeth, Rom. viii. 1.
For if we are sanctified, and so restoreth to the image of
God, and life, by the Spirit, through faith; it is evi-
dent, that God hath taken us into his favour, and par-
doned our sins, by the same faith, without the law; or
else we should not have the fruits and effects of his favour
thereby to our eternal salvation, Rom. viii. 2. Yea,
his justice would not admit his giving life without works,
if we are not made righteous in Christ by the same faith.
And we cannot trust, to have holiness freely given us by
Christ, upon any rational ground: except we can also
trust on the same Christ for free reconciliation, and for-
Direct. XIV, or sANCTIFICATION. 257
giveness of sins for our justification : neither can guilty
cursed creatures, that cannot work by reason of their
deadness under the curse, be brought to a rational love .
of God, except they apprehend his loving them first free-
ly, without works, 1 John iv. 19, The great objection,
and reason of so many controversies and books written
about it, is, because they think, that men will trust to
be saved, however they live. But sanctification, is an
effect of justification, and floweth from the same grace ;
and we trust for them both by the same faith, and for the
latter in order to the former. And such a faith, be it
ever so confident, tendeth not to licentiousness, but to ho-
liness, and we grant, that justification by grace destroys
holiness by legal endeavours, but not by grace. So that
there is no need to live a Papist, and die an Antinomian.
4. It confirms us in the doctrine of real union with
Christ; so plentifully held forth in scripture ; which doc-
trine some account a vain notion, and cannot endure it,
because they think it worketh not holiness, but presump- -
tion : whereas I have shewed, that it is absolutely neces-
sary for the enjoyment of spiritual life and holiness, which
is treasured up in Christ; and that so inseparably, that
we cannot have it without a real union with him, 2 Cor.
xiii. 5. 1 John v. 12. John vi. 53. and xv. 5. 1 Cor. 1.
30. Col. iii. 1 1. The members and branches cannot
live without union with the vine and head, nor the stones
be part of the living temple, except they be really joined
mediately, or immediately to the corner stone.
- - $ -
5. It confirms us in the doctrine of certain final perse-
verance of the saints, John iii. 36. vi. 37, and v. 24.
1 John iii. 9. 1 Thess. v. 24. Phil. i. 6. John x. 28, 29.
and iv. 14. They think this dectrine maketh people
careless of good works. I answer, it maketh people
careless of seeking them by their own natural strength,
and in a way of slavish fear, but careful and courageous,
in trusting on the grace of God for them, when they are
brought by régeneration, heartily to desire them, R.
vi. 14. Numb. xiii. 30. setting upon the doing of 3.
in that grace, 1 Thess. v. 8, 11. And I have shexº~
that all fears of damnation will never bring person** .
-**

258 the sospel, Mystery Direct. XIV.
work out of love; and that nothing will do it but a com-
fortable doctrine. . . . . . . . .
3dly. It hath this excellent property, that it is the ne-
ver failing, effectually powerful, alone sufficient, and.
sure way to attain to true holiness. They that have the
-truth in them, find it; and the truly humbled find it.
People strive in vain, when they seek it any other way;
... therefore venture with the lepers, else you die, 2 Kings
vii. Isa. lv. 2, 3, 7. All other ways either stir up sin, .
orincrease despairin you ; as seeking holiness by the law,
and working under the curse doth ; and breeds but slav-
ish hypocritical obedience at best, and restrains sin only,
instead of mortifying it, Gal. iv. 25. The Jews sought
another way, and could not attain it, Rom. ix. And
all that seek it another way shall lie down in sorrow.
Isaiah li. - 1 1. And that (1) Because as we are under
the law in our natural state, we are dead, and children
of wrath, Eph. ii. 1, 3, and the law curseth us in-
stead of helping us, Gal. iii. 10. and giveth no life by
its obligation, Gal. iii. 21. And we cannot work ho-
liness in ourselves, Rom. v. 6. So that an humbled.
person finds it in vain, to seek holiness by the law, or his
own strength ; for the law is weak through our flesh.
Seeking a pure life without a pure nature, is building
without a foundation. And there is no seeking a new-
nature from the law; for it bids us make brick without
straw ; and saith to the cripple, Walk, without giving
any strength. - - , ,
. (2) In this way only is God reconciled to us, even in
Christ, 2 Cor. v. 19. Eph. i. 7. And so he loves us,
and is a fit object of our love, 1 John iv. 19.- And so, in
this way only, we have a new and divine nature by the
Spirit of Christ in us, effectually carrying us forth to ho-
liness with life and love, Rom. viii. 5. Gal. v. 17.
2 Pet. i. 3, 4, and have new hearts according to the new
nature, and cannot but serve him, 1- John iii. 9. So
ºhat here is a sure foundation for godliness, and love to.

*- ...t with all our heart, might and soul, and sin is not
ºy restrained but mortified; and not only the outside
ºãe clean, but the inside, and the image of God renew-
ed; and holy actings surely follow. We sin not accord-
--- -
Direct. XIV. or sANCTIFICATION. 259
ing to the old nature, though we are not perfect in de-
gree, because of the old nature. - - -
4thly. It is a most pleasant way to those that are in it,
Prov. iii. 17. and that in several respects.
1. It is a most plain way, easy to be found, to one that
seeth his own deadness under the law, and is so renewed
in the Spirit of his mind, as to know and be persuaded of
the truth of the gospel. Tho' such may be troubled and
pestered with many legal thoughts and workings ; yet,
when they seriously consider things, the way is so plain,
that they think it folly and madness to go any other way;
so that the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err
therein, Isa. xxxv. 9. Prov. viii. 9. The enlightened
soul cannot think of another way, when truly humbled,
Prov. i. 8. And when we are in Christ, we have his Spi-s
rit to be our guide in this way, 2 John ii. 27. John xvi.
13. So that we need not be filled with such distracting
thoughts, about knowledge of our way as legal Spirits
are about thousands of cases of conscience, which do so
multiply upon them, that they despair of finding out the
way of religion, by reason of so various doubts, and ma-
nifold intricacies. Here we may be sure, that God will
so far teach us our duties, as that we shall not be misled
with error, so as to continue in it to destruction, Psalm .
xxv. 8, 9, 14. What a trouble is it to atraveller to be doubt-
ful of his way, and without a guide, when his business is
of great importance, upon life and death; it is even a
heart breaking. But those that are in this way, may be
sure, that though they sometimes err, yet they shall not
err destructively, but shall discern their way again, Gal.
iv. 7, 10. . . . . . . .
2. It is easy to those that walk in it, by the Spirit,
though it be difficult to get into it, by reason of the op-
position of the flesh or devil scaring us, or seducing us
from it. Here you have holiness as a free gift received
by faith, an act of the mind and soul. Whosoever will,
may come, take it, and drink freely, and nothing is re-
quired but a willing mind, John vii. 38. Isa. lv. 1. Rev.
xxii. 17. But the law is an intolerable burden, Matt. xxiii.
5. Acts xv. 10, if duty be laid on us by its terms. We
~~
260 THE Gospel. MystERY Direct. XIV.
are not left in this way to conquer lusts by our endeavours,
which is an unsuccessful work; but what is duty is given,
and the law is turned into promises, Heb. viii. Ezek. xxxi.
25, 26. Jer. xxxi. 33. and xxxii. 40. We have all now
in Christ, Col. iii. 1 1. and ii. 9, 10, 15, 17. This is a ca-
tholic medicine, instead of a thousand. How pleasant
would this free gift, holiness, be to us if we knew our own
wants, inabilities, and sinfulness : How ready are some to
toil continually, and macerate their bodies in a melancho-
ly legal way, to get holiness, rather than perish for ever ?
And therefore how ready should we be, when it is only
Take and have : Believe, and be sanctified and saved 3
2 Kings v. 13. Christ’s burden is light by his Spirit's
bearing it, Matt. ix. 30. No weariness, but renewing of
strength, Isa. xl. 31.
