Christ the Way and the Truth and the Life, Title page – Dedication
Christ, the Way, and the Truth, and the Life. OR, A Short Discourse.
Pointing forth the way of making use of Christ for justification, and especially and more particularly, for Sanctification in all its parts, from JOHAN. XIV: Vers. VI. Wherein several cases of conscience are briefly answered, chiefly touching Sanctification.
By JOHN BROWN. Preacher of the Gospel.
ROTTERDAM.
Printed by H. G. for Iohn Cairns, book seller in Edinburgh, and are to be sold there 1677.
THE EPISTLE DEDICATORY TO The Right Honourable and Religious Lady, The Lady STRATHNAVER
MADAM.
IEsus Christ himself being the cheife corner stone, in whom all the building fitly framed together, groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord; as it ought to be the principal concearne of all, who have not sitten down on this side of Iordan, to satisfy their souls, (once created for, and in their owne nature requireing▪ in order to satifaction, Spiritual, immortal and incorruptible substance), with husks prepared for beasts, to be built in and upon this corner stone, for an habitation of God, through the Spirit: So it ought to be the maine designe and work of such, as would be approven of God, as faithful labourers and coworkers with God, to be following the example of him, who determined not to know any thing, among those he wrote unto, save Iesus Christ and him crucified. O! this noble, heart-ravishing, soul-satisfying mysterious theme, Iesus Christ crucified, the short compend of that uncontrovertibly great mysterie of godliness, God manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of Angels, preached unto the Gentiles, beleeved on in the world, received up into glory: wherein are things the Angels desire to look into, or with vehement desire bend (as it were) their necks, and bow down their heads to look and peep into (as the word used, 1 Pet. 1: 12. importeth) is a Subject for angelical heads to prie into; for the most indefatigable, & industrious Spirits, to be occupyed about. The searching into and studying of this one Truth, in reference to a closeing with it, as our life, is an infallible mark of a soul divinely enlightened, and endued with spiritual and heavenly wisdom; for though it be unto the jewes a stumbling block, & unto the Greeks foolishness; yet unto them, who are called, it is Christ the power of God, & the wisdom of God, because the foolishness of God is wiser then men, & the weakness of God is stronger then men. O! what depths of the manifold wisdom of God are there in this mysterie? The more it is preached, known & beleeved aright, the more is it understood, to be beyond understanding, & to be what it is, a mysterie. Did ever any Preacher or beleever, get a broad look of this boundless ocean, wherein infinite Wisdom, Love that passeth all understanding, Grace without all dimensions, justice that is admirable and tremenduous, and God in his glorious Properties, Condescensions, high and noble Designes, and in all his Perfections and Vertues, flow over all banks; or were they ever admitted to a prospect hereof in the face of Iesus Christ; & were not made to cry out, O the depth and height, the breadth and length! O the inconceivable, and incomprehensible, boundlesness of all infinitly transcendent perfections? Did ever any with serious diligence, as knowing their life lay in it, study this mysterious Theme, and were not, in full conviction of soul, made to say, the more they promoved in this study, and the more they descended in their diveings into this depth, or soared upward in their mounting speculations in this height, they found it the more an unsearchable mystery? The study of other Themes (which Alas! many, who think it below them to be happy, are too much occupyed in) when it hath wasted the spirits, wearyed the minde, worne the body, and rarified the braine to the next degree unto a distraction, what satisfaction can it give, as to what is attained, or encouragement as to future attainments? And when, as to both these, something is had, and the poor soul puft up with an aery and fancyful apprehension of having obtained▪ some great thing, but in truth a great Nothing, or a Nothing pregnant with Vanity, and vexation of Spirit, foolish twines causing no gladness to the Father, for he that increaseth knowledge, increaseth sorrow, Eccles. 1: 18. what peace can all yeeld to a soul reflecting on posting-away time, now near the last point, and looking forward to endless Eternity? Oh! the thoughts of time wasted with, and faire opportunities of good lost by, the vehement pursueings and huntings after shadowes and vanities, will torment the soul, by assaulting it with pierceing convictions of madness and folly, in forsaking All, to overtake Nothing; with dreadful and soul-terrifying discoveries of the saddest of disappointments: and with the horrour of an everlastingly irrecoverable losse; And what hath the laborious Spirit than reaped of all the travail of his soul, when he hath lost it? But, on the other hand, O with what calmness of minde, serenity of soul and peace of conscience, because of the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, will that poor soul look back, when standing on the border of Eternity, on the bygone dayes o… houres it spent, in s…eking after, praying & …seing all appointed meanes for, some saying acquantance with, and interest in this only soul up making, and soul satisfying Mystery; and upon its yeelding up it self, through the