the Scripture saith that he shall perish eternally if he be not new born and taken out of the first Adam and graffed in the second But some will object or demand Whether a soul thus convinced doth beleeve first or repent before it doth beleeve But for answer hereunto consider that there are three acts of faith viz. 1. The assenting act 2. The relying act or Faith of relyance 3. The Faith of evidence or perswasion Now the assenting act of faith is repentance and so godly sorrow is an effect of it so that this assenting act of faith leads a soul to an ordinance in Gods hand as to the first part of repentance consisting in conviction contrition and humiliation now the habit of faith and repentance are both together in the soul we only question which God doth give the soule power to act first and for the further clearing hereof consider That a soul cannot come to Christ till it goes out of its selfe now a soul will not goe out of its self till it doth see the danger of continuing in its self this danger workes fear this fear workes sorrow and this sorrow is humiliation and this cannot be without the first act of faith seeing we cannot dive into the dispensations of God by a bucket of reason It is true that the troop of Converts Act. 2. 37. they were pricked at their hearts and said unto Peter and the rest of the Apostles Men and brethren what shall we do and in Act. 16. 29. the Jaylor came trembling and fell at their feet and said Sirs what must I do to be saved So that repentance is the effect of faith and the cause must needs go before the effect only minde that repentance hath three parts to wit conviction contrition and humiliation or the turning of the soul from sin and the conversion of the soul to God and this cannot be done in Gods ordinary way before the habit of faith be wrought in the soul so that we may judge of the habit of faith by the acts of humiliation that it doth work in the soul The next thing to be considered is What is that conversion of a sinner so much spoken unto in the Scriptures For answer unto which it is most clear by Scripture and experience that the conversion of a man is as hard a thing as to turn the course of nature rewards and punishments proposed may turn mens actions but to turn the inclination of the heart is proper to the Spirit of the Lord 2 Cor. 3. 18. By the Spirit of the Lord we are changed into the Image of God and this Spirit will shew you the corruption of your understanding memory conscience will and affâ—ctions with thoughts words and deeds and actions omissions commissions and by a mighty power change all these into the Image of God There is no power below that power that raised Christ from the dead and that made the world that can turn the heart of a sinner we are as well able to turn a flint into flesh as to turn our own hearts to the Lord to raise the dead and to make a world as to repent Repentance is a flower that grows not in natures garden Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the Leopard his spots then may they also that are accustomed to do evill do good Jer. 13. 23. Repentance is a gift that comes down from above men are not born with repentance in their hearts as they are born with tongues in their mouths the same power that formes the child in the naturall wombe for the child doth not forme its selfe and its father and mother are but the meanes I say the same power that gives it the first birth must give it the second birth or else it will not be borne again and if not it can never enter into the Kingdome of heaven Joh. 3. 3. No power but the power of the Almighty can convert a sinner or recover a backslider Turn thou me and I shall be turned saith Ephraim After that I was turned I repented saith he For as Mr. Thomas Brooks well observes repentance hath in it these three things 1. The act to turne from darknesse to light 2. The subject changed that is the whole man both the sinners heart and life first his heart then his life first his person then his practise it is a through change both of the mind and man 3. The termes of his change and conversion from what and to what the whole heart and life must be changed and that is from all sin to good repentance is not only a turning from all sin but also a turning to all good at least to love all good to a prizing of all good and to a following after all good Ezek. 18. 21. c. it is not enough that the tree beares not bad or ill fruit but it must bring forth good fruit else it must be cut down and cast into the fire true repentance strips a man starke naked of all the garment of the old Adam and leaves not so much as a skirt behind in this rotten building It makes a man poor hungry empty naked lost and blind c. these are those to whom the promises be made and these are those that Christ came to seek and save heal and pardon Object But say many sinners If this worke be such a mighty worke that none can doe it but the almighty power of God to what end shall I look or dive into my selfe and my lost condilion seeing I cannot recover my selfe out Answ It is the Pool of Bethesda appointed by God for a sinner to wait at and the way of God that he will be found in and the place in which he hath abundantly promised in his Word that he will manifest himselfe to us in he never said to any soul that doth wait upon him in the way of his ordinances seek ye me in vain but he saith seek ye me in this way and you shall finde me aske hear and you shall have for these ordinances are my Pipes of conveyance Object But why doth God promise eternall life onely to those that beleeve and threaten death to those that do not beleeve seeing it is not in a mans power by nature to beleeve Answ 1. That the Lord might by means of these promises and threats work us unto that which by nature we are averse unto 2 Cor. 11. 20 21. 2. That the grace of God might as well appear in giving power to beleeve as in giving Christ and in him forgiveness of sins to be beleeved Rom. 9. 16. So then it is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy so again Rom. 11. 5 6 7. 3. That all men might appeare more and more inexcusable when neither promises nor threats will move them to embrace free mercy Acts 13. 46. Seeing you put the word from you loe we turne to the Gentiles and in the 51. verse so they shooke the
