been pardoned, yet have sinned against the Son of Man, and that have
for a time rejected Him, as Paul (1 Tim 1:13, 14) also the Jews (Acts
2:36,37). But there was an ignorant rejecting of Him, without the
enlightening, and taste, and feeling of the power of the things of God,
made mention in Hebrews 6:3-6. 2. There is and hath been a higher
manner of sinning against the Son of Man, which also hath been, and is
still, pardonable; as in the case of Peter, who in a violent
temptation, in a mighty hurry, upon a sudden denied Him, and that after
the revelation of the Spirit of God from Heaven to him, that He, Jesus,
was the Son of God (Matt 16:16-18). This also is pardonable, if there
be a coming up again to repentance. O, rich grace! O, wonderful grace!
that God should be so full of love to His poor creatures, that though
they do sin against the Son of God, either through ignorance, or some
sudden violent charge breaking loose from Hell upon them, but yet take
if for certain that if a man do slight and reject the Son of God and
the Spirit in that manner as I have before hinted—that is, for a man
after some great measure of the enlightening by the Spirit of God, and
some profession of Jesus Christ to be the Saviour, and His blood that
was shed on the mount without the gates of Jerusalem to be the
Atonement; I say, he that shall after this knowingly, willfully, and
out of malice and despite reject, speak against, and trample that
doctrine under foot, resolving for ever so to do, and if he there
continue, I will pawn my soul upon it, he hath sinned the unpardonable
sin, and shall never be forgiven, neither in this world, nor in the
world to come; or else these Scriptures that testify the truth of this
must be scrabbled out, and must be looked upon for mere fables, which
are these following—“For if after they have escaped the pollutions of
the world, through the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ,”
which is the Son of Man (Matt 16:13) “and are again entangled therein,
and overcome,” which must be by denying this Lord that brought them (2
Peter 2:1) “the latter end is worse with them than the beginning,” (2
Peter 2:20). For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened,
and have tasted of the heavenly gift—and have tasted the good Word of
God, and the powers of the world to come; if they shall fall away, not
only fall, but fall away, that is, finally (Heb 10:29) “it is
impossible to renew them again unto repentance”; and the reason is
rendered, “seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God,” which is
the Son of Man, “afresh, and put Him to an open shame” (Heb 6:4-6). Now
if you would further know what it is to crucify the Son of God afresh,
it is this—for to undervalue and trample under foot the merits and
virtue of His blood for remission of sins, as is clearly manifested in
Hebrews 10:26-28, where it is said, “For if we sin willfully after that
we have received the knowledge of the Truth, there remaineth no more
sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful looking for of judgment and
fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. He that despised
Moses’ law died without mercy,—of how much sorer punishment, suppose
ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of
God,” there is the second crucifying of Christ, which the Quakers think
to be saved by, “and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith
he was sanctified, an unholy thing,”—and then followeth—“and hath done
despite unto the Spirit of Grace?” (verse 29). All that Paul had to
keep him from this sin was, his ignorance in persecuting the Man and
merits of Jesus Christ (Acts 9). But I obtained mercy, saith he,
because I did it ignorantly (1 Tim 1:13). And Peter, though he did deny
Him knowingly, yet he did it unwillingly, and in a sudden and fearful
temptation, and so by the intercession of Jesus escaped that danger.
So, I say, they that commit this sin, they do it after light,
knowingly, willfully, and despitefully, and in the open view of the
whole world reject the Son of Man for being their Lord and Saviour, and
in that it is called the sin against the Holy Ghost. It is a name most
fit for this sin to be called the sin against the Holy Ghost, for these
reasons but now laid down; for this sin is immediately committed
against the motions, and convictions, and light of the Holy Spirit of
God that makes it its business to hand forth and manifest the truth and
reality of the merits and virtues of the Lord Jesus, the Son of Man.
