God and men concerning the way of justification For by nature we cannot admit the righteousnesse of God which is by faith in Jesus Christ flying to his satisfaction of justice for us and righteousnesse imputed to us thereby for by nature with mis-believing Israel we acknowledge no iustification save of or for works albeit it be impossible Rom 10. 3. And as they being ignorant of Gods righteousnesse and going about to establish their own righteousnesse have not submitted themselves unto the righteousnesse of God So we even after conversion and after embracing of justification by faith in our conversion do give oft-times evidence of our natural inclination to seek after the righteousnesse of works for after examination of our selves we shall find that our confidence doth flow and eb as we are pleased or displeased with our own carriage and when we have most need to make use of the righteousnesse by faith in Christ we forget it or slight it do not flye to it do not adhere to it do not comfort and strengthen our selves in conflicts by it as hath oft-times been observed by us what then would we do if our going about to establish our own righteousnesse did prosper or if the power of in born sin did not set up it self against us and force us by the law either to dispair or flye to Christ And this our natural inclination even after conversion to return and seek after the righteousnesse of the law may be seen in the Galatians who having begun in the spiritual way of justification by faith sought to be perfected by the fleshly way of justification by works and did fall in danger of falling from grace and excluding themselves from the blessing of the promise through Christ. Wherefore our infinitly wise Physician Jesus Christ taketh course as we have said for his own glory and our good not to repair at once the image of God in us not to heal our sinfull diseases all at once but piece and piece by degrees that his righteousnesse bestowed on those that flye unto him for refuge may be in higher and higher estimation daily that the fountain opened up in him for removing of sin and uncleannesse may daily be made use of and the benefit of justification may daily be looked upon as a new gift that vertue may daily be sucked out of him for bearing of good fruits and out of his fulnesse we may receive daily grace for grace and may render thanks unto our God daily and blesse him for his grace given unto us as did the Prophet Ps. 103. 1 3. Blesse the Lord O my soul who forgiveth all thine iniquities who healeth all thy infirmities And grow in the love of God for the remission of so many sins as escape us daily as did the woman Luk. 7. 47. who loved much because many sins were forgiven her And grow in holinesse without putting confidence in our works as the Psalmist did Ps. 71. 15. 16. My mouth shall shew forth thy righteousnesse I will go in the strength of the Lord God and will make mention of thy righteousnesse even of thine only And the Apostle giveth us his example Phil. 3. 8 9 12 13 14. Wherefore let the doubting convert make use of these considerations and long for the coming of Christ who shall abolish sin and misery altogether To whom with the Father and holy Spirit be glory for ever Amen A TABLE of the Titles of the several Chapters BOOK I. Chap. Page 1. OF Conscience in general 1 2. Of cases of Conscience in general 7 3. Of Regeneration what it is and the regenerat man who he is 10 4. Of divine Covenants about the eternal salvation of men and in special of the covenant of Redemption shewing that there is such a Covenant and what are the articles thereof 22 5. Of the covenant of Works 71 6. Of the covenant of Grace 86 7. For a further clearing and confirmation of the doctrine about the three Covenants from Jer. 31. and Heb. 8. 133 8. Of the prudent application of divine Covenants in general 148 9. Of the more special application of divine Covenants for removing the impediments of regeneration 162 10. Concerning them that are like to despair 182 11. Concerning them that absolve themselves without warrand 190 BOOK II. 1. OF considerations to be premised 215 2. Wherein the regenerat mans doubt of his being in the state of grace by reason of his felt unworthiness is answered 241 3. Wherein the regenerat mans doubts arising from the multitude and weight of his sins against the Law and the Gospel and against the light of his conscience are answered 245 4. Wherein is solved the doubt of the regenerat man raised by his suspicion whether he be elected or not 250 5. Wherein the regenerat mans doubting of his regeneration because he findeth no power in himself to believe in Christ is answered 253 6. Wherein the doubt of the regenerat man concerning his being in the state of grace arising from his apprehended defect of humiliation and sorrow for sin is answered 257 7. Wherein the Christians doubt whether he be regenerat because he findeth not his righteousness exceeding the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees is answered 263 8. Wherein the regenerat mans doubt whether he be in the state of grace arising from his unquietnesse of spirit is answered 274 9. Wherein the converts doubt arising from his uncertainty at what time he was converted is solved 292 10. Wherein is solved the converts doubt of his regeneration arising from his apprehension that the beginning of the change of his life was not from the sincere love of God but either from terrour or self-love which he conceiveth to be but carnal 294 11. Wherein the converts doubt of his being in the state of grace arising from heavy afflictions and grievous tentations is solved 298 12. Wherein is solved the converts doubt of his conversion arising from the power of his corruption manifesting it self more after his entry upon the course of new obedience then it did before he began to repent 304 13. Wherein is solved the converts doubt whether he be in the state of grace arising from his comparing of himself with the hypocrit and unregenerat in those perfections they may attain unto 311 14. 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 313 15. 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 316 16. Wherein is solved the true converts doubt of his regeneration because he seemeth to himself not to grow in grace by the use of the means appointed for his growth 320 17. Wherein is solved the converts doubt whether he be regenerat because he seemeth to himself to follow religion and righteousnesse from the common operation of Gods working by moral swasion
