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T H E By J O H N.B U N Y A N. 1659. The last book John Bunyan wrote before being placed in Bedford Prison for twelve years. |
SECOND. WHO AND HOW MEN ARE ACTUALLY BROUGHT INTO THE NEW COVENANT.
he SECOND thing that I am to speak unto is this—WHO they are that
are actually brought into this free and unchangeable grace; and also HOW they are
brought in.
Answ. Indeed, now we come to the pinch of the whole discourse; and if God do but
help me to run rightly through this, as I do verily believe He will, I may do thee,
reader, good, and bring glory to my God.
The question containeth these two branches—FIRST. Who are brought in; SECOND. How
they are brought in.
[FIRST. Who are brought in?] The first is quickly answered— "Christ Jesus came
into the world to save sinners," Jewish sinners, Gentile sinners, old sinners,
young sinners, great sinners, the chiefest of sinners. Publicans and harlots—that
is, whores, cheaters, and exactors—shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven (1 Tim
1:15; Rom 5:7-11; 1 Cor 6:9,11; Matt 21:31). "For I come not," saith Christ,
"to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance" (Mark 2:17).
A sinner in the Scripture is described in general to be a transgressor of the law—"Whosoever
commiteth sin, transgresseth the law; for sin is the transgression of the law"
(1 John 3:4). But particularly; they are described in a more particular way, as,
1. Such as in whom dwelleth the devil (Eph 2:2,3). 2. Such as will do the service
of him (John 8:44). 3. Such as are enemies to God (Col 1:21) 4. Such as are drunkards,
whoremasters, liars, perjured persons, covetous, revilers, extortionists, fornicators,
swearers, possessed with devils, thieves, idolaters, witches, sorcerers, conjurors,
murderers, and the like (1 Cor 6:9,10; 2 Chron 33:1-13; Acts 2:36,37; 9:1-6; 19:9;
1 Tim 1:14-16). These are sinners, and such sinners that God hath prepared Heaven,
happiness, pardon of sin, and an inheritance of God, with Christ, with saints, with
angels, if they do come in and accept of grace, as I might prove at large; for God's
grace is so great, that if they do come to Him by Christ, presently all is forgiven
them; therefore never object that thy sins are too great to be pardoned; but come,
taste and see how good the Lord is to any whosoever come unto Him.
[SECOND.] The second thing is, How are these brought into this Everlasting Covenant
of Grace?
Answ. When God doth in deed and in truth bring in a sinner into this most blessed
covenant, [Come to the Touchstone, sinner]. for so it is, He usually goeth this way—
First. He slays or kills the party to all things besides Himself, and His Son Jesus
Christ, and the comforts of the Spirit. For the clearing of this I shall show you,
1. With what God kills; 2. How God kills; 3. To what God kills those whom He makes
alive in Jesus Christ.
1. [What God kills]. When God brings sinners into the Covenant of Grace, He doth
first kill them with the Covenant of Works, which is the moral law, or Ten Commandments.
This is Paul's doctrine, and also Paul's experience. It is his doctrine where he
saith, "The ministration of death, written and engraven in stones—the ministration
of condemnation," which is the law, in that place called the letter, "killeth"
(2 Cor 3:6-9). The letter, saith he, killeth; or the law, or the ministration of
death, which in another place is called "the voice of words" (Heb 12:19),
because they have no life in them, but rather death and damnation, through our inability
to fulfill them, doth kill (Rom 8:3; 2 Cor 6). It is his experience where he saith,
"I was alive" that is, to my own things, "without the law once,"
that is, before God did strike him dead by it, "but when the commandment came,"
that is, to do and exercise its right office on me, which was to kill me, then "sin
revived, and I died," and I was killed. "And the commandment," or
the law, "which was ordained to" be unto "life, I found to be unto
death. For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me"
(Rom 7:9-11).
2. But how doth God kill with this law, or covenant?
1. By opening to the soul the spirituality of it—"The law is spiritual,"
saith he, "but I am carnal, sold under sin" (Rom 7:14). Now the spirituality
of the law is discovered this way—
(1.) By showing to the soul that every sinful thought is a sin against it. Ay, sinner,
when the law doth come home indeed upon thy soul in the spirituality of it, it will
discover such things to thee to be sins that now thou lookest over and regardest
not; that is a remarkable saying of Paul when he saith, "Sin revived, and I
died." Sin revived, saith he; as if he had said, Those things that before I
did not value nor regard, but looked upon them to be trifles, to be dead, and forgotten;
but when the law was fastened on my soul, it did so raise them from the dead, call
them into mind, so muster them before my face, and put such strength into them, that
I was overmastered by them, by the guilt of them. Sin revived by the commandment,
or my sins had mighty strength, life, and abundance of force upon me because of that,
insomuch that they killed me (Matt 5:28).
