call I willingly answer his promise and covenant I adore his command I desire to obey and do obey his threat I dread and tremble at his institution of baptisme I look not on as an empty thing a vain fancy but sticking to my Fathers Covenant and heartily willing to answer the condition I with humble reverence plead that Covenant and my baptisme with God what he then engaged I know God is Soveraign of his Grace but how that comes under offers calls commands threats promises seals I cannot learn therefore I take up my thoughts about what is revealed and what is my duty neither quarrelling with the Soveraignty of God nor studying at all how to be content to be damned Let not the Reader be troubled though I mention my godly Parents with my baptisme thinking thus alas my parents were not godly I cannot make use of my baptisme Yes yes Christian thou hast room to plead it make use of it though they were not so the force of it deponds upon Gods institution I marvel what use Mr. Hooker and Mr. Shepherd would have us make of baptisme they being so strong for Infant-baptisme if we must study to be content to be damned His third Head is drawn from his observations of Christians the experiences he hath seen when Christians have been brought to his point to be content and quiet without Grace without Gods Love and so be damned He saith p. 140. I have seen it constantly that many a chosen vessel never hath been comforted till now and ever comforted when now So p. 154. The Lord hath kept you and it may be a long time from sight and sense of his peculiar love one would wonder why the Lord should hide his love so much from those to whom he doth intend it the great reason is because there is in many a heart desirous of his love and this would quiet them if they were sure of it but they never came to be quieted with Gods will in case they think they shall never partake of it So then it seems if they did come to be quieted without his Love they should have the sense of his Love because the great reason that hindered was removed I wonder that Mr. Shepherd being not only a very holy man but so able a Divine should let such a Logical fault slip and not take notice of it if you ask what Ignoratio Elenchi I pray what is our question What is the Head that now he is upon It is the Souls humiliation and preparation for Christ he is not come at Faith yet in Christ till the Soul comes to this Hence Mr. Hooker tells us p. 145. Before this no Faith can be infused into the Soul so far as the heart is from this contentedness to be at Gods dispose what that is read p. 112 140. so far it is from true preparation for Christ Here Mr. Shepherd gives us the experiences of Christians who were ever comforted now and never comforted till now So again now they come to have the sense of his Love this he hath seen constantly he saith But I pray are comforts and the sense of Gods love the same the next things to preparation for Christ I thought and I am sure so thought Mr Shepherd that between preparation and comfort union with Christ the ground of comfort should have come in Is it because you are weary and laden therefore Rest Mat. 11.23 Coming to Christ comes in between weariness and rest But Mr. Shepherd if he will prove his question by experiences which he hath constantly seen must prove that he ever saw Christians were rightly prepared for Christ and never rightly prepared for Christ till they came to this contentedness to be damned if God will have it so But his experiences tell us of comforts and sense of Gods love So true it is that Quandoque bonus dormitat Homerus We know it is a long time indeed before many Christians attain to comforts and sense of Gods love after they have union with Christ and that is more then preparation for Christ Reverend Mr. Hooker and Mr. Shepherd would have done well to have satisfied the Church of Christ whether in their own experiences upon their own hearts they found this work they preach to others and were assured of it upon infallible grounds they had no Grace till then I knew a woman of Mr. Shepherd's Church who told me as Mr. Shepherd writes that she could never come to settled comfort till she came thus to be content without Gods love no doubt but a man may trust his heart when it tells him so I knew the woman several years before as good a Christian as when she told me this but at that time there was no talk of being contented to be damned if God will have it so as now she had told me believe their hearts who will I shall never believe mine if it tell me so Moreover if Mr. Hooker and Mr. Shepherd had found this in themselves in their very first Conversion they must prove that God must go the same way in all whom he converts from Divine Authority else as said Chap. 1. It is tyranny to tie up every Christian to the way God wrought in me that so he must work in them Once more Mr. Hooker telleth us without this work there can be no Faith in more then one place yet in that Piece put out in defence of the right of Believers Children to Baptisme he undertakes to prove that God works Faith in Infants But are Infants also contented to be denied Grace and be damned if God will have it so before God works Faith in them As to quarrelling discontent and impatience if God denies his Love and Grace because it shall not trouble us when I come to give my Arguments against Mr. Shepherd this being another question I shall speak a few words here I said before as I will not study how to be content without Grace and be damned so I would not quarrel impatience with God I will not justifie O no I will and do beg pardon of my God I do admire and adore his Patience and long-suffering towards me that he can bear so with my frowardness it shall be his eternal praise But O how hard a thing is it when Souls are pressed and oppressed with temptations long and strong whether from apprehensions of guilt wrath and lye looking and listning for a little favour from God but none come or are pestered and plagued with the perpetual motions of some imperious lust that dogs them every day year after year long time together and though the Soul prayes begs useth all means yet can get no relief from God who could with as much ease remove it as I can move a finger and will not but here lies the lust striking at the root of Grace and makes the Soul question whether there be one spark in it or no I say how hard is it now for the Soul to keep from
