Christ The Way, The Truth, and The Life - DEDICATION
TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE AND RELIGIOUS LADY, THE LADY STRATHNAVER.
MADAM,
Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner-stone, in whom all the building fitly framed together, groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord; as it ought to be the principal concern of all who have not sitten down on this side of Jordan to satisfy their souls (once created ...read
Christ The Way, The Truth, and The Life - THE AUTHOR TO THE READER
CHRISTIAN READER,--After the foregoing address, I need not put thee to much more trouble: only I shall say, that he must needs be a great stranger in our Israel, or sadly smitten with that epidemic plague of indifferency, which hath infected many of this generation, to a benumbing of them, and rendering them insensible and unconcerned in the matter ...read
Christ The Way, The Truth, and The Life - RECOMMENDATION
CHRISTIAN READER,
If thou answer this designation, and art really a partaker of the unction, which is the high import of that blessed and glorious name called upon thee, thine eye must affect thy heart, and a soul swelled with godly sorrow must at last burst and bleed forth at a weeping eye, while thou looks upon most of this licentious and loat ...read
Christ The Way, The Truth, and The Life 1 - THE INTRODUCTION, WITH SOME GENERAL OBSERVATIONS FROM THE COHESION
Doubtless it is always useful, yea, necessary, for the children of God to know the right way of making use of Christ, who is made all things to them which they need, even "wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption," 1 Cor. i. 30. But it is never more necessary for believers to be clear and distinct in this matter, than when Satan, by al ...read
Christ The Way, The Truth, and The Life 2 - OF THE WORDS THEMSELVES IN GENERAL
We come now to the words themselves, wherein Christ asserts that he is, 1, "the way;" 2, "the truth;" 3, "the life;" and, 4, "that no man cometh to the Father but by him."
In them we learn these two things in general.
First, The misery of wretched man by nature. This cannot be in a few words expressed.
These words will point out those part ...read
Christ The Way, The Truth, and The Life 3 - HOW CHRIST IS THE WAY IN GENERAL, "I AM THE WAY"
We come now to speak more particularly to the words; and, first, Of his being a way. Our design being to point at the way of use-making of Christ in all our necessities, straits, and difficulties which are in our way to heaven; and particularly to point out the way how believers should make use of Christ in all their particular exigencies; and so l ...read
Christ The Way, The Truth, and The Life 4 - HOW CHRIST IS MADE USE OF FOR JUSTIFICATION AS A WAY
What Christ hath done to purchase, procure, and bring about our justification before God, is mentioned already, viz. That he stood in the room of sinners, engaging for them as their cautioner, undertaking, and at length paying down the ransom; becoming sin, or a sacrifice for sin, and a curse for them, and so laying down his life a ransom to satisf ...read
Christ The Way, The Truth, and The Life 7 - HOW CHRIST IS TO BE MADE USE OF, IN REFERENCE TO GROWING IN GRACE
I come now to speak a little to the other part of sanctification, which concerneth the change of our nature and frame, and is called vivification, or quickening of the new man of grace; which is called the new man, as having all its several members and parts, as well as the old man; and called new, because posterior to the other; and after regenera ...read
Christ The Way, The Truth, and The Life 9 - HOW TO MAKE USE OF CHRIST FOR CLEANSING OF US FROM OUR DAILY SPOTS
Having spoken of the way of making use of Christ for removing the guilt of our daily transgressions, we come to speak of the way of making use of Christ, for taking away the guilt that cleaveth to the soul, through daily transgressions; "for every sin defileth the man," Matt. xv. 20; and the best are said to have their spots, and to need washing, w ...read
Christ The Way, The Truth, and The Life 10 - "THE TRUTH." SOME GENERALS PROPOSED
That what we are to speak to for the clearing and improving this noble piece of truth, that Christ is the Truth, may be the more clearly understood and edifying, we shall first take notice of some generals, and then show particularly how or in what respects Christ is called the Truth; and finally speak to some cases wherein we are to make use of Ch ...read
Christ The Way, The Truth, and The Life 11 - MORE PARTICULARLY, IN WHAT RESPECT CHRIST IS CALLED THE TRUTH
But for further explaining of this matter, we would see more particularly, in what respects it is, that he is called the truth; and this will make way to our use-making of him. So,
First, He is the Truth, in opposition to the shadows and types of him, under the law. Hence, as "the law," the whole Levitical and typical dispensation, "came by Mose ...read
Christ The Way, The Truth, and The Life 12 - SOME GENERAL USES FROM THIS USEFUL TRUTH, THAT CHRIST IS THE TRUTH
Having thus cleared up this truth, we should come to speak of the way of believers making use of him as the truth, in several cases wherein they will stand in need of him as the truth. But ere we come to the particulars, we shall first propose some general uses of this useful point.
First. This point of truth serveth to discover unto us, the wof ...read
Christ The Way, The Truth, and The Life 13 - HOW TO MAKE USE OF CHRIST AS THE TRUTH, FOR GROWTH IN KNOWLEDGE
It is a commanded duty, that we grow in the knowledge of Jesus Christ, 2 Pet. iii. 18; and the knowledge of him being life eternal, John xvii. 3, and our measure of knowledge of him here being but imperfect, for we know but in part, it cannot but be an useful duty, and a desirable thing, to be growing in this knowledge. This is to walk worthy of th ...read
Christ The Way, The Truth, and The Life 14 - HOW TO MAKE USE OF CHRIST, AS TRUTH, FOR COMFORT
HOW TO MAKE USE OF CHRIST, AS TRUTH, FOR COMFORT, WHEN TRUTH IS OPPRESSED AND BORN DOWN
There is another difficulty, wherein believing souls will stand in need of Christ, as the truth, to help them; and that is, when his work is overturned, his cause borne down, truth condemned, and enemies, in their opposition to his work, prospering in all the ...read
Christ The Way, The Truth, and The Life 15 - HOW TO MAKE USE OF CHRIST FOR STEADFASTNESS
HOW TO MAKE USE OF CHRIST FOR STEADFASTNESS, IN A TIME WHEN TRUTH IS OPPRESSED AND BORNE DOWN
When enemies are prevailing, and the way of truth is evil spoken of, many faint, and many turn aside, and do not plead for truth, nor stand up for the interest of Christ, in their hour and power of darkness: many are overcome with base fear, and either ...read
Christ The Way, The Truth, and The Life 16 - HOW TO MAKE USE OF CHRIST AS THE TRUTH, WHEN ERROR PREVAILETH
HOW TO MAKE USE OF CHRIST AS THE TRUTH, WHEN ERROR PREVAILETH, AND THE SPIRIT OF ERROR CARRIETH MANY AWAY.
There is a time when the spirit of error is going abroad, and truth is questioned, and many are led away with delusions. For Satan can change himself into an angel of light, and make many great and fairlike pretensions to holiness, and unde ...read