3. It is a way of peace, Prov. iii. 17. free from fears.
and terrors of conscience, that those meet with unavoid-
ably who seek salvation by works for the law worketh
wrath, Rom. Iv. 15. It is not the way of Mount Sinai,
but of Jerusalem, Heb. xii. 18, 22. The doubts of salva-
tion that people meet with, arise from putting some con-
dition of works between Christ and themselves; as hath
appeared in this discourse. But our walking in this way,
is by faith, which rejects such fears and doubting, John
xiv. 1. Mark. v. 36. Heb. x. 19, 22. It is free from fears
of Satan, or any evil, Rom. viii. 31, 32. and free from
slavish fears of perishing by our sins, 1 John ii. 1, 2. Phil.
iv. 6, 7, faith laying hold on infinite grace, mercy, and
power to secure us; the Lord is the keeper and shade on
the right hand, Psalm crxi. 5. Free and powerful grace
- º , ,
answers all objections.
4. It is a way that is paved with love, like Solomon's -
chariot, Song iii. 10. We are to set God’s loving kindness
and all the gifts of his love still before our eyes, Psalm
xxvi. 2. Christ’s death, resurrection, intercession, before
our eyes; which breed peace, joy, hope, love, Rom. xv.
13. Isa. xxxv. 10. You must believe for your justification,
adoption, the gift of the Spirit, and a future inheritance;
your death and resurrection with Christ. In believing
for these things, your whole way is adorned with flowers,
. .)
Direct. XIV. or sANGTIFICATron. 261
and hath these fruits growing on each side; so that it is
thro’ the garden of Eden, rather than the wilderness of
Sinai, Acts ix. 31. It is the office of the Spirit or guide
to be our comforter, and not a spirit of bondage, Röm.
viii. 15. Peace and joy are great duties in this way, Phil.
iv. 4, 5, 6. God doth not drive us on with whips and
terrors, and by the rod of the school master, the law;
ibut leads us, and wins us to walk in his ways, by allure-
ments, Song i. 3. Hos. xi. 3, 4. See such allurements,
2 Cor. v. 15. and vii. 1. Rom. xii. 1, 5. . .
5. Our very moving, acting, walking in this way, is
a pleasure and delight. Every good work is done with
pleasure; the very labour of the way is pleasant. Car-
ºnal men wish duties were not necessary, and they are bur-
densome to them ; but they are pleasant to us; because
we do not gain holiness by our own carnal wrestling with
our lusts, and crossing them, out of fear, with regret
and grief, and setting conscience and the law against them,
to hinder their actings: but we act naturally, according
to the new nature, and perform our new spiritual desires
by walking in the ways of God through Christ; and our
lust and pleasures in sin, are not only restrained, but
taken away in Christ; and pleasures in holiness freely gi-
ven us, and implanted in us, Psalm viii. 5. Gal. v. 17,
24, John iv. 34, Psalm xi. 8. and cºix. 14, 16, 20. We
have a new taste and savour, love and liking, by the Spi-
rit of Christ; and look on the law not as a burden, but
as our privilege in Christ. . . . . . . . . . . .
- 5thly, It is a high exalted way above all other ways.
Unto this way the prophet Habakkuk is exalted, when,
upon the failure of all visible helps, and supports, he re-
solves to rejoice in the Lord, and joy in the God of his
sälvation, and making God his strength by faith, his feet
should be as hinds’ feet, and should walk upon his high
places, Heb. iii. 18, 19. These are the heavenly places,
in Christ Jesus, that God hath set usin, being quickened
and raised up together with him, Eph. ii. 5, 6.
1. We live high here; for we live not after the flesh,
but after the spirit, and Christ in us, with all his fulness,
Rom. viii. 1, 2. Gal. ii. 20, and v. 25. We walk in
262 *HE Gospel Mysºr ERY Direct. XIV.
fellowship with God dwelling in us and walking in us,
2 Cor. vi. 16, 18. And therefore our works are of
higher price and excellency, than the works of others:
because they are wrought in God, John ii. 21. and are
the fruits of God's Spirit, Gal. v. 23. Phil. i. 11. and
We may know, that they are accepted and good, by our
gospel principles, which others have not, Rom. vii. 6.
. . . 2. We are enabled to the most difficult duties, Phil.
iv. 1, 3, and nothing is too hard for us. Se the great
works done by faith. Heb. xi. Mark ix. 23. works that
carn iſ men think folly and madness to venture upon,
(they are so great) and honorable achievements in doing
and suffering for Christ.
3. We walk in an honorable state with God, and on
honorable terms; not as guilty creatures, to get our
párdon by works, nor as bond servants, to earn our meat
and drink; but as sons and heirs, walking towards the
full possession of that happiness to which we have a title;
and so we have much boldness in God’s presence; Gal.
iv. 6, 7. We can approach nearer to God than others,
and walk before him confidently, without slavish fear ;
not as strangers, but as such who are of his own family,
Eph. ii. 19, 20. And this prompts us to do greater
things than others; walking as free men, Rom. vi. 17,
18. John viii. 35, 36. It is a kingly way: the law to
us is as a royal law of liberty, and our privilege; not a
bond and yoke of compulsion. -
4. It is the way only of those that are honorable, pre-
cious in the eyes of the Lord, even his elect and redeemed
Ones, whose special privilege it is to walk therein ; no
unclean beast goeth there, Isa. xxxv. 8, 9. No carnal
man can walk in this way, but only those that are taught
of God, John vi. 44, 45, 46. Nor would it have come
into our hearts without divine revelation. . . . . . -

r e
5. The preparing this way cost Christ very dear. It
is a costly way, Heb. x. 19, 20. 1 Pet. iii. 18. ,
6. It is a good old way, wherein thou mayest follow
the footsteps of all the flock. . . . . .
7. It is the way to perfection. It leads to such holi-
ness, which shall, in a while, be absolutely perfect. It
differs only in the degree and manner of manifestation,
HDirect. XIV. or sANGTIFICATION. . s 263
from the holiness of heaven: there the saints live by the
same Spirit: and the same God is all in all, 1 Cor. xv. 28.
John iv. 14. and have the image of the same spiritual
man, 1 Cor. xv. 49. Only here we have but the first
fruits of the Spirit, Rom. viii. 24. and live by faith, and
not by sight, 2 Cor. v. 7. and are not full grown in
Christ, Eph. iv. 13. Sanctification in Christ, is glorifi-
cation begun, as glorification is sanctification perfected.
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For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of
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the redemption that is in jesus Christ, . .
Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation, through
faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for
the remission of sins that are past, through the
forbearance of God. . . . . . . . . . .
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that he might be just, and the justifter of him
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. . . THE apostle, having confuted and overthrown all
justification, either of Jew or Gentile, by works in the
foregoing discourse, is now proving, what he asserted,
verse, 21, 22. viz. “That the righteousness of Godwith- .
“out the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law
“ and the prophets: even the righteousness of God which
a’ . f v. 2. . - - - -
~!
* ,” -
\ _y \ w w
<!" -.
266 - THE DoctriNE of Justification
“is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all, and upon all them
“that believe; for there is no difference;” shewing that tº
now in the gospel times, there is no difference between
Jew and Gentile; but that, in the justification of both,
the righteousness of God, without the law, is manifested.
This he proveth, by shewing what the gospel teacheth -
concerning the way of Justification: for the gospel only .
reveals the righteousness of God, Rom. i. 16, 17. “I am
“not ashamed of the gospel of Christ; for therein is the
“righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith.”
So the words are a declaration of the gospel way of
justification by the righteousness of Gºd; and that so
clearly and fully, and the benefit spoken ºf, so great and
"glorious, being the first benefit that we receive by union º
with Christ, and the foundation of all other benefits, that
my text is accounted to be evangelium evangelii, a princi-
pal part of the written gospel, as briefly, and yet fully
"expressing this excellent point more than any other text.