And therefore beware, Ranters and Quakers, for I am sure you are the
nearest that sin by profession, which is, indeed, the right committing
of it, of any persons that I do know at this day under the whole
heavens, forasmuch as you will not venture the salvation of your souls
on the blood shed on Mount Calvary, out of the side of that Man that
was offered up in sacrifice for all that did believe (Luke 23:33). In
that His offering up of His body at that time, either before He offered
it, or that have, do, or shall believe on it for the time since,
together with that time that He offered it, though formerly you did
profess that salvation was wrought out that way, by that sacrifice then
offered, and also seemed to have some comfort thereby; yea, insomuch
that some of you declared the same in the hearing of many, professing
yourselves to be believers of the same. O, therefore, it is sad for you
that were once enlightened, and have tasted these good things, and yet,
notwithstanding all your profession, you are now turned from the
simplicity that is in Christ to another doctrine, which will be your
destruction, if you continue in it; for without blood there is no
remission (Heb 9:22).
Many other reasons might be given, but that I would not be too tedious;
yet I would put in this caution, that if there be any souls that be but
now willing to venture their salvation upon the merits of a naked
Jesus, I do verily for the present believe they have not sinned that
sin, because there is still a promise holds forth itself to such a soul
where Christ saith, “Him that cometh to me, I will in nowise,” for
nothing that he hath done, “cast him out” (John 6:37). That promise is
worth to be written in letters of gold.
Objections answered for their comfort who would have their part in the
New Covenant.
Object. But, alas, though I should never sin that sin, yet I have other
sins enough to damn me.
Answ. What though thou hadst the sins of a thousand sinners, yet if
thou come to Christ, He will save thee (John 6:37; See also Hebrews
7:25).
Object. Alas, but how shall I come? I doubt I do not come as I should
do? My heart is naught and dead; and, alas! then how should I come?
Answ. Why, bethink thyself of all the sins that ever thou didst commit,
and lay the weight of them all upon thy heart, till thou art down
loaden with the same, and come to Him in such a case as this, and He
will give thee rest for thy soul (Matt 11:28-30). And again; if thou
wouldst know how thou shouldst come, come as much undervaluing thyself
as ever thou canst, saying, Lord, here is a sinner, the basest in all
the country; if I had my deserts, I had been damned in Hell-fire long
ago; Lord, I am not worthy to have the least corner in the Kingdom of
Heaven; and yet, O that Thou wouldst have mercy! Come like Benhadad’s
servants to the king of Israel, with a rope about thy neck (1 Kings
20:31,32) and fling thyself at Christ’s feet, and lie there a while,
striving with Him by thy prayers, and I will warrant thee speed (Matt
11:28-30; John 6:37).
Object. O, but I am not sanctified.
Answ. He will sanctify thee, and be made thy sanctification also (1 Cor
1:30; 6:10,11).
Object. O, but I cannot pray.
Answ. To pray is not for thee to down on thy knees, and say over a many
Scripture words only; for that thou mayest do, and yet do nothing but
babble. But if thou from a sense of thy baseness canst groan out thy
heart’s desire before the Lord, He will hear thee, and grant thy
desire; for He can tell what is the meaning of the groanings of the
Spirit (Rom 8:26,27).
Object. O, but I am afraid to pray, for fear my prayers should be
counted as sin in the sight of the great God.
Answ. That is a good sign that thy prayers are more than bare words,
and have some prevalence at the Throne of Grace through Christ Jesus,
or else the devil would never seek to labour to beat thee off from
prayer by undervaluing thy prayers, telling thee they are sin; for the
best prayers he will call the worst, and the worst he will call the
best, or else how should he be a liar?
Object. But I am afraid the day of grace is past; and if it should be
so, what should I do then?
Answ. Truly, with some men indeed it doth fare thus, that the day of
grace is at an end before their lives are at end. Or thus, the day of
grace is past before the day of death is come, as Christ saith, “If
thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which
belong unto thy peace,” that is, the word of grace or reconciliation,
“but now they are hid from thine eyes” (Luke 19:41,42). But for the
better satisfying of thee as touching this thing, consider these
following things—
First, Doth the Lord knock still at the door of thy heart by His Word
and Spirit? If so, then the day of grace is not past with thy soul; for
where He doth so knock, there He doth also proffer and promise to come
in and sup, that is, to communicate of His things unto them, which he
would not do was the day of grace past with his soul (Rev 3:20).
