Christ the Way and the Truth and the Life, To the reader 2
The Author to the Reader.
Christian Reader,
AFter the foregoing adress, I need not put thee to much more trouble: only I shall say; That he must needs be a great stranger in our Israel, or sadly smitten with that epidemick plague of indifferency, which hath infected many of this Generation, to a benumming of them, and rendering them insensible, and unconcearned, in the matters of God, and of their own souls; and sunck deep into the gulfe of dreadful inconsideration, who seeth not, or taketh no notice of, nor is troubled at the manifest and terrible appearances of the unexpressibly great hazard, our all, as Christians, in this life, is this day into. I meane the mystery of the Gospel of the grace of God, wherein the exceeding riches of His grace, in his kindness towards us, through Christ Jesus, hath been shoune: VVe have enjoyed, for a considerable time, a clear and powerful dispensation hereof, in great purity and plenty; but Alas! is it not manifest to all, that will not wilfully shut their eyes, that this Mercy, and Goodness of God, hath been wickedly abused, and the pure administration of His Grace & Love perfidiously sinned away, by this Apostate Generation? Are our spots this day the spots of his children? Are there fruits answerable to the Lord's paines and labour about us, to be seen even among the greatest of Professours? Is there that gospel holiness, tenderness, watchfulness, growing in grace and in the knowledge of Jesus Christ, that growing up … Christ, in all things, that heavenly mindedness, that followshipe with the Father and with his Son Christ Iesus, and that conversation in heaven, that the dispensation of grace, we have been favoured with beyond many, and have been long living under, did call for at our hands? Alas! our grapes are but wilde and stincking. VVherefore (and who can think it strange, if it be so?) the Lord seemeth to be about to contend with us, by covering our horizon with Egyptian darkness: many, who would not receive the love of the Truth, that they might be saved; being already given up to strong delusion, that they should beleeve a lie, and many moe in hazard to be drawn aside to crooked pathes, by men of corrupt mindes, who have been, and are still busie to vent and spread abroad, with no little petulancy and confidence, damnable doctrines, to the perverting of the doctrine of the Gospel of Iesus Christ, and to the subverting and overturning of the very foundations of our Hope & Assurance; and that in such a way, and by such meanes and stratagems, as seem to have wrath written upon them, in legible letters; for the more plausible and taking a corrupt doctrine be, it is the more dangerous, & judgment-like, and moe are thereby in hazard to be deluded and drawn away.
Nay (which is yet more terrible and dreadful) it is to be feared, that the jealous God, in his holy and righteous judgment, hath given a providential commission (to speak so) unto the seduceing Spirit, to perswade and prevail: for is not this the clear language of the present holy and righteous dispensations of God, and of the stupenduously indifferent frame and disposition of the generality of men, called Christians, not only provoking God to spew them out of his mouth, but disposeing them also unto a receiving of whatsoever men, lying in waite to deceive, shall propose and obtrude?