effica…ious operations of the Spirit of grace, wholly, without disputing unto the powerful workings of this mystery within; and in becoming crucified with Christ▪ and living through… crucified Christ's living in it, by his Spirit and power: and with what rejoyceing of heart and gloriou singing of soul, will it look forward to Eternity▪ and its everlasting abode in the prepared mansions, remembering that there, its begun study will be everlastingly continued, its capacity to understand that unsearchable mystery will be inconceivably greater; and the spiritual, heavenly and glorious joy, which it will have, in that practical reading its divinity without book of ordinances, will be its life and felicity for ever? And what peace & joy in the holy Ghost, what inward and inexpressible quiet and contentment of minde, will the soul enjoy, in dwelling on these thoughts, when it shall have withall the inward and well grounded perswasion of its right, through Jesus Christ, to the full possession of that All, which now it cannot conceive, let be comprehend; the foretastes whereof filleth it with joy unspeakable and full of glory; and the hope of shortly landing there, where it shall see and enjoy & wonder & praise, and rest in this endless and restless felicitating work, making it to sing, while passing thorow the valley of the shadow of death? O if this were beleeved! O that we were not drunk, to a distraction and madness, with the adulterous love of vaine and aery speculations, to the postponing, if not utter neglecting, of this maine and only upmaking work, of getting real acquaintance with and a begun possession of this mystery in our souls, Christ, the grand mystery▪ formed within us, living, and working within us by his Spirit, and working us up unto a conformity unto, and an heart-closeing with God manifested in the flesh, that we may finde in experience, or at least, in truth and reality, have a true transumpte of that Gospel mystery, in our souls! Oh when shall we take pleasure in pursueing after this happiness, that will not flee from us, but is rather pursueing us; when shall we receive with joy and triumph this King of glory, that is courting us dayly, and is seeking accesse and entry into our souls? Oh why cry we not out, in the hieght of the passion of spiritual longing & desire. O come Lord Iesus, King of glory, with thine owne key, and open the door and enlarge & dilate the chambers of the soul, that thou may enter, and be entertained as the King of glory▪ with all thy glorious retinue, to the ennobling of my soul, & satisfying of all the desires of that immortal spark? Why do we not covet after this knowledge, which hath a true and firme connexion with all the best and truely divine gifts? O happy soul, that is wasted and worne to a shadow (if that could be) in this study and exercise, which at length will enliven and (as it were) bring in a new heavenly & spiritual soul into the soul, so that it shall look no more like a dead, disspirited thing, out of its native soile and element; but as a free, elevated and spiritualized Spirit, expatiating it self, & fleeing abroad in the open aire of its owne element and country. O happy day, O happy houre, that is really and effectually spent in this imployment! what would souls, sweeming in this ocean of all pleasures and delights, care for, yea, with what abhorrency would they look upon the bewitehing allurements of the purest kinde of carnal delights, which flow from the mindes satisfaction in feeding on the poor apprehensions, & groundlesly expected comprehensions of objects, suited to its natural genius and capacity? O! what a more hyperbolically exceeding and glorious satisfaction hath a soul, in its very pursueings after (when it misseth & cannot reach) that which is truely desireab…e! How doth the least glimpse, through the smallest cranie, of this glorious and glorifying knowledge of God in Christ, apprehended by faith, raise up the soul to that pitch of joy and satisfaction, which the knowledge of natural things, in its purest perfection, shall never be able to cause; and to what a surmounting measure of this joy and contentation, will the experienceing & feeling by spiritual sense the sweet and spiritual relish of this capivating, and transcendently excellent knowledge, raise the soul unto? O! must not this be the very suburbs of heaven to the soul? When the soul thus seeth & apprehendeth God in Christ, and that as its owne God, through Christ (for as all saving knowledge, draweth out the soul unto an imbraceing & closeing with the object, so it bringeth in the object to the making up of the rec…procal union and in-being) it cannot but admire with exultation, and exult with admiration, at that condescendence of free grace, that hath made it in any measure capable of this begun glory, and will fur…her mak it meet, by this begun glory, to be a … of the inheritance of the Saints in light: and what will a soul, that hath tasted of the pure delights of this river of gospel manifestations, & hath seen with soul-rav…shing delight, in some measure, the manifold wisdome of God wrapped up therein; and the comple…t and perfect …ymmetrie of all the parts of that noble contexture, and also the pure designe of that contr…vance to abase Man, and to extoll the riches of the free grace of God, that the sinner, when possessed of all, designed for him and effectuated in him thereby, may know who alone should weare the crown and have all the glory; what, I say, will such a soul see in another