converted by it. Nothing is able nor sufficient, nor appointed of God to give repentance unto life, but the hearing of this voice of the son. He hath formerly, or in times past heard many voices, lo here, and lo there, and hath made many repentances, and turnings from one way and opinion to another; but till he heard and obeyed the voice of the son of God, never knew that repentance which is never to be repented of. And then, secondly, when this Christian hath heard and obeyed this voice, and is turned out of the broad way, and begins to walk in the strait and narrow way, and to have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them, then he becomes a wonder, a by-word, and a taunt to his former companions, who think it strange that he runs not with them into the same excess of riot; but makes straight steps to his feet, and measures all his goings by the line of righteousness, which the goodness of God, that leadeth to repentance,* hath brought him to. Now he appears like an owl in the desert, and like a pelican in the wilderness, and like a sparrow upon the housetop. Now his great trials, temptations, and exercises begin both within and without. Here he sees his enemies about him like bees when they swarm, which till now he had no sight nor sense of; the strong man keeping the house, all his goods were at peace, and the house being dark, and his eye dim, did not perceive nor discover the enemies of his soul that lodged therein, nor could not judge, nor discern the nature of the goods with which his house was furnished, that old deceiver having power to transform himself like unto an angel of God, and to imitate the furniture of his temple. But now he having heard the voice of the son of God, and being quickened by his mighty power, and the eye of his mind opened, and fastened upon the same, then the devil rageth, knowing he hath but a short time, and that his dispossession grows nigh, and the spoiling of his goods is at hand, except he could by any means prevent it; but all his endeavours were and are in vain against this true repentant, who, trusting in the goodness of the Lord, which at first led him to repentance, and relying upon the arm of his power, which had opened the eye that was blind, and unstopped the ear that was deaf, and enlightened the understanding that was darkened, he in the same is made able to stand, and to resist him in all his assaults, and to escape all his baits and snares, and to quench all his fiery darts, and to overcome him in all his temptations, and to go right on in his way, pressing forward towards the mark of the high calling of God in Christ Jesust, where all the treasures of wisdom, of knowledge, and of glory are hid, and laid up for those that love his appearance, and obey his low calling, which is to repentance;‡ and none other are in the way 1 • Rom. ii. 4. † Phil. iii. 14. + Col. ii. 3. to know what the high calling of God in Christ Jesus is, let their notions, professions, and confessions be never so high. The titular Christian he professeth he believeth the doctrines and teachings of Christ and his apostles; and first this of repentance. But how doth he demonstrate his faith? Is his mind turned from the darkness, and the way of it, to the light and the way of it?-from the power of satan and the works of it, to the power of God, and the works of it? Is he quickened and made alive by the hearing of the voice of the son of God? Is he come forth of the grave of sin, and sea of corruption? Doth he feel the weight and burthen of it? Is sin become exceeding sinful unto him? Is a cry raised in his soul unto the Lord, for a full deliverance and redemption from the servitude of sin and satan? Hath he a true sense and sight of the nature and tendency of sin? Is his mind truly turned to the appearance of God in Christ within, which is to destroy and make an end of sin, and finish transgression, and the author of it, and bring in everlasting righteousness instead thereof? Doth he bring forth fruits meet for repentance? And doth he show by them that he is turned from the service of sin and satan, unto the service of God and righteousness? Is he turned out of the broad way? Doth he walk in the strait and narrow, and make straight steps to his feet? And are they pulled out of the mire and clay? And are they set upon the rock? And are all his goings guided by the line of righteousness? And is he enabled by the powerful voice and arm of the son of God, to stand upright on his feet in the midst of all his enemies, and by the same to travel on in the way of holiness towards the holy city and heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the saints' solemnity. These things accompany true repentance; therefore let the titular Christian turn the eye of his mind inward, and commune with his own heart, and be still, and consult with God's witness therein, and examine and answer these things, and see and try whether he hath not deceived himself with a false profession, and a feigned repentance, wherein he confesseth daily, but doth not forsake, and so finds not mercy, deceiving his own soul by daily sinning, and an imaginary repentance, being subject to call and account a changing and turning from one fort of the devil's service to another, from self-sinning and debauchery to self-righteousness, from one opinion to another, and from one sort and fashion of invented worship to another. A repentance, though in it the old man with his deeds appears prevalent, and the earthly image is born, and the nature and ground of sin and transgression remains unshaken by the voice and power of the son of God, which calls and leads all that hear and obey it to true repentance. And till this voice be heard, and this power felt and witnessed to work and operate in the inward man, the beast receives no deadly wound, the strength of sin is not abated, and the strong holds of imagination continue unbroken down; and so repentance in this state is only talked of in vain by all the nominal Christians upon the face of the earth, who experience not these things wrought and effected in them and for them, and are wholly ignorant of that repentance which is never to be repented of, and of that joy that is in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance. VI. The True Christian's Faith and Experience concerning Mortification, Warfare, Self-denial, and a Dying daily. The true Christian, next unto repentance, believes the doctrine of mortification, warfare, self-denial, and a dying daily; and he showeth forth his faith by his works, having heard and obeyed the call of God; and being thereby turned or repented, he comes to receive the spirit of adoption, whereby he can call God Father, and so comes to receive power against the world, the flesh and the devil; which though he hath turned his back upon them, and set his face Sion-wards, yet they will follow him, and pursue him, and attend him