all maters do stand between God and us Secondly that we inform the conscience well from the Scripture not only concerning the law and covenant of works whereby we may know how guilty we are of manifold sins and how impossible it is for us to be justified by our works or to escape condemnation but also concerning the Gospel and covenant of gracious reconciliation by faith in Jesus Christ and concerning the covenant of redemption whereupon the covenant of grace offered in Christ is grounded Thirdly that we make due and orderly application of these covenants that the conscience may alwayes be furnished with mater of humiliation and held on in the exercise of repentance and not only keeped from desperation but also may be furnished with grounds of good hope to be saved through the grace of our Lord Jesus who hath purchased remission of sins and imputation of his righteousnesse to every humbled sinner flying to him for grace Fourthly that being ingrasted in Christ by faith we by way of thankfulnesse study in the furniture of his Spirit to live holily justly and soberly and that whatsoever measure of sanctification we attain unto we beware to fall back to that deadly error of seeking justification before God by our works whereunto we are naturally inclined for upon this rock the flour and most shining professors in Israel after the flesh made shipwrack of their salvation Rom 9. 32. Israel which followed after the law of righteousnesse hath not attained unto the law of righteousnesse wherefore because they sought it not by faith but as it were by the works of the law And Rom. 10. 3. for they being ignorant of Gods righteousnesse and going about to establish their own righteousnesse have not submitted themselves to the righteousnesse of God Unto this error of seeking righteousnesse by our works after entering in the way of justification by grace we are all naturally inclined for the covenant of works is so ingraven in all Adams children do this and live that hardly can we renounce this way of justification and howsoever it be impossible to attain righteousnesse this way yet hardly can we submit our selves to the righteousnesse by faith in Christ which not only the experience of Israel after the flesh maketh manifest but also the experience of the Galatians lets us see for they having once outwardly renounced justification by works and embraced the covenant of gracious reconciliation by faith in Jesus did turn about for a time to seek justification by the works of the law and were on the way of falling from grace and communion with Christ. And the experience of Papists doth shew the same for whatsoever they professe concerning faith in Christ yet they abhor justification by Christs imputed righteousnesse and do blaspheme that way as a meer conceit of men and a putatitious or only imaginary righteousnesse and do seek to establish their own righteousnesse and to be justified not only before men but also before God by the merits of their own and other mens works and sufferings the imputation whereof they can tell for money in the midst of their blaspheming the imputation of Christs righteousnesse What can be said for a thief condemned to die for his faults and redeemed by a potent man upon condition that he should be the domestick servant of the redeemer to work his work all his life-time and live upon his allowance and so never be necessitated to steal any more if the ransomed thief should after steal his Masters goods and make himself a stock-purse whereupon he thought he might live and loose himself from his redeemers grace and live upon his own finding were he not worthy upon the finding out of his thifts and other faults to be left in the hands of justice to die according to his deservings And what could be said for a tennent labouring a parcel of ground of his Lands-lord for a yearly farm-duty by his own miscarriage falling to beggary if he should be taken in to the free table of his Lands-lord and trusted with the same parcel of ground to be laboured for his Masters use if he should intervert the fruits of that ground and being weary of his Masters bounty and grace should seek to be fired of his Masters service and to labour the ground for himself for payment of rent if upon the finding out of his thift and not paiment of his rent he should be cast in prison did he not deserve to be dealt with according to justice who would not live by grace So may be said of the man who shall turn from justification by free grace to seek justification by his works The fifth and last use of this doctrine is that to the intent we may not absolve our selves without Gods allowance we study to make our calling and election sure by endeavouring to walk in the sense of our unworthinesse and ill-deserving and renouncing all confidence in any thing without Christ to rely on him for righteousnesse and life-eternal and by faith in him draw spirit and life from him for furnishing us unto new obedience for he is the justified man approven of God who hath no confidence in the flesh and rejoiceth in Iesus Christ and worshipeth God in the spirit Philip. 3. 3. THE SECOND BOOK CHAP. I. Of considerations to be prâ—â—sed HItherto the sicknesses of the Conscience of the un-regenerat man are spoken to and this was needfull to the end that we might shew how Regeneration is either altogether kept off or hindred from growing where it is begun And because many of these sicknesses which destroy many of the sons of Adam cleave to the regenerat man and though they do not reign nor altogether prevail over him yet do molest and vex him and hinder his comfortable walking toward his everlasting blessednesse Now we come to speak first in this Book of these cases of the conscience of the man regenerat which do brangle and bring in question his state in grace and make him doubt whether he be a man translated out of the state of nature out of the kingdom of Sathan or not And next of these cases that concern his condition in the state of grace in the following Book As to the first sort of cases which concern the regenerat mans state some considerations must be premised for making particulars afterwards more clear 1. In the question of this or that mans regeneration or his being in the state of grace it is all one to question whether he be born again or be effectually called or indued with saving faith or be a justified man or be reconciled to God or be an adopted child And in the answer of this question let it be proven that he is any of these and it is proven also that he is all these for albeit these denominations in their formal conceptions in the abstract may be distinguished yet upon the mater in the conceit they fall upon the same individual person altogether because it is impossible
