a crucified Mediator, and to an accounting of all its former workings,
attainments, and painful labourings and gain, as loss for Christ, and
for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ, and as dung that it may
win Christ, and be found in him, not having its own righteousness, which
is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the
righteousness which is of God by faith, Phil. iii. 7-9. And may it not
seem strange, that now, after so many have found, through the grace of
God, the sweet experience of the gracious workings of the gospel-grace
of God upon their hearts, and so are in case, as having this witness
within them, to give verdict against those assertions, yea, more, and
many more than were in several ages before; yet Satan should become so
bold as to vent these desperate opinions, so diametrically opposite to
the grace of God declared in the gospel, and engraven in the hearts of
many hundreds by the finger of God, confirming, in the most undoubted
manner, the truth of the gospel doctrines. This would seem to say, that
there are such clear sunshine days of the gospel, and of the Son of Man
a-coming (and who can tell how soon this night shall be at an end?) that
all these doctrines of nature shall receive a more conspicuous and
shameful dash than they have received for these many ages. Hithertil
when Satan raised up and sent forth his qualified instruments for this
desperate work, God always prepared carpenters to fright these horns,
and thus gospel truth came forth, as gold out of a furnace, more clear
and shining: And who can tell but there may be a dispensation of the
pure grace of God, in opposition to these perverting ways of Satan, yet
to come, that, as to the measure of light and power, shall excel
whatever hath been since the apostles' days. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.
However, Madam, the grace of God will be what it is, to all the chosen
and ransomed ones, they will find in it, which will make whatever cometh
in competition therewith or would darken it, contemptible in their eyes:
And happy they, of whom in this day wherein darkness covereth the earth,