Object. But how should I know whether Christ do so knock at my heart as
to be desirous to come in? That I may know also, whether the day of
grace be past with me or no?
Answ. Consider these things—1. Doth the Lord make thee sensible of thy
miserable state without an interest in Jesus Christ, and that naturally
thou hast no share in Him, no faith in Him, no communion with Him, no
delight in Him, or love in the least to Him? If He hath, and is doing
this, He hath, and is knocking at thy heart. 2. Doth He, together with
this, put into thy heart an earnest desire after communion with Him,
together with holy resolutions not to be satisfied without real
communion with Him. 3. Doth He sometimes give thee some secret
persuasions, though scarcely discernible, that thou mayest attain, and
get an interest in Him? 4. Doth He now and then glance in some of the
promises into thy heart, causing them to leave some heavenly savour,
though but for a very short time, on thy spirit? 5. Dost thou at some
time see some little excellency in Christ? And doth all this stir up in
thy heart some breathing after Him? If so, then fear not, the day of
grace is not past with thy poor soul; for if the day of grace should be
past with such a soul as this, then that Scripture must be broken where
Christ saith, “Him that cometh to Me, I will in nowise,” for nothing,
by no means, upon no terms whatsoever, “cast out.” (John 6:37).
Object. But surely, if the day of grace was not past with me, I should
not be so long without an answer of God’s love to my soul; that
therefore doth make me mistrust my state the more is, that I wait and
wait, and yet am not delivered.
Answ. 1. Hast thou waited on the Lord so long as the Lord hath waited
on thee? It may be the Lord hath waited on thee these twenty, or
thirty, yes, forty years or more, and thou hath not waited on Him seven
years. Cast this into thy mind, therefore, when Satan tells thee that
God doth not love thee, because thou hast waited so long without an
assurance, for it is his temptation, for God did wait longer upon thee,
and was fain to send to thee by His ambassadors time after time; and,
therefore, say thou, I will wait to see what the Lord will say unto me;
and the rather, because He will speak peace, for He is the Lord
thereof. But, 2. Know that it is not thy being under trouble a long
time that will be an argument sufficiently to prove that thou art past
hopes; nay, contrariwise, for Jesus Christ did take our nature upon
Him, and also did undertake deliverance for those, and bring it in for
them who “were all their LIFETIME subject to bondage” (Heb 2:14,15).
Object. But alas! I am not able to wait, all my strength is gone; I
have waited so long, I can wait no longer.
Answ. It may be thou hast concluded on this long ago, thinking thou
shouldst not be able to hold out any longer; no, not a year, a month,
or a week; nay, it may be, not so long. It may be in the morning thou
hast thought thou shouldst not hold out till night; and at night, till
morning again; yet the Lord hath supported thee, and kept thee in
waiting upon Him many weeks and years; therefore that is but the
temptation of the devil to make thee think so, that he might drive thee
to despair of God’s mercy, and so to leave off following the ways of
God, and to close in with thy sins again. O therefore do not give way
unto it, but believe that thou shalt “see the goodness of the Lord in
the land of the living. Wait on the Lord, be of good courage, and He
shall strengthen thine heart; wait, I say, on the Lord” (Psa 28:13,14).
And that thou mayest so do, consider these things—(1.) If thou, after
thou hast waited thus long, shouldst now give over, and wait no longer,
thou wouldst lose all thy time and pains that thou hast taken in the
way of God hitherto, and wilt be like to a man that, because he sought
long for gold, and did not find it, therefore turned back from seeking
after it, though he was hard by it, and had almost found it, and all
because he was loath to look and seek a little further. (2.) Thou wilt
not only lose thy time, but also lose thy own soul, for salvation is
nowhere else but in Jesus Christ (Acts 4:12). (3.) Thou wilt sin the
highest sin that ever thou didst sin before, in drawing finally back,
insomuch that God may say, My soul shall have no pleasure in him (Heb
10:38). But, 2. Consider, thou sayest, all my strength is gone, and
therefore how should I wait? Why, at that time when thou feelest and
findest thy strength quite gone, even that is the time when the Lord
will renew and give thee fresh strength. “The youths shall faint and be
weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: but they that wait upon
the Lord shall renew their strength: they shall mount up with wings as
eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk, and not
faint” (Isa 40:30,31).
