The True Spring of Gospel Sight and Sense of Sin, Title page 1 – Publishers advertisement
THE TRUE SPRING OF Gospel Sight and Sense of SIN: JESUS CHRIST, AND Him Crucified.
Evidenced by his Spirit in his Word.
WITH TWO Funeral SERMONS, On the Death of Mr. JOHN BIGG, AND A Narrative of his Conversion.
By Richard Davis of Rothwell.
The Third Edition, Corrected and Enlarged, by the Author.
John vi. 40.
Every one that Seeth the Son and Believeth on him, &c.
LONDON: Printed for JOHN MARSHALL, at the Bible in Grace-church-Street.
THE PREFACE TO THE READER.
THis following Discourse I Avouch to be according to the true Evangelick Spirit in the Point, whereof it treats, and so according to the Analogy of Faith; I am assured therefore according to that Rule of Charity, that hopeth all Things; All other the Author's Discourses must needs carry the same Analogy and Proportion with it self: I do not say, but in the Pathos and vehemency of pressing Truth upon a popular Auditory, There may be what they call foreign; an over weight on that side, whither the Torrent of Discourse runs: And hereunto the Speaker's Propension and Byass of Thoughts most inclines. For what Serious and Intent Perswader does not suffer the same Inequality of Propension? That excellent Writer *Mr. Daille.of the Right use of the Fathers observes not only, but Apologizes the same thing for them; that in their warmths of Exhortation, they bent often the Stick to the contrary Extream. Now, God forbid, every Expression so straying, should be either Interpreted unto Heresy, or uncharitably turned into an Accusation. Let this therefore more weighed Treaty of Things and Declaration of the Writer's Judgment stand a Rule for Interpretation of all Popular Preachings. For herein, as more exactly weighed, and solemnly published; There is an Appeal to God, to his Churches, the Pastors, Teachers, and People, and even to the Rational World; and so as a kind so Oath; It ought to be an end of Strife; except some other Solemn and Avowed, Discourse either Preached or Published, Counter-balanc'd it.
In this I observe nothing but what is manifested, as before God; so I cannot but hope to the Consciences of all who are Spiritual. And if any others will be ignorant, let them so be.
It is my Judgment, that in the stating the Order of Nature between Conviction of Sin, leading the Saints to the Sight of the need of Christ, as to the Order of it, and the Application to Christ. This Discourse grants too much to Conviction, of Sin, rather than too little, viz. That sight of Sin, need of Christ, must in Order of Nature needs be first. For why may not the need of Christ, and from thence a sight of Sin, rise as properly from those Grand Propositions of the Gospel, Christ died for all, viz. (Who Live and have their Lives given them.) Seeing from thence, it must needs be concluded, They were all Dead, as well as Sight of Sin, by and upon sense of our need of Christ, be from legal Convictions of Sin: For the Apostle so reasons, And why not as well argued, if Christ died, Righteousness cannot be by the Law; for then Christ must have Died in vain, on which plainly follows in the sense of Sin in just Order; As seeing Righteousness cannot be by a Condemning Law, therefore we must Run to a Dying Jesus, from the sight of that condemning Law first. These therefore are Co equal, Co ordinate; and sure if any have the Preference, or Dignity, it is due to the Death of Christ, to be the Original, and to be in all these as the Pre eminent Source of Truth for the Divine Grace to produce in his Elect, sense of Sin, and deep Humiliation under it; we are all lost and undone in our selves by a Holy Law Condemning for Sin; And God so loved the World, that whoever Believes shall not Perish, Christ died for the Chief of Sinners. Necessarily inserring. We are all in a perishing condition by reason of Sin. And God in the Varieties of his own Wisdom, makes use of the One, even as of the other, according to the Varieties of Subjects he hath to work upon and the various Dispensations of Truth, he Concredits to his Ministers, whom he makes the Instruments of Conversion; and to think to bind all to one Method, is to think to make weights, our selves, for the Wind, to hold it in our Fist, to cause it to blow when, and whence we list.
There is in Relation to the Author of this Discourse, great Thoughts of Heart, as well as Noises, concerning some unusual Impressions on his Hearers, call'd Fitts.
But that which I think all Persons concerned about them should first enquire and satisfy themselves concerning it. What the success of his Ministry is in Turning Men from darkness to Light, from Satan to God Manifested in their Change, from a vain Debauched meer earthly, to a holy serious heavenly Conversation. For if this he really found in Conjunction with a preaching the Truth that is in Jesus, Matt. xii. 24. Two Things from our Lord's Vindication of himself, and his Ministry, will follow to Allay this Doubt.
