of regeneration. And the true Christian well knows, that there is no possibility to be a disciple and follower of Christ further than the daily cross to self is taken up. He meets with no greater enemy in his journey than self-thoughts and imaginations, self-willing and running, selfconsultation and self-working, which if he watch not against, rule over, and keep under by that hand and power that hath appeared for his deliverance, and hath wrought it in a measure, he again may be entangled and ensnared, and driven back into that pit wherein is no water. Therefore he stands in the doctrine of self-denial, till self be denied, and in the putting off the old man with his deeds, till they are wholly put off; and when he hath done all, to stand still, and abide with the same powerful hand that hath wrought all these things in him and for him; and to it he attributes the glory, and gives the praise for ever. Now the titular Christian professeth the doctrine of mortification, and talks of a dying to sin, and a warring against it, and of self-denial, and putting off the old man, and taking up the daily cross, &c. But how doth he answer his profession? What course doth he take to mortify sin, while he believes not in the light, which shines in his heart, that discovers it; nor in the manifestation of the spirit given him to mortify and destroy sin; nor in the power of God within, which gives strength to war against it, and to overcome sin within; neither hath he received the spirit of adoption, whereby he is enabled to call God father, but is unacquainted and ignorant of him in that relation; yet hath learned by tradition, as the impenitent and unconverted Jews did, to call God father, whose knowledge of him was taught by the precepts of men. And though they accounted themselves children of God by virtue of this traditional knowledge, received from their forefathers, rabbies and doctors of the law;§ yet Christ Jesus, the great doctor, and righteous judge, and true teacher, told them, they were quite the contrary, even of their father the devil. So the titular Christian, while unbegotten to God, in his impenitent unregenerate state, having read the holy scriptures, and the traditions of his fathers, furnisheth himself with the profession of the doctrines of the gospel, (as the Jews did of the law,) even while sin reigns in his mortal body, while the old man with his deeds are unput off, and while self-will, self-wisdom, and self in all its properties is undenied, and while he is a stranger to the cross of Christ, and so takes it not up, and follows him; but wants power to mortify sin, and to war against the world, flesh, and the devil. So while he talks of mortification and dying * This made Paul careful to keep his body under, lest while he preached to others, he himself became a cast-away. John viii. 41. § Isa. xxix. 13. John viii. 44. &c. † Rom. viii. 15. to sin, sin lives in him, and increases as his days increase; and instead of overcoming it, is overcome daily by it. And while he professes selfdenial, nothing but self is owned; self-wills and runs; self-worships and offers the offerings of Cain; self-seeks, and knocks, and strives to enter, but is not able. And till this willing, and running, and power of self is denied, judged and brought down, and made of no reputation, by the powerful working and operation of the spirit of God within, none can witness a being dead to sin, nor have victory over it, nor be a disciple of Christ Jesus, nor follow him in the work of regeneration; let them profess what they will, except this be known, their profession is a lie, and they deceive their own souls. This is the word of truth to all the titular Christians upon the face of the earth, of what name or sect VII. The True Christian's Faith and Experience concerning Sanctification, Washing and Cleansing from Sin and Corrup tion. The true Christian owns and believes the doctrine of sanctification, washing and cleansing from sin and corruption; and he manifests his faith by the virtue and operation of the spirit of God working in him. Having been led by the same through the work of repentance, mortification and self-denial, he is now not only turned from sin, and come to the mortifying of it, but also to the sanctifying, washing and cleansing from it. So he comes to witness a being delivered from the dead body, and the dead to be buried out of his sight. And as he abides and dwells with this sanctifying and cleansing power, he is preserved from corrupting himself, or so much as touching the dead again. This is the anti-type and substance of all the divers washings, purifications, and sanctifications used under the law, where the temple and all the furniture thereof were sanctified. Now he knoweth himself to be the temple of the Holy Ghost;* and this knowledge keepeth him from defiling of it, being bought with a price, not with gold, nor silver, nor corruptible things, but with the precious blood of Christ, which cleanseth and keepeth clean the true Christian, who trampleth it not again under his feet. And herein also he witnesseth the anti-type and substance signified by the laying of the people's sins upon a scape-goat once a year, and letting him go into the wilderness,† &c. so that the people were as free and clean from sins committed the year past, as if they had committed none at all, their sins confessed, and sacrifices being offered, and atonement made. These were the shadows of good things to come, the substance of which the true Christian now enjoyeth, and is come to the one everlasting offering, Christ Jesus, which perfects for ever those that are sanctified;* and both he that sanctifieth, and they that are sanctified are all of one. And he that is joined to the Lord is one spirit.† And the true Christian abiding in this sanctification and unity with the Lord, sins no more, so needs no further confession of sin, nor further sacrifice for it, being drawn near unto the Lord with a true heart, in full assurance of faith, having his heart sprinkled from an evil conscience, and his body wasted with pure water. Here is no more a remembrance again of sin once a year. Yet there is a possibility, after this estate is witnessed and enjoyed, that there may be a falling away,§ or a wilful sinning again, which the apostle knew well, and therefore warned people to beware of it, that they tread not the son of God under feet, nor count the blood of the covenant, wherewith they were sanctified, an unholy thing; nor do despite unto the spirit of grace. Therefore the true Christian, after he is washed, cleansed, and sanctified, watcheth against all that would defile him again; and in the spirit and power, which hath wrought his sanctification, abiding, he rules and reigns over sin and satan, and is no more entangled with the yoke of