deceive us because of the inlightnings they have and reformation of life and smooth carriage but the common sort of narural men do plainly bewray themselves to be out of Christ and it is a sign of a carnal man to judge every body to be Saints that make such sleight and overly profession of Christ as the common sort of people do if we be Saints and know what the new birth is we shall not think it is such an easie and common thing to be true Saints but that strait is the gate and narrow is the way that leadeth to eternal Life and few there be that find it Some deceive themselves by building their hopes of salvation upon their gifts parts and knowledge when as Satan and many Reprobates outstrip many Saints of God in those things and yet have no saving nor experimental knowledge Others build their salvation upon the esteem that they have with others that are Saints but thou maist be but a Judas or Simon Magus for all that the Apostle bids us in that case every man to prove his own work to see what work of Grace he can find in his own heart and then he saith he shall have rejoicing in himself alone and not in another Gal. 6.4.5 Others again build their salvation upon this that they have left some gross sins as swearing drunkenness whereas it may be their hearts are 〈◊〉 bad aâ— ever but only they were forced to leave those sins they so galled their Consciences but yet their reformation never proceeded from faith CHAP. III. Great Salvation in Christ for sinners GOD that might have damned all mankind for sin and might have left us in that lost estate for ever hath so loved the world that he hath sent his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him might not perish but have eternal Life Some things we shall here take notice of concerning him in whom God accepts us and giveth us eternal Life Christ our Mediator is God Joh. 1.2 Phil. 2.7,8 1 Tim. 3.16 He is God by nature God the Father acknowledgeth him to be God Heb. 1.8 when he saith to Christ Thy Throne O God is for ever and ever he knows the hearts of men Joh. 2.22 All the Angles every one of them is by the command of God the Father to worship him which shews he is God Heb. 1.6 He laid the Foundations of the earth and the Heavens are the work of his hands Heb. 1.10,11,12 He is God and therefore he is mighty to save he is God and therefore hath everlasting arms to hold his members from falling into hell O what a glorious head hath the Church though we are but like Nebuchadnezzars Image the feet of clay and Iron yet our head is of pure gold Christ Jesus our Surety and Mediator is man he was made flesh 1 Joh. 2. came in the likeness of sinfull flesh took our nature after it was corrupted Rom. 8.3 Because the Children that God hath given him were pertakers of flesh and blood he also took part of the same Heb. 2. This is no small comfort to us that Christ hath taken our nature and was made like unto us in all things sin only excepted he knows what it is to be tempted and can succour them that are tempted O This is wonderfull that Christ should put on the poor suit of our nature and after we had so stained it by sin O That God should be so mindfull of us as to send his Son in our nature to die for us that God who was infinitly happy before ever we were that he should â—o it That God that had so many thousand Angels to sing praises to him and could have created millions of creatures more glorious then the very Angels to praise him for ever and that could have created a thousand worlds before this of men to praise him that glorious God that took infinite delight in his Eternal Son the Lord Jesus before ever the world was Prov. 8. that this blessed God should send his Son in our Nature and humble him to death even the death of the Cross This is wonderfull indeed The Lord Jesus was a publique person Rom. 5. therefore he is called a Surety Heb. 7. A Saviour Luke 2.23 An Advocate 1 Joh. 2.1 A Captain of Salvation Heb. 2.10 The Covenant of the People Isa 42.6 A Ransom 1 Tim. 2.6 A high Priest Heb. 4.4 What he did was for others for our sakes he sanctified himself He was delivered for our offences rose again for our Justification Rom. the fourth and the last There is infinite merit in Christ to justifie all that believe in him that nothing needs to be added to his Righteousness for Justification in him in him alone without works shall the house of Israel be justified and shall glory Isa 45. ult The Believers under the old Testament looked for acceptance with God only through Christ and therefore offered up the Sacrifices that were Types of him prayed in his name Dan. 9.10 He set open his window prayed towards Jerusalem which was a Type of Christ and prayed verse 17. that God would look upon his Sanctuary which was desolate for the Lords sake that is for the Lords Jesus sake Christ hath purchased all Sanctification and is the Author of it to sinners The precious Faith by which we believe to everlasting Life is from Christ 2. Pet. 1.1 There the Apostle saith that precious Faith is obtained through the Righteousness of Jesus Christ our Lord and so Heb. 10.2 And Repentance is from him Act. 5.31 And of his fulness we receive Grace for Grace Joh. 1.16 yea Phil 1.11 All the fruits of Righteousness all Grace whatsoever is said to come by Jesus Christ he was filled with Grace to communicate to us He is that Fountain and River of Life that serveth all the City of God that spiritual Joseph that laid in with abundance to serve all Aegypt The Lord Jesus had experience of all kind of sufferings and temptations that he might be a pittifull and a mercifull high Priest for us Heb. 2. ult Heb. 4. ult He was tempted in all points as we are yet without sin It was requisiite that the Lord Jesus our high Priest should be tempted in all points 1 That he might know the malice of the Devil experimentally by his own feeling 2 That he might overcome Satan The Lord Jesus the Captain of our Salvation fought a single duel with Satan that we might see his strength and that Satan might be overcom that so the Saints when they are set upon by Sathan might have faith in him that he who hath overcome him and broke the Serpents head where his wound is uncurable will prevent all his designs against them 3 That he might sympathize with the Saints and succour them when they are tempted in that fourth of the Hebrews v. 15. the Apostle saith We have not an high Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was tempted as we are
