Some Gospel Truths Opened, Author to the reader
The Author to the Reader.
SEeing the Lord hath been pleased to put it into mine heart, to write a few things to thee (Reader) touching those things which are most surely believed by all those that are, or shall be sav…d, Luke 1. 1. Acts 1…. 38. I think it meet also, to stir up thy heart by way of remembrance, touching those thing that are the hinderances of thy believing the things that are necessary to th… welfare of thine immortal soul. And indeed, this is the only thing necessary; it is better to lose all that ever thou hast, than to have thy soul and body for ever cast into hell: and therfore, I beseech thee to consider with me a few things touching the Stratagems, or subtile temptations of the Devil, whereby he lyeth in wait, if by any meanes he may, to make thee fall short of eternal life, 1 Pet. 5. 8.
And first of all, he doth endeavour by all meanes to keep thee in love with thy sins and pleasures, knowing that he is sure of thee, if he can but bewitch thee to live and die in them, 1 Cor. 6. 9, 10. 2 Thes. 2. 12. Yea he knowes that he is as sure of thee as if he had thee in hell already, Joh. 3. 19. And that he might accomplish his designe on thee in this particular, he laboureth by all meanes possible to keepe thy Conscience asleep in securitie and self conceitednesse, keeping thee from all things that might be a meanes to awaken and rowse up thine heart: As first, he will endeavour to keepe thee from hearing of the word, by suggesting unto thee this and the other wor…dly businesse which must be performed; so that thou wilt not want excuse to keep thee from the Ordinances of Christ, in hearing, reading, meditation, &c. or else, he seeks to disturbe, and distract thy minde when thou art conv…rsant in these things, that thou canst not attend to them diligently, and so they become unprofitable; or else i… thou art a little more stirred, he labours to rocke thee asleepe again, by casting thee upon, and keeping thee in evill company, as among rioters, drunkards, jesters, and other of his instruments, which he imployeth on purpose to keep thee secure, and so ruine thy Soule and body for ever and ever.
If not thus, then peradventure he will seeke to perswade thee it is but a melancholly fit, and will put thee upon the works of thy calling or thy pleasures, or Physick; or some other tricke he will invent such as best agreeth with thy nature: and thus thy heart is againe deaded, and thou art kept in carnal security, that thou mightest perish for ever▪ But if notwithstanding these, and many cunning slights more which might be named, he cannot so blind, and benumb thy conscience, but that it doth see and …eele sin to be a burden, intolerable and exceeding sinfull: Then in the 2d place, his design is to drive thee to dispaire, by perswading thee that thy sins are too big to be pardoned, he will seek by all meanes possible to aggrovate them by all the circumstances of time, place, person, manner, nature and continuance of thy sins, he will object in thy soul, thou hast out-sinned grace, by rejecting so many exhortations, and admonitions, so many reproofs, so many tenders of grace; hadst thou closed in with them it had been well with thee, but now thou hast stood it out so long that there is no hope for thee: thou mightest have come sooner, if thou didst look to be saved, but now it is too late. And withall, that he might carrie on his designe upon thee to purpose, he will be sure to present to thy conscience, the most sad sentences of the Scripture; yea, and set them home with such cunning arguments, that if it be possible, he will make thee dispair, and make away thy self, as did Judas.
But if he be prevented in this his intended purpose; the next thing he doth beset thee with, is to make thee rest upon thy own righteousnesse, telling thee, that if thou wilt needs be saved, thou must earn heaven with thy fingers ends; and it may be, he represents to thy soule such a Scripture; if thou doe well, shalt thou not be accepted? And thou having (but in the strength of nature) kept thy self from thy former grosser polutions, and it may be from some more secret sins, art ready to conclude, now thou dost well; now God accepts thee; now he will pardon, yea, hath pardoned thee; now thy condition is good: & so goest on till thou meetest with a searching word, and Ministery, which tels thee, and discovers plainly unto thee, that thou doest all this while deceive thy self, by a vaine hope and confidence; for though thou seek after the Law of righteousness, thou hast not yet attained to the Law of righteousnesse, nor yet canst, because, thou seekest…t not by faith, but as it were by the works of the Law, Rom. 9. 31, 32. Here again, thou art left in the mire, and now peradventure thou seest, that thou art not profited by the works of the Law; nor thy own righteousness: And this makes thee stirre a little, but in processe of time, (through the subtil sleights of the devil and the wickednesse of thine own heart;) thou forgettest thy trouble of Conscience, and and slippest into a notion of the Gospell, and the grace thereof; and now thou thinkest thy self cock sure: Now thou art able to say, he that lives and dies in his sins shall be damned for them: he that trusts in his owne righteousness shall not be saved: Now thou canst cry Grace, Grace, its freely by grace, its through the death of the man Christ Jesus, that sinners doe attain unto eternal life, Heb. 9. 14. This I say thou hast in the notion, and hast not the power of the same in thine heart, and so it may be thine head is full of the knowledge of the Scriptures, though thine heart be empty of sanctifying grace. And thus thou do …st rejoice for a time: yet because thou hast not the root of the matter within thee, in time of temptation thou fallest away, Luke 8. 13.
