Walter Marshall
Published: 2013-09
Total Pages: 36
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This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1884 edition. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER XIV. THE EXCELLENCE OF THIS WAY OF HOLINESS. DIRECTION. That you may seek Holiness and Righteousness only by believing in Christ, and walking in Him by faith, according to the former directions, take encouragement from the great advantages of this way, and the excellent properties of it. This direction may serve as an epilogue or conclusion, to stir us up, by several weighty motives, unto a lively and cheerful embracing those gospel rules before mentioned. Many are kept from seeking godliness because they know not the way to it; or the way that they think of seems uncouth, unpleasant, disadvantageous, and full of discouragement, like the way through the wilderness to Canaan, which wearied the Israelites, and occasioned their many murmurings (Num. xxi. 4). But this is a way so good and excellent, that those that have the true knowledge of it, and desire heartily to be godly, cannot dislike it. I shall show the excellency of it in several particulars. But you should first call to mind what is the way I have taught--viz., union and fellowship with Christ, and by faith in Christ as discovered in the gospel; not by the law, or in a natural condition, or by thinking to get it before we come to Christ, to procure Christ by it, which is striving against the stream; but that we must first apply Christ and His salvation to ourselves for our comfort, and that by confident faith; and then walk by that faith according to the new man, in Christ and not as in a natural condition; and use all means of holiness rightly for this end. Now, that this is an excellent, advantageous way, appears by the following desirable properties of it: -- ist, It hath this property, that it tends to the abasement of all flesh, and exaltation of God only, in His..