against the Infections of the times or a Faithful Watch-word from Mount-Sion to prevent the ruin of souls whereby some special considerations are presented to sinners Admonition to Saints and Invitation to Backsliders published for the good of all by the Elders and Messengers of several Churches in Wales A Warning Piece for the â—lumbring Virgins or an Alarm to the friends of the Bridegroom being some awakning Meditations upon Christs own Watch-word Mat. 26.41 by Ge. Scortrech Preacher of the Gospel in Lincoln recommended to the Reader by Joseph Caryl William Greenhill Geo. Griffith Books against the Quakers A Faithfull Discovery of a treacherous Design of Mystical Antichrist displaying Christs Banners but attempting to lay waste Scriptures Churches Christ Faith Hope c. and establish Paganism in England being an Examination of the Doctrines of the people called Quakers by Joseph Kellet John Pomroy Paul Glisson A Confutation of the Quakers being an Answer to ninteen Quaeries propounded by them and answered by S. Eaton Minister of the Gospel in Cheshire A Testimony to the true Jesus and the faith of him wherein the way of the people called Quakers is examined and weighed being an Answer to James Nailors Book called Love to the Lost by T. Higgenson A Looking-Glass for the Quakers by T. Collier The Conviction of James Nailer and his black Spirit demonstrated by Lieutenant Ellis Bradshaw Books printed in the Welch Language VIZ. The Bible with singing Psalms The New-testament alone The Practice of Piety The sincere Convert Some part of the Works of Mr. Rees Prichard sometimes Vicar of Landyfre in the County of Carmarthen Some Catechisms together with several other Books in Welch Sold at the three Bibles in Pauls-Church-yard near the West end CHAP. I. The wicked and miserable estate of man by Nature BY Nature our heart which should be the best part of us is the worst a deep and bottomless pit of sin God saw the imaginaton of the heart of man was only evil continually Gen. 5.5 God seeth it whose eyes are so piercing like a flaming fire but few of us see it all our dayes never until God anoint our eyes with his eye-salve then we cry out we are unclean we are unclean God many times begins in the conversion of a sinner with this to shew him the sin of his nature how desperately wicked his nature and heart is beyond all the sin that hath broke out in his practice that there is a great fire of sin upon the hearth of the heart from whence all those sparks fly out of the chimney of the life and practice O we are by nature full of sin as the Toad is full of poyson and that poyson we spit out is but little to what is within this Root of sin is of a spreading nature it grows faster in wicked mens hearts then Grace doth in the Godly that we grow worse and worse and though by education afflictions terrors of conscience the branches may be lopt off yet the Root of sin in the heart doth spread daily O wretched men that we are that our heart which should be the Presence Chamber for the King of Heaven that this is a cage of unclean Birds and when we want opportunities of Uncleanness Theft Murder Voluptuousness outward pomp and applause then our wicked hearts will act over these things in a speculative way delighting our selves in the thoughts of them Therefore it is that the Scripture sets out conversion by A new heart Ezek. 36. Washing the heart from wickedness Jerem. 4.14 and forsaking our thoughts Esay 55. because our hearts are so opposite to God by nature and so contrary to the heart that God puts into us when he makes us new Creatures and therefore it is that when our eyes are opened we grow sick of our own hearts and cry out Lord deliver me from this proud worldly unclean deceitful unbelieving vain hard heart There is no cozening and cheating tricks in the world but our hearts have them that if there were no Devil to delude us yet our own hearts would everlaftingly cheat us Our hearts by nature are like a rotten stinking Fen from whence arise continual fogs mists and vapors which are a stench in the nostrils of God Satan hath a mighty power over us that maâ—icious subtile strong man armed he ruleth in the â—hildren of disobedience Eph. 2.2 Adam by his â—all hearkening and yielding to Satan chose â—im for his God the Devil cals us his House Matth. 12.44 there he is at bed and board â—e keeps the keyes and bolts and locks all the â—oors against Christ and unless Christ that is â—…ronger then he bursts them open he dwels â—here for ever O consider this all ye that are 〈◊〉 your natural condition that Satan hath posâ—…ssion of you that you are possest with the Devil though not in a bodily way as in Christs â—…me the Devil possessed many yet he hath posâ—…ssion of the heart Satan fortifies the hearts â—f men makes them strong Garrisons against â—…e Lord Jesus Now we are in a faln estate and liable to Gods everlasting wrath and there is such inâ—itations to come to Christ that we may be deâ—…vered from the wrath and Hell to come we have such cursed perverse hearts that we will not come to Christ that we may have Life but rather die in our sins we say as those Luke 19.27 that Christ shall never raign over us as soon as ever we hear Christ knock and call at the door of our hearts we run and bolt the door against him and unless he please by an Almighty and irresistible power to change our wills we never believe on him O how through unbelief we refuse great Salvation and do as it were bid God shoot all his Arrows at us we stand in the dreadful storm of Gods wrath and will not come to Christ the shelter and covertâ— from the storm we open our naked brests and bid God strike with the sharp sword The way of our wretched hearts is that if God never look after us we never look after him if we should live never so many thousand years in the world after we are converted we seek him iâ— some poor measure we seek the Lord and hiâ— strength and Grace and Spirit but before wâ— look not after him but if he come near to uâ— in afflictions in the Ministry of his Word oâ— common Reproofs and convictions of his spirit we say unto God Depart from us we desiâ—… not thy Christ thy Spirit and the knowledge oâ— thy wayes We cannot do any thing that God will accept of though we be never so serious stricâ— as doubtless many Papists and others are Aristotle and others of the Heathens that could write so many Books of Philosophy yet could not tell how to make one acceptable prayer to God all their vertues were but as a Toad painted over with fair colours or as a Silken stocking upon a wooden Leg a man by nature wants faith hath