that which hath pacified the Fathers Justice and reconciled Him to us is made over in a gift unto us for by Christ procurement we have God made ours Christ pacifying God put as it were in our bosome for God having sold us to Christ by taking Christs satisfaction for ours He hath come over to us as reconciled and given us Christ the Reconciler and the atonement to be ours Here is an agreement made between God and Christ and the condition of the agreement between the parties for our behoof clearly imported and presupposed The fifth title given to Christ is this He is called the propitiation 1 Ioh. 2. 2. Whereby God is pacified not only for the believing Iews but also for the whole elect World which should believe in Him And if He be the pacifying propitiation then God hath satisfaction in all that His Justice craved from Christ for the elect and Rom. 3. 25. He is called a propitiatory sacrifice wherewith God is so well pleased that He makes offer of Him to us and sets Him forth to us for pacifying our Conscience through faith in His blood to declare His righteousnesse for remission of sins without breach of Justice wherein what price God required and was payed by Christ is insinuat and presupposed for satisfaction could not be except the price agreed upon had been promised and accepted before in Covenanting The third proof THe third evidence proving that there was a Covenant of Redemption past before the beginning of the World is because the eternall decree of God was fixed about the way of Redemption to be fulfilled in time for Known unto God were all His works from the beginning Acts 15. 18. And whatsoever God doth in time He doth it according to the eternall counsell of His own Will Ephes. 1. 9. Now Christ the eternall Son of God being made man laid down His life for His sheep The Son of man goeth as it was determined but wo unto that man by whom He is betrayed Luke 22. 22. And whatsoever Christ suffered was by the determined counsell of God Acts 2. 23. And God the Son before He was incarnat declares the decree of the Kingdom promised unto Him by the Father and of the victories which He should have over all His enemies and of the felicity and multitude of the subjects of His Kingdom that should believe in Him Psal. 2. 7. I will declare the decree saith He presupposing therefore the decree of God of sending His eternall Son into the World to become a man and to suffer and thereafter to reign for ever we must also necessarily presuppose the consent of the Son making paction with the Father and the Spirit fixing the decree and agreement about the whole way of Redemption to be brought about in time for the same Person Christ Jesus who dwelt among men in the dayes of His humiliation Ioh. 1. 14. Was with the Father from eternity and as by Him all things were made which were made Ioh. 1. 2. 3. So without Him nothing was decreed which was decreed Prov. 8. 22. to 32. which also is manifest in the Apostles words 2 Tim. 1. 9. He saved us and called us with an holy calling not according to our works but according to His own purpose and grace which was given us in Christ Iesus before the World began For as before the beginning of the World the elect were given to the Son designed Mediatour to be incarnat and the price agreed upon so also grace to be given in time to the redeemed by compact was given from eternity unto Christ their designed Advocat Also Ephes. 1. 3. 4. 5. we were elected in Christ unto holinesse and salvation and unto all spirituall blessings and were predestinat to the adoption of sons by Jesus Christ. And 1 Pet. 1. 18. 19. 20. we are redeemed not with gold or silver but by the precious blood of Christ who was predestinat before the beginning of the world Whereby it is manifest that the Covenant between the Father and the Son was transacted concerning the incarnation of the Son and His sufferings death and resurrection and all other things belonging to the salvation of the elect The fourth proof THe fourth evidence of the passing a Covenant between the Father and the Son is holden forth in the typicall priesthood of Levi by the altar and sacrifices and the rest of the leviticall ceremonies which were prescribed by God for as these things were testimonies preachings declarations and evidences of a Covenant past of old between God the disponer and the Son the Redeemer about the way of justifying and saving such as believed in the Messiah by an expiatory sacrifice to be offered in the fulnesse of time for the redeemed So also they were prefigurations predictions prophesies and pledges of the Redeemers paying of the promised price of Redemption And this agreed-upon-price because of the perfections of the parties contracters the Father and the Son was holden and esteemed as good as payed from the beginning of the World and the agreed-upon-benefits purchased thereby to wit grace and glory were effectually bestowed on the faithfull before Christs incarnation as the Psalmist testifies Psal. 84. 11. The Lord saith he is a sun and a shield the Lord will give grace and glory and no good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly and Psal. 73. 24. Thou shalt guide me with Thy counsell and afterward receive me into glory and that because the promised price of Redemption was of no lesse worth to give righteousnesse and life eternall to believers in the Messiah to come then the price now payed is now of worth to give for it righteousnesse and life eternall to these that believe in the Messiah now come Jesus Christ incarnat And this donation of saving graces as remission of sin and carying on to life eternall was sealed unto believers in the Covenant of reconciliation by the appointed Sacraments of circumcision and the paschal lamb The fifth proof THe fifth evidence of a Covenant past between the Father and the Son Mediatour to be incarnat is this Christ now incarnat doth ratifie all these things which the Father and Himself not yet incarnat and the holy Spirit had spoken in the old Testament about the salvation of the elect and the price of their redemption and of the conditions to be performed on either hand And as it were of new doth repeat and renew the covenant which before was past between the Father and Himself before He was incarnat for Luke 2. 49. speaking to Ioseph and His mother when He was about twelve years old He saith Wist ye not that I must be about My Fathers businesse and Matth. 3. 13. He presents Himself pledge and surety for sinners before the Father to be baptized for them with the baptism of affliction and to fulfill all righteousnesse as was agreed upon before vers 15. whereupon the Father doth receive and admit the surety and His undertaking for payment vers