Note in the words particularly, the subject declared
and explained, viz.justification of persons, or their be-
ing justified: and the meaning of it here, is, to be clear-
ed and freed from all ambiguties and misunderstanding.
Justification signifieth making just, as sanctification is
making holy, glorification making glorious; but not mak-
ing just by infusion of grace and holiness into a person,
as the Papists teach, confounding justification and sancti-
fication together; but making just, in triałand judgment,
by a judicial sentence, discharging gift, freeing from
blame and accusation; approving, j g, owning, and
pronouncing a person to be righteous: Use alters the
signification from the notation. It is a judicial word or
law term; and hath reference to trial andjudgment, 1 Cor.
, iv. 3, 4, “With me it is avery small thing that I should
“ be judged of you or of man’s judgment; yea; I judge
“ not mine own self: for I know nothing by myself,
“yet am I not hereby justified; but he that judgeth me .
“is the Lord,” And it is so opposed to condemnation
in judgment, Deut. xxv. 1. “If there be a controver-
“sy between men, and they come unto judgment, that
“ the judges may judge them, then they shall justify
“righteous, and condemn the wicked. And, Matt. Kii.
- ‘. .” . . . . . . * *-*. -
...~~ - * - . - . . . ~ ; , S: -,












opFNED AND APPLIED. . . . 267
“37. By thy words thou shalt be justified, and by
“thy words thou shalt be condemned,” And it is op-
posed both to accusation and condemnation, Rom. viii.
33, 34. “Who shall lay any thing to the charge of .
“God’s elect? who is he that condemneth And so
“Jeb ik. 20. If I justify myself, my own mouth shall
“condemn rae, chap. xiii. 15. I will maintain mine own
“ways before him, ver. 18. I have ordered my cause :
“I know that I shall be justified, ver, 19. Who is he
“ titat will plead with me?” Here justification is plainly
opposed unto the accusation or fault. And it is as
plainty opposed to the passing sentence of condemna-
tion, 1 Kings viii. 32. “ Do, and judge thy servants,
“condemning the wicked, to bring his way upon his
“ head, and justifying the righteous, to give him accord-
“ing to his righteousness.” In this sense it is a sin to
justify the wicked, Isa. v. 23. Prov. xvii. 15. Job xxvii. 5.
Actions must be existent already, brought to trial, that
&
- they must be justified, Job xxxiii. 32. Isa. xliii. 9, 26.
Justice or righteousness consits not in the intrinsic na-.
ture of an action, but in its agreebleness to a rúie of
judgment: so that actions are called just, and righteous-
ness by an extrinsical denomination, with relation to
God’s rule of judging. And this righteousness appears
by trying the action according to the rule, and by mak-
ing an estimate of it; which estimate is either approving,
or disapproving, justifying or condemning, finding it to be
sin or no sin, or breach of the law. So we may say of the
righteousness of persons, with reference to such habits or
actings. And because the righteousness of righteous per-
sons appears when they are brought to trial and judgment,
therefore they are said then to be in a special manner jus-
tified, as if they were then made righteous; viz. when their
righteousness is declared; as Christ was said to be begot-
ten the Son of God at the resurrection, Acts iii. 33. be-
cause he was then declared to be the Son of God, Rom.
i. 4. And, in the same sense, we that are adopted at
presents are said to wait for our adoption, i. e. the mani-
festation of it, Rom. viii. 23. And thus even God is
said to be justified, when we judge of his actions as we
ought to do, and deem them to be righteous, Job xxxii.
2. Psalm li. 4, Luke vii. 29, though nothing can be add-
- ... " * - - * , , , , ; *-- - -
. ..ºf • ' . - -- º, r * - 5
-. * . " ; ,
Y, & #
-,
ed to the infinite righteousness of God. And Wisdom
is said to be justified of her children. Matt, i. 19. So
tend for the sense of the word.
justification is not a real change of a sinner in himself
| , , ; *... . . . . . . . . . . . . .” " '' '' . . . . . . . ... ... “. * > . e &’ i . . . . . . * * , ... *\ i , ; * r *.
(tho' a real change is annexed to it) but only a relative
change with reference to God’s judgment. And thus
the word is used in the text, and so also in matters of
judicature throughout the scripture. Yea, some contends.
against the Papists, that it is no where in scripture used
otherwise, except by a trope borrowed from this as the
proper sense. And, in the text, it is beyond all doubt .
, meant of being deemed and accounted just in the sight of
God; for such a justification is here only treated of, as
appears in the text, and before, ver. 19, 20. And I have
been the longer explaining the sense of the word, because
the mistaking it, by reason of its composition, occasioned
... that Popish error, whereby the benefit signified by it is
obscured, yea, overthrown : so that we had need to con-
In the text we have,
1. The persons justified, (i.) Sinners. (2) Such
sinners of all sorts that shall believe, whether Jews or
Gentiles. * -, “ . . . . . ; . . . . .
2. The Justifier, or efficient cause, God.
3. The impulsive cause, grace. r :
4. The means effecting, or material cause, the redemp-
tion of Christ. . . . . . . . . . . .
5. The formal cause, the remission of sins.
6. The instrumental cause, faith. . . . .
7. The time of declaring, the present time.
From hence therefore, will arise several, useful obser-
~~~
vations, all tending to explain the nature of justification;
which shall be laid down, and cleared out of the text, and
‘confirmed particularly : and then I shall make use of them ”,
aii together."
OBSERV. I. “They who are justified are sinners, such
« who are come short of the glory of God,” i.e. of God’s
approbation, John v. 44. of God’s image of holiness,
2 Cor. iii. 18. Eph.
X.
i. , -Z
iv. 24. of eternal happiness, 1 Thess.
ii. 12. Rom. v. 2. 2 Cor. iv. 17. . . ." . . . . . . . . . .
, i. The law condemns all sinners, and strikes them
*- i. ! º - } º ,
- - - . .'s -- - - - - . . . . 4. - ...' '
openED AND Appli FD, 26°
dead as with a thunderbolt, Rom. iii. 20. and adjudgeth
them to shame, confusion, and misery, instead of glory
and happiness, by the strict terms of it, Rom. ii. 6, 9, 11,
12. which none fulfils, neither can do, Rom. viii. 7, nei-
ther Jews nor Gentiles. There is no hope, if free grace
restore them not. * T
2. Christ came only to save sinners, and died for this
end, Rom. v. 6. “When we were yet without strength,
“in due time Christ died for the ungodly. And, 1 Tim. "
“ i. 15. This is a faithul saying, and worthy of all ac-
“ceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save
“sinners, of whom I am chief, Matth. ix. 13. I am
“not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance
* Matt. xviii. 11. The Son of Man is come to save that
“which was lost.” And God must be believed on to Salva-
tion, as a God that justifieth the ungodly : he must be-,
lieve, as one.that worketh not, on him that justifieth the
ungodly, Rom. iv. 5. . . . . . . . .
OBSERV. II. “Sinners of all sorts, without difference,
“whether Jews or Gentiles, that believe, are the subjects.
“ of this justification.” This is the scope of the apostle,
to Shew, that whereas Jews and Gentiles were universally
condemned by the light and law of nature, or the law
written; so the righteousness of God is upon all them
that believe, ver. 21, 22. without difference. This was
a great point to be defended against the Jews in the
apostles’ time, who appropriated justification to themselves
in a legal way, and to such as were proselytes to the law
and circumcision; and therefore the apostie Paul vehé-
mently urged it, Rom. x. 11, 12. And it was a point
newly revealed to the apostles, that the Gentiles might
be accepted without turning Jews, and much prized as
Yery glorious revelation, Acts x. 28, 45. Eph. iii. 4, 5,8.
Col. i. 25, 26, 27. And it is confirmed, . . . . . .