gospel… calculated to the meridian of the natural, crooked and corrupted temper of proud man, who is soon made va…ne of nothing, which in stead of bringing a sinner, fall…n from God through pride, back againe to the enjoyment of Him, through a Mediator, doth but foster that innate plague, and rebellion, which caused and procured his first excommunication from the favour, and banishment out of the paradice of God) that shall attract its heart to it, and move it to … compliance with it? When the poor sinner, that hath bin made to pant after a Saviour, and hath bin pursued to the very ports of the city of refuge by the ave…ger of blood, the justice of God, hath tasted and seen, how good God is, and felt the sweetness of free love in a crucified Christ, and seen the beauty and glory of the mystery of free grace, sutably answering… and overcoming the mystery of its sin and misery; O what a complacency hath he therein, and in the way of gospel salvation, wherein free grace is seen to overflow all banks, to the eternal praise of the God of all grace. How saltless and unsavoury will the most cunningly devised and patch together mode of salvation be, that men, studying the perversion of the gospel▪ and seeking the ruine of souls, with all their skill, indusery and learning, are setting off with forced rhetorick, and the artifice of words of mans wisdom, and with the plausible advantages of a pretended sanctity, and of strong grounds and motives unto diligence and painfulness, to a very denying and renunceing of Christian liberty, when once itis observed, how it entrencheth upon, and darkneth the lustre, or diminisheth the glory of free grace, and hath the least tendency to the setting of the crown on the creatures head, in whole or in part? The least perception that hereby the sinners song, ascribeing blessing, honour, glory and power, unto him, that was s…ain, & hath redeemed them to God by his blood, out of every kin…ed and tongue and people and nation, and hath made them unto their God kings and prie…ts, shall be marred, will be enough to render that device detestable, and convince the soul, that itis not the gospel of the grace of God, nor that mystery of God and of Christ, but rather the mystery of …niquity. What a peculiar savouriness doth the humbled beleever finde, in the doctrine of the true gospel grace; and the more, that he be thereby made Nothing, and Christ made All; that he, in his highest atainments, be debaised, and Christ exalted; that his most lovely peacoke feathers be laid, & the crown flourish on Christ's head; that he be laid flat, without one foot to stand upon, and Christ the only supporter, and carryer of him to glory; that he be as dead without life, and Christ live in him, the more lovely, the more beautiful, the more desireable, and acceptable is it unto him. O what a complacency hath the graced soul, in that contrivance of infinite wisdom, wherein the mystery of the grace of God is so displayed, that nothing appeareth, from the lowest foundation stone to the upper, most cope-stone but grace, grace, free grace making up all the materials, and free grace with infinite wisdom cementing all? The gracious soul can be warme under no other covering, but what is made of that web, wherein grace and only grace is both wooft and werpe; and the reason is manifest, for such an one hath the clearest sight and discovery of his owne condition, and seeth that nothing suiteth him, and his case, but free grace: nothing can make up his wants, but free grace: nothing can cover his deformities, but free grace; nothing can help his weaknesses, shortcomings, faintings, sins and miscarriages, but free grace: therefore is free grace all his Salvation, and all his Desire: itis his glory to be free grace's debtor, for evermore; the crown of glory will have a far more exceeding and eternal weight, and be of an hyperbolically hyperbolick and eternal weight▪ and yet easily carryed and worne, when he seeth how free grace and free love hath lined it▪ and free grace and free love sets it on, and keeps it on for ever: this maketh the glorified Saint, weare it with ease, by casting it down at the feet of the gracious and loving purchaser, and bestower. His exaltation is the Saints glory; and by free grace, the Saints receiving and holding all of free grace, is He exalted. O what a glory is it to the Saint, to set the crown of glorious free grace, with his owne hands, on the head of such a Saviour, and to say, not unto me, not unto me, but unto thee, even unto thee alone, be the glory for ever and ever! With what delight, satisfaction, and complacency, will the glorified Saint, upon this account, sing the Redeemed and Ransomed their song? And if the result and effect of free grace will give such a sweet sound there, and make the glorified's heaven, in some respects, another thing, or at least, in some respect, a more excellent heaven, than Adam's heaven would have been; for Adam could not have sung the song of the Redeemed; Adam's heaven would not have been the purchase of the blood of God; nor would Adam have sitten with Christ Redeemer on his throne; nor would there have been in his heaven such …ich hangings of free grace, nor such mansions prepared by that gracious and loving husband, Christ, who will come and bring his bough…-bride home with Him. Seing, I say, heaven, even upon the account of free grace, will have such a special, lovely, desireable, and glorious lustre, O how should Grace be prized by us now? How should the Gospel of the Grace