not the spirit of Christ hath not Christ to present his Duties to God the Father and to take away the Iniquity of them and then what can he do acceptible to God It s the way of our hearts by nature that if we do any thing that is good for the matter of it we make use of it to keep us at a further distance from Christ and closing with him by faith that we trust to our Duties for Salvation and thus if we do any thing for God it is out of base ends as Jehu did either for applause to be accounted Religious and zealous for God or to stop the mouth of conscience or else we think to make our good works a Ladder to climbe up to Heaven by We are blind in spiritual things having our understandings darkned and alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in us and blindness of our minds Eph. 4. that all the my steries of the Gospel are Riddles to us and till we plough with the Lords Heifer the Spirit of God we cannot understand those Riddles when the Lord came to convert Nicodemus how blind and ignorant did he find him Joh. 3. and when he came to convert the woman of Samaria how ignorant did he find her we may see John 4. It s a wonderful thing how in conversion God makes the ignorant to understand Doctrine how in a month or two God helps them to pray and discourse so knowingly and spiritually that before were perfect sots and almost as ignorant of God as the Beast that perishes And in the Description of our natural estate Tit. 3.3 we are said to be foolish we are like fools and mad men and indeed men will call themselves fools first or last either here if they are converted or in Hell What fools are we to prefer the world before Christ For this the Lord called the rich man fool Luke 12. and what fools are we that having but one precious Jewel our souls that we will fell it for every base lust we are more foolish then Esau was in selling his Birth-right for a mess of pottage And what fools are we to make no provision for Eternity The Ant is wiser that provideth her meat in the Summer but we take no care for the long winter of eternity And what fools are we to set our selves against the Saints of God who are as dear to him as the Apple of his Eye Christ tels Paul its hard for him to kick against the pricks Act. 9. He makes the persecuting of the Saints to be as foolisâ— and dangerous a thing as for a man to kick knock his shins against the pricks And what fools are we that though we will not neglect Fairs and Markets yet will neglect the means of Grace and opportunities of getting Christ And what fools are we that when Christ knocks at our doors will not let in such a blessed guest that brings the Spirit and a new Heart and a pardon and eternal life with him And what fools are we that will build our eternal condition upon the sands of our own Righteousness and not upon Jesus Christ If a man should build a house upon the sands we should say he is a fool indeed the next Tide will wash it away and the ground will sink and give way all this folly and a thousand times more is in our hearts by nature but we see it not There is a strange forwardness and earnestness in us naturally to sin and a lothness to leave sin insomuch that men will be in a rage against those that would stop them in their sinful courses and though God send many afflictions as upon Pharaoh yet men turn not to the Lord indeed when men can scarce turn them in their beds they will say they will leave their wicked courses but when the affliction is over they will be as bad as ever men are so loth to part with their sins naturally that they will undo their souls unto all eternity rather then part with their lusts as Nero's mother enquiring whether her son should be Emperour she was told that he should be Emperour but then he should kill her she out of the pride and ambition of her spirit said Let him kill me so he be but Emperour so the Word of the Lord tels us that if we go on in our sins and are not converted our souls will be damned to all eternity and men say in their hearts Let me be damned so I may enjoy my base lusts O what wickedness is in the heart Men will not fall out with themselves and sins until they come to hell except they be converted but in hell men will fall out with their sins and say O thou cursed pride O cursed drunkenness O cursed uncleanness O cursed unbelief that hath undon our souls for ever And if the Lord never convert us but leave us in a state of Nature to die out of Christ how infinitely miserable shall we be for ever The wages of sin is death Rom. 6.14 Rom. 1.18 Eph. 5.6 The wrath of God like a huge Mountain will lie upon a sinners back in hell to crush him to pieces you will alwayes see God frowning upon you O think of this if thou beest not brought out of the state of Nature and ingraffed into Christ thou wilt be separated for ever from the Lord you shall never enjoy communion with him a glimpse of whose Reconciled face in Christ is worth ten thousand Worlds you will never taste one drop of those Rivers of Gods pleasures for ever of which the Saints shall have their fill O that will be a dreadful word Depart from me ye cursed Depart from me whose Loving kindness is better then Life Depart from me a day in whose Courts is better then a thousand elswhere go among the Devils who like roaring Lions seek to devour you When once men come to Hell there will be no means of Grace for ever Eccles 9.10 No work nor device nor knowledge in the grave No more dealings of Gods Spirit with men no inward nor outward comfort nothing but weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth which shews extremity of torment in Hell The Saints indeed when they die their places and Relations know them no more nor they them but then they know a better place Heaven and enjoy better Relations but a natural man leaveth all his outward comforts and goes into infinite torments O thou that are in thy natural condition give ear to this and flee from the wrath to come it may be now thou knowest not how to spend a day without some pastime or other O how wilt thou spend eternity in Hell where thou shalt never have a drop of water to cool thy tongue O consider what heart-distracting heart tormenting thoughts you will have in Hell if the Lord never convert you here how sadly will you remember what great sins you committed and with what hardness of heart how will it torment you
