I answer, that for my own part this doctrine (of seeing and feeling our misery before the remedy) is so universally received by all solid Divines both at home and abroad, that I meet with; and the contrary opinion so cross to the holy Scriptures, and general experience of the Saints, and the preaching of the other so abundantly sealed to be Gods own way by his rich blessings on the labours of his servants faithful to him herein; that were it not for the sake of some weak and mis-led, I should not dare to question it; the Lord himself so expressly speaking, that he came not to call the righteous, but on the contrary only to heal the sick, who know and feel their sickness chiefly by the Law, Rom. 3.20. Dost thou think therefore, that there is spiritual life where ever there is any sense? Then I say, the devils and damned in hell have much spiritual life, for they feel their misery with a witness. As for the preaching of the Gospel before the Law to ⟨p. 95⟩show our misery; it is true, that the Gospel is to be looked at, as the main end; yet you must use the means, before you can come to the end, by the preaching of the Law, or misery in despising the Gospel. End & Means have been ever good friends, & you may join them well together, you cannot sever them without danger. I do observe that the Apostles ever used this method: Paul first proves Jews and Gentiles to be under sin, in almost the three first Chapters of the Romans, before he opens the doctrine of Justification by faith in Christ. I do not observe that ever there was so clear and manifest opening of Mans misery, as by Christ and his Apostles, who brought in the clearest revelations of the Remedy. I do not read in Moses, or in all the Prophets, such full and plain expressions of our misery as in the New Testament: The worm that never dyes; The fire that never goes out; The wrath to come, &c. and therefore assuredly they thought this no back-door, but faith the door to Christ, and this the way to faith. To say that a man must first have Christ and life, before he feel any spiritual misery, is to say that a Christian must first be healed, that he may be sick; cured, that he may be wounded; receive the spirit of adoption, before he receive, and that he may receive the spirit of bondage to fear again.
I answer, that for my owne part this doctrine (of seeing and feeling our misery before the remedy) is so universally received by all solid Divines both at home and abroad, that I meet with; and the contrary opinion so crosse to the holy Scriptures, and generall experience of the Saints, and the preaching of the other so abundantly sealed to be Gods owne way by his rich blessings on the labours of his servants faithfull to him herein; that were it not for the sake of some weak and mis-led, I should not dare to question it; the Lord himselfe so expresly speaking, that he came not to call the righteous, but on the contrary onely to heale the sick, who know and feele their sicknesse chiefly by the Law, Rom. 3.20. Dost thou think therefore, that there is spirituall life where ever there is any sense? Then I say, the devils and damned in hell have much spirituall life, for they feele their misery with a witnesse. As for the preaching of the Gospel before the Law to ⟨p. 95⟩shew our misery; it is true, that the Gospel is to be looked at, as the maine end; yet you must use the means, before you can come to the end, by the preaching of the Law, or misery in despising the Gospell. End & Means have been ever good friends, & you may joyn them well together, you cannot sever them without danger. I doe observe that the Apostles ever used this method: Paul first proves Iewes and Gentiles to be under sinne, in almost the three first Chapters of the Romanes, before he opens the doctrine of Justification by faith in Christ. I do not observe that ever there was so cleere and manifest opening of Mans misery, as by Christ and his Apostles, who brought in the clearest revelations of the Remedy. I doe not read in Moses, or in all the Prophets, such full and plaine expressions of our misery as in the New Testament: The worme that never dyes; The fire that never goes out; The wrath to come, &c. and therefore assuredly they thought this no back-doore, but faith the doore to Christ, and this the way to faith. To say that a man must first have Christ and life, before he feele any spirituall misery, is to say that a Christian must first be healed, that he may be sick; cured, that he may be wounded; receive the spirit of adoption, before he receive, and that he may receive the spirit of bondage to feare againe.