1. Because notwithstanding the Jews' privilege of the
laws by reason of breaking the law, they had as much
need of free justification as the Gentiles, and no worthiness -
above the Gentiles by their works, but were rather greater
sinners, Rom. ii. 23, 24. And when there is equal need
of worth, God might righteously justify one as well as
another, Rom. iii. 9, . . . . . . . . . . . .:
. . . . . . . . . . . Z 2 . . . . . . . . . . . ." §
2 . . .
-->
270 - THE DocTRINE of Justific ATION -
_-
2. God is the God of the Gentiles as well as of the
Jews, Rom. iii. 29. as he promised, Rom. iv. 9, 12, 13.
Gal. iii. 8. Isa. xix. 25. Zech. xiv. 9.
3. Abraham was justified before he was circumcised,
that he might be the Father of those that believe, though
".
uncircumcised, that they might inherit the same blessing,
Rom. iv. 10, 11, 12. . . . . .
4. This will appear further, by shewing, that justifica-
tion is only by faith, and without dependence upon the
law, merely by the righteousness of another ; and so Jews
and Gentiles are alike capable of it. .
OBSERV. III. “That the justifier, or efficient cause of
“justification, is God.” It is an act of God, Rom. viii.
33. “It is God that justifieth.” He only can justifiy
thoritatively and irreversibly. . . . . . . .
1. Because he is the lawgiver, and hath power to save
and destroy, James iv. 12. This case concerns God’s
law, and can only be tried at his tribunal. He is the
judge of the world, Gen. xviii. 35. It is a small worth-
less thing to be justified by man, or by ourselves merely,
I Cor. iv. 3, 4. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2. To him the debt of suffering for sin, and acting
righteousness, is owed: and therefore he only can give
- a discharge for payment, or a release of the debtor, Psal.
li. 4. Mark ii. 7... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
OBSERV. IV. “God justifieth souls freely by his grace
[doreou te autou chariti] by his grace l’”. One of these ex-
pressions had been enough; but this redoubling it shew-
eth the importance of the truth, to quicken our attention -
the more. Here is the impulsive cause of justification,
and his free manner of bestowing it accordingly. …And
this signifies God’s free undeserved favour in opposition
to any works of our righteousness, whereby it might be
challenged as a debt due us, Rom. iv. 4. “Now to him
º “that worketh, is the reward not reckoned of grace, but
“ of debt, chap. ix. 6. If by grace, then is it no more
“ of works; otherwise grace is no more grâce ; but if it
“be of works, then is it no more grace; otherwise
“ work is no more work, Eph. ii. 8, 9. By grace are ye
“ saved, thro’ faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the
“gift of God; not of works, lest any man should boast,
“ 2 Tim, i. 9. Who hath saved us, and called us with
. . ºl.
º openED AND APPLIED. . . . .271
“a holy calling, not according to our works, but accord-
“ing to his own purpose and grace, which was given us
“ in Christ Jesus before the world began, verse 10. But
“is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour
“Jesus Christ,” &c.; Grace is mercy and love shewed
freely out of God’s proper motion ; shewing mercy, be-,
cause he will shew mercy.; and loving us, because he
will love us, Rom. ix. 15. And this is confirmed. . .
1. Because there was not, nor is anything in us, but
what might move God to condemn us: for we have all
sinned; Eph. ii. 3. Ezek. xvi. 6.
2. Because God would take away boasting, and have
his grace glorified and exalted in our salvation he will
have all the praise and glory, though we have the bles:
sedness, Eph. ii. 7, 9. “That, in the ages to come, he
“might shew the exceeding riches of his grace, in his
“kindness towards us, through Christ Jesus. And so
“Rom. iii. 27.”
OBSERV. V. “God justifieth sinners through the re-
“ demption that is in Jesus Christ, whom God hath set
“forth to be a propitiation thro' faith in his blood.” This
is the effecting means or material cause of our justifica: . .
tion, viz. redemption and propitiation through the blood,
of Christ; which is the righteousness of God treasured
up in him. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
By redemption is meant, properly such a deliverance
as is by paying a price; and so the words redeem and
redemption are frequently used, Exod. xiii. 13. Numb.
iii. 48,49, 51. Lev. xxv.24, 51, 52. Jer. xxxii. 7, 8.
Neh. v. 8. From this proper signification, it is borrow-
red, to signify a deliverance without price, Luke Xxi. 28.
Eph. i. 4. and iv. 30. or rather by a metonomy of the
cause, put for the highest effect, the state of glory; so
that the state of glory is called, redemption, as being the
º icompleting and crownin g e ffect o f Christ's redemption :
therefore it is called the purchased possession.
By a propitiation is meant, that which appeaseth the
wrath of God for sin, and wins his favour. And this
propitiation of Christ is two ways typified: first, In the
propitiatory sacrifices, whose blood was shed. And,
2dly, By the mercy seat; which was called the propiti-
272 the DocTRINE or justification
ation, because it covered the ark, wherein was the law;
and the blood of the sacrifices for atonement, was sprink.
led by the High Priest before it. And this mercy seat
was a sign of God’s favourableness to a sinful people, in
Now this doctrine appears confirmed for these reasons.
residing among them, and was called (ilaserion). Heb.
1. Because Christ, by the will of God, gave himself a
ransom for us to redeem us. from sin and punishment,
wrath and curse : Tit. ii. 14, “He gave himself for us,
“to redeem us from all uniquity,” he gave himself to
death for us ; was delivered for our offences; his death
was the price of our redemption, that we might be justis
fied in God's sight. God gave him up to death, he
spared him not, that we'rnight be made righteousness,
I Cor. i. 30. and Matth. xx. 28. “He gave his own
“life, a ransom for many; and so, 1 Tim. ii. 6, he
“bought us with this price, I Cor. vi. 20. He redeemed -
| “.. us not with silver and gold, but with his precious blood.
* - - - - - 5 • * - 3.
“as of a lamb without spot,” 1 Pet. i. 13, 19. 2 Pet.
ii. 1. Rev. v. 9. He suffered the penalty due to us for
3in : 1 Pet. ii. 24. “He bare our sins in his own body
“on the "tree, Gal. iii. 13. He was made a curse -
“ for us,” and thereby redeemed us from the curse of the
law: and, that he might be made a curse, he was made
sin: for us, 2 Cor. v. 21. Psa. liii. 5, 6, He subjected
himself to the law, in active as well as passive obedience,
--
Gal. iv. 4. and obeyed his Father even to death, do-
ing and suffering at his commandment, John Xiv. 31.
Heb. x. 7. and his obedience was for our justification,
Compare Rom. v. 19. with Phil. iii. 8, 9.. So Christ
satisfied both our debt of righteousness, and debt of prº-
nishment; for our faultiness, taint of sin, and want of
righteousness, as well as for our guilt, and obnoxious-
mess to punishment; that we might be free from wrath
and deemed righteous in God’s sight. His suffering was
the consummating act of redemption; and so all is attri-
buted to it, Heb. ii. 9, 10, even to his blood ; though
other doings and sufferings concur, 2 Cor. viii. 9. We
•
are righteous, by him, as we are guilty by Adam, Rom.
We 12- --
. . . openED AND APPLIED. . 273
2. God accepted this price as a satisfaction to his justice,
which he shewed in raising Christ from the dead, and so
acquitting him from all our sins: He was justified in .
“ the Spirit, 1 Tim. iii. 16. forus: Rom; iv. 2.5iºrai-
“sed for our justification, See Rom. viii.33, 34. It is
“God that justifieth: who is he that condemneth? It is
“Christ that died, yea, rather that is risen from the dead.
. “And Heb. x. 14. By one offering he hath perfected
“for ever them that are sanctified. And Eph. v. 2.
“This sacrifice was a sweet smelling savour unto God,”
... If Christ had sunk under the weight of our sins, and had
not been raised, the payment had not been finished, and
so the debt not discharged, John xvi. 10. “Of righte-
“ousness, because I go to my Father.”