Now being in this condition, and thinking thy self to be wondrous well, because of that Notion of the Truth, and that notion thou hast in the things of God: I say being in this state, thou art lyable to these dangers. First, Thou art like to perish if thou die with this notion in thine head, except God out of his rich gr ace doe work a saving work of grace, and knowledge in thy heart; for know this, thou m…yest understand glorious mysteries and yet be a Castaway, 1 Cor. 13. 1, 2, 3. Or else. Secondly, thou art lyable to the next damnable heresy that the Divel sendeth into th… world. See and consider, Luke 8. …3. 2 Tim. 2. 18. I say thou doest lie lyable to be carried away with it, and to be captivated by it … that at last through the delusions of the Divell, thou mayst have thy conscience seared as with an hot iron, so hard, that neither Law, nor Gospel, can make any entrance thereinto, to the doing of thee the least good. And indeed, who are the men that at this day are so deluded by the Quakers, and other pernicious Doctrines? but those who thought it enough to be talkers of the Gospell, and Grace of God, without seeking and giving all diligence to make it sure unto themselves? And for this cause God hath sent them strong delusions, that they should believe a lye: That they all might be damned, who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness, as it is written, 2 Thes. 2. 11, 12. And indeed if you marke it, you shall see, that they be such kinde of people, who at this day are so carried away with the Quakers delusions; namely, a Company of loose Ranters, and light Notionists, with here and there a Legalist, which were shaking in their principles from time to time, sometimes on this Religion, sometimes on that: and thus these Vnstable Souls are deluded and beguiled at last, 2 Pet. 2. 14. So that these who before (as one would have bought) had somthing of God in them, are now turned such enemies to the glorious truths of the Gospel, that there is none so obstinately erroneo…s as they. And indeed it is just with God, to give then over to believe a lye, 2 Thes. 2. 11. who before were so idle that they would not receive the Truth of God into their hearts, in the love of it: And to be bewitched by the Divell to obey his temptations, and be damned, who would not obey the truth, Gal. …. 1. that they migth be saved.
But you will say, what lyes are those, that the Divell beguileth poor souls with all? I shall briefly tell you some of them, but having before said that they especially are lyable to the danger of them, who slip into high Notions, and rest there; taking that for true faith which is not. I shall desire thee seriously to consider this one Character a Notionist. Such an one, whether he perceives it or not, is puffed up in his fleshly mind, and advanceth himself above others, thinking but few may compare with him for religion and knowledge in the Scriptures, but are ignorant and foolish in comparison of him: (thus knowledge puffeth up, 1 Cor. 8. 1.) whereas when men receive truth in the love of the truth, the more the head and heart is filled with the knowledge of the mysterie of Godlinesse, the more it is emptied of its own things, and is more sensible of its own vileness, and so truly humbled in its own eyes.
And further, a Notionist, though he fall from his former strictness and seeming holiness, and appeare more loose, and vain in his practises; yet speaks as confidently of himself, as to assurance of Salvation, the love of God, and union with God, as ever. But now to return, and declare some of those lyes which the Divell perswades some of these men to believe. First, That salvation was not fully, and completely wrought out for poor sinners by the man Christ Jesus, though he did it gloriously, Acts 13. 38, 39. by his death upon the cross, without the gates of Jerusalem, Heb▪ 13, 12. compared with Jo. 19. 20.