come Christ will not force a Match take the Soul come to that degree of preparation I have mentioned and now with all its Soul it would get a Christ if it could come to him ay with all my heart draw and I come I will help draw you Thou knowest how thou hast played the rebel against God now you feel the smart of it 't is true now you would have Christ the Love of God Grace these things would cure and ease you but I must tell you God is Soveraign of his own Grace gives it where he pleaseth and if he will have the glory of his Power and Justice upon you and deny you Christ Grace Love and damn you you must be content quiet satisfied and willing to be at his disposal as to this point O how sweetly doth this Cord draw to Christ it may prove a Cord indeed but not to draw the Soul to Christ for there is not the least spiritual Logick in it to draw the Souls to Christ but to help to hang it however reverend Mr. Hooker thinks it is the only way to save from the halter let those that will try it blessed be God for the Cords of the Gospel of which I am sure this is none Is this the way to beget good thoughts in the Soul of God and Christ that must be one way if ever we intend to draw to Christ This is wooing with a witness to tell the Soul this story Sixth Argument That condition which clasheth with the Duties God requires of his Creature that condition is not requisite in preparation But that condition in the question clasheth with the Duties God requires being actually put it keeps them from performing their duty Ergo That condition is not requisite The Major is plain enough People must not be kept from doing that which is their duty at all times God calls me to Christ it is my duty to go to him God offers Christ to me it is my duty to receive him God commands me to believe in him the highest disobedience that can be not to obey He threatens me with his wrath if I do not believe I must be damned then if I do not believe in him God promiseth me if I believe in him I shall have his Love his Grace be saved My duty is to believe his Truth and faithfulness in my Baptisme God sealed his Promise and his Covenant it is my duty to make use of it to look to my condition under that Covenant and believe Gods truth goodness faithfulness in it In all these my duty is to believe God was real that he did not offer call command promise seal one thing and mean another God did not mock me nor dare I mock him On the other side Mr. Shepherd and Mr. Hooker tell me it is my duty to be content satisfied without Christ for if I must be content to be without Gods Love Grace and be damned then I must be content without Christ if God will have it so But say I Gods will appears contrary he tells me my duty plainly in all those Heads There is an imagination a supposition set against as plain duties as any in the Bible Some thing of this Argument I wrote to Mr. Shepherd his answer to it is this I do not think that any man in humiliation for sin is to be carelesly content and quiet nor did I so understand Mr. Shepherd that God should dispose of him how he will as caring for nothing but humbly and meekly quiet and content he should as unworthy of any thing had worthiness been the thing we should soon agree which latter may well stand with earnest seeking after Gods Love and Gods threatning the Soul if he do not as Christ that was content to drink the Cup yet earnestly prayed against it and this answers another scruple viz. that if a Christian must be so far humbled as not to resist God when he comes to do him good nor yet to quarrel in case it thinks the Lord may cast it off then how can this stand say you with Gods Command who bids us seek his favour or with his threatning if we do not This is all the answer of this reverend man I omit not one syllable In which I desire the Reader to observe that for the word quarrel it was his putting in not mine for I did never intend to justifie that a Creature should quarrel with his Creatour though we read of those in the Scripture that did so in the day of their temptations but this was their infirmity This as I have shewn was another question and I have spoken to this before Also he may observe that I have not mistaken the sense of the question disputing against careless content For then I would not have called such a Soul a damned Saint if such a thing be attainable Yet a strange Riddle if the thing be attainable in this Soul under that preparation we have mentioned and the question speaks of that the highest Act of quiet subjection to the Justice of God which no rational Creature can imagine the like can be performed by one where there is no Grace as yet So that there is nothing added in Mr. Shepherd's answer to my Argument but only this A man may earnestly seek for the favour of God and yet at that time be quietly content to be denied if his pleasure be to deny it this he proves from Christs earnest prayer against the Cup yet content c. This is all I have to reply to Now to this Answer I reply It is very true that a man may pray earnestly for favour from God or favour of