Let this, therefore, learn thee thus much: he that hath not seen his lost condition hath not seen a safe condition; he that did never see himself in the devil's snare did never see himself in Christ's bosom. "This my Son was dead and is alive again: he was lost and is found." "Among whom we also had our conversation in time past." "But now are (so many of us as believe) returned unto" Jesus Christ, "the" chief "Shepherd and Bishop of your souls."
I say, therefore, if thou do find in this treatise, in the first place, something touching the nature, end, and extent of the law, do not thou cry out, therefore, all of a sudden, saying, "Here is nothing but the terror, horror, and thundering sentences of the law."
Again, if you find something of the freeness and fullness of the Gospel in the second part of this discourse, do not say either, "Here is nothing but grace, therefore, surely, an undervaluing of the law." No; but read it entirely through, and so consider of it; and I hope thou shalt find the two covenants—which all men are under, either the one or the other—discovered, and held forth in their natures, ends, bounds, together with the state and condition of them that are under the one, and of them that are under the other.
There be some that through ignorance do say how that such man as preach terror and amazement to sinners are beside the book, and are ministers of the letter—the law, and not of the Spirit—the Gospel; but I would answer them, citing them to the Sixteenth of Luke, from the nineteenth verse to the end; and (1 Cor 6:9,10; Gal 3:10; Rom 3:9-19) only this caution I would give by the way, how that they which preach terror to drive souls to the obtaining of salvation by the works of the law, that preaching is not the right Gospel preaching; yet when saints speak of the sad state that man is in by nature, to discover to souls their need of the Gospel, this is honest preaching. He that doth do so, he doth the work of a Gospel minister (Rom 3:9-25).
Again, others say, because we do preach the free, complete, and exceeding grace discovered in the Gospel, therefore we make void the law; when indeed, unless the Gospel be held forth in the glory thereof without confusion, by mingling the Covenant of Works in addition to that, the law cannot be established. "Do we then make void the law through faith," or preaching of the Gospel; nay, stay, saith Paul, "God forbid: yea, we establish the law" (Rom 3:31).
And verily, he that will indeed establish the law, or set it in its own place, for so I understand the words, must be sure to hold forth the Gospel in its right color and nature; for if a man be ignorant of the nature of the Gospel and the Covenant of Grace, they, or he, will be very apt to remove the law out of its place, and that because they are ignorant, not knowing "what they say, nor of which they affirm."
And let me tell you, if a man is ignorant of the Covenant of Grace and the bounds and boundlessness of the Gospel. However, he speaks and makes mention of the name of the Father, and of the Son, and also of the name of the new covenant and the blood of Christ, yet at this very time, and in these exact words, he will preach nothing but the law, and that as a Covenant of Works.
Reader, I must confess it is a wonderfully mysterious thing, and he had need have a wiser spirit than his own that can rightly set these two covenants in their proper places, that when he speaks of the one, he doth not jostle the other out, of its place. O, to be so well enlightened as to speak of the one—that is, the law—for to magnify the Gospel; and also to speak of the Gospel to establish, and yet not to idolize the law, nor any particular thereof! It is rare to be heard and found in very few men's breasts.
If thou shouldst say, What is it to speak to each of these two covenants to set them in their proper places and use the terror of the one to magnify and advance the glory of the other? To this, I shall answer also, read the ensuing discourse, but with an understanding heart, and it is like thou wilt find a reply therein to the same purpose, which may be to thy satisfaction.
Reader, if thou do find this book empty of fantastical expressions and without light, vain, whimsical, scholar-like terms, thou must understand it is because I never went to school to Aristotle or Plato but was brought up at my father's house, in a very mean condition, among a company of poor countrymen. But if thou find a parcel of plain, yet sound, accurate, and home sayings, attribute that to the Lord Jesus His gifts and abilities, which He has bestowed upon such a poor creature as I am and have been. And if thou, being a seeing Christian, dost find me coming short, though rightly touching at some things, attribute that either to my brevity or, if thou wilt, to my weaknesses, for I am full of them. A word or two more, and so I shall have done with this.
First, and the first is, Friend, if thou do not desire the salvation of thy soul, yet I pray thee to read this book over with serious consideration; it may be it will stir up in thee some desires to look out after it, which at present thou mayest be without.
Secondly, If thou dost find any stirrings in thy heart by thy reading such an unworthy man's works as mine are, be sure that in the first place thou give glory to God, and give way to thy convictions, and be not too hasty in getting them off from thy conscience; but let them so work till thou dost see thyself by nature void of all graces, as faith, hope, knowledge of God, Christ, and the Covenant of Grace.