the end of his life which he suffered both in soul and body they were the compleating of his formerly begun and running obedience but were not his only obedience for us or his only suffering for us for he had done and suffered much from his incarnation before his last passion and death but the highest degree of his obedience whereby he bought deliverance unto us from sin and misery and whereby he bought unto us immortality and eternall blessednesse in heaven was his death on the crosse compleating our ransom 3. Whereas some have said that one drop of His blood was sufficient to redeem moe worlds then one if there wre any moe it is but an inconsiderat speech and destitute of Scriptural authority for when Christ had suffered all things before the time of His death it behoved Him to be crucified also Luke 24. 26. but it behoved Him not to suffer more then justice required for a ransom but only as much as was agreed upon and no less could satisfie Now this commandment He received of the Father that He should lay down His life for His sheep Ioh. 10. 18. For the wisdom of God thought good to testifie His own holiness and hatred of sin and to testifie His love to the elect world and riches of His grace toward them to whom He would be mercifull by inflicting no less punishment of sin on the Mediator His own dear Son taking upon Himself full satisfaction to justice for all the sins of all the Elect given unto Him to redeem then the death both of His body and soul for a season And indeed it was suteable to His holy and soveraign Majesty that for the ransom of so many thousands and millions of damnable sinners and saving of them from everlasting torment of body and soul no less price should be payed by the Son of God made man and surety for them then His sufferings both in His body and soul for a season as much as should be equivalent to the due deserved punishment of them whom he should redeem and it became the justice of the infinite Majesty offended to be reconciled with so many rebels and to bestow upon them heaven and eternal blessedness for no less price then the sufferings of the eternal Son made man whose humiliation and voluntary obedience even to the death of the cross was of infinite worth and value and therefore he yieldeth himself to the sufferings agreed upon in the covenant of Redemption both in body and soul. Of the sufferings of Christ in His soul. OUr Lords sufferings in His body did not fully satisfie divine justice 1. because as God put a sanction on the law and covenant of Works made with us all in Adam that he and his should be lyable to death both of body and soul which Covenant being broken by sin all sinners became obnoxious to the death both of body and soul So the redeemed behoved to be delivered from the death of both by the Redeemers tasting of death in both kinds as much as should be sufficient for their redemption 2. As sin infected the whole man soul and body and the curse following on sin left no part nor power of the mans soul free So justice required that the Redeemer coming in the room of the persons redeemed should feel the force of the curse both in body and soul. Ob. But how can the soul die seing it is by the Ordinance of God in creation made immortal Ans. The death of the soul is not in all things like to the death of the body for albeit the spiritual substance of the soul be made immortal and not to be extinguished yet it is subject to its own sort of death which consists in the separation of it from communion with God in such and such degrees as justly may be called the death of the soul from which sort of death the immortality of the soul not only doth not deliver but also it doth augment it and perpetuat it till this death be removed Obj. But seing the humane sould of our Lord could never be separated from the permanent holiness wherewith it was endued in the first infusion of it in the body and could never be separated from the indissolvable personal union with the second person of the God-head assuming it how could His soul be subject to any degrees of death Ans. Albeit the con-natural holiness of the soul of Christ could not be removed nor the personal union of it be dissolved no not when the soul was separated from the body yet it was subject by Christs own consent to be emptied of strength-natural to be deprived for a time of the clearness of vision of its own blessedness and of the quiet possession of the formerly felt peace and of the fruition of joy for a time and so suffer an ecclipse of light and consolation otherwise shining from His God-head and so in this sort of spiritual death might undergo some degrees of spiritual death The degrees of the suffering of Christs holy soul. AMong the deprâ—â—s of the death suffered by Christ in His soul we may number first that habitual heaviness of spirit which haunted him all the dayes of His life as was foretold by Isa. 53. 3. He was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief We hear He weeped but never that he laughed and but very seldom that he rejoiced 2. He suffered in speciall sorrow and grief in the observation of the ingratitude of them for whom he came to lay down his life we hid as it were our faces from him he was despised and we esteemed him not Isa. 53. 3. 3. The hardnesse of mens hearts and the malice of his own covenanted people and the daily contumelies and despightfull usage he found from day to day increased his daily grief as by rivolets the flood is raised in the river he was despised and rejected of men Isa. 53. 3. 4. He was tempted in all things like unto us and albeit in them all never tainted with sin Heb. 4. 15. yet with what a vexation of his most holy soul we may easily gather by comparing the holinesse of our Lord with the holinesse of his servants to whom nothing is more bitter then the firie darts of the devil and his suggestions and sollicitations to sin especially if we consider the variety of temptations the hainousnesse of the sins whereunto that impudent and unclean spirit boldly sollicited his holinesse Matth. 4. and withall the importunity and pertinacy of the devil who never ceased partly by himself partly by those that were his slaves and partly by the corruption which he found in Christs disciples to pursue presse and vex the God of glory all the time he lived on earth 5. The guilt of all the sins crimes and vile deeds of the elect committed from the beginning of the world was imputed unto him by accepting of which imputation albeit he polluted not his Conscience yet he burdened his soul binding himself to bear