dust of their feet against them Acts 18. 6 7. 4. That we might apply our selves unto God in the use of those meanes that he hath appointed for the working of faith in us Joh. 6. 27. Labour not for the meat that perisheth but for that which endureth unto everlasting life Isa 55. 3. Incline your eare and come unto me hear and your soule shall live 5. That we might wholly deny our selves and search and by searching finde in the Covenant of grace matter of free conveyance of power to beleeve whatsoever is required to be beleeved Rom. 10. 17. Joh. 5. 39. Psal 119. 9 98 99 104 105. Rom. 4. 6. The soul being brought thus far on his journey toward heaven as 1. To be powerfully convinced by the Spirit of God as in Joh. 16. 8. this Spirit doth convince us of our own naturall misery and of Christs supernaturall al-sufficiency to remove it In the next place the soul begins to enquire after a remedy and finds that there is no other name given under heaven whereby it can be saved but by Christ alone so the soul begins to hear what Christ saith in his Word to poor sinners Mat. 11. 28. Come to me saith Christ I will give thee rest Isa 55. 7. I will abundantly pardon thee Isa 55. 1. Come come come to me saith Christ Revel 22. 17. Take the water of life freely If thou doest confesse and forsake thy sin thou shalt finde mercy Prov. 28. 13. 1 Joh. 1. 9. Nay if thou canst not forsake them if thou dost but truly confesse them he will pardon thee Jer. 3. 13. Mica 7. 18. 19. But if thou finde not the conditions of the promise wrought in thee then apply those absolute promises that are made without condition viz. They shall be all taught of God Joh. 6. 45. And I will blot out all thy sins for my own Name sake Isa 43. 25. Jer. 31. 34. I will forgive their iniquity and their sin I will remember no more I will sprinckle clean water upon you and you shall be clean Ezek. 36. 25. and again I will give you a new heart and take away the stony heart Ezek. 36. 26. Isa 48. 9. 28. 11. Dan. 9. 17. 1 Joh. 1. 1 2. He the Lord Jesus Christ is the propitiation for our sins Heb. 8. 12. For I will be mercifull to their unrighteousnesse and their sins will I remember no more Rom. 5. 20. Where sinne abounded grate did much more abaund Rom. 4. 5. But to him that worketh not but beleeveth on him that justifieth the ungodly his faith is counted for righteousnesse Jer. 24. 7. I will give them an heart to know me that I am the Lord and they shall be my people and I will be their God Rom. 5. 6. For when we were yet without strength in due time Christ dyed for the ungodly 2. Cor. 5. 21. For he hath made him to be sin for us that knew no sin that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him Isa 5. 3. 6. The Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all 1 Pet. 2. 24. Who his own selfe bare our sins in his own body on the tree that we being dead unto him should live unto righteousnesse by whose stripes we are healed Now all this is written that we might have a strong consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us as in Heb. 6. 18. and so sit down quiet in hope of eternall life which God that cannot lie hath promised before the world began Tit. 1. 2. In a word Our heavenly Father hath made his Will and given us poor undone sinners great wealth rich possessions and large legacies so that all his children are great heires Rom. 8. 17. Wherefore we ought to have an unshaken expectation and a frequent seeking for all that is promised and not to suffer the heavenly Father to purse or keep a penny that is due but he shall be sure to hear of his promise made to us in his Will and Covenant and if he do not presently give in according to Covenant let us draw a petition and preserre it in the Court of heaven where we have an Advocate prepared Jesus Christ the righteous to plead thy cause without a see 1 Joh. 2. 1. Isa 43. 25. Now when a soul begins to clear up and to beleeve and apply these and the like pretious promises the Devill comes in as a roaring Lyon like a Jaylor that hath lost a prisoner the World comes and holds forth her two fair breasts of profit and pleasure to a lure the soul to returne to its first state of security and so both the World and the Dâ—vill lay siege against our owne misgiving hearts and so all three bending their forces together to cheat the soule or at last to ingage the whole man to put a stop to this blessed worke they begin againe to cheat the soule under more specious pretences covering all the grosse sins flowing from the deceitfull heart with the mantle of Religion and so promise the soule peace and bring it into trouble promise it honour and bring it to disgrace promise it liberty and bring it into bondage promise the soule life and bring it to death and so hide pride under the name of decencie and bring in Covetousnesse under the name of good husbandry clothe Drunkennesse under the name of good fellowship and hide Frowardnesse under the name of Zeale so that sin sings to us and sinks us it kisseth us and betrays us Who would imagine that whiles a man cries out against Pride Covetousnesse Cruelty Treason Heresie Blasphemy c. that he himselfe should be the spring from whence these issue In a word a man may as well tell the starres and number the sands of the sea as reckon up all the deceits in ones own heart At length the poore soule is awakened again and begins to see it is cheated on every side and so breaks forth in these or the like words thoughts or both Well saith the poor soule you have convinced me of sinne or rather the Spirit of God in the of reading the forementioned Scriptures and you have also laid before me the remedy but unlesse you can as an instrument in Gods hand take away all the stumbling blocks that are in my way to heaven I see I shall do nothing but fall for the Devill is ever and anone casting a stumbling block in my way and so doeth the World and so doth my owne deceitfull desperate wicked heart my worst enemy of all that I no sooner have gotten over one stumbling block but another is laid in my way and I walk in the dark and see little or no light and so am ready to fall over every block and my falling so often doth make me so weak that I fear I shall fall so long that I shall never be able to rise again see in Psal 140. 10. 1 Pet. 2. 8.
