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 a beginning to scrabble [19] 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, though 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 as 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 virtue of 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 ever He should show to it its sad condition,
and that He should incline its heart to seek after a better condition.
O blessed be the Lord! saith the soul, that ever He should awaken me, stir up
me, and bring me out of that sad condition that I once with them was in (Psa
103:1-3). It makes also the soul to wonder to see how foolishly and vainly the
rest of its neighbours do 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! surely they would be of another mind than they are now
in. Now, the soul wonders to see what slender pins those poor creatures do 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; [20] others depend
barely upon a traditional, historical faith, which will leave their souls in
the midst of perplexity. That they should trust to such fables, fancies, and
wicked sleights of the devil, as their good doings, their good thinkings, their
civil walking and living with the world. O miserable profession, and the end
thereof will be a miserable end!
But now, when the souls is thus wrought upon, it must be sure to look for the
very gates of Hell to be set open against it with all their force and might to
destroy it. Now Hell rageth, the devil roareth, and all the world resolveth to
do the best they can to bring the soul again into bondage and ruin. Also, the
soul shall not want enemies, even in its own heart's lust, [But this is but for
the exercise of his faith.] as covetousness, adultery, blasphemy, unbelief,
hardness of heart, coldness, half- heartedness, ignorance, with an innumerable
company of attendants, hanging, like so many blocks, at its heels, ready to
sink it into the fire of Hell every moment, together with strange apprehensions
of God and Christ, as if now they were absolutely turned to be its enemies,
which maketh it doubt of the certainty of its salvation; for you must
understand, that though a soul may in reality have the righteousness of the Son
of God imputed to it, and also some faith in a very strong manner to lay hold
upon it, yet at another time, through temptation, they may fear and doubt
again, insomuch that the soul may be put into a very great fear lest it should
return again into the condition it once was in (Jer 32:40).
O, saith the soul, when I think of my former state, how miserable it was, it
makes me tremble; and when I think that I may fall into that condition again,
how sad are the thoughts of it to me! I would not be in that condition again
for all the world. And this fear riseth still higher and higher, as the soul is
sensible of Satan's temptations, or of the working of its own corruptions. Ah!
these filthy lusts, these filthy corruptions. O that I were rid of them, that
they were consumed in a moment, that I could be quite rid of them, they do so
disturb my soul, dishonour my God, so defile my conscience, and sometimes so
weaken my hands in the way of God, and my comforts in the Lord; O how glad
should I be if I might be stripped of them (Rom 7:24). Which fear puts the soul
upon flying to the Lord by prayer for the covering of His imputed
righteousness, and for strength against the devil's temptations and its own
corruptions; that God would give down His Holy Spirit to strengthen it against
the things that do so annoy its soul, and so discourage it in its way, with a
resolution, through grace, never to be contented while [until] it doth find in
itself a triumphing over it, by faith in the blood of a crucified Jesus.
Second. The soul that hath been thus killed by the Law to the things it
formerly delighted in, now, O now, it cannot be contented with that slender,
groundless faith and hope that once it contented itself withal. No, no; but now
it must be brought into the right saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, now it must
have Him discovered to the soul by the Spirit, now it cannot be satisfied
because such and such do tell it is so. No; but now it will cry out, Lord, show
me continually, in the light of Thy Spirit, through Thy Word, that Jesus that
was born in the days of Caesar Augustus, when Mary, a daughter of Judah, went
with Joseph to be taxed at Bethlehem, that He is the very Christ. Lord, let me
see it in the light of Thy Spirit, and in the operation thereof; and let me not
be contented without such a faith that is so wrought even by the discovery of
His birth, crucifying, death, blood, resurrection, ascension, intercession, and
second–which is His personal–coming again, that the very faith of it may fill
my soul with comfort and holiness.
And O, how afraid the soul is lest it should fall short of this faith, and of
the hope that is begotten by such discoveries as these are! For the soul
knoweth that if it hath not this, it will not be able to stand either in death
or judgment; and therefore, saith the soul, Lord, whatever other poor souls
content themselves withal, let me have that which will stand me in stead, and
carry me through a dangerous world; that may help me to resist a cunning devil;
that may help me to suck true soul-satisfying consolation from Jesus Christ
through Thy promises, by the might and power of Thy Spirit. And now, when the
poor soul at any time hath any discovery of the love of God through a bleeding,
dying, risen, interceding Jesus, because it is not willing to be deceived, O,
how wary [But this may be its temptation, taking place through the timorousness
of the soul]. is it of closing with it, for fear it should not be right, for
fear it should not come from God! Saith the soul, Cannot the devil give one
such comfort I trow? Cannot he transform himself thus into an angel of light?
So that the soul, because that it would be upon a sure ground, cries out, Lord,
show me Thy salvation, and that not once or twice, but, Lord, let me have Thy
presence continually upon my heart, today, and tomorrow, and every day.
For the soul, when it is rightly brought from under the Covenant of Works, and
planted into the Covenant of Grace, then it cannot be, unless it be under some
desperate temptation, contented without the presence of God, teaching,
comforting, establishing, and helping of the soul to grow in the things of the
Lord Jesus Christ; because it knoweth that if God hath but withdrawn His
presence in any way from it, as He doth do sometimes for a while, that then the
devil will be sure to be near at hand, working with his temptations, trying all
ways to get the soul into slavery and sin again; also the corrupt principle,
that will be joining and combining with the Wicked One, and will be willing to
be a co-partner with him to bring the soul into mischief; which puts a soul
upon an earnest, continual panting after more of the strengthening, preserving,
comforting, and teaching presence of God, and for strong supplies of faith,
that it may effectually lay hold on him.
