all these have born up bravely by your faith above sinking and afflicting thoughts and solaced your Soul with the joyes of Heaven if it be so magnifie mercy and yet pity those who would walk with God uprightly and do for the main but have not yet attained to that measure you have but if you have not been under these conditions and experienced what the temptations are if you will teach them their duty how they should walk do it but yet let it be with compassion the poor body will complain we live an Animal as well as a rational and spiritual life and though I know God can send in that which shall lift up a Soul above all discouragements under these conditions yet that all Christians under these conditions have such influences of grace and comfort from God alwayes abiding by them to do it though sometimes a glimpse they meet with I do not find it Secondly As to the fixing of the thoughts upon such an object so as no other thoughts intermix themselves more than they should in prayer I have nothing to say against it if this be the duty that we must separate so much time for these thoughts or meditations only What others find of intermixing of thoughts in prayer I know not but this I know who hath cause to be ashamed and humbled for such intermixings had we not a High-Priest to bear the iniquities of our holy things I know it would go ill with some body When the mind of a man is like a Spannel that runs before his Master one while he keeps before him in the path presently he is hunting on the other side the hedge then into the path he comes again and runs a while by and by gone again thus the mind one while attends the business it is about presently it slips aside to other matters then in again but to hold it firm fixed in the work alwayes in the path this some body finds hard But when we come only to thinking meditating who will fix this Quicksilver The Bird hops off one bough to another stayes long on none this vanity and inconstancy is a wretched distemper and this makes the duty of meditation so hard If the heart be laden with sorrows or filled with fears it can fix the mind upon the Objects which cause these fears or sorrows if it be enlarged with joy delight it will fix on the Object that causeth it so if love and desire be greatly drawn forth after an Object it will fix the mind upon the Object Voluntas imperat intellectui quoad exercitium actus Impellit intellectum ad considerationem But the affections must be much enlarged else they will not fix the mind Hence many Christians I do not mean such as bear the name only but real and serious Christians if I have any skill to judge by the inward acquaintance I have with them and observation of their conversation have complained much and said they find this to be such a hard duty when they set themselves apart only to think and meditate that they cannot perform it after that manner which Divines write not out of a corrupt spirit and enmity to the duty for they are very willing with it and try to do it but cannot fix their minds and make them hold to the thing they propound but for secret prayer there they make up what they cannot in meditation And in truth the prayers of many Christians what are they but their spiritual meditations expressed in words to God But if other thoughts should come in are they as sinful as in prayer wherein we deal with God immediately in Divine worship Thirdly For the time allotted for this duty one hour or half an hour To hold the mind fixed one hour or half an hour together without any other thoughts intermixed about Heavens Joyes or iudeed about any other Grace what say poor Christians to this Hath the blessed God revealed this to be his will hath he set down the time how long Christians must meditate What if a Christian cannot hold his mind fixed a quarter of an hour what if not half a quarter doth he break any Command or Rule of God form editation I know very well the Scripture speaks of meditating in the Word day and night but the meaning of that Text I hope is not according to this duty of meditation which is urged in this manner Many poor Christians who cannot meditate of Heavens Joyes or other Graces half an hour nor quarter without thoughts intermixing do yet labour to meditate in the Word both day an night Psal 1.2 that is endeavour to have their conversation framed according to the Word both day and night I honour much that holy man whose name I have forgot but he was Minister either in Wales or near Wales the same man it was as I remember whose conversion was so observable two Livings he had before his conversion but discharged not his duty to one being at a Fair and buying something at a Pedlers Stall he rends off a leaf of Mr. Perkins Catechism to put the thing into which he bought and reading a line or two in it God set home something out of it which did the work presently he parts with his best Living kept the least and proves a faithful Labourer in Gods Vineyard This holy man was observed by those who lived in the house with him to keep Fasts alone and they observed this was his manner sometimes to walk then fall down upon his knees to prayer and was not at prayer but a very short time may be five or six minutes then walk again and pray again a few minutes and thus spent his day in meditation and prayer This man I much honour that could do thus and so I do those who can meditate if two hours or ten hours but to set down times how long men should meditate I know no ground for that First I conceive under favour meditation is then rightly performed when the affections are wrought up unto a sutableness with the object I am meditating upon Would I meditate upon the vanity of the Creature to which I see my self enslaved too much if I can by meditation come to see the vanity of it by the Spirit of God assisting me that I find my affections are more loosened from is get more above it and take up more in God I conceive meditation hath in its measure attained its end If it be any lust or sin that I would see the evil of it if the Spirit helps me in meditation to see the evil of it so that I fear it I tremble at it my will turns away from it and begs grace and strength against it a heart to hate it meditation hath its end If my Object be God Christ Grace Holiness and I would see the good of these if the Spirit assisting me I come so to see the good of these that my will chuseth love desire run out after these with an unsatisfied spirit
contend I had rather make sure my grace be saving let it differ how it will though I cannot satisfie my self in a meer gradual difference First For take the knowledge of a Geographer who writes of Countries which he never saw having never travelled beyond the smoak of his own Chimney the knowledge he hath of the Countries is true but is it like the knowledge of him who hath seen the Countries and travell'd in them If such a one writes of the River that goeth up to Sevil in Spain and tells me when you get over the Bar which lieth at the mouth of the River on the Star-board-side as you sail up there stands a Castle higher stands the Town of Saint Lucar higher another Castle and a Monastery by it higher the Chappel of Bonance and still on the Starboard-side this man saith true But doth he know these as I though I do not deserve the name of a Traveller do who have been in the Town in the Castle in the Chappel and seen them Thus let the Hypocrites who by hearing and reading or common works speak concerning sin Creatures God Christ Holiness Gospel-truths he will speak as sound truths concerning all these and seem to know them as well as the sound Convert But doth he see them as the sound Convert whom the Spirit enlightens and teacheth them as they are We see by the effect for one hath his heart and conversation framed according to the truth and the other walks as if all these truths were falshoods Doth the knowledge which I have by my eye seeing those places walking in them differ only gradually from the knowledge of him who learned it out of a Book Secondly The work of Conversion is called a new Creation Regeneration is Creation and Generation only a gradual matter Thirdly Degrees do draw out the positive into a longer thread but they draw out only that which was in the positive when the superlative hath drawn it out to the longest thread it is still but the positive extended the same essence that was in the positive is here in the superlative Draw the Hypocrite out as far as you will some make finer threads then other yet it is but Hypocrite still Fourthly If so then an Hypocrite differs from a Child of God one Modally for gradus sunt modi entis and no more Fifthly Then the Hypocrite and Child of God are both of the same kind for gradus non variant speciem yet the word makes but two sorts of men Dead and Alive Darkness and Light which differ more then any Degrees take them where you will Sixthly We will suppose a man loves the world four degrees he loves God but three degrees this man is naught his love to God gets another degree now he loves the world and God equally yet he is naught but then his love to God gets to five degrees he must rise by degrees if Grace as saving consisteth in such a degree now the man is a godly man for he loveth God more then the world Let this mans love rise to six or seven degrees as well it may Yet this we grant degrees of love may be lost too much experience proves this What abatements of love what coolings do many Christians meet with The seventh the sixth degree may be lost Rev. 2.4 Thou hast lost thy first love The first love that degree of love not love simply for doubtless by what the Lord testified of the Angel he had yet saving love Solomon lost degrees of love sadly and others also Now if the seventh and sixth degree may be lost why not the fifth degree what is there in the fifth degree to preserve it self more then the sixth or seventh I know not if degrees be all So it is a very easie matter to fall to the fourth degree again and loose all exceedingly from that light which any Hypocrite or unsound professour attains unto The first is spiritual practical and saving The other not so but may and doth stand with perishing To say there is no difference between the working of the Spirit upon the understanding of an elect Vessel and a Hypocrite till the elect answers the Call and so having union with Christ now the difference is made in the understanding this I cannot embrace To have a saving work in the will in order of nature before there be any in the understanding I think is not rational or to say there is no difference at all as to the understanding between a sound and unsound Convert but the difference is only in the will in that work which the Spirit putteth forth in the heart this is atheological and very absurd To think that the Hypocrite as to the light in his understanding and dictate of his practical judgment is as good and the same that a sound Convert is only this latter having saving grace infused into his will and the Spirit there dwelling acteth that grace and determineth the will of the sound Convert to follow the ultimate dictate of his practical judgment and not so in the Hypocrite and hence arise all the differences between them this I look on as an irrational figment I oppose not all but must maintain by what I seel as well as by what I read in Scripture that the will must be renewed the stony heart must be taken away and the Physical determination of the will sanctified by the Spirit of God but withall I affirm that there is saving light saving knowledge in the understanding of a sound Convert differing from an Hypocrite and I call it saving not only a posteriori because there are saving effects follow this in the will but I call it so a priori as it is the work of the Spirit of the Covenant in the understanding of the elect Vessel drawing into Covenant it is in its own nature as properly saving or accompanying of Salvation as any Grace in the will Certainly that Teacher John 6.45 makes his work as Teacher in all those whom he draws to Christ differ from what the Hypocrite hath Knowledge is a part of the Image of God according to which we are renewed Col. 3.10 then surely differs from an Hypocrites knowledge Is the Image of God renewed in the Hypocrite as to knowledge I believe it not The whole work of Conversion is sometimes set out by Conviction John 14. because Conversion in adult persons of whom we now speak is wrought in us secundum modum judicii then certainly there is some difference of the Spirits work in the intellectual part I know the Hypocrite as to the notional light and knowledge of Divine things may be equal with yea he may far excel a sound Convert he may be as quick-sighted as an Eagle as to the notional knowledge but as to the spiritual and saving knowledge as blind as a Beetle Conversion saith the Learned and Judicious Doctor Preston * New Covenant p. 277. is wrought not alwayes by making us know new things which we
next CHAP. IV. Of Compunction THe Spirit of God having set up this Divine Light in the understanding and convinced the sinner what his state is there is a sad report carried to the Will and Affections which now begin to be moved the same Spirit accompanying this Light hath his operation in the heart as before in the understanding Acts 2.37 When by the Spirits working with Peter's Sermon they were enlightned and convinced of their great sin in crucifying the Lord Christ presently Compunction follows it was not some weeks or months after but presently Compunction follows at the heels of Conviction why did they not oppose or dispute against Peter No there was one did so dispute within them that there was no opposing men may have much illumination to know sin and can speak much what an evil sin is they have Conviction that they are sinners but no Compunction follows that Conviction but it shall not be so in the day of Christs power Psal 110.3 when the Spirit comes to work on the Vessel of Mercy That the heart must needs be much moved appears upon these two grounds First The greatness of the evil which now it is convinced of and feeleth it lieth under Let a man see and feel himself under the bonds of guilt in danger of hell under the power of his lusts enmity against God and God a stranger to him let but the sense of this condition lye upon his heart and let him go on in his jollity if he can What a woful Creature doth a man see himself now to be He envies the happiness of the beasts that are filled and play in their pastures We have heard of him who when he saw a Toad stood weeping because God had made him a Man so excellent a Creature and not a Toad so abominable the goodness of God then it seems as he apprehended it made him weep but this man he meets a Toad and he weeps also but why because he is a man who thinks his estate infinitely worse then the condition of a Toad and if it were possible to obtain it would change states with the Toad that hath no guilt of sin fears no wrath of God is not under power of lusts or creatures God is no enemy to it which is his miserable state We shall need no other man to dispute with Doctor Twisse upon that strange position of which I know no need in that Controversie Miserum esse quacunque miseria poenae magis est eligibile Vind. gra l. 2. dig 1. quam omnino non esse I have thought many times had Doctor Twisse felt what others have done he would never have asserted such a Position whatever a man may say for such an Assertion in Aristotles School from some Philosophical notions yet in the Divinity Schools those notions will be contemned by him who lies under the sense of his miserable undone and damned state by sin let the Doctor tell him never so often he lies as he doth a few lines before Whether non-entity be eligible or not or what truth there may be in those notions taken in the abstract I dispute not what they are in the concrete I know full well to dispute against sense is non-sense Secondly It must needs be so from the scope of God in this work that which he intendeth namely to loosen the Soul from its lusts to make it willing to part from them to turn from them to himself the strength of sin as to the point in hand lieth in that hold or room it hath in the will with the affections of love and delight which it gets by the pleasure and profit which it propounds and brings to the will and affections Poor Christians in the day of their temptations when they are in combate with their corruptions be what they will they find their wills love and delight incline very much to those corruptions and hence conclude themselves to be Hypocrites why I pray they suppose the work of Conversion and true mortification leaves no will no love no delight for sin What no then I would not care a rush for all the temptations in the world they would be light and very easie to conquer the prevalency in these affections must be observed But to come to our head Here is one way to loosen the Soul from loving and delighting in them what the Spirit doth Physically I do not speak of that these lusts in themselves and in their effects appear to be the greatest evil in the world therefore not to be chosen not to be loved or delighted in The other way which helps this that-being apprehended thus evil instead of love and delight working towards them there are other Affections acting contrary to them and while they are acting love and delight cannot so move towards them What affections those are is easily apprehended by the evil tidings brought to the heart and against the truth of which there is no disputing here is the wrath of God the everlasting burnings which though they have not seized actually upon the Soul but are future yet certain intollerable and very difficult if not impossible in his own thoughts to avoid hence fears rise and act strongly if the thread of his life be cut which may soon be he is gone for ever As to the present state he feels bonds of guilt accusations of Conscience apprehends God is an enemy to him Christ a stranger from him he under the power of his lusts and enmity against God which causeth all this misery this causeth sorrow to work strongly Hatred that lies at the bottom but that doth not so appear as the other Acts 2.37 Men and brethren what shall we do the men speak as if they were afraid so did the stout Jaylour Job 15.21 A dreadful sound is in his ears What to make of those sounds or voices that some have heard I know not That Gentleman who was my intimate Friend and Companion for whom I did verily think God had mercy when he was in the midst of his swearing and drinking with his Companions upon one ground which I mention not he told me that in the time of his sickness with the Small-pox when God did grapple with him none but God and he no Christian came at him he thought verily he heard these words spoken to him No mercy which made him cry out sadly How the Fancy works in that Disease I know well but here seemed to be more then a fancy not only by the effects it had upon him in his disease but afterwards for when he was recovered and so well that he married his Companions came and got him out again but for being drunk any more that he was not but coming home riding with his Companions something dark it was the words came again No mercy and struck him so down that his Companions got him out no more and after that the work went on to make a through and excellent Convert Another I knew but I cannot say