of God be esteemed by us? What an antipa…hy to Glory, as now prepared and dressed up for sinful man, must they show, whose whole wit and parts are busied to da…ken the glory of th… Grace, which God would have shineing in the Gospel; and who are a… so much paines and labour, to dresse up another gospel (though the Apostle hath told us, Gal. 1: 7. that there is not another) wherein Gospel-grace must stand by, and law grace take the throne, that so man may sacrifice to his owne net, and burn incense to his own drag, and may at most be graces debtor, in part; and yet no way may the saved man account himself more graces debtor, than the man was, who wilfully destroyed himself, in not performing of the conditions; for Grace (as the new Gospelers, or rather Gospel - spillers meane, and say▪) did equally to both frame the conditions, make known th… contrivance, and tender the conditional peace and salvation. But as to the difference betwixt Paul and Iudas, it was Paul that made himself to differ, and not the free grace of God▪ determineing the heart of Paul by grace to a closeing with and accepting of the b…rgan. It was not grace that wrought in him both to will & to do▪ It wa… he & not the grace of God in him. What more contradictory to the gospel of the grace of God? And yet vaine Man will not condescend to the free grace of God. Pelagianisme & Arminianisme, needeth not put a man to much study, and to the reading of many books, to the end, it may be practically learned (though the patrons hereof labour hote in the very fires, to make their notions hang together, and to give them such a lustre of unsanctified and corrupt reason, as may be taking with such as know no other conduct in the matters of God) for n…turally we are all borne Pelagians and Arminians: these Tenets are deeply engraven in the heart of every Son of fallen Adam: what serious servant of God findeth not this, in his dealing with souls, whom he is labouring to bri…g into the way of the Gospel? Yea what Christian is there, who hath acquantance with his owne heart, and is observing its byasses and corrupt inclinations, that is not made to cry out, O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from these dregs of Pelagianisme, Arminianisme and Iesuitisme, which I finde yet within my soul? Hence it may seem no wonderful, or strange thing (though after so much clear light, it may be astonishing to think, that now, in this age, so many are so openly, and a…wedly, appearing for this dangerous and deadly errou…) to us, to hear and see this infection spread…ng and gaining ground so fast, there needeth few arguments or motives, to worke up carnal hearts to an imbraceing thereof, and to a cheerful acquiesceing therein; little labour will make a spark of fire worke upon gunpowder. And, me thinks, if nothing else will, this one thing should convince us all of the errour of this way; that nature so q…imely and readyly complyeth therewith; for who, that hath any eye upon, or regaird of such things, seeth not, what a world of carnal reasonings, objections, prejudices, and scruples, natural men have in readiness against the Gospel of Christ; and with what satisfaction, peace and delight, they reason and plead themselves out of the very reach of free grace; and what work there is to get a poor soal, in any measure wakened and convinced of its lost condition, wrought up to a compliance with the gospel way of Salvation? How many other designes, projects and essayes doth it follow; with a piece of natural vehemency and seriousness, without wearying, were it even to the wasteing of its body and spirits, let be, its substance & riches, before it be brought to a closeing with a crucified Mediator, and to an accounting of all its former workings, attainments, and painful labourings, and gaine, as losse for Christ, and for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ, and as dung that it may win Christ, and be found in Him, not having its own righteousness, which is of the la…, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness, which is of God by fai…h, Phil. 3: 7, 8▪ 9. A…d m…y it not seem strange, that now, after so many have found, through the grace of God, the sweet experience of the gracious workings of the gospel grace of God upon their hearts, and so are in case, as having this witness within them, to give verdict against those assertions; yea moe and many moe, than were in several ages before; yet Satan should become so bold, as to vent these desperate opinions, so diametrically opposite to the Grace of God, declared in the Gospel, and ingraven in the Hearts of many hundereds, by the finger of God, confirming▪ in the most undoubted manner, the truth of the gospel doctrines. This would seem to say, that there are such clear sun shine dayes of the Gospel, and of the Son of man, a coming (and who can tell how soon this night shall be at an end?) that all these doctrines of nature shall receive a more conspicuous and shameful dash, than they have received for these many ages: Hithertil when Satan raised up, and sent forth his qualified instruments, for this desperat work, God alwayes prepared carpenters to fright these horns and thus Gospel▪truth came forth, as gold out of a furnace, more clear and shineing: And who can tell but there may be a dispensation of the pure grace of God, in opposition to these perverting wayes of Satan, yet to come, that, as to the measure of light and power, shall excell whatever hath been, siace the Apostles dayes? Even so come Lord Iesus!