3. This redemption is in Christ, as to the benefit of it;
so that it cannot be had, except we be in Christ, and have
Christ; so the text expresseth and sheweth, that he is the
propitiation; and, as such, he is our righteousness
1 Cor. i. 30. We have redemption and righteousness
in him, Eph. i. 7. 2 Cor. v. 21. and therein our free-
dom from condemnation, Rom. viii. 1. Christ died, that
his seed might be justified, Isa. liii. 10, 1 1. those that
are in him by spiritual generation, 1 Cor. iv. 15. . .
OBSERV. VI. “The formal cause of justification, or
“ that wherein it consists, is the remission of sin, i. e. not
“offly the guilt and punishment is removed, but the
“fault; because it is a pardon grounded on justice, which
“cleareth the fault also. By him we are justified from
“all things that the law chargeth us with, Acts xiii. 39.”
In men subject to a law, there is no middle condition
between not imputing sin, and imputing righteousness :
and so these terms are used as equivalent; Acts xiii. 38.
39. “Through this man is préâched the forgiveness of
“sins; and by him all that believe are, justified, &c. Rom.
“ iv. 6, 7, 8. 2 Cor. v. 19, 21. Rom. v. 17.” This
is through the bloodshed of Christ, Eph. i. 7. Matth.
OBSERV. VII. “God justifieth a sinner through faith
“ in Christ’s blood.” Faith is the instrumental cause of
receiving this benefit, faith is the blood of Christ.
1. This faith is a believing on. Christ, that we may be
* Q.

.274 - THE Doctºr E of Just IFICATION.
justified by him: Col. ii. 16. “Knowing that a man is
& not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith
“ of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ;
“that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and
“not by the works of the law.” We believe in Christ
for justificatiºn; out of ai Šense of cur inability to obtain
justification by works. , ºf . . . . . . . .
2. This faith doth not justify us, as an act of righte-
ousness, earning and procuring our justification by the
"work of it; for this would have been, justification by
~
works as under the law; diametrically opposite to grace
and free gift; which excludes all consideration ºf ańy.
works of ours, to be our righteousness, under any dero-
mination or diminutive terms whatever, whether you call
it legal or evangelical; though you reckon it no more than
the payment of a peppercorn, Rom. xi. 6. Faith in this
case is accounted a not working, Rom. iv. 5. Aid it is
not faith that-stands instead of the righteousness of the
law, but the righteousness of Christ, which satisfieth for
what we ought to have done or suffered; as hath been
shewed. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3. God justifieth by faith, as the instrument whereby
we receive Christ and his righteousness; by which we are
justified properly; and we are justified by faith onky me-
tonnically, by reason of the righteousness received by it:
and to be justified by faith and by Christ, is all one, Gal.
iii. 8. Rom. v. 19. By faith we receive remission of sins,
Acts xxvi. 18. and x. 43. Its effect is, the reception of
justification, not the working of it; as a man may be said
to be maintained by hisłiáñds, or nourished by his mouth,
when those do but receive that which nourisheth, his food
and drink. The cupºis: pút for the liquor in the cup,
I Cor, xi. 26, 27. Seeºom. i. 17. and iii. 22. Christ is
in is by faith, Ephiji; 17, received, ate, drunk, John i. 12.
. . . said vi. 50, :51, §3 3.54. ‘. . . . tº . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
ºf his faith is to be understööd exclusively, to all our
works for justification. We defend against the Papists
justification by faith phy: And there is nothingºnore
fully expressed in scripture phrase, Rom, iii. 28, Gai, ii.
16. Phil. iii. 8, 9. Rom. iv, Is. . .
5. We must understand faith in a full sense, of receiv-








..- -- - -
- 2. ~.
openED AND APPLIED. . . . . . 275.
ing remission of the fault as well as of the punishment. .
We believe, God accounts not the fault to us of the least
sin. And, where, faith is said to be accounted for
righteousness, it is because of the objectit receives, Rom.
iv. 5, 6, 7, 8. 2 Cor. v. 19, 21. We believe, Christ's righ-
teousness is imputed to us, as our sins are to him ; or
else we receive not remission of sins by believing: which
is contrary to charging us with sin and condemnation ;
which charging signifieth imputing sin, Rom. viii. 33,34.
Together with the removal of the charge of sin, we re-
ceive the gift of righteousness, Rom. v. 17. And this we .
have in the reception of Christ’s redemption and blood-
shed, Eph. i. 7: Matth. xxvi. 28, . . . . .
OBSERV. V.H.I. “That God; in setting forth Christ to
“be a propitiation through faith in his blood, aimed to
“declare his righteousness now under the gospel, for the
“remission of sins that are past, as well as present;” of
those sins that were past, and committed under the Old
Testament, which was God’s time of forbearing, in par-
doning long before his justice was actually satisfied by
Christ's atonement, Heb. xiii. 8. Rev. xiii. 8. Matth. xviii.
26. The ground of these pardons is now revealed by
Christ’s coming, Isa. li. 5, 7, and Ivi. 1. Dan. ix. 24.
2 Tim. i. 9, 16. that those pardons may be noblemish
to the justice of God now satisfied, Exod. xxxiv. 7. Psal.
lxxxv. 10. • . . . . . . .
1. By this righteousness is meant that righteousness of
God mentioned in the proposition, Rom. iii. 21, 22. of
which the text is but a confirmation; viz. the righteous-
ness of God; not his essential righteousness, that which is
an essential property of God; but a righteousness which is
upon all them that believe; Christ's righteousness, which
is the end of the law, Rom. x. 3, 4, and therefore called
God’s righteousness; that which Christ wrought for us,
which is given to us, and we receive by faith; that where-
by Christ answered the law for us; by which, as the
price he redeemed us; which is called God’s righteous-
ness, because it is of God’s working, and it only hath
God’s acceptance and approbation: as Christ is called
- the Lamb of God, because God provided him and ac-.
cepts him as an offering, John i. 29. Upon the like ac-
count, Christ's kingdom is called the kingdom of God,
2- -
276 The DocTRINE of Justification
ness of God here and in other
because God’s own handsets it up, and maintains it, and
rules it, Eph. v. 5; Christ, who became obedient toº.
death, to work this righteousness, was God as well as man,
Phil. ii. 6,28. And, this is that righteousness which the
apostle opposeth, to his own; that which is in Christ;
which he had through faith. And this is the righteous-
- of God here and in other places; the righteousness .
which is of God by faith, Phil. iii. 9.
2. God aimed at declaring, in gospel times, his righ-
teousness in forgiving sins past, in the time of God’s for-
bearance under the Old Testament, Rom. iii. 25. and al- .
so in justifying those that believe in Christ, at present: for
it was by the righteousness of the same Christ, that sins
were pardoned under the Old Testament, as well as now,
Heb. xiii. 8. Christ was the Lamb slain from the foun-
dation of the world, Rev. xiii. 8. Only the righteousness
ousness of God.
was not actually fulfilled, and revealed then, but it was
shadowed out then, by the sacrifices, ransoms, redemp-
tions, &c. Heb. x. 1, 2, 3, 9, 10. So this was a time of
God’s forbearance: because he pardons sins, as it were,
without present payment and satisfaction. He had pati-
ence and did net exact the debt, until Christ paid all,
Matt. xviii. 26. But then God promised, that he would
reveal his righteousness in due time, Isa. lvi. 1. and li. 5.
Psal. xcvii. 2. Dan. ix. 24. And this he hath done by
the appearance of Christ, 2 Tim. i. 10. - . . .
OBSERV. IX. “The end of this manifestation is, that
“God may appear just, in forgiving sins past as well as :
“ present, and the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus.”
Here the essential property of God is exalted, and ap,
pears glorious, in justifying by the forementioned righte-
1. As God justifieth freely by grace, he would appear
hereby justin justifying sinners; for it would be a blemish
to God’s justice, to forgive without a satisfaction, and
righteousness performed; and therefore, though he be
gracious and merciful, yet he will not clear the guilty,
Exod. xxxiv. 7. Gen. xviii. 25. Exod. xxiii. 7. And
so the saints of God concluded, that God hath a righte-
ousness and redemption whereby he forgave sin, though
it was not then revealed, Psalm li. 14. cxxx. 7, 8, and
* ...~.
erenrºd AND APPLIED. 277
exliii. 1, 2, God would have justice and mercy to meet
in our salvation, Psal. lxxxv. 10. . . .
