Ignorance is condemned by Christian. Chr. Let me give an answer to this confession of thy faith. 1. Thou believest with a fantastical faith; for this faith is no where described in the word. 2. Thou believest with a false faith, because it taketh justification from the personal righteousness of Christ, and applies it to thy own. 3. This faith maketh not Christ a justifier of thy person, but of thy actions and of thy person for thy actions' sake, which is false. 4. Therefore this faith is deceitful, even such as will leave thee under wrath in the day of God Almighty: for true justifying faith puts the soul (as sensible of its lost condition by the law) upon fleeing for refuge unto Christ's righteousness, (which righteousness of his is not an act of grace, by which he maketh, for justification, thy obedience accepted with God, but his personal obedience to the law, in doing and suffering for us what that required at our hands:) this righteousness, I say, true faith accepteth; under the skirt of which the soul being shrouded, and by it presented as spotless before God, it is accepted, and acquitted from condemnation. (i) Ignor. What! would you have us to trust to a lie, and so much prevails, and keeps up an unscriptural hope in the hearts of so many professors. Do, reader, study this point well; for here seems to be a show of scriptural truth, while the rankest poison lies concealed in it. For it is utterly subversive of, and contrary to, the faith and hope of the gospel. (i) Under these four heads, we have a most excellent detection of a presumptive and dangerous error, which now greatly prevails; as well as a scriptural view of the nature of true faith, and the object it fixes on wholly and solely for justification before God, and acceptance with God. Reader, for thy soul's sake, look to thy foundation. See that you build upon nothing in self, but all upon that sure foundation, which God hath laid, even his beloved Son, and his perfect righteous ness... Ignorance is condemned by Christian. what Christ in his person hath done without us? This conceit would loosen the reins of our lust, and tolerate us to live as we list: for what matter how we live, if we may be justified by Christ's personal righteousness from all, when we believe it? (k) Chr. Ignorance is thy name, and, as thy name is so art thou even this thy answer demonstrateth what I say. Ignorant thou art of what justifying righteousness is, and as ignorant how to secure thy soul through the faith of it, from the heavy wrath of God. Yea, thou art also ignorant of the true effects of saving faith in this righteousness of Christ, which is to bow and win over the heart to God in Christ, to love his name, his word, ways, and people, and not as thou ignorantly imaginest. Hope. Ask him if ever he had Christ revealed to him from Heaven? (1)' Ignor. What? you are a man for revelation! I do (k). No sooner can you propose to an ignorant professor, Christ's righteousness alone for justification, but he instantly displays his ignorance of the power of truth, and the influence of faith, by crying out "ANTINOMIANISM! O, you are for destroying holiness at the root, and for bringing in licentiousness like a flood." Thus pride works by the lie, and is supported by selfrighteousness, in opposition to God's grace, and submission to Christ's righteousness, (1) This, by all natural men, is deemed the very height of enthusiasm; but a spiritual man knows the blessedness, and rejoices in the comfort of this. It is a close question; what may we understand by it? Doubtless what St. Paul means, when he says, "It pleased God to reveal his Son IN ME." Gal. i. 16. that is, he had such an internal, spiritual, experimental sight and knowledge of Christ, and of salvation by him, that his heart embraced him, his soul cleaveth to him, his spirit rejoiced in him; his whole man was swallowed up with the love of him, so that he cried out in the joy of his soul: "This is my beloved and my friend-my Saviour, my God, and my salvation. He is the chief of ten thousand, and altogether lovely." We know nothing of Christ savingly, comfortably, and experimentally, until he is pleased thus to reveal himself to us. Matt. xi. 27. Ignorance speaks reproachfully of what he knows not. believe that what both you and all the rest of you say about that matter, is but the fruit of distracted brains. Hope. Why, man! Christ is so hid in God from the natural apprehensions of the flesh, that he cannot by any man be savingly known, unless God the Father reveals him to them. Ignor. That is