4. They eat up my people as they eat bread and call not upon the Lord. They have a form of godlinesse but in their deeds they deny the power of it for they beleeve never a word of what is preached of things spirituall revealed in the word of God No wonder therefore that they will not examine themselves nor receive any accusation from their own consciences for any sin of this sort which concerneth godlinesse 2. The causes of such mens hardening of their heart may be four the first is the measure of worldly wisdom granted to them and others like themselves above common people with the conceit whereof they are so puffed up that they care for nothing save this present world they acknowledge no other holinesse but civil observance of humane laws as if Scripture and all Religious exercises were to be referred to this only end that men living according to the laws and customes received into the Societies they live into should study to make the best they can of this present world And this worldly and carnall wisdom is called Psal. 1. the counsell of the ungodly because all ungodly persons do think it shall be more safe to walk in the wayes of their wisdom then to be hemmed in by the laws of God The second cause of their obduration is carnall confidence in their worldly prosperity which they hope alwayes to enjoy and that by the principles of their own wisdom Psal. 10. 6. he hath said in his heart I shall never be moved I shall never be in adversity The third cause is the stumbling block of the cross and affliction wherewith they perceive the godly usually to be exercised Upon which offence they stumble the more readily because they judge that the greatest part of the affliction of the godly proceeds from their own imprudency and do ascribe their own prosperity to their own wisdom wherein they are so lifted up in their own estimation that they despise all men in comparison of themselves Psal. 10. 5. As for his enemies he puffeth at them The fourth cause is the not observing the slighting and despising of Gods Judgments concerning which they do not give credit unto God when he speaketh and therefore do not make use of the operation of his hands Psal. 10. 5. Thy judgments are far above out of his sight 3. Albeit there be very small hope of the conversion of any such because they cannot abide free dealing from any man in private for to give them any admonition is to them a reproach and they cannot endure it and nothing can cut them at the heart more then that any man should suspect them of hypocrisie and atheism yet because no Pastor may despair of any man or judge him a reprobat so long as the long-suffering patience of God inviteth him to repentance therefore the Pastor must deal with such men in the general in his sermons that from the Scripture he may convince them of their ignorance of Gods wayes and of their atheism To which end and purpose first he must point such men forth in their colours as the Scripture doth describe them yet so as he hold himself in generall in dealing with all such persons without particular description of any man by particular circumstances whereby such a man one or moe of the auditors may appear to be picked out and shot at Secondly he must denounce gravely and with compassion the heavy Judgments of God against them Thirdly he must pull the mask of civil honesty off their face and let them know the righteousness of Christ imputed to humble sinners flying to him to be the only garment to hide nakedness if possibly the hearer may conceive hope he may be forgiven his former hypocrisie and be allured unto Christ. Fourthly let him often against such persons make use of the Apostles admonition 1 Cor. 3. 18 19. Let no man deceive himself if any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world let him become a fool that he may be wise for the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God for it is written he taketh the wise in their own craftinesse Fifthly let the Pastor observe the occasion if at any time it shall please God to lay calamity on such a man and then let him wisely labour with all meekness and tenderness to awaken up his conscience to take notice of the sparks of wrath least he perish in Gods displeasure if he do not humble himself before God and draw in to Christ upon which condition let him make the fairest offers of grace and mercy that the Gospel can yield to him if possibly the Lord may give him repentance and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. For removing the fourth impediment THe fourth impediment of self-examination is the stupidity and senslesness of the conscience past feeling as it were burnt with a hot iron This disease may be seen in bâ—â—otted Epicures given to their brutish lusts who are so carried on after their furious beastly affections that they have no more power over themselves then beasts and such monsters of men by frequent sinning have extinguished all sense of sin for albeit by nature there is some remainder of light in fallen man whereby the work of the law may be found written in their heart as far as to make them inexcusable when they do contrary to it and albeit there is leâ—t in the natural man some natural power of the conscience to vex him that rebelleth against it to restrain him thereafter from doing the like yet some have so sold themselves to the lust and wantonnesse of their flâ—sh that they will not hear any admonition or check of the conscience which might make any remorse but do run madly after all sort of uncleannesse corrupting themselves as brute beasts The like disposition may be seen in openly profane persons who not only in their deeds have denyed the power of godliness but also renounce the profession of all form of godlinesse and shamelesly foam forth their ungodlinesse as an open rotten grave casts forth the stink thereof Of this sort are these who when they do blaspheme will not be reproved Psal. 12. 4. Our tongues are our own who is Lord over us and who as dogs do trample under-foot all holy things and rent them who reprove them and who insult over the godly in their affliction saying with Davids enemies where is their God and who openly scorn all religion like these desperat scoffers 2 Pet. 3. 4. saying where is the promise of his coming Such as these are practically atheists and in some sort also in their minds for albeit they have some natural principles of a Godhead imprinted on them yet they smother all knowledge of God and belch out their own shame against God and religion and all the godly 2. Of mens falling unto such a fearfull abomination four causes may be rendered The first is the mans violence used against his conscience frequently in committing of grievous
any man the Lord hath given no certain mark as long as they live except that malicious and wilfull rejecting and opposing of known Christ Jesus to the intent that none should dare to exclude either themselves or others from repentance and hope of mercy so long as the day of Gods long-suffering and patience doth last This is collected from this that God doth not make mention of the reprobation of these misbelieving fathers while they are living but now long after they are dead and this mention making of them is in general only and not by nameing them particularly 17. Albeit in the dispensation of the covenant of grace for application of saving mercies the mater be so wisely carryed by God that both the decree and covenant of Redemption is keeped closs as to particular names and yet it is effectually made out in the applying of grace to individuall persons as the agreement is made between God and Christ Mediatour yet the covenant of Redemption is made this far clear that it did not passe for the conversion and salvation of all and every man by this evidence that not so much as the offer of the covenant of grace and reconciliation shall be made to all and every nation far lâ—sse to all and every singular person but that the people and nation of Israel and Iudah is chosen out of all people and nations in the world comprehending such others as should be called unto their society and the fellowship of the olive tree among them as Psal. 147. 19 20. holdeth forth And in this place the whole elect under the Gospel are taken up under the name of this one nation 18. That the decree of election of some may both be keeped up as to particular nomination and yet have certain execution and be performed the Lord taketh up all his confederats whether in the letter or spirit also under the same common name This is gathered from this that the misbelieving Israelits that perished in the desart with whom God made a covenant and they did break it are designed under the common name of fathers and are taken up in that covenant under the name of spouse Ier. 31. 32. and the elect posterity are taken up under the common name of the house of Israel and Iudah 19. Such as the covenanters are in regard of their inward estate such is the covenant wherein they really are or such is the covenant in relation to their persons Unto the reprobat who do change for their part the covenant of grace into the covenant of works the covenant of grace becometh in effect the covenant of works and is rendered void to them as the Apostle doth threaten the Galatians Gal. 5. 4. and as did befall the pharisaicall fathers who are here declared as instances but the covenant of grace unto the elect and true believers remains still the covenant of grace from which they do not fall nor can altogether fall as the comparison here between the fathers in the wildernesse and their elect posterity maketh evident 20. The Lord hath wisely joyned life with the means and way to life and death with the way to death and will not have that separated which he hath joyned This is collected from this that the fathers by not continuing in the covenant are despised and rejected of God and so perished but their elect posterity having the law of God in their hearts and cleaving constantly unto the Lord are saved 21. The Lord will have this doctrine taught where His word is preached concerning the election of some and reprobation of other some of Gods covenanting with some people and persons and not offering a covenant to other some of covenanting with some in the letter and with other some in the spirit also to this end and intent that men leaving the searching in particular of that which God hath keeped secret in the particular may follow commanded duties repent their sins and flee to Christ offered unto them and take up his yoke upon them and beware that they neither despair nor yet presume or turn the grace of God into wantonnesse This we gather from this that God sendeth forth Ieremiah to preach these things not only to the visible Church of the Jews going into exile and captivity but also to all who shall hear this doctrine from him to the end of the world And the Apostle repeating this doctrine for the use of the Christian Church of Jews and Gentiles doth confirm this CHAP. VIII Of the prudent application of divine covenants in general HAving spoken of these three divine covenants concerning mens salvation it follows now to speak of the application thereof first in generall and then more specially In the mater of application we must first look upon Gods effectuall applying and working in the hearers of these covenants such effects as he hath intended by these covenants to bring to passe Next we must look upon the means whereby he ordinarly doth convey and work his intended works in men And thirdly we must look upon the prudent way of use making of these means both by Pastors and people for peoples good 2. As to the first the Lords effectuall application is a reall and actuall bestowing the good of these covenants upon his own by way of powerfull working on their spirits Such as are 1. the giving the grace of understanding of the Scripture And 2. the belief of what is understood And 3. the application of the doctrine of the law concerning mens sin and misery to their own conscience And 4. the making them judge themselves according to the law And 5. the raising of sorrow in their hearts and fear of wrath And 6. the setting of their eye upon Christ for delivery from sin and death And 7. the makeing them perceive a possibility and probability that they may be saved And 8. to have an earnest desire after reconciliation with God in Christ And 9. the making of his own to cast themselves over on Christ and to believe on him And 10. the making them to consecrat themselves to God in Christ reconciling the world of meer grace to himself not imputing transgression to the reconciled through Christ And 11. the making them to wonder at the riches of the free grace of God who in a self-condemned sinner desirous to be reconciled with him requireth no personall dignity no good work which may commend him to God but only that he would receive and welcome Christ offered in the Gospel as the only necessary and sufficient remedy against all sin and misery requiring no other condition but that he flee from the curse of the law and the wrath to come unto Christ the Redeemer who offereth himself unto lost sinners in the preaching of the Gospel that through him the beleiver may be justified and sanctified and saved for ever And 12. after wondering raised in the hearts of his children the making them cleave closly to Christ and to strive against all temptations which
set to his seal to the truth of God without an hink or fear and suspicion of his right to apply the grace offered in which case so long as he doubts and doth not rest his sinfull soul on the Word of God offering grace to every soul sensible of sin who shall flye to Jesus Christ what wonder the holy Spirit doth with-hold the sealing of the mans faith For this is Gods order holden forth Ephes. 1. 13. that a sinner should first six his faith on Christ offered in the Gospel and after he hath believed not before he do believe wait for the sealing of the holy Spirit For removing this cause 1. let the afflicted acknowledge that his hesitation doubting and suspicion is justly chastised of God because he hath not firmly adhered to the covenant embraced by him and because he hath not given unto God the glory of his truth without a pawn and yet doth in effect quarrel and complain that he doth not find these consolations which are given and but rarely it may be even to the sound and strong in the faith 2. Let him for the confirmation of his faith hereafter consider well how strong and solid a foundation faith hath to lean unto even Gods promise and oath given unto all that do flye to Christ for refuge and relief from sin and misery Heb. â— 17 18. that the afflicted may with the Psalmist Ps. 56. 10. sing in God I will praise his Word 3. Let the afflicted study to be so fast glewed unto Christ in every condition and case he findeth himself and go about the exercise of repentance and faith and new obedience in his calling submitting himself to the will of God in every dispensation which direction if he shall aime to follow he shall not want the fruit of his faith and honest endeavour to please God for Psal. 97. 11. Light is sown for the righteous and joy for the upright in heart CHAP. XXI Wherein is solved the doubt of the true convert whether he be indeed converted because he cannot confidently apply to himself the promises of the Gospel THere are some true converts who albeit for fear of the wrath of God for their sins are already fled unto Christ and have hid themselves under the wings of the propitiatory in the shadow of the Almighty Mediator and are already begun in earnest to give new obedience to the law of God yet from time to time they fall in fear and trembling suspicion that all be not a sound work of grace in them and that partly because they cannot confidently apply to themselves the promises of the Gospel whether absolut such as are made to the Elect Ier. 31 31. or conditional such as are made to believers in Christ offered in the Gospel or qualified promises such as are made to the meek and mercifull Mat. 5. which qualified promises they look upon as conditional excluding them as they conceive who do not find in themselves such qualifications and partly because they are not clear about their right to receive the offer of the Gospel because they want as they conceive fitnesse in themselves to receive the same and thus are they oft-times vexed with doubts whether they be in the state of grace or not 2. For lousing of this doubt sundry things are already said by the way in answering other doubtfull cases But because many do meet with this difficulty we shall speak a little more particularly to the case and first it is needfull that the afflicted be confirmed about that which is right in him that the thing which remaineth and is ready to die may be strengthened To this intent we commend the afflicted that being sensible of sin and feared for-wrath he hath fled unto Christ for refuge next we commend him that he hath begun to give new obedience to Gods Law and doth purpose to follow on as he shall be enabled and thirdly we commend him that albeit he cannot attain that near conjunction with Christ which he would yet he neither will nor dare forsake Christ nor put himself out of the number of weak believers in Christ for he hath said in his heart with Peter Joh. 6. 68. To whom shall I go for Christ hath the words of eternal life Hitherto all is right and the afflicted must resolve to cleave close to this foundation because Christ hath said Ioh. 6. 37. These that come unto me I will in no case cast out 3. For his doubt arising from the nature of the promises absolute conditional and qualified looked upon by him as if they were conditional we answer 1. That these qualified promises having some mark in them of true believers are not exclusive of these believers who find in themselves a defect of the qualification but they are inductive unto all believers to study the attaining of that qualification and are corroborative of these believers who find in any sensible measure these qualifications For example promises made to the mercifull to the peace-makers to the upright in heart do not exclude these who find themselves short in these graces and yet are hungry and thirsty for righteousnesse yet are poor and indigent of all good in themselves and daily beggers at the throne of grace for what they want Mat. 5. for these qualifications sound in a weak believer are signes and effects of sound saith in them And we must grant that of these graces specified in these qualified promises some of them are more eminent in some of the Saints and other some of them more eminently seen and felt in other some of the Saints And in the same person one of these qualifications may sometime shine more clearly and at another time by some tentation or mistake be over-clouded and not shine so clearly as before yet the qualifications are comfortable to all them who find the same in themselves and are inductive to make every believer to aime to excell in these graces and so to confirm their own faith more and more as 2 Pet. 1. 4 5 6 7. we are exhorted Again these qualifications are signs of a believer already entered in the covenant of grace by faith in Christ and begun to bring forth good fruits but they are not the conditions of entering into the covenant for then none could enter in covenant till first these qualifications in exercise were sound in them and that were to dis-annull the covenant of grace and to set up a sort of covenant of works for there is not another condition of entering in the covenant but saith in Christ only whereby the humbled sinner renouncing all confidence in any good in himself or from himself doth betake himself wholly to the grace offered in Jesus Christ in whom perfect righteousnesse is to be found Now unto the man who shall believe in Christ all the promises of the Gospel are made upon this condition that he do believe in Jesus Christ which condition of faith in Christ when it is now performed and by the
sealed with the spirit of promise Ephes. 1. 11. As it is not sufficient to prove that wholsom water given to a feaver-sick person is not a wholsom drink because the cooling refreshment by it endureth but a short while So it is not sufficient to prove that consolation and joy given to a sorrowfull sinner seeking favour through Christ is not solid and true joy because it stayeth but a short while It is sufficient that it hath stayed so long as was needfull for after the word of promise was believed the joy was sent to ease the afflicted souls present grief and to give him earnest that full and lasting joy should be given in due time unto him When the messenger hath done his commission let him return to his master As the sheet let down in the vision from heaven to Peter after it had served for Peters instruction it was taken up to heaven again Act. 10. The Spouse in the Canticle knew by experience that her spiritual joyes would not last long and therefore chargeth the daughters of Ierusalem that they waken not her beloved till he pleased 5. Another objection is this If my joy had been solid saith the afflicted it should have brought forth better fruits then it hath done but joy spiritual as I then called it did degenerat into a carnal security and I was not the more holy by it To which objection the answer may be this the blame of this is not to be laid on spiritual joy but upon the abuse of this mercy by ingratitude for this gracious blink of felt favour negligence in the use of means to entertain this sense by sleepinesse of conscience and other sins and namely the laying too much weight upon this sense and not fixing the heart by so much more upon the word of promise when felt consolation may be withdrawn is a just cause for spiritual joy is not given to any to build upon its continuance but to make the convert hold the confirmed word of promise so much the faster when for the exercise of faith comfortable feelings are withdrawn The spouse in the Canticle after a feast of this kind falleth a sleep and giveth slight entertaining to the Bridegroom when called upon by his word for which she is chastised by his withdrawing of his comfortable presence Cant. 5. 1 2 3. c. But let us put the case that the felt joy of the spirit were not abused yet is it not unusual for God to withdraw consolation and to send trouble and anguish on the soul of his dear child to try his faith and train him on to hold the word of his grace in the hardest condition he can be into as he did exercise Iob and Ieremie the Prophet Ier. 20. and the Psalmist Ps. 77. In which condition to suspect that the consolation and joy of the spirit speaking to the heart by his word is not his gracious operation or is a delusion cannot but exceedingly grieve the Lord and give him cause to chastise this suspicion with desertion 6. But how may I know saith the afflicted that my joy was solid and was indeed the gracious operation of the holy Spirit For answer 1. If this joy was given to him when or after he was lamenting his sins and fearing wrath deserved and flying unto Christ offered in the Gospel he hath reason to reckon that joy to be such as the Word of the Gospel doth promise and approve 2. If during the time of his sweet feeling of peace and joy through Christ he found his faith in God and love to Christ confirmed and strengthned if the Word of the Gospel was in more estimation with him if his heart was inlarged to blesse praise and thank God for manifesting himself in Christ reconciled if the purpose of following after holinesse was renewed in him he hath no reason to suspect his joy and comfort 3. If after the removing of this sweet feeling he is going on in the study of holinesse believing in Christ how heavy in heart soever he may be by affliction and tentation he may be assured his sometime felt joy of the Lords Spirit was solid and his present suspicion thereof to be an evidence of his infirmity and of a tentation from Sathan This was the way how the Psalmist wrestled out of his sad condition Ps. 77. CHAP. XIV Of the converts suspecting that his zeal for God and against the sins of others hath been fleshly severity and imprudent temerity IT cometh to passe that they who love God sincerely and cannot endure the out-breakings of the wicked do sometimes transgresse the bounds of moderat zeal and being overtaken in some miscarriage for which being rebuked by their friends or by them in power censured or civilly chastised do in stead of moderating their zeal in time coming grow more slack and remisse in their zeal suspecting themselves inclined to unreasonable severity and rashnesse and ready to be esteemed haters of mens persons by those among whom they live as in some by-gone experience they have already felt And upon this occasion the tentation of Sathan falleth on tending to extinguish the fervency of true zeal required in all true converts And here there is danger lest true zeal grow cold and the convert become luke-warm both in curbing sin in others under his charge and in pursuing duties in his own person In which sicknesse he may be the better pleased with himself by so much as his friends and others do commend him for his moderation and prudence as they shall call it 2. As to the remedy of this evil there is no doubt but that may befall true zeal which is common to other vertues of which there is none so perfect but some in-lake or excesse may be observed in them And therefore as it is without reason to go back from pursuing duty in the exercise of other vertues because imperfections therein are remarkable from time to time So is it without reason to grow luke-warm in zeal which may render a man loathsome unto Christ Rev. 2. 3. Wherefore let the convert take heed what the Lords Word doth require of him in his calling and labour to discharge his duty towards others so as he may be found both zealous and prudent that in the expressions of his zeal against sin meeknesse and love to the offender may be manifested 2. To this intent let the convert carefully take heed to entertain these three properties of commendable zeal which are 1. The fear of God 2. Humility of heart 3. The love of his neighbour for the fear of God will not suffer the convert to depart from his commandments Humility of heart will make the man modest in his expressions and the love of his neighbour will make him mix meeknesse and compassion toward sinners with his zeal against offences This is the right seasoning of zeal which the Apostle calleth the zeal of God according to knowledge CHAP. XV. Of the converts suspecting his aiming at circumspect