God taken in a large sense and yet at the same time may and I will add ought at the same time labour for a quiet meek contented frame if God will deny it but this hits not my Argument I argued thus Here is a Command of God lyes upon me my duty is to answer it Here is a threatning of damnation if I do not perform my duty yet at the same time here is a duty lyes upon me to be quietly content without the duty which I am commanded and threatned if I obey not one duty clasheth against the other As Grace is my duty I must have it or damned It is your duty saith Mr. Shepherd to be quietly content though God will never give you Grace at the same time It is my duty to seek my union with God and his Love he is my summum bonum if I have him not I am damned It is your duty to be quietly content without your summum bonum without God without his Love if he will have it so So it is my duty to believe in Christ else I am damned if I obey not It is your duty to be quietly content without Faith and Christ if God will not give him to you saith Mr. Shepherd So that I cannot see where the strength of my Argument is touched at all For his proof from Christ
with man as man especially if the evil be infinitely greater than the good in that which it would chuse this is common in our practises every day and we think him void of reason that doth not act thus Sin moves a Christian by some good it proffers My Soul take heed saith the Christian what thou doest how thou consentest to this motion for the wrath of God hell and damnation attend this sin I charge thee meddle not with it as thou dreadest and wouldest avoid the wrath of this terrible God Is not this rational and becoming a Christian Is not hell is not the wrath of God an evil for the will to fly from I know there is another evil in the nature of sin and a Christian can and doth make use of that also there are likewise more Arguments but a Christian may make use of this also Only which I might have premised I would not be understood as if this were the only Argument of a Christian that kept him from sin or that moved him to duty Nor 2. that this is alwayes an Argument actually made use of for so do not Christians it may be a good while together but I speak of what a Christian may make use of amongst other Arguments and sometimes is forced to do when no other Argument will prevail against the imperious violent workings of some strong corruptions and glad if by any Arguments he can prevail yea what a tush soever you make at this the Spirit of God must quicken this Argument and set it home else it will not do It is well if all Arguments can prevail well had it been for David and Solomon if by Arguments from Hell they had been preserved from their horrible falls let these Christians contemn it never so much Secondly Self love is a principle implanted by God in nature Self-love I know sounds ill but self love regulated-may be yea must be Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self is the rule for or sum of the second Table I must love my Neighbour I am bound to that you say But how must I love him As thy self as thou lovest and should love thy self so love thy Neighbour Then surely I am bound to love my self as well as I am bound to love my Neighbour for my self-self-love is the example or rule to inform me how I must love my Neighbour when I see my Neighbour about to commit sin or that lives in sin I may lawfully dehort him from sin from this Argument of hell the wrath of God as he loves his own Soul take heed of this course for it will bring the wrath of God upon him and lay him in hell this is but rational who can say the contrary to move him from self-love Surely the same may I apply to my self from that love which I owe my self I sin if I do not love my self Thirdly Though this Argument from Hell be servile looks something like a slavish temper yet the principle which makes a Christian to use it may be and most what is Love Thus the love I owe to God to Christ and to an obedient conversation before him that I may not displease him makes me improve all Arguments whertby I may keep my heart in the wayes of God and keep out all sin that it may not come in to displease him As then I use other Arguments so I use this also any rational Argument that may have a prevalency upon my heart that I may walk in those wayes and please that God whom I love Fourthly It is consistent with a child-like temper to fear his Fathers rod and tremble at his Fathers wrath yea and to take heed of doing that which may displease his Father and provoke his anger so as to use the rod he may be a loving Child to his Father notwithstanding this and doubtless it may as well stand with a Christian spirit and temper thus to be afraid of the wrath of God and by it to be deterred from sin that base nature that as yet is not sanctified as we are but in part here whatever Castellio saith had need have this dreadful rod held over it to keep it under If then it be rational then it may well consist with Christianity for all Gods wayes are rational what is irrational or contrary to sound reason cannot be imputed to his wayes which we are called to walk in Fifthly Adam in his pure estate was moved to obedience from a threat of which more by and by Secondly It is Seriptural and if it agrees with Scripture we little weigh what men yea what Christians say to the contrary First Christ himself we need no better warrant moveth with this Argument but whom doth he move Luke 12.4 I say unto you my friends Christ is moving of his friends I call you not servants c. but I have called you friends John 15.15 be sure Christ will not move such with any Argument but what is consistent with and worthy of his friends I will forewarn you whom you shall fear Fear him which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell But will this Argument become a friend He repeats it Yea I say unto you not only to others that are but servants but you my friends fear him ver 5. So Matth. 