to think how many checks of conscience and motions of the Spirit you put by what terrour will it be to you to think what holy Saints you opposed and jeared what precious means of Grace you slighted and what pains you took for the world and how careless you were for your poor souls O think it no smal matter to die in thy natural estate and be damned if once thou come to hell there will be no ease nor end of thy misery for ever If God should but say to the damned in hell that after a hundred thousand years they should come out of their torments it would be some lightning to their hearts but there will be no end the worm dies not and the fire goes not out Christ goes over with those words three times almost together Mark 9.44,46,48 because he would have men in their natural condition take special notice of it that if they die out of him they will be miserable for ever miserable indeed to be alwayes dying alwaies burning alwaies weeping alwaies suffering the torments of Hell O therefore consider the state that thou art in before it be too late there is corruption and sin enough in one mans heart to undo all the men in the world if it were divided to them O then how easily will it undo one soul Know then if we be not justified freely by Gods Grace in Christ and sanctified by the Spirit of the Lord we must unavoidably perish for ever Wherefore as the holy Ghost saith To day if ye will hear his voice harden not your hearts Heb. 3.7,8 The time of Gods patience the time of Grace is but a short time therefore called a day To day if you will hear his voice It s but a day in comparison of Eternity nay in comparison of Eternity a mans daies upon earth are but as a moment or the twinkling of an Eye and the time of Grace is but a short time but a day in comparison of the greatness of the work that is to be done the making of our calling and Election sure It s but a day in respect of the uncertainty of our enjoying the means of Grace and it s but a day in respect of the uncertainty of our lives for in a moment we go down to the grave and all our thoughts perish To day therefore hear his voice come in to Christ do not say to morrow is soon enough do not put off the offers of Grace for now is the accepted time this is the day of Salvation CHAP. II. How natural men deceive themselves and think that their Estate is good IT S a great mercy for a man that is not in a state of Grace to know that he is yet without Christ but men flatter themselves that they are Christians and Saints when there is no cause in the world for it Men deceive themselves in their spiritual estate sometimes by not examining their condition many men never take thought whether they have Christ or no and if men do examin their spiritual Estate usually it is by false signs as outward performance of Duties or outward abstinence from many gross sins It s a sad thing when we have nothing to evidence a good estate but outward thing no work upon our hearts but only we have performed many Duties and sat under Ordinances so did they Isa 58. the beginning And many deceive themselves in their spiritual Estate by shunning a heart-searching Ministry they call for a Minister that may prophecy to them smooth things there is many mens Ministry that never touches upon the heart hath little tendency that way And men have a way to excuse sin and so think they are in a good estate though they live in all manner of sin as Adam laid the fault upon Eve and Eve shifted it off to the Devil Men that never pray in their Families never read the word in their Families lay the fault upon business Another way whereby we often deceive our selves in our spiritual estates is by looking upon the failings that the Saints have and so flatter our selves that our condition is the same with theirs thus men will say David did so and so and Peter did deny Christ Yea But David and Peter believed in Christ and mourned heartily for their sins A Saint hates all sin do you do so Again By Nature we are ignorant of the true nature of every Grace and therefore are easily deceived in our estate we do not know the true nature of saving faith we think it lies only in knowing that Christ dyed for sin we are ignorant of the nature of Repentance how the Love of God in Christ doth break the heart and we think if we give to the poor then we have Charity whereas in the Scriptures account a man may give all his goods to the poor and yet want true Charity 1 Cor. 13. And then men are loth to examin themselves to purpose whether they be in the faith or no for fear they should despair if they come to see their estate is not good though alas very few despair and its one thing for a man to be convinced of his estate being bad and another thing to despair for though he be not converted yet he may be converted afterwards Likewise the quietness and stilness of many mens consciences makes them think that they are in a good estate when as that may be a great Judgement upon them it s one thing to have true Peace of Conscience and another thing to have a seared Conscience There are certain plain signs that a man is not in a state of Grace which are evident in many and in such great Characters that he that runneth may read them as if men jear at the Spirit of God and jearat men for having the Spirit of God that they will say This is a man of the Spirit Dost thou think that thou art a Saint All Saints have the Spirit of Christ in them and they are led by the spirit of God Rom. 8.14 and they prize the Spirit highly And if men be wholly ignorant of the way of Justification by the blood of Christ and declare plainly that they seek life by their own obedience and Righteousness it is evident that they are not in a good estate for all Believers desire to be found in Christ having on them the Righteousness which is of God by Faith and how many by this may be convinced that they are not in a good estate Or if men live in all manner of sin allow themselves in drunkenness swearing and the like These transgressions of the wicked say within my heart saith David That the fear of God is not before their eyes Psal 36.1 Let men say what they will if that they commit iniquity with greediness it is evident that they know not Christ in a saving manner For he that saith he knoweth God and keepeth not his Commandments is a lyar and the Truth is not in him 1 Joh. 2.4 Indeed Hypocrites may