2. This is another of his lyes wherewith he doth deceive poor sinners, bidding them follow the light that they brought into the world with them, telling them, that light will lead them to the Kingdome; for (say they) it will convince of sinne, as swearing, lying, stealing, covetousness, and the rest of the sins against the Law, Rom. 3. 20. But the Law is not of faith, Gal. 3. 12. And then I am sure, that it, with all its motions and convictions, is never able to justifie the soul of any poor sinner. For as many as are of the works of the Law are under the Curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that are written in the Book of the law to doe them, Gal. 3. 10. but that no man is justified by the law is evident, for, The just shall live by faith, ver. 11. Now because I am not altogether ignorant of the delusion of the Divell touching this grace of faith also, I shall therefore in short give thee (reader) a briefe, yet true description from the Srcipture 1. What true justifying faith is, and what it laye… hold upon. 2. I shall shew who it doth come from. 3. That every one hath it not. 4. What are the fruits of it. First therefore True faith is a fruit, work, or gift of the Spirit of God. (Gal. 5. 22. 2 Thes. 1. 11. and 1 Cor. 12. 9.) whereby a poor soul is enabled through the mighty operation of God (Col. 2. 12.) in a sence of its sins and wretched estate to lay hold on the righteousness, bloud, death, resurrection, ascension, intercession, and comming againe of the Son of God which was crucified without the gates of Jerusalem, for eternal life; Jo. 3. 16, 18. compared with Mat. 3. 17. Gal. …. 20. Rom. 5. 8, 9, 10. Ro. 3. 25. Act. 16. 31. Heb. 13. 12. according to that saying in Heb. 11. 1. Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen; that is, the things that are hoped for faith sees, layes hold upon, and embraces them, Heb. 11. 13. as if they were present: yea, it seales up the certainty of them to the soule. Therefore saith the Apostle it is the evidence, or testimony, or witness, of those things that are not seen as yet with a bodily eye: which are obtained by the bloud of the man Christ Jesus, Heb. 9. 14. compar…d with Heb. 10. 12, 19, 20. by which the soule sees as in a glass the things that God hath laid up for them that feare him, 1 Cor. 13. 12. 2 Cor. 3. 18.
Secondly, If you would know who this faith comes from, read Ephes. 2. 8. For by grace ye are saved (saith the Scripture) through faith, and that not of your selves it is the gift of God. Againe, in Phil. 1. 29. it is thus written. For unto you (that is believers) it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake: And thus much doe the Apostles hold forth to us in their prayer, or request t… the Lord Jesus, when they say, Lord increase our faith, Luke 17. …. and he is therefore called the Author and finisher of our faith, Heb. 12. 3. also we find in Jam. 1. 17. that, Every good and perfect gift is from above and commeth down from the Father of lights, &c and therefore faith comes from God, for true justifying faith … a good gift, and perfect in respect of the Author God, in respect of its object, Christ; and in respect of the nature, though not in respect of the degree, and measure of it in us: even as a grain of gold, is as perfect gold, as a pound of gold, though not so much.
3. All men have not faith, This the Apostle witnesseth in so many words, as we find, 2 Thes. …. 2. and Deut. 32. 20. Also in Tit. 1. 15. To them that are defil…d and unbelieving is nothing pure, &c. It appeareth also in this, that all doe not attain salvation, which they must needs doe if they had true justifying faith; compare Luke 13. 24. and 1 Jo. 5. 19. with Mar. 16. 16. And Heb. 4. 3. with ver. 6. and 11. they that believe shall be saved, they that be.
4. The fruits of it are, first, to purifie the heart, Acts 15. 9. and 1 Jo. 3. 3. and that, as I said be fore, by laying hold on what Jesus Christ hath done and suffered for sinners, Acts 13. 38, 39.
2. It fills the soule with peace and joy, in that it layes hold on the things that are obtained for it, Rom. 5, 1. 2 Tim. 1. 9. 10. 1 Pet. 1. 8.
3. It makes the Soule to wait patiently, for the glory that is to be revealed at the second appearing of the man Christ Jesus, whom God hath raised from the dead; which hath also delivered it from the wrath to come, as in Tit. 2. 13, 14. 1 Pet. 4. 13. and 5. v. 1, 4. 1 Thes. 1. 10.
But how (may some say) doth the Divell make his de…usions take place in the he…rts of poore creatures? Ans. Why. 1. he labours to render the doctrine of the Lord Jesus, and Salvation by him alone, very odious and low: and also his ordinances, as hearing, reading, meditation, use of the Scriptures, &c. telling poore sinners that these things are but poore, low, carnal, beggerly, empty Notions; preached up by the Clergie-men, who are the Scribes and Pharis…es of this Generation; who have the letter, but not the Spirit of God in them; which lead men into the forme, but not into the power of the Lord Jesus: And with this perswasion, he also represents the ungodly and base carriage, or behaviour of some, who have taken in hand to preach the Doctrine of the Lord Jesus Christ, and thereby he doth render the Gospell of our Lord Jesus the more contemptible and base. But Woe, woe, woe, be to them by whom such offences come, Mat. 18. 7. Lu. 17. 1, 2.
