Truth Held Forth and Maintained, Part 1 · Chapter 13
CHAP. XIII. Concerning the Grace of God which bringeth Salvation, through Faith in Chriſt, to the Souls of them that by him are ſaved.
THe Law was given by Moſes, but Grace and Truth came by Jeſus Chriſt, John 1. verſ. 17. Now the Love of God is largely manifeſted through the gift of his Grace, which came by Jeſus Chriſt, before whom no mans works ſhall ſtand, which are not ſanctified by Grace, neither can any mans works be ſanctified by Grace, further then he comes into Obedience to the gift of Gods Spirit of Grace, which is that gift of divine Light which God hath beſtowed to the Children of men, thorough the Death & Reſurrection of his Son, the Lord of Life, in whom the fullneſs of Grace, remaineth, and it is by the Grace of Gods Power, in and thorough him, which ſanctifieth the ſoul of every true Believer in him, by whom th…i ſaith is imputed to them for Righteouſneſs, by which they are juſtified before God in the ſight of Jeſus Chriſt, whoſe Kingdom hath been prepared before the Foundation of the World, for the righteous to enter, for their works have been in obedience to the gift of Gods Grace; for as there is but one God and one Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and one Spirit, ſo there i… but one ſaving Grace in the Ground, Seed and Root or Being and Nature, for the race of God is one, and manifold, according as we read in the holy Scriptures, of the manifold Grace of God, and manifold Wiſdom of God, even as the Spirit of God is one, but diverſity of Gifts, and there are Diverſities of Operations, but one God, and diverſity of Adminiſtrations, but one Lord; and the Scriptures do declare of the Spirit of Fear, and Bondage, and of Adoption; alſo the S…ture diſtinguiſheth between the Servants and Sons in the H…ſe of God; …or every ſon is a ſervant of God, but every Servant is not a ſon, born of the Free Woman. And of this myſtery Iſhmael and Iſaac were Figures; men may be Servants and Sons by the Bond Woman, by obedience …o the firſt Miniſtration of the Spirit, or Light within, as it teacheth common Duties, Piety, Temperance & Juſtice without revealing the Myſtery of Chriſt crucified and raiſed again, or working the Faith of it but none are the Sons of God, by the Free Woman, or Children of the New Covenant, but they who have the Myſtery of Chriſt crucified and raiſed again Outwardly, revealed in them, and have a living Faith in it, by which they witneſs a conformity to Chriſt, in his Life, Death and Reſurection, and by that Power that raiſed him from the dead. The ſufficiency of Gods Grace within, is not to be underſtood in oppoſition, either to the Faith of Chriſt, as he was outwardly Crucified for us, and roſe again, and is a ſcended into Heaven, there making Interceſſion for us, nor in oppoſition to the great benefit and help of the holy Scriptures, or ſincere preaching of faithfull men▪ or any other help, but in unity with all theſe; and it ought to be acknowledged, that though God hath not left the Heathens, where Chriſt, is not outwardly Preached, altogether deſtiture but hath given them a diſpenſation of Light, that is real and divine, and is of great ſervice to them, who improve it, to prepare and call them to receive the Faith of Chriſt, when Preached to them, yet faithful Chriſtians are under another Diſpenſation of Light and Grace, as far exceeding that of the meer Heathens, however honeſt or conſcientious, as Gold excelleth Braſs, or the Light of the Sun excelleth that of the Moon, but both proceeding from one God, one Chriſt, and one ſpirit, and the ſufficiency of Grace that any man doth receive, or that any man hath, is only with reſpect to the preſent time and ſtate, but not for all times to come; for the beſt of Saints are to depend, and Pray to God, to receive more and more Grace from him, who is the God of all Grace, and Father of Mercies, and Father of Lights, which lighteth his Sons and Daughters, by the gift of his Grace, and good Spirit of Life, which giveth unto them the Light of Life, to walk in the ſtraight and even way, which he hath layd out by the Son of his Love, the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, who is one with God the Father in all his holy Works of Grace, Life and Light, by which he is Working among the Sons and Daughters of men, among whom is alſo the ſpirit of Iniquity working, in and thorough the many Teachers which would make the Grace of God to be … and differing in kind of being and nature, when it is evident, that though the … diverſities of gifts, yet they all proceed from the one Spirit of the one God and one Lord Jeſus Chriſt, whoſe Grace is but one, which reſtrains and ſaves from ſin; for he is the only begotten of the F…h… full of Grace and T…uth, and of his fulneſs every true Believer in him receives … for Grace, John 1.14, 16. and by his Grace they received Apoſtleſhip, for Obedience to the Faith among all Nations for his Name, Rom. 1.5. that in Ages to come they might ſhew forth the exceeding Riches of his Grace in his kindneſs towards them, through Jeſus Chriſt, Epheſ. 2.7. and this is the Grace which is of God, and is ſufficient for the Salvation of them …hat truly believe, 2 Cor. 12.9. So that it is not an outward are Profeſſion of what God hath wrought by Jeſus Chriſt for the Salvation of others, but that every man and woman live their Life, in true Obedience to the gift of Gods Grace, that by Faith in Chriſt they may witneſs the ſame Life, through faith, by which men are ſaved; for the Grace of God bringeth Salvation only to them tha… believe in the the gift of his …race (without which no man can be ſa…ed) fo… it is by Grace that men are ſaved and no… o… an … by … of themſelves, but by Grace through Faith in Jeſus Chriſt, Epheſ. 