(2.) It showeth that every such sin deserveth eternal damnation. Friends, I doubt
there be but few of you that have seen the spirituality of the law of works. But
this is one thing in which it discovereth its spirituality, and this is the proper
work of the Law.
(3.) God, with a discovery of this, doth also discover His own Divine and infinite
justice, of which the law is a description, which backs what is discovered by the
law, and that by discovering of its purity and holiness to be so Divine, so pure,
so upright, and so far of from winking at the least sin, that He doth by that law,
without any favour, condemn the sinner for that sin (Gal 3:10). Now, when He hath
brought the soul into this praemunire,[13] into this puzzle, then,
2. He showeth to the soul the nature and condition of the law as to its dealings
with, or forbearing of, the sinner that hath sinned against it; which is to pass
an eternal curse upon both soul and body of the party so offending, saying to him,
Cursed be the man that continueth not in everything that is written in the Book of
the Law to do it; for, saith the law, this is my proper work; first, to show thee
thy sins; and when I have done that, then, in the next place, to condemn thee for
them, and that without all remedy, as from ME, or anything within my bounds, for
I am not to save any, to pardon any—nay, not to favour any in the least thing that
have sinned against me; for God did not send me to make alive, but to discover sin,
and to condemn for the same. Now, so soon as this is presented to thy conscience,
in the next place, the Lord also by this law doth show that now there is no righteous
act according to the tenor of that covenant that can replieve him, or take him off
from all this horror and curse that lies upon him; because that is not an administration
of pardon, as I said before, to forgive the sin, but an administration of damnation,
because of transgression.
O, the very discovery of this striketh the soul into a deadly swoon, even above half
dead! But when God doth do the work indeed, He doth, in the next place, show the
soul that he is the man that is eternally under this covenant by nature, and that
it is he that hath sinned against this law, and doth by right deserve the curse and
displeasure of the same, and that all that ever he can do will not give satisfaction
to that glorious justice that did give this law; holy actions, tears of blood, selling
all, and giving it to the poor, or whatever else can be done by thee, it comes all
short and is all to no purpose (Phil 3). I will warrant him, he that seeth this,
it will kill him to that which he was alive unto before, though he had a thousand
lives. Ah, sinners, sinners, were you but sensible indeed of the severity and truth
of this, it would make you look about you to purpose! O, how would it make you strive
to stop at that that now you drink down with delight! How many oaths would it make
you bite asunder! Nay, it would make you bite your tongues to think that they should
be used as instruments of the devil to bring your souls into such an unspeakable
misery; then also we should not have you hang the salvation of your souls upon such
slender pins as now you do; no, no; but you would be in another mind then. O, then
we should have you cry out, I must have Christ; what shall I do for Christ? how shall
I come at Christ? Would I was sure, truly sure of Christ. My soul is gone, damned,
cast away, and must for ever burn with the devils, if I do not get precious Jesus
Christ!
3. In the next place, when God hath done this, then He further shows the soul that
that covenant which it is under by nature is distinct from the Covenant of Grace;
and also they that are under it are by nature without any of the graces which they
have that are under the Covenant of Grace; as, (1.) That it hath no faith (John 16:9).
(2.) No hope (Eph 2:12). Nor none of the Spirit to work these things in it by nature.
(4.) Neither will that covenant give to them any peace with God. (5.) No promise
of safeguard from His revenging law by that covenant. (6.) But lieth by nature liable
to all the curses, and condemnings, and thunderclaps of this most fiery covenant.
(7.) That it will accept of no sorrow, no repentance, no satisfaction, as from thee.
(8.) That it calls for no less than the shedding of thy blood. (9.) The damnation
of thy soul and body. (10.) And if there be anything proffered to it by thee, as
to the making of it amends, it throws it back again as dirt in thy face, slighting
all that thou canst bring.
Now, when the soul is brought into this condition, then it is indeed dead, killed
to that to which it was once alive. And therefore,
3. In the next place, to show you to what it is killed: and that is,
1. To sin. O, it dares not sin! it sees Hell-fire is prepared for them that sin,
God's justice will not spare it if it live in sin; the Law will damn it if it live
in sin; the devil will have it if it follows its sins. [Here I am speaking of one
that is effectually brought in]. O, I say, it trembles at the very thoughts of sin!
Ay, if sin do but offer to tempt the soul, to draw away the soul from God, it cries,
it sighs, it shunneth the very appearance of sin, it is odious unto it. If God would
but serve you thus that love your pleasures, you would not make such a trifle of
sin as you do.
