The Gospel Mystery of Sanctification, Title page – Affirmation
THE Goſpel-Myſtery OF SANCTIFICATION Opened in Sundry Practical Directions, Suited eſpecially to the Caſe of thoſe who labour under the guilt and power of Indwelling Sin. To which is added a Sermon of Juſtification.
1 Cor. 1.27, 28, 29, 30, 31.
God hath choſen the fooliſh things of the world, to confound the wiſe; and God hath choſen the weak things of the world, to confound the things which are mighty;
And baſe things of the world, and things which are deſpiſed, hath God choſen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:
That no fleſh ſhould glory in his preſence:
But of him are ye in Chriſt Jeſus, who of God is made unto us wiſdom, righteouſneſs, ſanctification, and redemption:
That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.
By Mr. WALTER MARSHAL, late Preacher of the Goſpel.
LONDON, Printed for T. Parkhurſt, at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheapſide, near Mercers Chappel. 1692.
THE PREFACE.
READER,
MR. Walter Marſhal, Compoſer of theſe Directions how to attain to that practice and manner of Life which we call Holineſs, Righteouſneſs, or Godlineſs, was Educated in New Colledge in Oxford, and was a Fellow of the ſaid Colledge, and afterwards he was choſen a Fellow of the Colledge at Wincheſter, but was put under the Bartholomew Buſhel, with nigh two Thouſand more Lights, (a Sin not yet repented of) whoſe illuminations made the Land a Goſhen. He was eſteemed a Presbyterian, and was called to be Paſtor to a People at Goſpert in Hampſhire, where he ſhined though he had not the Publick Oile; the ſubſtance of theſe Meditations were there Spun out of his own Experiences, he having been much exerciſed with troubled Thoughts, and that for many Years, and had by many Mortifying Methods ſought Peace of Conſcience; but notwithſtanding all, his Troubles ſtill increaſed. Whereupon he conſulted others, particularly Mr. Baxter, (whoſe Writings he had been much converſant with,) who thereupon told Mr. Marſhal he took them too Legally: He afterwards conſulted an Eminent Divine, (giving him an Account of the State of his Soul, and particularizing his Sins that lay heavy on his Conſcience;) who in his Reply told him, He had forgot to mention the greateſt Sin of all, the Sin of Unbelief, in not believing on the Lord Jeſus for the Remiſſion of his Sins, and Sanctifying his Nature. Hereupon he ſet himſelf to the ſtudying and preaching of Chriſt, and attained to eminent Holineſs, great peace of Conſcience, and joy in the Holy Ghoſt. Mr. Marſhal's dying Words were theſe, The wages of ſin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jeſus Chriſt our Lord, having but juſt before ſaid to thoſe about him, that he now dyed in the full perſwaſion of the Truth, and in the comfort of that Doctrine which he had Preached; the ſum whereof is contained in the enſuing Diſcourſe.
Some time ſince he was tranſlated by Death, Elijah-like, dropping theſe ſheets, as his Mantle, for ſucceeding Eliſha's to go forth with for the Converſion of Sinners, and Comfort of drooping Souls.
Theſe Papers are the profound Experiences of a ſtudious Holy Soul, Learned of the Father, coming from his very Heart, and ſmell of no Party or Deſign but for Holineſs and Happineſs; yet it is to be feared they will ſcarcely go down with the heady Notionaliſts of this Age, who are of the Tribe of Reuben, wavering with every Wind of Modiſh Doctrine, but in Judah it will be praiſed, and we may hope that many Shrubs and Cedars hereby may advance in knowledge and comfort. But not to detain thee longer, read over all theſe Directions (that you may fully underſtand the Author) or read none; if you do it with the ſerious humble ſpirit in which they were wrote, it may be hop'd (the matter being ſo weighty, and from ſo able an Hand) through the Grace of God they will ſink into thy Conſcience, and make thee a ſolid Chriſtian, full of Faith, Holineſs and Conſolation.
N. N.
THE Author of theſe Directions was well known to me, and was with me in my Houſe a Month together, above twenty years paſt, and I eſteem him a Perſon deſerving the Character which this Preface giveth him.
T. Woodcock.