2. He pretends to lead them up into some higher light, mysteries, and revelations of the Spirit, into which but a very few have attained or can attain, also bewitching their affections, and taking them with an earnest pursuite after these his pretended truths: perswading them, that they shall be as God himself, able to discerne between good and evill, Gen. 3. 5. And in this he is exceeding subtile and expert, as having practised it ever since the dayes of Adam. These things being thus considered, and in some measure hungred after, and the rather because they are good (as they thinke) to make one wise, Gen. 3. 6. The poore Soule is all on the sudden possessed with a desperate Spirit of delusion, which carries it away headlong with some high, light, frothy Notions, and spiritual wickednesse (which drown it in perdition and destruction) that doth feed and tickle the heart … while, to the end it may make way for a farther manifestation of it selfe in the poore deluded soule; which when it hath attained to, it doth then begin to bring the soule into a clearer sight of those things, which it was loth it should know at the first: but having fitted the soule by degrees, for a further possession of it self, at last it begins to hold forth its new Gospell; shewing the soule a new Christ, and new Scriptures. The new and false Christ, is a Christ crucified within, dead within, risen againe within, and ascended within in opposition to the Son of Mary, who was crucified without, dead without, risen againe without, and ascended in a cloud away from his Disciples into heaven (Acts 1. 9. 10, 11.) without them.
Now this new & fals Christ hath a new and false faith belonging to his Gospell, which faith is this, to apprehend this Christ crucified within, dead within, risen againe within, and ascended within. But aske them for a Scripture that doth positively prove their Doctrine, they also have a Scripture, but it is within, it doth bear witnes within, & if they had not that, (though that be of the Divels making,) I am sure they would have none out of Gods holy Scriptures, for they will allow of no crucified Christ but he that was crucified without the gates of Jerusalem: aHeb. 13. 12. Jo 16. 20Dead and buried in the Sepulchre of Joseph of Arimathea: bJo. 19. 38 39, 40, 41.was raised againe out of that Sepulchre into which Joseph had laid him.cJo. 20. 1. 12. Who went before his Disciples into Galilee: dMar, 16. 7.And to Emaus: eLuke 24 16.Shewed them his hands and his feet,fLuke 24 39, 40. where the nailes had gone through: did eat and drink with them after his resurrection: was seen of them on earth forty dayes after his resurrection:hAct. 1. 3. and after that ascended away in a cloud, out of the sight of his Disciples into Heaven:iAct. 1. 9; 10, 11. Which Christ ever lives to make intercession for us:kHeb. 7. 24. 25. Act. 10. 42 & 17. 31. 2 Pet. 3. 10, 11. Who will come againe also at the end of the world to judgement. l Who also is the same that hath obtained eternal redemption for us:mAct. 13. 37, 38, 39. Rom. 3. 25 Eph. 1. 7. Rev. 1. 5. Heb. 1. 2. & 9. 14. This I say, or rather the Scripture… say, is Gods Christ, Mat. 16▪ 16. in whom hs is well pleased, Mat. 3. 17. neither doth God owne any other, or allow of any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved, than the name of Jesus of Nazareth, Acts. 4. 10. compared with v. 11. 1…. But as I told you before, the way to be thus deluded, is first to render Gods Christ odious and low, with a pretence of some further light and Revelations: and thus professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, Rom. 1 22. But you will say, doth not the Scripture make mention of a Christ within? Col. 1. …7. and 2 Cor. 13. 5. Rom. 8. 10. I answer, I Gods Christ was,Though I shall goe seemingly about in answer to this question, yet it will be very profitable to them who shal weigh and consider the severall sentences hereof. and is, true God and true man; he was born of the Virgin Mary, true God and true Man, Mat. 1. 23. and They shall call his name Emanuell, which being interpreted, is God with us, or God in our Nature, according to 1 Tim. 3. 16. God was manifested in the flesh; and 1 Joh. 1. 14. The word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, as of the onelyonly begotten of the Father full of grace and truth. And in Heb. 1. 14. Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he, that is, God, Heb. 1. 8. also himself likewise took part of the same, that through death he must destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the Divell. Now as he was thus true God and true man, so he became our redeemer, and Saviour. Compare the first and second chapters to the Heb. together, and you may cleerly see that this is a glorious truth, that he, who is the first and the last, Rev. 1. 17, 18. and …. 8. humbled himselfe, and made himselfe of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a Servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And was this all? No, he humbled himself unto death, even the death of the crosse, Phil. 2. 7, 8. compared with Revel. 1. 17, 18. and Rev. 2. 8. with Gal. 1. 4. Now after this Christ of God, true God, and true man, had wrought out eternal redemp…ion for us poore miserable sinners, Heb. 9. 14. compared with 1 Tim. 1. 