2. It is killed to the Law of God as it is the Covenant of Works. O, saith the soul,
the law hath killed me to itself, "I through the law am dead to the law"
(Gal 2:19). The law is another thing than I did think it was. I thought it would
not have been so soul- destroying, so damning a law! I thought it would not have
been so severe against me for my little sins, for my playing, for my jesting, for
my dissembling, quarreling, and the like. I had some thoughts, indeed, that it would
hew great sinners, but let me pass! and though it condemned great sinners, yet it
would pass me by! But now, would I were free from this covenant, would I were free
from this law! I will tell thee that a soul thus worked upon is more afraid of the
Covenant of Works than he is of the devil; for he sees it is the law that doth give
him up into his hands for sin; and if he was but clear from that, he should not greatly
need to fear the devil. O, now every particular command tears the caul of his heart;
now every command is a great gun well charged against his soul; now he sees he had
as good run into a fire to keep himself from burning, as to run to the law to keep
himself from damning; and this he sees really, ay, and feels it too, to his own sorrow
and perplexity. [14]
3. The soul also now is killed to his own righteousness, and counts that but dung,
but dross, not worth the dirt hanging on his shoes. O! then, says he, thou filthy
righteousness! how hast thou deceived me! How hast thou beguiled my poor soul! (Isa
64:6). How did I deceive myself with giving of a little alms; with abstaining from
some gross pollutions; with walking in some ordinances, as to the outside of them!
How hath my good words, good thinkings, good meanings, as the world calls them, deceived
my ignorant soul! I want the righteousness of faith, the righteousness of God; for
I see now there is no less will do me any good.
4. It is also killed to its own faith, its notion of the Gospel, its own hope, its
own repentings, its own promises and resolutions, to its own strength, its own virtue,
or whatsoever it had before. Now, saith the soul, that faith I thought I had, it
is but fancy; that hope I thought I had, I see it is by hypocritical, but vain and
groundless hope. [These things would be too tedious to enlarge upon]. Now the soul
sees it hath by nature no saving faith, no saving hope, no grace at all by nature,
by the first covenant. Now it crieth out, How many promises have I broken! and how
many times have I resolved in vain, when I was sick at such a time, and in such a
strait at such a place! Indeed, I thought myself a wise man once, but I see myself
a very fool now. O, how ignorant am I of the Gospel now, and of the blessed experience
of the work of God on a Christian heart! In a word, it sees itself beset by nature
with all evil, and destitute of all good, which is enough to kill the stoutest, hardest-hearted
sinner that ever lived on the earth. O, friends, should you be plainly dealt withal
by this discovery of the dealing of God with a sinner when He makes him a saint,
and would seriously try your selves thereby, as God will try you one day, how few
would there be found of you to be so much as acquainted with the work of God in the
notion, much less in the experimental knowledge of the same! And indeed, God is fain
to take this way with sinners, thus to kill them with the old covenant to all things
below a crucified Christ.
Six reasons of this discourse.
1. Because otherwise there would be none in the world that would look after this
sweet Jesus Christ. There are but a few that go to Heaven in all, comparatively;
and those few God is fain to deal with them in this manner, or else His Heaven, His
Christ, His glory, and everlasting happiness must abide by themselves, for all sinners.
Do you think that Manasseh would have regarded the Lord, had He not suffered his
enemies to have prevailed against him? (2 Chron 33:1-16). Do you think that Ephraim
would have looked after salvation, had not God first confounded him with the guilt
of the sins of his youth? (Jer 31:18). What do you think of Paul? (Acts 9:4-6). What
do you think of the jailer? (Acts 16:30-32). What do you think of the three thousand?
(Acts 2:36,37). Was not this the way that the Lord was fain to take to make them
close in with Jesus Christ? Was He not fain to kill them to everything below a Christ,
that were driven to their wits" ends, insomuch that they were forced to cry
out, "What shall we do to be saved?" I say, God might have kept Heaven
and happiness to Himself, if He should not go this way to work with sinners. O stout-hearted
rebels! O tender-hearted God!
2. Because then, and not till then, will sinners accept of Jesus Christ on God's
terms. So long as sinners can make a life out of anything below Christ, so long they
will not close with Christ without indenting; [15]
But when the God of Heaven hath killed them to everything below Himself and His Son,
then Christ will down on any terms in the world. And, indeed, this is the very reason
why sinners, when they hear of Christ, yet will not close in with Him; there is something
that they can take content in besides Him. The prodigal, so long as he could content
himself with the husks that the swine did eat, so long he did keep him away from
his father's house; but when he could get no nourishment anywhere on this side of
his father's house, then saith he, and not till then, "I will arise, and go
to my father," etc.