sinne which leaves no place for any religious fear suspicion jealousie or trouble of heart about it for they sinne wilfully obstinately maliciously and blasphemously without all colour shadow or possibility of remorse or repentance the proof Mat. 12. 31 32. Heb. 6. 4. 10. 6. to the 31. 2. They that sinne against the Holy Ghost are such as are under the raign and dominion of sinne such as never had any power of godlinesse but only a forme c. 3. They that sinne against the Holy Ghost apostatize and fall away finally but although regenerate persons sometimes fall wofully as we have proved before yet they never fall finally they alwaies rise again 4. They that sinne against the holy Ghost were never advanced beyond the degree of hypocrites as hath been evidenced by regenerate persons for they partake of the truth of grace power of godlinesse and life of God and men nor Devills cannot pluck them out of Christs hand 5. They that sinne against the Holy Ghost universally fall away both from profession and approbation of truth and grace but the new born never fall away thus universally 6. They that sinne against the Holy Ghost so sinne that it is impossible to renew them again unto repentance but they that are regenerate repent of every sinne that they fall into before they die either in generall or particular 7. They that sinne against the Holy Ghost sinne wilfully and maliciously but as hath been cleared regenerate persons sinne out of weaknesse and infirmity not of malice or wilfull obstinacy they hate the evill which they doe Rom. 7. 15. Mr. Francis Roberts in his Book called A Beleevers evidence for eternall life saith it is possible that men may fall totally and finally and yet not commit this sinne unlesse they also fall maliciously these three properties of this grand apostasie 1. Universall 2. Finall 3. Malicious must be joyntly all together not disjoyntly or severally one from another if by them we would describe the sinne against the Holy Ghost and rightly understand the Scripture about it Wherefore to close up my answer for the removing of this stumbling block let all poor souls forbear a little their hard conceits of themselves and suspend their censures for they that have worst thoughts of themselves are not alwaies in the worst condition every one that feareth he hath sinned against the Holy Ghost must not presently be concluded to have committed that horrid sinne of sinnes for such sinnes may arise first from the weaknesse not knowing thy state or the nature of this sinne truly and distinctly and partly from Satans wickednesse abusing thy weaknesse that so if it were possible he might drive thee to despair but credit neither thy own weaknesse nor Satans wickednesse lest thou bar the door of mercy that God hath opened so wide to thee and all other trembling misgiving babes lay these things together and enter into a serious searching of thy owne heart and take the answer of thy own conscience so farre as it is regulated by the Word and thou wilt presently finde that thou hast not committed this unpardonable sinne neither in thought word nor deed c. XVI The sixteenth stumbling block Well saith the poor soul I see I have not sinned that unpardonable sin that block is removed and my heart begun to be cheared and the mercy gate by faith I saw opened but behold I see another stumbling block even a mighty mountain or many blocks and mountains laid all together so that I have no hope at present either to get over it or to have it removed viz. originall sinne in every member of my body and every faculty of my soul and actuall sins in all things that ever I have done so that the whole man is a lump of sinne Besides I see the world flesh and Devill joyn all together against me and I doe finde them too strong for me it is better for me to die that I might cease from sinne and know the worst of my torment for I see all the plagues threatned against sinners both in the Old and New Testament hang over my head therefore sure speak to me no more unlesse you speak of the torments of hell as for me I have no hope of obtaining mercy and pardon I am even ready to say with Cain Gen. 4. 13. My punishment is greater then I can bear Wherefore with Judas I am ready to hang my self but before I do either I will with Job curse the day of my birth Job 3. 1 2 3 4 5 6. After this Job opened his mouth and cursed his day Let the day perish wherein I was born let that day be darknesse let not God regard it and as for that night let darknesse seise upon it let it not be joyned unto the daies of the year let it not come into the number of the moneths If I could reckon up how many minutes since the time I was born then I might know the number of my sins for I am guilty of as many sinnes as I have lived minutes if not more and who can dwell in everlasting burning Oh! I hear that voice sounding in mine ears Rem 2. 8 9. Tribulation and anguish and indignation and wrath upon every soul of man that doth evill upon the Jew first and also upon the Gentile shall one sinne cast down the best Saints and shall not ten hundred thousand sinnes damn me body and soul one sinne tript up the heels of Noah the righteousest man in the world one sinne cast down Abraham the greatest beleever in the world one sinne threw down David the best King in the world one sinne cast down Paul the greatest Apostle in the world one sinne threw down Sampson the strongest man in the world one sinne cast down Solomon the wisest man in the world and another Moses the meekest man in the world and another sinne cast down Job the patientest man in the world Answ For the removing of this great stumbling block consider that thy sinnes are but finite at the most but Gods mercy is infinite I say his pardoning mercy is infinite wherefore give over saying with Peter Luk. 5. 8. Depart from me for I am a sinfull man and say with David Pardon my sin for it is wondrous great Psal 25. 11. It is true every soul is empty of all good and filled with all evill and is a transgressor from the womb so that man is born 1. An enemy to God Ephes 2. 5. Col. 1. 21. 2. A childe of the Devill Ephes 2. 1. 1 Joh. 3. 8 10. 3. An heir of hell Mat. 23. 15. So that man in his conception birth thoughts words and actions is become altogether from the crown of the head to the sole of the foot sinfull there is nothing but wounds and sores iniquity transgression and rebellion yea the choicest piece also the soul in all its faculties is corrupted the Understanding is blinded as to spirituall things 1 Cor. 2. 24. and