2. God would have it appear, that he only is just, and
therefore saveth us, not by our own righteousness, but by
his ; which is indeed the more exalted by our unrighte-
ousness occasionally, though God is not therefore un-
righteous in taking vengeance, Rom. iii. 4. Dan. ix. 7.
3 God would appear to be the only procurer and
worker of our righteousness, and so our justifier by way
of procurement, as well as by way of judgment; and so
he will justify us by a righteousness of his own, and not
by our own, Isa. liv. 17. and xlv. 22, 24, 25. that we
may glory in the Lord only, 1 Cor. i. 30, 31.
USE I. It serves for instruction, by way of encourage-
ment and consolation; that the great happiness of those that
are in Christ, is, that their sins are forgiven, and they ac-
counted just in the sight of the Judge of all the world,
through the redemption that is by the blood of Christ;
and this benefit contains all blessedness of life, and the
consequences thereof, Rom. iv. 6. That man unto
whom God imputeth righteousness without works, hath
ablessedness therein, and such an extensive blessedness,
in regard of the spiritual part, as Abraham had, compre-
hending all spiritual blessings in Christ; for they which
be of faith, are blessed with faithful Abraham, Gal. iii. 9.
For this righteousness being the fundamental blessing, is
revealed from faith to faith, and they that are by faith
just and justified through that righteousness, do live by
faith, always receiving it, and receiving nourishment and
comfort by it, Rom. i. 17
1. They are delivered from the charge of sin and fault
before God, Rom. viii. 33, 34. [Tis egkalesei :] “Who
“shall lay anything to their charge, or be suffered to
“bring in, at God’s tribunal, any indictment, charge to,
“ or accusation against them : It is God that justifieth
“ them; and Christ hath died, and rose again. They
“ are redeemed from among men, being the first fruits
“ to God and the Lamb. In their mouth there is no
“guile ; and they are without fault (a momei) before the
“throne of God,” Rev. xiv. 4, 5. See also Col. i. 22.
3. They are delivered from all condemnation in sentence
278 THE DocTRINE or Justification
and execution : the curse and wrath of God, Gal. iii. 13.
“Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, be-
“ing made a curse for üs. "I Thess. i. 10. Jesus, which
“delivered us from the wrath to come. Psalm lzxxv. 3,
“Thou hast taken away all thy wrath : thou hast turned
“thyself from the fierceness of thine anger,” See verses
5, 6. The wrath of God is an unsupportable burden, and
the foundation of all miseries; which foundation is razed,
as a foundation of blessedness laid, whereby we have
peace with God, and are fully reconciled to God, Rom. v.
i, 2. 2 Cor. v. 18, 19. Col. i. 21, 22, “You that were
“ sometime alienated, and enemies in your mind by
“wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled in the bo-
“dy of his flesh through death, to present you holy and
“unblameable and unreproveable in his sight.” Now,
where there is no blame before God, there can be no
wrath from God. . . . . .
3. They have no need to seek salvation by the works
of the law; and so are delivered from a yoke that can-
not be borne; from endless observances that Pharisees and
Papists have heaped up : from continual frights, doubts,
fears and terrors by the law, Acts xv. 10. Rom. viii. 15. . .
from a wrath working law, Rom. iv. 15. from a sin ir-
ºritating law, Rom. vii. 5. from a killing law, a ministra-
tion of death and condemnation, 2 Cor. iii. 6, 7, 9.
Mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, Gal. iv. 24.
4. Hence they are delivered from a condemning con-
science, which otherwise would still gnaw them as a
worm, Heb. ix. 14. “If the blood of bulls and of goats,
“ and ashes of an heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sancti-
“fieth to the purifying of the flesh ; how much more
“shall the blood of Christ, who, through the eternal Spi-
“rit, offered himself without spot to God, purge your
“ conscience from dead work, to serve the living God.”
A guilty conscience is a foul conscience: and it will make
all services and duties dead works, unfit for the service.
of the living God: it is the blood of Christ, applied by
faith, that takes off this foulness of guilt from the con-
science: therefore the blood of Christ hath the only effica-
cy this way, to take off the conscience of sin, Heb. x. 1,
2, 3, 4, &c. Hence they come to have a good consciê
openED AND APPLIED. 27°
xxiv. 16. .
ence, 1 Pet. iii. 21. void of offence towards God, Acts
5. It is an everlasting righteousness; by which their
standing in Christ is secured, Dan. ix. 24. It is an eter-
nal redemption that is obtained, Heb. ix. 20. Whereas
by the law, those that were justified typically, might fal
under condemnation ; so far as to need another sacrifice
for sin to morrow ; they had no real purgation of consci-
ence from sin by those sacrifices; and therefore could not
have a lasting delivery of their consciences from guilt by
them. Here it is far otherwise ; here is an effectual, com-
plete, and perpetual redemption, reaching the conscience
of the sinner, and for the purging away all-sins, past,
present, and to come, 1 John i. 7. - . . . .
6. It is a righteousness of infinite value; because it
is the righteousness of one that is God; and his name,
is, JEHOVAH OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS, Jer. xxiii.
6. Heb. ix. 14. It is therefore more powerful to save,
than Adam’s sin was to destroy or condemn, Rom. v.
Christ is here the power of God, 1 Corinthians i. 24.
Hence we are powerful, and conquer by faith. Like-
wise there is a marvelous plenty of mercy and grace, that
is brought to us by Jehovah our Righteousness, plenteous
redemption, Psalm Cºxx. 7. It must be most plentiful,
because infinite. Though no creature could satisfy for
sin, yet Jehovah could do it abundantly ; and therefore
in Christ, God’s mercy prevails high above our sins,
Psalm ciii. 11, 12. - . . . . . . … .
7. God’s grace and justice are both engaged on our
behalf in this righteousness. Justice is terrible, and seems
to be against mercy, and dreadful to natural people; but
it is otherwise to believers: it is pacified and appeased
through this righteousness; it is satisfied by Christ for
our sins. Justice becomes our friend, joins in with grace:
and, instead of pleading against us, is altogether for us :
and it speaks contrary to what it speaks to sinners out of
Christ, Josh. xxiv. 19, 20. We may also plead justice,
for forgiveness through mercy in Christ, Rom. iii. 26.
8. We may be sure of holiness and glory, delivery.
from the power and dominion of sin, as well as the
charge of it before God, and guilt in our consciences :
for this was the end of Christ's death, Titus ii. 14, Rom,
Yi, 14, and viii. 3, 4, 30. “Whom he justified, them
“he also glorified.” The law was the strength of sin; for
sin had its title to rule in us by reason of the curse; and
thence Satan also rules; but here is our deliverance from sº
sin and Satan, yea, from death too, Heb. ii. 14, 15. Hos.
*.iii. 14. And by the same, reason, we are raised, by
this excellent righteousness, to a better state than we had
in Adam at first; for Christ died that we might receive .
the adoption of sons, and the Spirit; that we might be
brought under a new covenant, and be set in the right
Way of holiness, serving out of love, Gal. iii. 14. I John
Y.1% Gal. iv. 5. Heb. ix. 15. Rom. v. 11. Luke i. 74.
9. We may be sure, hence, of a concurrence of all
things for our good. All things shall work for good,
through grace, to bring us to glory; because God is for
us, who is the Creator and Governor of all things, Rom.
viii. 28, 31, 33. God will never be wroth with us, nor
rebuke us in anger any more, Isa. liv. 9. Rom. v. 2–5.