whereby he is made more capable of regeneration to be wrought in him for the materiall disposition of him fitting him for regeneration is neither a part nor a degree of regeneration for albeit the Lord be not bound to these preparatory dispositions yet He will have man bound to make use of these externall means which may prepare him because by the use of externall means such as are hearing of the word Catechising and conference c. a man may be brought more near unto regeneration as Christ doth teach us by His speech to that Pharisee who was instructed in the law and answered discreedy unto Christ Thou art not far saith He from the kingdom of God Mark 12. 24. This preparatory disposition in order unto regeneration is like unto the drying of timber to make it sooner take fire when it is casten into it For dryness in the timber is neither a part nor a degree of kindling or inflammation of it But only a preparation of the timber to receive inflammation when the fire shall be set to it or it put in the fire possibly a long time after In these preparatory exercises then no man will deny that the naturall man unrenewed hath a naturall power to go and hear a Sermon preached to read the Scripture to be informed by Catechising and conference of Religion and regeneration whereof God when He pleaseth may make use in regeneration of the man Wherefore whosoever in the preaching of the Gospel are charged and commanded to repent to believe in Christ or turn unto God they are commanded also to use all these externall means whereby they may be informed of the duty required and of the means leading thereunto in the exercise of which externall means they may meet with sundry common operations and effects of Gods Spirit before they be regenerat or converted whereof the use may be sound not only in but also after conversion And if any man shall refuse slight or neglect to follow these preparatory exercises which may prepare him for conversion he is inexcusable before God and man and guilty of rejecting of the offer of reconciliation yea guilty of resisting of the holy Ghost of which sin and guiltynesse the holy martyr Stephen chargeth the misbelieving Jews Acts 7. 51. 8. As for the regenerat man he it is who in the acknowledgement of his sinfulnesse and deserved misery and of his utter inability to help himself doth cast away all confidence in his own parts and possible righteousnesse of his own works and fleeth to Christ offered in the Gospel that in Christ alone he may have true wisdom righteousnesse sanctification and redemption and doth with full purpose of heart consecrat himself and endeavour in the strength of Christ to serve God acceptably all the dayes of his life For the ground of this description we have the words of the Apostle Philip. 3. 3. Where putting a difference between the true people of God and the counterfit he saith We are the circumcision who worship God in the spirit and rejoyce in Iesus Christ and have no confidence in the flesh In which description of the regenerat man the Apostle first points forth unto us three speciall operations of the Spirit of regeneration then three duties of the man regenerat The first operation of the Spirit of God the only circumciser of the heart is the humbling of the man in the sense of his sin by the doctrine of the law and cutting off all his confidence in his own worth wit free-will and strength to help himself So that the man hath no confidence in the flesh The second operation is the infusion of saving faith making the man humbled to close with Christ in the Covenant of reconciliation and to rest upon Him as the only and sufficient remedy of sin and misery so that Christ becometh to him the ground of rejoycing and gloriation The third operation is the upstirring and enabling of the believer in Christ to endeavour new obedience and to worship God in the spirit As for the three duties of the man regenerat The first is to follow the leading of the Spirit in the poynt of more and more humbling of himself before God in the sense of his own insufficiency and â—shewing of all leaning on his own parts gifts works or sufferings or any thing else beside Christ He must have no confidence in the flesh The second duty is to grow in the estimation of Christs righteousnesse and fulnesse of all graces to be letten forth to the believer imploying Him by faith and comforting himself in Christ against all difficulties troubles and temptations He must rejoyce in Iesus Christ. The third duty is to endeavour communion-keeping with God in the course of new obedience in all cases worshiping and serving God in sincerity of heart he must be a worshiper of God As to the last thing holden forth in the Apostles words which is the undoubted mark and evidence of the man regenerat and circumcised in heart it standeth in the constant endeavour to grow in these three duties joyntly so as each of them may advance another for many failings and short-comings will be found in our new obedience and worshiping of God in the spirit but let these failings be made use of to extinguish and abolish all confidence in our own parts and righteousnesse that our dayly failings may humble us and cut us off from all confidence in the flesh But let not these failings so discourage us as to hinder us to put confidence in Christ but by the contrair the lesse ground of confidence we find in our selves let us raise so much higher the estimation of remission of sin and imputation of Christs righteousnesse and stir up our selves by faith to draw more strength and ability out of Christ for enabling us to walk more holily and righteously before God and having fled to Christ and comforted our selves in him let us not turn his grace into wantonnesse but the more we believe the grace of Jesus Christ let us strive in his strength so much the more to glorifie God in new obedience And in the circle of these three duties let us wind our selves up stairs toward heaven for God hath promised that such as wait on the Lord shall renew their strength they shall mount up with wings as Eagles they shall run and not be weary they shall walk and not faint Isaiah 40. 31. In the conjunction of these three duties the evidence of regeneration is found If there be not a sincere endeavour after all these three duties the evidence of regeneration is by so much darkned and short for probation for it is not sufficient to prove a man regenerat that he is driven from all confidence in his own righteousnesse and filled with the sense of sin and deserved wrath because a man that hath no more then that may perish in this miserable condition as we see in Iudas the traitour whose conscience was burdened with the sense of
they shall never perish neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand c. But that we insist not too long in this argument whereof the Orthodox divines have written abundantly in their disputations against the foresaid errour because the adversaries take their pretended arguments from the instability of mens will in the mater of perseverance and from the freedom and power of mans changeable will in the mater of conversion and saving faith and from the maner of Gods speaking to the mixed multitude of both called and not chosen and to them that are both called and chosen we shall content our selves for clearing this covenant betwixt the Father and the Son Mediatour and Redeemer to make the mater fast concerning the elect founding their conversion faith repentance perseverance and salvation upon the unchangeable covenant of Redemption fixed upon the setled agreement between God and God the Son Mediatour and Redeemer as shall be proven from five places of Scripture The first proof is from vers 13. of Isa. 52. to the end of Chap. 53. THe first place is Isa. 52. vers 13. and forward to the end of chapter 53. where we have first the two parties contracters God the Father and Christ for the Father brings forth his confederat Son to be incarnat by covenant his servant whom he imployes in the whole work of Redemption as the meritorious cause and accomplisher of it behold My servant saith God the Father by his Spirit speaking by the Prophet Chap. 52. 13. Next both parties are sure of the event of the paction and of the accomplishing of the whole work gloriously behold saith he My servant shall deal prudently and prosperously He shall be exalted and extolled and be very high vers 13. Thirdly he tells the proper price which Christ the Son shall pay for the Redemption of his people agreed upon by paction to wit the exinanition and humbling of the Son incarnat unto the ignominious death of the crosse that His visage shall be marred more then any man and His form more then the sons of men vers 14. and more particularly Chap. 53. 2. He hath no form nor comelinesse and when we shall see Him there is no beauty that we should desire Him He is despised and rejected of men a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief c. vers 2. 3. He was wounded for our transgressions vers 5. He shall make his Soul an offering for sin vers 10. Fourthly Christ the Son of God incarnat is assured and confirmed of the sweet fruit of his passion in the conversion of many nations whom he should sprinkle with the blood of the covenant and sanctifie by the water of His holy Spirit Chap. 52. 15. He shall sprinkle many nations c. Fifthly God and Christ are agreed and well pleased in the conversion of so many as are elected and given to Christ to have in Him the right of adoption Chap. 53. 10. He shall see his seed that is He shall regenerat the elect and make them His children and see them so to His satisfaction Sixthly no meritorious nor impulsive cause is found in the persons redeemed for which the punishment due to them should be transferred upon the Mediatour Christ our Redeemer for they should be found in themselves but despisers of Christ because of His sufferings Chap. 53. 4. Surely he hath born our griefs and carried our sorrows yet we did esteem him stricken smitten of God and afflicted Seventhly no sin nor meritorious cause of punishment is found in Christ the Redeemer for which He should be smitten Chap. 53. 5. 9. He was wounded for our transgressions he had done no violence neither was any deceit in his mouth Eigthly peace and reconciliation and healing of our sinfull and miserable sicknesses and deliverance from wrath are purchased by the price of His blood Chap. 53. 5. the chastisment of our peace was upon him and with his stripes we are healed Ninthly these sufferings Christ did not endure unwittingly or unwillingly but by consent by covenant deliberatly Chap. 53. 7. He was oppressed and he was afflicted yet he opened not his mouth he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter and as a sheep before his shearers is dumb so he opened not his mouth Tenthly the cause of this covenant whereby the price is called for an yielded unto and payed is the only free grace of God and His good pleasure Chap. 53. 10. It pleased the Lord to bruise him He hath put him to grief Eleventhly It is agreed between the Father and the Son that our sins should be imputed unto Him and His righteousnesse imputed unto us and that the redeemed should believe in him and so be justified Chap. 53. 11. he shall see of the travell of his Soul and shall be satisfied by his knowledge or faith in Him shall My righteous servant justifie many for he shall bear their iniquities Twelfthly It is agreed between the parties that for whom Christ should lay down His life He should stand intercessour also for bringing unto them all the purchased graces and blessings Chap. 53. 11. he bare the sins of many and made intercession for the transgressours the rest of the world beside the elect He interceeded not for Ioh. 17. 9. 10. Hence it followeth that God and Christ did not bargain for the Redemption of all and every man no not for the Redemption conversion and salvation of all and every man to whom the Gospel was to be preached for many were to be called who were not chosen to whom the gift of saving faith was not to be given nor the power of God to salvation was never to be revealed and this is the observation which the Evangelist makes upon the 1. of Isa. 53. Ioh. 12. 37. c. But though he had done so many miracles before them yet they believed not on him that the saying of the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled which he spake Lord who hath believed our report and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed therefore they could not believe because Isaiah said again Isa. 6. 9. 10. he hath blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts c. Secondly it followeth hence that election and Redemption were not for the foreseen faith or works of the elect redeemed but of the meer grace and goodwill of God and all done for them and in them contrair to their deservings for it is said Isa. 53. 6. all we like sheep have gone astray and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all Thirdly it followeth hence that it was agreed upon that saving grace and conversion and sanctification should infallibly and invincibly come to passe and be given to the redeemed Isa. 52. 13. Behold My servant shall deal prudently and prosperously and vers 15. be shall sprinkle many nations and Isa. 53. 11. by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justifie many Fourthly hence it followeth that the agreement is past for their finall perseverance
and full salvation for Isa. 53. 5. with his stripes we are healed now our healing is our full salvation from our sin and misery or our deadly sicknesses And Isa. 53. 10. the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand the pleasure of the Lord is partly our sanctification 1 Thes. 4. 3. partly our salvation and glorification Joh. 6. 39. this is the Fathers will which hath sent me that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing but should raise it up again at the last day And to this purpose powerfully doth his intercession serve from which the Apostle concludes that believers shall be perfectly saved Heb. 7. 25. wherefore he is able also to save to the uttermost them that come to God by him seing he ever liveth to make intercession for them The second proof is from Isa. 59. 20. 21. THe second place is from Isa. 59. 20. 21. where first we have the parties agreeing pointed at the Lord Jehovah saith and of the Redeemer He saith that He shall come to Zion as Redeemer Next we have the kind of agreement between the parties God on the one hand and the Redeemer with the redeemed for whom and in whose name he makes the agreement this is my Covenant with them but first with Christ as the words following do shew Thirdly we have the party redeemed Zion and Iacob that turn from transgression which is the mark of true believers in Christ and of the elect for whom this grace is appointed as Rom. 11. 7. Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for but the election have obtained it and the rest were blinded And Rom. 11. 26. all this Israel shall be saved as it is written Fourthly we have the sort of their delivery which shall be not only by price paying but also by powerfull and effectuall working as the originall imports Rom. 11 26 and Isa. 59. 20. Fifthly the benefits bestowed upon the elect are comprehended under the designation of the redeemed they are to be turned from their iniquity by effectuall conversion by granting them faith in Christ repentance and reconciliation Sixthly it is shewed how these graces shall be brought to passe to wit by application thereof by the word and Spirit of Christ from which sanctification salvation and the perpetuation of all graces unto salvation do flow and follow on them My Spirit that is in thee saith the Lord to the Redeemer incarnat and My word which I have put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seed c. These articles of the covenant of Redemption make expresly first against universall Redemption of all and every man because Christ as is shewed before makes his bargain for the elect and leaves the rest in blindness and is a Redeemer of none but of these to whom He is a deliverer actually from whom He turneth away iniquity and ungodlinesse which benefits befall none but the elect and the redeemed Next they make against election for faith and foreseen works because when Christ cometh to call-in the Jews He findes nothing commendable in them but impiety and transgression and defection and whatsoever might provoke Him to reject them they are turned from transgression Thirdly they make against a meer possible and contingent conversion for invincible grace is promised here for the word and the Spirit of Christ shall take up a dwelling in them and not depart from them Fourthly they make against the doctrine of the Aposlasie of the saints and uncertainty of their perseverance because here it is promised to Christ that from the heart and mouth of His seed the word and Spirit of Christ shall never depart The third proof is from Joh. 6. 37. c. THe third place is Ioh. 6. from v. 37. to 45. where first is set down the party contracters in the Covenant of redemption for the Elect are given over into the hand of Christ by the Father All that the Father giveth to me cometh to me v. 37. Secondly upon the Fathers giving of the Elect unto Christ followeth in due time the conversion and saving faith of the redeemed All that the Father giveth me cometh to me saith Christ. Thirdly the redeemed are committed unto Christ as to their leading on preservation and perfecting of their salvation This is the Fathers will which hath sent me that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing but should raise it up again at the last day Fourthly it is agreed by what means the faith of the redeemed shall be formed in them which are the revealed sight of Christ the Son of God in the Word the powerfull drawing of the illuminat soul unto Christ which powerfull draught overcometh all opposition and resistence because it is omnipotent and invincible for no man cometh to Christ but he whom the Father draweth v. 44. and that by making them savingly and in a lively maner see the Son and believe on him v. 40. Hence followeth 1. that it is false Doctrine to teach that there is an universal redemption unto life of all and every man because not all but only some are given and made to come to Christ the rest that are not given come not Secondly it followeth that Election is of meer free grace because men come not unto Christ that they may be given but they are given unto Christ that they may be brought and come unto him Thirdly by this agreement the powerfull conversion of the redeemed and their powerfull preservation unto eternal life is as certain as the power and constancy and obedience of Christ unto the Father is firm and certain This is the will of him that sent me that of what he hath given me I should lose nothing but raise it up at the last day ver 39. The fourth proof is Joh. 10. 14. THe fourth place is Ioh. 10. from v. 14. to v. 30. where we see that the Lord Jesus the true Pastor of Israel before he was incarnat Ps. 23. continueth in that same office now being incarnat and gives his people to understand this when he saith I am the good sheepherd Secondly the care and custody of all the redeemed both converted and unconverted was put upon Christ v. 14. 16. I know my sheep and am known of mine and other sheep I have which are not of this fold them also I must bring in and they shall hear my voice Thirdly the price of their redemption is clearly agreed upon v. 15. As the Father knows me even so know I the Father and I lay down my life for my sheep Fourthly the Father accepts the price and is satisfied and well pleased with it v. 17. 18. Therefore doth my Father love me because I lay down my life that I may take it up again c. Fifthly all the redeemed are infallibly converted but they that are not redeemed are not converted v. 27 My sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me
a most wise course so to execute the decree of election and Redemption as he shall be sure to bring in his own to himself and not open up his counsell in particular to the discouraging of any as is told by the father Isa. 52. 13. My servant shall deal prudently and prosper The chief mean appointed is the preaching of the Gospel to all nations commanding all men where the Gospel is by Gods providence preached to repent and believe in the Name of Jesus Christ and to love one another as he hath commanded them Acts 17. 30. and 1 Ioh. 3. 23. and they who refuse to obey are without excuse Another mean is the bringing of so many as professe their acceptation of the offer of grace by Christ Jesus them and their children into the bond of an expresse solemn covenant that they shall submit themselves to the doctrine and government of Christ and teach their children so to do as Abraham the father of believers did Gen. 18. 19. Matth. 28. 19. 20. make disciples of all nations or make all nations disciples to Me. A third mean is the sealing of the covenant by the Sacrament of baptism Matth. 28. 19. 20. make all nations disciples to Me baptizing them in the Name of the Father of the Son and of the Holy Ghost A fourth mean is the gathering them into all lawfull and possible communion with others his disciples that by their Church-fellowship one with another they may be edified under their officers appointed in Christs Testament to feed govern and lead them on in the obedience of all the commands which Christ hath commanded his people in his Testament by which means he goeth about his work and doth call effectually sanctifie and save his own redeemed ones leaving all others without excuse Concerning all these and other means and maner also of executing his decree it is agreed upon between the Father and His Son Christ as His holy Spirit hath revealed it to us in Scripture All which may be taken up in two heads the one is the agreement about the doctrine and directions given to His Church the other is about actions operations and all effects to be brought about for making his word good Concerning his doctrine Christ saith Ioh. 12. 49. 50. I have not spoken of my self but the Father who hath sent me he gave me a commandment what I should say and what I should speak and I know that his commandment is life everlasting whatsoever I speak therefore eveâ—â— as the Father said unto me so I speak Concerning actions and operations and the executiou of the decrees it is agreed also between the Father and the Son Ioh. 8. 16. If I judge my judgement is true for I am not alone but I and the Father that sent me and vers 29. He that sent me is with me the Father hath not left me alone for I do alwayes these things that please him and Joh. 6. 38. I came down from heaven not to do my own will without the consent of the Father but the will of him that sent me In a word the consent and agreement of the Father and the Son Jesus Christ our Lord is such that the Son â—oth nothing by his Spirit but that which the Father â—oth work by the same Spirit from the beginning of the world Ioh. 5. 17. My Father worketh hitherto and I work and Col. 1. 16. for by Christ were all things created that â—re in heaven and that are in earth visible and invisible â—hether they be throns or dominions or principalities or 〈◊〉 〈…〉 created by him and for him He is alpha and Omega the beginning and the ending the first efficient and the last end of all things Rev. 1. 8. because for the glory of Christ the creation the covenant of works and the covenant of grace were made and had and shall have their full execution all for the glory of God in Christ by whom all things were made and do subsist CHAP. V. Of the Covenant of works WE have spoken of the first divine covenant wherein God and God incarnat are the parties it followeth to speak of the next divine covenant to wit the covenant of works between God and man Adam and his posterity made in mans integrity In which covenant God is only the one party of the covenant and man created with all naturall perfections is the other party In this covenant mans continuing in a happy life is promised upon condition of perfect personall obedience to be done by him out of his own naturall strength bestowed upon him as the Apostle teacheth us Gal. 3. 12. the Law is not of faith but the man who shall do these things shall live by them And unto this law or covenant of works is added a threatning of death in case man should transgresse the sense whereof is â—old by the Apostle Gal. 3. 10. cursed is every one who doth not abide in all things that are written in the book of the Law to do them The difference between the law and the Covenant of works THe word Law is sometime taken for the mater or substance of the law of nature written in the hearts of our first Parents by creation the work of which law is to be found in the hearts of their posterity unto this day And in this sense the word Law is taken by the Apostle Rom. 2. 15. the Gentiles saith he shew the wrok of the Law written in their hearts their conscience also bearing witnesse c. Sometime the word is taken for the formall covenant of works as Gal. 3. 10. as many as are of the works of the Law that is under the covenant of works are under the curse for it is written cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that are written in the book of the law to do them 2. The law as it is taken for the covenant of works differeth from the law of nature written by creation in the hearts of our first Parents first because the law of nature written in the heart of man in order both of nature and time went before the covenant made for keeping that law because the covenant for keeping that law was not made till after mans creation and after his bringing into the garden to dresse it and to keep it Gen. 2. 16. 17. Secondly God by vertue of the law written in manâ— heart did not obliedge Himself to perpetuat mans happy life for albeit man had keeped that law most acuratly God was free to dispose of Him as he saw fit before he made the covenant with him But so soon as he made the covenant he oblieged himself to preserve him in a happy life so long as he should go on in obedience to his law and commands according to the tennor of the covenant do this and live Thirdly death was the naturall wages and merit of sin albeit there had no covenant been made at all for sin against God deserveth of its own nature
life of necessity must acknowledge himself a man in himself unrighteous and a lost man and that he cometh to Christ to be justified and sanctified and saved by him and so to persevere in this course unto life eternall Of the tearms whereupon this Covenant is offered and pressed in Scripture THe terms of the covenant are diversly propounded in Scripture Exod. 19. 5. the Lord propounds it thus if ye will obey my voice indeed and keep my covenant then ye shall be a peculiar people unto me c. In these words the condition required of those that are already entered in covenant is most eminent for this people was in covenant from the time of Abrahams covenanting and was admitted to the Sacraments before their coming forth of Egypt and therefore the conditions previous to their entering in covenant and required for closing the bargain are not so much insisted on at this time This condition the people do accept and give answer to God by Moses vers 8. all that the Lord hath spoken we will do Another form and expression is used Acts 16. 31. Paul and Silas say to the Jailour now anxious how to be saved believe in the Lord and thou shalt be saved thou and all thy house The Jailour accepts of the condition and he is baptized and all his house vers 33. The condition of his person taking with guiltinesse and granting his lost condition is spoken of vers 37. the condition of the covenant therefore is propounded in the next room and is accepted where-upon baptism is administered unto him Psal. 27. 8. In other words the same condition is propounded the Lord craveth faith seeking communion on with God for the condition seek ye my face the Psalmist accepteth the condition and answereth Thy Face O Lord will I seek Isa. 45. 22. Christ requires faith in these he calleth and upon that condition promiseth salvation Look unto 〈◊〉 all ye ends of the earth and be ye saved the answer of the believer is set down vers 24. Surely shall one say in the Lord have I righteousnesse and strength Likewise the way of making this covenant is set forth by Christ offering himself a Saviour on the one part and the believers receiving Christ on the other part Ioh. 1. 11 12. as many as received him to them he gave power to become the sons of God even to them that believe on his Name And 2 Cor. 5. 19 20. upon this only condition of consenting to reconciliation offered he summeth up most shortly and clearly the covenant-making We are ambassadours for Christ as if God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christs stead be reconciled to God There remaineth no more for making of the covenant but that the hearer do honestly answer thus the offer and condition pleaseth me well I consent to be reconciled Now he who consenteth to be reconciled 1. Granteth his naturall enimity 2. Accepteth Christ the Mediatour Redeemer Reconciler offered to him by God whose fulnesse is in Christ And 3. obliedgeth himself to entertain this friendship all his life after Last of all the making of the covenant is sometime pressed to be received and followed under the form of a precept 1. Ioh. 3. 23. this is his command that ye believe in the Name of His Son Iesus Christ and love one another as he hath commanded us In which words the condition or estate of the person who is called to believe and enter in covenant is presupposed for it is imported that he must acknowledge nor only that he is a miserable sinner and unable to relieve himself but also that he is naturally averse from the way of seeking righteousnesse by faith in Christ and hath need that the soveraign power of God draw him to Christ. Secondly the condition of the making of covenant is propounded which is to believe in Jesu Christ. In the third room the conâ—ition requireâ— of him that is entered in covenant by believing 〈◊〉 Christ is that we love one another as he hath commanded us This offered and commanded condition of the covenant of grace some by the grace of God do accept and engage to perform and do perform sincerely albeit weakly other some trusting in their own strength engage unto the obedience of faith and with their mouth professe they are sinners and do believe in Christ and that they will submit themselves to his Government drawing near to him with their lips when their hearts are far from him and such mens faith changeth not their old disposition and way of living but it suffereth them to serve their belly or mammon or vain glory and such other idols yet because the Church are not judges of the secrets of the heart they must receive into Church-fellowship all who confesse themselves to be sinners and professe they do accept the offer of Christs grace and promise subjection to his ordinances Obj. But how can the Church receive men in Church-fellowship who are destitute of lively faith Ans. The Church is not judge of the heart or of the secrets thereof because it cannot see faith in it self but must look to the profession of faith and to the fruits thereof in the own order and time the Church is witnesse to their engagement but not judges of their sincerity 2. The covenant of grace doth not exclude the most vile sinners if they acknowledge their sinfulnesse and do solemnly consent unto the condition of the covenant because according to this covenant nothing is bestowed on the covenanter of merit but of grace only which the Church knoweth God can give and sometimes doth give unto counterfit confederats making them sincere in his own time and that by the means of the ordinances made use of in the visible Church 3. It is one thing to be a confederat Christian in the letter externally in the sight of men another thing to be a covenanter in the spirit inwardly in respect of the heart and inward man Rom. 2. 28. and albeit the externall covenant doth not bring on righteousnesse and life except a man be also a covenanter inwardly in his heart in the sense of sin and imperfection making daily uâ—e of Christ yet it is certain that outward covenanting is an ordinary and blessed mean unto many to beget and foster faith and help forth the fruits thereof 4. It may and should suffice us that God in the first framing of a nationall Church did admit and commanded Moses to admit all the Israelites in covenant of whom very few were converted or reconciled to God in their spirit and this was not hid from Moses or from the truly godly in the camp of Israel as is plainly shewen to us Deut. 28. 29. where God bears witnesse against the people that their heart was not according to their profession and engagement and Moses speaketh out this truth in all the peoples audience while he is renewing the covenant with them notwithstanding they were unregenerat Deut. 29. Obj. But some will insist