hast in thee many good things thou wantest but that one thing needfull and thou shalt be perfect make Christ thy portion and sell thy own portion and follow him Mat. 19. 21. Thou hast almost perswaded me to be a Christian Act. 26. 28. Object But what shall we that are in the state of nature do that so we might if not get immediately out of that state into a state of grace yet that we might be continually waiting upon God in the use of those means appointed by him to change us c Answ The way with the wise man in Mat. 7. 24. to build our house upon the Rock is as followeth 1. Be throughly convinced that thou hast hitherto built upon the sand which will easily appear if thou consider 1. What thou art by nature 2. What thou art by practise 1. What thou art by nature not only born in sin but left in a condition unable to recover thy self Job 14. 4. Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean not one Job 25. 4. How can he be clean that is born of a woman Psal 51. 5. Behold I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my mother conceive me Mic. 7. 2. There is none upright amongst men Rom. 5. 12. Wherefore as by one man sin entred into the world and death by sin so that death passed upon all men for that all have sinned Rom. 3. 9 10. Both Jew and Gentile they be all under sin as it is written there is none righteous no not one Rom. 3. 12. They be all and altogether become unprofitable there is none that doth good no not one Psal 14. 3. We are all gone out of the way we are all become unprofitable and filthy none righteous not one Now if all this be too little to compleat our condemnation wo go astray as soon as ever we are born Ps 58. 3. Gen. 6. 5. Every imagination of the thoughts of our hearts was only evill and that continually Yea all the Saints themselves before conviction conversion and regeneration were guilty of originall and actuall transgression Ephes 2. 3. and were by nature the children of wrath as well as others 1 Cor. 6. 9 10 11. Neither Fornicators nor Idolaters nor Adulterers nor effeminate nor abusers of themselves nor theeves nor covetous nor drunkards nor revilers nor extortioners shall inherit the kingdome of God and such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ Tit. 3. 3. For we our selves were sometimes foolish disobedient serving divers lusts and pleasures living in malice and envie hatefull and hating one another 1 Tim. 1. 13. I was before a blasphemer and a persecutor Eccles 7. 20. So that there is not a just man upon earth according to creation and practise that doth good and sinneth not and thus man which at the beginning was created happy is become of all creatures most miserable viz. a slave to the Devill a childe of wrath and an enemy to good and an heir to eternall damnation Eph. 2. 3. Now we cannot come out of this miserable estate untill we come to him who is the fountain of life and brought to him we can never be but by faith Heb. 11. 6. For as God is the life of the soul and the soul is the life of the body so faith is the life of our enjoyments and the promises are the life of faith now when a man or woman comes to be throughly and powerfully and effectually convinced that he or she was born in sin and have ever since lived in sin and that all the plagues and judgements threatned in the whole Bible are due to them for their sins as appears by these Scriptures Rom. 6. 23. The wages of sin is death Rev. 14. 10. These shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God which is powred forth without mixture in the cup of his indignation Psal 9. 17. The wicked shall be turned into hell and all they that forget God Rom. 2. 9. Tribulation and anguish indignation and wrath upon every soul of man that doth evill of the Jew first and also of the Gentile see Deut. 27. 26. Deut. 28. 16 17 18 19 20. But besides all this the sinfulnesse of man by nature will further appear if we examine every faculty of the soul viz. the understanding is full of vanity see Psal 94. 11. nay it is full of blindnesse 1 Cor. 2. 24. unteachablenesse and incredulity 2 Cor. 4. 4. So the will of man is wholly depraved 1. It is contrary to God his word and Spirit in all things 2. It will not depend nor wait on God 3. it is unconstant in good resolutions 4. it disobeyes the will of God as we may see in Adams eating the fruit and Sauls sparing the Amalekites King and Cattle Then for the memory that also is full of corruption 1. That will forget the things that it is commanded to remember 2. It will remember the things that we are commanded to forget it will hold trifles and let go matters of moment So the conscience that is wholly corrupted 1. it is without feeling it is neither clear to see things that are amisse nor sensible of sins committed 2. Whereas it should excuse or accuse it doth abuse and pervert the light it hath by making great sins small c. Then for our affections they are also corrupt they come as a tempest and carry us away either to make us over-love over-grieve over-joy c. we hate our brother which we should love love our lusts whom we should hate by all which we may see that our nature is full of unrighteousnesse and ungodlinesse 2. If thou and I consider what we are by practise we may quickly finde our sins to be more then the hairs of our heads or sands on the sea shore Examine first thy actuall sins of thought word and deed in our thoughts there is much corruption they being idle vain wicked and so foolish as Dr. Preston saith If a man should write his thoughts of one day and read them at night he would think he was half out of his wits now thoughts are the first born and blossome of the soul and are the first plotters and contrivers of good or evill with them we entertain good in the temple of our hearts Then for our words the tongue being very slippery we offend easily St. James compares the tongue to a bit which keeps in the wildest horse and to a rudder which turnes the greatest ship and to a fire which inflames the whole course of nature Jam. 3. 3 4 5. Yet most men think it nothing to let their tongues walk up and down at randome from morning till night from week to week from moneth to moneth from year to year Then see it again by most mens actions their sins of commission their number greatnesse frequency and thou wilt soon say as in the Psal 19. 12. Who can
Jer. 6. 21. For answer unto which let me acquaint the reader that I have had a little experience of these blocks in the way of a sinner to its Saviour The first stumbling block that lyeth in the way is this saith one I am sometimes unsatisfied and remain staggering and doubting whether the Scriptures called the Old and New Testament be the Word God yea or no. Answ If the Scriptures be not the Word of God then there is no rule to walk by but that every man may walk according to his own heart and as it seems good in his own eyes and this is a most pleasing bait whereby our Rantors and new upstart wantons are insnared and become the tribe of disobedience begotten by the seed of the Serpent and travelling towards the land of confusion and they will shortly arrive at the anger of God and be cast into the pit of his eternall displeasure But that the Scriptures are the Word of God it will clearly appear if we consider 1. By the powerfull effects that the Word hath and doth work upon the consciences of men as to avoid the evill and to chuse the good besides many wonderfull effects that have been wrought thereby in all ages 2. It doth appear that the Bible is the Word of God because it holds out holinesse more then any book in the world and they hold forth a self-denying spirit more then any book besides in the world by all which it doth appear that it is the Word of God 3. It doth further appear to be the Word of God because we finde many of the same things written in our hearts by the Finger of God his Spirit bearing witnesse with ours that we are his and both bearing witnesse that this is his Word 4. In respect of the matter of the Scripture it doth appear to be the Word of God for there cannot be more glorious matter for the creature to be centred upon so also for the sweet dependency of the creatures one upon another beasts nourish men and grasse them 5. The Scripture doth appear to be the Word of God because those things that have been promised the rein have in the appointed time come to passe in all ages so that things have fallen out in every age according to their severall prophesies and all this being so doth make it plainly appear to be the Word of God Now when a poor sinner converted hath gotten over this stumbling block and is in some measure satisfied that this is the Word of God so that the subtle Devill and his own deceitfull heart cannot cheat him here then he casts in a second stumbling block II. It is true it cannot be denyed but this is the Word of God and were it truly translated as it was left by the Prophets and Apostles in Hebrew and in Greek it were something but alas the Scripture is corrupted by a spirit of ignorance or a spirit of self-ends in our translations Answ It is possible here and there a word is not so clearly translated but what is that to thee seeing thou art not to build thy faith and adventure thy soul upon God as held forth in any single text but according to the harmony of Scriptures or generall scope and so they be truly translated as to instance in the Scriptures of the Old Testament Christ exhorted them to read the Scriptures and it cannot appear that the Bible should be corrupted since for besides the Apostles there were many thousands of learned Jewes that came to professe the Gospell Act. 21. 