lust to thy special creature-idol see is Christ Lord there hast received him King to subdue and cast out that special lust of thine be it the sin of thy constitution or the sin that attends thy calling be the lust what it will the Peccatum in deliciis the Benjamin of thy Soul in which the life of the old man is bound up I could part with all but this Is it an ambitious a vain-glorious lust Is it an unclean lust Is it a covetous worldly lust Is it a bibbing a potting lust or any other Try here Christian for here have many Professours been wofully deceived they have received Jesus Christ the Lord yea in general but as in Grammar when a general Rule hath been laid presently comes in the Excipe's so in these Professours Christ is received King and Lord Excipe except in this particular lust this particular idol-creature upon which the heart is set As in London though such a one was Lord Mayor of London yet there were some particular priviledged places in London if I be not mistaken exempted from his jurisdiction as to Arrests that his Sergeants could not execute his Authority for arresting men in such a place Thus it is with some yea too many Christians they will call him Jesus Christ our Lord thus they receive him but yet have their particular places they have their special lusts and idols which must not come under his arrests nor subject to his Authority but Christ will never own it that he was received as Lord though Men may say to him Lord Lord Matth. 7.21 where such limitations are put to his government there are no such priviledged places granted by him though such a faith as receive him in general and yield to his Lordship in many things may ferve for an outward profession yet it will not serve for salvation here then Christian fearch the Apostle hath told us what is that Trinity which our carnal hearts worship 1 John 2.16 Lust of the flesh sensual pleasures lust of the eyes covetousness riches pride of life ambition honours here may we find the special lust and idol which every unsound believer exempts from the Lordship of Christ for pride in apparel this seems to be too low for one to make an idol of but any thing the vile heart will set up One woman and Wife to a Minister whom I knew well in the day when her Conscience was awakened went to her Press or Trunk where her clothes lay and took them up These were my gods said she which I set up the womans vanity ran out that way I fear she is not alone as to the sin it were well if she had more with her that are sensible of and humbled under that sin Quest How shall I find out my particular special lusts andidol how may I come to know it Answ This is none of my Text nor will I be guilty of that for which I so much blame others were I to handle that subject I would fet down wayes how you may find it out if you do not know it already which is something strange for that person that keeps a narrow watch over his heart not to observe and know which way his corrupt heart runs out yet I have learned that such a thing is possible if the corruption be a spiritual lust and if there be something else that much takes up the heart I knew one an eminent Christian a man as in years so in grace learning and abilities much my superiour a man yet of a clung penurious having close spirit Cousin german to a worldly covetous lust the bones of it stuck out so that people did generally observe it I spake of it to an eminent Minister and asked him if he did not observe it Observe it said he yes 't is plain enough to observe yet this man for secret duties with God for spiritual heavenly converse in company such a one as few like him his spirit battered and kept under strangely One time walking with a very serious Christian much his inferiour a mean man in the world he asked him and desired him to deal faithfully with him what corruption he did discern in him which might cause the Lord thus to hide the light of his Countenance from him and tell him plainly of it this argues the uprightness of the man the man being much his inferiour but wise and very godly giving him his due respect asked him Sir do you not take notice of such a corruption and instanced in that which I mentioned and handsomly informed him of it He made this reply Truly I never took notice of it nor observed it by my self If you would then know it and do not do as this good man did get some inward judicious Friend to deal plainly with thee a Christian Friend may observe that by thee of which thou doest not take notice thy self This is all I will say to it in this place I will not meddle with more than the subject I am upon leads me to Quest Is it not possible there may be a corruption in my heart which at this time I do not think of nor feel working which may afterwards appear and prove my strong masterly special corruption And if so I know not when my faith is sound nor whether I have received Christ for my King Answ It is possible and hath been found so by woful experience especially where the work began betimes when Christians come to such years to such employments to such states and conditions in publick places to such conditions of life in all which changes are made there rises up new corruptions which had not the opportunity to shew themselves before and make heavy work in the hearts of poor Christians When a man hath been wurried with one corruption which hath cost him much sorrow and pains thinks he if I can but get over this I hope my journey will be pretty comfortable I do not observe any other lust that hath so much power but I think I can more easily grapple with Well that corruption is taken down he is in a great measure quiet from that which cost him so much trouble but in the room of that there rises another O Lord saith the Soul this is worse this is stronger than that and now the Soul knows not what to think but concludes its state is his which Christ mentions Luke 11.25 c. Where the unclean spirit being cast out the house swept and garnished he taketh to him seven other spirits more wicked than himself thus it is with me thinks the man A sad Text and too true of some who are swept and garnished with idols of self-righteousness and formality of worship set up in them who prove more desperate enemies to Gospel-faith sound Believers and real power of godliness than are many drunkards and unclean persons but as to the sound Beleiver who apprehends this to be his condition from a new upstart lust that crawls out now the
of Solomon The words which his Mother taught him it seems Bathsheba used to catechize and drop into her Son Solomon Prov 4.3 4. David did also instruct him but David must be at Court or in the field in war Bathsheba is with her Son continually she carries on the work in Davids absence whether Absalom Amnon or Adonijah's Mother did so I doubt it the Scripture saith nothing To return to our question When was the time of Preparing these Infants for Christ It would be hard for Samuel Timothy and divers others in Scripture for the most of those who are mentioned for godly men in Scripture were so from their youth for ought we can find Obadiah Josiah to find this preparing time when they were so humbled to be quiet without Gods love content to be at Gods disposing for damnation yea or for legal terrors I know full well that those who thus are educated do find both legal fears and sorrows also but not as preparative to faith which is our question for they were regenerated before Sometimes in the children of wicked men such at least as we cannot judge to be godly there do such things appear that we must judge certainly God hath wrought some good work in them We read of Abijah 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 V. 3. He is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 V. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Kings 14.13 There was some good in him how old he was I know not but very young he was whether he had this preparing time is hard to prove To say then there is such a Rule layed down for preparative works both words express the youngest The 70. have not this History The Aloxand Copy 3. read v. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 V. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So Drusius in his Copy that every one must pass through before they can be regenerated or have faith I cannot yet be convinced of it unless you can tell me how Infants can be prepared according to Mr. Shepberds method Therefore I say in those who are adult grown up to some ripeness of years before God works usually it is so but to say that in every one of these the work of Compunction is sensible afflicting as it is in some others I dare not affirm that neither For Lydia Mr. Shepheard answers she might be a Convert before so nothing can be proved from her Be it so but what shall we say to Zacheus what was in his heart when like a Boy he runs to climb up the tree to see Jesus I know not but I question whether he had any thoughts of that which followed The third v. saith he sought to see Jesus who he was which words imply nothing of any gracious work on Zacheus's heart only he had heard men talk of one Jesus and now he would see who he was Luke 19.9 This day is salvation come to this house If Zacheus had been a Convert before would Christ have said This day is salvation come Surely it was come before when he was converted but it appears it was not before this day when he also is become a Son of Abraham Where were those legal sore Compunctions The Samaritans Acts 8.5 8. there was great joy at Philip's preaching and faith too but where are these sore Compunctions That these were real Converts Acts 9.31 prove They walked in the fear of the Lord c. It is very much then there should be a standing Rule for preparatory works and we read of so many Converts and no mention of that Rule in practise Surely these examples in Scripture are not to be slighted Because the rugged Jaylor Acts 16. that spared not to execute what the persecuting Magistrates gave him in charge concerning Paul and Silas met with such work and the Jews who crucified the Lord met with such compunction Acts 2. as made them cry out must there be a Rule from hence made that All those who come to Christ must come under such sensible afflicting Compunctions But usually or commonly it is so when as I said persons be adult before God works That it is so and usually must be so experience doth testifie and we need not trouble our heads to find the reason of it So blind are we in the matters of eternity such great thoughts have we of Creatures and Creature-enjoyments such slaves unto our lusts our hearts so set upon our iniquities Hos 4.8 witness those terrible blows a man will endure before he will part with them so well conceited of our polluted righteousness that did not the Spirit of the Almighty set his power to work open our eyes to see our selves sin and creatures and filthiness that is in our righteousness in which we so bless our selves and disquiet the soul that lieth so at rest in Dalila's lap Christ might call and call long enough before we would come to him we may hear him indeed but as the Country Proverb is Hear as Hogs in harvest a similitude good enough for us who are compared to Swine 2 Pet. 2. ult though I know in some respects it holds not which is not required in similitudes Hogs in harvest-time when they are gotten into good Shack when they at home call them and knock at the trough the Hogs will lift up their heads out of the stubble and listen but fall to their Shack again home they will not go they are pleased where they are This is the frame of our swinish hearts feeding in the Shack of the world and our lusts let Christ call it may be if there be some warm man at the work that shows himself a workman we can lift up our heads and hear what he saith but to our shack we go again home we will not go to him who calleth us our swinish hearts looking upon the things of the Gospel that same holiness but as sowre swill but the things of this world the lust of the flesh lust of the eye and pride of life these are the sweet grain Absalom sends for Joab once and again 2 Sam. 14.30 but Joab is busie hath other matters to mind but when he sets his Barly-field on fire then he comes And thus God when he sends more then once but we are so taken up about other matters we will not come sometimes sets our creature-comforts on fire or causeth the sparks of Hell fire to be felt in a mans Conscience then God may hear of us When the heart is set upon an object upon which it feeds with delight as we do upon our lusts and the creature if you would take it off give me a reason saith the will and a reason must be given and such a reason as the will accepts God works rationally upon the rational Creature sutable to its principles if then you can make the soul see the object it feeds upon is really evil and at best but vain and can shew it a better so as the heart is convinced of it then you may take
only legal works terrors fears sorrows no mixture of Gospel with them in others a mixture of both Law and Gospel go together one while legal works then a little hope from the Gospel then legal again those who have been bred up under clear Gospel preaching and the Lord begins his work before they have abused it in that manner others have done these commonly have a greater mixture of the Gospel in their work but others who either live in dark corners where the Gospel is not lively preached or if men have lived under such preaching but have played the Wantons and abused the Grace of God those when God works shall know little enough of the abused Gospel at first Fourthly Various in the degrees Some drenched in sorrows legal workings and humblings some are but sprinkled men soaked in sin scandalous such as have sinned with a high hand these drink deepest say you of this Cup No not alwayes so neither God doth not keep to this Rule alwayes Sometimes one who hath been more restrained more civil in conversation shall have more of legal terrors then those who have been open sinners I could give instance in some whom I have known and may mention them in due place and therefore I pass over this Fifthly Various as to the continuance or carrying on of his work Some the Lord layeth hold upon and holds them fast will not let them go out of his hand till he hath done his good work in them brought them home to himself uniting them to his Christ others the Lord layes hold on and lets them go out of his hand again they slip as I may say out of his hand not against his will but according to his counsel this may be once twice I was once called by a Christian to go see a rare sight and what was it but a man who had been three times in Gods hands under workings and gave hopes of true conversion every time but the work came to nothing the fourth time God laid hold upon him held him fast and let him go out of his hand no more this is rare indeed A Kinsman of mine as I think the third time God took him into hand before the work stood I do not speak of stirrings men may have under the preaching of the Word which cause some resolutions for a day or two and then vanish as a morning Cloud but of higher workings when men give fair hopes of conversion and yet come no nothing This I note not only to shew the variety of Gods working but also to help against the secret workings of Satan in some mens hearts I found in one of my parish and I doubt not but it may be so in many others when he came to dye as I was questioning with him about the state of his soul it seems the Word had often met with him and several times put him to a stand in his sinful course but when company came he could not withstand them thus it had been with him several times though it did not come up to that height I am speaking of under this head to give fair hopes of conversion till at last when Christ and Mercy were tendered to him in the Word he turn'd away all those offers they could not concern him who had so often played fast and loose with God but now he might go on and take this course and so it seems he did concealing those thoughts in his own breast till at this time he revealed them to me Oh that people would take heed of dallying with God while his Spirit especially is striving with their spirits under means Yet again take heed of giving way to those secret despairing suggestionsof Satan since we see God hath taken men after the third relapse when hopes were given of true conversion and made his work to stand Sixthly Various in the way or means by which he works Sometimes he comes with a rushing Wind some terrible threats like a thunder-clap which he sets home he saves them with fear pulling them out of the fire Jude v. 23. The Jaylors heart quakes as much as the Earth Sometimes he comes in a most soft Wind as he did to Elijah 1 Kings 19.12 13. in a still small voice he breaks the heart melts the spirit of a man and as Absalom stole away the hearts of Israel 2 Sam. 15.6 with his fair and affable carriage so the Lord hath his way whereby he secretly draws and wins the heart to himself and this in a more still way the work goes on secretly one drop follows another till God attains his end Thus various in his working is the Lord. Search and you shall find these experiences true some are much humbled and much comforted some are much humbled and little comforted some are little humbled and little comforted some are little humbled and much comforted Fourth Position For any man to make the way of Gods working with him to be the way to which he will tye up all others is little better then high tyranny God hath not tyed up himself to one way why must yours be the only way Yet this I have observed in some Ministers men of great spirits and parts who in their preaching may I not say also in printing have pressed upon people that particular way they found God came to them in because God did handle them thus therefore he must do so with all One man is not a fair Copy saith Mr. Shepherd and this is very true God takes a man of a high lofty spirit and batters him with such or such workings Must the same be found in all others Fifth Position Though God is very various in the manner of his working when he converts or draws the soul to Christ yet the work wrought is in all the same there is no variety in the work wrought That is Conversion or regeneration is the same in every one without any difference God works other wayes in converting Manasseh then he did in converting Samuel but conversion is the same in Samuel that it is in Manasseb Run over the several varieties I have mentioned of Gods working and name you as many more yet that which makes regeneration or union with Christ is the same in all here all are alike Less will not serve the turn in one then in another as to the essence of regeneration Let your condition as to externals be what it will it is all one as to regeneration be you learned or unlearned noble or ignoble rich or poor 't is all one converted you must be if ever you mean to see Heaven and that which is regeneration in him who handles the spade the same and no less is regeneration in him who swayes the Scepter Strait is the gate c. Matth. 7.14 if it do not like you let it alone The gate of Heaven is not like the gate at great Mens houses if Merchants come they must come in at the little door if great Men come open