danger we were in but it was poured into him and not only on him that he for the sins of his redeemed should suffer it sensibly and as it were drink it that the bitternesse thereof might affect all the powers of soul and body for the Scripture testifies that not only upon the sight and apprehension of this wrath and curse coming on him the holy humane nature did holily abhor it but also that he submitted to receive it upon the consideration of the divine decree and agreement made upon the price to be payed by him and that upon the feeling of this wrath this agony in his soul and bloody sweat of his body was brought on Obj. But how could the pouring forth of the Fathers wrath upon his innocent and dear Son consist with his Fatherly love to him Ans. Even as the innocency and holiness of Christ could well consist with his taking upon him the punishment of our sins for even the wrath of a just man inflicting capitall punishment on a condemned person put case his own child can well consist with fatherly affection toward the child suffering punishment therefore it is not to be doubted but these two can well consist in God in whom affections do not war one with another nor sight with reason as it falleth forth among men for the affections ascribed unto God are effects rather of his holy will toward us then properly called affections in him and these effects of Gods will about us do alwayes tend to our good and blessednesse at last however diverse one from another in themselves 9. Among the degrees of the sufferings of Christs soul we may number not only the perturbation of his mind and thoughts but also the perturbation of his affections and especially his fear for his humane nature was like unto ours in all things except sin and was indeed feared when it saw and felt the wrath of God least it should have been swallowed up by it and of this fear the Apostle Heb. 5. 7. beareth witnesse saying who in the dayes of his flesh when he had offered up prayers and supplications and strong cryes and tears unto him that was able to save him from death and was heard in that he feared Now albeit this seemeth the saddest passage of all his sufferings that he was feared for being swallowed up yet this his fear is not to be wondered at nor is it inconsistent with his holinesse for when Christ assumed our nature as hath been said he assumed also all the common and sinless infirmities passions and perturbations of our nature Now it is kindly that the creature at the sight of an angry God should tremble for we read that the rocks and mountains have trembled before God when he did let forth his terrour and it is naturall to man at the sight of a terrible object at the sight of a perill and evill coming upon him but much more already come upon him especially if the evill and perill be above all his naturall strength to tremble and fear the worst and this becometh holy nature very well to fear present death off-cutting perdition and swallowing up in the danger when God appeared angry and was hasting to be avenged on sinners in the person of their Surety what could the humane soul of Christ gather from this terrible sight but that which sense and reason did teach In the mean time there was no place here for his doubting of the issue and his escapeing from being swallowed up for naturall fear of the manly nature arising from the infirmity of the creature differs very far from the fear arising from the infirmity of faith in Gods faithfulnesse and power and naturall fear of the worst can very well stand with the strength of faith to overcome the naturall fear for as the sensitive appetite may abhor a bitter cup of medicine and cause all the body tremble for fear to take it while in the mean time the man by reason is resolved to drink that bitter cup of medicine because he confidently hopeth to help his health thereby so naturall fear in Christ to taste of the cup of wrath could very well consist with strong faith and assurance to be delivered therefrom for it is very sutable that faith should as far overcome the naturall apprehension of sense and reason naturall as reason doth overcome sense in drinking a loathsom and bitter cup of medicine And to clear this yet further that extream fear to be swallowed up of wrath could well consist in Christ with strong faith to overcome and bear out that terrible wrath Let it be considered that as it was needfull Christ should be subject to the infirmity of naturall strength that he might suffer death so it was needfull that he should have strong faith to inable him to bear out in a holy way that which he behoved to suffer for if on the one hand Christ had not been weakned and emptied of all humane strength in his flesh he could not have been humbled enough for us he could not have suffered so much as Justice did exact for satisfaction for us and on the other hand if he had not stood firm in faith and love toward Gods glory and our salvation he could not have satisfied Justice nor been still the innocent and spotlesse lamb of God nor have perfected the expiatory sacrifice for us Obj. But was he not tempted to doubt by Satan Ans. We grant that he was indeed tempted by Satan to doubt yea we shall not stand to grant that he was tempted to desperation But we altogether deny that he was tainted with sin by temptation in the least degree for the Scripture saith he was tempted in all things like unto us but yet without sin in him or yielding in any sort to any temptation And seing by the Evangelist Matth. 4. we understand that he was tempted in the wildernesse by the devil unto the most horrible sins that Satan could devise and yet was not stained or polluted in the least degree with the least measure of yielding to the sinfull temptations we need not stand to grant that he might be tempted or that he was tempted unto doubting and desperation for this was among the most notable and prime temptations whereby Satan in his impudent boldnesse sollicited the Son of God very God and man in one person even to doubt of that what Satan knew he was If thou be the Son of God saith he It is true indeed that we who are sinners by nature and corrupted in all the powers of our soul cannot be tempted tossed and troubled but therein our sinfull nature in some measure may appear and be polluted But the mater was not so with our holy Lord the God of glory who was separat from sinners for our impure nature is like to water in a pudle which being stirred doth presently become muddy and foul but the holy humane nature of Christ was altogether pure like unto clear and pure fountain