20. Jam. 1. 1. And the truth being so gloriously planted it doth appear it could not be corrupted the generality of Scriptures are truly clearly and faithfully translated so that whosoever readeth and understandeth affecteth beleeveth and applyeth and practiseth what is there held forth it is able to make him wise throughly furnished unto every good work c. and so we come to the third stumbling block III. I cannot but grant saith the doubting sinner but that the Scriptures are the Word of God as hath been proved and that they are not so much corrupted by the Translators but in the main and generall bulk are pure and clear but what is all this to me saith the poor soul If God had spoken particularly to me by his Prophets and Apostles as he did to the Jewes and Gentiles then it it were something but alas these promises were made to the people then as being and what is that to me unlesse God had spoken to me as he did to them Answ The promises do belong unto us now in being as well as unto them as doth clearly appear by these and the like Scriptures Rom. 15. 4. For whatsoever was written afore-time was written for our learning Joh. 17. 20. Neither pray I for these alone but for them also that shall beleeve in me through their word 1 Cor. 9. 10. Saith he it altogether for their sakes for our sakes no doubt this is written Rom. 4. 23 24. Now it was not written for his sake alone but for us also 1 Cor. 10. 11. Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples unto us and they are written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come Peter tels us from the Lord 2 Pet. 1. 20. that we must not make the Scripture speak in a private sense that is wee must not analyse or interpret them so as if the Prophesies thereof did relate only to the particular times places and persons in by and to whom they were at first uttered c. IV. After the sinner is got over the three former stumbling blocks he begins to run the waies of Gods Commandements and in his way he meets with a fourth block It is true saith he the Scriptures are the Word of God and in the main truly translated and they speak to me upon whom the ends of the world is come as well as unto the people in former ages But how shall I know what they mean The Scripture is to be understood in a spirituall sense the Book is sealed to me I cannot open the seal I want the Key of the Bible the Spirit of the Lord Isa 29. 11. Answ It is true the word is a spirituall word for holy men of old spake as the Spirit gave them utterance and the Apostles spake as the Spirit gave them utterance Act. 2. 4. So that neither the learned man nor the unlearned man can understand this Book till the Spirit of God doth open this unto them see Isa 29. 11 12. And the Apostles themselves although they had been a long time with Christ and heard his woâ—ds and seen his miracles yet Christ after his resurrection must come and open their understandings before they could understand the Scriptures Luk. 24. 45. Again the Scriptures are sometimes to be understood in a literall sense sometimes in a spirituall sense and sometimes in both sometimes as they are exprest sometimes as included sometimes as
how meane soever the speakers gifts seeme unto thee Set not lightly by the declarations and applications of the Scriptures either by such as have the extraordinary gifts of prophesying see 1 Cor. 14. 15. or by the ordinary gifts 3. For the fitting and tryall of men for the Ministery 4. For the preserving pure the doctrine of the Church which is more indangered if some one or two alone may onely be heard and speak Act. 2. 42. 5. For the debating and satisfying of doubts if any doe arise Act. 13. 15. 6. For the edifying of the Church and conversion of others alwayes provided that he have the gift of the Spirit to speak unto edification exhortation and comfort 1 Cor. 14. 3. Now to say no more in order to the removing of this last stumbling block let me exhort thee in the name and fear of the Lord to inquire and make diligent search amongst all sorts of Assemblyes prophesying and pretending to Christ for such a Congregation that of lively stones have built up a spirituall house and set down therewith many at the feet of Christ hear his words and endeavour to be serviceable to his Lambs thy fellow Members so shalt thou dwell in his house and behold his glory and inquire in his Temple Psal 27. 4. and thou being thus planted in his house shall flourish in his Courts Psal 29. And this is all I shall lay before thee or commend unto thee as touching the removing those stumbling-blocks that lye in a Christians way to Heaven and the maine end next to the glory of God that put me upon removing these stumbling blocks is that we might keep up faith in our soules which will be of singular use unto us viz. 1. It will purifie the heart Acts 15. 9. 2. It will enable us to heare the word with profit Heb. 4. 2. 3. It will inable us to overcome the world 1 John 5. 4. 4. It will inable us to overcome the Devill Ephes 6. 16. 5. It will make mercies present that are absent Heb. 11. 1. 13. 6. It will fill the Soule with joy unspeakable 1 Pet. 1. 8. 7. It will multiply peace in the Soule Rom. 5. 1 2. 8. It will assure a Soule that God will answer his prayers James 1. 5 6. 9. It will inable us to be fruitfull in well-doing even to shew forth our faith by our workes James 2. 18. it will inable us not only to do the thing commanded but as it is commanded Rom. 14. 23. 10. It will not only give us the title of honour of being called the children of Abraham but it will furnish us with a heart and principle to walke in the steps of our Father Abraham to come forth of our own Countrey as he did if God call us and to trust upon God although he had but a bare word for it and to give God as he did his own time to make God his owne promise and to part with the nearest and dearest thing for God at first word and to look through all difficulties and impossibilities unto the fulnesse of God and so to believe in hope against hope and so to wait upon God as not to neglect the meanes Faith Prayer Hope c. for the accomplishment of the mercy promised yea this faith will help the soule to act in Spirituall duties from Spirituall ends as from the sence of Divine love that doth as it were constraine the soule to waite upon God and to waite upon God and to act for God in love to God the choice and pretious discoveries that the soul hath formerly had of the beauty and glory of God whilst it hath been in the service of God the blessed love-letters the glorious kisses and the sweet imbraces that a believing soul hath had from Christ in his service this doth provoke and move the soule to wait upon him in the way of his Ordinances but an unbeliever doth put himselfe upon religious duties only from externall motives as the Eare of the creature the Eye of the creature the reward of the creature and the keeping up of a name amongst the creatures and a thousand such lâ—ke considerations and as we may see in Jehu Saul Judas Demas and the Scribes and Pharisees c. It would much heighten our Faith if we did seriously consider the sweet condescentions of our tender Lord God to all staggering misgiving weak Christians viz. Luke 9. 