Alas! the clouds are not now a gathering▪ but our horizon is covered over with blakness▪ and great drops are a falling, that presage a terrible overflowing deluge of errour, and Apostasie from the Truth and Profession of the Gospel of Iesus Christ, to be at hand▪ if the Lord wonderfully prevent it not. And behold (O wonderful!) the generality of Professours are sleeping in security, apprehending no danger. Satan is more cunning now, than to drive men to Popery by rage and cruelty; (and yet what he may be permitted to do after this manner, who can tell?) or by openly pleading, in his emissaries, for this abomination, (and yet even thus is he already prevailing with not a few) or to send forth his agents for Arminianisme and Socinianisme (though even this way too, he is too much prevailing.) But his maine work now seemeth to be, to bring in another Gospel, (and yet there is not another) or rather an Antievangelick and Antichristian delusory dream, overturning at, once the whole Gospel of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ; and for this end he inployeth the Quakers, one the one hand, Men of desperat and antievangelick principles, the very sinke of all abominations, old and late (as I shall show, if the Lord will continue health and strength, in an examination of their doctrine and principles, lately emitted by one Robert Barclay) and on the other hand, Men (or Moralists if you will call them so) pleading for and crying up an antievangelick holiness, a meer shadow without substance or reality; and that in place of Christ himself; And in order to the carrying on of this desperat designe, The old dragon is imploying men of seeming different principles and wayes, whom, though their faces seem to look to contrary a…rths, yet he holdeth notwithstanding fast tyed by their tails (as Samson's foxes were) that thereby, if the Lord permit it, he may, by the fire of enmity to the pure Gospel of the grace of God, burning in their tails▪ cause a confl…gration of that Truth, wherein lyeth all our hope: for this new model of Religion, that many are so busied about, is such as Pelagians, Arminians, Papists, Socinians, Quakers, yea Turks, and moral H…athens; Yea and all, who are enemies to, and not reconcileable with the true grace of God held forth in the Gospel, will willingly admit of, and harmoniously agree in: A way, which complyeth so well with proud self, and with the Corrupt Nature of Man, that it is little wonder, if it have many abettors and admirers. I shall say no more of this, seing my beloved Brother hath said so much to it already to very good purpose, in the foregoing Epistle; but only inferre,
That sure the consideration of this should move all, in whom is any thing of the zeal of God, and love to souls, their owne and others, to appear in the defence of the Gospel of our Salvation, by all meanes, incumbent to them, and possible for them: for if this Citadel, & strong hold, wherein our All, and the all of pure and true Religion, lyeth, be blown up, we are gone: and indeed no less is intended by this Antichristian and antievangelick enemy, than the utter subversion of True Christian Religion. VVho would not then be hereby alarmed, and upon their guaird, when matters are at this passe? Should not all, vvho have any love to their ovvn souls, any zeal for the glory of Christ, anointed of the Father to be our Prophet, Priest, & King; any desire to see the crown flourishing upon his Head, and to have the Gospel preserved pure and uncorrupted, be pleading vvith God by prayer, in the behalfe of His Son's Kingdom, Crown, and Glory; and vvrestling vvith Him, till He vvere pleased to dispel these clouds, & prevent this blake day: Especially, should they not be labouring to be acquanted, in truth and reality, vvith the Gospel of Iesus Christ, that having the mysterious truths thereof imprinted on their souls, and their hearts casl into its mould, they may be preserved from the hurt of this deadly poison: for this, vvith a constant dependence upon, and use making of Christ in all His offices, vvill prove the best preservative against this infection.
The persvvasion vvhereof did induce me to publish the follovving heads of some sermons, after they had been translated into dutch, and published here; knovving that they might be of no lesse use to the people of God, in Britane and Ireland. I knovv not a more effectual mean to keep unstable souls from sideing with and imbraceing every new notion; & from being carryed about with every winde of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lye in waite to deceive; than to put them upon the real exercise of Gospel godliness, and to the dayly practice of the maine and fundamental gospel work, of living by faith in Jesus Christ and of growing up into Him, in all things, who is the Head, from whom the whole body fitly joyned together and compacted, by that which every joynt supplyeth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body, unto the edifying of it self in love. Such, I am sure, as have thus learned the Truth, as it is in Iesus, and are practiseing the same accordingly, will have an Antidot within them against the strongest poison of these Seducers; and a real answere to, and confutation of all their subtile sophismes. The soul exerciseing it self unto Gospel godliness, will finde work enough to take it wholly up▪ and finde such a solide ground to stand upon; and see such a satisfying fulness, answering all its necessities and wants, & such a sure heart-quieting ground of Peace, Hope and Consolation, in Iesus Christ, as that it will have no leasure, and small temptation to listen to Seduceing perverters, and no inclination to seek after empty Cisterns.