all spiritual Duty from an unfailing strength and spring of Grace in the Lord Jesus And if those that believe in the Lord Jesus are brought into a better state then Adam at first was in then much more is the Lord Jesus the Author of all this to them worthy of more Glory then Adam for the Lord Jesus had not only all those created gifts that Adam had but besides he was God equal with the Father and as Mediatour he was exalted far above Adam for he had fulness of Grace in him John 1.16 the Spirit without measure John 3. had power over all flesh John 17.2 Mat. 28. He doth not speak there of his Power as God but of his Power as Mediatour for that only could be given him as he saith thou hast given me power over all flesh Whatsoever a Believer hath it is through Christ for whatsoever God doth for a poor creature either to justifie sanctifie quicken or comfort he doth all for us in Christ He blesseth us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly things in him Eph. 1.3 We are by nature dead in trespasses and sins and God makes Christ our Life Eph. 2.1 Gal. 1.20 We are naturally in darkness and God makes Christ our Light Eph. 5.8 He makes Christ our Sun to shine upon us the glorious Sun of Righteousness that is so full of Light and heat to us we are naturally in a famisht and starved condition like the Prodigal and God makes Christ our food he giveth us Christ as the true Manna bread of Life John 6. We are naturally poor and beggerly and God makes Christ our riches and Treasure Prov. 8.17,18,19 We are naturally naked and God makes Christ our cloathing putting on us his Robe of Righteousness We are impotent and weak and he makes him our strength Thus he makes Christ all in all to us both Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption CHAP. IV. The freeness of the Salvation that we have by Christ THe Dispensation of Grace and Eternal Life in Christ Jesus is every way free to us the Lord hath shewn the greatest kindness when there was not the least desert that every one that is saved by this Grace may say O that ever such an ugly creature as I should have the best Robe put upon me such a Prodigal as I have been find such unexpected kindness such a Blackamore as I am that ever I should have the kisses of the fairest of ten thousand this is wonderful indeed That God should chuse us to eternal Life when he might have appointed us unto wrath this can never be requited that such a person as Christ the eternal Son of God should undertake to bring us to glory this is free indeed and that the Lord should do this without the least desire or engagement on the creatures part and that the Lord Christ should not shun the greatest sufferings in order to our Salvation but be wounded bruised bear the curse of the Law and the wrath of God can this ever be requited And that the Lord should do this after we had spent so fair an estate as we had in Innocency and we had wasted it as the Prodigal did what manner of love is this And that the Lord Jesus went through the work of our Redemption without grudging did he ever say Shall I die for such base wretches as these are but when Peter would not have had him died he took him up sharpely and said Get thee behind me Sathan Mat. 16.21,22,23 we read not that he took him up so when he denied him can this ever be requited for ever And that the Lord Jesus should think of every thing and purchase every thing that was requisite to make us happy in his Death he purchased all Grace he gave himself for us to deliver us from this present evil world Gal. 1.4 He knew that was a great enemy and he purchased Grace to keep us from the evil of that and if we mind Christs Prayer John 17. we may see how Christ thought of every thing for us And that Christ after his bloody Sacrifice should make intercession for us and bear our Names before Jehovah and that he should take such care to send the Comforter in his absence to abide with us for ever this is not after the manner of mens love O Lord our God free free every way free O let us say that believe in Christ we must take this as free love we never deserved it and we can never requite it O I will love thee for ever and praise thee for ever And what are we for whom the Lord hath done all this all the while before we are converted We hate God and are Rebels against him and after we are converted we perform but little Duty we are but little in prayer little in praises little in heavenly meditation sometimes we have a holy thought and then abundance of vain thoughts for it sometimes we have a savoury word and then abundance of vain discourse for it and those few duties we do have a great deal of weakness and sin in them our prayers full of deadness formality unbelief we are proud when we have enlargements so sinful in our best performances that all Saints will confess their Righteousness is as menstruous raggs O let this discovery of the freeness of Gods Grace in Christ draw the worst of sinners that are yet in their Natural estate to come to Christ if Christ and Grace were not free how should Paul Mary Magdalen Zacheus and such have ever been converted Object 1. But the sinner will say I have been a sinner of a thousand may I be welcome to Christ I have scoffed at the Saints and railed at them Answ So was Paul before his conversion I saith he was a Persecutor a Blasphemer and injurious to the people of God where ever he came yet he obtained mercy 1 Tim. 1.12,13 yea he confesses to King Agrippa that before his Conversion he was mad against the Church and yet the Lord turns this man in his full speed and there was no qualification to move the Lord to it he was going to persecute the Saints when the Lord met him and converted him Object 2. But I have no good in me to commend me to Christ Answ Christ expects none untill you be in him by faith Christ doth not look for Grapes of thorns how should you be holy until you be in Christ Object 3. Ay but whereas others though they be not converted yet they have parts and understanding and can speak of Religion but I have no parts nor knowledge Answ The Lord hath promised to make the ignorant understand Doctrine if God convert theeâ— he can make thee understand the things of Religion presently Object 4. Ay But I am a poor man or woman that live in obscurity the Lord surely will never convert me for of what use can I be to God he will call Scholars and great men that may be more serviceable then ever