2 8. Then ſeeing it is by G…ace that men are …aved, and not of themſelves, let every man and woman turn in the ſtrength of the Mind to the teaching of Gods gift of Grace, which teacheth to deny all Ʋngodlineſs, and to live a righteous, ſober and godly Life in this preſent Wo…, that nothing may appear but what is good, to the uſe of edifying, that it may minister Grace to the Hearers, Eph. 4.29. for where there is Obedience to the g… of Gods Grace, …e more of Chriſt dwelleth richly in all Wiſdom, teaching and admoniſhing one another in Pſalms, and Hymns, and ſpiritual S…ngs, ſinging with Grace in their Hearts, Col. 3.16, 17. which …s contrary to the practice of m…y thouſands, who profeſs much in the outward of God and Chriſt in this day, whereby they gain of one another the outward Name of Chriſtians but inwardly in the Anti-chriſtian Practice, as their outward fruits manifeſt; for where Faith is without Works, it is … dead Faith, and in ſuch Grace works no effect towards … peace with God in Chriſt, by whom the Righteous are … conciled to God through Faith, by Grace in him▪ … requires perfect Obedience to the gift of his Grace, which teaches his …eople to pray preach and ſing with Grace … their hearts, to the praiſe and honour of his holy Name and edification of one another, which they that yeild … their Obedience to the Spirit of Grace, cannot do, for which cauſe of their unclean Fruits, their Condemnation doth follow, in which ſtate they witneſs no true peace through Faith, by Grace, in Jeſus Chriſt, whoſe Sons and Daughters, begotten through Grace in him, they continue in the Way of the Lords own …aying out, having their words ſeaſoned as with S…, and Grace abounding in their hearts, through which, by grace, they become able Witneſſes for the Lord of Life, that by him, through grace, they are made able to perform his Will, in what of them he requires by his good ſpirit of Grace, Col. 3 17 in which ſtate the Love of God by Jeſus Chriſt, is his Peoples everlaſting Conſolation and good Hope, through Grace, 2 Theſ. 2.1… Not by Works of Righteouſneſs which they have done, but according to his Grace, by the waſhing of Regeneration, and the re…ew…n… of the holy Ghost, Tit. 3 5 Which is ſufficient encourage ne… to come with holdneſs unto th… Throne of his Grace by which they obtain Mercy, and find Grace to help in time of need, Heb. 4.16. For the Grace of God hath appeared unto all men, teaching them that they ſhould d…ny Ʋngodlineſs and Wouldly L…ſt, and to live ſoberly, righteouſly and godly in this preſent World, T…. 2.11, 12. By which we ſee and know, that all men have received of his Grace, ſufficient for the preſent time and ſtate; for as the Grace of God, which bringeth Salvation, hath in meaſure appeared unto all men, ſo all men that have neglected the day of Gods Viſitation, they ſhall be left without any excuſe in that Day of the Lords calling all to an account for the Deeds done in the Body, when it ſhall go well with the Righteous, but ſorrow and trouble will reach the Wicked on every ſide for the Lord will not hold them guiltleſs which take his Name in vain. Then will the Wicked, which have derided at the movings of Gods good Spirit of Grace in his People, come to know a Day of Trouble, when the Lord ſhall laugh at their Diſtreſs, for unto them Damnation ſlumbereth nor ſleepeth not, but will overtake all the Ungodly as a Thie… in the Night of their Darkneſs, but it ſhall go well with the Righteous, which ask in Faith, without doubting, unto them is Salvation through Grace by Jeſus Chriſt, who came to ſave his People from their ſins, for which end he was made a littl… lower than the …ngels for the ſuffering of Death, and crowned with Glory and Honour, that he might by the Grace of God taſte Death for every man H…. 2 9. that whoſoever believeth in him …, but have Life eternal; for the Promiſe … …ent to then … at believe in the gift of … of his Will and Mind, by Faith, thr… Grace, in Jeſus Chriſt, by whom the Souls of them tha… believe in him, are juſtified in the ſight of God; for he that ſanctifies, and they who are ſanctified are all of one, for which cauſe he is not aſhamed to call them Brethren, Heb. 2 11. for b… the Grace of God are they of him, who unto them of God is made Wiſdom, Righteouſneſs, Sanctification and Redemption, 1 …. 1.30. by which People may ſee, that the main cauſe why People periſh, is through Diſobedience to the gift of Gods Grace, which by Jeſus Chriſt they have received, and it bringeth the Tenders of Salvation to every man in ſome meaſure or degree which as improved, leads unto perfect Salvation, through Faith in Chriſt Jeſus, which they that refuſe do unjuſtly charge God, that is is for want of Grace, by which they periſh, when that it is not for want of Grace tendered unto them, but for want of their Obedience to the gift of Gods Grace, which is ſufficient for the Salvation of them that are faithful thereunto, ſo as the Righteous, through Faith and Obedience grow from grace to grace, until they become perfect in Chriſt Jeſus; ſo the Unrighteous, through unfaithfulneſs, by Diſobedience, ſin away the Grace of God more and more, until the Day of Gods Grace with them be over, and his Spirit with them hath left ſtriving; which all ought to conſider, while they have time to Repent, for there is no repenting in the grave.