However, Madam, the Grace of God will be, what it is, to all the chosen and ransomed ones. They will finde that in it, which will make whatever cometh in competition therewith or would darken it, contemptible in their eyes: And happy they, of whom, in this day wherein darkness covereth the earth, and grosse darkness the people, it may be said, the Lord hath arisen upon them, and his glory, hath been seen upon them: for whatever others, whose understanding is yet darkned, and they alienated from the life of God, through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their hearts, imagine of the Gospel Grace; and however they discerne nothing of the heavenly and spiritual glory of the Grace of God: yet they being delivered or cast into the form and mould of the doctrine of the Gospel, which they have obeyed from the heart, through the powerful and irresistible efficacy of the mighty grace of God, have seen such an allureing excellency, in … gracious contrivance of infinite wisdome, to set forth the unparallelableness of the pure grace of God, and are dayly seeing more and more of the graciousness & wisdome of that heavenly invention, in its adeq…at s… teablness to all their necessities, that as they cannot but admire and commend the riches of that grace that interlineth every sentence of the gospel, and the greatness of that love, that hath made such a compleatly broad plaster, to cover all their sores and wounds; so the longer they live, and the more they drink of this pure fountain of heavenly nectar; and the more their necessities presse them, to a taking▪on of new obligations, because of new supplies from this ocean of grace, the more they are made to admire the Wisdom & Goodness of the Author▪ and the more they are made to fall in love with, to delight…, and lose themselves in the thoughts of this incomprehensible grace of God; yea and to longe to be there, where they shall be in better case to contemplate, and have more wit to wonder at, and better dexterity to prize, & a stronger head to muse upon, and a more enlarged heart to praise for this boundless and endless treasure of the Grace of God, with which they are enriched, through Jesus Christ. Sure, if we be not thus enamoured & ravished with it, it is because we are yet standing without, or, at most, upon the threshold & border of this Grace; were we once goto within the jurisdiction of grace, and had yeelded up ourselves unto the power thereof, and were living and breathing in this aire, O! how sweet a life might we have? What a kindly …lement would Grace be to us? As sin had reigned unto death, even so grace should reigne, through righteousness, unto eternal life, by Iesus Christ, our Lord Rom. 5: 21. Grace reigning within us th…ough righteousness, would frame & fit our souls for that eternal life, that is ensured to all, who come once under the commanding, enlivening, strengthening, confirming, corroborating, and perfecting power of Grace: and seeking grace for grace, and so living and walking and spending upon Grace's cost and charges, O how lively, and thriveing proficients might we be? The more we spent of grace (if it could be spent) the richer should we be in grace: O what an enriching trade must it be to trade with free Grace, where there is no losse, and all is gaine, the stock and gaine and all is ensured; yea more, labouring in Grace's field would bring us in Isaack's blessing, an hundered fold: But Alas! it is one thing to talk of Grace, but a far other thing to trade with Grace. When we are so great strangers unto the life of grace, through not breathing in the aire of grace; how can the name of the Lord Iesus Christ be glorifyed in us, and we in Him, according to the grace of our God, and the Lord Iesus Christ, 2 Thes. 1: 12? Consider we, what an affront and indignity it is unto the Lord dispenfator of Grace, that we look so leane, and ill favoured, as if there were not enough of the fatning bread of the grace of God, in our Fathers house, or as if the great Steward, who is full of grace and truth, were unwilling to bestow it upon us, or grudged us of our allowance, when the fault is in ourselves, we will not follow the course, that Wise Grace, and Gracious Wisdome hath prescribed; we will not open our mouth wide, that He might fill us; nor goe to Him, with our narrowed or closed mouthes, that Grace might make way for grace, and widen the mouth for receiving of more grace; but lye by in our leanness and weakness: and alas we love too will to be so. O but grace be ill wared on us, who cary so unworthily with it, as we do: yet it is well with the gracious soul, that he is under grace's Tutory and care; for Grace will care for him, when he careth not much for it, nor yet seeth well to his owne welfare; Grace can & will prevent, yea must