her that is with child then mayest thou know the works of God who worketh all and what a Mystery is this the way of the Spirit if we understand it of the Angels or if we understand it of the Spirits of men children how the Spirit comes into the child in the womb and whetherin the Spirit be formed of some matter and of what and how the Spirit and Life should be in the child so long and it not to be stifled in the womb These are mysterious things and so saith he is it to know the works of God Again the workings of God in Conversion are compared to the secret Influences of Leaven Matth. 13.33 The Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a woman that hid a piece of Leaven in three measures of meal until the whole was leavened A mysterious thing how a little leaven spreads it self and leavens the whole Lump and so how God speaks but a word to the Heart doth but say to Matthew Follow me and the soul leaves all and follows Christ this is a mysterious thing It is Infinite Grace that God sheweth in the Conversion of a soul that he should put forth his Almighty power to convert us which he might put forth to damn us and torment us for ever that he should work Grace when he was not desired when we sought him not God first calls and not the creature and O that he should work though the creature resist and hang back we linger in our natural Estate as Lot did in Sodom and we should tarry in our natural estate till God raigned down fire and brimstone upon us as he did upon Sodom and now as the Angel while Lot lingred pulled him forcibly out so doth the Lord pull us forcibly out Col. 1.13 He snatcht us out of the power of darkness so the word signifies and O how doth God work Grace oftentimes upon the most cross and crabbed natured men that if they had not Grace there were no living with them In Conversion the Spirit convinceth the soul of sin as John 16.9 stops it in its sinful course and the soul seeth the Law meet him many times as the Angel met Balaam in the way with a drawn sword in his hand and convinces the soul of Righteousness in Christs perfect Righteousness and draws the soul abandoning all other Refuges to pitch upon Christ for Life and Acceptance with God that the soul now it seeth its wound doth not go to the Law but to the blood of Christ that the soul saith Lord thou providedst me a Garment of Righteousness in Adam one that is worn out and is all menstruous rags and now Lord thou hast provided me a new Garment of Righteousness the Righteousness of thine own Son a Garment that will never wax old Lord I accept of this Righteousness I put on this garment of mine elder Brother to come to thee in When the soul is converted Christ becomes the souls all in all for Justification Sanctification Consolation Whom have I in Heaven but thee and what do I desire in the earth but thee all but dung all but dross in comparison of Christ Communion with God becomes the greatest nourishment and refreshment to the soul Lord lift up the light of thy countenance upon me for thou art my exceeding Joy this is the language of a true Saint Sin grows irksom and a tedious burthen to the soul and not so much for fear of Hell as from the Love we have to God and Christ our dear Redeemer Now the soul thinks that much that God doth for him and that nothing that he doth for God he thinks as Solomon when he dedidated the temple The Heaven of Heavens is not able to contain thee What is my poor prayers and preaching and service I with all my duties am less then the least of all the Mercics and kindness that thou hast shown to thy servant The soul now is much in the admiration of of Gods love and in desires after it and in thankfulness for it Thy loving kindness is better then Life Psal 63,3 though skin for skin and all that a man hath will he give for his Life Life is so dear yet thy loving kindness is better then Life If a soul that is converted were going to die for Christs sake that the Grace of God in him costs him his Life yet he cannot but bless God that ever he had Grace wrought in him The soul that is converted misseth God soon and cannot miss him long Psal 63.1,2 My soul thirsteth to see God as I have seen him in such an Ordinance in praying hearing meditating breaking of bread and I long to see him as I have seen him in such a Promise in which he hath sometimes strengthned me quickned me and revived me when I walkt in trouble And the nature of a soul that is converted is to fear sin most when he fears sin least that is to fear to commit sin most when he through the assurance of Gods pardoning mercy to him fears sin least for damning of him In Regeneration the Lord infuseth a new life the seed and habit of Grace wherein in the Soul is passive at first God by a Work of his own plucks up all other foundations and laies down Christ for a foundation in the heart Isa 28.16 Thus saith the Lord Behold I lay in Zinn for a foundation Stone a tryed Stone c. which tryed stone and sure foundation is the Lord Jesus Now its God that laies in Zion that is in the heasts of his people this Foundation behold I lay It s my work saith the Lord no man himself can lay this Foundation right O This is the saving work of Gods Spirit when as God hath laid Christ for the Foundation in a Soul that the soul builds all upon Christ he beareth the stress and weight of all as the foundation bears the weight of the building that all our comfort and peace and strength is built upon Christ and there is now an union between Christ and the soul as there is between the foundation and the rest of the building and this union the Lord makes by the Spirit and by the faith whereby the soul is glued and cemented for ever unto Christ CHAP. VIII The woful Backsliding of many Professors and the way of their Recovery MAny Professors are gone back mightily from the Lord some by error of Judgment some by loosness of Conversation and deadness and formality as if they had never been acquainted with the Lord It s hard to come to a true sense of it because a man may keep up the outward profession of Religion he may grow in Gifts may be in Church-fellowship and yet be much backsliden in his Spirit if the Lord will make use of any thing here written to make any sensible of it and recover them out of it it were a great Mercy Several signs of a backsliding Professor shall be laid down 1. Sign If the Conscience be not so tender as