your faith, but not mine; yet mine, I doubt not is as good as yours, though I have not in my head so many whimsies as you. Chr. Give me leave to put in a word: You ought not to speak so slightly of this matter: for this I will boldly affirm (even as my good companion hath done,) that no man can know Jesus Christ but by revelation of the Father; yea, and faith too, by which the soul layeth hold upon Christ (if it be right,) must be wrought by the exceeding greatness of his mighty power; the working of which faith, I perceive, poor Ignorance, thou art ignorant of. Be awakened then, see thine own wretchedness, and flee to the Lord Jesus; and by his righteousness, which is the righteousness of God (for he himself is God) thou shalt be delivered from condemnation. (m) Ignor. You go so fast, I cannot keep pace with you; do you go on before; I must stay a while behind. (n) * Matt. xi. 28. + 1 Cor. xi. 3. Eph. i. 18, 19. (m) That sinner is not thoroughly awakened, who does not see his need of Christ's righteousness to be imputed to him. Nor is he quickened, who has not fled to Christ as the end of the law for righteousness to every one who believes. Rom. x. 4. (n) Ignorant professors cannot keep pace with spiritual pilgrims, nor can they relish the doctrine of making Christ all in all, in the matter of justification and salvation, and making the sinner nothing at all, as having no hand in the work, nor getting any glory to himself by what he is able to do for himself. Free The Pilgrims leave Ignorance behind. Then they said, "Well, Ignorance, wilt thou yet foolish be, "Remember, man, in time; stop, do not fear : Then Christian addressed himself to his fellow : Chr. Well, come my good Hopeful, I perceive that thou and I must walk by ourselves again. So I saw in my dream, that they went on apace before, and Ignorance came hobbling after. Then said Christian to his companion, I am much grieved for this poor man; it will certainly go hard with him at the last. Hope. Alas! there are abundance in our town in this condition; whole families, yea, whole streets, and that of pilgrims too; and, if there be so many in our parts, how many, think you, must there be in the place where he was born. (0) Chr. Indeed the word saith," He hath blinded their eyes lest they should see," &c. But now we are by ourselves, What do you think of such men? Have they at no time, think you, convictions of sin, so consequently fear that their state is dangerous? Hope. Nay, do you answer that question yourself, for you are the elder man. grace and free will, Christ's imputed righteousness, and the notion of man's personal righteousness cannot accord. (0) Ignorance had just the same natural notions of salvation which he was born with, only he had been taught to dress them up by the art of sophistry. Hence it is they so much abound among professors in every age. O what a mercy to be delivered from them, to be spiritually enlightened, and taught the truth as it is in Jesus! The nature of right fear, Chr. Then I say, sometimes (as I think) they may : but they, being naturally ignorant, understand not that such convictions tend to their good; and therefore they do desperately seek to stifle them, and presumptuously continue to flatter themselves in the way of their own hearts. Hope. I do believe, as you say, that fears tend much to men's good, and to make them right at their beginning to go on their pilgrimage. Chr. Without all doubt it doth, if it be right: for so says the word, "*The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom!" Hope. How will you describe right fear? Chr. True or right fear is discovered by three things: 1. By its rise: it is caused by saving convictions for sin. 2. It driveth the soul to lay fast hold of Christ for salvation. 3. It begetteth and continueth in the soul a great reverence of God, his word, and ways, keeping it tender, and making it afraid to turn from them, to the right hand or to the left, to any thing that may dishonour God, break its peace, grieve the Spirit, or cause the enemy to speak reproachfully, Hope. Well said; I believe you have said the truth. Are we now almost got past the Enchanted Ground? Chr. Why! art thou weary of this discourse? Hope. No, verily but that I would know where we are. 12olly go thereon. Chr. We have not now, above two miles farther to But let us return to our matter. Now the ignorant know not that such convictions as tend to put them in fear, are for their good, and therefore they seek to stifle them. *Job xxviii. 28. Ps. cxi. 10., Prov. i. 7. ch. ix, 10. |