10. Hence we may come before God without confusion
of face, yea, with boldness to the throne of grace in
Christ's name, John xiv. 13, 14. and accept all good
things from him, Eph. iii, 12. “ in whom we have
“boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him,
“Heb. x. 22, 23. Let us draw near with full assurance
“ of faith.” Christ's blood pleads for us, in heaven, Heb.
xii. 24. and we may, and are to, plead boldly a satisfac-
-
tion on his account. . . . . * - ". . . . . . .
I 1. We live in those times when this righteousness is
fully revealed, and sin made an end of, Rom. iii. 21, 23.
This is our happiness above those that lived before Christ’s
coming who were under types and shadows of this
righteousness: when as we have the substance in its own
light; and so we are not under the law, which they were
under as a schoolmaster. We are not servants but sons,
called to liberty, Gal. iii. 23, 26. iv. 7. and v. 13. The
preaching the old covenant as a church ordinance to be
surged, now is ceased ; the law is not to be preached now
in the same terms as Moses preached it, for justification,
Rom. x. 5, 6, 7, 8. 2 Cor. iii. 6, 7. Gal. iii. 23, 24. It
is contrary in terms to faith, though it were subservient,
*> *
- - a ! -, ºf ºr & $ - -- ...” - §
. . . . . . . epºngi AND APPLIED. . . . . 33 1
USE II. For examination, whether we be in Christ,
and have received this justification by faith with all our
hearts. – . . . .
1. Consider whether you may be really sensible of
siń, and your condemnation by the law. This is necessà-
ry to make us fly to Christ; and for this as one greaten d;
was the law given, Gal. iii. 22, 23, 24. Matth. ix. 13.
Acts ii. 37. Without sense of sin, there wiłł be no priz-
ing of Christ, or desire of holiness; but rather abuse of
grace to carnal security and licentiousness. Those that
were stung with the fiery serpent Rooked up to the brazen
serpent. . . - . . . . . . -
2. Dost thou trust only upon free mercy for justifica-
tion in God’s sight, renouncing all thy works whâtever
in this point, as not able to stand in them before God’s
exact justice, crying with the poor publican : Perfection-
ists, and self-righteous persons, have no share in this mat-
ter, Luke xviii. 13, 14. Paul notwithstanding all that
the world might think he had to plead for himself,
“ counted all but dung, that he might win Christ, and
tº be found in him, not having his own righteousness;
“ which is of the law, but that which is through the
“faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by
* faith,” i.e., the redeeming and propitiation right-
eousness of Christ; whereby he desired only to be jus-
tified; and which he believed in for that end, opposing
it to any thing inherent in himself, which therefore he
calls his own righteousness, Phil. iii. 7, 8, 9. Rom.
iv. 5. . . . - *
3. Dost thou trust with any confidence on Christ,
not continuing in a mere suspence : In a way of mere
doubting, we can receive no good thing from God, Ja:
i. 6, 7. Mere doubting will not loose the conscience
from the guilt of sin, Heb. x. 12, but leaveth the soul
under terrors. Abraham’s confidence is the example and
pattern of our justifying faith, that we should endeavour
to come up into, believing with a fulness of persuasion,
in hope against hope, Rom. iv. 24. Though a beliving
soul may be assaulted with many doubtings, yet it fights
against them; and doth not give up itself to the dominion
f A a 2 • -
* * - * . , - J “. . . " " . . . . .
28? THE DoctriNE of Jüsºrtric Arron,
of them, Psalm xlii. 11. Mark ix, 24. It hath al-
ways something contrary to them, and striving with
them. . . . . . . . . . . .
4. Dost thou come to Christ for remission of sins, for
the right end, namely that thou mayest be freed from
the dominion of sin before the living God, Heb. ix. 14.
Psalm Cºxx. Tit. ii. 14. 1 Pet. ii. 24. If otherwise, thou
dost not receive it for the right end; and desirest not
really the favour and enjoyment of God, and to be in
friendship with him. \ * . . . . . . . . . . . .
* 5. Dost thou walk in holiness, and strive to evidence
this justification by the fruits of faith, in good-works. :
~ ;
^-
, If otherwise thy faith is but a dead faith; for a true faith
purifieth the heart, Acts xv. 9. If Christ be thine, he
will be sanctification as well as righteousness, 1 Cor. i.
30. Rom. viii. 1, 9. John xiii. 8. If God hath taken thee
into his favour, he will doubtless cleanse thee. Though
faith alone justifies without the concurrence of works;
to the act of justification, yet that faith is not so alone,
as not to be accompanied with good works ; as the eye
alone seeth, yet it is not alone without other members;
so the apostle James declareth faith that is alone, to be
dead, and biddeth us shew our faith by our works;
which is to be understood, not as if works were the con-
ditions of attaining justification, but sure evidences of
justification attained by faith, and very necessary, James
ii. 14, 15. The gospel is no covenant of works requiring
another righteousness for justification by doing for life.
Works justify us from such accusations of men as will de-
ny us to have justification by faith, or that we have a
true and lively faith, or as good trees, Matth. xii. 33,
37. not a being our righteousness themselves, or condi-
tions of our having Christ’s righteousness, or qualifying
us for it. - , s
Use III. It serveth for exhortation to several du-
1. To the wicked. It is dehortation unto them from
continuance in sin, under God’s wrath, running head
long to damnation; for here is a door of mercy opened
them ; a righteousness prepared that they may be
\
oprºnºfi AND APPLIED. 28s
freely accepted of God. Some men are desperadoes : . .
“They have loved strangers, and after them they will
“go,” Jer. ii. 25. They are resolved to run the risk of
it, and please themselves, that they shall speed as well as
others. And some men would be justified, but seek for
it in a wrong way. Some will go to the Pope, to quiet
their consciences by his deceit ; some to their own
works and performances: but you are exhorted to look
out for the true righteousness. Christsaith in the gospel;
“Behold me, behold me:” the kingdom of heaven, is .
open : mercy, and righteousness are freely offered, Isa.
lv. 6, 7. Jer, iii. 12. Repentance is preached with remis-
sion of sins, Luke xxiv. 57. Acts, ii. 38. Beware you do
not neglect this acceptable time, this day of salvation;
Heb. ii. 1, 3. For, . . . . .
(1.) If you do, you remain under the wrath of God
John iii. 36. under the curse of the law : which, like a
flood, sweeps away all that are found out of this ark, the
Lord Jesus Christ, Psalm xi. 5, 6. . . . . .
- (2) Youé condemnation will be aggravated by re-
ºfusing so great Salvation, Heb. ii. 3. You will have no
* cloak for your sins when you refuse mercy, John xv. 22.
You cannot say, you are undene, by your past sins, be-
yond recovery, and therefore it is in vain to strive : for
behold, reſission of sins is proclaimed unto you, Ezek.
xxxiii. 16; 11. And what an horrid sin is it, to despise
the bloºd of the Son of God? John iii. 18, 36. . ."
@BJECT. I. “If God justify the ungodly, Rom. iv.
“5. what need I forsake ungodliness at all ? Rom.
« vi. 1.” - . . . . . . . . . .
ANs. Thou canst not seek justification truly, except
thou hast a mind to live to God in friendship with him:
for justification is God’s way of taking us into friend-
ship with him, Rom. v. 1, 2, and of reconciling us,
2 Cor. v. 19. The use thou art to make of it, is to seek: .
God’s friendship by it, and the enjoyment of him.
Why doth a man seek a pardon, if he intend to go on in
rebellion, and stand out in defiance to his prince : 1 Pet.
ii. 24. They seek pardon in a mocking way, that intend
not to return to obedience, Gal. vi. 7, 8. . . .
&;"

- , * > 4
- - - …”
~
$84 THE Doctºrnt of Justification
OBJECT. II. “My sins are so great that I have né,
“encouragement to hope.” . . . . . . .