I know much may be desiderated, in this following Treatise, and many may have exceptions, not without ground, against it: Some may think it arrogancy and too great confidence in me, to attempt the handling of such a mysterious & necessary part of Christian practice, wherein few, (if any so far as I know) have gone before, in direct handling of this matter, at least in this methode & order; I meane that part, which is about Sanctification: others may be displeased with the meane & low stile; with my multiplying of particulars, vvhichwhich might have been better & more handsomly couched under fevver heads; and vvith my uncessary contracting of the vvhole, into such narrovv bounds; and other things of that kinde: for vvhichwhich & many other failings of the like nature & import, vvhichwhich may vvithout any diligent search, be found in it, even by ordinary & unprejudiced Readers, I shall not industriously laboure to apologize, knovving that my very apology, in this case, vvill need an apology: Only I shall say this, That considering hovv the snare, vvhichwhich the vigilant & active enemie of our Salvation, the Devil, vvas laying, by an unholy morality, did nearly concearne all, & especially the meanest (for parts & experience) and less fixed Christians, I thought a discourse on such a subject, as I judged most necessary at all times, & especially in such a day of hazard, should be framed to the capacity of one, as well as another; the most understanding can receive benefite, by that which is calculat to the capacity of children, when these can reap little edification by what is suited to the palate of those: & the less experienced, or such as are of lower understanding, will be less able to draw a General to a Particular; or to improve, & so fully to comprehend one particular touched, as to be able thereby to understand, & take in a like particular, not mentioned; than such, as have their senses more exercised, and are thereby in case to make a better improvement of what is but compendiously declared, when those must have the bread brocken to their hand, or they shall receive but small edification thereby: and yet, I suppose, the judicious will observe some variety, smaller or greater, even where Particulars seem to be, at the first view, most unnecessarily multiplied. I know, and willingly grant (for it is obvious enough) that a discourse of this Subject and matter, might have required a fa… larger volume; But then how should such have profited thereby, whom Poverty might possibly have scarred from b…ying; or the necessary affaires of their ordinary callings would have keeped from a diligent perusal of it? And I thought, that neither of these should have been overlooked, in this special, or general designe, which I had before mine eyes.
One thing, as my answere to all, I shall but add: If hereby Others, whom the Lord hath more enabled with all necessaries for such a work, shall be hereby either instigated, or encouraged, to write upon this Subject (I meane mainly the last part thereof, touching the usemaking of Christ, in Sanctification; for, blessed be the Lord, many have been employed of the Lord to speak soundly and edifyingly, unto the usemaking of Christ as to Righteousness and Justification) and give a Full, Plaine, Edifying and Satisfying discovery of this Necessary & Important Truth, viz. Christ made of God to us Wisdome, Righteousness, Sanctification & Redemption: and withall Point out plainely & particulary the way, how Beleevers, in all their Particular and various exigéncies, ma… and should so make use of, and apply that all fulness, which is treasured up in the Head, for the benefite and advantage of the Members of the Mystical body, as they may not only theoretically see, but practically also experience this truth. That in Him they are compleat; and so they may be helped to understand how, through the necessary & constant usemaking of Him, as all in all, they may grow up in Him, in all things: If this be, I say, done by any, to better purpose, I shall think this my adventure not altogether fruitless, & in part, at least, excusable.