prevent, afterward, as well as at the first; that Grace may be Grace, and appear to be Grace, and continue unchangeably to be Grace, and so free Grace. Well is it with the Beleever, whom grace hath once taken by the heart, and brought within the bond of the Covenant of Grace, its deadest condition is not desperat: when corruption prevaileth to such an hight, that the man is given over for dead, there being no sense, no motion no warmth, no breath almost to be observed; yet Grace, when violently constrained by that strong distemper, to retire to a secret corner of the soul, & there to lurk and lye quiet, will yet at length, through the quickening, & reviv…ing inf…uences of Grace▪ promised in the Covenant, & granted in the Lords good time, come out of its prison, take the fields, & recover the impire of the soul; and then the dry & withered stocks, when the God of all grace will be as the dew unto Israel, shall blossome and grow as the lilie, and cast forth his roots as lebanon: his branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive tree, and his smell as lebanon. It is a happy thing, either for Church or particular soul to be planted in G…ace's … soyl, they lye open to the warm beames of the sun of righteousness; and though winter blasts may be sharpe and long; clouds may intercept the heat, and nipping frosts may cause a sad decay ▪ and all the sap may returne and lye, as it were dormant, in the root; yet the winter will passe: the raine will be over and gone, and the flowers will appear on the earth: the time of the singing of birds will come and the voice of the turtle will be heard in the land: then shall even the wilderness and solitary place be glade, and the desert shall rejoice and blossome as the rose, it shall blossome abundantly, and rejoyce even with joy and singing: the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon, they shall see the glory of the Lord, and the excellency of our God We wonder that it is not alwayes hote summer dayes, a flourishing and fruitful season, with Souls and with Churches; But know we the thoughts of the Lord? See we to the bottom of the deep contrivances of infinite wisdom? Know we the usefulness, yea necessity, of long winter nights, stormy blasts, hail, raine, snow and frost? Consider we, that our state, and condition, while here, calleth for those vicissitudes, and requireth the blowing of the north, as well as of the south windes? If we considered, how Grace had ordered all things for our best▪ and most for the glory and exaltation of Grace; we would sit down and sing, under the sadest of dispensations, and living by faith and hope, we would rejoyce in the confident expectation of a gracious outgate, for as long as Grace predomineth (and that will be untill Glory take the Empire) all will run in the channel of grace: and though now, sense (which is oft faiths unfaithful friend) will be alwayes suggesting false tales of God, and of His Grace unto unbeliefe, and raising thereby discontents, doubts, feares, jealousies, and many distempers in the soul, to its prejudice and h…rt; yet in end, Grace shall be seen to be Grace; and the faithful shall get such a full sight of this manifold Grace, as ordering, tempering, timeing, shortening or continueing of all the sad and dismal dayes and seasons, that have passed over their own, or their Mothers head, that they shall see, that Grace did order all, yea every circumstance of all the various tossings, changes, ups & downs, that they did meet with. And O what a satisfying sight will that be, when the general▪ assembly, and Church of the first borne, which are enrolled in heaven, and every individual saint shall come together, and take a view of all their experiences, the result of which shall be, Grace began, Grace carryed on, and Grace hath perfected all, Grace was at the bottome of all, and Grace crowned all? What shoutings Grace, Grace unto it, will be there; when the head stone shall be brought forth? What soul satisfying complacency in, & admiration at all, that is past, will a back look …hereat yeeld, when every one shall be made to say, Grace hath done all well, not a pin of all the work of Grace in and about me might have been wanted; now I see, that the work of God is perfect, Grace was glorious Grace, and wise Grace, whatever I thought of it then: O what a fool have I been, in quarrelling at, and in not being fully satisfied with, all that Grace was doing with me? O how little is this beleeved now?
In confidence, Madam, that your La: (to me no wayes known, but by a savoury report) shall accept of this bold address, I recommend your La: my very noble Lord your Husband, and off spring, to the word of His grace, and subscribe my self Your and Their
Servant in the Gospel of the Grace of God. JOHN BROWN.