Obj. But we find by experience, that true poverty of spirit, 1and sense of sinful wretchedness, doth kill and destroy any sight of guilt and wickedness in my self; if I rightly see Christ, I shall not also see any unworthiness in my self. Answ. This experience is not warranted ⟨p. 181⟩by the word of truth. These may well consist together: 1. That felt and apprehended wretchedness of a sinner, may stand with a sight of Christs riches of grace, is as evident, as the felt pain of the sting of the fiery Scorpion, 2may stand with looking up to the brazen Serpent, and being saved: yea, when the poor man, Mark 9.24. said, Lord, I believe, help my unbelief; he both was sensible of faith, and unbelief. 2. Yea, the converted may well see grace and holiness in himself, (else how shall he be thankful to Christ the giver) and also see Christ, and believe his righteousness? for holy walking cometh under a threefold consideration: 1. As a duty. 2. As a mean ordained of God that we should walk in, Eph. 2.10. 3. As a promise, 3or a thing promised in the new Covenant: and in this threefold consideration, we may know how far we may build our peace upon any duties, as upon evidences of our state of grace; 1. as holy walking is a duty coming from us, its no ground of true peace, believers often seek in themselves what they should seek in Christ; this is natural merit; often we argue from the measure of obedience to deny grace altogether; this is a false way, especially its a false way of logic, to argue Negatively, from want of such & such a measure of obedience, to deny you are in Christ; how we may argue Affirmatively, we shall hear hereafter. 2. The duty is Christs mean, not enjoined in a strict Law-way, but in ⟨p. 182⟩a Gospel-way, as the commandment is oiled with a Gospel-spirit of love: Law and love are not contrary, as Antinomians do imagine; Christ has united, not only persons, but also graces and virtues. This way the duty is a mean, and a way, not to the right of salvation, but to the actual possession of it; and as it is, or standeth stated before us in the letter of the Gospel, in a Moral commanding, or a Doctrinal, or directing way, without the efficacy of grace, it can be nothing but a Doctrinal-mean, no more then the Law-way is; for all Gospel-precepts without grace, are as little available to us, as the Law:
Obj. But we finde by experience, that true poverty of spirit, 1and sense of sinfull wretchednesse, doth kill and destroy any sight of guilt and wickednesse in my self; if I rightly see Christ, I shall not also see any unworthinesse in my self. Answ. This experience is not warranted ⟨p. 181⟩by the word of truth. These may well consist together: 1. That felt and apprehended wretchednesse of a sinner, may stand with a sight of Christs riches of grace, is as evident, as the felt pain of the sting of the fiery Scorpion, 2may stand with looking up to the brazen Serpent, and being saved: yea, when the poor man, Mark 9.24. said, Lord, I believe, help my unbeleefe; he both was sensible of faith, and unbeleefe. 2. Yea, the converted may well see grace and holinesse in himself, (else how shall he be thankfull to Christ the giver) and also see Christ, and beleeve his righteousnesse? for holy walking commeth under a threefold consideration: 1. As a duty. 2. As a mean ordained of God that we should walk in, Eph. 2.10. 3. As a promise, 3or a thing promised in the new Covenant: and in this threefold consideration, we may know how far we may build our peace upon any duties, as upon evidences of our state of grace; 1. as holy walking is a duty coming from us, its no ground of true peace, beleevers often seek in themselves what they should seek in Christ; this is naturall merit; often we argue from the measure of obedience to deny grace altogether; this is a false way, especially its a false way of logick, to argue Negatively, from want of such & such a measure of obedience, to deny you are in Christ; how we may argue Affirmatively, we shall hear hereafter. 2. The dutie is Christs mean, not injoyned in a strict Law-way, but in ⟨p. 182⟩a Gospel-way, as the commandement is oiled with a Gospel-spirit of love: Law and love are not contrary, as Antinomians do imagine; Christ has united, not only persons, but also graces and vertues. This way the duty is a mean, and a way, not to the right of salvation, but to the actuall possession of it; and as it is, or standeth stated before us in the letter of the Gospel, in a Morall commanding, or a Doctrinall, or directing way, without the efficacy of grace, it can be nothing but a Doctrinall-mean, no more then the Law-way is; for all Gospel-precepts without grace, are as little available to us, as the Law:
- 1Rise, reign & ruin of Antino. error 17. pag. 4.Rise, reign & ruine of Antino. error 17. pag. 4.
- 2Sense of my own sinful condition and a sight of the Excellency of Christ and his grace may stand together.Sense of my own sinfull condition and a sight of the Excellency of Christ and his grace may stand together.
- 3Holy walking may be felt by the believer in himself, and Christs excellency also. Holiness considered 1. as a Duty. 2. As a mean. 3. As a promise.Holy walking may bee felt by the believer in himself, and Christs excellency also. Holiness considered 1. as a Duty. 2. As a mean. 3. As a promise.
