Christ: The Way, the Truth, and the LifeBrown, John
Religion
Christ: The Way, the Truth, and the Life
Brown, John
Bible. John XIV, 6 -- Criticism, interpretation, etc.; Jesus Christ; Justification (Christian theology); Sanctification
But to sum up all shortly, there are but three things which make
religion an heavy burden; 1st, The blindness of the mind; and here thou
art taught to make use of that eye-salve, whereby the eyes of the blind
see out of obscurity, and out of darkness; he who formerly erred in
spirit, by the light held forth in these lines, may see a surpassing
beauty in the ways of God; 2d, That aversion and unwillingness which is
in the mind, whereby the sweet and easy yoke of his commands is spurned
at as heavy; in order to the removing thereof, and that thou mayest be
among his willing people, here thou hast Christ held forth in his
conquering beauty, displaying his banner of love over souls, so that
thou canst not look upon him as held forth, but faith will bow thy neck
to take on his yoke, because it sees it is lined with the love of
Christ, and then this love that lines the yoke, shed abroad in the
heart, will constrain to a bearing of it; but, 3d, When the spirit is
willing, there remains yet much weakness; love kindled in the heart
conquers the mind into a compliance with his will, and a complacency in
his commands, but its greatest strength is often to weep over a withered
hand. Now that thy hands which fall down may be made strong for labour,
and thou mayest be girded with strength, and have grace for grace, yea,
all grace to make thee abound unto every good word and work, the author
leads thee up unto the full fountain of all gospel furniture, and
strength; and teacheth thee how to make use of Christ, as thy
sufficiency, for working all thy works in thee and for thee. I say,
therefore, again unto thee, take heart, let not thine hands fall down,
essay nothing thou would have well done or easily done, in thine own
strength; but yet how difficult soever the duty be, approach it as
having no confidence in the flesh, but with an eye to thy stock, that
rich store-house of all furniture, and it shall be with thee as it was
with the priests, before whom Jordan recoiled, so soon as their foot
entered within the brink; God shall make thy difficulties evanish; and
by the illapses of the Spirit of power and might from Jesus Christ
depended upon, shall so strengthen thee, that thy duty is made easy to
admiration, and becomes the delight of thy soul. Pray for the
continuance of the life of the author, who, by his assiduous working for
Christ, hath been often near unto death, not regarding his own life, to
supply the lack of other men's service, to the interest and Church of
God; and let him be comforted for this piece of travel undertaken for
thy soul's interest, by hearing thou dost improve it to thy advantage,
for which it is so exactly calculate: And with all I beg thy fervent and
earnest intercessions for grace, and more grace, to him who is thy poor,
yet soul's well-wisher and servant, for Christ's sake,
R. M. W.
CHRIST
THE WAY, AND THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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