Chap. 3· Sct'd. lroattbfulntfS'. 99 --------------------~~- --------- begin a new purpofe, and prefcribc our [elves a like time, for lhunning of the fame r,;·---- arid foon from rinlc to tune, ttll we have gotten afull vt<'tory: . . 6 If'n our daily or moncthly revtew, we find that we have been defe<'ttve n1 per· for~ino1ofwhat we had purpofed,thcn with an holx revenge we lhould correct our for· r er~ours, beg pardon for our defects, and puntlh our fclves for fuch fiothfulnelfe, me v'ifulncffe by abftinence from meat, eafe, recreation; Keepmg under our bodies, 1 Cor p.:7 or d b~inuing rfmn imofubjeCfion, by mu! er, or forfeiture of fome portion to the poor, ;herebywe nia)l feel fmart: This holy revenge is commcnded by the Apo!l:le, .2 Cor. . 11 • as a worthy frmt of ferwus Repentance. . . . . 7 · Above all without whtcli all the reft are as nothuig. Beltcve the promifes of P"'r– Jo%inrhcb!ood~fChri/fi It is Faith in the P~dmifcs which will be able to cleanfe, and purge the heart from thts .fin;. if the blood Of Bulls and of Goats (fatth the Apoll:!c) and H b • theafr.es of an Heifer, fprmk]mg the unclcan,JtmCfijieth t~ t~e puY!fymg of the jlejh, how .' · 9 > 1 '' •4 much more jha/1 the blood ofChnft, who through the eternitl :,pmt offered hmifelf 1vzth01tt Jpot to God, purgeyour wnfcienccs from dead work!•. to (eru_e the l~vmg. God; the fence Is, When a mari hath once applyed the blood of Chn!l: (or h1s Jufltficatton, thts effect wtll follow it, That there will accompany it a certain vigour, venue, yow~r, and llrength, which will alfo purge his confcience from dead works; there wtll go :i powet of the Spirit tog~ther with this blood,that lhall not only forbid him,& !hew him that he ought not to do fuch and fuch evil things, but it lhalkleanfc his confcience from thofe roots of dead works, thofc corruptlufts and finful affdlions, that arc in him, and that difpofe him to that-evil: Now this power is gotten by applying the blood, (i.) by applying the Promifcs of Pardon and fo.rgtve.nelfc by the bfood ofJefits Chrift: Le.t po man think by his owri firength to l:'reVatl agat~ft a~y luft; tt ts not our endeavounng, pray- . ing, bending our felves agamfi the fpectal acts .an~ .occafions, exerctfini\ fome ads of contrary holinefs, purpofing to forbear tt, pumlhmg our felves for tt (tf ~on_c .~bou~ by our own might, and power, and firength) wtll ever ktll thts fin: no, no, we mull: do all thcfe at th~ feet of Chrift, and draw vertue from Chri!l:; we mull Believe th~ Promifes, get alfurancc of Pardon, get alf~rance of Go~s love_to us in Chr,i!l:; ~c mti(l: labour to delight mGod, to get commumon Wtth Chnft, and then our heart~ w)ll·grow to an application of the Commandment; and whereas before they refified it, rebelled againll: it, they will then cleaye t_o it, and love it, and delight in it, and receive .an im·, preffion from it. Thts I take tt) tsthc meanmg ofthat Text, Whereby are given to '" • Peter r. 4 exceeding great & precious promifes,that by thefe we might be partak!rs ofthe divine n"ture having e[caped the twruption that is in the wprld through ./uft; q.. d. by believing the ~romifes we ~re made partakers oft~egodly nature, and we overcome our corruP.· ttons and lufis '. Confonant to which, ts. that of th~ Apo!l:le, _Know ye not, that-.u '''111J Rom . 6.~ asarebapttz.edtntoChrift, arebapttz.~d mto hu death? q.d. a~ many as are baptized into Chrifi, for reconciliation with God, mull needs be bap,ti~ed in~o his deaili; they mu!l: be dead to fin, as he was dead: We cannot b~ bapttzedmto htm for Reconciliation or Ju!l:ification,'but we mu!l: be baptized like1yife for Mortification of the flelh, and for Refurrecrion to newndfe of life. To wind up all i·n a word, He that bath the fl:rongell: Faith, that be~ieves in the greate!l: <l,egrec the Promifes of Pardpp and Re. miffion; he hath the hohelt heart, the moft mdrtified life: San-'tification and Mortification arife from thatroot of Juftiftcation. The blQ.oc\ of Chri!l: hath not only a power to wa0- us from the guilt of fin, but.alfo to cleanfe us, and purge us from the power a~d ftam of fin: And therefore Ifay, the beft way to get agreat degree of.S'\ndificatton,. the be(l: way to get a greater meafure of the grace~ of the Spirit, the hEll; way to ~ort~fie o.ur finfullufts, the bell: way to watch over our fpecial -fii 1 s, is, labour t? grow Ill Fatth, m the beltefof thofe !'roim{es of the Gofpel of Chrift ; and this would be weU ; .~·~ J obferved by thofe that arc ahttle legally byalfed; or carried to mortifie fin only by Y ows,. Promtfes, lhunnmg occafions; removing temptations, firid:nelfe and feverity tn Duttes, fear of Hcl~ and Judgements, fcarce rifing fo high for their Mortification, ' as Chnll:. No:v thefe mthemfel~es ar~ ,but eml:'ty, we~k meaits of ~revailing againft f.;;;:•.'!.'co . fin, ~ke the n:tghty Satls of a Shtp, wtthout wmd and ttdc; no quc!l:ton but lhunRing pag. 6g8 wi 1 'I oc£a tOns, finc!ncfs a.nd feverity in Duties, watchfulncfs, c:ft-c. do well in their piace thong!)~ per~ bnd order, ltke Oarsm a Boat (See Saltmarjh, Free-grace, pag. 6.8.) which though it te{t advcrfary ecame.d :vtth the Tide,. if well managed, yet they may help it to g 9 the fMl:er .. ~:How- re.rhe_r•. • foever' . 1t ts Chtt!l: cructficd which is the power of all in all; it is Chrift lifted up as ~t~gs "utli Mofes lifted up the Serpent, which lfrikcs 1\1ore foundnefs into tlle wounded beholder ' ' 0 2 ·tha~ '
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