2. This life is not only imputed to him that is wrought on by the Spirit of Grace—that is, not only counted his but also there is put into the soul an understanding, enlightened on purpose to know the things of God, which is Christ and His imputed righteousness (1 John 5:20) which it never thought of nor understood before (1 Cor 2:9-11). Which understanding being enlightened and made to see such things that the soul cannot be contented without it lay hold of and apply Christ unto itself so effectually; I say, that the soul shall be exceedingly revived in a very heavenly measure with the application of this imputed righteousness; for thereby it knoweth it shall find God speaking peace to itself, with a fatherly affection, saying, "Be of good cheer, thy sins are forgiven thee"; the righteousness of My Son I bestow upon thee; "For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through thee," thy "flesh," "I have sent forth My only Son, and have condemned" thy sins in His flesh (Rom 8:3). And though thou hast gone astray like a lost sheep, yet on Him I have laid thine iniquities. Though thou thereby didst undo and break thyself forever, yet by His stripes, I have healed thee. Thus, I say, the Lord causeth the soul by faith to apply that which He does by grace impute unto it, for thus every soul more or less is dealt withal; the soul being thus enlightened, therefore quickened, thus made alive from that dead state it was in before, or at least having the beginnings of this life, it hath these several virtuous advantages, which they have not that are dead in their sins and trespasses, and under the law—
[Advantages possessed by the quickened].
First, it seeth what a sad condition all men by nature are in, they being in that state which itself was in but a while since; but now by grace, it is beginning to scrabble out of it; now it seeth "the whole world lieth in wickedness," and so liable to eternal vengeance, because of their wickedness (1 John 5:19). Ah, friends, let me tell you. However, you may be ignorant of your state and condition. Yet, the poor, groaning, hungering saints of God do see what a sad, woeful, miserable state you are in, which sometimes makes them tremble to think of your most lamentable latter end, your dying so, and also to fly the faster to their Lord Jesus, for very fear that they also should be partakers of that most doleful doom. [Like the children of Israel, who fled for fear when the ground opened its mouth to swallow up Korah and his company]. And this it hath by its own experience, knowing itself was but awhile ago in the same condition, under the same condemnation. O! There is now a hearth blessing of God that He should show it its sad condition and incline its heart to seek after a better condition. O blessed be the Lord! Saith the soul, He should awaken, stir up, and bring me out of that sad condition I once was with them (Psa 103:1-3). It also makes the soul wonder to see how foolishly and vainly the rest of its neighbors spend their precious time that they should be so void of understanding, so forgetful of their latter end, so senseless of the damning nature of their sins. O that their eyes were but enlightened to see whereabouts they are! Indeed, they would be of another mind than they are now in. Now, the soul wonders to see what slender pins those poor creatures hang the stress of the eternal salvation of their souls upon. O! methinks, saith the soul, it makes me mourn to see that some should think that they were born Christians and others that their baptism makes them so; others depend barely upon a traditional, historical faith, which will leave their souls amid perplexity. They should trust the fables, fancies, and wicked sleights of the devil as their good doings, good thinking, civil walking, and living with the world. O miserable profession, and the end thereof will be sad!
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