bondage; but keeps in his inheritance among them that are sanctified, who are members of that glorious church which is without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, holy and without blemish. The titular Christian, he also talks of and professeth the doctrine of sanctification, washing and cleansing from sin and corruption; but his talk is not true, and his profession is feigned, because he is not a witness of the work thereof in himself. He hath read in the holy scriptures, that no unclean thing can enter into the kingdom; and that without holiness no man can see the Lord; and that the Lord will be sanctified of all that draw near unto him. Therefore he hath devised a profession of sanctification, which may be only talked of, but never possessed and wrought in him on this side the grave. And to this end he hath made up a faith of his own, and is wholly ignorant of that faith which was once delivered to the saints (or holy people) by which their hearts were purified. And by virtue of this feigned faith, persuades himself that the sanctification and holiness of Christ without him, shall be reckoned and imputed unto him, while he remains unsanctified and unholy; and that the cleanness, innocency, and spotlessness of Christ shall be accounted unto him, notwithstanding he remains foul, guilty, and full of spots and defilements; and that God looks upon Heb. x. 14. + Heb. ii. 11. Heb. x. 22. § Heb. x. 26. Heb. x. 29, 30. him not as he is in himself, but as he is in Christ Jesus, his saviour; when indeed he is not in him, nor saved by him from that which defiles him: for, "If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature, old things are past away, and all things are become new."* By this the titular Christian may try himself; if he be not really changed, the old creature and old things past away, he is not in Christ, and God cannot nor doth not look upon him where he is not; therefore let him not further deceive himself, for God's witness in his own conscience, seeth and judgeth him where he is, out of Christ, unsanctified, in the old nature, and old things; and God, from whence it comes, is greater, and seeth and judgeth him also. And this titular Christian is so far from living and enjoying a sanctified state really, in deed and in truth, as the true Christian did and doth, that he never comes to enjoy so much clearness and freedom from sin as the Jews did, who lived but in the types, figures, and shadows of good things to come; for they once a year, while they kept the law, were quitted and eased of all their sins and transgressions, and a full atonement was made once a year for all sins past, &c. which is more than all the nominal Christians upon the face of the earth really enjoy, notwithstanding their boast of living in gospel times, and in the days of the new covenant, and of salvation by Christ Jesus. Their boast is vain; the gospel, which is the power of God to salvation, (working and operating in their inward man, to save not only from the guilt, but from the act of sin, and to cleanse from all iniquity,) they are wholly ignorant of, and strangers to; and the new covenant, the law in the heart, which makes free from the law of sin and death, and the spirit that sanctifieth from it, reigns not in their mortal bodies, but the contrary, viz. sin, and the law of it, and by the spirit of truth are convinced of it, and by God's vicegerent, the light in their consciences, they stand arraigned, and convicted before the judgment seat of God, let their profession be never so high. And the titular Christian is not a living witness of the one everlasting offering, which perfecteth for ever those that are sanctified; nor of the oneness and unity which is between him that sanctifieth, and those that are sanctified; nor of the abiding with him that sanctifieth, so as to sin no more; neither is he drawn near unto God with a true heart, sprinkled from an evil conscience; nor is his body washed with pure water. He hath no full assurance of faith in these things, but rather concludes them unattainable on this side the grave, and so is held captive in the chains of sin and satan, and entangled with the yoke of bondage, and in this state inherits misery and darkness, and is a member of that church which is full of spots and wrinkles, sores and cor * 2 Cor. v. 17. ruptions, diseased from the crown of the head to the sole of the foot. Of this church Christ is not the head. Let the titular Christian imagine what he will, he must depart among the goats, because he is a worker of iniquity. VIII. The True Christian's Faith and Experience concerning Justification. The true Christian believeth the doctrine of justification, and that it immediately succeeds the work of sanctification. "Being justified by faith," (even that faith which is the gift of God,) he witnesseth "peace with God through the Lord Jesus Christ;"* and the just lives by faith. And he is come to the spirits of just men made perfect, &c. even now in this age, as the true Christian did in former ages, testified of in the holy scriptures. Now to be justified, is to be made just, by virtue of that faith which gives victory over the unjust, and by that blood which cleanseth and saveth from wrath to come. And this justification comes not by "the works of the law;" for by that "shall no flesh be justified," nor by self-works, nor self-righteousness, but by the free gift of God, which leads through the law, and fulfils it, and destroys self works, and self-righteousness, and establishes good works, and brings in everlasting righteousness, which exceeds the righteousness of Scribes, Pharisees, and hypocrites; and herein the true Christian stands justified in the sight of God, who worketh all his works in him, and for him, and to will and to do of his own good pleasure.§ And none can lay any thing to the charge of this elect, whom God justifieth. The titular Christian, he professeth the doctrine of justification by faith in Christ Jesus, but it is no more than a bare profession, and his faith is not the faith of God's elect; neither is he lead into peace with God by it, nor receives power by it to gain victory over the unjust nature and spirit that lives in him, but imagines an imputative justification, and applies the justness, righteousness, and holiness of Christ wrought without him above 1600 years ago, unto himself, while he is unjust, unholy, and unrighteous. But this avails not the titular Christian at all. Herein also he deceives himself, being not experimentally acquainted with the blood of Christ, which justifieth, cleanseth, and saveth from the wrath to come, and from that which is the cause of įt, viz. sin. And so he knows not a leading through the law, (which • Rom. v. 1. Rom. viii. 33, Heb. x. 38. Heb. xii. 23. + Gal. ii. 16. § Phil. ii. 13. E |