I say, this is the reason, therefore, why men come no faster, and close no more readily,
with the Son of God, but stand halting and indenting [16] about the terms they
must have Christ upon; for, saith the drunkard, I look on Christ to be worth the
having; but yet I am not willing to lose ALL for him; all but my pot, saith the drunkard;
and all but the world, saith the covetous. I will part with anything but lust and
pride, saith the wanton. But if Christ will not be had without I forsake all, cast
away all, then it must be with me as it was with the young man in the Gospel, such
news will make me sorry at the very heart.
But now, when a man is soundly killed to all his sins, to all his righteousness,
to all his comforts whatsoever, and sees that there is no way but the devil must
leave him, but he must be damned in Hell if he be not clothed with Jesus Christ;
O, then, saith he, give me Christ on any terms, whatsoever He cost; though He cost
me friends, though He cost me comforts, though He cost me all that ever I have; yet,
like the wise merchant in the Gospel, they will sell all to get that pearl. I tell
you, when a soul is brought to see its want of Christ aright, it will not be kept
back; father, mother, husband, wife, lands, livings, nay, life and all, shall go
rather than the soul will miss of Christ. Ay, and the soul counteth Christ a cheap
Saviour if he can get him upon any terms; now the soul indents[17] no longer. Now, Lord,
give me Christ upon any terms, whatsoever He cost; for I am a dead man, a damned
man, a castaway, if I have not Christ. What say you, O you wounded sinners? Is not
this true as I have said? Would you not give ten thousand worlds, if you had so many,
so be you might be well assured that your sins shall be pardoned, and your souls
and bodies justified and glorified at the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ?
3. The Lord goeth this way for this reason also, that it might make the soul sensible
what it cost Christ to redeem it from death and Hell. When a man cometh to feel the
sting and guilt of sin, death and Hell upon his conscience, then, and not till then,
can he tell what it cost Christ to redeem sinners. O! saith the soul, if a few sins
are so terrible, and lay the soul under such wrath and torment, what did Christ undergo,
who bare the sins of thousands and thousands, and all at once?
This also is one means to make souls tender of sin (it is the burned child that feareth
the fire), to make them humble in a sense of their own vileness, to make them count
everything that God giveth them a mercy, to make much of the least glimpse of the
love of God, and to prize it above the whole world. O sinners, were you killed indeed
[to sin], then Heaven would be Heaven, and Hell would be Hell indeed; but because
you are not wrought upon in this manner, therefore you count the ways of God as bad
as a good man counteth the ways of the devil, and the ways of the devil and Hell
as good as a saint doth count the ways of God.
4. Again, God is fain to go this way, and all to make sinners make sure of Heaven.
So long as souls are senseless of sin, and what a damnable state they are in by nature,
so long they will even dally with the Kingdom of Heaven and the salvation of their
own poor souls; but when God cometh and showeth them where they are, and what it
is like to become of them if they miss of the crucified Saviour, O, then, saith the
soul, would I were sure of Jesus; what shall I do to get assurance of Jesus? And
thus is God forced, as I may say, to whip souls to Jesus Christ, they being so secure,
so senseless, and so much their own enemies, as not to look out after their own eternal
advantage.
5. A fifth reason why God doth deal thus with sinners it is, because He would bring
Christ and the soul together in a right way. Christ and sinners would never come
together in a beloved posture, they would not so suitably suit each other, if they
were not brought together this way, the sinner being killed. O, when the sinner is
killed, and indeed struck dead to everything below a naked Jesus, how suitably then
doth the soul and Christ suit one with another. Then here is a naked sinner for a
righteousness Jesus, a poor sinner to a rich Jesus, a weak sinner to a strong Jesus,
a blind sinner to a seeing Jesus, an ignorant, careless sinner to a wise and careful
Jesus. O, how wise is God in dealing thus with the sinner! He strips him of his own
knowledge, that He may fill him with Christ's; He killeth him for taking pleasure
in sin, that he may take pleasure in Jesus Christ, etc.
6. God goeth this way with sinners, because He would have the glory of their salvation.
Should not men and women be killed to their own things, they would do sacrifice unto
them, and instead of saying to the Lamb, "THOU ART WORTHY," they would
say their own arm, their own right hand hath saved them; but God will cut off boasting
from ever entering within the borders of eternal glory; for He is resolved to have
the glory of the beginning, the middle, and the end; of the contriving, and saving,
and giving salvation to them that enter in to the joys of everlasting glory (Rom
3:27; Eph 2:8,9; Titus 3:5; Rev 5:9). "That they might be called trees of righteousness,
the planting of the LORD, that He might be glorified" (Isa 61:3). I might have
run through many things as to this; but I shall pass them, and proceed.