The Law is taken into the hands of Christ and is made a rule for Believers to walk by the Believers Salvation or Damnation doth not depend upon his obedience or disobedience to the Law for he is freed from the Law as a Covenant of Works yet he is not freed from duty and filial obedience but the Law as it is a rule of obedience stands in force and is to be obeyed by all Believers Several reasons to prove it 1 Christ expounds the Law Mat. 5. and cleareth up the strictness and spirituality of the Law more 2 Else the breaking of the Law would be no sin which would be a monstrous opinion 3 The same things that the Laws forbids are set down in the new Testament to bring damnation 1 Cor. 6.9.10 as Idolatry Adultery Thest Covetousness 4. The new Covenant promises the putting of Gods Laws into our mind and writing them in our hearts Heb. 8.10 therefore the Gospelis no enemy to the Law but writes it in our hearts as it was writen in stone and gives us principles to obey it 5 Paul after his conversion looked upon it as a mighty work of Gods Spirit upon him that he delighted in the Law of God after the inward man Rom. 7.22 that is that God had given him a heart to delight to do those things the Law called for which shews that Believers are to make the Law as a rule of obedience Thus a Believer is not without Law to God but is under the Law to Christ as Paul saith he was 1 Cor. 9.21 that is as the Law is taken by Christ into his own hands and held forth by him to his people as a rule for their obedience to him so a Believer is under the Law every Command of it and every breach of it is sin even in Believers The Believer is not freed from the Do this of the Law but when the Law saith Do this and live he is freed from that he doth not expect life by his doing those things in the Law for he is justified freely by Grace he liveth not by his doing but by the faith of the Son of God who loved him and gave himself for him And for the threatnings of the Law Not'do this and die the soul that sinneth it shall die this a Believer is freed from for there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus Rom. 8.1 Christ hath redeemed them from the curse of the Law by being made a curse for them Gal. 3.13 Quest How may a man know whether he hath a Gospel-work upon his heart or that he is yet under Law as a Covenant of works and hath only legal workings upon him Answ 1. Such as do not think it is a hard thing to come off from the Law as a Covenant of works to trust alone in the righteousness of Christ such may well suspect that there hath been only a legal work upon them for its the hardest thing in the world to rest only upon Christ though it is easily said 2 Such as do not know the Law from the Gospel and the Gospel from the Law in their main Principles and terms there are too many that know not in the least measure no not with a notional knowledge what the difference between the Law and the Gospel is such may well think that they are not yet come off from the Law as a Covenant of works 3 Such as have their hearts rise against Gospel-preachers and Professors as Gal 4.29 As then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit even so it is now A man that is upon the Law for life hath a strange enmity in his heart against those that look to be justified freely by Grace 4 Such are under the Law as a Covenant of works as cannot bear the vilifying of mans righteousness as to Justification though he heareth the same persons urge it never so vehemently as to Sanctification and walking before God to all well pleasing O if thou canst not freely say that all thy own Righteousness is as menstruous rags and that when thou hast done all thou art but an unprofitable servant then thou maist justly fear thy estate 5 Such as think they have kept the Law themselves like the young man in the Gospel All these things have I kept from my youth 6 Such are under the Law yet as have had legal breakings for sin but never had the least Gospel sorrow for sin who have never in the least mourned for sin because it peirced Christ but only because it pierceth themselves Let all labor for a right understanding of the Law in which take their directions 1 Look upon the Law as requiring perfect obedience so strict as that it will not abate one farthing to a sinner there is no compounding with the Law 2 Count your selves utterly unable to keep the Law 3 Count the forfeiture for breaking of the Law to be no less then eternal damnation 4 Always look upon Christ as having a righteousness answering the Law fully Rom. 10.3.4 Rom. 8.3,4 5 Count your selves under all the wrath and curses of the Law except you be in Christ Gal. 3.10 whatsoever are the intentions of God and the merits of Christ for an elect person yet uncalled he being considered as a child of old Adam he is under the curse he doth not in his own person enjoy the state of freedom which God hath graciously purposed to bestow upon him and the Lord Jesus hath purchased for him though yet it is impossible for the Law to throw the Elect person into hell because God will certainly bestow upon them in his own fit season the Grace that Christ hath purchased for them 6 If you be in Christ reckon not your selves to have to do with the curses and threatnings of the Law but see them all taken away by Christ from you 7 Often seriously remember that many perish everlastingly by their mistaking of the Law and resting in the Law that you may see by the Epistle to the Romans and Galathians where the Apostle shews the danger of resting in the Law and shews how forward men are to do so 8 Never go out in your own strength to obey the Law but fetch strength from the promises of the Gospel to obey the commands of the Law 9 In the reading of Scripture observe what places are most properly Law and what places are especially Gospel and make those which are Law and Duty to come in after free Justification to come in as filial obedience to the Lord. 10 When a soul hath been enabled to yield a good measure of obedience to the Law and Commands of God yet he must rely upon the Lord Jesus by faith as freely and alone justifying him he cannot spare the least part of Christs Righteousness after all the holiness he hath attained to but is still to desire to be found in Christ not having on him his own righteousness but that which is by