knew not before which yet is true in some but by knowing things otherwise then we did before This is a certain truth and therefore a vast difference in the knowledge To conclude this head let works of or in an Hypocrite be what they will yet I doubt not to say the first flaw in the Hpyocrite is in his illumination and this layes the foundation for all the rest Third Position When the Spirit of God doth thus savingly illuminate the understanding he doth at the same time savingly work upon the will The blessed Spirit doth not work upon one faculty or especially a leading faculty as the understanding is alone it doth not one week work upon the understanding savingly the next week month or year work on the will It was not long since I heard a Minister and one of the best handling the new Creature He shewed us first what it was not and there cut off all those things or works which are found in Hypocrites then he shewed us in what it did consist This was first in the illumination of the mind to discern the transcendency of spiritual objects Secondly In the wills embracing of and closing with those objects This is the great work and long it is saith he before those who are enlightned come to this it must be a day of Christs power Psal 110. when the Soul comes to this Now though there was no danger in this as to the hearers yet for the Divinity I cannot believe it that the Spirit regenerateth one faculty so long before another that a man hath the head of a new Creature so long before he hath the heart of a new Creature He that hath heard and learned of the Father the intellectual work cometh to me John 6.45 an infallible Connexion between the Fathers teaching our learning and coming to Christ I know it is a question moved by the Learned Whether the will be regenerated mediately or immediately Some say God in regeneration doth irradiate the mind with divine Light and by this Light doth infuse vertues and new habits into the will as that celestial and lively heat by which all things below live and thrive is transfused by Light New Coven p. 451. No grace that any man hath but it passeth in through the understanding saith Doctor Preston Others say Gods work in regeneration is as immediate upon the will as upon the understanding nor is the will regenerated by the mediat light of the understanding but the will in it self is equally affected and renewed by God as the understanding is affected and illuminated by him this Opinion they think to be the soundest especially if the understanding and the will be not faculties really distinct which saith Mr. Jackson Justific Faith p. 33. p. â—0 â— 4 he that hath but Philosophy enough to serve from hand to mouth will never swallow down that they are And Durandus makes that his fourth Argument to prove they are not really distinct because then Deus posset causare velle in voluntate absque hoc quod cognescere praecederet in intellectu quod est impossibile quia tune possemus amare incognita That the will must not only be moved but renewed Ezek. 36.26 Who is there that ever felt his stony heart will not assent unto it And if that were the meaning of the first Opinion as if the Spirit did only illuminate the understanding and then the will did follow without any other work of the Spirit upon the will then I should refuse that Opinion as erroneous De Auxil Disp 51. n. 15. but those Divines do not mean so The will saith Alvarez and it is honestly said by a Papist by our fall is more wounded and corrupted then the understanding Grace existing in the understanding but what he means by Grace there you may observe is extrinsecal to the will Disp 76. and therefore doth not give to the will a sufficient principle to perform works of holiness This doth prove the necessity of the wills renovation which is easily assented to Grace in one faculty doth not give power to another faculty corrupted as the will is more then the understanding to work saith he But therefore I say the Spirit is ever present with the will to renew that when it doth so savingly enlighten the understanding at the same time though I think it no error to say in order of nature the work upon the understanding precedeth which agreeth with a reasonable Creature And this I conceive is not only in the first work of Conversion but afterwards in the gracious actings of the regenerated Soul there is a presence of the Spirit of the Covenant with understanding and practical judgment and with the will at the same time as a first cause determining of it now renewed to follow the dictate of a sanctified judgment That there must be a presence of the Spirit in both I think our sensible experience will teach us something of which more hereafter Fourth Position This work of illumination makes the elect Vessel now coming home to Christ to see things as they ARE. The state in which the Spirit finds the elect Vessel is a state of sin and misery under the bounds of guilt power of its lusts slavery to the Creature estrangement from and enmity against God a child of wrath Now the Spirits intention being to make the Soul answer his call and so to come off from this state in which it now lieth by this light let in to the understanding he maketh the Soul see all these as they Are A man may know things but yet not know them as he ought to know them 1 Cor. 8.2 It is possible if you asked him before whether sin were not an evil thing the Creature a vain thing the wrath of God a dreadful thing he will answer yes he he knows all these to be so and yet cleaves fast to his lusts dotes upon the Creature is careless as to any real endeavours to get deliverance from wrath to come the reason is he knows not these as he ought to know them he seeth them not as they are if he did it were impossible he should carry himself as he doth and be quiet Let then the Spirit of God come in with his saving light and teach the Soul these things as they are then you shall see plainly by his carriage the guilt of sin the wrath of God are terrible indeed in is evil indeed the Creature is but vain indeed the man knows these things as Doctor Preston said otherwise then he did before I think it was Oecolam padius I have read somewhere of a great Divine* who being recovered from a great sickness said I have learned under this sickness to know Sin and God Did he not know these before Doubtless he could preach good Sermons concerning God and Sin but the Spirit it seems in that sickness taught him these otherwise then he knew them before Sapiens est quires sapit prout
what it was to have his bones broken at his first coming home I can learn nothing to the contrary but that God began early with him it may be in his childhood most probable as most of the Saints recorded in Scripture but it hath been the case of others in whom God began as early as in him I doubt not to say but most what though not alwayes those who are born of godly Parents and brought up under their wing especially if Parents be prudent in government as well as godly and the Ministry clear and quick to joyn with the Parents that God casts in his seed of Grace betimes and so he doth in some others though not so commonly if Parents be wicked and negligent now though these may have fears yet to have them so afflictive and terrifying at first they have them not but divers of these have met afterwards with their loads what reasons the Lord may have in his Soveraign wisdom who knows as for some the reasons we find If fallen into a sleepy lazy slight frame or begin to doat upon and follow after the world to rouze them up he will heat them or to make them drive on the work of Assurance with more vigour or for other reasons which I might mention but forbear but let the reasons be what they will experience hath proved it true many again of a more tender spirit watchful in their lives and that keep up to a Gospel-conversation they go off the stage of this world knowing little or nothing of these afflicting terrors from first to last Question How may a Christian come to be satisfied as to these preparatory legal works which our Divines have so much preached and printed and the holy Scriptures with reasons do seem to justifie Answer I hope what I have said may if the Spirit of God speak the Word give satisfaction yet I shall give you further the experiences of others how they came to be satisfied who for many years could not get over this block but frequently were arguing against themselves that they were but Hypocrites and their work unsound for want of these legal preparations If you say experiences of others are not a safe rule to go by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hippoc. Aph. 1. they may be deceitful and the men deceitful I grant what you say therefore I shall not give you bare experiences but their grounds weigh those and if they be not sound I shall be thankful to those who will undeceive me First They had this testimony in themselves Conscience bearing them witness that they were willing to give up themselves to the working of Gods good Spirit let him do what he would with them only make them sound they did not bawk any legal workings because bitter sad uncomfortable would spoil their sport hinder their mirth yea so far from this that they did follow God many years seeking of him to open sin unto them and make them taste the gall and wormwood so that sin might be made bitter to them Christ excellent and precious and their hearts thereby separated from those sins by which they had offended this frame for several years proved to be true Secondly They found and observed by experience that it was not in the power of these legal workings and terrors to take the Soul off kindly and soundly from sin If the Spirit indeed be pleased to hold and carry on the work then they are an excellent and rational means towards it else though while the Soul is actually under them a man may be so scared that he dare not follow his lusts for this time The dog may be afraid to meddle with his carrion and stands at a distance while he seeth the oudgel but will return to it again and so will these to their lusts when these fears draw off It is the work of Redemption the Cross of Christ the Spirit of the new Covenant not the terrors of the old Covenant which taketh the Soul off soundly from sin I was once in shipwrack about one of the clock in the night in December the Ship was breaking upon the Rocks there was a dreadful shout amongst some of the Seamen I shall be in Hell before the morning but yet could be drunk within three dayes after God spared them I was told by a Reverend Divine whose Sister a Professour married I knew the mans Relations this Professour it seems secretly followed his lust of uncleanness after he had yielded to his lust it seems he had such dreadful horrors his Conscience did so tear him that he said had he been thrown at the back of the fire he thought he could as easily have born that burning as endure those torments he felt in his Conscience yet when these horrors went off he followed his lust again and this was his course for some time at last as I have heard after great humblings God redeemed him from his lust How many times have Ministers lost their hopes when they thought God had made them spiritual Fathers of Children when they saw their hearers under these workings yea some under such great terrors that Town and Country rung of them and at last came to nothing I have been told concerning Doctor Sibbs that when he heard of persons under such great legal terrors he began to fear them that they would not prove sound Terrors may suspend the actings of lusts for the present but it is the work of Christ to save from the love and destroy the power of lusts Therefore they sought the more to Christ to have this separation from sin to be made kindly and soundly Thirdly They observed many Christians who had not found these legal workings as others had done and therefore were doubting of the soundness of their Conversion yet in their Conversations were as yea more tender and afraid of sin humble awful spiritual savoury in their Conversation prizing and following Christ in all means then many of those who had found these legal terrors in a high degree and were esteemed for sound Christians also whence it is plain legal terrors are not the things if indeed it were an infallible Rule where there are great legal terrors there is most soundness and the best Gospel-conversation then there were great reason why Christians should be so troubled who want these but experience hath proved the Rule to be false and fallible Fourthly They considered what were the ends of God in these legal workings the ends of God why he brings any under these terrors are not for themselves but something else that is to make sin so evil so bitter to the Soul that it may be vvilling to be separated from it and so remove from this term from which it is called Secondly To make Christ highly precious and make them willing to come to him and close with him upon his own terms Gods end is not to commend us to Christ because so humbled so terrified but to commend Christ to us Had a man as
many terrors as Judas had if those ends were not attained he were not truly prepared for Christ he that hath the least of those that any man had yet if the ends be attained he hath that which the Lord aimeth at and as to preparatory work is sound There are many Christians who have not found the tenth part of those legal hellish terrors which others have done yet have proved sound and got to Heaven when others notwithstanding their great hellish terrors have at last gone to Hell Thus therefore they examined their hearts and found That first God had made them willing to part from their lusts and idols and if he would redeem them from them make an eternal divorce between their Souls and them they would for ever bless his Name Secondly They found that Christ was made so precious to them that they did most gladly accept of Gods offer and think it the best bargain that ever they made might they but enjoy him upon his own terms Fifthly They confidered that great Command of the Gospel To believe in Jesus Christ to receive him which as I have said before makes it my duty to believe in him prepared or not prepared they could not answer their neglect of that Command by saying Alas I am not prepared therefore I must not or I cannot believe in Christ This will not do and therefore they must say as that good Woman on her death-bed to her Minister examining her about her Faith the grounds of it which at that time was understood to lye in Assurance and so she answered O Sir said she I did believe because I dare do no other Sixthly Some for I do not say all have found it have found that though God did spare them in the first coming home as to legal terrors and sorrows from the guilt of fin yet for sorrows and troubles arising from sin another way they have met with their hearts full yea full indeed so full that might they have been their own chusers they would rather have chosen a year lying under that legal bondage which hath made them so often call into question the soundness of their Conversion then to lye so many years under those pressing loads which have made them weary of their lives Whence let me give this advice to Christians Is thy heart light too vain frothy beg of God to make it serious and study how to walk awfully and humbly before him but do not you as some have been apt almost to quarrel with God for want of legal sorrows and fears if you have them not one way you may have enough another way God may let out some lust upon thee it may be that lust in which thou tookest delight before and with which thy heart was most defiled which lust though God keeps thee so that it shall not prevail or get mastery over thee yet it may follow thee so impetuously and incessantly with the motions in all thou goest about and hence cause such horrid vexations and afflictions to thy spirit that thou wilt cry out a hundred times with Job chap. 7.15 My soul chuseth strangling and death rather then life How pleasing have the thoughts of the halter been under these loads but take heed and dread these temptations as patiently as thou canst chuse rather to submit to the soveraign and righteous pleasure of God under these sad and soul-vexing buffetings rather then to give the least ear to those devillish temptations of self-destruction But still which is the advise I give labouring for a plain heart with God do not you teach God what dose of legal workings and sorrows he shall give you It is with Souls that are sick of sin as it is with those who are bodily sick most of these when they send to the Physitian send him word they can take no Physick that is no Vomit no purging Physick they mean but desire him to send them some comfortable things or nothing this is the frame of most of our Country people when as they have ten times more need of Vomits and Purges then of Cordials Some have sent to me Physick being that which before I entred upon the Ministry I studied and practised and now being deprived of my Ministry I am forced to practice again for a rowzing vomit so they termed it that might cleanse them thoroughly but I have not made their desires the rule for my administring Physick had I done so I had in an ordinary way killed them but I gave as I judged they were able to bear Some send no directions what the Physitian should do but leave themselves to his judgment let him send his Physick they submit themselves to it these are the right Patients Thus do sin-sick-souls most if they find troubles arise Conscience being a little awakened presently must have comfortable promises applied listen for such words from Ministers and Christians when they have need of other kind of Physick Some they call for higher discoveries of sin and guilt that sin may appear like it self and they feel more sorrows and if God should give them what they would have unless his mighty hand did support them little do they know what may be the horrid effects Others give up themselves to God do not teach him how much to give but only heal them soundly do his work in them thoroughly and let him take what course his merciful wisdom pleaseth and this is the right frame of a gracious heart What I have said may serve to answer the other case about sorrows for fin of which Divines have written being another part of Compunction The want of sorrows have caused many sorrows in the hearts of many Christians Let not the Reader expect that I should enlarge upon this for as I enlarge upon nothing much less shall I enlarge upon that to which so many have spoken Only a few words First I grant legal sorrows are of good use to prepare the heart and make it willing to part with its sins and remove from that term from which it is called in Conversion but yet give me one ounce as I may say of Evangelical sorrow for sin rising from a Gospel-work and principle before pounds of legal sorrows rising from slavish and hellish fears How much of these sorrows with bitter exclamations against mens lusts have been known and yet not long after men could hug their lusts again but sorrows which arise from the sense of the enmity of sin against the greatness and goodness of God against the love and tenderness of Christ in that great work of Redemption of which the Soul hath had some good hope and taste and that it should deal so disingeniously with this God and this Christ these sorrows being accompanied with reverent filial fear and entire love do not let the Soul ever close with its lusts again Secondly But art thou a sound Christian and hast not known what sorrow for sin means Surely thou art mistaken thou wrongest thy self in saying so