As for thee, O Christian, whose instruction, edification and confirmation in the Faith of our Lord Iesus Christ, the faith which was once delivered unto the Saints, I mainly intended in this undertaking, I have a few things to adde: knovv then that there are certain men (as the Apostle Iude speaketh) crept - in unawares, who were of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Iesus Christ for in these last dayes, vve see that these perillous times are come, (of vvhichwhich Paul advertised Timothy, 2 Tim. 3: 1. &c.) vvherein men shall be lovers of their owne selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to Parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, truce breakers, false accusers, (or make bates) incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitours, heady, high minded, lovers of pleasure morethan lovers of God, having the forme of godliness, but denying the power thereof—for of this sort are they, which creep into houses, & lead captive silly women, laden with sinnes, led away with diverse lusts, ever learning, & never able to come to the knowledge of the truth: And because it is so; be exhorted to give deligence to make your Calling & Election sure, by giving all diligence to adde to faith vertue; to vertue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall. As the Apostle Peter assureth us, 2 Pet. 1: 5, 6, 7, 10. for itis the Elect, vvho are secured from full and final defection and Apostasie, Mat. 24: 24. Mark. 13: 22. Rom. 11: 5, 7. & 9: 11. & 8▪ 33. Mat. 24: 31. Mark. 13: 27. and the promise of Salvation is made to such, as shall endure to the end. The Crown is for the Overcomers, & such as are faithful to the death, Mat. 10: 22. & 24: 13. Mark. 13: 1… ▪ Revel. 2: 10, 11, 17, 26, 27, 28. & 3: 5, 1…, 21. All vvhichwhich, and the like, are sct dovvne, that hereby his people might be rationally moved to a constant seriousness, in the working out of their owne Salvation, in fear & trembling; and the forevvarnings given of the great difficulty of reaching the end of our faith, the salvation of our souls, because of the many Active, Vigilant, Indefatigable, Subtile, and Insinuating adversaries, who by good words & faire speaches, vvill readily deceive the hearts of the simple, are to avvaken the more His people to be sober & vigilant, because their Adversary, the Devil (vvho acteth and moveth his under-agents, in their several Modes, Methods and Motions, so as he may best, according to the various Tempers, Present Dispositions, Advantages or Disadvantages of such▪ as he intendeth to seduce, vvhichwhich he carefully studyeth, and plyeth for this end, obtaine his designed end, their ruine and destruction) as a roaring lyon, walking about seeking whom he may devoure. And this calleth them to haste out of their slumber and security, lest their Adversary, who will be loath to misse his Opportunity, surprize them, to their great losse and disadvantage.
It is, Beloved, high time novv to awake, to look about us, to consider where we are, upon vvhat ground vve stand, vvhether the Enemy or we have the advantage, hovv and in vvhat Postour vve are, to rancontre with deceivers, that seek to cheare us of all, of our souls, and of our Salvation, because they vvould cheat us of the Lord our Righteousness, and dravv us off the pathes of life, that vvhen vve come to die (beside the unspe akable great losse vve vvould thereby be at, even here, in missing the comfortable accestes to God, through lesus Christ, the inflowings of grace & strength for spiritual duty, through the Lord our Strength; the sweet communications of peace and joy in the holy Ghost; the shedings abroad of the love of God in our hearts, by the holy Ghost, vvhichwhich is given unto us, and the full assurance of hope, through the Lord Iesus our hope) vve might be frustrated of all our expectations; and finde that all that, vvhichwhich Men made us grip to, lay hold on, and leane unto, in stead of Christ, vvas but a meer shadow, and a lie in our right hand, to the unexpressible griefe, vexation and sorrovv of soul, vvhen all should end in a dreadful and horrible disappointment.
But let us not think, that our Purposes, firme-like Resolutions, to adhere to the Truth, and our present Abhorrence at, and Detestation of errours novv broached, to the overturning of the very foundations of true Christianity, vvill sufficiently guaird us from, and make us proof against the shotes and assaults of these crafty seducers: Nor think▪ that our learning and knovvledge in the Theory of the Truth; nor our Abilities to rancontre Sophisters, vvill secure us from a fall: let us not think that the Enemies are contemptible, and therefore vve need be the less anxious; nor yet think that former experiences & throughbearings, in the like cases, vvill be a pillow, vvhereupon vve may novv lay our selves downe to sleep: If vve do, vve shall certanely deceive ourselves, if all our strength & standing be in ourselves, and through ourselves; and if this be the ground of our hope, the Righteous Lord, in his holy justice, may give us up to be a Prey: Peters instance should never be forgotten b… us: and such as tempt the Lord have no ground to expect his last issue.