greatly the glory of all the attributes of God doth shine in the work of Redemption 2. By this doctrine it appeareth how vain and wicked the devices of superstitious men are who for pacifying of Gods wrath have appointed pennances and pilgrimages and self-scourgings and soul-masses and purgatory and such like other abominations whereof the word of God hath not spoken but forbidden all the inventions of men as unworthy conceits to bring about mens salvation which inventions tend only to derogat from the dignity of the price of Christs ransom and to cry down the fulnesse and perfection of the price payed by our blessed Redeemer Jesus Christ and to set up other Saviours in his room 3. Hence also it is manifest how fit a high Priest is appointed over us who is touched with our infirmities and temptations by whom we may have so solid consolation in all the pangs of our tormented consciences and in whom we have a solid foundation laid down to all that flee to him for setling our faith and hope in the Son of God who hath of set purpose with the Fathers consent suffered so many and great evils that he might redeem us 4. And hereby we may perceive also how well divine Justice is satisfied and with what warrand the consciences of the weak believers may be quieted who so use to exaggerat the grievousnesse and the multitude of their sins that they forget to put a right estimation upon the satisfaction made by Christ for all that come unto God through him The third article THe third article of the covenant of Redemptionâ— past between the Father and the Son concerneth the benefits gifts and graces to be given unto the redeemed all which gifts and graces are summarily comprehended in that one gift of God spoken of Ioh. 4. 10. which gift is Christ who is freely offered unto and given to the elect believer for righteousnesse and eternall life according to what was said Isa. 9. 6. for unto us a child is born a Son is given on whose shoulders the government is laid whose Name is called Iehovab the wonderfull counsellour the strong God the eternall Father and Prince of peace And 2 Pet. 1. 3. who according to his divine power hath given unto us all things which pertain to life and godlinesse through the knowledge of Him who hath called us to vertue and glory 2. The benefits which are appointed for the redeemed are so conveyed and brought unto them that first they are Christs riches which he hath purchased unto the elect and being resolved to die that the purchase might be made fast to his people he hath made his latter Will and Testament once and again and left in legacy to all that believe in him all things which belong to righteousnesse and salvation and these benefits in an acceptable time he effectually applieth and puts them in possession thereof Of which gifts we shall name chiâ—fly three the first is regeneration or turning of the man toward himself the second is the gift of saving faith the third is perseverance In which three gifts the patrons and magnifiers of the power of mans free-will do what in them lieth to obscure the glory of Gods free grace by glorying that without the speciall grace of God they can convert themselves or not as they please so that when God intends their conversion and useth all means for their conversion they are able to resist all his gracious operation and make void his purpose and endeavour But this covenant of Redemption past between the Father and the Son Mediatour and Redeemer doth decide the question and give them the lie for only they whom God did foreknow did he predestinat to be conform to the image of His Son and whom he did predestinat them he also called and whom he called them he also justified and whom he justified them he also glorified Rom. 8. 28. Concerning these three gifts IT is agreed between God and Christ that the elect shall be converted invincibly and infallibly and that saving faith shall be bestowed on them and that they shall persevere in the obedience of faith so as they shall not totally and finally fall away from Gods grace It is promised to Christ Psal. 110. 3. that in the day of His power His people shall be willing for albeit the native corruption of their will opposeth it self and resisteth the holy Spirit when he is using the means to convert them yet in an acceptable time the invincible power of Gods free grace toward them so taketh away all actuall resistance that the man unwilling of himself is made most freely and heartily willing to be reconciled to God for God can both preserve the naturall liberty of the will and take from it that crookednesse and frowardnesse that is in it he can infuse and creat in the man a right spirit and new habits of grace and can bring forth these habits unto exercise making the redeemed man not only able to will but also actually to will and to do what is pleasant to him Philip. 2. 13. and Ephes. 2. 8. we are taught that faith is not of our selves it is the gift of God not of works least any man should boast And this gift of saving faith is bestowed only on the elect and therefore it is called the faith of the elect Tit. 1. 1. and only they believe in Jesus Christ that are ordained unto eternall life Acts 13. 48. yea every one cometh to Christ who is given to him of the Father Ioh. 6. 37. and no man cometh to Christ save he whom the Father draweth Ioh. 6. 44. but they that are not redeemed do not come to Christ for righteousnesse and life Ioh. 10. 26. ye believe not saith Christ to some Jews because ye are not of my sheep My sheep hear My voice and I know them and they follow Me. As for perseverance the Father promiseth to the Son that the work of grace shall be firm in all the redeemed ones or in his elect seed Isa. 59. 21. as for Me saith the Lord to Christ this is my covenant with them my spirit that is upon thee and my words which I have put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seed nor out of the mouth of thy seeds seed saith the Lord from henceforth and for ever And Jer. 32. 40. I will make an everlasting covenant with them that I will not turn away from them to do them good but I will put my fear in their hearts that they shall not depart from me And a speciall command is given unto Christ for preserving all unto eternall life who come unto him Ioh. 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 at the last day which Christ undertakes that he will faithfully perform Ioh. 10. 28. while he saith I give unto them eternall life and