turn from sin to God there is weight in those Arguments which were little regarded before and now he begins to think seriously there must be a Divorce between him and his Dalilah Fourthly His heart begins to be loosened from his Idols and if God will now separate between him and his fins he doth not now resist the work of the Spirit as before Mr. Shepherd makes Compunction to consist in three things p. 65. 1. Fear 2. Sorrow 3. Separation from sin I conceive Separation from Sin is more properly an effect of Compunction then a part of it Fear and Sorrow produce this effect make the Soul not to resist the Spirit or not unwilling to have his Sin and Soul parted p. 85. So much loosening from sin as makes the Soul willing or at least not unwilling that the Lord Jesus should take it away This severing from Sin he conceives to be a further stroke found in the Elect then in the Reprobate p 98. Fears and Sorrows were common to both but this severing from Sin the Spirit works in the Elect under Compunction p. 86. He bids us remember for ever that no more sorrow for sin no more separation from sin is necessary to thy closing with Christ then so much as makes thee willing or rather not unwilling that the Lord should take it away And know it if thou seekest for a greater measure of Humiliation antecedent to thy closing with Christ then this thou shewest the more pride therein c. Yes blessed Saint we shall remember well what you bid us remember for if such a measure of fears and sorrows under the work of Compunction as works a willingness to be separated from Sin and so much separation from Sin as makes us willing or at least not unwilling to close with Christ to take it away if this I say be such a true measure of Humiliation antecedent to our closing with Christ that it is pride to look for a greater and blessed be Grace we can experience this very well then I hope our Conversion and Faith in Christ may be sound though we have not arrived at that pitch to be content to be damned which is a great part of the next Chapter treating of Humiliation Moreover if this willingness to be separated from Sin and to take Christ to separate Sin and the Soul be a distinguishing note between the Elect and Reprobate under Compunction and this is wrought by the Actual grace of the Spirit of God and therefore must be a fruit of Gods Love for certainly all sound Christians look upon their redemption from their lusts creature idols and enmity against God to be the effects of Gods love as well as redemption from Hell though this may more affect for the whole Soul and the whole of the Soul fly from Hell and dreads that but Sin yet remains in us then how the Soul must come to be content without the love of God though he will never give grace never work grace and this must be wrought by the Spirit too as in his next Chapter I cannot understand it This willingness to be separated from Sin under the work of Compunction and so proper to the Elect in the work of preparation Mr. Shepherd observes is not received by many worthy Divines who think this belongs to Sanctification and is wrought in the Soul after union with Christ by Faith I do indeed find divers able Divines to be of a contrary opinion to Mr. Shepherd who though they maintain preparatory works before Conversion yet they think they are common to the Reprobate with the Elect and that no preparatory works have any certain or necessary connexion with the Form that is to be introduced but they are only material dispositions which render the subject more susceptive or fit for the form to be introduced as driness in the Wood makes the Wood more fit to receive the fire but no more fire in the dry then in the green Wood so nothing that hath any saving distinction between the Elect and Reprobate prepared but Faith answering the Call of God and uniting to Christ who is our life is the first saving distinguishing note This Question fall it which way it will makes no trouble to a sound Christian in examining of its work Separation from Sin must be Christ only can separate from Sin The will must take Christ as King and so must be separated from Sin So then the thing be done whether it were begun under Compunction before union with Christ or after union it matters not the truth of our Conversion depends not upon the priority in the Question yet with submission to other learned Divines I cannot see that Mr. Shepherd in this point is mistaken there seems to be clear Reasons on his side For First I cannot see how it is possible the Soul can hold married affections to two and those contrary The Crown and the Bed admit but one Can the Soul be married to Christ while it is married to its lusts at the very same time Will Christ admit this Or will he not first have a Divorce to be consented to at least not resisted How Christ should ingraft or implant the Soul into himself who grows upon the old Stock and will not be cut off from it I cannot tell Secondly If a man be called from one Term to another surely in order of nature he must first turn from the Term in which he was when he was called before he can come to the Term to which he was called In effectual calling the Term from which the Soul is called is not primarily and properly Hell all are willing enough to turn from that though some Monsters of men have it often in their mouths God damn me but Sin Creature-idolizing Inordinate-self which Hell attends this is the proper Term from which we are called and Hell is a strong Argument to make us attend to the Call if that be the wages of Sin Must not then a man in order of nature first turn from Sin before he can turn to God Can he come to this Term and not move first from the other Thirdly Is that man rightly prepared for Christ whose will doth actually resist him in the terms upon which he is offered Is not Christ cloathed with all his Offices with compleat Redemption the person to whom we are called and must he not thus be received But if the will of man refuse to be separated from its lusts doth it not resist Christ in his Kingly Office and great part of his Redemption If the Soul be not made willing or at least not unwilling to use Mr. Shepherds notion that Christ should come and separate Sin from it then I think it doth resist him in his work Fourthly Dr. Ames de praepa peccat ad Conversionem Thes 6. Take up the similitude of dry wood which that learned Author useth Doth not the waterish moisture in the green wood resist the fire and hinder it
that it cannot act upon the sulphurous part in the wood and must not the waterish moisture be first removed exhaled and then the fire acts upon and kindles the sulphurous part If you say But there is na fire as yet in the dry wood I answer The question was as to priority which Mr. Shepherd is speaking of And though you say there is no fire in the wood though dry so no Grace as yet in the prepared To this Mr. Shepherd will answer There are not indeed any habits of Grace infused into the Soul as yet but there is such an Act of Grace put forth by the Spirit to work the will up to this frame in the Elect preparing which he puts not forth in a Reproabte this severing from Sin in this time or under Compunction being made not by habitual grace but actual grace that is saith he the Spirit doth it immediately by an omnipotent Act by that which is called actual actuating p. 98 99. or moving Grace Pious and learned Rutherford giving the sense of the Orthodox concerning the efficacy of Grace Exercita Apologet. pro Divina gratia p. 436. and actual predetermination thus speaketh Quando nos docemus gratiam praedeterminantem ex vi sua intrinseca inclinare voluntatem ad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 consentire potius quam ad dissentire id tripliciter intelligitur 1. Quod gratia efficax impediat impetum motum obliquitatis irrectitudinis vitiosae quae libertati extrinseci adhaereat hunc sensum lubens admitto Nisi enim Deus actualem duritiem in actibus gratiae praepediat praeoccupat non video qumoodo Deus auferat cor lapideum Ezech. 36.26 2. Sensus hic est quod gratia praedeterminans vi sua intrinseca penetret quasi ad profunditatem vitalis inclinationis impetuositatis electivae atque it a primam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 impetum naturae in libertate cohibeat voluntatem inclinantem ad angulum ut sic loquar Borealem talis volitionis Dei praedeterminatio torqueat ad angulum australem hunc sensum falsissimè nobis affingunt adversarii 3. Quod Dei gratia praedeterminans non vi ita penetrans sed insidens impetuositati naturae ita indeclinabiliter flectat voluntatem ut modo admirando gratia fortiter voluntas vitaliter electivè conspirent in idem objectum numero codem tempore loco intensione voluntas sub illa Dei motione non in aliud tenderet objectum quam in illud idem in quod libere se inclinasset hoe dato quod per impossibile nulla fuisset in Deo praedeterminatio ita tamen ut gratia prime principaliten id objectum non aliud praedeterminet voluntas subordinate dependenter ex vi interna vitali imperiali electiva libertatis in illud idem objectum tenderet Hic etiam est verus sensus The first branch I conceive speaks much and the third also of what Mr. Shepherd intends by his Actual grace and opens so far as we can conceive how the Spirit doth it it seems to be the binding of the strong man Luke 11.22 But when all is said pro and con what if we say the work is very secret and hidden and what Zophar said to Job chap. 11.7 Canst thou by searching find out God Canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection may we not say the same in this case if we cannot find him out in other works can we find his works upon the spirits of men Let us make good that separation from sin is wrought that we willingly embrace Christ to that end then whether he doth it by actual or habitual grace under Compunction shall not need to trouble us I shall not make any use of this Head for I see Mr. Shepherd who hath done it before and that very ably his Works are in many peoples hands so that I shall spare the Reader that trouble This only I hint here is the second flaw in the Hypocrites work his will was never divorced from his beloved lusts while he was sick indeed then he might cry out of it as some have done calling Ale-houses Hell-houses but it was only while he was sick he that hath eat fat meat which hath corrupted in his Stomack and now causeth very sick vomiting bring him the fat meat while he is sick and vomiting he loaths the sight of it but when once he hath emptied himself and the humour carried off he falls to his meat heartily again So do many with their sweet lusts when Conscience hath made them sick setting home hell and the wrath of God for them which cause horrid fears and terrors within now if you offer him lust no he cannot at this time entertain it but when he hath vomited well emptied himself by his confessions and supposed repentance abstinence engagements promises to do better and hath now got over his sickness it is not long but he falls to his sweet morsels again Something like him of whom I heard in Spain and I think it was while I was there on Good Friday as they call it he having whipped himself that day as their manner is when they had done all comes into a house to put on his clothes now said he I have made quit for the old score he had done pennance and all the former sins were wiped off now he would begin to whore again Hypocrites unsound hearts have their Good Friday their whipping times and then they are free for their former trade Look to this then Christian whether the Divorce between thy Soul and Sin be truly made for here lies great danger but no more of this Head CHAP. V. Of the Spirits work in taking off the Soul from Self righteousness and Self confidence THe Sinner by this time seeth himself in a very ill case And what is next A Principle within him tells him I have sinned and I must mend a new leaf I must turn repent I must and spares not for Vows Promises Engagements Resolutions he is full of these if he can but repent mourn pray cast off his former practises and do better then he hopes God will be pleased and Conscience quiet That he can do something this way at this time he doth not much doubt it so that though he be bad he is not all bad he hath some good in him though he hath no money yet he hath hands and can work and as some that once had good means and lived well if they be fallen into decay yet if they can by working or other means get a living though a poor one they will not be beholding to others So it is with the Soul having had once a good stock in Adam though now fallen into decay yet if it can by working and labour find any living that peace and quietness come in it will not go out to another to find rest Thou hast found the life of thine hand Isai 57.10 which some
able to subdue all the enmity of his heart against God all his lusts and corruptions he must mortifie and walk before God in a holy frame continually he that undertakes this undertakes a hard task if he understand it he will soon find either of them impossible one as easie as the other chuse which you think is the easiest Thus then the Spirit takes him off First By convincing him of the nature of sin of guilt what it is to have a holy and just Law broken What are all thy duties thou performest What is thy righteousness though it were pure which it is not to satisfie the holy Law of a Just God which thou hast broken so many thousand times and hast a heart opposite and enemy to it If thy nature were now holy and all thy life from this time holy this is but thy duty and so it was alwayes Can thy doing that which is now thy duty to answer this day make satisfaction for not doing thy duty all thy life before If a man be taken clipping the Kings Coin or hath committed some one capital Crime if he comes before the Judge and pleads he lived all his life time before clear from such Crime and will do from henceforth it was but once that he did so will this answer the Law Will the Judge acquit him He did and doth but his duty if he lived before and will do after as he pleads he should have done so when he committed that Crime the Law calls him a Son of death and dye he must for that one Crime Shall then a man having a nature that hates the righteous Law of God and tramples upon it daily think with a few pittiful duties repentings c. to answer a thousand and ten thousand breaches of the holy Law of his Soveraign The wages of sin is death and dye thou must unless a ransome can be found Secondly By convincing him of the sin of his nature he opens to him that fountain of iniquity that sinning sin and if this be once opened by the Spirit it will take down the pride of any self-Justiciary let him that fecleth this talk of his righteousness duties works if he can if he doth I know what his language must be When I read men denying original sin I do not wonder at all their proud Opinions and self-advancing Doctrines Whence did these men descend Not from our father Adam surely there is talk now of another World in the Moon the inhabitants there came not from the stock we did certainly these men dropped out of that world and therefore deny this sin of our nature they find it not in their nature This I am sure of say these men what they please I know nothing that doth so abuse a man beats him out of himself and all conceits of his own righteousness that makes a man see himself loathsome undone damned for ever in himself as the discoveries and sense of this sin of sins Take a man who hath committed the vileir actual sins could I suppose that man to be guilty only of them and without this original sin I should not judge that man so sinful as he that is defiled with this original sin though by the restraining Providence of God he be kept from breaking out into actual gross evils I do more adore the riches of Gods grace in pardoning this sin then in pardoning any actual sin except Adam's first sin yet his grace deserves to be adored for pardoning actual sins Though Christ did beat Paul down to the earth with that miraculous light and voice which he heard yet I conceive he had not beat him out of his Pharisaical righteousness had not another light discovered this woful sin of his nature which makes the unspotted blameless Pharisee cry out and confess In me that is in my flesh dwells no good thing Rom. 7.18 Before there was no evil now there is no good Thus I agree as I said before with Mr. Shepherd if a man like Paul whom he mentions have trusted to his own goodness duties honest conversation righteousness and here have found his rest if ever God shew mercy to such a one then in the first stroke of Conviction he rips up this Monster he shall need no more I warrant him to make him change his thoughts and make him see the need of another righteousness and a strong Redeemer Thirdly God may let the same corruptions of which he was convinced at first and which caused those fears and sorrows to be working again putting forth themselves in strong motions the feeling of which doth almost sink his heart he thinks to Hell now he must go for he finds his lusts are too strong for him though he hath smarted for them and thought he should never have any thing more to do with them yet now he finds his heart is naught vile wicked as ever and begins to despair it may be in his struggling with his lusts he flabs is foiled if not carried away as before and this kills him Fourthly God may let more corruptions loose that is to be inwardly working that the man can see nothing but corruption and cryes out he was never so bad Sin taking occasion by the Law wrought in me all manner of coneupiscence Rom. 7.8 Luther found temptations to all sins but Covetousness Paul felt all manner of Concupiscence a common thing for Christians under the work to cry out they were never worse never so bad Fifthly God shews no acceptance of his duties le ts him find no peace or quietness by them but Conscience is still roaring at him drawing up bills of indictment against him still charging him with fresh sins which it may be he had forgotten or doth still commit so that the Soul finds no rest Sixthly The Lord may and doth many times withdraw his assistance unto duties that the man cannot pray nor mourn as before is not so lively but grows more dead and blockish hard hearted as he conceives and feels himself God is free in his assistance and influences he is not bound to give them while the man could pray and relent in prayer his heart tender and mourning he had some hopes but now his eyes are dry his heart hard cannot relent now all is naught this cuts off all his hopes and now must perish Seventhly The Spirit sets home this Doctrine with authority so that there is no opposing Without Christ there is no salvation He that believeth not is condemned already John 3.18 He that hath the Son hath life he that hath not the Son hath not life 1 John 5.12 Thou thinkest thou hast this and that which will speak well for thee Hast thou Christ If a Christless Soul have you what you will else the wrath of God abideth on thee John 3. ult Such words are set home with that life that there is no gainsaying the Soul must look out for a Saviour else all will be naught More possibly may be added but I think these
impatience and quarrelling Jonah and Jeremiah could quarrel Jer. 15.18 and 20.14 15. for things of less concernment then damnation denial of Grace and Love of God these were not their questions If they so impatient no wonder though these be though none should be 2. Though impatience and quarrelling for want of Christ the Love of God and Grace be not good yet if we examine such a person well we may find a work of Faith even by this impatience for doth not this impatience arise because the will hath chosen and love hath set it self upon a desirable object which because the Soul cannot obtain as it desires it grows impatient being crossed in that which it chuseth and loveth Thus Christ compleat Christ the Love of God Grace Holiness are the desirable Objects of this Soul and because this Soul cannot enjoy them as it would therefore it quarrels and grows impatient because it is crossed in its choice and love But is not there a work of Faith where the will hath thus chosen Christ c Yea it seems the choice of the will and love are acted to a good degree for we do not grow impatient for being crossed in our object but when the will and affections run out much after the object So that though here be an infirmity yet it is such an one as we may gather Grace from it Treatise of Affections p. 151. I remember Mr. Fenner speaking of Zeal saith it is the impatient part of the Affections and speaking against luke-warmness under that Head saith he Thou mayest pray to God for Grace to heal thee of thy deadness but though he do not heal thee thou canst bear it but if thy affections were so far hereto as to be zealous they would be impatient thou couldest never endure it There is a difference between this and what Mr. Shepherd hath taught us Thus sure it will be for any part of redemption which the Soul is set upon with zeal to experience impatience will beapt to move if the will be long crossed How often have we Parents born with our Children in sickness and pain though they have been impatient and froward Alas the Child is sick full of pain And what is our sweet God What is our patience to his but especially when this impatience is because the Soul cannot enjoy his Christ Love Image and Holiness to walk with him 3. Grant it that this quarrelling and impatience against God in denying of Christ his Love and Grace be sinful and ought not to be as the poor Soul will not justifie quarrelling yet if it doth overtake the Soul will Mr. Shepherd conclude as it seems he doth with Mr. Hooker that the Soul is not rightly prepared for Christ that sound Faith cannot be infused till it be content to be disposed of to Hell if Gods will be so though all the forementioned preparatory works be found and the will brought to accept the terms of Christ For persons that God works upon when adult where these are not found viz. Conviction of sin and sense of the evil of sin self-emptiness a lost condition willingness that Christ should separate between its soul and sin allowing the rules I have given before I will say that person is not rightly prepared for Christ for where there is no conviction of sin no fears and sorrows under the sense of the evil of sin where no willingness that Christ should separate between the Soul and sin where men have righteousness and abilities of their own I am sure that man will never