Third. The soul is quickened so that it is not satisfied now without it do in
deed and in truth partake of the peace of God's elect; now it is upon the
examination of the reality of its joy and peace. Time was indeed that anything
would serve its turn, any false conceits of its state to be good; but now all
kind of peace will not serve its turn, all kind of joy will not be accepted
with it; now it must joy in God through Jesus Christ; now its peace must come
through the virtues of the blood of Christ speaking peace to the conscience by
taking away both the guilt and filth of sin by that blood; also by showing the
soul its free acceptance with God through Christ, He hath completely fulfilled
all the conditions of the first covenant, and freely placed it into the safety
of what He hath done, and so presents the soul complete and spotless in the
sight of God through His obedience. Now, I say, he hath "peace through the
blood of His Cross," and sees himself reconciled to God by the death of
His Son, or else his comfort will be questioned by him (Col 1:20,21). It is not
every promise as cometh now upon his heart that will serve his turn, no, but he
must see whether the babe Jesus be presented to the soul in and through that
promise. Now if the babe leap in his womb, as I may so say, it is because the
Lord's promise sounds aloud in his heart, coming to him big with the love and
pardoning grace of God in Jesus Christ; I say, this is the first and principal
joy that the soul hath that is quickened and brought into the Covenant of
Grace.
Fourth. Now the man finds heavenly sanctification wrought in his soul through
the most precious blood of the Man whose name is Jesus Christ–"Jesus, that
He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered without the
gate." Now the souls finds a change in the understanding, in the will, in
the mind, in the affections, in the judgment, and also in the conscience;
through the inward man a change, and through the outward man a change, from
head to foot, as we use to say, "for he that is in Christ," and so in
this Covenant of Grace, "is a new creature," or hath been twice
made–made, and made again (2 Cor 5:17). O, now the soul is resolved for Heaven
and Glory; now it crieth out, Lord, if there be a right eye that is offensive
to Thee, pluck it out; or a right foot, cut it off; or a right hand, take it
from me. Now the soul doth begin to study how it may honour God, and bring
praise to Him. Now the soul is for a preparation for the second coming of
Christ, endeavouring to lay aside everything that may hinder; and for the closing
in with those things that may make it in a beloved posture against that day.
Fifth. And all this is from a Gospel spirit, and not from a legal, natural
principle, for the soul hath these things as the fruits and effects of its
being separated unto the Covenant of Grace, and so now possessed with that
Spirit that doth attend, yea, and dwell in them that are brought into the
Covenant of Grace from under the old covenant; I say, these things do spring
forth in the soul from another root and stock than any of the actings of other
men do; for the soul that is thus wrought upon is as well dead to the law and
the righteousness thereof–as the first covenant–as well as to its sins.
Sixth. Now the soul begins to have some blessed experience of the things of God,
even of the glorious mysteries of the Gospel.
1. Now it knoweth the meaning of those words, "My flesh is meat indeed,
and My blood is drink, indeed," and that by experience; for the soul hath
received peace of conscience through that blood, by the effectual application
of it to the soul (John 6:55). First, by feeling the guilt of sin die off from
the conscience by the operation thereof. Secondly, By feeling the power thereof
to take away the curse of the law. Thirdly, By finding the very strength of Hell
to fail when once the blood of that Man Jesus Christ is received in reality
upon the soul.
2. Now the soul also knoweth by experience the meaning of that Scripture that
saith, "Our old man is crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be
destroyed" (Rom 6:6). Now it sees that when the Man Jesus did hang on the
tree on Mount Calvary, that then the body of its sins was there hanged up, dead
and buried with Him, though it was then unborn, so as never to be laid to its
charge, either here or hereafter; and also, so as never to carry it captive
into perpetual bondage, being itself overcome by Him, even Christ, the Head of
that poor creature. And indeed this is the way for a soul both to live
comfortably as touching the guilt of sin, and also as touching the power of the
filth of sin; for the soul that doth or hath received this in deed and in
truth, finds strength against them both by and through that Man that did for
him and the rest of his fellow-sinners so gloriously overcome it, and hath
given the victory unto them, so that now they are said to be overcomers, nay,
"more than conquerors through Him," the one Man Jesus Christ (Rom
7:33-37).
3. Now the soul hath received a faith indeed, and a lively hope indeed, such an
one as now it can fetch strength from the fullness of Christ, and from the
merits of Christ.
4. Yea, now the soul can look on itself with one eye, and look upon Christ with
another, and say, Indeed, it is true; I am an empty soul, but Christ is a full
Christ; I am a poor sinner, but Christ is a rich Christ; I am a foolish sinner,
but Christ is a wise Christ; I am an unholy, ungodly, unsanctified creature in
myself, but Christ is made of God "unto me, wisdom, and righteousness, and
sanctification, and redemption" (1 Cor 1:30).
5. Now also that fiery law, that it could not once endure, nor could not once
delight in, I say, now it can delight in it after the inward man; now this law
is its delight, it would always be walking in it, and always be delighting in
it, being offended with any sin or any corruption that would be anyways an
hinderance to it (Rom 7:24,25). And yet it will not abide, it will not endure
that that, even that that law should offer to take the work of its salvation
out of Christ's hand; no, if it once comes to do that, then out of doors it
shall go, if it were as good again. For that soul that hath the right work of
God indeed upon it, cries, Not my prayers, not my tears, not my works, not my
things, do they come from the work of the Spirit of Christ itself within me,
yet these shall not have the glory of my salvation; no, it is none but the
blood of Christ, the death of Christ, of the Man Christ Jesus of Nazareth, the
carpenter's son, as they called Him, that must have the crown and glory of my
salvation. None but Christ, none but Christ. And thus the soul labours to give
Christ the preeminence (Col 1:18).