to light by his long continued preaching of his word the obstinat enimity of the reprobat multitude against him opened up his decree against all that sort in the sad message committed to Isaiah Chap. 6. 9 10. Go and tell this people hear ye indeed and understand not see ye indeed but perceive not make the heart of this people fat and make their ears heavy and shut their eyes least they see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and convert and be healed vers 13. yet there shall be a tenth part the holy seed to wit the elect shall be the substance thereof And of this prophesie use is made when the multitude of misbelievers was like to obscure the glory of Christ Iob. 12. 37 38. to 42. they heard the offer of grace preached by Christ himself and saw his manifold wonders yet they believed not neither could they believe because God had rejected them as Iohn doth prove from the prophesie of Isaiah Secondly Is it not fair dealing when the Lord professeth that his word shall be preached and his wonders manifested for the elects cause albeit they were but as a tenth part to a cursed and reprobat multitude who should hear and see without his blessing and in his dispensation doth in effect as he hath professed As it is a reasonable answer of a husband man and Gardener to his child asking him why he beats the whole sheaf and watereth all the Garden seing the sheaf is most part straw and chaff and the garden full of weeds to say to his child that he beats the shâ—af that he may sever the corn from the straw and chaff and that he watereth the ground where herbs and weeds do grow together that he may make both to come up above ground and after that may pull out the weeds and foster the herbs for the masters use So it is a reasonable answer to such as cavil against the preaching of the Gospel to a mixed multitude of elect and reprobat to say that the Gospel is preached to both for the conversion of the elect and bringing to light the hatred of the reprobat against God and the offer of his grace Thirdly we grant the Lord knoweth mens wickednesse and inability to obey his commands and their naturall enimity against him but he knoweth also that all men by nature are proud and puffed up with the conceit of their own wisdom and righteousnesse and ability so as they will not acknowledge their sinfulnesse nor be sensible of their misery and danger of perdition but do entertain a high esteem and opinion of themselves and in speciall this that they love God above all things and that they can do any thing commanded at least in such a measure as may reasonably satisfie God as is to be seen in the example of the Israelits undertaking Exod. 19. therefore God in His wisdom before he convert any man doth pull down this false conceit by putting his ability to proof by the preaching of the law to the intent that as the Lord knoweth what is in man so man may know it also both in his own and other mens experience and this is brought to light yet more clearly by the preaching of the Gospel wherein albeit God make the precious offer of life and salvation to every hearer of the Gospel if he will acknowledge his sin and betake himself to Christ yet no man of himself will either believe or receive the offer but will go on in his own counsell and wayes till God by his grace convert him This sicknesse is common both to the elect and the reprobat but when the naturall perversnesse of both is manifested God cometh and maketh the difference of the one from the other out of his meer grace by drawing the elect powerfully to Christ and letting the rest go on to their own perdition in his righteous judgment And our Lord doth so expound the mater Ioh. 8. 47. He that is of God heareth Gods words ye therefore hear them not because ye are not of God Fourthly the Lord professeth plainly that in the dispensation of his word and works of providence he intendeth the tryall of men and the discovery of their hearts to themselves and to others and what fairer dealing can there be then this for Exod. 16. 4. He tells them that he will rain down Manna upon them to prove them whither they will walk in his law or not and Exod. 20. 20. He tells them he will give them his law and preaching of his word to prove them that his fear might be before them and Deut. 8. 2. that the dispensation of his providence toward them all the fourty years in the wildernesse was to humble them and to prove them to know what was in their heart whether they would keep his commands or not and Deut. 13. 1 2 3. that he would suffer false prophets to arise among them to prove them and to try whether they would love the Lord their God with all their heart And to this same intent we are advertised that Christ should be not only a tryed stone but also a stone for tryall set for the ruine of some and raising up of other some Isa. 28. 16 17. and 8. 14. compared with Luke 2. 34 35. for by this maner of dispensation the Lord maketh manifest that both the elect and reprobat are concluded under sin and unbelief of themselves and that no man can come to Christ except the Father draw him that he may have mercy on whom he will have mercy And this maner of probation of men by a common offer of grace unto all is a part of that prudence whereby Christ by his conditionall promises and exhortations and the preaching of the Gospel to all heaâ—ers maketh all these that are outwardly called to be without excuse and fisheth forth the elect out of the sea of sin and misery and out of the society of those that perish of which prudence Isaiah speaketh chap. 52. 13. Behold my servant shall deal prudently and prosper and be extolled and be very high Wherefore this wisdom of God in converting the elect without giving cause of stumbling unto any of the rest is rather to be admired and praised then to be disputed against as we are taught Rom. 11. 33 34 35 36. O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God how unsearchable are his judgments and his wayes past finding out Obj. But for all this the carnall wisdom of proud men is such as neither is it subject to God nor indeed can be but standeth in hostile enimity against him and will not be quiet but when it heareth what is said Rom. 9. 18. that God will have mercy on whom he will have mercy and whom he will he hardeneth will say as it is vers 19. why doth God yet find fault for who hath resisted his will this doctrine say they doth hinder mens repentance
altogether Ans. We answer with the Apostle vers 20. Nay but O man who art thou that replyeth against God whether dost thou compear procuratour for the reprobat and for Satan the enemy of God to quarrell and dispute with God anent his righteous decrees If thou wilt avow this we leave thee and all such proud and presumptuous misbelievers of plain doctrine to reckon with your Judge But if thou speak only for thy self we shall let thee see that this doctrine shall not hinder thee from repentance If then thou shalt say I will not dispute against God but do desire earnestly to be satisfied about my self for I believe that many are reprobat and few are chosen and my fear is that I be found of the worst sort and do not know how to rid my self of my doubts and fears For answer we shall deal with thee in a friendly maner and first we put thee in remembrance that God hath served an inhibition on all men not to medle with the secret counsell of God Deut. 29. 29. The secret things belong to the Lord our God but these things that are revealed belong unto us and our children for ever Therefore do not hearken to this suggestion but go about thy duty We ask then first art thou convinced of thy sin and ill deserving If thou say I am a sinner and cannot answer for one of a thousand of my by gone sins for which God may justly and I fear he shall in effect reject me we answer unto thee it is to good purpose that thou are so far convinced of sin as to judge thy self worthy of death and utter exterminion from his mercy mean time be comforted thus far that thou art not of the number of those who confide in their own righteousnesse nor of the number of them who trust in their own strength or power of their free-will We ask again doth thy by gone life displease thee and wouldst thou have thy sins forgiven and thy self reconciled with God doth Christ offering himself in the Gospel please thy soul when thou hearest from his word that he craveth nothing of thee save that thou welcome his offer and consecrat thy self to him that so in him thou mayest have righteousnesse and sanctification and salvation If thou answer that the searcher of hearts knoweth thy hearty desire to be reconciled to God in Christ to live before him hereafter as a reconciled child there is good hope of salvation for such a one as thou art Thirdly we say seing thou hast heard the law convincing thee of sin and hast believed Gods word so far why dost thou not believe him also when in the Gospel thou hearest his offer and call unto all self-condemned sinners to come unto Christ and rest their weary souls upon him who hath excepted thee from the embracing of mercy offered in Jesus Christ look therefore what his word saith to all sinners flying for refuge unto Christ who is the hope set before sinners and leave him not whatsoever be thy fears for he that hungereth and thirsteth for righteousnesse through Christ shall be satisfied CHAP. VII For a further clearing and confirmation of the doctrine about the three Covenants from Jer. 31. and Heb. 8. THe prophet Ieremiah giveth us a short compend of the former doctrine anent these three covenants chap. 31. vers 31. c. whereof the Apostle giveth a clear commentary Heb. 8. vers 6 7. c. As to the covenant of Redemption it is here presupponed to be past as the Apostle expounding this place of Ieremiah giveth us to understand while he sheweth us that the covenant of grace was no other wayes purchased then by the Mediation of our Lord Jesus transacting about the covenant of Redemption with the Father And that he may give us to understand this 1. Christ is called the Mediatour of a better covenant Heb. 8. to wit of the covenant of Grace 2. The covenant of Grace is designed by the name of a Testament which giveth us to understand that Christ the Mediatour did not obtain the making of this covenant on a lesse price then the laying down of his life that all the benefits contained in these better promises might first be his goods to dispone upon as he pleased and that he being resolved to die did make his Testament and leave them all in legacy to the redeemed his heirs and assigneys designed from eternity 3. The Mediatour making his Testament is called Iehovah not a meer man but God to be incarnat making an unchangeable Latter-will or Testament which of necessity required the death of the Testatour that it might be ratified Heb. 9. 15 16. and the death of a Testatour not a meer man but the Son of God to be incarnat and to die who had life in himself that he might lay down his life and take it up again 4. The goods which he purchased according to the covenant of Redemption and left in legacy to his heirs are all and every blessing which do belong to godlinesse and life eternall as remission of sin and writting of the law in their hearts c. 5. The redeemed and designed heirs are not all and every man but the elect only these that were to be saved only and who were to be effectually called and indued with the saving knowledge of God who from the least to the greatest were all of them to know the Lord not such as were the reprobat fathers nor their unbelieving children but the chosen society of the Israel of God and of Christs family the house of Iudah which is the tribe of Christ for the Apostle doth extend these promises unto the covenant between God and the elect to be gathered under the Evangel unto Christ out of Jews and Gentiles As to the covenant of works it is certain first that God made a covenant of grace in substance and upon the mater with the fathers that were brought out of Egypt as we may gather from the consideration of the parties and articles of that covenant for albeit God repeated the covenant of works and declared the force of the law for binding the curse upon all transgressours thereof yet he did presse the law on them in order unto their reconciliation by the sacrifice of the Lamb of God to be in due time offered up and did teach them that Christ was the end of the law for righteousnesse to every one that believed 2. It is certain that in the framing of this covenant of grace between God and the visible Church of the fathers God did make the promises of righteousnesse and eternall life and spirituall blessings under the vail of temporall types upon conditions more hard and difficile in appearance then the new covenant doth require for this the Apostle sheweth to us plainly Heb. 8. 6. 3. It is certain that the un-believing Fathers did not take up nor understand the covenant of Grace but turned it over in a covenant of Works which is manifest by
comparing the words of Ieremiah and the commentary thereupon by the Apostle For Ieremiah saith that they did transgress the Covenant albeit God did shew himself a husband unto these un-believing Fathers that is they changed the covenant of Grace in a covenant of Works of their own framing and transgressed that Covenant also And the Apostle saith they did not continue in that covenant because they changed it to themselves in a covenant of Works according to which Covenant God did deal with them for in stead of being a husband to them he exacted of them the penalty of the broken covenant of Works and Lorded it over them and did not regard them Heb. 8. 6. For they sought after the righteousness of works and not to have righteousness by faith and therefore did he despise them and dealt with them after the tenor of the covenant of Works And it is observable that the words of Ieremiah do comprehend the Apostles meaning for the words may bear both that God was a husband unto them to wit in making a covenant of Grace with them and that he dealt with them as a Lord over them by exacting of them the penalty of the broken covenant of Works and of the rejected covenant of Grace As â—o the covenant of Grace the Apostle speaketh of it in express termes first by Gods promising that he would make a new Covenant with the house of Israel and Iudah Secondly by his setting better promises before them then these were which were made to the Fathers in the wilderness Thirdly by his giving no other cause of bestowing so great blessings on them but his own good-will and pleasure Fourthly by his requiring no other condition of them but saith that they who feel in themselves the want and need of the promised blessings and are convinced of their own unworthiness might give credit unto God that maketh the promise and so embrace the promises and apply them to their own use As to the external dispensation of the Covenant it is certain first that it was common to all that were externally called to all the members of the visible Church for the covenant made in the wilderness with the elect Fathers and reprobat with the believers and un-believers with those that rejected the covenant of Grace and the offer of Righteousness by faith and with those who looked through the vail afar off to Christ coming and were saved was one and the same 2. It is certain that the external form of the covenant of Grace was more obscure and vailed over by the types and figures of the levitical ceremonies before Christ came but after his coming it was propounded in clearer and better promises 3. A day is set to wit the fulness of time when these shadows and typical figures should be abolished and the grace of God should be set before his people to be looked upon with open face 4. And yet the grace of God was not so hid and obscurely propounded to the Church before Christs coming as it could not be taken up by the children of God for in the midst of the shadows and dark typs the star-light of gracious promises did shine and the doctrine of the new Covenant was in substance holden forth by the Prophets and one instance thereof doth appear in this place of Ieremiah As to the internal covenant of Grace first these things which are promised in that Covenant do declare in what state God doth find men whom he doth convert and draw into covenant with himself for when the Lord taketh in hand that he will write his law in their heart that he will teach them himself to know him by the teaching of his Word and Spirit and that he will forgive their sins he pre-supposeth that lawless rebellion did reign in them with blindness of mind and hardness of heart and that the Elect by nature are without law without God without faith before he reform them according to the Articles or tenor of the covenant of Redemption 2. Albeit by nature the law be written in mens hearts as to the knowledge of sundry moral duties and so far as is sufficient to make them inexcusable for their contraveening these sparks of light Rom. 1. â—0 and 2 14. 15. Yet the writing of the law here promised is spiritual and super-natural inlightning their minds by the light of Gods Spirit and renewing their heart and in effect the thing promised is actual conversion of them 3. And seing conversion is here promised by Christ the Testator absolutely he hath taken in hand absolutely to effectuat it for it is not said I will put my law in their heart if they please to suffer me but determinatly I will put my law I will write my law in their heart and inward parts that is I will make them willing who were averse and obedient to my law who were rebellious 4. Christ the Testator doth in all this not satisfie himself by promising the illumination of the mind and the inclining of the heart for a time but promiseth also to make a solid and permanent work of it by making them persevere which is imported in the words I will put and I will write it for to write it is as much as to fix and ingrave it that it may remain 5. The chief head of the Covenant and which in substance doth contain all blessings is set down in these words I will be their God and they shall be my people for by this promise right is granted unto the true heartconvert and confederat first unto God himself then unto all his benefits whereof he hath need in order to righteousness and eternal life for they whose God the Lord is they do live and shall live for ever as Christ saith God is not the God of the dead but of the living Matth. 22. 32. And all particular promises what are they else but explications of this great and first promise and applications thereof to his childrens cases in particular Gifts of the Spirit are promised here and induements whereof disciples have need whereof pilgrims going home to that heavenly city have need yea the Spirit himself is promised to them who is to remain with them to the end of their life as a directer and leader They shall all know me saith the Lord that is as Christ doth interpret it They shall be all taught of God Joh. 6. 45. 7. The Lord sheweth here that he will deal with men in their regeneration and reconciliation as with reasonable creatures by preserving and not destroying them in their simple naturals by maintaining and not over-turning the liberty of their free-will I will make a Covenant saith he with the house of Judah Now a Covenant is a free and voluntar Contract 8. He sheweth that he is Lord and Over-ruler of mans will who can turn it about as he pleaseth and that he is not hindred nor impeded to execute and bring to passe whatsoever he hath purposed to do by the
and at length that they shall wholly give themselves to religious exercises and a holy life mean time they conceive they may come in among the true converts and young beginners albeit they come not up the length which they intend but are unde the power of some beloved lusts which they cannot rid themselves of but do hope they shall betime overcome them Such men do miserably mistake the mater first in that they think their purpose of repentance and a new life bred in them by conviction of their duty to be the very grace of regeneration and begun sanctification Secondly they conceive that the lusts which do reign in themselves are common to them and all other regenerat persons of whom few or none think they want their own grosse faults Thirdly they conceive they can repent more seriously when they please and will repent after a whiles following of their beloved lusts as if repentance were not a saving grace of the holy Spirit whom they do daily provoke by their vilenesse but a work in the power of every mans free-will being once convinced of his sin Fourthly they do not consider that by the delay of repenting and turning from all sin unto God their heart is daily more and more in Gods Judgment hardened and God provoked to punish their voluntary impenitence with judicial hardness of heart that they shall never repent Such men our Lord compareth to the disobedient Son who promised to his Father he would go work in his vineyard and went not Math. 21. 30. Such men are they who know the well of the Lord but do it not and therefore worthy of double punishment Math 12. 47. The â—â—medy of this evil Christ giveth Luk. 13. 24 25 26. Strive to enter at the strait gate for many â— say unto you will seek to enter in and shall not be able Mâ—n know not how soon God may shut the door therefore men had need while it is to day not to harden their hearts psal 95. 8. 2. Other some are who being of a civil life professe and do perswade themselves that they indeed do repent and believe in Christ and by faith in him do certainly expect salvation freely of his grace If you pose any such men whether they do indeed believe in Christ they shall presently answer that they firmly do believe in him and that they never doubted but he is their sweet Saviour who died for them If you press them to speak in earnest from their heart they shall presently be ill pleased with the question and ask what cause of suspecting the sincerity of their faith and repentance can be justly alledged or what cause hath any man to suspect them or doubt of Gods favour toward them in Christ In whom should we believe say they if not in Christ Is there any other Saviour of sinners beside him If a man please to try the truth of their faith by their repentance they shall forthwith affirm that they repent day and night and have just cause so to do for in many things we sin all and why then should we not alwayes repent If they be asked of their love to God and their neighbour they shall answer after the same maner Such men are these of whom Christ speaketh that they will confidently come to him and call him Lord Lord and yet be found no wayes carefull to do the Lords will but servants to their own lusts 3. Such men do deceive themselves first by framing to themselves such carnal notions of faith and repentance and of the love of God and of saving hope and other spiritual graces as in their phantasie they conceive they do practise which conceptions are not grounded upon the Word of God Secondly they esteem the assent of their mind unto the truth commending these duties unto men as good as the performance of them and they do take the sentence of their conscience concerning the equity of such duties for the sentence of their conscience bearing witnesse of their practice and obedience of these duties and while their conscience saith why should not I do so they take that for as good as if it had said I do so but saving graces go deeper then civil carriage and to commend the duties of repentance and faith in Christ is not enough except they be put in practice also in daily sorrow for sin and hatred of it and flying to Christ daily to be washen and more and more sanctified 4. Some there are who when they have heard that a man is justified by faith in Christ only without the works of the law do imagine a faith which needeth not to bring forth any good works at all and so they take off the justified man from all necessity of following good works as far as they take off good works from being the cause of justification and do open a door to themselves to live after their own will in the lusts of their flesh conceiving that they who believe in Christ are fred not only from the covenant of the law but also from the command of the law against whom our Lord doth speak and doth cut off such libertines and turners of the grace of God into wantonnesse from the kingdom of heaven Math. 5. 17 18 19. And the Apostle to guard against this self-deceit Heb. 12. 14. commandeth to follow holiness without which no man shall see the Lord. 5. Some there are who pretending to esteem well of the offer of the Gospel and of the duty of following the means of making them partaker of the marriage-supper do yet think themselves excusable when they have much ado in their worldly callings albeit they prefer the care of their family and provision for their things out-ward unto the main work of their entertaining communion with God yea they conceive that God will allow them in so doing as Christ doth insinuat in the parable of the ghuests invited to the feast answering the invitation with I pray have me excused Luke 14. 18 19. This is a rise evil in great personages rich persons and such as are much imploved in earthly affairs such men deceive themselves first in laying down this ground with themselves that their earthly affairs the necessity whereof doth first and most sensibly appear must in the first room be cared-for and that the one thing necessar may be followed after as their civil and earthly affairs may permit Secondly they reckon gain to be godliness 1 Tim. 6. 5. for they cannot be perswaded when gain may be had that God requireth of any man to slip the occasion or to put his worldly goods in hazard by defending or following maters of religion Thirdly they think themselves so wise as they can well enough serve two Masters God and covetousnesse albeit when it cometh to the proof they will be found to serve not God but their own lusts This error our Lord refuteth and giveth warning to beware of it Matth. 6. 24. And Luke 21. 34. Take heed
to your selves lest at any time your hearts be over-charged with surfeting and drunkenness and cares of this life No wonder then that such men profit not by the Word of God but remain fruitlesse because they are by our Lord compared to the ground that receiveth the seed among thorns Mat. 13. 22. He heareth the word but the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choaks the word and he remaineth unfruitfull 6. Some there are who having received a sufficient measure of gifts whereby they may promove the kingdom of Christ and be profitable to the society they live in by making use of their gifts do pack up all their duties in a sequestration of themselves from all businesse conceiving this way to be fittest both for God's service and their own salvation Whereupon they betake themselves to a private life in some obscure corner choosing rather to live as Monks and Eremits then to appear in publick and make use of their gifts with the hazard of toyling themselves and tossing of their estimation among beholders of them And this their resolution is backed with a pretended purpose to spend their time in reading and prayers without provoking any man to hatred or emulation against them thus they conceive they shall provide best for their own ease and safety and if withall they apprehend that they are not fitted with gifts which may be profitable to others and do think what they have bestowed upon them by God to be scarce sufficient for the carrying of themselves on in the course that tendeth to happinesse then they conceive they are well excused if they let all publick works alone without putting forth their finger to help what they see amisse We do not deny but sundry godly persons in the heat of persecution have been forced to luâ—k in a wildernesse among wild beasts during the time of the danger of whose fellowship the world was not worthy neither do we deny that age and infirmity of body may make men unfit for all publick imployment But the fault we tax is of such men as being able in Church or State to do service to God and the society they live in do for the love of their own ease hide their talent and not make use thereof for the benefit of others for if a narrow search be made of such mens resolution the fear of outward trouble in the world a declining to fight the fight of faith impatience to be at any pains and a desire to keep the estimation of their parts from the hazard of mens censure and love of their own fleshly ease will be found the fountain of their resolution But here we deal with none but such as the Apostle and Christ doth speak against to wit such as in some honest imployment for the common utility refuse to be at pains and work and therefore are not worthy of their bread 2 Thess. 3. 10. And let us hearken to Christs judgement of such men whom the world admireth for most holy Moncks in the parable of the talents he taketh up the lazy lubbart of whom we speak under the reckoning of a kâ—avish servant who because he had but one talent which amounteth to no small sum went away and hid it in the earth Mat. 25. 26. Thou wicked and slothfull servant saith he c. and ver 30. cast the unprofitable servant into outer darkness there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth The remedy is that men of parts and abilities do not yield unto their lazy humor nor to their discouragements which may foster their temptations to idlenesse but study rather to live in the sense of their obligations to God and to improve all that they have received from him for his honour and the well-fare of his people and to this end it is fit they should hearken to the counsel of judicious friends rather then lean to their own judgment over-swayed with temptations lest the Lord deciâ—her them and lead them forth with the workers of iniquity Ps. 125. 5. 7. Some are very like in all externals to the true converts so far as can be observed by beholders for they professe the true religion with others they seem to have consecrat themselves unto Christ they associat themselves unto and haunt the company of these who are in best esteem and joyn themselves alwayes with the reputed godly they seem ready prepared to bear Christs crosse and to go forth out of the city after him bearing his reproach and to be waiters upon his second coming yet inwardly they were never renewed they are not troubled with the sense of sin and sinfullnesse they do not in earnest or seriously seek after Christs righteousnesse and remission of sin through him nor worship God in their spirit These are described to us in the parable of the foolish and wise Virgins Matth. 25. the foolish were in company and outward fellowship of religion with the wise their outward conversation was without scandal as was the behaviour of the wise they had lamps of profession as the wise and were not suspected by themselves or others to be unsound they went forth in profession waiting for the coming of the Lord as the wise did and last of all no other infirmities were found in them then such as the wise Virgins were subject unto also they all fell asleep now and then nothing could be outwardly found to difference them from the wise Virgins which external likenesse as it deceived the beholders of these foolish Virgins So also it deceived themselves neither shall this personal difference be openly manifested till the Judge the searcher of hearts shall come and separat the goats from the sheep and the hypocrits from the unfeigued believers The remedy is that every one who pretend unto holinesse externally search their own hearts and inward sinfulnesse daily and flye to Christ in earnest that their nakednesse may be covered and their affections made spiritual seeking after things above and that by faith in Christ they may be filled with the unction of the holy spirit for bringing forth true fruits of faith 8. Unto the former we may joyn such as for their eminent gifts above the common sort of pious people and their abilities to conset discourse and dispute of maters of religion seem to themselves and to beholders also eminent Saints especially if they appear sharp censurers of others and zâ—alous against every least degree of sin in others but most of all if they for their enduements be fitted and called to pray in publick and preach the Gospel to others and withall do live without scandal they doubt nothing but they are high in Gods estimation as they are set up in reputation among the godly in the visible Church Now that such gifted men may deceive themselves and passe sentence in their own favours for their own absolution from any challenge which may condemn them our Lord doth fore-warn us Matth 7. 21. 22. telling us that not only many private