56. but The Son of Man is not come to destroy mens lives but to save them 1 Tim. 2. 5. I am saith Christ willing that all should be saved and come to knowledge of the truth Mat. 9. 13. I came not to call the Righteous but Sinners to repentance Heb. 2. 15. I am saith Christ to deliver those that were all their life time subject to bondage Jer. 3. 12. Heb. 8. 12. I am very mercifull and will be mercifull and will pardon thy Sins Isa 43. 25. Though thou deservest nothing of me yet I will pardon thy Sins for my owne name sake and though it doth seeme impossible to thee that I should be so mercifull Mark 9. 23. Consider all things are possible to him that believeth Obj. O but I am the child of wicked Parents and the Lord hath said he will visit the sinnes of the Fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generation Answ If a wicked Father and Mother beget a Son that seeth all his Parents sinnes and considereth and doth not such like that Sonne shall not bear the iniquity of his Father Ezek. 18. 14. 20. Ezek. 16. 3. to the 13. besides we finde in Scripture that wicked Parents had good Children 2 Kings 16. 20. wicked Ahab had good Hezekiah Idolatrous Ammon zealous Josiah 2 Kings 22. 2. see 2 Kings 21. 21 22. and ungodly Saul had a godly Jonathan nay if thou be a Bastard the child of a Whore that doth not hinder thee neither to be saved for Gods servant Jeptha was a Bastard so was his servant Phares who is reckoned in Christs owne Genealogie compare Judges 11. 1. with Heb. 11. 32. compare Gen. 38. 18. and 29. and Ruth 4. 12. with Mat. 1. 3. in a word he that is borne a Bastard if he be borne againe of the Spirit he is reckoned among the Sonns of God Obj. But I am an old Sinner and have one foot already in the grave saith another trembling Soule Answ Christ doth call some at the ninth houre yea some at the eleventh houre and saith Jer. 3. 5. returne unto me and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon thee I will multiply pardons for thee Isa 55. 7. Nay if thou hast been an Idolater an Adulterer a Thief a Drunkard yet we finde in Scripture such were many of the Lords deare ones that are now in Heaven 1 Cor. 9. 6. 9 10 11. Tit. 3. 3 4 5 6 7. What shall we say Christ left his own glory and came into the world to save Sinners Joh. 17. 5. 1. Tim. 1. 15. though he
keep the Gospel from being preached if he cannot do that he will labour to poyson the doctrine if he cannot do that he will endeavour to keep the people from hearing if he cannot prevaile in that he will endeavour to have them hear negligently if he cannot do that he will endevour to hinder them in receiving those things that doe most concern them if he cannot do that then he will do what he can to hinder them in the practise of what they have heard learned received and treasured up and if so no mervail that there is so much preaching and hearing and so little good done that we might even say the converting power of the Ordinances are gone we see not God in them it is even dark and professors themselves walk in the dark and are so beset with temptations that they have much adoe to hold up Surely there is a way if we could light on it there is a spirituall skill if we could attain it if we could find it we should take a Bible and read and understand what we read and effect it believe it and apply it and enjoy it O Lord poure out thy spirit and open those Seals wherewith our Bible is sealed the Key of Logick cannot open the Seales the Key of Rhetorick and Phylosophy cannot open it it is that golden Key the spirit of the Lord that can do it that spirit will shew us how much of the Scripture is already fulfilled what is now fulfilling and what is yet to be fulfilled yea this is the way to know what Scriptures are to be understood litterally and what spiritually this will help us how to know when Christ speaks Mysterially and when he speaks Regally when he speaks to us as a Priest or as a Pprophet c. Now is not this blessed Key of the Bible the Spirit of the Lord worth an asking Luke 11. 13. If ye then being evill know how to give good gifts unto your Children how much more shall your heavenly Father give the holy spirit to them that ask him Oh let us ask then that we may receive that our joy may be full it is no â—esse then the mighty work of God to give us understanding in his Word Luke 24. 25. Then opened he their understanding that they might understand the Scriptures by his holy spirit giving them understanding it is true the Word of God shineth as a true light yet as the cloudy pillar was darkness to the Egyptians so are the Scripures to carnall and corrupt mindes because it is spiritually discerned 1 Cor. 2. 14. untill the Holy Ghost open the understanding it cannot apprehend there is no worse cloud to obscure the light of the spirit then confidence in our own wisdome 2 Cor. 2. 3 4. Psal 119. 18. 1 Cor. 3. 7. So that where God who hath the key of David opens not there the Gospel though never so powerfully preached is hid and nothing affecteth the stupid the drowsie hearer See 2 Cor. 2. 4. Therefore let every Christian have a recourse to those promises in Scripture wherein he hath promised to open our blinde eyes and soften our hard hearts and fill us with the knowledge of his will and write his Law in our hearts and manifest himself to our soules our heavenly Father hath made his will and given us great wealth rich possessions and large legacies so that all his children are great heires wherefore we ought to come to him with an unshaken expectation and a frequent suing for all that is promised and not to suffer our heavenly Father to purse or keepe one penny that is due to us by promise but he shall be sure to heare of it and if he do not presently give in according to his covenant then let us draw a Petition and prefer it in the Court of Heaven where we have an Advocate pregared Jesus Christ the righteous to plead our case without a fee 1 Joh. 2. 1. Now this spirituall skill before spoken of which here I do endeavor to point at doth lye much in these three things 1. Consider whose Word it is and by whom it was spoken 2. Consider what he is that hath thus spoken to us by the Prophets 3. Consider what are the particular things or promises in it 1. Consider whose and by whom it was spoken and how it hath relation to us of these things or at least of some of them I have spoken somthing to in another Treatise but for two reasons I do write them here First because they are suitable and will fall in in order to what I have been writing in this Book Secondly because the Lord hath enlarged them upon my own heart well to return to the businesle in hand whose Word it is My friends that book which we call the Bible is the Word of God as we have proved at large in removing the first stumbling block the Prophets and Apostles were the mouth of God to the people as doth appeare in and by these Scriptures which I shall onely quote and leave the Reader to consider them Acts 3. 