THE PREFACE68
By grace, saith St. Paul, ye are saved through faith. And it is indeed a great salvation which they have received who truly believe on the name of the Son of God. It is such as eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive, until God hath revealed it by His Spirit, which alone showeth these deep things of God.
Of this salvation the prophets inquired diligently, searching what manner of time the Spirit which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow; even that glorious liberty from the bondage of corruption which should then be given to the children of God. Much more doth it behove us, diligently to inquire after this prize of our high calling, and earnestly to hope for the grace which is brought unto us by the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Some faint description of this gracious gift of God is attempted in a few of the following verses. But the greater part of them relate to the way, rather than the end; either showing (so far as has fallen under our observation) the successive conquests of grace, and the gradual process of the work of God in the soul; or pointing out the chief hindrances in the way, at which many have stumbled and fallen.
This great gift of God, the salvation of our souls, which is begun on earth, but perfected in heaven, is no other than the Image of God fresh stamped upon our hearts. It is a renewal in the spirit of our minds after the likeness of Him that created us. It is a salvation from sin and doubt and fear: From Fear; for, being justified freely, they who believe have peace with God through Jesus Christ our Lord, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. From Doubt; for the Spirit of God beareth witness with their spirit, that they are the children of God And from Sin; for being now made free from sin, they are become the servants of righteousness.
God hath now laid the axe to the root of the tree, purifying their hearts by faith, and cleansing all the thoughts of their hearts by the inspiration of His Holy Spirit. Having this hope, that they shall soon see God as He is, they purify themselves even as He is pure; and are holy as He which hath called them is holy in all manner of conversation. Not that they have already attained all they shall attain, either are already (in this sense) perfect. But they daily go on from strength to strength beholding now as in a glass the glory of the Lord, they are changed into the same image, from glory to glory, as by the Spirit of the Lord.
And where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty; such liberty from the law of sin and death as the children of this world will not believe, though a man declare it unto them. The Son hath made them free, and they are free indeed insomuch that St. John lays it down, as a first principle among true believers, We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not: but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not. And again, Whosoever abideth in Him (in CHRIST) sinneth not. And yet again, Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin. For his seed remaineth in him, and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.
The Son hath made them free, who are thus born of God, from that great root of sin and bitterness, Pride. They feel, that all their sufficiency is of God; that it is He alone who is in all their thoughts, and worketh in them both to will and to do of His good pleasure. They feel, that it is not they who speak, but the Spirit of their Father which speaketh in them; and that whatsoever is done by their hands, the Father which is with them, He doeth the works. So that God is to them all in all, and they are as nothing in His sight. They are freed from self-will; as desiring nothing, no, not for one moment, (for perfect love casteth out all desire,) but the holy and perfect will of God: not supplies in want; not ease69 in pain; not life or death, or any creature; but continually crying in their inmost soul, “Father, Thy will be done.” They are freed from evil thoughts, so that they cannot enter into them; no, not for one instant. Aforetime, when an evil thought came in, they looked up, and it vanished away. But now it does not come in; there being no room for this in a soul which is full of God. They are freed from wanderings in prayer. Whensoever they pour out their hearts in a more immediate manner before God, they have no thought of anything past70 or absent, or to come, but of God alone; to whom their whole souls flow in one men stream, and in whom they are swallowed up. In times past, they had wandering thoughts darted in; which yet fled away like smoke. But now that smoke does not rise at all, but they continually see Him which is invisible. They are freed from all darkness, having no fear, no doubt, either as to their state in general; or as to any particular action:71 for their eye being single, their whole body is full of light. Whatsoever is needful, they are taught of God. They have an unction from the Holy One, which abideth in them, and teacheth them every hour, what they shall do, and what they shall speak.72 Nor have they therefore any need to reason concerning it;73 for they see the way straight before them. The Lamb is their light, and they simply follow Him, whithersoever He goeth. Hence also they are, in one sense, freed from temptations; for though numberless temptations fly about them, yet they wound them not, they trouble them not,74 they have no place in them. At all times their soul is even and calm; their heart is steadfast and immovable; their peace, flowing as a river, passeth all understanding, and they rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory. For they are sealed by the Spirit unto the day of redemption; having the witness in themselves, that there is laid up for them a crown of righteousness, which the Lord shall give them in that day;75 and being fully persuaded, through the Holy Ghost, that neither death nor life, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate them from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus, their Lord.