take Christ upon Christs terms but will they say though all these be and the heart be willing to take him upon his terms as blessed be God many thousands have felt it and do find it though they have found impatiencies and quarrellings being denied too often break out yet they are not rightly prepared but their work is false erroneous unsound because they find quarrellings and impatience I would not be the man that should preach such doctrine I would throw away my Pen before I would write it before I would condemn so many thousands of the generation of sound Believers To expunge Job Jonah Jeremiah out of the number of Saints for their quarrelling and impatience against God I dare not nor other Saints for these or other infirmities supposing they be but infirmities yet I see Mr. Hooker hath cut off all from Faith and true preparation for Christ because men have not attained to a higher pitch then non-quarrelling Before I come to the Anasceuastick part let me set down how the Soul under this sense of this misery and sin the sight of the hell he seeth in himself carries it self First It looks on it self without a Christ and love of God through him as the most miserable Creature on the earth O that I could out change with a Toad that I were but in a state so good as that is real groans no Rhetorical strains Secondly It pleads for nothing with God from it self it can tell God of nothing but sin and misery a sink of abomination that it finds in it self Mr. Shepherd both in his Book and Letter to me is oft up with this the Soul seeth it self worthy of no mercy if that had been all Mr. Shepherd and Mr. Hooker meant their Books would never have troubled me nor others as to the point of preparation Merit is a Monster in the Armes of Mercy how much more will this Soul say who seeth nothing but a hell in it self Worthiness of Mercy is a contradiction worthiness in us destroyes the being of mercy Thirdly Though it cannot bear the least spark of wrath yet it cannot but judge and condemn it self and justifie God what he might do with it if he will deal with it according to justice under a Covenant of works while it is about thus to do sometimes his joynts tremble and coldness a quivering comes over the heart afraid to speak out his words in self-condemning for fear God should take his words out of his mouth and condemn him accordingly out of his own mouth Fourthly He magnifies God for his patience that he did not take him long since in his way of sinning cut him off and send him to that place where no mercy is known but God had been just This patience of God affects his heart Fifthly He stands and wonders at that mercy how God can possibly love such a one blot out all his guilt justifie him that is the strangest word and translate him from being the Devils nasty sty to make him a habitation for his holy Spirit These things are found but to come to such a positive habitual frame of Contentation to have no love of God no Grace but to be given up to lusts and damned if God will have it so I dare not own it Only here that I may leave nothing to trouble any tender Christian when I say these things are found my meaning is not that they are found in all before
Let us see if the case be parallel First To drink that dreadful bitter Cup was the design and intent of God in sending of his Son and the intent of Christ in coming Thus John 12.27 when his Soul was so troubled that he could not tell what to say but this Father save me from this hour he adds John 18.11 But for this cause came I unto this hour he should loose the end of his coming And is this the intent the design of God to send all men into the world to damn them if he please Secondly Christ undertook this work freely he was at his own choice whether he would or not He gave himself Gal. 1.4 T it 2.14 For this cause I came John 12.27 Is the case so with us Thirdly He was able to undertake it he did go through with it drunk up his Cup the dregs of it blessed be his Name left nothing in it for his poor people to drink of it Hence Luke 22.15 With desire have I desired this Passover his last when he should be made our Passover that was next Is it so with us Fourthly True Christ did pray to be delivered from it when he came to smell the Cup it was so horrid that the human nature flew back as if he had repented of his undertaking but Christ was not bound to pray that prayer there was no duty in it obedience to a Command which is my Argument but only the human nature amazed astonished at the dread of what he was now going upon would have saved it self it did discover the reallity of his humane nature but no sin in it whence I leave it to any judicious Reader whether there be any thing in this Answer to take off my Argument Seventh Arg. Lastly I will not draw my Argument into form but this I would say blessed Lord what mean these worthy men do we find the sons of men to be so eagerly set after thy Love after thy Grace are men so disquieted without thy Love and thy Grace that we must now go teach them that they must be quietly contented and satisfied if they suppose thou wilt never give them thy Grace How long may thy poor Ministers preach and mourn at last that they cannot get one perswade not one in a year to care for thy Love to regard thy Grace Instead of quarrelling with thee because thou wilt not give them thy Love and Grace they quarrel with us because we stir them up to seek it and threaten them from thee because they neglect it So that certainly of all doctrines this doctrine might have been spared Mr. Shepherd p. 97. speaking against some saith Are we troubled with too many wounded Consciences in these times that we are so solicitous of coining new principles of peace The same say I are we troubled with too many disquieted Souls for the Love of God and the manifestation of his Grace that we must invent a new way how to quiet them not new principles of peace but new principles of trouble heart-stabbing principles to be content without Gods Love Grace to be content to abide the state of damnation to tell the Devil that if God will give me up to my lusts and damn me yet so he hath the honour of his Power and Justice I am content Blessed be God for revealing his gracious name his Christ his Gospel Covenant Promises Seals we can find better principles for disquieted Souls out of these than this new one which I never read in any other Author but these So much for these worthy men as to this point whose persons as I knew so their eminent graces and Ministerial abilities I do most highly honour it being my greatest trouble in this that I must oppose those whom I do so much honour But Truth and the Lambs of Christ must be regarded Amicus Socrates Amicus Plato c. CHAP. VI. Of Faith in Christ How the Spirit draws the Soul to him THe awakened Sinner by this time is loosened and made willing to turn from that term from which he is called The next thing is to consider the term to which he is called to which he must turn Repentance towards God and Faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ Acts 20.21 was the sum of Paul's preaching to the Ephesians God the proper Object of Repentance Christ of Faith Christ then is the mediate Object of Faith in effectual Calling God the ultimate Christ I mean as Mediatour as Christ God in our flesh for as God he is the ultimate Who by him do believe in God 1 Pet. 1.21 The heart of the Sinner thus prepared as I have opened he is now enquiring if there be any way to get out of that state of sin and misery emptiness of all good and wants which he feels himself in the news of a Redeemer is welcome Is there such a one Yes What is he Is he able to do the work May one rest and confide in him Yes he is a Saviour and a great one Isai 19.20 Mighty to save Isai 63.1 May he be had Yes for he calls you What are the terms upon which he may be had They are but equal good such as when you come to understand them you would not have them changed A Redeemer must be that the Soul is convinced of there is no coming to God a consuming Fire a just Judge a holy God whose Law I have trampled under foot and that Law curseth me to Hell but I must have one to undertake for me besides I feel such a hell of filthiness within me such rebellion in my heart that if I be left alone I am undone Price and Power must be or I must perish As then in that term from which the Soul was called the Spirit let in Light which discovered the evil of that state Conviction accompanied that light and fears and sorrows followed that Conviction thus the affections with will did avert fly from and turn from that evil but how to help it self it could not tell feeling nothing but sin weakness and emptiness no righteousness no ability in it self So now in this term Christ and God to whom the Soul is called the Spirit enlightens the Soul to see the Son Every one that seeth the Son John 6.40 to understand him in his Person Offices work of Redemption it shews him the adequate fulness in God in Christ to answer its desires and will the loss of whatever the Soul stuck at which hindered it from turning from that term from which it was called the Spirit convinceth the Soul of the truth of all this goodness discovered it convinceth the man also that there is a fair probability of his enjoying this Christ yea convinceth him it is his duty to come to him and now he will add a worse sin to all the former if he obey not the Command and Call of God This sutable and adequate goodness being thus discovered and the will renewed now the will and affections move strongly
Socinian Jesus hath no such matter of wonder nor any reason why Man or Angel should worship him To conclude Our Jesus is he whom his Father hath exalted to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins Acts 5.31 Doth he forgive sins on earth Matth. 9.2 3. and in heaven too Doth he give repentance also Then he must give a new heart a new spirit then he must take away the heart of stone and give a heart of flesh Ezek. 36.26 else he cannot give repentance If he can create a World Col. 1.16 and uphold a world by the word of his power Heb. 1.3 If he can create new hearts too in giving repentance and preserve them Jude ver 1. Preserved in Christ so as none shall pluck them out of his hand John 10.28 then without controversie our Jesus must be God man for a Socinian Jesus that is but meer man can never do these things Let the Reader excuse me though I have gone beyond my intentions When I wrote this I did not know the Socinian heresie did spread so as since I have that it did spread secretly I knew but that it should be openly maintained and books printed I heard not till I had done for I had no thoughts to have written one line upon this subject but that hearing how the Socinian doctrine spreads which stubs up our Christian Religion by the roots I thought it not amiss to add a few meditations which I have had besides those I saw in Books and it 's possible this book may fall into the hands of some who are troubled with these temptations and have not other books to help themselves And now I proceed The Spirit I say enlightens the understanding to know him in his Person Offices and work of Redemption whom the Soul is to receive Phil. 4.9 Those things which ye have learned and received there must be learning before there can be receiving The high-way-hearer did never receive the Word which it seems the stony ground did Matth. 13.20 Why did not the high-way-hearer go so far as the stony ground The Text saith ver 19. he did not understand the word of the Kingdom which it seems the other did but did not set down and consider what it would cost Luke 14.28 Hence John 6.45 who hath heard and learned of the Father cometh to me He that cometh to Christ receives Christ Now what goeth before this coming The Father teacheth it semes several Lessons concerning Christ the Soul hears and because he hath such a Master he learns then follows infallibly that Souls coming Isa 53.11 By his knowledge shall my righteous Servant justifie many by our knowledge of him Divine knowledge taught by the Spirit is the first thing to make up justifying Faith Verba notititae apud Hebraeos c. But alas how ignorant are the greatest of those who are called Christians and must be called so else they take it in great scorn of the Truths of Christ how little do they know of his Person Offices or his work of Redeniption put questions to them what sad answers would they give Sermon upon Ignoramus The story which blessed Pemble gives us of that fine civil man who had heard three thousand Sermons yet when on his death bed came to be examined about his knowledge is very famous how he understood Christ you may read by his answer Essex hath been a famous County for preaching yet one that I know in my Parish being asked what is Christ he could not tell Is he God or man I cannot tell but I think a Spirit Another on his death-bed about sixty years of age when told him what Christ was what he had done suffered fell a wondering as if they were things he never heard before yet catechizing besides preaching was set up in the Parish Little do we know what ignorance is in people Secondly The second thing required to the receiving of Christ is the Assent which the understanding gives to all the propositions concerning Christ his Person Offices and works of Redemption as being trùe though propositions be known yet if not assented to as true they are not received I may know abundance of propositions or opinions of other men in Divinity Philosophy Physick but if I do not do not assent to them as true I never receive them Thus when the Soul gives its assent to all those things as true Christ is received into the understanding the intellectual part and the ground of this assent being because he who is the Prima veritas saith it because of the authority of Gods Testimony who reveals it Fides Historice differt a Fide Historiarum this makes that which we call Historical Faith or Dogmatical Faith Though this assent alone is not enough to make a saving reception of Christ yet it is in saving Faith and that without which it is impossible there should be any saving Faith The Spirit convinceth of righteousness John 16.10 Thus he carrieth on his work by Conviction under the Gospel so clear and strong in his arguing that the understanding cannot but assent to what he teacheth it is more for the Spirit to convince of righteousness than to convince of sin unless of that particular sin of not believing in Christ for in his conviction of sin our own natural Consciences quickly strike in and help do the work but for this Righteousness of Christ natural Conscience can do nothing in it Concerning Dogmatical or Historical Faith a few words Divines in their Disputations against the Papists have spoken not so highly of it as it may be it deserves because saving Faith differs from it commonly amongst us it is very much slighted what a tush do many make of it to my knowledge Hence some and those not of the lower form of Christians for knowledge when they heard what books our Divines Doctor Stillingfleet and Mr. Baxter have written in defence of the truth of our Christian Religion have said they wonder they should busie their heads about such needless subjects When I read over Alvarez de Auxil some years since and met with his 49. Disputat upon that question Vtrum homo per solas vires naturae possit omnibus mysteriis supernaturalibus sibi propositiis explicatis assentiri tanquam revelatis a Dee assensu certo firme ex parte credentis When I had read his four Conclusions upon the Question how he denied it that man could not do it my opinion then about Dogmatical Faith not being so high though never so low as I see some mens is I a little wondered at this Popish Author but since I have met with that which doth sufficiently confirm me of the truth of what he saith and I shall ever honour him the more for what I then read in him while men take all upon trust are carried in the croud set quiet no temptations trouble them how light do they make of that which if ever they come to be sifted winnowed in
is fain to pray hard that God would hold his faith to the Scriptures and strengthen his poor battered Historical faith and can now tell by experience O I see all Divine faith is the gift of God These thoughts have made me move this question with my self Quest Whether there be not a great difference between the Historical faith of a true Child of God and other men The Child of God gives his assent and the man who is not a Child of God gives his assent to the same Propositions which the other doth Answ I have determined in my self certainly there is a great difference though both give the assent to the same Truths First Because the Child of God was taught by God his Father John 6.45 It is another kind of teaching he hath than others have the Spirit as the Spirit of the Covenant instructs him Now as by this teaching he seeth those divine Truths after another manner than others do so he assents to them after another manner he hath stronger Convictions than others have Where there is a different efficient in this point there will be a different effect Secondly The Child of God doth experience and presseth still daily more and more for his experiencing of those Truths to which he doth assent So his experience returns this an addition of strength to his assent To conclude this Head Christians do not make light of Historical faith O pray that God would give you more of this faith and streng then it mightily by that time you have payed as dear for it as some others have done you will value it at a great rate Pray I say read good books that may help you but above all let me commend this as the surest and most approved way to help you labour to experience Christ in all his work of Redemption the more you grow here the stronger grows your faith of assent you will be more able to ward and bear off Satans blows and answer the Objections which arise from thy unbelieving Atheistical heart you may find Arguments and help your self to deal with an Atheist by reading of books and in that you will do well but you will never be armed sufficiently against Satan the unbelief and Atheisme of thine own heart without this When I was a Boy I never cared to play at Cudgels with him who was left-handed and looked a squint with his eyes I could not tell where to have him I might receive a blow where I was not aware of him for others I did not much care unless too big for me to beat my Cudgels to my head For Atheistical men you may make a shift to hold up the Cudgels against them by what Arguments you can invent and read in Authors though sometimes they are so impudent bold and subtle in arguing that they would seem to beat your Cudgels to your head but from my own woful heart and squint-eyed left handed Satan I have felt such blows come that no Atheist without me could strike I may read books long enough before I should find an answer to these Arguments when a man hath experienced the Redemption of Christ the Promises the new Covenant for there are the blows given not about the Commandments for there is a light within our Reason which helps to confirm the equity and reason of the Command this man hath a Weapon both for defence and offence of this experimental feeling of the power of Christs Redemption I can say as David to Ahimelech 1 Sam. 21.9 when he had asked Ahimelech for a Sword he told him he had none but the Sword of Goliah David said There is none like that give it me So say I there is no Sword like this to enter into the field against Atheism Lord give it me our High-Priest Jesus must give it us I shut up this Head with this Rule That man who hath the Gospel written upon the fleshy-tables of his heart by the finger of Gods Almighty Spirit that man hath the best Argument to prove to himself that the Gospel written in paper withink is the Word of God Thirdly The third thing required to the reception of Christ is the approbation of him as good the best good such a good as exceeds all that good which the Soul found in that term from which it was called Christ is not proposed as an object of bare and naked truth to be assented to but as a soveraign and saving truth to do good to men The desire of all flesh Hag. 2.7 When the Soul was called from the term in which God finds it it was called from good so it apprehended it and approved it were it the pleasure of his lusts this was bonum jucundum this held him fast was it profit this was bonum utile good there was be it true be it false in it self it was so to him and this held him fast made the work so difficult so strange to him why he should be called away he is well where he is now the Soul must have such good in Christ to whom he is called laied open to it as do counterpoize nay out-bid and excell all that good which he found in the term from which he was called and the Judgment the practical Judgment not only Absolutum but Comparatum must approve of it to be so too else the Soul will never be soundly taken off from that term from which he is called nor ever close truly with Christ never receive him to whom he is called Christ must come into the will he must be received there else he is never savingly received but if he comes there the will must be certainly informed that he is good and so good to answer whatever he calls for there or else he shall never be admitted there Who will shew us any good Psal 4.6 It is not only the question of wicked men in the good they seek after but it is the question of every man as man every mans will is enquiring after good Medul Theol. l. 2. c. 5. Thes 13.14 one good or other Doctor Ames saith true Objectum materiale Fidei est immediate aliquod Axioma sub ratione veri sed illud in que principaliter terminatur Fides de quo propter quod assensus praebetur illi axiomati per fidem est ens incomp exum sub ratione boni Principalis igitur terminus in quem tendit actus credentis est res ipsa quae in axiomate praecipue spectatur Let the understanding assent never so much to all these things concerning Christ as true if the Judgment doth not approve of them as good and best good Christ will never be truly received God in his working maintains the faculties of the Soul in their actings as he made them Approbation belongs properly to the intellectual part for before any man can will a thing it is presupposed that he esteems it to be good in the judgment of his understanding and this is to be approved That the