Our strength must be in Christ: to the rock of ages must vve flee: to our chambers in Him must vve retire, and there must vve hide ourselves: on Christs lee side can vve only ride salfe, and be free of the hazard of the storme. To Him therefore must our recourse be dayly, by new & fresh acts of Faith. In and through Him and His Influences, communicated according to the tenor of the Covenant of grace, through Faith eyeing the Promiser, the Promise, vvith the Price purchaseing, and so dravving and s…king Light, Direction, Strength, Stability, and vvhat our present exigent calleth for, must vve think to stand: and happy they, vvho conscious to themselves of their own weakness and convinced of the insufficiency of all things▪ vvithin them, in Godly fear hide themselves under the wings of the Almighty, and get in into this Strong hold, resolving there to abide, and there to be secured from all their Adversaries, vvithin, or vvithout: These humble fearers may expect a saife & noble outgate; vvhen more strong-like & more confident adventurers, shall (being left to themselves, because trusting in themselves) shamefully fall, and be triumphed over by the Enemie, to the griefe of the Godly, and for a snare to others.
The best vvay then, to keep the faith of Christ, vvhichwhich many are novv seeking to shake, and to loose us from, is to be exerciseing the faith of Christ. The serious and upright practiseing of the Gospel is the only best mean to keep thee firme in the profession of the Gospel: vvhen the Gospel vvith thee, is not a fevv fine notions in the braine; but is heavenly and necessary Truth sunck into the heart, and living and acting there; it vvill keep thee, and thou will owne it, more firmly and steadfastly, in a day of tryal. Thy walking in Christ, and working and living, by Him living in thee, will so root thee in the Gospel truth, that enemies will pull in vaine, when seeking to overthrow thee. The Gospel of the grace of God, received and entertained in thy soul in love, and constant sutable improvement, will fortifie thee, and secure it self in thee, so that vehement blasts shall but contribute to its more fixed abode, and more fruteful actings in thee. Live up then to the Gospel, and so be sure of it, and be saife in it. I mean, let Christ live in thee, as thy all, and cast all thy care and cumber on Him; lay all thy difficulties before Him; lean all thy weight upon Him; draw all thy necessities out of Him; undertake all thy duties in Him; be strong in Him, and in the power of His might; let Him by thy Counseler, Conductor, Leader, Teacher, Captain, Commander, Light, Life, Strengh and all, so shall thou stand, and have cause to glory, even in thy infirmities, for thou shalt finde the power of Christ resting upon thee, and thou shalt have cause to say, Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christs sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong: Remember that great word, Phil. 4:13. I can do all things, through Christ, which strengtheneth me.
It hath bin the usual and ordinary question of Beleevers; How shall we make use of Christ for Sanctification. To this great and important question; I, (though the meanest and most unfit for such a work, of all that God hath sent to feed his flock) have adventured or endeavoured, at least, to give such as truely desire to cleanse themselves from all filthiness of the flesh and Spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God, some satisfation herein, laying before them, some plaine directions, framed to their capacities, and suited to some of their most ordinary and usual cases; some whereof are more comprehensive; & others, more particular, may be looked upon as exemplary instances, serving for other cases of the like nature; for hardly could every particular circumstan…iat case be particularly spoken to, and some might judge that to be superfluous. If thou, in the light & strength of Christ, shalt really practise what is here pointed forth, I may be confident to say, thy labour shall not be in vaine in the Lord, & thou shalt attaine to another sort of holiness▪ than that, which Proud pretenders boast of; & shalt be far without the reach of that snare, which unstable souls are too readily entangled with. I meane, the plausible pretension of more than ordinary sanctity, which yet is but forced, feigned, constrained, mostly external, & framed to cause some admiration in beholders, whom they intend to make a prey of. This shall be no temptation to thee, who by experience findeth a more saife, satisfying, full, free, easy, pleasant & heartsome way of mortifying lusts, growing in grace▪ & in the knowledg of Jesus Christ▪ & so perfecting holiness▪ by runing immediatly to Christ, & by living in & upon Him, who is mad of God to us, Wisdom, Righteousnes, Sanctification & Redemption. That the Lord may blesse the same to thee, for this end▪ shall …e and is the desire and prayer of Him, who is thy servant, in the work of the Gospel.
I. B.
CHRIST, The Way, the Truth, & the Life. Or A discovery of the right way of making use of Christ, for Sanctification:
From IOHN. XIV. 6.
Iesus sayeth unto them, I am the Way, & the Truth▪ & the Life; No man cometh unto the Father but by Me.