Object. But though I do wait, yet if I be not elected to eternal life,
what good will all my waiting do me? “For it is not of him that
willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy.”
Therefore, I say, if I should not be elected, all is in vain.
Answ. 1. Why in the first place, to be sure thy backsliding from God
will not prove thy election, neither thy growing weary of waiting upon
God. But, 2. Thou art, it may be, troubled to know whether thou art
elected; and, sayest thou, If I did but know that, that would encourage
me in my waiting on God. Answ. I believe thee; but mark, thou shalt not
know thy election in the first place, but in the second—that is to say,
thou must first get acquaintance with God in Christ, which doth come by
thy giving credit to His promises, and records which He hath given of
Jesus Christ’s blood and righteousness, together with the rest of His
merits—that is, before thou canst know whether thou are elected, thou
must believe in Jesus Christ so really, that thy faith laying hold of,
and drinking and eating the flesh and blood of Christ, even so that
there shall be life begotten in thy soul by the same; life from the
condemnings of the Law; life from the guilt of sin; life over the filth
of the same; life also to walk with God in His Son and ways; the life
of love to God the Father, and Jesus Christ His Son, saints and ways
and that because they are holy, harmless, and such that are altogether
contrary to iniquity.
For these things must be in thy soul as a forerunner of thy being made
acquainted with the other; God hath these two ways to show His children
their election—(1.) By testimony of the Spirit—that is, the soul being
under trouble of conscience and grieved for sin, the Spirit doth seal
up the soul by its comfortable testimony; persuading of the soul that
God, for Christ’s sake, hath forgiven all those sins that lie so heavy
on the conscience, and that do so much perplex the soul, by showing it
that that Law, which doth utter such horrible curses against it, is by
Christ’s blood satisfied and fulfilled (Eph 1:13,14). (2.) By
consequence—that is, the soul finding that God hath been good unto it,
in that He hath showed it its lost state and miserable condition, and
also that He hath given it some comfortable hope that He will save it
from the same; I say, the soul, from a right sight thereof, doth, or
may, draw this conclusion, that if God had not been minded to have
saved it, He would not have done for it such things as these. But for
the more sure dealing with thy soul, it is not good to take any of
these apart—that is, it is not good to take the testimony of the
Spirit, as thou supposest thou hast, apart from the fruits thereof, so
as to conclude the testimony thou hast received to be a sufficient
ground without the other; not that it is not, if it be the testimony of
the Spirit, but because the devil doth also deceive souls by the
workings of his spirit in them, pretending that it is the Spirit of
God. And again; thou shouldst not satisfy thyself, though thou do find
some seekings in thee after that which is good, without the testimony
of the other—that is to say, of the Spirit—for it is the testimony of
two that is to be taken for the truth; therefore, say I, as thou
shouldst be much in praying for the Spirit to testify assurance to
thee, so also thou shouldst look to the end of it when thou thinkest
thou hast it; which is this, to show thee that it is alone for Christ’s
sake that thy sins are forgiven thee, and also thereby a constraining
of thee to advance Him, both by words and works, in holiness and
righteousness all the days of thy life. From hence thou mayst boldly
conclude thy election—“Remembering without ceasing your work of faith,
and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in
the sight of God and our Father. Knowing, brethren,” saith the Apostle,
“beloved, your election of God.” But how? why by this, “For our Gospel
came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy
Ghost, and in much assurance. And ye became followers of us, and of the
Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy
Ghost: so that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and
Achaia. And to wait for His Son from Heaven, whom He raised from the
dead, even Jesus, which” hath “delivered us from the wrath to come” (1
Thess 3:4-6, 10).