will must be renewed I do not at all question whether the Lord doth it immediately or mediately by the understanding I had rather feel the renewing than dispute which of these two wayes God doth it but sure I am if he renews the will then he renews a rational Creature If his people be willing in the day of his power Psal 110.3 Yet the day of his power is not a day of forcing the will which cannot be done by God himself it must cease to be a will then Possum volo malo have no Imperative Mood then to be sure the understanding and judgment must go before To fancy that by the Spirits renewing of the will immediately Christ shall come to have the chief room in the heart though the practical Judgment did not with all circumstances and things considered approve of him as the chiefest good is but irrational When then the Spirit doth shew to the understanding in a Covenant and saving way the excellencies of Christ the fitness of him to answer the state in which the Soul now seeth it self under sin misery emptiness and guilt which most affects the Soul to see one so fitted for him to help him and enough to satisfie him when he sheweth him the Table spread in the Gospel and set with those dishes which sutes his hungry Soul as ever did Feast sute his sensitive appetite Isai 25.6 Prov. 9.1.2 3 45. the Judgment immediately approves and the Spirit in that very instant in the will inclines it as the first cause and the will determines as the second cause as freely as if there were no presence of God there for it acts according to its nature To think that God works only upon the Understanding and Judgment and lets the will alone or that he works upon the will alone and not at the same time upon the Understanding are notions which no rational man will receive The fourth and last Act that compleats this receiving of Christ and makes it saving is the will consenting chusing or embracing of Christ as God propounds and offers him that is Christ his Person cloathed with all his Offices and compleat work of Redemption Thus and no other wayes is Christ propounded and offered thus and no other wayes must and doth the will embrace him in consenting chusing I embrace him God doth not offer Offices and Redemption without a Person nor a Person without Offices and Redemption nor a Person with one or two Offices and part of Redemption but compleat as he hath appointed him a fit Saviour as fit as can be less will not serve more is needless who receives Christ his Person with Offices right receives him with compleat Redemption or to receive Christ with his compleat Redemption is to receive him with his Offices so that here is no cause of stumbling Thus then you have it First The Spirit enlightened the lost sinner to understand and see Christ in his Offices and work of Redemption how fit he is how sutable for such a Soul in this condition Secondly The Understanding being convinced assented to all this as true Thirdly The Judgment approved of Christ thus offered as not only good but the best good for me all circumstances considered Fourthly Then saith the will I chuse him give me him thus and no other wayes for in Christ thus offered I am satisfied This Soul hath rightly received Jesus Christ the Lord. What deceits there may be in this I shall touch in its proper place I put in consenting or chusing if any should quarrel with me about consent as if it did properly pertain to the understanding and not to the will as some of late had rather call this act complacentia than consensus I would nor trouble my self about it only because consent hath commonly by the School-men and other Learned men been appropriated to the will therefore I put it in as appears by Aquin. (a) Sam. 12. q. 15. a. 1. Vasquez (b) Ineandem quaest Valentia and (c) De cauta Dei p. 741. Bradwardina that the will doth come in to make up a saving reception of Christ this I aim at and sure I am that choice election belongs to the will if consent doth not but it was wont to be said assent to the understanding consent to the will That Christ can be received savingly and not into the will I think will hardly go for sound and saving doctrine And if so then sure I am he cannot come there but by chaice or consent I know Vasquez though he be peremptory that consent Substantialiter belongs to the will yet makes a difference between consent and election ibid. * Exercit. Eth. 16. Herebord in answering to an Argument which supposeth Faith to be only in the mind or understanding tells his Adversary that Amesius with other famous Divines especially the English †Ames Medul Theol. l. 1. c. 2. Thes 2 3. Divines do place Faith in the will and make knowledge and assent but conditions of Faith that went before it but the common opinion of most place saith he Faith both in the understanding and the will Mr. Jackson who will not own any real distinction between the understanding and will and so doth not appropriate Faith to the understanding or will yet saith he Such as do acknowledge a real distinction between them Justific p 35. or in their acts should rather place it in the will because the objects of it are rather moral than meerly speculative nor can we ever understand them aright but we must understand them as good to us With this agrees that which I quoted before out of Amesius Objectum Fidei est immediate semper aliquod axioma sub ratione veri sed illud de quo propter quod assensus praebetur illi axiomati per fidem est ens incomplexum subratione boni In the next Thesis he gives the reason Actus enim credentis non terminatur ad axioma sed ad rem fatentibus Scholasticorum clarissimis Ratio est quia non formamus axiomata nist ut per eade rebus cognitionem babeamus Principalis igitur terminus in quem tendit actus credentis est res ipsa quae in axiomate praecipue spectatur See him also in Medul Theol. l. 1. cap. 2. Thos 2.3 First Let us consider the state the Soul is now in it is under the sense of the greatest evil that a Creature can be it is not the assenting to truths which doth heal him and remove his evil Let him receive a thousand truths be they never so spiritual they leave him under his evil still but it must be an object that is good conquering and removing all that evil which he feels that heals him then Faith doth not heal him but as it brings in this good object and it must then be brought into the will if good and as good Secondly Faith is set out by coming frequently John 6.44 45 65. c. men do not use to
is de fide we know it by revelation we have Gods testimony for it But I believe this minor proposition how do you know that It must be by a mans retiring into himself and there taking a view of his own heart examining what God hath done there how he hath drawn the Soul to Christ which I know the mind of man illuminated sanctified this Spirit of man the candle of the Lord searching all the inward parts of the belly Prov. 20.27 with the Spirit of God helping of it against all those darkning Objections which Satan and his own timerous heart raiseth may experience find out and that certainly and so draw up this conclusion therefore Christ is mine my sins are forgiven the conclusion is certain that Soul is not deceived there may be a firm assent given to this conclusion If so then saith learned Ward De fide justific cap. 33. Rectissime dicitur assensus-fidei specialis cui nec subest aliquando nec subesse potest falsum non minus quam fidei Catholicae Here I shrink certainty I acknowledge not a wavering conjecture but to have it special Divine faith and to be as certain as this proposition That he that believeth in Christ is justified or pardoned of which I am sure it is true non potest subesse falsum this is hard to yield to The minor is certain with the certainty of experience or experimental knowledge he saith experience and faith are different things How then is the conclusion certain with the certainty of Divine Faith The conclusion must follow the weaker part and I think my experience is weaker than Gods testimony then let the conclusion follow my experience and so be certain with the certainty of experience and if so then be sure the particular perswasion and assurance Christ is mine cannot be the essence of saving faith For there is no faith at all in that conclusion However make the best of it it is but mixed I find that learned Author twice asserting that divine propositions p. 33. 205. de fi de being more obscure and less evident they are therefore the weaker eo nomine deteriores because of the Inevidentia in this Divine proposition He that believeth in Christ the Mediatour his sins are forgiven therefore there is a Debilitas a weakness in this proposition whence if the Syllogisme be formed He that believeth in Christ Mediatour his sins are forgiven But I believe in Christ Mediatour which I know by experience Therefore my sins are pardoned Here the conclusion must follow the more ineyident and so the weaker part which is the Major Pace tanti viri here we must dissent I would not have it said that ullo nomine a Divine proposition should be deterior than other Scientifical propositions That stout Champion Bradwardin arguing against some Philosophers who presumed they could know God fully and deriding of Christians because they believed something concerning God which they knew not how to demonstrate by way of humane reason after he had proved that God was infinitely more not known than known he bids the Philosophers cease deriding Christians for believing some things divinely revealed concerning God and his works which they knew not how to demonstrate De causa Dei p. 29. but knew how to defend them from their contradictory demonstrations then saith he ought not this to satisfie any Christian yea or profane man for a Demonstration Deus dicit Jehovah saith it is a Demonstration sufficient in Bradwardin's esteem and certainly if it be as impossible for God or the Prima Vâ—â—â—â—â—â— to be untrue or false as for fire to be cold or Sun 〈…〉 dark then if he saith it there is as much strength in that proposition to command assent from our understandings as in any proposition of which you can make demonstration by any humane reason 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Dialog can Triph. p. 224. Justin Martyr saith the Prophets did not compose their Writings by demonstration but were Witnesses worthy to be believed of truth far above all demonstration then certainly a Divine proposition cannot be the weaker part of a Syllogism which the conclusion must follow Again why doth this learned man say that Divine propositions de fide are more obscure I mean ex hypothesi that it be yielded that it is a Divine Proposition as this proposition which he propounds He that believes in Christ the Mediatour his sins are forgiven What obscurity is there in this proposition more than in the next But I believe in Christ the Mediatour Is the obscurity as to the proposition whether this be an Article divinely revealed Then the minor is but in vain I would never trouble my self to know whether I believe in this Christ Mediatour or not But is that yielded it is an Article of Divine faith Is the obscurity in the word believe Then the minor must be as obscure Is it in the object of this faith Christ the Mediatour That is a Mystery indeed his person and his work but still the minor will be as obscure for the minor Proposition assumes the Tertium argumentum out of major Proposition and disposeth it with the subject of the question and if it be obscure there it must be so here In the next words cannot be the obscurity But this I am sure of in the minor that I believe there may be obscurity rising from a person where though there be light yet there is also much darkness but in God there is light and no darkness not so much as the shadow of a lye Again whereas the learned Author saith Propositions de fide are more certain than Scientifical propositions If they be more certain then my assent unto such Propositions must needs be more certain If the question then be to which of these Propositions He that believes in Christ the Mediatour his sins are pardoned I believe in Christ the Mediatour Can I give the most certain assent To the first surely being a Proposition de fide then that must be the stronger of the premises and the minor is the weaker which the conclusion must follow The learned Author saith that the minor I believe in Christ must be de fide because it cannot be known quoad modum without the irradiation of the holy Spirit which irradiation for so I think he puts infallibiliter certa vera in the ablative case to agree with irradiatione is infallibly certain and true Here we have something that is obscure What is this irradiation of the Spirit Reverend Mr. Bolton mentions several cases and times Gener. Direct p. 326. in which the Spirit doth suggest and iustifie to a sanctified conscience with a secret still heart-ravishing voice thus or in like manner thou art a Child of God thy sins are pardoned thou art one of them that shall be saved That it is with a voice alwayes he doth not say but that the Spirit doth so break in upon a Soul in a secret
had read at that time for said he had I been meditating upon it before and so had comfort from the Text I should not have regarded it so much that was the emphasis that it was a Scripture he had not thought of Whence according to him the greatest assurance is when the Spirit sets home a Promise to a man which Promise was not in a mans mind he was not meditating upon it for if he had been in meditation upon it he should not so regard it This Divinity I told him I dare not preach for I doubt not but if the Spirit will please to witness healing pardon love peace by a Promise that I was meditating upon it is as sound sure and good as if he doth it by a Promise I did not think of Hence we see experiences of eminent Christians must not be in every point our rule for in my discourse with him he alwayes set the Accent there and so that if it had not been a Text not thought of he should not have so much minded it at least not so much But sure his great comforts he would have minded Well then that this was the testimony of the Spirit I doubt not it was clear to him by the Sun that then did shine into his heart Here was no syllogisme First May we not say his assent to this testimony was special faith I conceive we may grant it The testimony came with such light and self-conviction that he could not deny but it was the testimony of the Spirit immediately Now if I be convinced clearly it is his immediate testimony I am bound to assent to his testimony which is here Divine special faith Secondly But this I hope is not the assurance and particular perswasion which holy Perkins and holy Rogers mean If so the number of true believers will be but few indeed I have known many and do now know many whom I question not but they are sound believers but never knew what this kind of testimony meant yet have and do know what the testimony of their own renewed spirits mean Hence quaere whether that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 8.16 be not ordinarily to be meant of that concourse of the Spirit with the Spirits of believers which while they are clouded and darkened in their self-examining and know not what to make of themselves the good Spirit scattereth those mists and helps the believer to see the work of faith and the frame of grace which he hath wrought in it and thus helps the Soul to witness and is a witness with it For if it be meant only of the Spirits witness as Mr. Bolton describeth it and this good Christian found it that witness I find very rare amongst those with whom I have conversed To have comforts by promises applied now and then I deny not but this was in an eminent way Thirdly Nor do I think this was the irradiation which learned Ward intended because as I said here was no Syllogisme which he is upon Nor I think is this that our Divines mean by their special faith in opposition to the Papists for they will yield that a man may have the assurance of his pardoned estate and being in grace by a certainty of faith if God will please to give him that assurance by a special revelation De Justific l. 3. c. 3. As Bellarmin yields and quotes abundance of his Authors agreeing to the same Opinion What to call this but a special revelation I cannot tell for here was no ratiocination on his part but now composing to rest and laying by those thoughts in came the Spirit of God after this manner immediately bearing down all doubts before him and assuring him he was pardoned and in favour with God But as to assurance if all the Papists will yield what Gregory de Valentin tom 2. disp 8. q. 4. p. 1. doth I would never quarrel with them about it Eighth Argument That cannot be the essence of saving Faith which leaveth a true Belieuer sinking under the sense of his sin and misery without support But this particular perswasion and assurance Christ is mine c. affirmed to be saving faith leaves a true Believer under the sense of sin and misery without support Ergo It is not the essence of saving faith For the minor first Here is a Christian and one whom if you examine as we have opened the work of faith can give some good answer to it this Christian is under the sense of his own vileness guilt and wretchedness ready to sink I pray how will you support him Thus though thou art guilty vile abominable yet there is enough in Christ to heal thee pardon thee redeem thee and reconcile thee to God yea saith the Soul I doubt not of it but how shall I get him How by faith that is the way the Gospel tells us Ay but saith this Soul I cannot believe What no Do you know what faith is A particular perswasion and assurance that Christ is mine and that my sins are pardoned c. Ah saith the Soul if this be faith I am damn'd indeed Without are unbelievers Revel 21.8 I must be without indeed for I am sure I am an unbeliever now A perswasion Christ is mine that my sins are forgiven I cannot reach such perswasion or assurance had I this faith there were an end of my troubles but now you tell him what faith is and if no faith no Christ and to be sure he hath no faith if this be the faith which uniteth to Christ so you do but plunge him deeper into despair while you go about to support him yet that he is a true believer the notes which these worthy men give of one are found in him The major is clear True believers have right to comfort and support they ought to be supported Strengthen the weak hands confirm the feeble knees Isai 35.3 but miserable Physitians will they prove that go about to heal their wounds with this plaister More Arguments might be added but these I hope are sufficient to prove that the definitions of our fore-fathers which they gave of faith was not clear And so Christians may be eased as to that point not cutting off themselves from true faith because they have not attained to that particular perswasion and assurance that Christ is theirs Having removed this now I shall prove that to be saving faith which I have opened As for the other contest between the Papists and us about the general assent to Divine truths c. though as I said to have that assent to be Divine faith is another manner of thing than many Christians take it to be yet as that was never my own doubt nor of others with whom I converse whether that alone would make up saving faith being easily convinced of the contrary therefore I leave it Faith in Christ then is the receiving of Christ as he is offered in the Gospel and so resting upon him alone for life and salvation How