with divers allurements and temptations, in order to turn him back again; and thus will continue laying baits and snares, in hopes to prevail, until a death be witnessed to the carnal mind, and transgressing nature, which is prone to receive the temptation. Therefore the true Christian being come to a true sight and sense of the strength and subtilty of the enemy, watchesand wars in the spirit against him, and obeys the apostle's exhortation, "Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth,"* &c. And "If ye through the spirit mortify the deeds of the body ye shall live." So he witnesseth a dying or mortifying daily of that nature and mind which has had a life in sin, until it be mortified or killed, and till he cometh to witness that saying fulfilled, "Death is swallowed up in victory," the strength of it being taken away; till which is effected he remaineth in the warfare, like a good soldier, following his captain, conquering and to conquer, until a perfect victory be obtained. And that he may not fail nor come short in this warfare and work of mortification, he keeps his eye always upon his captain, and his ears open to that voice that at first quickened him and called him to repentance, and his mind stayed upon that holy spirit of grace that hath wrought hitherto for him, which makes self of no reputation, and which burieth self in all his acquirements and perfection in the death of the cross, as not being fit nor worthy to be concerned in the work † Rom. viii. 13. * Col. iii. 5. of regeneration. And the true Christian well knows, that there is no possibility to be a disciple and follower of Christ further than the daily cross to self is taken up. He meets with no greater enemy in his journey than self-thoughts and imaginations, self-willing and running, selfconsultation and self-working, which if he watch not against, rule over, and keep under by that hand and power that hath appeared for his deliverance, and hath wrought it in a measure, he again may be entangled and ensnared, and driven back into that pit wherein is no water. Therefore he stands in the doctrine of self-denial, till self be denied, and in the putting off the old man with his deeds, till they are wholly put off; and when he hath done all, to stand still, and abide with the same powerful hand that hath wrought all these things in him and for him; and to it he attributes the glory, and gives the praise for ever. Now the titular Christian professeth the doctrine of mortification, and talks of a dying to sin, and a warring against it, and of self-denial, and putting off the old man, and taking up the daily cross, &c. But how doth he answer his profession? What course doth he take to mortify sin, while he believes not in the light, which shines in his heart, that discovers it; nor in the manifestation of the spirit given him to mortify and destroy sin; nor in the power of God within, which gives strength to war against it, and to overcome sin within; neither hath he received the spirit of adoption, whereby he is enabled to call God father, but is unacquainted and ignorant of him in that relation; yet hath learned by tradition, as the impenitent and unconverted Jews did, to call God father, whose knowledge of him was taught by the precepts of men. And though they accounted themselves children of God by virtue of this traditional knowledge, received from their forefathers, rabbies and doctors of the law;§ yet Christ Jesus, the great doctor, and righteous judge, and true teacher, told them, they were quite the contrary, even of their father the devil. So the titular Christian, while unbegotten to God, in his impenitent unregenerate state, having read the holy scriptures, and the traditions of his fathers, furnisheth himself with the profession of the doctrines of the gospel, (as the Jews did of the law,) even while sin reigns in his mortal body, while the old man with his deeds are unput off, and while self-will, self-wisdom, and self in all its properties is undenied, and while he is a stranger to the cross of Christ, and so takes it not up, and follows him; but wants power to mortify sin, and to war against the world, flesh, and the devil. So while he talks of mortification and dying * This made Paul careful to keep his body under, lest while he preached to others, he himself became a cast-away. + John viii. 41. Rom. viii. 15. § Isa. xxix. 13. John viii. 44. &c. to sin, sin lives in him, and increases as his days increase; and instead of overcoming it, is overcome daily by it. And while he professes selfdenial, nothing but self is owned; self-wills and runs; self-worships and offers the offerings of Cain; self-seeks, and knocks, and strives to enter, but is not able. And till this willing, and running, and power of self is denied, judged and brought down, and made of no reputation, by the powerful working and operation of the spirit of God within, none can witness a being dead to sin, nor have victory over it, nor be a disciple of Christ Jesus, nor follow him in the work of regeneration; let them profess what they will, except this be known, their profession is a lie, and they deceive their own souls. This is the word of truth to all the titular Christians upon the face of the earth, of what name or sect soever. VII. The True Christian's Faith and Experience concerning Sanctification, Washing and Cleansing from Sin and Corrup tion. The true Christian owns and believes the doctrine of sanctification, washing and cleansing from sin and corruption; and he manifests his faith by the virtue and operation of the spirit of God working in him. Having been led by the same through the work of repentance, mortification and self-denial, he is now not only turned from sin, and come to the mortifying of it, but also to the sanctifying, washing and cleansing from it. So he comes to witness a being delivered from the dead body, and the dead to be buried out of his sight. And as he abides and dwells with this sanctifying and cleansing power, he is preserved from corrupting himself, or so much as touching the dead again. This is the anti-type and substance of all the divers washings, purifications, and sanctifications used under the law, where the temple and all the furniture thereof were sanctified. Now he knoweth himself to be the temple of the Holy Ghost;* and this knowledge keepeth him from defiling of it, being bought with a price, not with gold, nor silver, nor corruptible things, but with the precious blood of Christ, which cleanseth and keepeth clean the true Christian, who trampleth it not again under his feet. And herein also he witnesseth the anti-type and substance signified by the laying of the people's sins upon a scape-goat once a year, and letting him go into the wilderness,† &c. so that the people were as free and clean from sins committed the year past, as if they had committed none at all, their sins confessed, and sacrifices |