professors of the christian Religion and seeming zealous worshipers crying Lord Lord may deceive themselves and misse heaven but also Preachers of the Gospel yea and Prophets yea and men indued with the gift of doing miracles and casting out of devils in Christs name not a few shall be disclaimed by Christ and condemned by him in the day of judgment If it be asked what can be their mistake and the cause of Christs rejecting of them we answer Such men deceive themselves 1. because both they and beholders also think them holier then they who are inferiour in place and gifts unto them 2. They compare themselves with those they live among and not with the law of God 3. They put not due difference between common gifts and saving graces 4. They consider not that to whom much is given much will be required of them and therefore after tryal they will be found pust up with the estimation of gifts induements imployment and successe which they have had as if these were the undoubted evidences of their regeneration and of Gods special love towards them they will be found men void of repentance and far from humble walking in the sense of their natural habitual and actual sins they will be found void of all fear of wrath which might drive them in the acknowledgment of their blindnesse poverty and misery unto Christ the Redeemer and justifier of sinners and they will be found void of all care of and endeavour after new obedience conceiving that the exercise of their gifts and successe in their imployments are sufficient holinesse and evidence of the holy Ghosts dwelling in them and working by them for otherwayes Christ will never disclaim them who have fled to him in the sense of their sin and haunted him as their refuge in the fear of deserved wrath and studied by faith in him to be furnished to bring forth the fruits of the Spirit which he hath promised to them that abide in him It is one thing to be justified before God another thing to be reputed righteous by men and esteemed so by a mans own self it is one thing to be indued with the knowledge of divine mysteries another thing saveingly to believe them and have them written in their heart it is one thing to teach others the way of salvation whereby the hearers may be saved another thing to apply saving doctrine to themselves and make right use of it it is one thing to cleanse the outer side of the plater and reform the mans outward carriage another thing to be inwardly renewed it is one thing to teach repentance and mortification of lusts another thing by he Spirit of Christ ro mortifie in-bred pride and the love of the world vain glory and other carnal lusts The course which Paul followed is the only safe way though he was a man most laborious in the work of the Lord yet he lived most sensible of his natural corruption and the body of death he did not trust in his holy life but in Jesus Christ Rom. 7. 24 25. he so made use of faith in Christ as he did not neglect the means of mortification of his sinfull nature 1 Cor. 9. 27. I keep under my body and bring it under subjection lest that by any means when I have preached to others I my self should be a cast-away The fifth and last sort of self-deceivers by absolving of themselves without the Lords allowance or approbation are temporizers who for their temporary believing temporary repenting temporary motions of their affections and temporary amendment of their maners do seem to themselves and others also true believers This sort however it be in sundry cases coincident with one or moe of the former four self-absolvers yet because our Lord in the parable of the sower of seed Matth. 13. 21. and Luke 4. 17 doth put a difference between the stony ground and the other sorts of ground we shall give it a room by it self specially because it may have the own proper considerations Temporizers then we call such as upon temporary motives from temporary principles for temporary ends do imbrace the Word of the Lord readily but slightly and do as readily and lightly passe from it upon temporary motives in special when persecution arileth for the Word Mark 4. 16. when they have heard the Word immediatly they receive it with gladness and afterward when affliction or persecution arises for the Words sake immediatly they are offended Lightly they take up truth delivered and lightly do they passe from it again they have no root in themselves or solid believing of the truth for the truths cause but what pleaseth others pleaseth them and what displeaseth others doth displease them in the maters of religion the way of God set down in Scripture when they hear it they can say nothing against it yea they think it good to hear the Gospel and the largenesse of Gods grace and because it sheweth unto them a possibility of their salvation they receive it with a sort of natural gladnesse which sort of believing doth endure for a time to wit so long as the way of others among whom they live and the laws of the country and prosperity and good estimation with others goeth along with the profession of the truth received but when the wind of another doctrine bloweth and doth carry with it power to trouble and persecute them who will not receive it by and by they are offended and renounce the truth controverted because it draweth trouble with the profession of it for such persons suppose that gain ease and applause are very godlinesse It is true sometime the true believer may be surprised with a sudain tentation to renounce the profession of truth in some point for fear of death as Peters example doth shew us but true faith recovereth strength and ariseth after a fall and endureth persecution for that truth as temporary belief doth not but faileth altogether And the temporizers repentance failleth also because it ariseth from natural principles and is for natural motives and ends Such was the repentance of Saul in weeping and justifying David for sparing his life 1 Sam. 27. 21. Such was the repentance of the carnal Israelits Psal. 78. 36. and the humiliation of Ahab and such is their amendment of life all nothing but temporary and which doth not continue as Hosea chap. 6. 4. sheweth O Ephraim what shall I do unto thee O Judah what shall I do unto thee for thy goodnesse is like the morning cloud and like the early dew that passeth soon away Neither is it any wonder that unrenewed men may attain to something like unto faith and repentance and outward amendment of maners if we consider that humane writings find so much credit with men as not to be called in question but believed to be true for experience testifieth that their affections are moved sometime with delight and sometime with indignation and pity not only when they read Histories but also when
Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy water-spouts all thy waves and billows are gone over me And Psal. 77. 7 8. will the Lord cast off for ever and will he be favourable no more Is his grace clean gone for ever and will he be favourable no more c. At last he discovereth his duty to believe in God and concludeth against himself that his giving so far way to the tentation was his infirmity 19. We must distinguish worldy sorrow and hypochondriack-passions and perturbations of mind from cases of conscience and spiritual exercise in the wrestlings of faith that for a natural disease and distemper a pertinent remedy may be called for from the bodily Physicians and to such as are under a spiritual exercise the doubts of their conscience may be prudently loused In such a case when both the bodily distemper and spiritual exercise are joyned circumspection is necessary that proportionable remedies be used by the Physician and the Pastor or prudent friend that bodily medicine and spiritual consolations may be each in their own time and order wisely made use of and because it useth to fall out that exercise of conscience and distemper of bodily humours are oftentimes joyned one with another let it be sufficient that a word is casten in here for advertisement 20. In curing cases of conscience it is not sufficient to louse some one doubt or other but after satisfaction given to the parties afflicted concerning the present case which hath troubled them they must learn to observe other causes which may trouble them afterward wherewith for the present they possibly are not troubled and must be directed to acquaint themselves with Christ that in him they may have relief from every sin and every sort of misery and to that end and purpose they must consecrat and devout themselves to him to depend upon him in all things and at all times whatsoever way he shall be pleased to exercise them for whosoever do come unto Christ must come of set purpose to abide in him and never depart from him but to live in him and draw grace after grace out of his fulnesse grace to mortifie sin grace to renew the acts of faith and repentance daily according as they find new guiltinesse contracted and weaknesse in themselves to do commanded duties for except the do so they shall easily slide back from their begun sanctification and furnish mater to Sathan for raising of new doubts in their souls and new tentations unto sins wherein they have not fallen before therefore must they keep the habits of faith and repentance in actual exercise daily 21. In dealing with a troubled conscience let not the comforter whether a Pastor or a prudent friend trust to his abilities or arrogat to himself above what is due to him but let him keep his eye upon the Lord and in his heart be praying to God to blesse the Word in his mouth giving glory to God expresly if he perceive the afflicted party laying hold on Gods Word delivered by him And let him also teach the afflicted to lift his eyes to the Lord when the Word of consolation is dispensed to him by the Minister or prudent friend that God may have the glory in his consolation and no more ascribed to the instrument then is due For the Minister may sow the seed and plant and water but God only can give the increase men are ready to fail in this point and mar the blessing for God is a jealous God and will not give his glory to another 22. In case the expected consolation be not found or the doubt propounded be not solved so soon as is desired let the afflicted be exhorted that he make not hast in seeking comfort but patiently submit himself to Gods will in exercising him for a while and humble himself under his mighty hand in meeknesse waiting for clearnesse and comfort in due time for affliction is sent to work patience and patience to work experience and experience to work hope which shall not make the patient man ashamed and it is far better for a soul to lye for a time in the bonds of affliction till it be daunted and subdued then before patience hath had the perfect work to seek to have its foolish wishes granted unto it for if once a soul heartily submit it self to God or strive to submit and patiently wait on consolation will be found not far off 23. In regard the work of the holy Ghost working the conversion of a man may begin before it can be marked it is the part of him who medleth with the afflicted conscience to deal tenderly with the afflicted and so to temper his speech as he may both further repentance and faith pre-supposing the parties exercise may prove a begun work of grace for it is better so to judge in charity of Gods dispensation then to foster sinister suspicions of the party afflicted which may readily break forth in some unhappy expressions to the hurting of the patient and hindering his profiting by what may be said beside 24. Because we have to do in this Book with the weak believers who in the sense of sin and deserved wrath are fled or flying unto Christ with a purpose of amendment of life but do fear they are not or shall not be admitted into that kingdom of our Lord Jesus for this and that pretended reason therefore it will be to purpose in comforting them to make use as of other Scriptures so in special of these two passages the one 2 Cor. 5. 19. the other 1 Cor. 1 30. the one serving to convince them that they are already in the state of grace and of the number of believers in Christ how strongly soever they are assaulted with fears doubts and suspicions that it is otherwayes for in this passage 2 Cor. 5. 19. the Apostle summeth up the whole Gospel in few words holding forth first that the fulnesse of God in three persons was in the second person of the God-head the Mediator Christ Jesus and is upon the work of reconciling the world to himself not imputing their transgressions unto them that receive the gracious offer of reconciliation tendred through Christ in the Gospel Secondly that God in Christ â—ath committed unto his Ministers the word of reconciliation that they with authority may offer reconciliation and friendship with God unto the hearers of the Word of the Gospel Thirdly that the Apostles and Ministers of the Gospel are sent forth and directed as Embassadors to exhort and request mâ—n in Gods name and in the name of Christ God Mediator manifested in the flesh to be reconciled unto God Fourthly that so many as do consent unto and imbrace the gracious offer of reconciliation are reckoned to be believers even all they who do acknowledge their natural enimity and sins against God and do welcom the message of reconciliation sent by the Ministers of the Gospel and do ingage themselves to hold fast this Covenant
his yoke upon them are troubled with doubtings whether they be of the number of true believers whether they have rightly come unto Christ whether they have been well accepted of him and for their doubting they can give no other reason save this I cannot be quiet nor rest in assurance that I am in the state of grace if they be interrogat what they think of the evident signs of their regeneration which have been and are to be seen in their conversation since they began in earnest to seek the face of God in Christ They will possibly not altogether deny Gods work in them but yet dare not lean weight upon these signs because they do find these signs also brought in question whether they have been or are kindly and sincere mean time they are about to do that which is acceptable to God in the course of their calling albeit with more heavinesse and lesse alacrity then bâ—cometh persons reconciled to God in Christ. 2. This disease will be found complicat and made up of moe mistakes and errors then one and therefore is to be the more narrowly considered because it is no small hinderance of a comfortable christian conversation which God doth allow on his children for in the party troubled with unquietnesse we presuppone Iâ— there is a serious sense of sin and purpose to do better 2. An unfained embracing of the covenant of grace and reconciliation in Christ Jâ—sus And 3. an honest though weak endeavour to bring forth the fruits of new obedience and yet notwithstanding the person is not quiet but walketh heavily and is discouraged by reason of his uncertainty whether he be in the state of grace or not yea he is cast down and disquieted because he is disquieted and cannot get a reasonable answer from his conscience when he asketh of it why are thou cast down and disquieted within me 3. The mistakes and errors whence this dissatisfaction and unquietnesse doth flow are many but we shall condescend upon eight or nine only The first error and cause of unquietnesse is or may be this that the party afflicted albeit he have the habits of saving grace in him and doth by Gods grace put forth these habits in actual exercise yet he doth not reflect upon nor turn his eye to observe the operations of Gods holy Spirit in himself nor the acts of saving grace which the holy Spirit hath made him put forth of which if he take not notice they are to him for the time as if they were not and so no wonder he be disquiet while he perceiveth not in himself that which might make him quiet For example when the sense of sin is raised up in a mans spirit by the holy Ghost if he do not observe that this is one of the operations of the holy Spirit convincing the world of sin or if he do not turn back his eye on this operation and upon his own act stirred up thereby to subscribe the sentence of the law against himself no wonder that he doubt of his conversion till he see the foot-steps of God the converter of him from the love and approbation of sin unto the hatred of it and when he is â—lâ—d to Christ the only Redeemer from sin and misery and hath laid hold on him according to the covenant of grace offered in him if he do not look back on this operation of God drawing him to Christ and upon his own act of coming unto Christ by the draught of Gods Spirit what wonder he do not reckon himself among believers albeit he be in Gods account one of that number And when the holy Spirit hath kindled in him not only a purpose of new obedience but also a begun endeavour to live holily justly and soberly if he do not observe and acknowledge these operations of Gods Spirit making him to bring forth these acts what wonder that this mistake and inconsideration do open a door to disquietnesse and doubting whether he be in the state of grace or not 4. For removing this cause of disquietnesse the afflicted person must beware that he passe not sentence of Gods dispensation towards him according to the tentations and suggestions of Sathan nor yet according to the opinion which his Pastor or friend may have of him judging somewhat uncharitably of him upon sinister suspicions neither let him stand to the suspicions of his own incredulous heart but let him consider what the Word of the Lord hath said of the person in whom these three graceâ— do concur to wit 1. the sense of sin and inability to help our selves 2. flying unto Christ for relief from sin and misery and 3. some measure of upright purpose and endeavour to serve God in new obedience for of such saith the Apostle Phil. 3. 3 We are the Circumcision or true Israelits who have no confidence in the flesh but rejoyce in Iesus Christ and worship God in the spirit Let him therefore esteem the discovery of his sinfull and wretched estate in himself to be the very fruit of the eye-salve and work of the Spirit bestowed on him by Christ and let him esteem his hearty consent given to the covenant of grace and reconciliation to be the undoubted act of saving faith For hearty consent to the offer of grace in Jesus Christ presuppones first that the person sees no standing for him by the law or covenant of works but is beaten from all confidence in himself and made to believe and subscribe the righteous sentence of the law against himself to the praise of Gods truth and justice Secondly it imports the mans believing the testimony which God hath given of Christ Jesus to wit that God hath made a gift of life eternall to the soul that hungereth and thristeth for righteousnesse and that this life is in his Son yea it imports the mans receiving and embracing of Christ offered in the Gospel Thirdly it importeth that the consenter to the covenant of grace as he hath renounced confidence in his own works So he hath given up himself to God to live by the grace of Jesus Christ unto eternall life Now if the afflicted shall reflect upon these two operations of the holy Ghost making him humble in the sense of sin heartily to receive Christ Jesus for his relief and withall do observe an unfained purpose and begun endeavour to live more holily and fruitfully by the grace and furniture of Christ howsoever he labour under many infirmities not only is he undoubtedly a new creature but also by observing the foresaid evidence thereof may conclude that God hath begun a good work of grace in him and so shall this first cause of disquietnesse be removed 5. Another cause of disquietnesse is or may be this if the afflicted after examination of the work of grace in himself being convinced of his blessed estate and confirmed by present sense of Gods love shed abroad in his heart do not hold fast his estimation of Gods work in himself longer
of eternal life Other some doubting of the soundnesse of their conversion because the â—error of God and fear of condemnation and hell prevailed more with them for changing their course then the love of God and true holinesse did and both the one sort and the other do conceive the chief rise of their change to have been natural or carnal self-love fearing harm and loving life 2. For removing of this doubt we grant that there are many who after some notable delivery from death or some notable benefit received or after some sharp rod of chastisement for their sin have changed their outward way of living left off grosse vices and led a more civil and blamelesse outward life and yet have neither seriously repented them of sin nor seriously fled in unto the grace of Jesus Christ offered in the Gospel neither knowing what saving faith is nor carefull to know it but of such we do not speak here for we are speaking of the true convert and renewed man who in the sense of sin is fled to Christ in the sense of his unworthinesse maketh the grace offered his refuge and in the sense of indigence looketh up to Christ and seeketh supply of him in all things and by the holy Spirit is striving against sin endeavouring in some measure of sincerity to bring forth the fruits of faith and repentance and yet for all this he doubteth of the sincerity of his own conversion for the reasons foresaid To this souldier and wrestler we say as before we said to him that doubteth of his conversion because he cannot design the time of his conversion it is not material by what way or means or motives a man is brought unto Christ provided he doth come and indeed adhere to Christ it is all one whether the rise of the mans turning from sin to God was love alluring or terror driving him whether a benefit or a sharp rod whether fear or hope did at the first beginning of his change move him to seek God provided God manifested in the flesh Christ Jesus the Redeemer of sinners be now his beloved Lord and precious in his eyes for he that is most sweetly allured to come to God and without much fear is converted who possibly after serious conviction of sin and deserved death is not keeped long at the door of mercy but forthwith is admitted to the throne of grace and tenderly entertained by the Spirit of consolation may fall in hard exercises afterward This is evident in the experience of the Prophet David in whom his brethren living in the same family with him did not perceive any signes of a sorrowfull or heavy heart as his brother Eliab's words do shew 1 Sam. 17. 28. I know thy pride and the naughtiness of thy heart Thus did Eliab judge of David's chearfull carriage whereof also we have some evidence that David was of a ruddy and beautiful countenance and for some years of his youth did passe the time pleasantly serving God with his songs and harp while he was feeding his sheep in the wildernesse now none can justly question his conversion all this time or his sincerity in this service yet afterward he was otherwayes exercised for oft-times he felt the power of the Law upon his spirit and was tossed with the terror thereof and made to mourn and weep heavily Such doth Iob's condition seem to be in his youth as it is described Iob 29. but afterward in the tryal of his faith what a conflict with temptation he had the sacred History doth testifie Therefore there is no reason why any in whom these evidences of a true Israelit are found in any measure should suspect the sincerity of his regeneration because he hath been gently handled in his conversion for it may come to passe that the same person may fall in firy tryals and so hard temptations as he may fall in doubt of his conversion in regard of the sad afflictions inward and outward whereby he is exercised In which case he will be found to be mistaken no lesse then he was mistaken in the former case and condition for some dear children of God may possibly both in their conversion and most part of their life be exercised with the terrors of the Law and yet retain fast hold by faith on Christs grace in their deepest afflictions For instance we offer that precious soul Heman the Ezrait who came near unto Solomon in the point of wisdom 1 King 4 31. and yet how bitter his afflictions of spirit were the 88. Psalm beareth witnesse specially v. 13. 14 15. But unto thee have I cryed O Lord and in the morning shall my prayer prevent thee And why castest thou off my soul why hidest thou thy face from me I am afflicted and ready to die from my youth up while I suffer thy terrors I am distracted c. And therefore there is no just cause that any in whom the evidences of faith and repentance may be found should call the sincerity of his own conversion in question how hardly soever he seem to be handled of God for whosoever is joyned to the Lord Jesus and will neither suffer himself to be driven from him nor yet will endure sin to remain in himself uncontrolled is certainly a true convert As for these who for some temporal cause are come to Christ as many did come in the dayes of his flesh that they might be delivered from some temporal evil or obtain some temporal benefit and for that cause do doubt of their conversion or sincerity thereof they need not dispute much about the occasions of their first seeking after God provided that they have learned what Christs grace is and do seek righteousnesse and salvation in him for we read in the Evangel that sundry that they might be cured of leprosie palsie blindnesse c. came unto Christ who afterward came and adhered to him by faith as the only Redeemer and Saviour of their souls from sin and misery Wherefore in such doubtings let not the afflicted trouble himself nor call his conversion in question but let him give all diligence to strengthen his faith and to increase in holinesse making his calling and election sure by well-doing for if he do this he shall neither be found idle nor unfruitfull in the knowledge of our Lord Iesus as the Apostle promiseth 2 Pet. 1. 8. CHAP. XI Wherein the converts doubt of his being in the state of grace arising from heavy afflictions and grievous tentations is solved SOme true converts sometime fall into great suspicionâ— of their regeneration of their effectual calling and of the love of God unto them and that because they meet with sore outward afflictions and are assaulted also possibly with horrible inward tentations which do befall them unexpectedly and are ready to swallow them up for whereas after divers conflicts in their conversion and peace of conscience following after these sad exercises of mind they hoped to have injoyed Gods peace still after