Second. Now, the soul being this killed to itself, [The soul that hath the right
work of God upon its heart, is not only killed to itself, but also made alive to
Christ]. its sins, its righteousness, faith, hope, wisdom, promises, resolutions,
and the rest of its things which it trusted in by nature; in the next place, it hath
also given unto it a most glorious, perfect, and never-fading life, which is—
1. A life imputed to it, yet so really, that the very thought of it in the soul hath
so much operation and authority, especially when the mediation of it is mixed with
faith, as to make it, though condemned by the law, to triumph, and to look its enemies
in the face with comfort, notwithstanding the greatness of the multitude, the fierceness
of their anger, and the continuation of their malice, be never so hot against it.
This imputed life—for so it is—is the obedience of the Son of God as His righteousness,
in His suffering, rising, ascending, interceding, and so consequently triumphing
over all the enemies of the soul, and given to me, as being wrought on purpose for
me. So that, is there righteousness in Christ? that is mine. Is there perfection
in that righteousness? that is mine. Did He bleed for sin? it was for mine. Hath
He overcome the law, the devil, and Hell? the victory is mine, and I am counted the
conqueror, nay, more than a conqueror, through Him that hath loved me. And I do count
this a most glorious life; for by this means it is that I am, in the first place,
proclaimed both in Heaven and earth guiltless, and such an one who, as I am in Christ,
am not sinner, and so not under the law, to be condemned, but as holy and righteous
as the Son of God Himself, because He Himself is my holiness and righteousness, and
so likewise having by this all things taken out of the way that would condemn me.
Sometimes I bless the Lord my soul hath had the life that now I am speaking of, not
only imputed to me, but the very glory of it upon my soul; for, upon a time, when
I was under many condemnings of heart, and feared, because of my sins, my soul would
miss of eternal glory, methought I felt in my soul such a secret motion of this—Thy
righteousness is in Heaven, together with the splendour and shining of the Spirit
of Grace in my soul, which gave me to see clearly that my righteousness by which
I should be justified from all that could condemn, was the Son of God Himself in
His own Person, now at the right hand of His Father representing me complete before
the Mercy- seat in His Ownself; so that I saw clearly that night and day, wherever
I was, or whatever I was a doing, still there was my righteousness just before the
eyes of Divine glory; so that the Father could never find fault with me for any insufficiency
that was in my righteousness, seeing it was complete; neither could He say, Where
is it? because it was continually at His right hand. [18]
Also, at another time, having contracted guilt upon my soul, and having some distemper
of body upon me, I supposed that death might now so seize upon as to take me away
from among men; then, thought I, what shall I do now? is all right with my soul?
Have I the right work of God on my soul? Answering myself, "No, surely";
and that because there were so many weaknesses in me; yes, so many weaknesses in
my best duties. For, thought I, how can such an one as I find mercy, whose heart
is so ready to evil, and so backward to that which is good, so far as it is natural.
Thus musing, being filled with fear to die, these words come in upon my soul, "Being
justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus"
(Rom 3:24). As if God had said, Sinner, thou thinkest because that thou hast had
so many infirmities and weaknesses in thy soul while thou hast been professing of
Me, therefore now there can be no hopes of mercy; but be it known unto thee, that
it was not anything done by thee at the first that moved Me to have mercy upon thee:
neither is it anything that is done by thee now that shall make me either accept
or reject thee.
Behold My Son, who standeth by Me, He is righteous, He hath fulfilled My Law, and
given me good satisfaction; on Him, therefore, do I look, and on thee only as thou
art in Him; and according to what He hath done, so will I deal with thee. This having
stayed my heart, and taken off the guilt through the strength of its coming on my
soul, anon after came in that word as a second testimony— "Who hath saved us,
and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works," of righteousness
which we have done, "but according to His own purpose and grace, which was given
us in Christ Jesus before the world began" (2 Tim 1:9). And thus is the sinner
made alive from the dead, being justified by grace through the righteousness of Christ,
which is unto all and upon all them that believe, according to the Scriptures—"And
the life which I now live—it is "by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me,
and gave Himself for me" (Gal 2:20). "I lay down my life for the sheep."
"I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly"
(John 10:10,15). "For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by
the death of His Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.
That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness
unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord" (Rom 5:10,21).
