v. 15; and mortification is the greatest violence that can be done to nature, therefore it is called a cutting off of the chief members of the body (Mark ix. 43, 45, 47), a salting with salt, and a burning with fire (ver. 49), a circ.u.mcision (Col. ii. 11), a crucifying (Rom. vi. 6): so that nothing can be more difficult or displeasing, yea, a greater torment to flesh and blood. Yet now art thou willing, notwithstanding of all this, to take Christ on his own terms? to take him not only for righteousness and life, but to take him as a refiner"s fire, and as fuller"s soap? O that there were such a heart in thee! When Christ bids thee pluck out thy right eye, and cut off thy right hand, say not in thy heart, How shall I do without my right eye, and my right hand? Nay, thou shalt do well enough, thou shalt even enter into life without them, thou shalt be a gainer, and no loser. Say not thou, How shall I go through this refining fire? Fear not, thou shall lose nothing but thy dross. Thus get thy heart wrought to a willingness, and a condescending, in the point of mortification.
Lastly, If you say, But after all this, how shall I attain unto it? Put thyself in the hands of Jesus Christ, trust him with the work; if you mark the text here, and the verse that followeth, Christ is both the refiner, and the refiner"s fire: thou shalt be refined by him, and thou shalt be refined in him. Thou deceivest thyself if thou thinkest to be refined any other way but by this refiner, and in this refiner"s fire. The blood of Christ doth not only wash us from guilt, but purge our consciences "from dead works, to serve the living G.o.d," Heb. ix. 14; "And they that are Christ"s, have crucified the flesh, with the affections and l.u.s.ts." Gal.
v. 24. Here you may see the thing is feasible and attainable, and not only by an apostle or some extraordinary man, but by all that are Christ"s.
Being his, and in him, they are enabled, through his strength, to crucify the flesh, with the affections and l.u.s.ts thereof.
FOOTNOTES
1 It is right to state that a large proportion of those who ultimately formed the presbyterian party, had been brought up in the Church of England, and had received episcopal ordination.
2 There is another anecdote commonly repeated respecting a signal defeat which Gillespie is said to have given to one of the Independent divines, when recent from his travel to London. That he did repeatedly refute their arguments is quite certain, of which both Lightfoot"s notes and his own record many instances, but no such event could have occurred as that with which the anecdote is commonly introduced; for both Henderson and Gillespie arrived at the same time, and were received formally, and with great respect into the a.s.sembly, before any of the controverted points had begun to be discussed at all. It is easy to conceive how imaginary incidents may be added by tradition, to an anecdote essentially true; and our endeavour has been to restore the anecdote to its true position and character. We may add that Gillespie"s expression, "Can ye not admit a pinning?" is one which tradition has preserved; but we find the same word used in his Aaron"s Rod, in a similar sense, which confirms the tradition.
3 The present Erastian Establishment in Scotland might do well to consider whether theirs be the church of which Gillespie was a distinguished minister.
4 The above anecdote is sometimes given with this variation:-that when the youngest member consented, he requested the rest to engage in prayer, while he retired to make the attempt. They did so, and in a short time he returned with the answer exactly as it now appears. We prefer the anecdote as given in the text, both as equally likely, and as much more beautiful.
5 These interesting doc.u.ments are printed in this Series at the conclusion of the Part containing his "Sermons and Controversial Pieces."
6 Preface to Stevenson"s History.
7 This refers to his opposition to the intrigues of the Engagers, and their invasion of England under Hamilton.
8 Gillespie must have left London at that time to attend the General a.s.sembly which was summoned to meet at Edinburgh on the 22d of January, 1645.
9 The death rattle in the throat of the dying man.
10 Bodin. Meth. Hist., cap. 4, p. 47.
11 Rep to the Ans. p. 269.
12 Enar in Luc. xvii.
13 De Civ. Dei., lib. 18, cap. 51.
14 Lib. contra Const. Aug.
15 Synops. Papis., cont. 13, quest. 7, p. 593.
16 Davenant. in col. 2, 8, p. 186
17 Osiand. Hist. Eccles., cent. 4, in Ep. Dedic.
18 Lib. 5, cap. 20.
19 Enarrat in Matt. xv.
20 Eccl. Pol., lib. 5, sect. 65.
21 Praef. of the Answ., p. 14.
22 Popish Praejud., cap. 10.
23 Cent. 2, cap. 2, col. 109.
24 Cron. Turcic., tom.3, lib. 4, p. 63.
25 Aug. de Civ. Dei. lib. 3, cap. 25.
26 Ib., cap. 26.
27 Ovid. Metam., lib. 15.
28 Apud Binium, tom. 4; Concil., part 1, p. 630.
29 No Peace with Rome, sect. 2.
30 Lib. Epist., col. 298.
31 Medit. in Rev. ii., iii.
32 Hist. Eccl. lib. 3 cap. 11.
33 Eccl. Pol., lib. 1, sect. 10.
34 Natal. Comit. Mythol., lib. 2, cap. 7.
35 Praelict., tom. 1, p. 367.
36 Ibid., p. 372.
37 Sermon on John xvi. 7.
38 Apolog., cap. 4.
39 Conrad. Pscilen. Clav. Theol., art. 9, p. 373.
40 Comm. in Eph. v. de subject.
41 Of the Church, lib. 4, cap. 34.
42 Aquin., 1a, 2a, quest. 43, art. 1; Stella in Luke xvii. 1.
43 Speed. Hist. of Brit., book 6, chap. 9, sect. 9.