15. I say, after he had done this, he ascended up into heaven, and there ever lives to make intercession for us. Now this Christ, having thus compleatly wrought out our Salvation, sends his Disciples abroad to preach the same to poore sinners, Acts 2. and 2 Cor. 5. 19, 20. 1 Cor. 1. 17. and so many as were ordained to eternal life, when they heard the word, or the Gospell preached by the Apostles, which Gospell was this Christ, 1 Cor. 1. 17. compared with ver. 23. I say, so many as were ordained … eternal life, when they hear… the word, the Holy Ghost o… Spirit of Christ fell up… them, Acts 10. 44. compare… with Acts 13. 48. which di… lead them into the Redemption and glorious things that the Lord Jesus had laid up and prepared for them, Joh. 16. 13. 14, 15. 1 Cor. 2. 9. Which Spirit was the earnest of their inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession to the praise of his glory, Eph. 1. 13. 14. This earnest of their inheritance was a glorious encouragment to them that had it, to hope for the glory that was revealed at the appearing of Jesus Christ, which is the meaning of that place in Col. 1. 27.*The Spirit of Christ is the earnest of that …heritance that Christ as he was God and man did obtain. Col. 1 2…. Ephes 1. 13. 14. And that will be seen clearly if we truly compare it with Eph. 1. 13, 4. before cited. Now this Spirit, which sometimes is called the Spirit of Christ, 2 Cor. 13. 5. This spirit I say, being given to all those that were ordained to eternal life, it must ne…ds follow, that those that had not this Spirit, but did live and die without it, were not ordained to eternal life, and so were none of Christs: but were reprobates, Rom. 8. 9. for the Spirit of Christ is the distinguishing Character betwixt a believer and an unbeliever; he that hath it, and is led by it, is a child of God, Rom. …. 14. but he that hath it not is none of Christs. So then, the*The objection answered. Answer that I give to the question, is this. The Spirit of Christ that is given to believers, is the Earnest, or hope of that Inheritance that Christ hath already purchased, and is now preparing for so many as he hath given, or shall give this holy Spirit unto. And for the proofe hereof, Read Eph. 1. 13, 14. In whom (saith the Scripture) ye also trusted after that ye heard the word of truth, the G…spel of your Salvation … whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with the holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance: (which inheritance is the eternal redemption that was purchased by Christ for poor sinners, Heb. 9. 14.) untill the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glorie. Againe; Gal. 5. 5. for ye through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. And Col. 1. 27. the Apostle speaking of this great mystery, saith, To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this Mysterie among the Gentiles, which is, Christ in you the hope of glory, which glory was then revealed to the Saints no otherwise then by faith, as the Apostle saith, We rejoyce in hope of the glory of God, Rom. 5. 2. Which hope is begotten by the Spirits shedding abroad the love of God in our hearts, ver. 5. which hope is not yet seen, that is, not yet actually enjoyed; for we are saved by hope; but hope that is seen is not hope; for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it, Rom. 8. 24, 25. And as I say, the cause of believers hope is this, Christ, or the Spirit of Christ in them, the hope of glory. And indeed he may well hope for glory to come, who hath already an earnest thereof given him of God, and that earnest no less than the Spirit of the Lord Jesus, Rom. 8. 16, 17.
But now, this Spirit, which is the Cause of a believers hope, all men have not, Jude 19. Eph. 2. 12. Rom. 8. 9. Jo. 14. 16, 17. Therefore what a sad doctrine is that which saith, follow the light that Christ hath enlightn…d every man withall which commeth into the world, which light is the Conscience * that convinceth of Sinnes against the Law;Joh. 8. 9. and that you may see cleerly if you mind that Scripture, Jo. 8. 9. which saith, that the Pharises which had neither the love of God, nor yet his word abiding in them, Jo. 5. 38, 43. when they had heard Christ speaking thus to them, He that is without sin among you, &c. being convicted by their own Consciences, It is the spirit of the divel that doth tender the Scriptures contemptible and low.went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even to the least. But the Divell, that he might be sure not to miss of his design, labours by all meanes to render the Scriptures also odious and low, telling them of the Scriptures within; which Christ never taught, nor yet his Disciples: But they being given up of God to a reprobate minde, have given themselves over, rather to follow the suggestions of the Divel, then the holy Scriptures which God hath commanded us to betake our selves to, Isa. 8. 20. compared with Jo. 5. 39. which Scripture is called the sword of the Spirit, Eph. 6 17. which weapon our Lord Jesus himselfe held up, to overcome the Divell withall, Mat. 4. 4, 7, 10. Luke 4. 4. 8. 12. But this designe (as I told you) the Divell carries on, by pretending to shew them a more excellent way which they may attaine to, if they be but wise, and follow what is made knowne to them from the light within them.