2. This life is not only imputed to him that is wrought on by the Spirit of Grace—that
is, not only counted his, but also there is put into the soul an understanding, enlightened
on purpose to know the things of God, which is Christ and His imputed righteousness
(1 John 5:20) which it never thought of nor understood before (1 Cor 2:9-11). Which
understanding being enlightened and made to see such things that the soul cannot
be contented without it lay hold of and apply Christ unto itself so effectually;
I say, that the soul shall be exceedingly revived in a very heavenly measure with
the application of this imputed righteousness; for thereby it knoweth it shall find
God speaking peace to itself, with a fatherly affection, saying, "Be of good
cheer, thy sins are forgiven thee"; the righteousness of My Son I bestow upon
thee; "For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through thee,"
thy "flesh," "I have sent forth My only Son, and have condemned"
thy sins in His flesh (Rom 8:3). And though thou hast gone astray like a lost sheep,
yet on Him I have laid thine iniquities; and though thou thereby didst undo and break
thyself for ever, yet by His stripes I have healed thee. Thus, I say, the Lord causeth
the soul by faith to apply that which He doth by grace impute unto it, for thus every
soul more or less is dealt withal; the soul being thus enlightened, thus quickened,
thus made alive from that dead state it was in before, or at least having the beginnings
of this life, it hath these several virtuous advantages, which they have not that
are dead in their sins and trespasses, and under the law—
[Advantages possessed by the quickened].
First. It seeth what a sad condition all men by nature are in, they being in that
state which itself was in but a while since; but now by grace it is a beginning to
scrabble [19] out of it; now it seeth "the whole world lieth in wickedness,"
and so liable to eternal vengeance, because of their wickedness (1 John 5:19). Ah,
friends, let me tell you, though you may be ignorant of your state and condition,
yet the poor, groaning, hungering saints of God do see what a sad, woeful, miserable
state you are in, which sometimes makes them tremble to think of your most lamentable
latter end, your dying so, and also to fly the faster to their Lord Jesus, for very
fear that they also should be partakers of that most doleful doom. [Like as the children
of Israel, who fled for fear when the ground opened its mouth to swallow up Korah
and his company]. And this it hath by virtue of its own experience, knowing itself
was but awhile ago in the same condition, under the same condemnation. O! there is
now a hearth blessing of God that ever He should show to it its sad condition, and
that He should incline its heart to seek after a better condition.
O blessed be the Lord! saith the soul, that ever He should awaken me, stir up me,
and bring me out of that sad condition that I once with them was in (Psa 103:1-3).
It makes also the soul to wonder to see how foolishly and vainly the rest of its
neighbours do spend their precious time, that they should be so void of understanding,
so forgetful of their latter end, so senseless of the damning nature of their sins.
O that their eyes were but enlightened to see whereabouts they are! surely they would
be of another mind than they are now in. Now, the soul wonders to see what slender
pins those poor creatures do hang the stress of the eternal salvation of their souls
upon. O! methinks, saith the soul, it makes me mourn to see that some should think
that they were born Christians; and others, that their baptism makes them so; [20] others depend barely upon a traditional, historical faith, which will leave
their souls in the midst of perplexity. That they should trust to such fables, fancies,
and wicked sleights of the devil, as their good doings, their good thinkings, their
civil walking and living with the world. O miserable profession, and the end thereof
will be a miserable end!
But now, when the souls is thus wrought upon, it must be sure to look for the very
gates of Hell to be set open against it with all their force and might to destroy
it. Now Hell rageth, the devil roareth, and all the world resolveth to do the best
they can to bring the soul again into bondage and ruin. Also, the soul shall not
want enemies, even in its own heart's lust, [But this is but for the exercise of
his faith.] as covetousness, adultery, blasphemy, unbelief, hardness of heart, coldness,
half- heartedness, ignorance, with an innumerable company of attendants, hanging,
like so many blocks, at its heels, ready to sink it into the fire of Hell every moment,
together with strange apprehensions of God and Christ, as if now they were absolutely
turned to be its enemies, which maketh it doubt of the certainty of its salvation;
for you must understand, that though a soul may in reality have the righteousness
of the Son of God imputed to it, and also some faith in a very strong manner to lay
hold upon it, yet at another time, through temptation, they may fear and doubt again,
insomuch that the soul may be put into a very great fear lest it should return again
into the condition it once was in (Jer 32:40).
O, saith the soul, when I think of my former state, how miserable it was, it makes
me tremble; and when I think that I may fall into that condition again, how sad are
the thoughts of it to me! I would not be in that condition again for all the world.