1. That there can be no Argument taken from these Symptoms, As if God were displeased with a Ministry, to which he gives Testimony by that great and mighty Effect of Conversion and bringing home to himself. For this is the Work of God, giving Witness to the Ministry of his Servants; and such Ministry needs not Letters of Commendation to or from; for Converts are their Epistle, being the Epistle of Christ Ministred by such his Servants; and then such Permissions of Satan are to be looked upon either as Tryals on his Servants, of their Faith, Patience, and Sincerity, or for their Humiliation and Self-Abasement, like the Apostle's Thorn in the Flesh a Messenger of Satan to buffet him. And they are in Judgment, and as a Snare upon them, who love not the Lord Jesus, nor his Gospel in Sincerity, while his own are more careful to Purify themselves, Watching and Praying, They may not fall into Temptation.
2. There can be no Confederacy in such a Ministry with Satan's Kingdom; for then as our Lord argued, Satan must be divided against himself. And therefore a Caution lies here against imputing to Satan what is of God. For whatever holds out Christ high, and in his due Fxaltation, and is attended with bringing home Sinners to God, I look upon it as a very dangerous Approach to that Sin, to Impute it to Satan.
There are other Things that are made Matters of scruple, and prejudice against the Ministry of the Author, of which I will not particularly speak, but give some general Intimations of Satisfaction, by laying down several Positions relating both to them and the approaching Kingdom of Christ, of general Truth, and seasonable to the Time and present Hour.
1. That whereas we are now so Jealous of the Highest Preaching the Highest Largest Grace of the Redemption of Christ; least it should bring in Carnal Liberty, in this time of the Apostacy, wherein that New Song of the Redemption of Christ, Rev. v. is so much lost; That very Redemption in its making us Kings and Priests to God, will be found to have all the Springs of Holiness in it; when that, as it were new Song, because so much lost, shall be Sung, learn'd by the 144000, and by them taught to the World itself; if that Doctrine of it be now truly Preach'd and Receiv'd, it can produce nothing but Holiness and Spirituality, in that Kingdom beginning to appear. So that there is no reason to be Offended at the aspiring to it now, by any of the Servants of Christ.
2. That whereas it is thought, Miracles and Gifts of Healing among others, are quite ceased, because of the Canon of Scripture settled; there is indeed only an Interruption by the coming of the Apostacy, but that Power shall return with much greater Efficacy; we need neither therefore wonder so much if any such be vouchsafed, or on the other side, that it is not more High and Perfect, because the Time of the Apostacy, is not expired.
3. Although Churches congregated by agreement, if but of Two or Three, to ask any Thing in Christ's Name, be the best Constitution at this time of any, and founded on that Charter, Matt. xviii. 19, 20. Yet such Churches are to take heed, they do not stand in the way of Christ's Kingdom, but give freedom to all Emotions of it by way of Redundance. For in his Kingdom all shall be moving to that Panegyris, that General Assembly and Church of the First Born. If any Flow therefore from any one of the Churches of Christ, Stream into another; seeing all should Work the Work of Christ, one even as the other; they should not be look'd upon as breaking Churches, but as a gladsome Union and incorporation of the same Streams, and the same pure River, making glad the City of God.
These Things I thought fit to Preface, for the removing Prejudice, and that a way might be prepared for the Fulness of the Blessing of the Gospel, so far as Ministred in this following Discourse. To which End are my humble and earnest Prayers.
T. Beverley.
BOOKS Written by the same AUTHOR.
FAITH, the Grand Evidence of our Interest in Christ, or the Nature of Faith and Salvation, open'd; from John vi. 40. And this is the Will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son and believeth on him, may have everlasting Life. The Third Edition Corrected, price bound 1 s.
Select Hymns, Composed on several Subjects and on divers Occasions, in five Parts. The sixth Edition corrected and amended from former Errors: To which is added, a few by other Hands; Approved, Accepted and Sung in several Congregations in London and elsewhere, price bound 1 s.
Where also may be had,
The Gospel-Mystery of Sanctification, open'd in sundry practical Directions, suited especially to the Case of those who Labour under the Grief and Power of Indwelling Sin. To which is added, a Sermon on Justification. by Walter Marshall, the fourth Edition Corrected.
Christ a Christian's Life, or a Believer's Life derived from Christ, and Resolved into Christ, being the Substance of several Sermons. By JOHN GAMMON, price 1 s. 6 d.
A Choice Drop of Honey from the Rock Christ, by Thomas Wilcocks.