sins wittingly and from the slighting of the admonitions of the conscience arising up to the contempt of all accusations which the conscience can lay in against him and at last boldly rising up against the conscience as it were to be avenged of it for rebukeing him by committing these same sins most frequently for which he hath been oftnest reproved by his conscience The second cause may we reckon the devil who thinketh it too little to allure men to sin and harden their heart in it and spoil them of all sense of their sin except he also draw them to renounce God and bark against him and become like the devil himself so far as he can drive them The third cause we make the holy justice of God giving over the man who contemneth the light and checks of his conscience unto a reprobat sense that being deprived of common use of reason and judgment he may run mad in his sin like the devil for if God did punish the heathen so for this sort of sinning Rom. 1. 28. what wonder he punish seven times more them who thus rebell against the light of holy Scripture yea these that do not come to this hight are punished by giving them over to strong delusions 2 Thess. 2. 11. The last but sinless cause is the deep wisdom of God who suffering such wretches to fill up such a measure of sin doth make manifest to all beholders the power and poyson of in-born sin in man and draweth forth to light the natural enimity of man against God the seeds whereof is in all men and could hardly be believed to be incident to men except it were by experience seen and found in some men For remedy of this evil it is too little that such a monster should be driven from all Church-society and given over to Sathan it is the part of the Magistrate to bind beasts and mad devils and punish them as it becometh the bearer of the sword to do for avenging of evil-doers But if the Magistrate do not his part yet let the Pastor do what in him lyeth for albeit the Scripture giveth small hope of the recovery of such vile monsters because of the stupidity of their conscience that cannot be wrought upon by man yet seing such evils have been found even in some elect as Manasseh and some of the Corinthians before their conversion 1 Cor. 6. 9 10 11. and because experience hath often found that some of this sort going to publick execution by the Magistrate have been converted and saved by faith in Jesus Christ a Pastor should not altogether despair of such vile men but essay what may be done by conference especially when God sends calamity on them or the Magistrate executs justice on them for any crime if possibly such miscreants being convinced of their perverseness may repent and flye to Christ the Redeemer of such as flye unto him For removing the fifth impediment 1. THe fifth impediment of self-examination is a false fear of no small danger to their souls if they should ripe up their conscience for by-gones for seing they feel themselves quiet they think it were unprofitable and dangerous to trouble their own peace Such persons will tell you that their faith is surely set on God and that they never had any doubt or suspicion of Gods love to them and therefore dare not trouble themselves with self-examination first because all Sermons bid them firmly trust in God Secondly because they know if they should trouble themselves with self-examination they might soon weaken their faith as they conceive Thirdly because they know the subtilty of Sathan as they say to whom if a door were opâ—ned by search of their old wayes they fear he should over-charge them with accusations and drive them to desperation as say they it hath befallen sundry who after wakening their consciences never rested till they put hand in themselves not being able to bear the torment of their conscience There are other some who nill they will they are drawn before the tribunal of Gods Judgment and their conscience beginneth to stir against them which so soon as they do perceive incontinent they interrupt the process Such a one was the heathen Governour Felix Act. 24 25. who after hearing for a little Pauls discourse of righteousness temperance and judgment to come did tremble and therefore desired Paul to forbear for the time Of this sort also are they who do with-draw themselves from Church-meetings and hearing of publick Sermons lest they should be troubled with the serious speeches of a faithfull Pastor Some are also of this sort who take the course that King Saul did take and call for a minstrel or for merry company to suppress the voice of their barking conscience or do by some such way divert their conscience from entering in judgment with them 2. The causes of this evil in the un-regenerat man may be found these four besides others more particular First ignorance of the duty of self-examination prescribed of God Ps. 4. 4. or a voluntar mis-kenning that such a duty is required of all The second cause is a fixed purpose to go on securely in their old wayes The third cause is the sense of the sweetness they imagine they do find and have found of a long time in the carnal rest and sleep of their conscience The fourth cause is a perswasion that they could not rid themselves out of the grips of their conscience nor endure the blind blowes which conscience set down on the tribunal should inflict on them which sorrow and vexation they conceive they cannot otherwayes eshew but by throwing down their conscience from the bench that he enter in no processe against them 3. When the Pastor hath to do with such a man his first care must be that this blind fear may be drawn forth to the light by shewing him that this his flying from the light and hiding himself in darkness is to no purpose and that there is no place for him to flye unto and hide himself from God Secondly let him presse the decree of God that all men must once die and then come to judgment wherein he cannot misse perpetual condemnation and endless torment from an angry Judge except he now judge and condemn himself and flye to Christ the Mediator while it is to day while Christ is exercising his Mediatory-office and is inviting all sinners to repent and calling all weary and heavy loaden to come unto him Thirdly let the Pastor shew to those fearfull persons that this their tear is groundlesse for if they minde to draw in to God they need not fear to confesse all their sins and flye to his grace which if they do not the sleep which they love to lye into is deadly because God hath said There is no peace to the wicked Isa. 48. 21. Fourthly let him presse the precepts for self-examination and judging our selves Ps. 4. 4. and trying whether we be in the faith or not