And this fear riseth still higher and higher, as the soul is sensible of Satan's
temptations, or of the working of its own corruptions. Ah! these filthy lusts, these
filthy corruptions. O that I were rid of them, that they were consumed in a moment,
that I could be quite rid of them, they do so disturb my soul, dishonour my God,
so defile my conscience, and sometimes so weaken my hands in the way of God, and
my comforts in the Lord; O how glad should I be if I might be stripped of them (Rom
7:24). Which fear puts the soul upon flying to the Lord by prayer for the covering
of His imputed righteousness, and for strength against the devil's temptations and
its own corruptions; that God would give down His Holy Spirit to strengthen it against
the things that do so annoy its soul, and so discourage it in its way, with a resolution,
through grace, never to be contented while [until] it doth find in itself a triumphing
over it, by faith in the blood of a crucified Jesus.
Second. The soul that hath been thus killed by the Law to the things it formerly
delighted in, now, O now, it cannot be contented with that slender, groundless faith
and hope that once it contented itself withal. No, no; but now it must be brought
into the right saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, now it must have Him discovered
to the soul by the Spirit, now it cannot be satisfied because such and such do tell
it is so. No; but now it will cry out, Lord, show me continually, in the light of
Thy Spirit, through Thy Word, that Jesus that was born in the days of Caesar Augustus,
when Mary, a daughter of Judah, went with Joseph to be taxed at Bethlehem, that He
is the very Christ. Lord, let me see it in the light of Thy Spirit, and in the operation
thereof; and let me not be contented without such a faith that is so wrought even
by the discovery of His birth, crucifying, death, blood, resurrection, ascension,
intercession, and second—which is His personal—coming again, that the very faith
of it may fill my soul with comfort and holiness.
And O, how afraid the soul is lest it should fall short of this faith, and of the
hope that is begotten by such discoveries as these are! For the soul knoweth that
if it hath not this, it will not be able to stand either in death or judgment; and
therefore, saith the soul, Lord, whatever other poor souls content themselves withal,
let me have that which will stand me in stead, and carry me through a dangerous world;
that may help me to resist a cunning devil; that may help me to suck true soul-satisfying
consolation from Jesus Christ through Thy promises, by the might and power of Thy
Spirit. And now, when the poor soul at any time hath any discovery of the love of
God through a bleeding, dying, risen, interceding Jesus, because it is not willing
to be deceived, O, how wary [But this may be its temptation, taking place through
the timorousness of the soul]. is it of closing with it, for fear it should not be
right, for fear it should not come from God! Saith the soul, Cannot the devil give
one such comfort I trow? Cannot he transform himself thus into an angel of light?
So that the soul, because that it would be upon a sure ground, cries out, Lord, show
me Thy salvation, and that not once or twice, but, Lord, let me have Thy presence
continually upon my heart, today, and tomorrow, and every day.
For the soul, when it is rightly brought from under the Covenant of Works, and planted
into the Covenant of Grace, then it cannot be, unless it be under some desperate
temptation, contented without the presence of God, teaching, comforting, establishing,
and helping of the soul to grow in the things of the Lord Jesus Christ; because it
knoweth that if God hath but withdrawn His presence in any way from it, as He doth
do sometimes for a while, that then the devil will be sure to be near at hand, working
with his temptations, trying all ways to get the soul into slavery and sin again;
also the corrupt principle, that will be joining and combining with the Wicked One,
and will be willing to be a co-partner with him to bring the soul into mischief;
which puts a soul upon an earnest, continual panting after more of the strengthening,
preserving, comforting, and teaching presence of God, and for strong supplies of
faith, that it may effectually lay hold on him.
Third. The soul is quickened so that it is not satisfied now without it do in deed
and in truth partake of the peace of God's elect; now it is upon the examination
of the reality of its joy and peace. Time was indeed that anything would serve its
turn, any false conceits of its state to be good; but now all kind of peace will
not serve its turn, all kind of joy will not be accepted with it; now it must joy
in God through Jesus Christ; now its peace must come through the virtues of the blood
of Christ speaking peace to the conscience by taking away both the guilt and filth
of sin by that blood; also by showing the soul its free acceptance with God through
Christ, He hath completely fulfilled all the conditions of the first covenant, and
freely placed it into the safety of what He hath done, and so presents the soul complete
and spotless in the sight of God through His obedience. Now, I say, he hath "peace
through the blood of His Cross," and sees himself reconciled to God by the death
of His Son, or else his comfort will be questioned by him (Col 1:20,21). It is not
every promise as cometh now upon his heart that will serve his turn, no, but he must
see whether the babe Jesus be presented to the soul in and through that promise.