21. Heb. 1. 1. Acts 2. 4. Luke 10. 16. Mat. 10. 20. Now if these be the sayings of God they shall be undoubtedly made good so that every tittle of them shall be fulfilled Mat. 5. 18. Luke 16. 17. Tit. 1. 2. Heb. 10. 23. Obj. I grant this that it is the saying of God but what is that to me saith a misgiving heart Alas these precious promises that you lay before me are not mine they were made to the people then in being Answ They do belong to us as well as unto them and were written for our learning as well as theirs as doth appeare by these John 17. 20. Rom. 15. 4. 1 Cor. 9. 10. Rom. 4. 23 24. 1 Cor. 10. 11. By all which it doth fully appear that the promises and threatnings doe reach and relate to us as well as the people then in being to whom it was spoken 2 Pet. 1. 20. for no prophesie of the Scripture is of any private interpretation that is we must not analise or interpret them so as if the Prophesies thereof did relate only to the particular Times Places and Persons in by and to whom they were at first uttered c. 2. Let us consider what he is that hath thus spoken to us in the Old and New Testament by the Prophets and Apostles for it is of exceeding great advantage to us to know him They that know thee will put their trust in thee And the reason wherefore we have so little faith in him is because we have so little knowledge of him c. 1. He is one that waiteth to shew mercy and doth not afflict willingly Mch. 7. 18. Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth iniquity because thou dost delight in mercy therefore verse 19. he will have compassion upon us he will subdue our iniquity and cast all our sinnes in the deepe of the Sea 2. He is one that hath
re-insnarement and re-intanglement in sinne and sinnefull courses as that he is thereby overcome and made the servant and slave of sinne again for of whom a man is overcome of the same is he brought into bondage to doe the will of sinne to obey it in the lusts thereof and to give up his members as servants to commit iniquity and that with greedinesse But I trust this is not thy state and if not consider that we have proved before that sinnes against light and checks of conscience have been pardoned and sins against experimentall tasts of Spirituall things have been pardoned and blasphemous thoughts have been pardoned and some fallen from their first love have been restored so thou hast no just cause to doubt of but rather to betake thy selfe unto Gods pardoning mercy freely tendred to thee in Jesus Christ XIV The fourteenth stumbling block Well say many misgiving hearts I could almost beleeve but that it is so difficult a thing to beleeve in health and prosperity is easie but to beleeve when tryals come O then O then the difficulty appeareth wherefore I would not have my wounded soul healed slightly as in Jer. 6. 14. Most men by their glossings and flatteries lull people asleep in security bearing them in hand that there is no such dangerous matter against them and so draw a skin over places full of corrupt matter which will cause the wound to fester the more inwardly to the patients greater and further evill I fear my graces are not true but counterfeit for all is not gold that glisters and that which men call faith is but fancie and that which they call zeale is but unnaturall heate and passion and that light men have is but common it is short of that many have attained to that are now in hell Answ If thou hast but the least grain of faith in thee it will lead thee to the Sunne of righteousnesse that ariseth with healings in his wings Mal. 4. 2. 1. This Physician will cure thee speedily Psal 46. 1. 2. He will heale thee perfectly Matth. 14. 36. 3. He will cure all thy diseases whatsoever universally Mat. 9. 35. 4. He cures every one he takes in hand freely Isa 55. 1. Revel 22. 17. 5. He doth heal those that come to him eternally Jer. 17. 14. And if any say their sins are great he saith his mercy is greater If thy sins be of diverse sorts he tels thee in his Word that in him there is multitudes of mencies If thou say thy sins have been repeated he tels thee his mercies are revealed and renewed every morning If thou say thou art unfit for mercy he saith in his Word if thou thoughtest thy selfe fit for mercy thou shouldest not have mercy We read in the booke of Martyrs of some that were so full of misgivings of heart and fears did doubt they should never hold out to suffer for Christ but when they came to the tryall they prayed earnestly and were strengthened immediately and suffered valiantly when some others that boasted of their strength had no strength to suffer We also read of some others that could not dispute for Christ and yet they would die for him one â—icely Ormes Martyr when she was brought to the stake layes her hand on it and sayes Welcome the Crosse of Christ and then kissed it and said Welcome the sweet Crosse of Christ Again we read of one Mr. John Bradford being brought to the stake took up a faggot and kissed it and turning his head to the young man that suffered with him said Be of good comfort brother for we shall have a merry supper with the Lord this night and imbracing the reeds said Straight is the way and narrow is the gate that leadeth to eternall salvation and few there be that finde it By all which we may see that many pretious soules have had true grace and yet have feared that they have had none true grace we see will inable a man to step over the worlds Crown to take up Christs Crosse to preferre the Crosse of Christ above the glory and bravery of this World One Godfry of Bullein first King of Jerusalem refused to be crowned with a Crown of gold saying that it became not a Christian to weare a Crown of gold where Christ had wore a Crown of thornes and we may see by dayly experience that there is many a poor questioning weake Christian will follow Christ through thick and thin whilest many of the great professors that did seem to be pillars in the Church doe fall away with Doctor Demas from Christ to imbrace this present World or else with the young man in the Gospell come and bid fair for heaven but when Christ sets his Crosse before him he steps over that to enjoy the Worlds Crowne when Christ bid him goe and sell all that he had and give to the poore he went away sorrowfull for he had great possessions if heaven be to be had upon no other termes Christ may keepe his heaven to himselfe hee 'l have none of it but true grace doth worke the heart to the hatred of all sinne and to the love of all truth it workes a man to the hatred of those sinnes that for his life he cannot conquer and to loathe those sinnes that he would give all the World to overcome so that he can say though there be no one sinne subdued in him yet every sinne is hated and loathed by him so that though sinne dwell in him yet it doth not live in him Now if thou hast any wisdome from Christ it will lead thee to center in the wisdome of Christ and that love the soul hath from Christ it leads the soul by degrees to center in the love of Christ and that righteousnesse the soul hath from Christ it lead the soul to rest and center in the righteousnesse of Christ the streame doth not more naturally lead to the fountaine nor the effect to the cause then true grace leads the soul to Christ But pretended grace leads the soul to rest and center in the promises of men or in the rewards of creâ—tures whereas true faith if it injoy Christ without honour it will satisfie the soul the injoyment of Christ without riches will satisfie the soul the injoyment of Christ without relations the injoyment of Christ without pleasure and without smiles of the creatures will content and satisfie the soul though honour is not and riches are not and health is not and friends are not it is enough that Christ is mine and I am his my being and well being consists not in honour for then Pharaoh had been blessed neither in wit naturall for then Achitothel had been blessed not in wealth for then Ahab had been blessed all these are but leaves that may grow on such a figge-tree as Christ hath cursed wherefore I would be such a tree that hath a root which is hope a heart which is faith a barke which is charity and branches which