Repentance and Faith are conditions sufficient so saith that Gospel which reveals our salvation To say the Consequence is fallacious because this condition of setting up of the glory of Grace above our salvation is contained in them Say in which Define them both and see if we can find it For Faith in Christ That we said is that saving Grace whereby we receive him as he is offered in the Gospel and so rest upon him alone for salvation This definition agreeth with the Scriptures and is not at all deficient we have proved it before having opened how Christ is offered and how Christ is received c. it is not contained in this For Repentance to life the essence of it lyes in the Souls turning from all sin with grief and hatred of it unto God I will not set down a large description of it Our Catechisme gives it Now how can that condition be contained here being I am not to turn from my own salvation this is no term from which I am called I must turn only from sin God requires no more as to the term from which I turn Arg. 5. Lastly This Condition of setting up the glory of Gods Grace above our salvation must be had in Heaven Therefore to require it here and that upon this penalty the loss of our Souls for want of it agrees not with solid reason Quest Why do you tie it up to Heaven I answer So long as the means to an end is incomplete imperfect so long the end to which that means tends is but imperfectly attained Now so long as believers are in this world with a body of death within temptations from World and Satan without lying in so many dangers and fears every day that many times the Soul knoweth not what to say of it self but thinks it shall one day perish this heart of mine will undo me temptations without drive so hard against the Soul the means as yet is very imperfect though the Soul seeth it is Grace only through Christ which can save it and thinks it shall magnifie his Grace if he will save it yet it fears often it will not be its portion hence as yet God hath not his end or but very little but when the Believer is got into Heaven out of the Gun-shot of all temptations when it is secure and safe for ever knowing danger any more salvation is perfected and the means to Gods end compleated now begin the Songs to the praise of the riches of Grace and the Lamb to be sung and shall be sung to eternity now God hath his end compleated Grace in our salvation and above our salvation for ever triumphing If the authority of Mr. Rogers being a man so eminent in abilities and grace do make you think it must needs be true for such mens Opinions as these do prevail exceedingly upon Christians that are not able to examine Doctrines then take his Opinion which I had from his own mouth for as I preached against this Doctrine when I lived by him so I conferred with him about it and wrote down what he said to me in the Margent of his Book when I came from him his words were these The Soul in its first coming home to Christ doth seek its own salvation after union with Christ it seeks the honour of God and its own salvation subordinate to it It must first have a good savour of God it must first have tasted of his love before it can come to this That is to exalt his glory above its own salvation But this saying and his Books do not agree For if so be the Soul must have union with Christ first and in its union doth and may seek its own salvation and must have a taste of Gods love he must mean by this favour and taste a secret intimation of his reconciled love some good evidence of it before it comes to this setting up the glory of his Grace above its own salvation how is it that this self-love in not subordaining its own salvation to Gods glory which will deprive the Soul of all its labour and pains as he saith so dangerous that it will undo it how is it I say that this is found in a person united to Christ yea and there lieth till the Soul gets a taste of the love of God This I cannot understand How long is it before many poor Souls can get a taste and how little of it when it comes how short a time doth it stay Bara-hora brevis mora Thus I have endeavoured to remove those blocks which were layed in the way by these eminent men whom I do so much honour they have been a trouble to my self as to my own state which hath made me to examine them and weigh them in the ballance of the Sanctuary which must determine all questions and sit Judge upon all our writings the men being holy able and experienced men made me more to fear had they been young men in the heat of their affections I should not have regarded them as I saw one book the Authors name I forgot who gave such signs of hypocrisie that will cut off many a gracious heart but I saw by his picture at the beginning he was but young and so did not regard him How far that I have written may tend to the satisfaction of those Souls who have been or are troubled with these doubts which have been raised by these worthy men to the troubling of the peace and evidence of many gracious Christians I leave to the judgment of judicious and experienced Divines I bless God for my own part I am at rest as to these doubts though I have been disquieted by them unless I meet with better Scriptures and Arguments then yet I have done Having then opened the work of Effectual Calling and shewn how the Spirit of God prepares the Soul for Christ and unites it to Christ I will now make some improvement of the whole by way of Application though in this I intend to be but short by reason there are so many excellent books printed and men of such eminent gifts so excellently skilled in Gospel work that had it not been for these doubts which I know have troubled divers and for some of them no Divines that I knew had spoken to them though I found by discourse with them they were not of the same judgment with these reverend men I say had it not been for this I would never have set pen to paper for I know not for substance what I can write that hath not been written by more able pens yet variety of gifts may please the Reader and help on his spiritual edification From the whole work then I will conclude if this be effectual Calling and that which makes real Christians Then First The number of Real Christians is but small whatever those who are called Christians think Secondly The number of Real Christians is greater than those who are Real Christians giving judgment upon
never was right prepared for Christ I never yet saw sin in its right colours lours I never felt that spirit of bondage those legal terrors and sorrows as I ought to have done hence fin is no more bitter Christ and holiness are no more precious to me sin and I were never so separated in that work as ought to have been hence it cleaves so close unto me and hath such power over me at this day here also they lay the blaine when they cannot find their hearts running out in love after Christ as they should have them and would have them yea all their errors and miscarriages in their after works they reduce to their errors in this first work it being a sure Rule An error in the first concoction is not mended in the second I shall not repeat what I have before written but desire the Christian Reader to look back upon what I have said about Preparations and especially my Answer to that Question How a Christian may satisfie himself concerning those preparatory legal works Here I shall only add these few Heads very briefly First It is very true legal fears terrors and sorrows are very good to help loosen the Soul from sin to imbitter sin to make the Soul see the necessity and excellency of Christ prize him and love him accordingly Secondly It had been well for many Christians had they experienced them more than they have done light hearts apt to be frothy vain and running out to the utmost line of lawful liberties Thirdly Legal terrors and sorrows will not of themselves kindly nor soundly take off a Soul from sin such persons who have been plunged in them have returned to their vomit again after them Fourthly Soms Christians who have experienced them in a small measure have walked more awfully tenderly with a more mortified Gospel-conversation than other Christians who have had them in far greater degrees and yet have true Grace Fifthly Christians who have had great legal workings and attained sound Grace after them have found and complained of the rebellion of strong corruptions and the same things which other Christians complain of who have not found the legal workings after their manner but they cannot say that these things they complain of and which make them fear the soundness of their work arise from want of legal preparations they have had enough of them Why then should the workings of those corruptions c. be resolved into the want of legal preparations fears and sorrows and you for want of these legal workings question the soundness of your faith and conversion For you might have had those legal workings as others have had in a great degree and yet make as great complaints of these inbred corruptions and other evil frames as now you do Sixthly Great legal workings with great Gospel-grace following the remembrance of the legal works past kept up fresh the glory of Gospel-grace at present seen and felt make Christians set a higher price upon Christ morefearful of sin and so legal workings become very helpful and subservient to a Gospel-conversation all the dayes of a mans life Seventhly A frame of holiness wrought in the heart the Spirit of Christ there dwelling keeping and acting it the glorious Majesty of God discovered the love and sweetness of Christ really tasted and out-tasting all the sweetness of sin and creature do most kindly and soundly take off the Soul from sin and creature Let us labour then to experience these things more and not run to legal terrors which can never soundly and surely do the work though they may prepare for the work The next thing that makes many real Christians exclude themselves from the number of Believers is their want of faith they have no faith And why no faith Because they have not that particular perswasion that Christ with all his benefits are theirs they cannot say they dare not say Christ is mine or that my sins are forgiven when they hear of unbelief they know of no unbelief but this when persons do not believe or cannot believe that Christ is theirs and their sins are pardoned when they hear how great a sin unbelief is and what terrible threats the Word of God hath made against unbelievers they apply all to themselves What pangs have some Christians yea men of great parts and Ministers been under when they read that Revel 21.8 But the fearful and unbelieving c. shall have their parts in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone applying the Text to their fears doubts unbelief because they could not believe that Christ and his benefits were theirs And no wonder if Christians did thus conclude against themselves if faith in Christ be no other than that particular perswasion and assurance that Christ Jesus is mine that I shall have life and salvation by his means that whatever Christ did for the redemption of mankind he did it for me c. Those that had not this definition had not the thing defined that is saving faith Hence they might exclude themselves from the number of Believers Now though this be in great part taken off since Ministers of late have cleared the nature of faith in Christ better than it was before yet still it is that which keepeth many Christians under the old doctrine being not yet forgot of many and the latter not so clearly understood by most of which many Ministers may be in fault for if they be not clear in it themselves how can they preach it clearly to others But if that be saving faith in Christ which we have opened and are assured it is saving how many thousands will be found to be real Christians sound believers who according to the old definition of faith were cut off from that number Ask Christians Have you this particular perswasion that Christ is yours that whatever he did for the redemption of mankind he did it for you and that your sins are pardoned They will shake their heads answer you with a sigh O no I wish I had it I cannot come to that grounded assurance and perswasion Ask them again Hath not the Lord made you sensible of your sin guilt misery wretchedness in your self Hath he not revealed such excellency and fulness in Christ that now you feel your Heart willing to receive and embrace him for your Saviour and Lord Prophet High-Priest and King and so commit your self to him to have all his work of Redemption applyed to your Soul trusting and resting upon him alone for life and salvation They will answer you sometimes with an awful jealousie of their hearts I would have it so if my heart deceive me not sometimes more roundly ay with all my heart and soul Yea this work is found in them and unless it be in a day of great darkness desertion or vile sinful temptations and lusts working pend them up close in examination and they have been forced to yield it though sometimes they would eat their words again
that they can go up and down to duties to meetings though through their laziness and idleness in their particular Callings their families at home do suffer Trencher-Christians that serve their bellies by good discourses Those who have Estates and can spare the time it is well done Those who work the harder rise the earlier as the old Essex Christians would do that they might enjoy an oportunity for their Souls without detriment to their Families have acted like Christians indeed but some I have enquired after and find a habit of laziness and idleness hath taken them but they must go for very good Christians because frequent at Fasts I like not this Christianity An honourable and vertuous Lady was once commending of her Gardiner to Mr. Dod that holy man what a good man he was how much good discourse he had how helpful to others in the family to teach them to read c. But Madam said Mr. Dod what is this man in his particular Calling for God looks on us as we are in our particular Callings Here the good Lady could not then give any answer being new come but forced soon after to turn him away being an idle Jack I do not speak of a Christian at his first coming home when his Conscience being newly awakened and his danger felt that now he bestows more time in holy duties than afterwards Nor do I speak of any poor Christian that may be abused by their own darkness and Satans subtilty As one good woman because the Text saith Pray continually 1 Thes 5. she could never be satisfied but must be in secret at prayer and reading and the family neglected her children not dressed but went forlorn Christians could not take her off till at last Mr. Richardson that holy and learned man who wrote the Comment upon Ramus hearing of it and having occasion to go that way went into the house and seeing the children how they went spake with a loud voice and very terribly Is there no fear of God in this house and other words to this purpose which concluded there could be no true grace where there was such negligence in the particular place where the woman was set The poor woman hearing this language comes out of her private Room from her duties with trembling and now was taught another lesson if she would prove her grace to shew her diligence and care in her particular place where God had set her and carry on that with her duties in secret but this is not the case I am speaking to As for the other part the care and conscience the equity righteousness which men shew in all their dealings these things are often spoken to I forbear to enlarge upon them but wish that persons whose heads are taken up with high Gospel notions would credit their profession with righteous hands according to that Rule the Lord left us Matth. 7.12 Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you do ye even so just so to them A Rule little applyed to the actions of them who will yet say they have received Christ for their Lord What your high Gospel notions are I cannot tell and do as little care but I can tell this from our Lords mouth This is the Law and the Prophets such a Law as binds you and according to that Authority must you act deal trade live with men if your faith in our Lord Christ be sound Fourthly Bring this general to some particular Actions and Cases in your life when your gain profit ease liberty begin to be hazarded let us suppose the action to be questionable whether it may be done or not Doest thou now let Conscience have fair play doest not labour to hoodwink it that it may not see doest with a naked breast before the Lord willing to understand the mind and will of thy Lord whom thou hast received as thou sayest search pray enquire that thou mayest know what is his will and what he will have thee do Art willing to see light the true light or art afraid the window should be open lest if the light should come in it should determine thy actions so that profit ease liberty must go Doest shrink at this art shy of this Doest read only one part with much seriousness which speaks what you would have to be true and not as seriously search and examine the contrary for fear light should dart in and then Conscience and you could not be quiet I know I speak of a close thing a hard business to have a heart so sincere so awed with the Authority of our Lord that the heart is very willing to see light open all the windows let light come in fall back fall edge as we say this is the will of my Lord to him I resign up my will let come of it what will I know Christians meet with hard tugging here yet how can a man carry this evidence that he hath received Jesus for his Lord who is not willing with a plain heart without seeking evasions and distinctions which he may justly question whether his Lord will own or no to search and find out what the will of his Lord is I am sensible of difficulties here I do not write with a magisterial spirit but yet the Rule I must own and I do not know one sincere Christian that will deny it He that doth truth cometh to the light that his deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought in God John 3.21 Fifthly Carry this general to particular frames of heart slightness formality hardness of heart deadness coldness I know who will rise up here presently and tell me now you hit me now you have found out me No it may be not thou art not the person whom I mean who art so sensible of these and to whom these frames are not only sins but plagues I know too well how commonly these things slightness formality c. get in upon Christians yet I cannot call them frames of slightness c. because the real Christian will not endure such frames upon his spirit he is not right with himself when he feels these distempers upon him if through some temptations they have gotten head upon him How hard a thing it is to keep up a warm serious frame in the things and wayes of God unless a Christian be warmed with influences from Heaven conveyed through Ordinances I know too well but when a man lyeth in these frames can content himself in them let him look to himself for he is serious and real somewhere else which will shake his closing with Christ and right receiving of him for his Lord. 6. Lastly I shall conclude with this though I thought such a thing might have been spared for it will not reach all but some What opinion hast thou of thy Lords Institutions I am sure this Lord hath set up Ordinances in his House Divine institutions There is his Ministry and the work which he hath called and ordained