- ANs. Christ's righteousness is for all sorts of sinners
that believe, whether Jew or Gentile; and how great
sinners were of both sorts, Rom. i., ii, and iii. and even
for those that killed and murdered the Lord of glory,
Acts. ii. 23, 36. 1 Cor. ii. 8. for the chief of sinners,
1 Tim. i. 15. Acts xvi. “Where sin abounds, grace su-
“perabounds, Rom. v. 20.” Your sins are but the
sins of a creature, but his righteousness is the righteous-
ness of God, John vi. 37. Rom. x. 3, 11, 13. --
ExHoRT. II. It exhorts- those that have a mind to
turn to God, to tuin the right way, by faith in Christ for
justification. Let them not seek by works, as most in
the world do, and all are prone to do, Rom. ix. 31, 32.
But this doctrine seems very foolish, yea; pernicious to
a natural man. “Become a fool that thou mayest be
wise,” I Cor. iii. 18. otherwise you will labour in the fire,
and weary yourselves for every vanity, and be under
coñtinual discomforts and discouragements : for you can
do no good work while you are in the flesh, under the law,
and its curse, before God have received you into favour;
for justification is in order of nature before true holiñess
of heart and life, 1 Tim. i. 5. Heb. ix. 14. Faith is the
great work and mother duty, John vi. 29. Gal. vi. Isa.
Iv. 2, &c, and therefore, while you believe not, you dis-
honour Christ and his death, Gal. ii. 21. and v. 2, 3, 4:
Therefore come boldly, though you have been a great
sinner, Acts x. 43. and seek righteousness in Christ with
holiness, Rom. viii. 1. . . . -
Q. But how shall I get faith ? -
A. Faith is the gift of God, Eph. ii. 8. and by the
gospel, Rom. i. 15, 16, 17. Faith cometh by hearing
the gospel preached, Rom. x. 17. and that comes, in
working faith, not in word only, but in power, 1 Thess.
i. 5.' beyond what can be done by natural or human at-
tainment, John vi. 63. Therefore, if thou hast no be-
ginning of it in thee, thy only way is, to attend to the
gospel, and to meditate on thy sin and misery, and
errºnxp and APPLIES. $38,
_^
Christ's excellency, that so thou mayest be inclined in thy
heart to believe, Song i. 3. Gal. ii. 16. Psalm ix. 19. for
this is the way God useth to beget faith, Isa. lv. 4. But
if thou hast a desire and inclination to fly from thy-
self to Christ in the bent of thy heart, so that thou pre-
ferrest Christ above all, then the Spirit hath begun, and
will carry on the work; so that now thou mayest pray
confidently for faith, Song i. 4. Luke xi. 18. Mark xi,
34. ". . . . . . . . -, *
OBJECT. III. “Put without holiness no man shall see
“ the Lord, Heb. xii. 24. And how shall I get holiness?
“I cannot sanctify myself; and this confidence you speak
“ of, may slacken my diligence.” ... ' &
f * - "... • * * - .
ANs. If thou hast righteousness in Christ, God will
make thee holy; and this confidence is the only way to
get holiness, because of that righteousness, Rom. v. 21.
The new covenant is confirmed in him, which promiseth
a new heart. If sin be forgiven, thou shalt be delivered
from its power, and quickened by the same death and
resurrection of Christ, whereby thou art justified, Col. ii.
I 2. 13. ".
faith. . . . . . .” - is . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1. To walk humbly, as being nothing of themselves,
to acknowledge themselves enemies to God by nature,
Exhort. III. It exhorteth them that are justified by
and acknowledge their sins in the greatness and heinous-
ness of them; that they are saved freely by the righteous-
ness of another, not by their own; yea, that they are so
far fallen, that the justice of God would have been against
-- 9 sº & 3 --->
them, if it had not been satisfied, Psal. lxxi. 16. Rom. iii.
27. but now they see that Christ hath satisfied, and his
righteousness is above their sins, Ezek. xxxvi. 31. .
2. To praise and glorify God through Christ for his
grace." Oh what abundant grace and love appears in
God’s washing and cleansing us by his Son’s blood | Rev.
i. 5. Gal. ii. 20. and in making his Son sin and a curse
for us? Rom. v. 5, 8. 1 John iv. 9, 10. and iii. 16. 2 Cor.
viii. 9. and what a glorious and exceljent righteousness
hath God given us in Christ? Isa. xi. 10. -
*
w
3. To walk comfortably, upon the account of this
ºr?
- * -
286 THE DocTRINE of Justification &
“,
righteousness, Isa. xl. 1, 2. Triumph over sin and afflic.
tion. Rom, viii. 33,39. Beconfident in expecting great
things from God, Heb. x. 22. for, though you may be
unworthy and grace will shew you your own unworthi-
ness, yet you stand upon the righteousness of Christ.
Glory in the hope of God’s glory; for if Christ died to
reconcile you when you were enemies, much more will
he save you by his life, now you are reconciled, Rom. v.
3, 10. Ask boldly for what you want; for God is in
Christ’s manhood as the mercy seat. Wheneversin stings
you, and objections trouble you, -look to the brazen ser-
pent; confess sin, and trust for pardon; meditate on
Christ’s righteousness, and the abundance of grace in him,
Rom. viii. 32. If you find ever so much ungodliness, no
good qualifications; yet Christ is at hand for your com-
fort, Isa. l. 10. 2 Thess. ii. 16, 17. In all your sins, apply
yourselves to this fountain, Zech. xiii. l. l John -i, 7. If
sin lie on the conscience, it weakens peace and spiritual
strength. Lie not under guilt with a slavish fear; you
have a righteousness to deliver you from it: apply it by
faith that you may have no more conscience of sin as
*,
f . ge - Dr. gº tº * -
condemning, Heb. x. 2. Psalm xxxii. You have a better
righteousness than any perfectionists can have. . -
4. Hold fast this way of justification notwithstanding
all the noise that is made in the world against it; for the
devil will strive to scare you out of it, or steal it from
you ; as he did from the Jews, from the Galatians, the
papists and many protestants, Gal. i. 9, and the apostle
reckons it is by a spiritual bewitchery. He will strive to
get you to trust on works, and tell you, it is for the pro-
moting of holiness, and to trust on works to get Christ,
and to lay works lowest in the foundation. If you lose
this righteousness of Christ, under any colour or pretence
whatever, you lose all, Gal. v. 2, 3. Do not so dis-
honour Christ, as to think of procuring that by works
which you have fully in Christ. Think not that the gos-
pel requires any other justification to gain this; for the
gospel is no legal covenant, but a declaration of the righ-
teousness of faith; and we, being justified, are heirs by
adoption and promise, Gal. iii. 24, 25, 26, and iv. 7,
*E.- ---
&PENED AND APPLIED. -*. 28?
This is the doctrine which glorifieth God, and abaseth
the creature; which is a mark of its truth. Beware,
therefore, of carnal reason: which will go quite contrary,
and make Christ's righteousness a stumbling stone to
thee, 2 Pet. ii. 8. Rom. ix. 32, 33.
5. Walk as one that enjoys the favour of God in Christ.
Let him have the honour of it. Walk therefore in holi-
ness, knowing by what price you are redeemed, 1 Pet.
i. 17, 18. 2 Cor. v. 14, 15. 2 Pet. i. 5, 11. I Cor. vi.
20. Love God that hath loved you first, 1 John iv. 19.
Psalm czvi. 16. Believe that God will enable you for
the practice of holiness, Rom. vi. 14. Particularly,
walk in love to the saints; exercise forgiveness to your
enemies. Sense of your own sins, and God’s forgiving
you, will cause you to pity and forgive others; else you
cannot pray or trust for forgiveness of your sins upon
reasonable grounds, Eph. iv. 31, 32. Matt. vi. 14, 15.
and xviii. 21. Desire grace may be exalted upon others;
and wait patiently for the full declaration of justification,
at the great day, Gal. v. 5. Acts. iii. 19. for here your
justification is known only by faith; but in outward
things you are dealt with as a sinner: then your righ-
teousness shall appear openly, and you shall be dealt
with according to it, -- ~~T - .---
FINIS,
UNIVERSITY of McHGAN
i 3 9015 O8586 2723
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