Object. But alas, for my part, instead of finding in me anything that
is good, I find in me all manners of wickedness, hard-heartedness,
hypocricy, coldness of affection to Christ, very great unbelief,
together with everything that is base and of an ill savour. What hope
therefore can I have?
Answ. If thou wast not such an one, thou hadst no need of mercy. If
thou wast whole, thou hadst no need of the physician. Dost thou
therefore see thyself in such a sad condition as this? Thou hast the
more need to come to Christ, that thou mayst be not only cleansed from
these evils, but also that thou mayst be delivered from that wrath they
will bring upon thee, if thou dost not get rid of them, to all
eternity.
Quest. But how should I do? and what course should I take to be
delivered from this sad and troublesome condition?
Answ. Dost thou see in thee all manner of wickedness? The best way that
I can direct a soul in such a case is, to pitch a steadfast eye on Him
that is full, and to look so steadfastly upon Him by faith, that
thereby thou mayst even draw down of His fullness into thy heart; for
that is the right way, and the way that was typed out, before Christ
came in the flesh, in the time of Moses, when the Lord said unto him,
“Make thee a fiery serpent” of brass, which was a type of Christ “and
set it upon a pole; and it shall come to pass” that when a serpent hath
bitten any man, “when he looketh upon it, shall live” (Num 21:8). Even
so now in Gospel times, when any soul is bitten with the fiery
serpents—their sins—that then the next way to be healed is, for the
soul to look upon the Son of Man, who, as the serpent was, was hanged
on a pole, or tree, that whosoever shall indeed look on Him by faith
may be healed of all their distempers whatever (John 3:14,15).
As now to instance in some things. 1. Is thy heart hard? Why, then,
behold how full of bowels and compassion is the heart of Christ towards
thee, which may be seen in His coming down from Heaven to spill His
heart-blood for thee. 2. Is thy heart slothful and idle? Then see how
active the Lord Jesus is for thee in that He did not only die for thee,
but also in that He hath been ever since His ascension into Heaven
making intercession for thee (Heb 7:25). 3. Dost thou see and find in
thee iniquity and unrighteousness? Then look up to Heaven, and see
there a righteous Person, even thy righteous Jesus Christ, now
presenting thee in His own perfection before the throne of His Father’s
glory (1 Cor 1:30). 4. Dost thou see that thou art very much void of
sanctification? Then look up, and thou shalt see that thy
sanctification is in the presence of God a complete sanctification,
representing all the saints as righteous, as sanctified ones in the
presence of the great God of Heaven. And so whatsoever thou wantest, be
sure to strive to pitch thy faith upon the Son of God, and behold Him
steadfastly, and thou shalt, by so doing, find a mighty change in thy
soul. For when we behold Him as in a glass, even the glory of the Lord,
we are changed, namely, by beholding, “from glory to glory, even as by
the Spirit of the Lord” (2 Cor 3:18). This is the true way to get both
comfort to thy soul, and also sanctification and right holiness into
thy soul.
Poor souls that are under the distemper of a guilty conscience, and
under the workings of much corruption, do not go the nearest way to
Heaven if they do not in the first place look upon themselves as cursed
sinners by Law; and yet at that time they are blessed, for ever blessed
saints by the merits of Jesus Christ. “O wretched man that I am,” saith
Paul; and yet, O blessed man that I am, through my Lord Jesus Christ;
for that is the scope of the Scripture (Rom 7:24,25).
Object. But, alas, I am blind, and cannot see; what shall I do now?
Answ. Why, truly, thou must go to Him that can make the eyes that are
blind to see, even to our Lord Jesus, by prayer, saying, as the poor
blind man did, “Lord, that I might receive my sight”; and so continue
begging Him, till thou do receive sight, even a sight of Jesus Christ,
His death, blood, resurrection, ascension, intercession, and that for
thee, even for thee. And the rather, because, 1. He hath invited thee
to come and buy such eye-salve of Him that may make thee see (Rev
3:18). 2. Because thou shalt never have any true comfort till thou dost
thus come to see and behold the Lamb of God that hath taken away thy
sins (John 1:29). 3. Because that thereby thou wilt be able through
grace, to step over and turn aside from the several stumbling-blocks
that Satan, together with his instruments, hath laid in our way, which
otherwise thou wilt not be able to shun, but will certainly fall when
others stand, and grope and stumble when others go upright, to the
great prejudice of thy poor soul.