things to come and the gift of working miracles and the gift of preaching the Gospel may be granted unto the unregenerat for the use and edification of the Church The observing of this difference shall teach the afflicted to esteem well of all the gifts of God which may serve for humane society or to edifie the Church but not to look upon them as evidences of regeneration for they are nothing in comparison of saving graces for if he shall study to humility and repentance toward God and faith toward Jesus Christ and love to God and his Saints and to a holy life by the grace of Christ in any measure let him esteem more of them then of all these common gifts how glorious soever they seem As also let him put a difference betwixt the judgment of charity concerning other mens estate which contents it self with probabilities and the judgment of certainty and reall verity concerning his own estate which proceeds from the operation of the holy Spirit bearing witnesse to our spirits that we are the children of God and revealing unto us what things are freely given to us of God to wit among other gifts giving unto us eye-salve to make us know that we are blind poor naked and miserable with grace leading us to buy without money or price from Christ gold tryed in the fire and garments to hide our nakednesse which is the righteousnesse of Christ imputed unto us In the judgement of charity concerning other mens estate we see nothing save what is outward and cannot pierce into their hearts which God only can and doth search but concerning our own estate we may know certainly if we search well 1 Cor. 2. 10 11 12. Wherefore that the afflicted may overcome this doubt let him leave unto God the judgment of the hearts of these hypocrits and apostats which were never humbled in 〈◊〉 sense of sin nor seriously believed in Christ but to satisfie himself concerning his own estate let him study to discern the power of sin in himself more and more and daily be humbled before God in the sense of it And the more he discern the loathsomnesse of sin in himself let him the more heartily embrace Christ offered in the Gospel and consecrat himself wholly unto him that in his furniture drawn by faith out of Christ he may bring forth good fruits and add one vertue to another and so shall he be sure that he hath passed the perfection of the unregenerat and is a true subject of the kingdom of God effectually called and elected of God unto eternall life 2 Pet. 1. 5 6 7 8. CHAP. XIV Wherein is solved the doubt of the true convert whether he be in the state of grace because some godly persons look upon him as an hypocrit SOme true converts do suspect themselves not to be true converts because some of the godly of their acquaintance whose judgment otherwayes is not to be lightly rejected not only do suspect them to be hypocrits but by words spoken of them and behaviour toward them declare their judgment of them 2. This tentation doth not a little afflict the weak in faith who of themselves are ready to call in question their own conversion and when they perceive their own suspicion of themselves to be as it were confirmed by the suspicion and testimony of some Saints howsoever rashly judging other mens hearts no wonder the tentation of Sathan questioning whether they be the children of God grow strong against them By this stratageme Sathan useth to assault the strongest in faith and to vex them at least as we may see in the exercise of Iob whose faith was mightily assaulted when his godly friends mistook his affliction and condemned him as a wicked hypocrit The like we see in the exercise of the Prophet Ps. 38. 11. when his friends stood aloof from his plague 3. For strengthening the afflicted under this tentation first let him examine himself so much the more acuratly because of the suspicion that the godly have of him after which examination if he find any measure of sorrow for sin in himself and of faith flying to Christ for relief and of endeavour to live holily righteously and soberly albeit joyned with much infirmity and manifold imperfections let him not cast away his confidence but rather strengthen what he findeth of the Lords gracious work in him although it seem to him ready to dye Secondly let him consider whether this exercise and affliction be a correction from God chastising him for his rash judgment of others whom possibly he hath wounded with such rash suspicions of them but whether he find this or not let him not despise this exercise but be humbled before God in the acknowledgment of the reliques of hypocrisie in our corrupt nature and flye unto Christ in whose mouth there was no guile that he may be cloathed with his righteousnesse head and feet and let him study unto more and more sincerity that he may approve himself to God and to discreet Judges of his conversation and let him not alienat himself altogether so far as in him lyeth from them by whose suspicions his faith and good name hath been wounded but in humility and charity toward them in the constant following of piety toward God and righteousnesse toward men labour to commend himself to all mens consciences And in so doing he needeth not stand for the rash judgment of any man for by so doing Iob was victorious over this tentation in his conflict with his friends and it is sure that men may be deceived in their judgement of other mens estate for first the ignorance of another mans heart maketh the Judge to judge what he knoweth not It is true God hath granted unto his children liberty according to his Word to judge of the actions of other men and from their actions to judge of their condition and temper in relation to those actions but to judge of their state who outwardly do what is right doth not belong to men but to God who hath reserved to himself the searching of every mans heart and only knoweth who is the upright and who is the hypocrit who is the wise and who is the foolish virgin the outward conversation of both being like one to another Again to know another mans manners ingine inclination and way of his life doth require long conversing with him comparison of his actions one with another and a prudent conjunction of all signes of his inward disposition before a discreet charitable judgment can be had of him And whosoever do judge rashly of other mens hearts do not well know their own heart or of what spirit they are in judging for many presume too much to justifie their own condition and state and make themselves to be as rules and paterns unto others and so become too too rigid censurers and severe judges of other mens conditions and state except they find it like to their own And if there be any
dissimilitude of manners or discrepance of judgment or contention about any mater then partiality hindereth a right judgment one of another and affection marreth reason many times that it cannot discern what is right Therefore let the person afflicted with this tentation turn himself to God who searcheth the reines and let him humble himself in his sight renewing the exercise of repentance and faith in Christ and let him apply to himself what the Scripture doth pronounce of these who in the sense of their sin do flye to Christ Jesus that in him they may have remission of sin and amendment of their life for so did the Prophet in the whole Psal. 17. when he had to do with his uncharitable friends and kinsfolk and so let the afflicted do CHAP. XV. Wherein the converts doubting of his being in the state of grace so oft as he doth not feel the sense of his reconciliation with God is examined and answered SOâ—e true converts are who indeed are indued with the saving graces of faith hope and charity and give evident proof of the in-dwelling of the holy Spirit in them and do rejoyce now and then in God their Saviour when his love to them is shed abroad in their heart but when a cloud cometh over their eyes and they do not feel the warm beams of the Sun of righteousnesse shining in their soul as they before have felt they are assaulted with doubting if any saving grace be in them at all and do entertain these tentations oft-times so far as to suspect and expresse in words that there is no solid faith in themselves no lively hope no christian charity no mortification of sin no purity of heart and such like if when they are thus tempted and tossed they lay hold on Christ as in their first conversion and find the sensible comfort of the holy Spirit by the word of the Gospel applyed unto them then all is well their doubting is overcome for the time they rejoyce and praise God But if the Lord shall delay for his own wise ends to renew their sensible consolations and to renew the earnest-penny of their inheritance forthwith they begin to doubt again and to hearken to Sathans suggestions and to suspect that their former feelings were but temporary and not the special operations of the holy Spirit and at length break forth in many sad complaints And in a word they do not maintain the work of saving grace in themselves longer then the sun shine of spiritual felt consolations abideth with them And albeit their exercise be no wayes so hard as was the Prophets Psal. 77. yet they fall out in the same complaint which the Prophet expresseth ver 7 8 9. Will the Lord cast off for ever and will he be favourable no more is his mercy clean gone for ever doth his promise fail for evermore hath God forgotten to be gracious hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies 2. For clearing of this case two diseases may be perceived in the afflicted which is here described The one is this the afflicted setteth himself to live rather by sense then by faith and doth put his faith on work of set purpose that he may obtain or recover consolation shortly but if his desire be not shortly granted he maketh not use of the formerly felt consolations to strengthen his own â—aith when consolation is withdrawn The other sicknesse is this the afflicted doth not take up the nature of saving graces nor perceive the beauty thereof except in the sun-shine of sensible divine approbation thereof he doth not take up the right definition or description of saving graces for saith is to him nothing if it be not a full perswasion except he can pour forth tears alwayes he thinks he doth not repent except he find a joyfull expectation of Christs coming in glory he thinks his hope not lively and so of charity and patience temperance righteousnesse and holinesse if he do not find them in some eminent measur as they may nearâ—by stand before the law the afflicted of whom we are now speaking thinketh he hath nothing of saving grace in him We grant that this sicknesse is very rare and few they are that are troubled with it yet where it appeareth it must be speedily cured but with great circumspection cured for the earnest desire he hath of feeling the sweet sense of the joy of the holy Ghost must not be disallowed but commended to him and he taught to cry as it is said Cant. 2. 5. Stay me with flaggons comfort me with aples for I am sick of love yet with holy submission unto Gods will for time maner and measure 2. He is also to be commended that in his trouble he goeth to God in Christ not altogether without faith which he putteth forth in active exercise thereof by confession of sin by supplication and otherwayes but here is he to be reproved that while he is actually exercising faith love hope c. he reckoneth all he doeth to be nothing no faith no hope c. because it is not in such a measure as he would 3. He is to be commended that he doth aime at the highest degrees of faith love hope patience mortification of sin and practice of holinesse and all commanded vertues but here he faileth that he counteth all as nought when consolation and sensible approbation of what he hath is not felt for here he despiseth the day of small things and unthankfully mis-regardeth the lower degrees of these saving graces which notwithstanding are bought to the redeemed by the same price wherewith the highest degrees are bought to wit with the precious blood of Jesus Christ. 3. Wherefore let the afflicted consider first that the will of God revealed requireth of us that we walk by faith and under the sense of our sinfulnesse and afflictions whatsoever hold fast the covenant of grace in Christ Jesus and by adhering unto him hold up our heart and entertain spiritual life in us Secondly let him consider that this way of living by faith and dependence on the word of Gods grace doth please the Lord well for without faith it is impossible to please him and thus living by faith in him doth give more glory of truth grace mercy and constancy unto God then when we suspend the glorifying of him till we find the sense of consolation from him for if we believe in God only because we find the consolations of his Spirit our faith in that case is weak and leaneth more upon the pledge and sensible evidence of his truth bestowed upon us then upon his promise without a pledge for no man will refuse to give credit to a man upon a pawn but God is worthy to be credited upon his word without a pawn yea when his dispensation seemeth contrary to his promise Thirdly let him consider that the Lord useth to give sensible consolations not only to help our faith in the time of consolation but also to help our
not please God Now it is an act of injustice not to give unto God the praise of every good thing in a man especially when the man is found to be cast down in himself and to be thirsting in his soul for a more intimat communion with Christ as is presupposed in this case 3. The second cause is or may be this that the afflicted albeit he hath had oft times sweet and sensible consolation and confirmation of the promises of the Gospel and hath thereby been put out of doubt of his adoption for the time yet when new temptations do arise according to what was expedient for the exercise of his faith because the same sweetnesse is not felt but heavinesse for the while 1 Pet. 1. 6 7. he forgetteth the consolations he hath had or suffereth them to be called in question For removing whereof whensoever the afflicted is cut short in the point of sense or sensible consolation let him then strive to abound in the work of the Lord and not slacken his hand in the exercise of religion and of his lawfull calling and his indeavour to please God in all things for seing the covenant of grace imbraced is a firm and solid ground for â—aith to fix upon albeit full perswasion and victorious consolation were neither at all or but very rarely â—elt in this life the afflicted whom we have to speak to here hath no cause to stumble but reason to blesse God who hath in any measure at any time comforted him by the Gospel for that condition which the afflicted wisheth for is reserved unto us in heaven and promises such as are made to the meek and mercifull Mat. 5. which qualified promises they look upon as conditional excluding them as they conceive who do not find in themselves such qualifications and partly because they are not clear about their right to receive the offer of the Gospel because they want as they conceive fitnesse in themselves to receive the same and thus are they oft-times vexed with doubts whether they be in the state of grace or not 2. For lousing of this doubt sundry things are already said by the way in answering other doubtfull cases But because many do meet with this difficulty we shall speak a little more particularly to the case and first it is needfull that the afflicted be confirmed about that which is right in him that the thing which remaineth and is ready to die may be strengthened To this intent we commend the afflicted that being sensible of sin and feared for-wrath he hath fled unto Christ for refuge next we commend him that he hath begun to give new obedience to Gods Law and doth purpose to follow on as he shall be enabled and thirdly we commend him that albeit he cannot attain that near conjunction with Christ which he would yet he neither will nor dare forsake Christ not put himself out of the number of weak believers in Christ for he hath said in his heart with Peter Joh. 6. 68. To whom shall I go for Christ hath the words of eternal life Hitherto all is right and the afflicted must resolve to cleave close to this foundation because Christ hath said Ioh. 6. 37. These that come unto me I will in no case cast out 3. For his doubt arising from the nature of the promises absolute conditional and qualified looked upon by him as if they were conditional we answer â— That these qualified promises having some mark in them of true believers are not exclusive of these believers who find in themselves a defect of the qualification but they are inductive unto all believers to study the attaining of that qualification and are corroborative of these belivers who find in any sensible measure these qualifications For example promises made to the mercifull to the peace-makers to the upright in heart do not exclude these who find themselves short in these graces and yet are hungry and thristy for righteousnesse yet are poor and indigent of all good in themselves and daily beggers at the throne of grace for what they want Mat. 5. for these qualifications found in a weak believer are signes and effects of sound faith in them And we must grant that of these graces specified in these qualified promises some of them are more eminent in some of the Saints and other some of them more eminently seen and felt in other some of the Saints And in the same person one of these qualifications may sometime shine more clearly and at another time by some tentation or mistake be over-clouded and not shine so clearly as before yet the qualifications are comfortable to all them who find the same in themselves and are inductive to make every believer to aime to excell in these graces and so to confirm their own faith more and more as 2 Pet. 1. 4 5 6 7. we are exhorted Again these qualifications are signs of a believer already entered in the covenant of grace by faith in Christ and begun to bring forth good fruits but they are not the conditions of entering into the covenant for then none could enter in covenant till first these qualifications in exercise were sound in them and that were to dis-annull the covenant of grace and to set up a sort of covenant of works for there is not another condition of entering in the covenant but faith in Christ only whereby the humbled sinner renouncing all confidence in any good in himself or from himself doth betake himself wholly to the grace offered in Jesus Christ in whom perfect righteousnesse is to be found Now unto the man who shall believe in Christ all the promises of the Gospel are made upon this condition that he do believe in Jesus Christ which condition of presuppose the afflicted should have what he wisheth consolations alwayes running like a river where were place for trying exercising and training of him in his faith but let him work and wrastle on and among hands he shall have as much peace as may suffice a pilgrim 4. The third cause is or may be this that the afflicted hath grieved the Spirit of God either by ascribing his gracious operations to some other cause then grace or counting his consolations to be but flashes and like unto delusions or that the afflicted by corrupt communication or grosse offences hath provoked God to anger as befell David Psal. 51. For removing of this cause whether the sin of the afflicted hath been more or lesse provoking let him with David Ps. 51. renew the exercise of repentance and faith in Gods mercy who only can renew a right spirit in him or rather restore him to the formerly-felt consolation and joy of his Spirit and let him walk more warily hereafter that he provoke not to wrath so mercifull a father 5. The fourth cause is or may be this that the afflicted albeit he hath consented to the covenant of grace and hath embraced Christ Jesus offered in the Evangel yet he doth not
himself SOme true converts judging their state by some false rule do not only torment themselves but also so far as in them lyeth by pronouncing false sentences of their own state go about to extinguish the spunk of piety which is in them The false rule whereby they do judge themselves is strengthened by a groundlesse perswasion that it is a true and sure rule and ordinarily when they think or speak of it they prefix no reason for it but some confident asseveration such as without doubt it is most certain and I am perswaded of it and such like If I were regenerat and truly converted without doubt I should be in a better disposition then I am I should love the Lord more fervently I should understand the mysteries of Gods Word more clearly I should not be so little affected with the sense of Gods benefits bestowed on me I should not go so lightly under the conviction of so many sins against God as I feel in me I should be more diligent in the work of the Lord in my calling I should walk more humbly and circumspectly in all my conversation and such like many expressions The same course doth the afflicted follow in his examination of the operations of the holy Spirit and of every Christian vertue in himself without doubt saith he if this were truly as a Christian vertue in me there would not be such a disposition as I find in me my condition should be such and such as became a new creature which because I do not find in me I have just reason to call in question my conversion And here is a port opened for Sathan to enter at and to throw all his fiery darts at the miserable soul of the weak convert whence many complaints do break forth and thanksgiving for mercies received and for the time injoyed is broken off and ceaseth And partly through diffidence partly through murmuring the Spirit of the Lord is provoked to wrath 2. We grant that this is a dangerous evil not only to the person afflicted but also to such as are familiarly acquainted with his condition because this disease readily doth infect others as it came to passe in the camp of Israel where the murmuring of some set the body of the army on a mutiny against God for one that is weak in the faith when he heareth such complaints in the mouth of one whom he judgeth to be holier then himself incontinent he falleth on complaining of his own state saying that he hath more weighty reason to suspect the soundnesse of his conversion then the person hath whom he hath heard suspecting his being in the state of grace 3. Wherefore let the afflicted before he shall vent his suspicion of his state examine the rule whereby he hath passed sentence on himself whether he can make it good from the Scripture for it is not sufficient to say without doubt and I am perswaded it is true except it can be confirmed by the infallible warrant of Gods Word and let his friend who shall hear his complaint expresly require a reason of his confidence that such a rule is clear from Scripture and that the application thereof is made righteously Which if he cannot prove otherwayes then Sathan doth enforce his tentations that is either without Scripture or by abusing Scripture contrary to the intent thereof let him acknowledge his readinesse to misbelieve and disobey the Word of the Lord and to hearken to Sathans tentations to the weakening of his own faith and hindering of his cheerfull obedience to the Lords commands and because such question-making of being in the state of grace is oft-times very inconsideratly uttered even before them who do not allow the complainers misconstruction of his state or if they should allow it and say to the complainer that they believed that suspicion of his state were very just it should grieve the complainer more then the doubt it self Therefore let the afflicted neither hearken to the suspicion nor vent it when it is strongly suggested but let him humble himself before Christ because of these defects and wants of such evidences of saving grace as he would have and in the sense of these wants let him cleave close to Christ for covering his nakednesse and earnestly endeavour by faith in Christ to be made more and more conform to the examplar of holinesse holden forth in the Scripture CHAP. XXIV Wherein is solved the converts doubt of his own conversion because he hath found the deceitfulnesse of his own heart and dare not trust it any more SOme sincere converts who uprightly do serve Christ and adhere unto him by faith when they consider the doctrine of the deceitfulnesse of the heart of man and how many are deceived by trusting to the testimony of their own heart concerning their regeneration and justification do begin to call in question all the work of their own conversion and do fear least they be found in the number of the finer sort of hypocrits who deceive both themselves and others having nothing in them but a civil life and form of religion without the power of godlinesse and do sleep to death in security of which sort our Lord Jesus forewarneth that not only privat persons but also many preachers shall be found Mat. 7. 22. of whom we may suppone that they were not conscious of open and grosse wickednesse but were of a blamelesse carriage before the world professing the Christian faith and teaching others to believe in Christ and doubted nothing but Christ should judge of them as reall Saints to whom for all that Christ shall one day say depart from me ye workers of iniquity I never knew you It is certain that such men have been deceived by their own heart which when the afflicted doth consider he standeth astonished and trembleth for fear saying with himself what shall I think of my former opinion of my blessd state I fear my heart hath deceived me as others of greater gifts and better life have been deceived by their own heart 2. This is a doubt which hath need to be solved but neither this nor any other doubt can be solidly and effectually solved by any mean except the holy Spirit give a blessing to the means for it is certain that there are many who being religiously educat and free from grosse vices do not repent of their sins are not touched with the sense of their original sin and corrupt lusts but without taking any burden on their consciences for these do passe by their time well pleased with their own estate Some also there are who having fallen in grosse and scandalous sins do find for some time remorse of conscience for these grosse sins but for their other sins beside those and for their in-born corruptions are not carefull thinking it sufficient if thereafter they do not fall in such grosse faults The first sort of men do deceive themselves thinking they have little to repent ofâ— in regard they are