But (Reader) that thou mayest be able to escape the snare of this cunning hunter, I shall lay thee downe some few directions, which if the Lord give thee grac… to follow, thou shalt escape these wicked delusions.
And first of all, I admonish thee to be very serious touching thine estate and condition; and examine thine own heart by the rule of the word of God, whether or no, thou hast as yet any beginnings of desiring after religion: and if thou findest that thou hast lived untill now in ignorance, and hast not set thy selfe to remember thy Creator as thou art commanded, Eccles. 12. 1. then I beseech thee consider that thou art under the wrath of Almighty God, and hast been so ever since thou camest into the world, Eph. 2. 1, 2. being thou in thy first parents didst transgress against thy Maker, Rom. 5. 18. Therefore as by the offence of one, that is, of Adam, ver. 14. judgement came upon all men unto condemnation. Besides the many sins thou hast committed ever since thou wast born: Sins against the Law of God, and sinnes against the Gospell of the grace of God: Sins against the long suffering and forbearance of God, and sins against his judgements: Sins of Omission and sins of Commission, in thoughts, words and actions: Consider I say thy condition; yea get a very great sense of thy sins that thou hast committed; and that thou mayest so doe, Beg of God to convince thee by his holy Spirit, not only of sins against the Law, but also of that damning sin, the sin of unbeliefe.
2. If thou by grace art but brought into such an estate, as to see thy selfe in a lost Condition because of sin, without the Lord Jesus: then in the next place, have a care of resting on any dutie done, though it be never so specious; I say, have a care of making any stay any where on this side the Lord Jesus Christ: but above all strive to believe, that that very man that was borne of the Virgin Mary, did come into the World, on purpose to save thee, as well as other poore sinners: I say, thou must not be content till thou art enabled to say,Gal. 2. 20. Rev. 22. 17. He loved me, and gave himselfe for me. And that thou mayest be sure to attaine to this most precious faith, (for so it is) be much in applying the freest promises to thy own soule; yea those that have no conditions annexed to them, as these, or other like, Jer. 3. 3. Jer. 3 Joh. 6. 37. also Jo. 14. 19. Hos. 14. 4. I say, labour to apply to thy owne soule in particular, the most glorious and freest promises in the book of God. And if at any time the divell besets thee by his temptations (for so is his wonted manner to doe, and so much the more as he sees thee labour to get out of his reach) I say, when he … thee with his fierie darts, be sure to act faith on the most free promises, and have a care that thou doest not enter into any dispute with him; but rather resist him by those blessed promises that are laid down in the word of God: And withall, be sure to meditate upon the blood of the Man Christ Jesus, who also is the true God, and read those Scriptures that doe most fully and cleerly speak of it; as 1 Joh. 1. 7. Eph. 1. 7. Heb. 9. 14, Rom. 3. 25.
But if thou say (as it is often the speech of poore soules lying under a sence of Sin, & the apprehensions of wrath due to it) I cannot apply the promises to mine own soule; and the reason is, because, my sins are so great, and so many: Consider, and know it for a truth, that the more and greater thou seest thy sins to be, the more cause hast thou to believe; yea, thou must therefore believe because thy sinnss are great: David made it an encouragement to himselfe, or rather the Spirit of the Lord made it his encouragement, to crave, yea to hope for pardon, because he had greatly transgressed: Psal. 25. 11. For thy Name sake, O Lord (saith he) pardon mine iniquitie, for it is great. As if he had said, O Lord, Thy name wil be more glorified, the riches of thy grace wil be more advanced, thy Mercy and goodness will more shine, and be magnified in pardoning me who am guiltie of great iniquitie, than if thou pardonest many others who have not committed such hainous offences. And I dare say, the reason why thou believest not, is not because thy sins are great, but because thou doest reason too much with that wicked enemie of mans salvation, and givest way too much to the fleshly reasoning of thine own heart. For Christ hath said, he that commeth unto me I will in no wise cast out, Joh. 6. 37. And againe, Though thy sins be as red as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow, Jsa. 1. 18. And Christ calleth those that labour, and are heavy laden, to come to him, with promise to give them rest, Mat. 11. 28. Wherefore thou must not say, my sins are too big; but thou must say, because I am a great sinner, yea, because I have sinned above many of my companions, and am nearer to Hell and eternal damnation than they, because of my sins, therefore will I crie unto the Lord, and say, O Lord, Pardon my sins, for they are great.