is mine will require the assistance and testimony too of that good Spirit when he helps the Soul to make his Syllogisme indeed the Soul shall be able to draw up his Conclusion according to his Premises He is called the Comforter and this his Office none can perform but himself if others help it is a he conveys himself by them Such is the work of Conversion from the first work of Illumination to the last all the things that come within the compass of a real Christian they do all depend upon the Spirit of God Men shall know it is not their great learning high parts c. that can do any thing belonging to a real Christian without the Spirit of God His work doth not depend upon the greatness of mens abilities God hath no need of them yea we find that as great parts hinder men from sound conversion that is a low thing fit for Mechanicks so where men have by the work of Gods Spirit attained to saving Grace their great parts have been great hinderances to their setling and comfort Many a poor sincere Christian whose natural abilities are but low shall be able to draw up the Conclusion and walk in the comfort of it that Christ is mine when other great heads though they have Grace shall not be able to reach it their excellent parts do but help them to be the more acute Disputants against themselves snarle and baffle themselves No flesh shall glory in his presence 1 Cor. 1.29 Hence we have known great Scholars able Divines have been glad to confer with and listen to the experiences of plain Christians in these cases Thus the eye hath need of the hand 1 Cor. 12.21 yea of the foot Seventhly Many Christians must have their setling and assurance come in their way which they have set down they chalk out Gods path for him they must have their comfort and evidence as such a Christian had it may be in an absolute promise without any condition expressed this was the only way of evidencing which some cried up and all assurances that came not this way were not valued this would take up some paper to handle that question which did so unbottom many serious Christians it would be too long to treat of it here but thus divers have lain looking for and listning after such a word set home by an impulse of the Spirit and all other wayes of evidencing are neglected to draw up a mans evidence by syllogizing taking first the word then applying that word to my heart and if my heart answers the word then conclude thus or so of my condition this was cryed down as being no sure or sound way of evidencing Hence many poor but sincere Christians were afraid and dare not go this way to work This hath made sad work I know where Lastly Some Ministers have preached it and their works published have declared it that Assurance is no saving Grace it is comfort but not grace and now there is no great danger though they do want assurance for they want not grace but want the comfort only of their grace in wanting assurance So they may do well in the conclusion though they want comfort at present it is want of saving grace not comfort which will ruine them This will occasion another Question Quest Whether a Christian upon self-examination or examination by others judicious and godly being convinced so much at least that he dares not deny but God hath wrought the good work of Faith in him ought not now to conclude Christ is mine and my sins are forgiven I speak of such a Christian who hath been examining himself by what hath gone before or by any other Book or Rules which are sound and unerring Some their Rules are false and most men judge by false Rules but I am speaking of a real Christian who is careful of his Rule and as careful in the applying of his heart to the Rule Amongst these in discourse we meet with some who manifest too much frowardness pettishness whom I much mislike and suspect others of a more humble meekened reverent frame of spirit willing to subject to any way of God and would conclude if they dare but they fear they should be too bold and thus out of fear are kept from their conclusion these are the Christians I aim at and observe the stress of the question lyes in the word ought it is not what they may do but what they ought to do making it a duty incumbent upon them and if that can be made good though that be yielded assurance is not grace yet they are not at liberty to turn off the conclusion as they please Answ Our Fathers who defined Faith by a particular perswasion and assurance c. had here a mighty advantage for their assurance is grace and those who had it not must want saving grace for they wanted faith without which no salvation and this I believe did put on many Christians that they dared not to deny the conclusion that Christ is mine forgiveness is mine because therein lay their work of saving faith and the contrary to it was unbelief the great Gospel damning sin Few Christians then and many now I believe knowing no other faith but this or unbelief but what is contrary to this Hence rose that Position which hath been so stifly maintained If a Christian should fall into a scandalous foul sin yet he must not let go his assurance of his interest in Christ of the love of God but that he ought to hold firm Very true if faith be the particular perswasion and assurance that Christ is mine then it ought to be so for every mans duty and so his duty is to believe he must not be an unbeliever though he hath fallen But what danger lyes in this Some rotten bold Hypocrite may be will say he holds his assurance at such a time but shew me that real sound Christian that ever did so till by sound repentance and laying hold upon the blood of Atonement with true faith he had recovered himself and made up his peace with God When thou art converted strengthen thy brethren said Christ to Peter Luke 22.32 rising from scandalous great falls is as it were another conversion or a now conversion a man shall meet with works now more terrible it may be than in his first conversion Neither David nor Peter knew such at the first conversion that they did in their rising from their scandalous falls But no more of this now Before I come to try whether we may determine affirmatively upon the Question I would take off an Objection and premise two or three things The Objection runs thus If assurance be no grace then I ought not to conclude according to the Question I am not bound to any thing but what is grace The Consequence and the Reason of it here given I deny Though assurance be not saving grace yet I may be bound and it may be my duty to conclude
this only that by his sin be hath displeased God who hath been to him a most merciful and loving Father Quest What sign is there of this sorrow Answ The true sign of it is this when a man can be grieved for the very disobedience of God in his evil word or deed though he should never be punished 1 Pet. 2.19 and though there were neither Heaven nor Hell By these men Christians are put to try their Sonship whether Sons or Slaves also to try their repentance and godly sorrow here is the only cause and the true sign set down whereby they must try themselves you repent you are sorrowful for offending of God you worship him you serve him though there were neither Heaven nor Hell give in your answers Christians you are sure thus it is with you and you can trust your hearts that they say true if they do say as these Divines have said before Calonius to prove his Assertion brings in Antigonus his judgment who taught his Scholars this kind of Divinity and tells us out of Menasse Ben Israel that Zadok and Baytos two of Antigonus Scholars did misinterpret their Masters Doctrine as if their Master denied any other life after this and from thence took occasion to deny the immortality of the Soul and from this Zadok rose the Heresie and Sect of the Sadduces thus he Of these Sadduces we read often in the Gospels and in Acts 23.8 The Sadduces say there is no Resurrection neither Angel nor Spirit Were there neither reward nor punishment Hell nor Heaven I believe the number of Sons and such Penitents would be but very few Sadduces would not be esteemed Hereticks Such Doctrine would produce if not vile Herefies yet vile practises This Doctrine turns out all the Promises and all the Threatnings out of the Bible as to Believers and sets up such Divinity as came not into the thoughts of God to declare to the Sons of men Strange that when man was in his pure estate no sin yet had crept into his Soul yet then when God gives him a Commandment to obey he to keep man to obedience adds this threat Thou shalt dye And that now when sin hath got in and hath still such a hold even in those who are regenerate Sons and do truly repent and besides sin dwelling in them live amongst such varieties of temptations to draw forth sin which Adam never had that now persons must be put to try their Sonship and godly sorrow by this that though there were neither Hell nor Heaven yet they would serve God and repent is very strange Yet farther to answer these worthy men First I grant that the true Children of God do walk with God they do serve him worship him they do repent when they fall without being moved with Arguments from Hell or Heaven being actually in their thoughts the excellency of God and Christ the love they bear to him the content they have and find in pleasing of him the beauty they see in a conformity to his holy Will and blessed Image carries them on without having Heaven or Hell reward or punishment actually in their eye but what my vile heart would do if there were neither Heaven nor Hell reward nor punishment as these men say I cannot tell that what Calonius and holy Perkins found in their hearts I know not but I am sure many find their hearts so vile so out of frame many times that let them use all Arguments from the right hand and left unless the Spirit of God comes in and quickens them and puts to his power they will not all do to keep the vile heart in the path of Gods Commandements Secondly I grant that is a true sign as Mr. Perkins saith if persons do as he sayes in their godly sorrow but if there be no other sign but this and as he saith for no other cause but this only then I know not how we shall be sure of our repentance or Sonship until I saw and were sure there were neither Heaven nor Hell and then saw what my heart would do whatever it may say now it would do I dare not trust it Thirdly The only cause saith Mr. Perkins is this Because by his sin he hath displeased God who hath been to him a most merciful and loving Father Very good Wherein did God shew himself to be so merciful and loving Was it not in delivering him from the misery for mercy alwayes suppose misery he had brought himself into And is not guilt hell and damnation a part of that misery It seems then the man being delivered from hell calls God his loving and merciful Father for redeeming his Soul from death and from this love and mercy of God to him if he offends he mourns and grieves and would do though there were no hell and by this judge his state But had God been looked upon so merciful and loving if he had not delivered him from Hell and given him a Title to Heaven I doubt not So that when a man is sure of deliverance from the one and Title to the other now he repents and serves God though there were neither one nor the other This is the Divinity I cannot understand As to the Texts Mr. Perkins quotes to prove his Doctrine that of 2 Cor. 7.8 9. it proves not at all his point it mentions godly sorrow indeed but what was the only cause of it it treats not of it doth not say the Corinthians were so sorrowful though there were neither Hell nor Heaven Nay in the fear which it wrought ver 11. I do not know how Mr. Perkins will prove that the thoughts of the wrath of God of Hell might not be some inducement to that fear As to Peter's bitter weeping Matth. 26.75 which is his next it proves no more than what I yielded at first the look of a gracious Saviour upon unkind Peter who had boasted so before that he would dye with him and not deny him but now deals with him after this manner this breaks Peter's heart this argues that unkind dealing against love manifested breaks a heart and nothing like it But still in what is this love manifested John 6.68 Peter knew Thou hast the words of eternal life the Christ the Saviour had there been neither Heaven nor Hell I question whether Peter would have left all and followed him As to 1 Peter 2.19 the only Text he quotes for his second Answer the Apostle exhorts Servants to be subject to their Masters though froward his reason For this is thank worthy if a man for Conscience towards God endure grief suffering wrongfully By Conscience here is meant no other but that good Conscience before God which makes Christian Servants sollicitously careful lest by their disobedient and rebellious carriages against their Masters they should offend God who had given command to Servants to be obedient and subject to their Masters but as the Lord had given command to Servants so he promises them
it off This doth the Spirit in the work of effectual Calling as I shall open hereafter Third Position The wayes of God in converting or drawing the soul to Christ are very secret and in preparatory works very varions What Bildad said to Job Job 8.8 10. Enquire I pray thee of the former age c. So may I say call to the Saints of old ask the children of Abraham in all ages I do not say enquire of painted Hypocrites but real Christians will they not utter words out of their hearts as Bildad said which will confirm this Position The wayes of God are first secret the union of the soul with Christ is set out by marriage Durandus p. 2. and it is called a mystery Ephes 5.32 Mysterium est sacrum secretum can you lay open this secret before the Sun Agur among the things that were too wonderful for him Prov. 30.19 reckons this the way of a man with a maid the mystical sense which Alapide gives I regard not Most interpreters I see understand this of a wicked man The next verse seems to confirm this sense who is enamoured with love or inflamed with concupiscence and so to note his witty sollicitations his artificial plots and cunning devices to win consent c. yet I see others do not take it so but think it may as well be understood of lawful love and said to be wonderful both in respect of the rare and wonderful uniting of his heart with the Maid whom he loves and also in respect of the wonderful means used by him for the getting and enjoying of her This is as true as the former as experience witnesses which is the true sense of the words I determine not but in allusion to it I can say the wayes of Christ with the soul in effectual Calling how he works in bringing of the soul from its former lovers how he wooes and draws it to himself and makes it so gladly to come up to married union with himself this is too wonderful for me and I think for any one else to lay open Knowest thou how the bones do grow in the womb of her who is with child Eccl. 11.5 we have our English Harvy's famous De generatione Animalium and we have our English Divines famous De regeneratione Animarum but did learned Harvy stand by and see how the God of Nature wrought in that dark shop when he carried on his work so far he could see his work wrought but could he see the working Is it not as true in regeneration though considering the term from which a man turns and the term to which he turns and that this is done in a rational Creature we may certainly conclude such and such things must be wrought before regeneration can be effected but how God works them is a great secret God hath his path which the Vultures eye hath not seen Job 28.7 Why then should we trouble our selves so much about the wayes of Gods working as look to the work wrought As God is secret so he is various in his working Various First For Time God is various in working Some who lived in a course of sin who walked in the wayes of their hearts and in the sight of their eyes as Solomon Ironically bids the young man Eccles 11.9 can tell the time the day the Text the Sermon the Minister when God put a stop to their course opening their eyes awakening their consciences made their sweet morsels turn bitter others can tell the signsl Providence of God with which he was pleased to work some sharp affliction it may be he sent and sealed instruction Job 33.16 But others cannot tell the time when God began to work and this have been to some a long time an objection against the truth of their regeneration because they cannot tell the time of their new birth as if all the regenerated persons in the Scripture knew the time when God began to work as if there were any ground in Scripture for such a Position All that are new born know the time of their now birth What Divine that did deserve the name of a Gospel-Minister did ever deliver such a Doctrine Doth not God many times in insancy in childhood cast in the immortal Seed which being watered by the instructions and care of godly Parents at home who are dropping upon their Children ever and anon and by the lively Word preached springeth and groweth up the poor Christian knoweth not how Mark 4.27 Some Christians finding at some time more stirrings and higher workings or new convictions of some sin under the Ordinances then they did before will from thence reckon the time of their new birth when they are much mistaken God had begun it before This is a meer vanity and devils delusion to trouble thy self about the time look to the work that it be soundly wrought but I would never trouble my self about the time Many can tell the time when God did awaken their Consciences and set home sin upon them with legal terrors they can tell the Minister and the Text but they could not tell of a sound work of conversion as the event hath proved Secondly Various as for the beginning of the time so for the length of time It is in the new birth as in the natural birth some are a long time in travel their pains not very strong some their pains are long and strong some are but a little while in travel like the Hebrew Women Exod. 1.19 and pains sharp but short others not so sharp neither If we look at the beginning of the Gospel preaching how quick were the souls in their new birth as I may say they were delivered and up again hail and strong in a few hours I cannot say that the Jaylor was above one hour if so much in his travel under the work of Compunction the Text saith Acts 16.33 The same hour of the night he took them and washed their stripes the Earthquake began at mid-night ver 25. before day ver 35. here is one new born and lusty for he was filled with joy ver 34 So those in Acts 2. how long were they in travel they must be but a very little time under the work of Compunction for to have three thousand souls added in one day ver 41. baptized and settled with comfort by night when Peter began his Sermon but about nine of the clock in the morning ver 15. we must allow but a very little time for Compunction In Acts 8. little of pain is mentioned among the Samaritans in their new birth ver 5 8. Now though the Lord for the honour of his Gospel the establishing and encouraging of souls and fitting of them for times of persecution at hand was quicker with them then with us yet we see the Lord is very various for the length of time even amongst us some are not a quarter the time under their pains that others are Thirdly Various in his method in some