of grace because he findeth himself frequently in an evil condition EXperience teacheth that sundry true converts because they feeling themselves oft-times in an ill condition do call in question their being in the blessed state of grace not considering that the condition of a man whether in the state of nature unrenewed or in the state of grace may be comparatively in better or worse condition and yet his state remain the same The multitude of the misbelieving Hebrews were in an evil condition at the one side of the red Sea when they repented their coming out of Egypt but in a better condition when they did sing praises unto God on the other side of the Sea and yet for their state some were yea most part still in nature unrenewed Moses and Aaron were in an evil condition when their passion offended God at the smiteing of the rock but when they did interceed with God for the people when wrath was kindled against the host they were in a better condition and both in the one time and in the other they were in the state of grace true Saints in Gods estimation This mistake of the weak in faith not putting difference between their present disposition and their state maketh them judge of themselves to be in the state of grace when their condition is good and to be in the state of nature unrenewed when they feel themselves in an evil condition when they observe their heart inlarged to run the way of Gods commandments then they esteem themselves truly regenerat and when they feel themselves sluggish in the work of the Lord dull in hearing the Word flow to believe what the Scripture speaketh when they esteem their ordinary service to be after a form of godlinesse without affection and power and what service they do to proceed from fear of wrath rather then from the new and right principles of a regenerat man then they question all the works of grace in themselves What shall I think saith the afflicted concerning my state in grace when I find my condition so frequently not only short of what it should be but also polluted with divers sorts of sins 2. For answer we must grant that the externall duties of religion may be discharged from fleshly and corrupt principles for many do perform commanded external duties that they may eshew the reproach of impiety or that they may insinuat themselves in the good estimation and favour of the godly or for some base earthly ends for which gross hypocrits do whatsoever they do in religion Like unto these are all self-deceiving hypocrits who go about to establish their own righteousnesse miskening that righteousnesse which is of God by faith as if God could be obliged to take their performance for a full satisfaction for their former sins and would look upon their works as meritorious of eternal life and therefore because men may deceive themselves 1. the afflicted shall do well to examine himself whether he hath renounced all confidence in the flesh or his own works Phil. 3. 8 9. and fled unto Christ for righteousnesse with some measure of honest endeavouring to worship and serve God in his spirit which if his conscience can witnesse unto him to be his way wherein he is walking then may he be assured that he is a true convert 2. And albeit it be true that the imperfections of the regenerat man do many times obscure his state in grace yet can they not extinguish the sponk of regeneration begun in him or prove the work of grace in him not to be at all 3. We grant that the condition of a true convert at sometimes may be so bad by reason of sinfull distemper and fleshly carriage that many unrenewed mens conversation shall be found far more commendable then the present condition and carriage of the renewed man in his sinfull condition In which case neither God nor his own conscience nor any that feareth God can speak any thing but wrath to him till he repent and turn to God for mercy in Christ yet the afflicted penitent convert lamenting his bad condition is in better case then any unrenewed man can be into for the very grief and perplexity which he findeth because his condition is so oft ill and sinfull proveth his good affection toward God and his earnest desire to walk before God unto all well-pleasing in all things and at all times 3. But if the afflicted shall insist and object that the fear of Gods wrath and judgments ordinarily is a main motive which setteth him on to do the duties and service which God requireth of him and not the love of God the felt in-lake whereof doth make him go on halting and heavy in the wayes of God We answer that albeit the fear of Gods wrath and judgments looked upon alone doth not prove regeneration yet it may well consist with regeneration because God doth not for nought joyn with his precepts fearfull threatenings of judgments against those who shall transgresse his commands that they may be as a spur in his childrens sides to presse them to their duties and as a bridle to curb and check their vitious inclination unto sin which lodgeth in all men by nature And this motive is evident in the experience of the Prophet Ps 119. 120. My flesh trembleth for fear of thee and I am afraid of thy judgments 2. It may be that the afflicted lately converted unto God be not free as yet from the spirit of bondage but be keeped in some measure under the bonds of servile fear God so disposing for the humbleing exercising and training of his child lately entered in his holy warfare in which condition his fear is commendable when it ariseth from the conscience of his sinfull short-coming in Gods service and of the prevailing of his corruption against the begun work of renovation Wherefore let the afflicted go about the discharge of commanded duties in his christian calling and particular station wherein God hath placed him in what condition soever he shall find himself 2. Let him compare his present condition which he doth count an ill condition with the by-gone better conditions whereof he hath had possibly experience frequently and when he calleth to mind the comforts he hath had and the inlargement of heart to run in the way of Gods commandment in hope of a change of his present condition to the better in hope of finding renewed blinks of the Lords countenance let him humbly wait on God in the use of the means appointed till the day-star arise in his heart praying with the Psalmist that God would quicken him according to his loving kindnesse 3. Let him cleave the more closely to the covenant of grace and the righteousnesse which is by faith in Jesus Christ withall giving thanks unto God for the grace bestowed on him for the giving unto him eye-salve to see his blindnesse nakednesse and misery and for making sin odious and grievous unto him in any measure
and for drawing him to Christ to be his refuge in his worst condition CHAP. XXVIII Wherein is solved the doubt of the true convert concerning his regeneration because he findeth the power of the body of death in the pollution of the imaginations of his heart vigorous and powerfull THere are some true converts who albeit they be cleansed from the pollutions that are in the world and have their conversation blamelesse and without giving scandall unto them they live among yet frequently are troubled with doubting of their state in grace because they feel in themselves such a power of in-bred corruption of their hearts as can hardly consist as they conceive with regeneration and saving saith because Iames chap. 3. ver 11. maketh the question thus doth a fountain send forth at the same plâ—ce sweet water and bitter c. unto the end of the Chapter This doubt the afflicted wrestles with and saith with himself what shall I think of my self whose heart is so polluted that it casteth forth continually dirt and mire how shall I reckon my self among the Saints how shall I incrude my self among the justified who find so little evidence of the work of sanctification in me For faith should purifie the heart from this pollution whereof I do justly complain 2. For solving of this doubt many things are already spoken which serve for the curing of this case and comforting the afflicted in this condition but because one and the same doubt doth diversely present it self now in one shape then in another and doth vex the afflicted in sundry wayes we shall answer this doubt proposed as it is set down First therefore let the afflicted examine himself whether he may with some measure of honesty say with the Psalmist Ps. 66. 18. I do not regard iniquity-in my heart I do not so delight in sin but that sin is still my affliction and my daily grief Secondly let him examine himself whether the power of corruption doth break forth in words and deeds or not or if it do burst out in some passionat fits whether he doth open the sluce and give it way or whether he sets himself to oppose the out-breaking of sin and is humbled for what doth break forth Thirdly let him examine whether he flyeth to Christ to wash him and help him against the power of sin or not If after examination he can in any measure of honesty joyn with the Apostle in his lamentation and recourse unto Christ for delivery Rom. 7. 24 25. he may be assured he is in the state of grace For there is a vast difference between a mans being sold unto sin by his native corruption captivating him and a mans setting of himself unto sin as a voluntary servant of sin for a renewed man may be in sundry cases a captive to sin and is a fighter against sin But a man selling himself to sin is a slave voluntarily suffering sin to reign in his mortall body Let the afflicted therefore comfort himself because in him there is a perpetual conflict between the flesh and the spirit between his native inclination to sin and the new creature or inclination to holinesse Neither let him by mis-understood Scripture formerly cited vex himself for his faith is indeed upon the work and the way of purifying his heart first because he doth flye to the bloud of Christ which cleanseth him from all sin in respect of remission granted Secondly there is a constant endeavour to be more and more holy and to draw vertue by faith from Christ to bring forth good fruits well-pleasing unto God Thirdly he is about to mortifie his lusts by the Spirit of Christ and to purge out the leaven of all filthinesse of flesh and spirit albeit he cannot purge it out all at once or wholly in in this life And fourthly because albeit his doubting of his estate in grace be not allowable yet it doth bear witnesse that the remainder of pollution in him is his grief affliction and vexation So also that other Scripture Iames 3. 11. which faith that out of the same fountain proceedeth not salt water and sweet is not to be understood so as if no rotten speech could possibly proceed out of the mouth of a regenerat man at any time for Iames doth witnesse that in many things we sin all in thought word and deed But the meaning is that he that bridleth not his tongue his religion is vain and nothing but a presumptuous boasting of that wich is not reall and in truth and that it is inconsistent with regeneration that out of a mans mouth pretending to blesse God cursing of men who are made after the similitude of God should flow forth as waters flow forth from a running fountain without controlment CHAP. XXIX Shewing how to quench the fiery darts of Sathan and resist his sinfull suggestions whether of shorter endurance or of longer continuance SOmetime on a sudain Sathan casteth a fiery dart of tentation unto some sin as his messenger seeking to prepare the lodging for him which tentation he doth so furiously presse as if he would not be refused or could not be resisted and possibly may so bear-in his tentation as the convert may be afraid that Sathan shall prevail finding himself as it were over-powered and unable to bear out in such a case as the Apostle had experience of 2 Cor. 12 7 8 9. who found himself as it were buffeted and abused by the messenger of Sathan and unable of himself to resist him The remedy whereof is that the afflicted with the Apostle be humbled in himself in the sense of his in-born sinfulnesse and inability to overcome tentations 2. That he flye to Christ the captain of militant souldiers and do pray unto him instantly to help to bear out in the conflict and to be rid of the Tempter 3. Let him hold fast the faith of promised grace and wrestle on so long as it shall please God to exercise him so With such a tentation Iob also was exercised which so far prevailed as to make carnall and corrupt nature speak for it The tentation was very fearfull and no lesse then self-murther Iob 7. 13 14 15. When I say my couch shall ease my complaint then thou scarrest me with dreams and terrifiest me with night-visions so that my soul chooseth strangling and death rather then life The remedy whereof is with Iob to flye to the Redeemer and fix faith upon him and to present the tentation unto God by prayer and humble lamentation striving against the suggestion and never to give over relying on God as he did 2. Sometime Sathan when he cannot find instruments to charge the convert with hypocrisie and a course of wickednesse as he found in Iobs tryall by his uncharitable friends he useth immediately to fall a railing against the whole course of the work of grace in the convert and charge him falsely with deep guiltinesse as calumniators use to do in their furious flyting and slandering
a notable defection from aiming at the measure felt in his first love at his conversion for we speak not here of daily distempers which the convert doth mark and mourn for and is about to have healed by bringing his wounds unto Christ to be cured in the exercise of faith and repentance daily The second is the not observing of this decay of love or the mans ignorance of his duty to entertain communion with Christ in the sense of his daily sins wants and wounds for the removing and curing whereof Christ is to be loved daily no lesse then at the man his first conversion The third is the mans being well pleased with this condition so long as his conversation is blamelesse whereof we have an instance in the condition of the Ephesians Rev. 2. whose labour in the work of the Lord zeal against hypocrits patience in troubles for Christs cause is commended by Christ. But he reproveth them first because they had left their first love and did not only come short of the measure of their first love but did not lay to heart this sin did not repent it or take course to have that measure recovered thou hast left or laid down thy first love that is 1. thou hast remitted and come short of that measure of love which formerly thou had 2. Thou hast not been displeased with thy self in this thy defection 3. Thou hast laid aside the care of recovering the measure of thy former love This condition is very dangerous as is manifest in the experience of the Galatians who falling from their first love did cast themselves open to superstitions and errours and in danger to be cut off from Christ by their defection from the faith of the Gospel once received The reasons for which we say this defection in love is dangerous are three the first is this the greatest measure of love to Christ and rejoycing in him is lesse then his excellency and merit at our hands doth deserve If therefore we shall slide from our duty in aiming to hold up this measure of love to him which we have once attained and cease to grow therein because his new mercies are daily letten forth upon us from day to day in effect we judge our first love hath been too too vehement and so Christ is lightly esteemed of as if he were not still to be loved withall our mind heart and strength The next reason is this when love to Christ to his Ordinances and sanctified ones beginneth to relent and cool incontinent the external exercises of religion and righteousnesse begin to fall short of this principle of love and to go on more and more slowly and so peece and peece to decay for as when a tree is smitten in the root it may retain for a time green leaves but after a time it withers and neither â—eareth ripe fruits nor leaves So also in the exercise of plety and righteousnesse if love toward God our Redeemer and delection in his service and obedience inwardly be diminished it may readily come to passe that the very outward works yea and the profession of duties due to Christ be taken away also and this is the judgment wherewith Christ doth threaten Ephesus I will come upon thee and remove thy candlestick out of his place except thou repent Rev. 2. 5. The third reason is because Christ who is altogether lovely and love it self the very Son of the Fathers love is a jealous God and cannot long indure not to be met with love from them to whom he hath manifested his love Therefore he doth make hast to correct this slighting of his love and to manifest his wrath against these that lye still well pleased with themselves under this condition I will come unto thee quickly saith he and remove thy candlestick Rev. 2. 5. 2. That the conscience of the true convert who is lying in this condition or is declining from his former measure of love may discharge its duty more easily and solidly it is needfull that the man being convinced of his fault first consider how reasonable it is that he should return to his first love or formerly felt measure of it for the forgivenesse of his manifold sins wherein he lay before his conversion for the translating of him from darknesse to the glorious light of Christs Kingdom should never be forgotten the proof which he hath gotten by his conversion that Christ hath loved him and given himself for him should be alwayes called to minde with hearty affection the great need of Christ wherein he standeth for renewed pardon of sins for furnishing him with his Spirit to mortifie the deeds of the flesh and to bring forth more ripe and abundant fruits of new obedience should bind him to abide and grow in his love Secondly let him consider how usefull and profitable unto us is fresh green and growing love unto him for love to him makes us frequently to think of him frequently with delight to speak of him to seek after more and more near-communion with him to have our conversation with him in heaven where he sits at the right hand of the Father and to live in heaven where our love is more then where we sojourn in this world Love makes us love what he loveth and hate what he hateth love sharpens our desires after God in Christ kindles and inlarges our affection toward him as the beginning of the 63. Psalm doth make evident And if the Lord shall seem to with-draw himself love makes the true convert follow hard after him Ps. 63. 8. Love makes â—old to encounter all difficulties and troubles which may meet 〈◊〉 in the course of following after him much water cannot quench love in Gods service love keeps a man 〈…〉 strong and stout against his enemies in 〈…〉 patient in profession sincere in pursuing duties 〈…〉 all conditions submissive and after evidencing of his affection with the Psalmist Ps. 116. 12. to â—ay with the same Psalmist What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits toward me Ps. 116. 12. Thirdly 〈…〉 convert who is begun to cool in his love to Christ 〈◊〉 to remembrance what a felicity he felt when he entertained love to Christ when the loving kindnesse of the Lord was better to him then his life and sin was more formidable then death when Gods Commandments were not grievous but the joy of his heart when Gods Word seasoned and sanctified his bitterest afflictions Fourthly let him consider at what a losse he is of many spiritual comforts whereof he hath deprived himself and in how many sins of omission at least he hath fallen since his declining from his first love and what miseries he hath drawn upon his own spirit at least if not also temporal chastisements joyned therewith and after comparison of his condition when his love was servent with his present condition since his fall from his sometime-measure of love let him humble himself before Christ and flye in unto his rich
and of this sinfull sicknesse there are sundry degrees The first is when the worship of God and obedience of his precepts is performed perfunctoriously as when the confession of sin is without sorrow for sin or remorse of sin in particulars when prayer is made without earnest desire to obtain the request when deprecation of wrath is made without fear of danger when intercession is made without sympathy and brotherly affection when thanksgiving is offered without estimation of the benefit received when singing of psalms is discharged without melody and harmony of the heart when conference of holy subjects is not entertained or discharged slightly and without reverence when the hearing of the Word is without attention of the mind when the reading of the Scripture is followed without endeavour to profit thereby without observation of the will and providence of God for edification when the profession of religion is without zeal and fruits suitable as occasion doth offer whosoever doth rest well pleased with himself in this case he is overtaken by this malady The second degree is when this evil goeth further on and doth defile the outward man as when the tongue is not bridled the man doth not take heed what he speaketh but le ts idle speeches profane and rotten communication fall out of his mouth which do not only not serve unto edification but serve also to corrupt the hearer And he that pleases himself in this case declares his religion vain in so far Iam. 1. 26. The third degree is when this evil breaks forth in grievous scandalous practices as in the open profession of some errour in making or fomenting a schisme in contention emulation envy drunkennesse laciviousnesse fornication or such like for here dead works do openly appear and the garment of Christian profession is openly defiled This seemeth to be the condition of many in the Church of Sardis in whom beside the profession of christian Religion little spiritual life was to be found And therefore Christ the searcher of hearts calleth them dead or ready to die Rev. 3. 1 2. Thou hast a name that thou art living but thou art dead or in a deadly condition tending to death certainly to follow if it be continued in from which condition our Lord doth except some who had not defiled their garments but so carryed themselves as their conversation was answerable to their holy profession ver 4 That this deadly sicknesse may be cured 1. it is necessary that the conscience of such a secure sinner be wakened both by others and by himself and that by setting his sins before his eyes together with the merit thereof and the wrath of God kindled against him and destruction at hand if he do not speedily repent him 2. Heed must be taken of Sathans wiles that the wakened and convicted sinner despair not for in this case there is no small danger of it when he who had given his name to Christ findeth himself to be in Sathans camp and service and wearing the badge of Sathan in giving so publick scandal to the people of God 3. Whatsoever spunk of faith or hope or repentance or desire of returning unto God and setting himself against all sin hereafter is found iu such a person must be entertained and fostered lest that little sponk be extinguished which is ready to dye 4. Let him call to mind the Word of God whereby he was first moved to turn unto God add to consecrat himself to the service of Christ and let him compare his sometime better conversation with his late pollutions that he may be ashamed and hast himself in unto nearer fellowship with God from whom he hath so filthily and fearfully made defection 5. Let him be upon his guard and watch over his heart lest he be overtaken again by the tentations of Sathan his own corrupt nature and the intising example of the world lest he perish in his transgression if he shall again provoke the Lord. 6. And last of all let him set before himself the ample promises which Christ hath made to a victorious wrestler of this kind Rev. 3. 5. He that overcometh the same shall be cloathed in white rayment and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life c. CHAP. V. Concerning the converts pleasing himself in his luke-warm condition IT cometh to passe sometimes that the true convert being as he conceiveth sure of his own salvation becometh negligent in the mater of his sanctification and worshiping of God in the spirit and turneth himself about to his own ease and following of what he thinketh lawfull for because he conceiveth he hath a sure grip of Christs grace and of the gifts benefits flowing from him so as he needs not now to vex himself in the exercises of religion as sometime he did when he was not sure of his reconciliation with God therefore he judgeth it sufficient if he do follow the exercises of religion more coursely eshew grosse scandalous out-breakings do some works of almes and charity as he hath occasion and follow the works of his calling blamelesly giving the rest of his time to be spent in worldly cares ease of his flesh and lawfull recreations In which condition he pleaseth himself very well as if he had attained the way of Christian felicity both in soul and body For he misseth nothing in maters spiritual and necessary to salvation he is rich and hath need of nothing Whereupon he troubleth not himself to grow in sanctification or to set others on work for adding one vertue to another if they trouble not the peace of the Church or do not disgrace religion by a scandalous life If any man in Christs maters will be more earnest then his neighbours he doth not find fault with it but let him be as diligent as he pleaseth for he resolveth not to oppose any man in Christs service nor to presse any man to mend his pace in Christs way and to say the mater in a word he is a luke-warm man neither a reall and feckfull friend to Christ so long as helyeth in this condition nor yet an open adversary of Christ or his wayes In this sicknesse readily do they fall who after that the pains of their new birth and difficulties in their reconciliation are past do imprudently lay hold upon their liberation from the terrours of the law and dream of so sweet rest in their conscience flowing from the Gospel as if now their enemies being all put to flight and their bonds wherewith they were bound were all loosed broken and laid aside they might compose themselves to security and sleep when indeed they should stand upon their watch and upon their guard least some other way the enemy should set upon them and catch them in new snares and straits as the Apostle doth fore-warn Ephes. 6. 13 14. This was the condition wherein some converts in the Church of Laodiceâ— Rev. 3. 15. 19. were fallen for albeit we do not
conscience and felt wrath pursuing me for sin may be clear to me by its own light and scriptural evidence albeit it being possibly the very instant of my conversion I cannot produce any fruits or evidences of my conversion past or else what shall be said of malefactors on the scaffold presently to be put to death and possibly not wakened in conscience before not fled to Christ before What shall be said of sick persons near unto death who being self-condemned do betake themselves in their last agony unto the grace of God in Christ offered to self-condemned sinners in the Gospel 2. I must put difference between a reason to prove that I have believed and a reason why I may and must now believe The reason to prove that I have believed is from the effect to prove the cause thereof to wit faith to be in me but the reason why I may now and must believe is from the cause to infer the effect that should be in me the cause of believing in Christ is Gods command to self-condemned sinners which command I must now obey left I perish and so if I find fruits I prove I have believed because I feel the love of God shed abroad in my heart and that I love God who hath freely loved me and here I reason from the effect to prove that the cause of this fruit to wit saâ—ing faith hath preceeded and is gone before Again I prove that I should believe because the offer of the Gospel and of free grace in Christs made to all self-condemned persons renouncing confidence in their own worth or works is made to me with a command to believe in the Son of God Christ Jesus for which cause I may and ought to cast my self upon his grace who justifieth the ungodly flying to him without the works of the Law 3. I must put difference between my having fruits of faith in me and my observing and finding these fruits in me for a true convert may have both faith and fruits and for the time being under tryal and temptation may be so darkened that he can see nothing in himself but sin and apparent wrath pursuing him for sin as may be seen in Ionah in the belly of the fish Ionah 2. 4. and David Ps. 51 9 10. 4. I must put difference between my perswasion that I have been and am a true convert and a sincere believer and my perswasion that I have right reason and good warrand to believe in Christ in my lowest condition howsoever then I find my self emptied of all signes of saving grace in me for the time yet my perswasion that I should in this sad condition flye to Christ and believe in him doth serve to make me consent heartily unto the offer of the covenant of grace in Christ doth serve to make way for my justification and looseth all doubts and objections of Sathan tempting me to mis-believe and to run away from Christ and the offered mercy in him 5. And last of all I must put difference between making use of good fruits brought forth by me for confirmation of my faith and my putting confidence in or laying weight on these good fruits for many true converts do here fail and do not mark the mistakes for when they find love to God and his Saints with fear and holy reverence and such other like signes of grace in their hearts and outward fruits thereof in their life then they do believe in Christ and rejoice in him but when at another time they find hardnesse of heart profanity and perversenesse of a wicked nature in themselves they are like to quite their interest in the covenant of Grace and to stand aloof from Christ like strangers when they should most be humbled and creep in to him for remission of sin aâ—d hiding of their nakednesse by his imputed righteousnesse And what is this in effect else then in the first place to lean on their works and holy disposition as if there were merit in them and then after in the next place to believe in Christ who hath furnished them those fruits whereas they should in the sense of their sin and unworthinesse first flye to Christ and firmly adhere to him by faith that out of his fulnesse they may receive grace for grace according as we are taught to do by Christ himself Ioh. 15. 5. He that abideth in me and l in him the same bringeth forth much fruit for without me you can do nothing CHAP. VII Concerning the case of the convert in some point of doctrine deluded and pleasing himself in this condition TO speak of delusion and bewitching in the general requireth a large Treatise It shall suffice our purpose to speak of it as it hath place in the point of doctrine and practice erroneous Which we describe thus Delusion is a powerfull operation of a lying Spirit whereby he obtrudes to men some noysome error in doctrine or practise contrary to true doctrine fairded over with sophistical deceits and doth perswade inconsiderate souls effectually to receive the error for truth and to defend and spread it in their rash zeal For explication of which description we say 1. delusion is a powerfull operation of a lying Spirit wherein Sathan in Gods judgment is permitted to put forth his power in lying effectually Therefore in all his effectuall delusions there is a concurring righteous judgment of God in loosing reins to the rempter that by delusion one sin in one degree may be punished by a following sin in a higher degree No wonder therefore that a lying Spirit do work more effectually when he is not restrained by the powerfull hand of God 2. We say that delusion is in some dangerous error tending to the damage of the Church and hazard of souls And this we say not as if we did think that any sin doth not draw with it the merit of death for the wages of every sin is death but because Sathan is not so busie to spred and foment such errors as are lesse perillous as he is active in such errors which do most tend to pester the Church and divert the professors of religion from the path way of saving doctrine And to this purpose he essayes all means that he may obscure and darken the truth and devise and spread abroad the most pernicious errors Mean time he is not idle in sowing and spreading lesser errors that he may stir up contention and jangling in the Church whereby precious time which should be spent for mutual edification may be idly wasted in needlesse disputes and mens minds may be prepared to receive grosser errors Thirdly we put some difference between errors in doctrine and errors in practice albeit there cannot be one error in practice whether it be in the external worship or government of the Church or in outward conversation which being stiffly maintained hath not some error of judgment and doctrine joyned with it or else it should not be contrary to sound doctrine