are spirituall virtues green leaves which are good words and fruit which are good works Besides thou mayest know whether thou are sound in the maine by these things 1. Thou wilt walke more by rule then by example 2. And be willing to be searched in all things and not only to doe but to suffer for the name of Christ and to mourne in secret when God is dishonoured 3. Thou wilt do all to the glory of God 1 Cor. 10. 31. XV. The fifteenth stumbling block I have sinned that unpardonable sinne against the holy Ghost that God will not pardon in this life nor in the life to come there is no hope for me Mat. 12. 31 32. I have sinned against my light and the checks of mine own conscience I have sinned against the experimentall tastes of spirituall things I have crucified Christ afresh I have had many blasphemous thoughts in mine heart I have fearfully fallen away from my first love and I finde my heart as hard as a stone without all repentance for all this Answ Originall sin is the proper seed spawn and fountain of this sin aswell as of any other but every sinne against the light of minde and checks of conscience is not that sinne Rom. 7. 15 19. nor every falling away from the first love Revel 2. 4. Nay farther the sin against the Holy Ghost is not every blasphemous temptation for the dearest Saints and servants of God have been so as frequent experience doth prove not every sinne against knowledge is that sin against the Holy Ghost for the best of Gods people have so done Rom. 7. 19 20. Peter knew he ought not to deny his Lord and Master David knew he ought not to commit adultery nor kill yet strength of corruption drew him into both not every sinne against the truth of Christ and the Gospell is the sinne against the Holy Ghost as those in the Church of Corinth that denyed the Resurrection 1 Cor. 15. 12. and those in the Church of Pergamus that held the Doctrine of Balaam and the Doctrine of the Nicolaitanes yet are not accounted hopelesse but invited to repent of their opinions Neither is it every sinning against the gracious motions strivings and operations of the Holy Ghost for it is possible men may thus sinne and sometimes with an high hand and yet not sinne against the holy Ghost Act. 7. 51 52. Neither is it sinning against grace received for the most heavenly and gracious souls are daily perplexed with inseparable and invincible infirmities as doubts fears distracting thoughts distempered passions they may and doe too often quench the spirit 1 Thess 5. 19. and grieve him Ephes 4. 29 30. by suppressing his good motions nay a man may grosly fall and break his bones yet not quite fall away as Noah to drunkennesse Gen. 9. 21. Lot to incest Gen. 19. 33. David to murther and uncleannesse I suppose that these are recorded to caution them that stand that they fall not and to comfort them that are fallen that they despair not Now the Judgements of men are various as to the nature of this sinne some say it is despair others that it is presumption or an obstinate purpose of continuing in sinne or a fixed will never to repent an opposing of the known truth and an envying of our brothers graces c. Others say that the sinne against the Holy Ghost is this viz. An universall finall and wilfull falling away from the truth and common graces of the Holy Ghost once received and professed c. to a malicious obstinate and incurable opposition thereof c. 1 Here is the general nature of this sin a falling away 2 Here is the properties of this falling away 1. An Universall 2. Finall 3. Wilfull 3 The good from which he fals 1. From the truth once received and professed 2. From the common graces of the Spirit or Holy Ghost 4. The evill into which he backslides which is threefold 1. Blasphemous despiting of the Spirit of grace 2. Horrid contempt and malice against the Son of God 3. Violent persecution of the way of Christianity Now where these particulars dwell joyntly and act vigorously mark that man or woman for in Scripture sense that man doth commit the sinne against the Holy Ghost and this is the highest sinne against the saving remedy this is to sin wilfully mâ—liciously incurably this is to crucifie Christ afresh and to put him to an open shame and to tread him under foot and to count his bloud of the Covenant an unholy thing c. This sinne never can possibly be repented of for so the Apostle tels us Heb 6. 4 5 6. Again this sinne is impardonable so Christ tels us the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven nâ—ither in this world neither in the world to come Mat 12. 32. Heb. 10. 26. Mar. 3. 29. So this sinne is damnable for if it can never be repented and if it will never be pardoned it must needs alwaies be punished with eternall death and damnation but such is the love of the Almighty God that he hath placed that sinne in so high a degree that most men cannot commit that sinne if they would for there must be knowledge in the minde and malice in the heart and that not in an ordinary but in an extraordinary measure or else thou canst not commit that sinne Peter had knowledge in his minde but no malice in his heart when he denied his Master again Paul he had malice in his heart but no knowledge in his minde so that neither Paul nor Peter sinned against the Holy Ghost but take the malice in Pauls heart and the knowledge in Peters and joyne them both together in one man if that man deny Christ with cursing and swearing as Peter and persecute the Church of Christ with Paul then we may safely say that man hath sinned that unpardonable sinne But we may take notice by the way that those persons that are truly regenerate and born again cannot sinne against the Holy Ghost for the Scripture saith that the regenerate sinne not this great sinne Whosoever is borne of God sinneth not as in 1 Joh. 5. 16 17 18. For if the regenerate might sinne against the Holy Ghost then they might totally and finally fall away from God but that it is impossible as that Gods Promises Covenant and faithfulnesse should fail or that Gods Spirit grace and power preserving them should be overcome or that Gods immutable decree for their salvation should be shaken so that there is a vast difference between the sinning of a regenerate person and their sinning that sinne against the Holy Ghost 1. They that sinne against the Holy Ghost are not nor cannot be in any fear or trouble because they have sinned but are wickedly hardened for no person that ever sinned against the Holy Ghost either was or could be afraid perplexed or troubled in spirit about it such trouble being inconsistent with the nature of that