270 TIILT l'ILTII. OF his word, or believe him, considering his wisdom, ho- nesty, and ability. This, we know, is not a mere fix- ing of the imagination, but it is a real and useful confi- dence or trust. And whereas God bath given unto as great and precious promises, and that under several con- firmations, especially that of his oath and covenant, if we do really believe their accomplishment, and that it shall be unto us according to lies word, upon the accóunt of his veracity, divine power, righteousness, and holineis; why shall this be esteemed a fanatical fixing of the ima- gination? If it be so, it was so in Abraham, our ex- ample, Itom. iv. 19, 20, 21. But this blasphemous figment, designed to the overthrow of the way of life and salvation by Jseas Christ, shall be elsewhere more fully examined. God, as was said, gives unto us great and precious promises, that by them we might be made partakers of the divine nature. These promises he re- duireth us to receive, and to mix them with fifth; that is, trusting to, and resting on his divine power and ve- racity, ascribing unto him therebythe glory of them, to believe that the things promised unto us shall be accomplished, which is the means by God's appointaient whereby we shall be really made .partakers of them. Such was the faith of Abraham,so celebrated by our apostle; and such'was all the true and saving faith that ever was in the world from the foundation of it. Wherefore, (3.) This is the only way and means to obtain an interest in the cleansing virtue of the blood of Christ. God bath given this power and efficacy un- to it by the covenant. In the promise of the gospel it is proposed and tendered unto us. Faith- in that pro- mise is that alone which gives us an interest in it, makes us partakers of it, and renders it actually effectual unto us, wherebywe are really cleansed from sin. (4.) There are two things which concur unto the efficacy of faith to this purpose: I. The excellency of the grace or duty itself'. Despise their ignorance, who tell you this is but a deceitful fixing of the imagination; for they'know not what they say. When men come to the real practice of this duty, they will find what it is to discard all other ways and pretences of .cleansing; what it is sincerely and really to give unto God, against all difficulties and oppositions, the glory of his power, faithfulness, good- ness, and grace; what it is to approve of the wisdom and love, of God in finding out this way for us, 'and Abe infiniteness of his grace in providing it when we Sig PURGED were lost, and under the curse, and to be filled with an holy admiration of him on that account, all which belong unto the faith mentioned; neither is it, nor can it be acted in a due manner without them; and when you understand these things, you will not think it sa strange that God should appoint this way of believing only as the means to interest us in the purifying virtue of the blood of Christ. 2. Hereby are we, as path been sheen, united unto Christ, from whom alone is our cleansing. He that declares another way, must make another gospel. 6. Faith, in this case, will act itself in and by fer- vent prayer. When David had, by sin, brought him- self into that condition wherein he stood in need of a new universal purification, how earnest is he in his sup- plications, that God would again purge and cleanse him, Ysal. li. And when . any soul is really coming over to the way of God for his washing in the bloodof Christ, he will not be more earnest and fervent in any supplication.than in this; andherein, and hereby, doth Christ communicate of the purging efficacy of his blood unto us. And these things may, in some measure, suffice for the direction and guidance of those who are yet wholly under the pollution of corrupted nature, how they may proceed to get themselves cleansed ac- cording to the mind of God. Not that this order or method is prescribed unto any; only these are the heads of those things which, in one degree or other, are wrought in the souls of themwhom Christwill and doth cleanse from their sins. Sect. 14.Secondly, Instruction also may be hence taken for them, concerning whom our apostle says, " Such were some of you, but ye are washed, but ye «are sanctified, but ye are justified in the naine of the ,a Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God," 1 Cor. vi. 11. Such as are treed from the general pollution of nature, by the washing ofregeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost, Titus iii. 5. those, I mean, who have been made partakers of that cleansing purifying work of the Holy Ghost, which we have described; several duties are incumbent on them with respect hereun- to; as, (1.) Continual self - abasement in the remembrance of that wofyl defiled state and condition from whence they have been delivered. This consideration is one of them which principally cloth influence the minds of believers
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