strengthened and set forward to glorifie God in Christ in necessar duties As for the maner and measure to be keeped in the use of things lawfull prudence must be asked of God who will direct us in this as in other Christian duties CHAP. XVI Concerning the converts suspicion that his softness of heart is nothing but a natural disposition to weep upon any occasion VVHen the Lord hath taken away from the sinner a heart of stone and hath given unto him a heart of flesh so that he dar not any more harden himself against the threatnings of Gods Word but doth tremble at the hearing thereof as speaketh Isaiah 66. 2. and in his prayer doth pour forth his heart ordinarily with tears he may as experience hath taught fall in a suspicion of this ordinar or frequent melting of heart as if it were nothing else but a childish or woman-like temper of body and spirit and no evidence of contrition for spiritual causes which the Scripture requireth and commendeth in the penitent 2. In this case there is danger on either hand if the convert be not wary and circumspect in this condition for on the one hand he is in hazard of making light account of the work of God who hath taken from him the heart of stone and given him an heart of flesh On the other hand he is in hazard of laying too much weight on his tears if once he be satisfied about the suspicion he hath of his own tears and made clear that they were proofs and evidences of his sincerity in his prayers to God That there is a danger on either hand experience hath taught for some sincere converts having entertained the suspicion that their tears in prayer proceeded from the soft temper of their natural complexion disposition of spirit have resisted their inclination to mourn and striven against letting forth of tears so far that they have become so dry for a long time and have prayed more perfunctoriously then before that when just causes of grief and tears were given unto them they were not able to bring forth one tear for easing of their grieved heart On the other hand experience hath taught that some looking upon the expressions of the Saints in Scripture concerning their tears have laid so much weight upon their tears as they have numbered in a manner all the drops of their eyes and from the lesse or more quantity of them made reckoning of their own better or worse condition and of Gods acceptation of their prayers lesse or more 3. This tendernesse of heart and easinesse to be moved unto tears for spiritual motives is a rare gift Few they are who with sense of the body of death and original sin bearing them down do lament their natural sinfulnesse in their best condition with Paul Rom. 7. 24. Few shall be found so affectionat to the glory of God and salvation of peoples souls as to pour out tears both in secret and openly for promoving thereof as the Apostle did Act. 20. 19 21. and 2 Cor. 2. 4. Few like Timothy whose heart was so tender that the Apostle could not but observe his tears and remember them 2 Tim. 1. 4. Yet we doubt not that from age to age sundry be who by the grace of God have this constantly melting heart according to the measure of Gods free donation some with tears some without tears And therefore if there be found in such mourners an honest endeavour to walk circumspectly let not the suspicion that their tendernesse is but natural weaknesse of spirit or bodily complexion be entertained Only let the giver of the grace of a tender heart be relyed upon and not their tears as if they were any more then witnesses of their honest affection in spiritual exercises for such prayers may prove sincere and acceptable to God both when they cannot mourn and also when their heart seemeth withered hard and dry CHAP. XVII Concerning the converts suspicion that all his devotion is but lip-labour which is not joyned with a tender and melting heart and with Gods sensible approbation AS some are suspicious of their condition because of their ordinar tendernesse and melting of heart So other some are suspicious of their condition because they find not their heart tender and soft in their devotion All converts do agree in this that God must be worshiped in spirit and truth and that it is not acceptable worship to God if a man draw near him with his lips when his heart is far from him whereupon every convert when he is mindfull of his duty goeth about to worship God with understanding and inward affection of heart to confesse sin deprecat wrath ask of God things necessar interceed for others give thanks to God for his benefits and praise him for his works and working so as his affections may be conform to his expressions and the conscience may approve both his words and his hearty affections and God may with his peace and consolation approve the worshiper But some converts are who albeit in sincerity they worship God yet they count all their devotion to be but lip-labour except they find their affections wakened up and their heart tender and some vigour of spiritual life in their exercises and the sense of Gods approbation of their worship by giving sense of his peace and consolation to them in their worship Hence oft-times doth suspicion arise without just ground that they are deserted of God that he is displeased with them and this suspicion being entertained doth send forth complaints and bringeth on coldrifenesse in prayer and discouragement 2. This unjust suspicion of the grace of prayer the Lord doth oft-times chastise by with-drawing peace and comfort and order in prayer and of words also that he who complained that his devotion was but lip-labour because he sound not such measure of affection as he would have had nor that consolation which he wished to have shall find himself in worse taking after his complaining then he was in at first when he began to suspect his condition It is true that confusion of mind and want of words to expresse the case wherein he is may fall on a convert by reason of afflictions and manifold temptations and yet he may be free from this suspicion of Gods affection and acceptation of his person and prayers as the Apostle doth teach us Rom. 8. 26. Likewayes the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities for we know not what we should pray for as we ought but the Spirit it self maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered But when this cutting short of the gift of prayer in any measure doth follow after suspicion of Gods respect and good will toward the complaining and discouraged convert it is a fatherly chastisement from God threatning the convert with a greater measure of desertion and heavier temptation except he repent his folly and return to God whom by his suspicion and misbelief he hath offended 3. For remedy of
this evil these five things must be distinguished by the afflicted convert 1. the labour of the lips or formality in prayer or devotion 2. prayer in faith 3. prayer with felt and observed affection in prayer 4. prayer approven of God 5. prayer with the sense and feeling of Gods approbation As to the first the labour of the lips or formality in prayer which the Scripture doth condemn is when a man prayeth with his mouth for things necessar or lawfull and is about the external work of devotion wherein he pleaseth himself and doth rest upon the work wrought without affection of heart or faith as we see Is. 58. 1 2 3. and this is not the case of the convert of whom we are speaking for because he esteems his devotion to be but a formality he is displeased with himself and is unquiet As to the second prayer in faith is when the convert misseth freedom of speech and answerable affection to his speech in his devotion in prayer praises thanksgiving intercession c. yet because the duty is commanded he doth offer it up to God with hope of acceptation and yet is displeased with himself and humbled in the sense of his coldrife affections which is the duty of the convert of whom we are speaking but the not esteeming this his devotion through Christ acceptable is his fault As to the third prayer or devotion with felt affection in discharging it is when the convert poureth out his heart unto God with fredom of speech and yet cannot be quiet because he doth not feel any sign of Gods approbation of him and hearing of his supplication and this was the case of the Psalmist in sundry Psalms But this is not the case of the convert we are speaking of for he complaineth of the hardnesse of his heart and want of affection and doth weaken his own faith which is his fault As to the fourth prayer approven of God is when the convert doth offer his devotion to God in sincerity and prayeth for what is promised in hope to be heard and answered in due time And this prayer or devotion is approven by God in Scripture whether the convert be satisfied with the measure of answerable affection to his words or not as the Apostle testifieth 1 Ioh. 5. 14 15. And this should be observed by the convert of whom we are speaking for rectifying his judgment and quieting of him albeit he neither find his affection moved as he would nor find consolation from God as he would As to the fifth prayer or devotion with the sense and feeling of Gods approbation is when God not only approveth the converts prayer and devotion by his Word in the Scripture but also by his Spirit doth sensibly comfort the supplicant and sends him to his calling with joy So did he deal oft-times with the Psalmist David and so did he comfort Samuels mother in and after her prayer 1 Sam. 1. This is the thing which the convert we speak of would be at and which would satisfie him if he could come to it 4. This condition is the sweetest to the supplicant and much to be desired with submission to Gods dispensation whatsoever it be but it is not the only condition acceptable to God as we see 1 Ioh. 5. 14. 15. This is the confidence which we have in God that if we ask any thing according to his will he heareth us and if we know that he heareth us whatsoever we ask we know we have the petitions that we desired of him And that the mater is so may be perceived in David's condition at sundry times for Ps. 119 seven or eight times he prayeth Quicken thou me according to thy word He findeth in himself much deadnesse of spirit yet he continueth meekly praying to be quickened in the service of God 5. Wherefore so oft as the convert is displeased for any defect he findeth in his devotion let him 1. humble himself in the sense of his imperfection and betake himself so much the more to the intercession of Christ and lay hold more firmly upon the satisfaction made by the Mediatour and draw by faith grace for grace out of his fulnesse and let him in faith and sincerity worship God and live holily in his conversation and not be afraid that his devotion shall be esteemed of God to be but lip-labour 2. To this end let him rightly construe Gods dispensation and consider that his gifts are wisely given forth for the good of his people for sometime he giveth to will that which is good without ability for the time to effectuat what the convert willeth he may give a willing heart to pray affectionatly and not for the time grant ability to pray as his child would Rom. 7. 18. Sometime he may give no more but to sigh and groan without ability to expresse the confused desires of his heart Rom. 8. 26 27. Sometime he will suggest words and make the supplicant in sincerity of faith present the words put in his mouth Hos 14. 1. 2. Sometime he will grant to the supplicant to bear out much disputation in his prayers without sensible consolation Ps. 77. Sometime he will grant the supplicant a loosed heart in prayer and abundance of tears and yet seem for a time not to regard them Ps. 6. Sometime he will grant confidence and consolation to the supplicant as Ps. 6. and many other Psalms And certainly the variety of divine dispensation to his children cannot be told in all which he requires of his supplicants meek submission and perseverance in prayer with confidence to find a good answer at last for if his child do not accept well of the measure which is bestowed on him he may readily find the measure he complained of more scant and confusion of mind without words to fall upon him and if yet he shall not wisely submit himself to Gods exercising of him he may fall in harder trouble and questioning of his state in grace and be tempted to restrain prayer till he cease complaining and flye for refuge to Christ the Mediatour and come to a better estimation of the measure of presence with him when he began to complain CHAP. XVIII Concerning the converts looking upon the sight of his faith as if it were the failing of his faith SIncere faith in Christ is the special grace of God given to the elect only which grace the more we do exercise it the more we please God for without faith it is impossible to please him Heb. 11. 6. This saving grace the Lord taketh pleasure to put it unto tryall and exercise that thereby he may train it on and foster and increase it and bring it forth to light both for his own glory and for the commendation of his children as is told us 1. Pet. 1. 7. In which exercise the true convert is oft-times much mistaken and doth mis-construe his condition The reasons are 1 the faith of young converts is very imperfect knowledge is many
and for ever but for a short time and that he keepeth love to them constantly albeit he do hide the tokens of his love sometime and dispose of the acts of his love as he seeth sit for the advantage of the work of grace in them Let him put difference between desertion and the gift of discerning of the desertion for albeit desertion be of it self a sad visitation yet the sight and observation of it testifieth Gods presence with his child giving eye-salve and light and thereby doth not only teach that wound to be curable but also that the Physician is begun the cure of it by pancing and lancing the wound 3. Let him not count it a desertion when God in any service whereunto he puts his child emptieth him of all conceit of his own ability that he may open his mouth wyd and be filled for this emptying of the convert is the very fitting of him for fresh supply from Christ to go about the service in Christs strength and furniture which the Apostle felt by experience 2 Cor. 12. 10. When I am weak saith he then I am strong Poverty of spirit and hunger and thrist for righteousnesse are not to be counted desertions 4. Let him observe the degrees of Gods presence no lesse then the degrees of his absence as the Psalmist did when he recollected himself Ps. 73. 23. after the tentation which troubled him was overcome Neverthelesse I am continually with thee Thou holdest me by thy right hand and ver 26. my flesh and my heart faileth but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever 5. Let him put a right construction upon Gods dispensation believing alwayes that God doth what he doth for good to his afflicted subject whether he draw forth by his desertion the latent-corruption of the heart as he did to Ezekiah 2 Chron. 32. 31. or whether to prevent out-breaking of corruption as he did to the Apostle 2 Cor. 12. 7. 8 9. or whether to exercise his faith love and patience and to sharpen his prayer as he did to the Psalmist frequently And therefore let him in the observation of whatsoever degree of desertion humble himself before God flye in more closely unto Christ and patiently wait upon the change of his conditon in the use of the means and following the duties of his calling as the Lord shall enable him for this is the counsell of the Lord Isa. 50. 10. Who is he among you that feareth the Lord that obeyeth the voice of his servont that walketh in darknesse and hath no light let him trust in the name of the Lord and stay upon his God And this much sufficeth for instances of the third sort of the converts mistaking his condition CHAP. XXVIII Concerning cases wherein the convert is in doubt what to determine about his condition IT resteth that we speak of the fourth sort of cases of the conscience of the convert wherein he is at a stand and in doubt what to determine of his present condition 2. In these doubtfull cases the convert is not properly deceived as in the former ranks of cases it is presupposed of him because in this sort of cases the convert doth not positively determine the question wherein he is fallen but standeth in doubt what to resolve upon 3. Cases of this sort pertain to the mind and judgement of the convert and if his judgment be cleared by loosing of the question incontinent he is satisfied and quiet 4. It is necessar for the converts clearing that he form the question rightly and to this end 1. let him consider his case and condition in himself so accuratly as he can 2. Let him ingenuously lay forth the question or doubt he hath before his Pastor or Christian friend acquainted with cases of conscience and ask their judgement what to think of or what to do in such a case The reason why he must examine narrowly his own condition before he speak of it to another is partly because otherwayes his doubt or question may prove frivolous and unworthy of an answer partly because the convert after examination of his case and prayer unto God may find satisfaction to his doubt and partly because if his doubt remain the question may be the more clearly propounded and so receive the more clear and speedy answer for his satisfaction 5. Of this sort of questions we shall propound some examples and give some resolution unto them whereof use may be made when such like questions shall occur The first question shall be concerning confusion of mind IT cometh to passe sometime when a convert is upon examination of his own estate or condition that such a mist and darknesse falleth on his mind and such a croud and throng of thoughts within him that he can discern nothing but mist multitude of thoughts and darknesse and confusion The question is what shall he think or do for removing of this confusion of thoughts and darknesse of mind Ans. This case befalleth converts frequently and therefore had need to be the more carefully cured Which cure that it may the better go on let the afflicted renew the examination of his former behaviour and see if he can find out the meritorious cause thereof in himself for this case oft-times is the castigation of the afflicted for his former negligence and omission of duties or slight discharge of religious worship yea it may be found possibly that the afflicted hath been so carelesse in keeping his heart in the fear of God that he hath involved himself too far in earthly and thorny affairs or hath exceeded in the use of things lawfull or by some corrupt communication hath grieved the Lords spirit and so hath drawn on some desertion and with-drawing of illumination from him 2. This case may also fall out from some present perturbation of mind and passion whereby his reason is so taken up for the time that it cannot discharge its duty as cometh to passe usually in anger or fear or grief or some such like passion as may be seen when a man is injured by his neighbour or doth meet with some damnage or is put in fear of some imminent evil coming on him or findeth sharp pains of body or some such like cause perplexing him The question is what shall he think of this condition Ans. If the afflicted shall examine how he is fallen in this case and shall in consideration of his weaknesse be humbled before God by prayer he shall not want clearnesse of mind and directions from God what to do and how to behave himself in ordering of his conversation aright Ps. 50. 23. for the Lord gives wisdom liberally to all that ask it of him in faith Iam. 1. 5. and this his present condition giveth him an errand to God The second question is concerning the convert who most part walketh heavily THere are some true converts who after examination of themselves cannot deny but their heart is toward the wayes of God
whether the believer perceive his absolution or not for the time 4. There is a sensible intimation of this sentence unto the believer joyned with peace and joy which the Apostle calleth the shedding abroad of the love of God in the heart Rom. 5. 5. and the sealing of the holy Ghost stamping the heart with holinesse Ephes. 1. 13. The first three makes the absolution of the believer certain whether the believer thinks so or not but the fourth which is the sensible intimation of this sentence doth make the believer both sure and joyfull As justification is taken passively four things may be distinguished in the believer justified The first is his actual receiving of Christ offered in the Gospel for a perfect remedy of sin and misery The second is the Lords judicial setling of the general sentence of absolution upon the believer as if he had spoken to him by name as he did to the Apostles Ioh. 15. 3. Now are ye clean through the word I â—ave spoken unto you that is you are clean from the guilâ— of sin by my absolving of you The third is the believers observing in a reflect act of his conscience that he hath fled to Christ for absolution and therefore justified indeed The fourth is the feeling and observing of the testimony of the holy Ghost bearing witnesse with his spirit that he is a child of God absolved from sin and wrath The first two of these to wit the act of faith receiving of Christ and of the right made by Christ to the believer in him of his absolution may be in and on the believer without the other two to wit his observation of the act of faith and the felt intimation of this worlâ— of grace by the holy Spirit 2. For solving of the doubt then as justification is actively taken as proceeding from the immanent act of Gods eternal purpose and decree to justifie the believer it is no more the actual justification in this life of which we are speaking then the immanent act of Gods eternal purpose to raise the bodies of believers in Christ and to glorifie them in soul and body can be called the actual resurrection of their bodies and glorification of both soul and body in this life But the transient act of justification in a judicial way which is the Lords judicial sentence of absolution of the believer declared by his Word set down now in holy Scripture it is indeed and formally the believers justification and is judicially terminar upon every believer in the act of his conversion whether the believer doth clearly perceive his own conversion or be in suspicion of his being reconciled and justified And this may be made to appear if we compare the condemnation of the unbeliever with the absolution of the believer fled to Christ Ioh. 3. 18. As he that believeth not in Christ is condemned already because the curse of the law and condemnation pronounced in the Scripture by God the soveraign Judge stands against him so long as he doth not believe in the only begotten Son of God And this sentence standeth fast whether the unbeliever take notice of this sentence or not whether he do apply it to himself or not do find grief for it or not So the believer in Christ is relaxed from condemnation and absolved and hath right unto eternal life and begun possession of it albeit for the time of his infancy tentation trembling and fear it be not so albeit he doth not perceive the blessed change of his state nor doth lay to heart as he might the words of Christ judicially pronouncing the sentence comprehending him as certainly as if his name were expressed Ioh. 3. 18. He that believeth on him is not condemned and ver 36. He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life and Ioh. 6. from ver 37. to 41. Hence we conclude that the formal act of justification of a man fled to Christ is to be found in the written sentence of the judge absolving every believer and the man we speak of There is another transient act of God in an actual revelation of justification wherein the holy Ghost openeth the eyes of the believer to behold and perceive the gift of saith already bestowed on him Of this speaks the Apostle 1 Cor. 2. 12. And after that the holy Ghost hath pointed out his own grace bestowed on the believer he followeth his work by giving remarkable peace and joy as earnest of life everlasting whereof the Apostle speaketh Ephes. 1. 13. In whom ye also trusted after ye heard the word of truth the Gospel of your salvation in whom also after ye had believed ye were sealed with the spirit of promise which is the earnest of our inheritance Therefore he that desireth to have the intimation of his justification after flying for refuge unto Christ for relief of felt sin and feared wrath must read his absolution in the Gospel as well as he hath read before that his condemnation in the law Unto which sentence of absolution let him hold fast in his daily endeavour after sanctification The fifth question is how to satisfie the convert who findeth himself pursued for his sins after remission believed and is brought in question what to judge of his case MAny converts have fallen in Iobs case and seemed to themselves to possesse the sins of their youth Iob 13. 26. For after conversion and felt reconciliation they find the sins they did repent of and did believe to be forgiven through Christ objected to them afresh pursued with sharp accusations and signs of wrath joyned therewith Their reconciliation and righteousnesse through Christ they purpose to hold fast their old guiltinesse and sentence of their conscience writing bitter things against them they cannot deny The pinch is here either the remission they did believe is null or the challenge is unjust do they reason with themselves the nullity of their remission they dare not admit and the just ground of challenge they cannot deny and the doubt what to think of this case they cannot shun not seeing how these things can consist and stand together 2. For answer to this doubt these four things must be distinguished and how they may all consist one with another must be timously considered The four things to be distinguished are 1. the reconciliation of a convert with God 2. the remission of the reconciled mans sins freely gifted unto him by God 3. a renewed bitter accusation raised by Sathan against the reâ—iled convert 4. The holy and wise dispensation of God permitting ordering these renewed accusations of his child by Sathan for the tryal and exercise of his faith and growth of his repentance and other good ends Now for the consistence of these four we need not doubt but the accuser of the brethren can cast up to us forgiven sins and bear upon us that they are not forgiven Nâ—ither need we doubt but God in wisdom and love to his children may suffer Sathan to