perfection which the Law doth require albeit he find not the fruits whensoever he would exact them albeit he find them not in that measure as he hath found them before For as trees are not to be esteemed dead or barren which bring forth fruits in due season albeit they bear not fruit in winter So faith is not to be esteemed dead which as occasion is offered bringeth forth the fruit at one time of mercy at another time of justice and equity at another time the evidence of zeal at another time of love and other vertues albeit when occasion or opportunity offereth not it doth not exercise such and such vertues yea albeit sometimes when occasion calleth for the evidencing of such and such gracious vertues the convert be somtime found in-laking or short of doing duty or guilty of doing contrary to duty faith must not be counted dead for all that Because it may come to passe that faith may be so wounded and fall sick and languish and fall in a swound that it cannot bring forth fruits till it be recovered of its sicknesse as we may see in Ionah David and Peter whose faith fainted but failed not altogether It is true they suspected they were cut off and gone when they were in hard exercise but after that they did look up to the mercy of God in Christ draw near unto him and did shew themselves alive in the Lord and to be in the state of grace Last of all we answer that the regrate of the humbled soul of its barrennesse and short-coming of bringing forth fruits as it would is no small evidence of life and sense in the inward man And of such a disposition it may be said as it is written Cant. 2. 13. The figtree putteth forth its green figs and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell For he that is fled to Christ and laments his barrennesse is a lover of doing good works and of bringing forth the fruits of the Gospel Quest. V. Q. BUt how can a man maintain his faith in Christ who after examination findeth no evidence at all of his conversion and that all his former life hath been spent in the unfruitfull course of corrupt nature and the mater is so indeed he hath lived after the course of this world a stranger to the life of God and grace Ans. Let such a mans examination and sentence of himself stand being according to the truth but this sentence of himself must not hinder him from believing in Christ or from flying to him for refuge for remission of sin for reconciliation and furniture of grace to bring forth better fruits then he hath brought forth before he hath proven against himself that in time bygone he hath noâ— been a regenerat man hath not been a believer in Christ but he hath not cut off himself from flying to Christ and believing in him for time to come for he must put diâ—ference between these two questions whether I have been of the number of sincere believers in Christ heretofore and whether I must now â—lye to Christ for time to come that I may be found hereaâ—ter and henceforth a true convert believing in Christ His former want of good fruits altogether doth prove him not to have been a believer in Christ for time by-past which is the first question and the same want of all good fruits heretofore doth answer the other question for his present duty and in time to come to wit that now except he will perish he must flye to Christ and believe in him In proving of this assertion that I have heretofore for such a space of time been a true convert I must bring forth the evidence of my faith by my works as the Apostle Iames appointeth shew me thy faith by thy works and I will shew thee my faith by my works But in proving this other assertion to wit I must now flye to Christ while the offer is made to me of reconciliation left I perish it will suffice to produce first my want of good fruits and next the commandment of the Gospel charging me to flye to Christ for refuge in time leâ—t I perish And so a man must maintain the way of believing in Christ Jesus for time to come whether he find he hath been a 〈◊〉 or a barren branch in time by-gone or not Quest. VI. Q. SEing the Apostle 2 Pet. 1. 10. commands us to make our calling and election sure by well-doing how can it be called carnal confidence which in part doth lean upon good works For seing assurance and certainty of our effectual calling is not attained unto but by reasoning from our good works that we are called effectually and are elected how do not our works support the assurance of faith concerning our calling and election and so may be leaned unto Ans. A man may make use of his good works for confirmation of his faith and yet not lean his confidence upon his works but upon the grace of God who hath called him of his free grace and made him imbrace the offer of his free grace and given unto him both to will and to do of his free grace and made him to be Gods workman-ship created of Gods free grace unto good works wherein he hath made him to walk Thus grace is by Gods word and working cleared up to the believer to rest upon without laying too much weight upon the mans work but if a man lay hold on Christ and his free grace only then when he observeth in himself such and such fruits of faith and looseth or slacketh his grips of Christ when he feels deadnesse and indisposition to good works justly we may call this a carnal confidence in his works for when he ought with Paul Rom. 7. 24 25. so much the more to flye in to Christ and his righteousnesse as he findeth the body of death powerfull in him and in-born sin strong to hinder his obedience he doth contrary wayes abate of his confidence languish and decay in his faith and look like a departer from Christ we must say he putteth carnal confidence in his own works Quest. VII Q. BUt seing it is impossible to perswade me of the truth and sincerity of saving faith in me except I do observe in me and can bring forth my good works to prove the reality of faith in me how is it possible that I should not lean weight on my good works seing the proof of my faith is by my works which proof if I have not I am at a stand I cannot prove my self to have been a true believer in Christ I cannot perswade my self that I have been and am a true believer in Christ Ans. 1. The observation of the fruits of faith in me is not the only proof of my believing in Christ for the very act of imbracing the offer of reconciliation made to me in the Gospel and flying unto Christ for a refuge when I am chased by the Law by the