A30141:772
The doctrine of the law and grace unfolded, or, A discourse touching the law…
The doctrine of the law and grace unfolded, or, A discourse touching the law and grace the nature of the one and the nature of the other, showing what they are as they are the two covenants ... wherein for the better understanding of the reader there is several questions answered touching the law and grace ... : also several titles set over the several truths contained in this book, for thy sooner finding of them, which are those following the epistle / published by that poor and contemptible creature, John Bunyan of Bedford.The doctrine of the law and grace unfolded, or, A discourse touching the law and grace the nature of the one and the nature of the other, shewing what they are as they are the two covenants ... wherein for the better understanding of the reader there is several questions answered touching the law and grace ... : also several titles set over the several truths contained in this book, for thy sooner finding of them, which are those following the epistle / published by that poor and contemptible creature, John Bunyan of Bedford.
London: printed for Nath. Ponder, 1685
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
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 Infirmities, and to have my best Duties infected with it? How can it possibly be?
Quest. Can it be a Mercy for me to be troubled with my Corruptions? Can it be a Priviledge for me to be annoyed with Infirmities, and to have my best Duties infected with it? How can it possibly be?
Answ. Verily thy Sins appearing in thy best Duties, do work for thy Advantage these ways. First, in that thou findest ground enough thereby to make thee humble; and when thou hast done all, yet to count thy self but an unprofitable Servant. And secondly, thou by this means art taken off from leaning on any thing below a naked Jesus for eternal Life. It is like, if thou wast not sensible of many by-Thoughts and Wickednesses in thy best Performances, thou wouldest go near to be some proud, abominable Hypocrite, or a silly, proud, dissembling Wretch at the best, such a one as would send thy Soul to the Devil in a bundle of thy own Righteousness: but now thou, through Grace, seest that all and every thing thou doest, there is sin enough in it to condemn thee. This in ⟨p. 326⟩the first place makes thee have a care of trusting in thy own doings. And secondly, showeth thee that there is nothing in thy self which will do thee any good, by working in thee, as to the meritorious cause of thy Salvation: No, but thou must have a share in the Birth of Jesus, in the Death of Jesus, in the Blood, Resurrection, Ascension, and Intercession of a crucified Jesus? And how sayest thou? doth not thy finding of this in thee, cause thee to fly from a depending on thy own doings? And doth it not also make thee the more earnestly to groan after the Lord Jesus? Yea, and let me tell thee also, it will be a cause to make thee admire the freeness and tender-heartedness of Christ to thee, when he shall lift up the light of his Countenance upon thee, because he hath regarded such a one as thou, sinful thou: And therefore in this sense it will be a mercy to the Saints, that they do find the relics of sin still struggling in their Hearts; But this is not simply the nature of sin, but the Mercy and Wisdom of God, who causeth all things to work together for the good of those that love and fear God,