renew accusations against them and so order that mater as neither Sathan shall prevail nor his child suffer damnâ—ge by the means for there is a great difference between Sathans renewing of accusations for sins forgiven and Gods making null the remission granted the Lord can suffer the one to be but the other he will never suffer to be for when a true convert groweth negligent and falleth in such sins after conversion as he lived in before conversion no wonder Sathan be permitted to call his former conversion in question yea the Lord may justly cast up to his child his former faults to humble him and shame him from going on albeit he doth not disannull the formerly granted remission 3 When thanksgiving for remission of sin granted for Christs cause beginneth to cool in the heart of a convert what wonder the Lord not only suffer but also present the vilenâ—ssâ— of by past sins to make the convert sensible of the remission and to cause him renew the acts of repentance and godly sorrow for his sins by-past as Ezek. 16. 63. and 36. 32. Then shall you remember your own evil wayes and your doings which were not good and shall loath your selves for your iniquities and abominations When the convert â—roweth remisse in watching over his own heart wayes and is in danger of falling back into these sins which he had repented of before what wonder the Lord by remembring him of his natural inclination and former wayes do warn him of his danger to make him preveen his fall 4. Wherefore let the convert maintain the solidity of former remission of sins and make good use of his former sins which went before his conversion and let him follow the example of Paul who did not suffer his former siâ—s go out of his mind but did renew the confession of them upon all occasions for his own daily humiliation for the edification of others and for magnifying the glory of the grace of God and yet for all this did not suspect the remission of sins received For by this means the convert shall preveen accusations and stop Sathans mouth and make his accusations have no force By this means the convert shall possesse firm and stable confidence of Gods unchangeable grace and mercy and of the stability of the remission of sin granted The sixth question is of a convert casten not only in an uncertainty for the time of his conversion but also in a doubt whether he be elected or not and knows not how to do in this case SOme converts fall in Heman the Ezrait his exercise whereof we read Ps. 88. especially ver 14. 15 While I suffer thy terrors I am distracted saith he Counsell hath been offered by some to the afflicted to follow the practice and experience of some eminent Theologues who being brought to such straits with good successe have submitted themselves to God to save them or destroy them as he pleased after which submission they have felt the marvellous sweet embracements of Gods loving kindnesse making them sure both of their conversion and election Whether to follow this example and experience of some notable Saints is the doubt wherein the convert is not clear and knoweth nor how to carry himself toward God in this case 2. For answer to this question It is free for God to comfort a soul casten down when and how he pleaseth it is free for God to passe by the infirmity and error of a terrified soul coming to him not in the wisest way prescribed to him and to look to the necessity of the mans consolation and not to his way of seeking of it But howsoever it pleaseth God to comfort some extraordinarily yet this is not the duty of the afflicted to come with such an unrequired submission unto God for it limiteth the Lord in a manner either to comfort the man speedily or suffâ—r him upon apparent refusal for the time to dispair For Gods order is to bring the sinner under the sense of sin and acknowledgment of deserved wrath for sin and then to charge him to believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and after believing in Christ to seal the believer with the stamp of holinesse and the earnest-penny of the inheritance which is peace with God and joy in the holy Ghost shed abroad in his heart 3. Wherefore as for the conversion of a man straitned in the pains of the new birth and fear of everlasting wrath and tempted to suspect that he is not elected It is a more safe way to lay aside all disputation about Gods decree because secret things belong to the Lord and to look to the Lords command and to his own duty of flying unto Christ So for the recovery of a convert fallen in Ionahs case and made to suspect that he is a reprobat cast off of God it is a more safe way not to dispute for the time either his election or conversion whatsoever suggestions may be cast in by Sathan then to offer unto God an absolute submission to be saved or destroyed as he pleaseth and then to lye in sorrow till God give an answer of consolation for God doth not require such a submission but calleth for an act of faith and obedience for God hath declared in his Word that he delighteth not in the death of a sinner but that he should repent and turn to God and be saved Secondly in this submission the heart will be found deceitfull which neither will nor can submit to be destroyed Thirdly this offer of such a submission as this is Lord I know not whether thou hast chosen me or rejected me in thy decree but I submit my self to thee absolutely If thou wilt destroy me thou shalt be found to be just and I do confesse so much unto thee but if thou wilt save me I shall proclame thy grace such a submission I say is but in effect a tempting of God speedily to reveal his secret counsel either by consolation if the submitter be an elect or refusal of consolation if he be a reprobat The only safe way in the foresaid case is to be humbled before God and flye to Christ by prayer as Heman did Ps. 88. and as Ionah did who choosed to look again to his holy Temple where the Mediator sat upon the mercy seat between the cherubims and not suffer such a thought as reprobation Thus did Heman Ps. 88. 13 14. But unto thee have I cryed O Lord and in the morning shall my prayer prevent thee Lord why castest thou off my soul why bidest thou thy face from me Let the command of God to every self-condemned sinner to believe in Christ prevail against all temptations to the contrair 1 Ioh. 3. 23. This is his commandment that we should believe on the name of his Son Iesus Christ. The seventh question is how to satisfie the convert doubting whether it be bâ—tter to forbear or go on in the outward exercise of religion at least in
THERAPEUTICA SACRA Shewing briefly The method of healing the diseases of the Conscience concerning REGENERATION Written first in Latine BY DAVID DICKSON Professor of DIVINITY in the Colledge of Edinburgh And thereafter Translated by him Matth. 9. 12. They that be whole need not a Physician but they that are sick EDINBVRGH Printed by Evan Tyler Printer to the King 's most Excellent Majesty 1664. TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE AND VERY NOBLE The COUNTESSE Dowager of GLENCAIRN MADAM AFter the Author had written and published this Treatise in Latine for the use of young Students in Theology by the earnest and frequent entreaty of friends he was induced and perswaded to translate it into our vulgar Tongue for the benefit of these who understood not the Latine and for preventing the labour of others who more forward then skilfull were about the doing of it and had once so far proceeded as to offer it to the Press without acquainting him therewith When he had finished the Translation his purpose was to have dedicated it to your Ladyship and to have sent it abroad into the world under your protection but weakness and sickness the ordinary companions of age and after them death whereby God Almighty and Gracious called him from his labours to enter into his Master's joy seasing upon him before he could write an Epistle Dedicatory it was his will that your honourable Name should be prefixed unto it In pursuance whereof it comes now as an Orphan to kiss your noble Hands fraughted with hopes of favour and shelter for the Parent 's sake and of acceptance as a testimony of the sincerity of the respects he carried to your Ladyships vertues It hath the stronger plea for a tender reception that it is the child of his age being his last labour and being brought forth in his seventy and second year and that it comes arrayed in a sute of Country-cloath which himself put upon it being published according to the Copy written with his own hand That it may be as it was designed by him usefull for the good of souls and that God may comfort you under your present sad affliction and make up the loss of your noble Husband the late Lord high Chancellour of Scotland is the prayer of MADAM Your Ladyships most humbly devoted Servant Alexander Dickson Edinburgâ— 13. Iune 1664. THERAPEUTICA SACRA Translated by the Author Shewing shortly The method of healing the diseases of the Conscience concerning Regeneration CHAP. I. Of Conscience in general SEing our purpose is to speak of the curing of sundry ordinary cases or diseases concerning Regeneration by a prudent application and use-making of divine Covenants made about and with man for his coming to eternal life it is needfull to speak in the entry a little first of the nature of the Conscience and use thereof in general next of the cases of the conscience in general thirdly what Regeneration is and who is the man regenerat fourthly of divine Covenants relating to everlasting happiness and fifthly of the orderly and prudent application of these Covenants in general that thereafter we may descend to speak of application thereof in particular Cases the more clearly 2. As to the first what conscience is It hath pleased God the soveraign Lord and Judge of all men in the Creation to put in mans soul a natural power or faculty whereby he might not only understand the revealed will of God the only Lord of and Law-giver to the Conscience not only concerning what he should believe and perform but also might judge of his own faith and obedience whether performed or not performed yea and might judge also of the faith and obedience of others in so far as evidences may be had of their conformity unto or dis-agreement from the revealed rule of faith and maners This power of the soul of man whether it be considered only in its natural aptitude and fitness to judge though not as yet or for the time actually judging or whether it be looked upon as it is putting forth it self in exercise we call it by the name of Conscience 3. The word Conscience is divers wayes taken for sometime by it is meaned the natural power of the mind to judge both of our own and others conformity to the rule and in this larger acception we say Every man hath a Conscience that is every man whether male or female whether old or young whether sleeping or waking hath a faculty which may and sometime shall judge of their own and others behaviour towards God Sometime it is taken for that natural power of the mind putting forth it self actually in exercise by judging of others So doth the Apostle take it 2 Cor. 5 11. I trust saith he we are made manifest in your consciences But here in this Treatise we take Conscience more strictly as it examineth and judgeth of our selves for in this sense it is most properly called Conscience or joint knowledge partly because it supposeth that God and we know our obedience or disobedience to the rule prescribed to us by Him partly because Conscience imports first our knowledge of the rule and next our knowledge of our behaviour in relation to the rule and our comparing of these two together and passing of sentence of our selves answerably 4. Conscience as it doth respect our selves is no other thing in effect then the understanding power of our souls examining how maters do stand betwixt God and us comparing His will revealed with our state condition and carriage in thoughts words or deeds done or omitted and passing judâ—ment thereupon as the case requires So that in the court of Conscience which is Gods Depute in us as it were these five things are to be considered 1. the duty of self-examination 2. the thing we are to examine 3. the rule whereby we are to examine 4. the process of the Conscience unto sentence giving and 5. the execution of the sentence so far as the Conscience may 5. As to the first the duty of examination of our selves and juâ—ging our selves it is required of us lest we be judged of God and chastised with sharp rods 1 Cor. 11. 31. 32. and hereunto we are exhorted Ps. 4. 4 Commune with your own hearts upon your beds and be still 6. As for the second the thing which we are to examine concerning our selves it is one of three or all the three in their order to wit either our estate whether we be in the state of nature under wrath or not or whether we be regenerat and in the state of grace through faith in Jesus Christ or not Of this speaketh the Apostle 2 Cor. 13. 5. Examine your selves whether ye be in the faith Or it is our condition whether being in the state of grace our present disposition or inclination of heart and affections be such as becometh a man reconciled or not To this point of examination Christ doth call the Angel of the Church of Ephesus Rev. 2. 5. Remember therefore
from whence thou art fallen Or the thing we are to examine is our deeds words and thoughts actually done or omitted the neglect of which examination is reproved Ierem. 8. c. and Revel 2. 19 20. 7. The third thing to be looked unto in the court of Conscience is the rule whereby we are to examine our selves in all or any of the former respects which is the revealed will of God in holy Scripture wherein is set down to us what we should believe and what we should do and what is the reward of the obedience of faith and what is the punishment of disobedience And here if the Conscience be not well informed and the rule closly cleaved unto the erring Conscience may swallow down the grossest idolatry and cry up Diana for a great goddess Act. 19. 28 and make the murtherers of the Saints conceive that in killing them they do God good service Ioh. 16. 2. 8. The fourth thing is the judicial process of the Conscience for giving such a sentence of direction for what is to be done or of absolution or condemnation in the point examined and found done or not done which process if the Conscience be well informed is after the maner of clear reasoning by way of Syllogisme wherein we lay down the rule given by the supreme Law-giver in the major or first proposition Then we do lay our selves to the rule in the minor or second assumed proposition and from the comparison of our selves with the rule we give out sentence in the third room which is called the Conclusion As for example If the Conscience be about to give direction for what is to be done it reasoneth thus What God hath appointed to be the only rule of faith and maners I must take heed to follow it as the rule But the holy Scripture God hath appointed to be the only rule of faith and maners Therefore I must take heed to follow the Scripture as the only rule Or more shortly the Lord hath commanded to repent and turn unto him offering reconciliation in Christ therefore it is my duty so to do But in the process of the Conscience unto conviction or absolution sometime moe sometime fewer reasonings are used As for example for conviction the process goeth thus That which God hath commanded me I should have â—one But to repent and turn to Him He hath commanded me Therefore I should have repented and turned to God Again He that hath not obeyed the Lord in repenting of his evil wayes and turning unto God is under great guiltiness and worthy of death by the sentence of the Law But such a one am I may every impenitent person say of himself And therefore may conclude of himself I am under great guiltiness and worthy of death by the sentence of the Law Likewayes in the process of the Conscience a humbled person well informed may reason thus That way of reconciliation which God hath appointed a self-condemned sinner to follow I am bound to follow But this way and no other hath God appointed that the sinner convinced of sin and of deserved wrath should flee to Christ Iesus the Mediator that by Him he may be justified sanctified and saved Therefore this way of reconciliation and no other I am bound to follow Again Whosoever by the grace of God in the sense of sin and deserved wrath is fled unto Christ for righteousness and eternal life and in Christs strength is endeavouring to give new obedience to the will of God is undoubtedly a true believer and child of God But such a one am I may the humbled sinner fled to Christ say of himself Therefore I am by the grace of God undoubtedly a true believer and a child of God And yet again he may go on to strengthen his faith and to comfort himself in the Lord thus Whosoever in the sense of sin poverty and weakness hath fled to Christ the Redeemer resolved never to part with Him and hath consecrated himself in the strength of Christ to endeavour to give new obedience to the will of God he is an heir with Isaac of the promised blessings and may hope to have them perfectly in possession at last But such an one am I may the humbled sinner fled to Christ say of himself Therfore I am an heir of the promised blessings with Isaac and may hope to have them perfectly in possession at last Such a process as this doth the Conscience of the regenerat man follow when he reneweth the acts of his repentance and sentenceth himself worthy of what the Law pronounceth against his sin and when he reneweth the acts of his faith in Christ through whom alone he is fred from the deserved curse of the Law 9. As to the fifth thing to be observed in the court of Conscience which is the execution of the sentence it hath pronounced because the Conscience is set over the man by God as Judge-depute therefore it goeth about in the name of God by and by to execute as it may the sentence justly pronounced by it and according to the nature of the sentence of condemnation or absolution pronounced by it it stirreth up divers motions and affections in the heart some of them sad and sorrowfull some of them joyfull and comfortable The sad and bitter passions that follow upon the sentence of conviction and condemnation justly pronounced are shame grief fear anxiety vexation and such-like whereby the guilty sinner is either fretted as with a worm or fired and tormented Of this we have an example in our first parent Adam who being convicted in his conscience of sin and deserved wrath did flee from the face of God all amazed and a frighted Gen. 3. 9. 10. The Lord called unto Adam and said unto him where art thou And he said I heard thy voice in the garden and I was afraid because I was naked and I hid my self But the Conscience after it is furnished by the Gospel to absolve the penitent believer fled to Christ doth stir up more sweet and comfortable motions in the heart such as are peace comfort joy gladness exultation confidence and such like An example whereof we see in Paul 2 Cor 1. 2. Our rejoycing saith he is this the testimony of our conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God we have had our conversation in the world So the Conscience after it is wounded by the mans transgression doth the part of a Iudge citing the man before its Tribunal and the part of an Officer presenting the man at the Bar and the part of an Accuser challenging the man for his transgression and the part of the Recorder producing the book of Statutes and the part of sufficient witnesses proving and convincing him of the deed done Again it doth the part of a Iudge pronouncing sentence and condemning the convicted transgressour and the part of a Sergeant and Marshal binding the condemned wretch and the part of the
Redemption concerning the prudent way and maner of Christs singling forth his own elect from the rest of the world But this doth no wayes import or infer an universall conditionall Redemption or any conditionall decree of God for there is a vast difference between a conditionall decree of God and a decree for bringing about Gods purpose by offering peace unto men upon a condition A conditionall decree presupposeth that God is not resolved what to do about them to whom he shall make offer of peace upon condition but that he doth suspend the determination of his own will till the offer be made and the man hath refused or accepted of the condition propounded unto him which sort of decree cannot be in God to whom are known all his own works and all mens works from the beginning Acts 15. 18. and who doth all things according to the determinat counsell of his own will Ephes. 1. 11. But a decree to offer peace upon condition of believing in Christ is a wise mean both of hiding and executing his own secret decree and puting the persons to whom he makes the offer unto tryall that after the drawing forth of the naturall enimity and backwardnesse which is in all men to come unto Christ till they be drawn by God He may have mercy on whom He will and take the refuse at the hands of others for the glory of His justice and grace according as He hath determined in Himself The one way determineth man as God willeth the other way determineth God as man willeth Moreover such a conditionall decree concerning all the rest of mankind beside the elect is inconsistent with the Scripture and the way of Gods dispensation toward the most part of mankind for it was not Gods purpose to make the offer of grace upon condition of believing in Christ to all and every man Psal. 147. 19. 20. He sheweth his word unto Iacob His statutes and His judgments unto Israel He hath not done so with any nation And as for His judgments they have not known them This same doth Moses insinuat Deut. 4. 7 8. and for his dispensation experience in all ages sheweth that the grace of the Gospel is not offered to all and every one and so they cannot be said to refuse the condition who never have the offer of grace upon condition for our Lord giveth us ground so to reason speaking of them who should refuse the offer of the Gospel Iob. 15. 22. if I had not come and spoken unto them they had not had sin to wit the guiltinesse of rejecting the offer made in the Gospel but now they have no cloak for their sin Wherein also he giveth a reason wherefore the offer is made to them whom he knew would refuse the offer to wit that they may be rendered inexcusable and be without the cloak or pretence of this alleageance that if they had gotten the offer then would they have believed and repented for this is the pride of Adams posterity they conceive they can believe and obey God if he shall be pleased to reveal His will to them And this is sutable to the covenant of Redemption which because it was not made for the saving of all and every man therefore it was not Gods purpose to reveal his Gospel and make offer of his grace to all and every one but out of all sorts of men to call effectually the elect sending the Gospel where they live or bringing them to the place where the Gospel is preached that the predestinat might be of purpose effectually called and justified and sanctified and saved Rom. 8. 28 30. and because the elect and predestinat were to live in the civil society of the rest of the world it was agreed and decreed that the offer of the Gospel should be made to all indifferently where God should send his messengers because God had determined to bring about the salvation of the elect so wisely and holily as none of the hearers of the Gospel should be stumbled or hindered from embracing the offer made to all the hearers indifferently without letting any man know of his election till he have received Christ offered to him and other self-condemned sinners or declaring any man reprobat in particular to whom he maketh offer of grace Obj. But except we grant an universal redemption and the universal grace as they call it of the power of free-will to all and every man how shall we satisfie our selves about Gods dispensation toward them who live without the Church strangers and aliens from the commonwealth of Israel Ans. As for the elect among them either they shall be brought to the hearing of the Gospel where it is preached or the Gospel shall be sent unto them where they do live and for the rest the Lord dealeth with them on the terms of the covenant of works the power of keeping whereof albeit they have lost in Adam yet they are not loosed from the obligation and penalty of violating thereof and even they have not laid aside the proud opinion of their ability to follow vertue and â—shew vice as they please And the course which God followeth concerning them the Apostle sheweth us Rom. 2. 12 13 14 15. As many as have sinned without the written law saith he shall perish without the law c. for when the gentiles which have not the law to wit the written law given to the Church do by nature the things of the law these having not the law are a law to themselves Obj. But if the doctrine of redemption of the elect only unto life be maintained and power of free-will to believe and obey the Gospel be not given to every man specially of these that have the offer of the Gospel and that without any speciall operation of the holy Ghost how can it be said that God dealeth justly in earnest and fairly with miserable sinners when he exhorts requests and obtests all that hear the Gospel to come to Christ and persevere in obedience of the faith when he knoweth that none of them have power to believe or obey and that to many of them he hath no purpose ever to give grace to repent and believe that they may be saved Ans. First what can the patrons of the power of mens free-wil speak against the justice and goodnesse of God when they hear his complaint against Israel Psal. 81. 8 9 10. c. Hear O my people and I will testifie unto thee O Israel if thou wilt hearken unto me there shall be no strange God in thee neither shalt thou worship any strange god I am the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the land of Egypt open thy mouth wide and I will fill it but my people would not hearken to my voice and Israel would none of me So I gave them up to their own hearts lust and they walked in their own counsels What can they say against Gods justice and fair dealing when he having drawn forth
grace of God the man made a believer in Christ then the absolute promises of making a new heart and of writing the Law of the Lord therein Ier. 31. 31. and Ezek 11. 19. and all the promises of saving graces set down in holy Scripture do all of them belong to the believer in Christ in whom all the promises are yea and amen as if his name were set down 4. As to his doubt arising from his weak and infirm application of the promises let the afflicted consider what God hath already wrought and is a working in him by way of application for first God hath granted to him the use of the meanes with others in the visible Kirk so that it may be said unto him in this respect as it is Esa. 5. 4. what could be done in outward means and offer-making of grace which is not done Secondly God hath drawn more near unto him and hath illuminat his mind about his sinfull state in nature and about the way of delivery by faith in Christ and yet more hath inclined his heart to accept of the offer of Christ and make answer to the call as David did When thou saidst seek my face my soul answered thy face O Lord will I seek Psal. 27. 8. Thus God hath applyed Christ and the promises of the Gospel to the afflicted and hath made the afflicted to flye unto Christ offered in the Gospel and to apply him unto himself that hitherto the afflicted hath no reason to complain of not application of Christ and his promises on Gods part nor yet of begun-application on the afflicted's part Where is theâ— in-lake then I answer the defect is first in the afflicted who hath not duly considered the passages of Gods gracious approaching to him and drawing of the man to himself in Christ another defect is that the afflicted upon groundlesse mistakes doth not lay claim to Christ and to all the promises of grace for righteousnesse and salvation in him and that because he is not so clear of his right unto and interest in Christ as he can lay claim confidently unto the same 5. For clearing of the afflicted in this his right and warrant confidently to apply Christ and all the promises of the Gospel let him consider first the dreadfull sentence of the curse and condemnation of all them that do not believe on Christ Ioh. 3. 18. He that believeth in Christ is not condemned but he that believeth not is condemned already because he hath not believed in the only begotten Son of God Secondly let him consider the largenesse of the Gospel wherein grace is offered to all and every believer Ioh. 3. 16. God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life He saith whosoever without exception lest any man who desireth to believe in Christ should doubt that he shall be received and made welcome Thirdly let him mediate upon the wonderfull mystery of the incarnation of the Son of God who that he might ransom and redeem his people from sin and misery hath assumed humane nature into the union of person with his divine nature and given a perpetual pawn and pledge of his hearty willingnesse to reconcile justifie sanctifie and save to the uttermost every one who shall come unto God through him whereunto his mediatory Office and cloathing himself with most sweet relations of Prophet Priest and King to all his followers doth hear abundant witnesse Fourthly let him hearken to the quickening and comfortable invitations which by his Spirit speaking in Scripture he uttereth in the ears of all to whom the Gospel cometh with a joyfull sound Ho every one that thirsteth Isa. 55. 1. to 10. Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy loaden Mat. 11. 28. We are Embassadors for Christ as though God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christs stead beye reconciled to God 2 Cor. 5. 20. And whosoever will let him take the water of life freely Rev. 22. 17. Fifthly let the afflicted consider what answer he will give to the expresse command of God 1 Ioh. 3. 23. This is his comandment that we should believe in the name of his Son Iesus Christ and love one another as he hath commanded us For this commandment being directed to all the hearers of the Gospel chargeth every one without exception first to examine seriously their life by the rule of Gods Law that thereby they may be convinced of their damnable state in nature and made to acknowledge their sin and misery and inability to help themselves Secondly having examined and acknowledged their natural lost condition they are commanded to flye to Jesus Christ that by faith in him they may be delivered Thirdly that having fled to Christ they should evidence their faith by love to Christ or God in Christ and their neighbours especially such as are of the household of faith In which commandment both the order of applying Law and Gospel is set down and the necessity of believing in Christ upon the warrant of this clear command so that whosoever is a hearer of the Gospel and doth not in this order flye unto Christ he is inexcusable even the wicked and worst of men And much lesse excusable is the afflicted convert of whom we are now speaking who already hath acknowledged his lost condition without Christ and knoweth that there is no hope of relief except by faith in Jesus and hath fled to Christ and dare not depart from him if this man shall stand here and not relye on Christ and rest his soul upon him confidently what excuse can he make If he do object that his name is not written in this command 1 Ioh. 3. 23. it hath no force to impede his faith for neither is his name written in any of the ten commands of the morall Law and yet he findeth himself tyed to the obedience of every one of them and why is he not tyed also to this sweet command of the Gospel of grace as well as to other commands this command being given forth as the last declaration of Gods will for relief of them who acknowledge that they by the law are condemned wherefore let not the afflicted any more pretend the difficulty of applying Christ and his graces offered in the Gospel seing it is presupposed he hath fled to Christ and dare neither depart from him nor for the pretended scruple draw confidently in unto him but let him check and chide himself for not haunting Christ and conversing with him in heaven in that humility and confidence which the Word of the Lord doth allow unto him and commandeth him to take up and hold fast CHAP. XXII Wherein is solved the doubt of the true convert concerning his conversion arising from the observation in himself of presumption and security in his prosperity and of his misbelief in adversity THere are some true converts who albeit they are neither idle nor