Now if the babe leap in his womb, as I may so say, it is because the Lord's promise
sounds aloud in his heart, coming to him big with the love and pardoning grace of
God in Jesus Christ; I say, this is the first and principal joy that the soul hath
that is quickened and brought into the Covenant of Grace.
Fourth. Now the man finds heavenly sanctification wrought in his soul through the
most precious blood of the Man whose name is Jesus Christ—"Jesus, that He might
sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered without the gate." Now the
souls finds a change in the understanding, in the will, in the mind, in the affections,
in the judgment, and also in the conscience; through the inward man a change, and
through the outward man a change, from head to foot, as we use to say, "for
he that is in Christ," and so in this Covenant of Grace, "is a new creature,"
or hath been twice made—made, and made again (2 Cor 5:17). O, now the soul is resolved
for Heaven and Glory; now it crieth out, Lord, if there be a right eye that is offensive
to Thee, pluck it out; or a right foot, cut it off; or a right hand, take it from
me. Now the soul doth begin to study how it may honour God, and bring praise to Him.
Now the soul is for a preparation for the second coming of Christ, endeavouring to
lay aside everything that may hinder; and for the closing in with those things that
may make it in a beloved posture against that day.
Fifth. And all this is from a Gospel spirit, and not from a legal, natural principle,
for the soul hath these things as the fruits and effects of its being separated unto
the Covenant of Grace, and so now possessed with that Spirit that doth attend, yea,
and dwell in them that are brought into the Covenant of Grace from under the old
covenant; I say, these things do spring forth in the soul from another root and stock
than any of the actings of other men do; for the soul that is thus wrought upon is
as well dead to the law and the righteousness thereof—as the first covenant—as well
as to its sins.
Sixth. Now the soul begins to have some blessed experience of the things of God,
even of the glorious mysteries of the Gospel.
1. Now it knoweth the meaning of those words, "My flesh is meat indeed, and
My blood is drink, indeed," and that by experience; for the soul hath received
peace of conscience through that blood, by the effectual application of it to the
soul (John 6:55). First, by feeling the guilt of sin die off from the conscience
by the operation thereof. Secondly, By feeling the power thereof to take away the
curse of the law. Thirdly, By finding the very strength of Hell to fail when once
the blood of that Man Jesus Christ is received in reality upon the soul.
2. Now the soul also knoweth by experience the meaning of that Scripture that saith,
"Our old man is crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be destroyed"
(Rom 6:6). Now it sees that when the Man Jesus did hang on the tree on Mount Calvary,
that then the body of its sins was there hanged up, dead and buried with Him, though
it was then unborn, so as never to be laid to its charge, either here or hereafter;
and also, so as never to carry it captive into perpetual bondage, being itself overcome
by Him, even Christ, the Head of that poor creature. And indeed this is the way for
a soul both to live comfortably as touching the guilt of sin, and also as touching
the power of the filth of sin; for the soul that doth or hath received this in deed
and in truth, finds strength against them both by and through that Man that did for
him and the rest of his fellow-sinners so gloriously overcome it, and hath given
the victory unto them, so that now they are said to be overcomers, nay, "more
than conquerors through Him," the one Man Jesus Christ (Rom 7:33-37).
3. Now the soul hath received a faith indeed, and a lively hope indeed, such an one
as now it can fetch strength from the fullness of Christ, and from the merits of
Christ.
4. Yea, now the soul can look on itself with one eye, and look upon Christ with another,
and say, Indeed, it is true; I am an empty soul, but Christ is a full Christ; I am
a poor sinner, but Christ is a rich Christ; I am a foolish sinner, but Christ is
a wise Christ; I am an unholy, ungodly, unsanctified creature in myself, but Christ
is made of God "unto me, wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and
redemption" (1 Cor 1:30).
5. Now also that fiery law, that it could not once endure, nor could not once delight
in, I say, now it can delight in it after the inward man; now this law is its delight,
it would always be walking in it, and always be delighting in it, being offended
with any sin or any corruption that would be anyways an hinderance to it (Rom 7:24,25).
And yet it will not abide, it will not endure that that, even that that law should
offer to take the work of its salvation out of Christ's hand; no, if it once comes
to do that, then out of doors it shall go, if it were as good again. For that soul
that hath the right work of God indeed upon it, cries, Not my prayers, not my tears,
not my works, not my things, do they come from the work of the Spirit of Christ itself
within me, yet these shall not have the glory of my salvation; no, it is none but
the blood of Christ, the death of Christ, of the Man Christ Jesus of Nazareth, the
carpenter's son, as they called Him, that must have the crown and glory of my salvation.
None but Christ, none but Christ. And thus the soul labours to give Christ the preeminence
(Col 1:18).
THE SECOND PART
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