prayer and all duties whether our Communion with God be more or less in them FINIS CHAP. XX. How the Lord is pleased effectually to call some after they have been long in their natural Estate and have been very wicked GOd is pleased to suffer some of his Elect to go on a great while in Ignorance and to fall into great sins before he convert them as Matthew Zachaeus Mary Magdalene an elect person yet God leaveth her to be possest with seven devils and to be a Harlot before he convert her Paul an elect person yet God leaveth him a great while to go on in a Pharisaical way and to be a grievous Persecutor before the Lord convert him The Thief upon the Cross was an elect person yet the Lord let him run on a long time in his sins for these he is sentenced to die theâ—… the Lord converts him now there are many reasons why the Lord in his insinite wisdom suffers many elect persons to fall into so much sin before the Lord convert them As 1 because God will make it more eminently appeare that it was his meer Grace to save them and convert them God doth convert many in their young time before they have run into much prophaness others God leaveth to go on a long time in prophaness and though he could have converted them before yet he doth it to magnifie his own Grace 2 And God doth it that men might be the more humble after their Conversion remembring what great sins they fell into before the Lord called them 3 Hereby mens conversion is more remarkable to themselves and to others and tends much to the awakening of others when they shall see a notorious sinner so changed it may startle others exceedingly 4 That the worst of sinners might not be hardned and go on desperately in their sins and say There is no hope no but seeing others converted after they have gone on so long in sin that they might now come to Christ and say I will have no more fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness but cast my self upon the free mercy of God in Christ 5 That we might use means to convert the greatest sinners and not say There is no hope that that Drunkard and that Worldling should ever be converted and so never use means to discover sin and Christ to them 6 That God might shew the certainty of Election that those that he hath chosen shall be called according to Gods gracious purpose which purpose shall stand By this we see that all the Father giveth to Christ shall come to him and be effectually called though they are long before they are converted 7 Hereby God will shew us the infinite merit of his Sons blood that it will cleanse from all sin that though an elect person hath so abounded in sin yet the blood of Christ is able to save him to the utmost 8 And thus God sheweth the power of his Spirit that he is able to convert men not only when they are less sinners but when they are mightily hardened in sin and have long accustomed themselves to do evil Question But doth God love an elect Person and hath he care of them before they be converted Answ Yes God loved them from eternity God loved Jacob Rom. 9. before he had done good or evil God doth not then begin to love a soul when he is converted though then the effects of his love do more appear 2 God gave his blessed Son for his elect while they were enemies then they were reconciled to God by the death of his Son he died for the ungodly Rom. 5.9,10 and this was infinite love 3 If God did not love the Elect before they were converted they would never be converted It s his infinite love to them that he unites draws them to Christ without which drawing they could never come to Christ 4 God Hath such a love and care towards an elect person that he never suffers them to fall into the sin against the holy Ghost though they fall into other great sins 5 God hath such a care towards them that they never die unconverted Rom. 8,30 Whom he did predestinate them he hath also called God either converts them in their young time or else lengthens out their days upon the earth and brings them to Christ though it be at the eleventh hour As God called some of all sorts of sinners excepting those that commit the sin against the holy Ghost so he calleth at several ages some in their child-hood some in their middle age and some in their old age but God calleth most in their young time whilst their hearts are yet tender How hath the Lord been pleased to work Grace in them that have been mightily prejudiced against the powerfull preaching of the word as it s recorded in the life of that gracious man Mr. Robert Bolton that before his conversion he hearing Mr. Perkins preach he said He was an empty dry fellow but after he was converted he had high thoughts of his powerfull Ministry Another was that afterwards one of the most eminent in grace and gifts that our times have known when the Bel went for Mr. Perkins secretly was glad in his heart that he was dead that he might not be so startled by his heart-searching ministry which thought did exceedingly humble him afterwards and God pleased powerfully to work upon him and make him a burning and shining light Thus where sin abounds Gods grace sometimes cals a soul and so abounds much more then sin abounded If we knew all passages concerning those whom the Lord converteth what prophaness in some what strange ignarance in others what wicked resistance of the Spirit it would make us cry out O the wickedness of the creature and O the unsearchable riches of Gods free grace some have gone to an Ordinance to sleep and the Lord hath made such a noise by his Spirit in their hearts that they have been past sleeping their souls have been so effectually awakened some have gone to ensnare the Preacher and the Lord hath changed their hearts and opened their eyes some have gone boldly to outface the Lord in his Ordinances and the Lord hath made their stout hearts tremble at his word some have gone only out of novelty to hear a man because he was a stranger or was a noted Preacher and the Lord hath converted them some have gone with their hearts as full of prejudice against the Preacher as could be and yet the Lord hath bowed their heares before they came away and made them say Surely God is in this man and in his Ministry of a truth Some shall certainly be converted and must enter into Gods rest Heb. 4.6 1 because God hath ordained some to eternal life Acts 13.48 and the Election must obtain it 2 The Lord Jesus hath died for them and hath made their peace by the blood of his cross And God the Father hath given him power over all the