Now that thou mayest not be deceived in a matter of so great concernment, have a special care of these three things. First, have a care of putting off thy trouble of Spirit the wrong way, which thou mayest doe three wayes. First, when thy Conscience flieth in thy face, and tells thee of thy sins, thou doest put off convictions the wrong way, if thou doest stop thy Conscience by promising to reform thy selfe, and lead a new life, and gettest off thy guilt by so doing: For though thou mayest by this meanes still and quiet thy conscience for a time, yet thou canst not hereby satisfie and appease the wrath of God; Yea, saith God to such, though thou wash thee with Nitre, and take thee much Sope, yet thine iniquitie is marked before me, Jer. 2. 22.
2. If when thou art under the guilt of thy sins, thou puttest off convictions by thy performances or duties, and so satisfiest thy Conscience, then also thou doest put off thy Convictions the wrong way: For God will not be satisfied with any thing lesse then the blood, righteousness, resurrection, and intercession of his own Son, Acts. 4. 12. and thou shouldest not satisfie thy self with any less then God would have thee to satisfie thy selfe withall; and that is the water of life, Jsa. 55. 1, 2. which water of life, thy duties and all thy righteousness is not, for it is but menstruous ragges, Jsa. 64. 6.
3. Have a care that when thou art under conviction, thou doest not satisfie thy self with a notion of the free grace of the Gospel; My meaning is, doe not content thy selfe with any measure of knowledge that thou canst attain unto, or bottome thy peace upon it, thinking thou art now well enough, because thou canst speak much of the grace of God, and his love in Christ to poore sinners. For this thou mayest have, and do; & yet be but a companion for Demas, yea, for Judas and the rest of the damned multitude; As the Apostle saith, For all this thou mayest be but as sounding brass, and as a tinckling Cymball; that is, nothing but a sound, 1 Cor. 13. 1. 2, 3.
But Secondly, if thou wouldst not be deceived, then have a care to avoid false Doctrines, which are according to the spirit of the divel, and not after Christ.
As first, If any Doctrine doth come unto thee, that tel… thee, Except thou art circumcised after the manner o… Moses, Nothing …an make us accepted with God, but the merits of Jesus Christ.then canst not be saved: That is, if any man come unto thee, and tels thee, thou must doe such and such works of the law, to the en… thou mayest present thy selfe the better before God, doe not receive him: For to him that worketh not, but believeth in him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousnesse, Rom. 4. 5.
2. If any come unto thee,The Ranters doctrine is false. and bring such a Doctrine as this; That thou mayest be saved by grace, though thou walk in the imaginations of thy own wicked heart: his Doctrine also is divellish, doe not receive him, Deut. 29. 19, 20, 21, 22, 23.
3. But if any come unto thee, and doth in truth advance the bloud, righteousness, resurrection, intercession, and second comming of that very man in the clouds of heaven, that was borne of the Virgin Mary; and doth presse thee to believe on what he hath done, (shewing thee thy lost condition without him) and to own it as done for thee in particular, and withall doth admonish thee, not to trust in a bare Notion of it, but to receive it into thy heart, so really, that thy very heart and soule may burne in love to the Lord Jesus Christ againe: And doth also teach thee, that the love of Christ should and must constraine thee, not to live to thy selfe; but to him that loved thee and gave himselfe for thee, 2 Cor. 5. 14, 15. Eph. 4. 20, 21, 22, 23. 1 Cor. 7 23. ye are bought with a price, be not ye the servants of Men. If hi… conversation be also agreeable to his doctrine, a believing, honest, loving, self-denying counteous Conversation; (he also is a true Christian.) Receive that Doctrine * and receive it really,The doctrine is true, and of God, whatever the man be. for it is the Doctrine of God, and of Christ, Gal. 4. 4. Gal. 1. 4. Eph. 1. 7. Rev. 1. 5 Acts 13. 38. Joh. 1. 19. Acts 4. 12. Acts 10. 40, 41, 42. and 1 Thes. 1. 10. Mar. 13. ult. 2 Pet. 1. 5, 6, 7. 8, 9, 10. Considering the end of their conversation Jesus Christ, yesterday, and to day, and the same for ever, Heb. 13, 7, 8.