Object. But, alas, I have nothing to carry with me; how then should I
go?
Answ. Hast thou no sins? If thou hast, carry them, and exchange them
for His righteousness; because He hath said, “Cast thy burden upon the
Lord, and He shall sustain thee” (Psa 54:22); and again, because He
hath said, though thou be heavy laden, yet if thou do but come to Him,
He will give thee rest (Matt 11:28).
Object. But, you will say, Satan telleth me that I am so cold in
prayers, so weak in believing, so great a sinner, that I do go so
slothfully on in the way of God, that I am so apt to slip at every
temptation, and to be entangled therewith, together with other things,
so that I shall never be able to attain those blessed things that are
held forth to sinners by Jesus Christ; and therefore my trouble is much
upon this account also, and many times I fear that will come upon me
which Satan suggesteth to me—that is, I shall miss of eternal life.
Answ. 1. As to the latter part of the objection, that thou shalt never
attain to everlasting life, that is obtained for thee already, without
thy doing, either thy praying, striving, or wrestling against sin. If
we speak properly, it is Christ that hath in His own body abolished
death on the Cross, and brought light, life, and glory to us through
this His thus doing. But this is the thing that thou aimest at, that
thou shalt never have a share in this life already obtained for so many
as do come by faith to Jesus Christ; and all because thou art so
slothful, so cold, so weak, so great a sinner, so subject to slip and
commit infirmities. 2. I answer, Didst thou never learn for to outshoot
the devil in his own bow, and to cut off his head with his own sword,
as David served Goliath, who was a type of him.
Quest. O how should a poor soul do this? This is rare, indeed.
Answ. Why, truly thus—Doth Satan tell thee thou prayest but faintly,
and with very cold devotion? Answer him thus, and say, I am glad you
told me, for this will make me trust the more to Christ’s prayers, and
the less to my own; also I will endeavour henceforth to groan, to sigh,
and to be so fervent in my crying at the Throne of Grace, that I will,
if I can, make the heavens rattle again with the mighty groans thereof.
And whereas thou sayest that I am so weak in believing, I am glad you
mind me of it; I hope it will henceforward stir me up to cry the more
heartily to God for strong faith, and make me the more restless till I
have it. And seeing thou tellest me that I run so softly, and that I
shall go near to miss of glory, this also shall be, through grace, to
my advantage, and cause me to press the more earnestly towards the mark
for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. And seeing
thou dost tell me that my sins are wondrous great, hereby thou bringest
the remembrance of the unsupportable vengeance of God into my mind, if
I die out of Jesus Christ, and also the necessity of the blood, death,
and merits of Christ to help me; I hope it will make me fly the faster,
and press the harder after an interest in Him; and the rather, because,
as thou tellest me, my state will be unspeakably miserable without Him.
And so all along, if he tell thee of thy deadness, dullness, coldness,
or unbelief, or the greatness of thy sins, answer him, and say, I am
glad you told me, I hope it will be a means to make me run faster, seek
earnestlier, and to be the more restless after Jesus Christ. If thou
didst but get this art as to outrun him in his own shoes, as I may say,
and to make his own darts to pierce himself, then thou mightst also
say, how doth Satan’s temptations, as well as all other things, work
together for my good, for my advantage (Rom 8:28).
Object. But I do find many weaknesses in every duty that I do perform,
as when I pray, when I read, when I hear, or any other duty, that it
maketh me out of conceit with myself, it maketh me think that my duties
are nothing worth.
Answ. I answer, it may be it is thy mercy that thou art sensible of
infirmities in thy best things thou doest; ay, a greater mercy than
thou art aware of.
Quest. Can it be a mercy for me to be troubled with my corruptions? Can
it be a privilege for me to be annoyed with my infirmities, and to have
my best duties infected with it? How can it possibly be?