Againe, if thou wouldst not be deceived, then, beware of slighting any known truth that thou findest revealed, or made known to thee in the Gospel; but honour, and obey it, in its place, be it (as thou thinkest) never so low, Joh. 14. 15.
2. Have a care that thou doe not undervalue, or entertain low thoughts of God, Christ the Son of Mary and the holy Scriptures; but search them, John 5. 39. And give attendance to the reading of them, 1 Tim. 4. 13 for, I will tell thee he that slights the Scriptures, doth also slight him of whom they testifie. And I will tell thee also, that for this cause, God hath given up many to strong delusions, that they might believe a lye: that they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousnesse, 2 Thes. 2. 11, 12.
Therefore I say unto thee, In the name of the Lord Jesus, the Son of Mary, the Son of God, the very Creator of heaven and earth, and all things that are therein: have a care of thy selfe, for the divel doth watch for thee day and night, 1 Pet. 5. 8. thine own heart also doth labour to deceive thee, if by any means it may, Jer. 17. 10. Therefore doe not thou trust it, for if thou doe, thou wilt not doe wisely, Pro. 28. 26. I say therefore, have a care that thou labour in the strength of the Lord Jesus, to escape all these things, For if thou fall into any one of them, it will make way for a further income of sin and the divell, through whose deceitfulnesse thy heart will be hardned, and thou wilt be more uncapable of receiving instruction, or reaping advantage, by and from the Ordinances of Jesus Christ: The rather therefore, Give all diligence to believe in the Christ of God, which is the Son of Mary, and be sure to apply all that he hath done, and is doing, unto thy felfe, as for thee in particular; which thing if thou doest, thou shalt never fall.
And now Reader, I shall also give thee some few considerations, and so I shall commit thee to the Lord.
1. Consider, That God doth hold out his grace, and mercy freely, and that to every one, Rev. 22. 17. Isa. 55. 1, 2, 3, 6, 7.
2. Consider, That there is no way to attaine to this free mercy and grace, but by him that was borne of the Virgin Mary, for he himselfe saith, I am the way, the truth, and the life; No man cometh to the Father but by me. Joh. 14. 6. compared with Mat. 1. 20, 21.
3. Consider, if thou strivest to go over any other way thou wilt be but a thief and a robber, Joh. 10. 1. compared with ver. 9. And know that none of these (so continuing) shall enter into the Kingdom of he even, 1 Cor. 6. 9, 10.
4. Consider, that if the devil should be too hard for thee and deceive thee by perswading thee to embrace, or entertaine a new Gospell; which neither Christ, nor his Disciples did allow of, it would make thee gnash thy teeth when it is too late.
5. Consider, that though thou hast been deluded by Satan to this day, yet if now thine eyes be opened to see and acknowledge it, though as yet thou hast been either exceedingly wicked,a1 Tim. 1. 13. or an idle,bMat. 20. 6, 7. luke-warme hypocritical professour;cRev. 3. 17, 18, 19. and hast stood it out to the last,dExek. 18. 21, 22. for all this there is hope, and if now thou receive the truth in the love of the truth, being as willing to be rid of the filth of sin, as the guilt of it, thou shalt be saved.
6. Consider, that the Lord will call thee to judgement for all thy sins past, present, and what else thou shalt practice hereafter; especially for thy rejecting, and trampling on the bloud of his Son, the Man Christ Jesus: And if thou doest not agree with thine adversary, now, while thou art in the way, he will deliver thee to the Judge, and the judge will deliver thee to the officer, & if he cast thee into prison; I tell thee, thou shalt not come out thence till thou hast paid the very last mite, Luke 12. 58, 59.
And therefore I beseech thee to consider: Here is at this time, life and death; heaven and hell; everlasting joy, and everlasting torment set before thee. Here is also the way to have the one, and the way to escape the other. Now if the Lord shall do thee any good by what I have spoken, I hope it will be a meanes to stir me up to thank the Lord that ever he did use such a sinner as I am in the worke of his Gospell. And here I shall close up what I have said, destring thee (… thou be a Christian) to pray for him who desires to continue
Thy Servant in the Lord Jesus Christ, though less then the least of all Saints. JOHN BUNYAN.