10.28 I know the distinction of punishment into paena damni and poena sensus is very true and Scriptural and though some apply it here that the punishment of loss in hell the loss of Gods face and favour vision of him which is the chiefest part of hell may well be feared and is consistent with the highest degree of love and that is principally here meant be it so yet it is not only meant for Christ maketh no such distinction here but hell is it which he mentions and shews it consistent with his Disciples his friends not Judas only and if with them then with any Christians to fear him who casts into hell and by this to be preserved from the slavish fear of men in doing their duty Again that Argument wherewith Christ moveth his Disciples for to them he speaks Matth. 16.24 after he had given that sharp rebuke to Peter to self-denial and taking up the cross is in a manner the same for it is the loss of their Souls ver 25 26. Secondly The Apostles moved with the same Argument Heb. 12.28 29. To whom doth the Apostle speak To those that receive a Kingdom What duty doth he call them to Let us have grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear But with what Argument will the Apostle move these Christians to this duty which is a large duty comprehending all For our God is a consuming fire Our God from whom we receive this Kingdom he is thus therefore look to your God as a consuming fire is an Argument for those who receive a Kingdom to make use of to hold their hearts in a reverent frame of obedience towards God all
this only that by his sin be hath displeased God who hath been to him a most merciful and loving Father Quest What sign is there of this sorrow Answ The true sign of it is this when a man can be grieved for the very disobedience of God in his evil word or deed though he should never be punished 1 Pet. 2.19 and though there were neither Heaven nor Hell By these men Christians are put to try their Sonship whether Sons or Slaves also to try their repentance and godly sorrow here is the only cause and the true sign set down whereby they must try themselves you repent you are sorrowful for offending of God you worship him you serve him though there were neither Heaven nor Hell give in your answers Christians you are sure thus it is with you and you can trust your hearts that they say true if they do say as these Divines have said before Calonius to prove his Assertion brings in Antigonus his judgment who taught his Scholars this kind of Divinity and tells us out of Menasse Ben Israel that Zadok and Baytos two of Antigonus Scholars did misinterpret their Masters Doctrine as if their Master denied any other life after this and from thence took occasion to deny the immortality of the Soul and from this Zadok rose the Heresie and Sect of the Sadduces thus he Of these Sadduces we read often in the Gospels and in Acts 23.8 The Sadduces say there is no Resurrection neither Angel nor Spirit Were there neither reward nor punishment Hell nor Heaven I believe the number of Sons and such Penitents would be but very few Sadduces would not be esteemed Hereticks Such Doctrine would produce if not vile Herefies yet vile practises This Doctrine turns out all the Promises and all the Threatnings out of the Bible as to Believers and sets up such Divinity as came not into the thoughts of God to declare to the Sons of men Strange that when man was in his pure estate no sin yet had crept into his Soul yet then when God gives him a Commandment to obey he to keep man to obedience adds this threat Thou shalt dye And that now when sin hath got in and hath still such a hold even in those who are regenerate Sons and do truly repent and besides sin dwelling in them live amongst such varieties of temptations to draw forth sin which Adam never had that now persons must be put to try their Sonship and godly sorrow by this that though there were neither Hell nor Heaven yet they would serve God and repent is very strange Yet farther to answer these worthy men First I grant that the true Children of God do walk with God they do serve him worship him they do repent when they fall without being moved with Arguments from Hell or Heaven being actually in their thoughts the excellency of God and Christ the love they bear to him the content they have and find in pleasing of him the beauty they see in a conformity to his holy Will and blessed Image carries them on without having Heaven or Hell reward or punishment actually in their eye but what my vile heart would do if there were neither Heaven nor Hell reward nor punishment as these men say I cannot tell that what Calonius and holy Perkins found in their hearts I know not but I am sure many find their hearts so vile so out of frame many times that let them use all Arguments from the right hand and left unless the Spirit of God comes in and quickens them and puts to his power they will not all do to keep the vile heart in the path of Gods Commandements Secondly I grant that is a true sign as Mr. Perkins saith if persons do as he sayes in their godly sorrow but if there be no other sign but this and as he saith for no other cause but this only then I know not how we shall be sure of our repentance or Sonship until I saw and were sure there were neither Heaven nor Hell and then saw what my heart would do whatever it may say now it would do I dare not trust it Thirdly The only cause saith Mr. Perkins is this Because by his sin he hath displeased God who hath been to him a most merciful and loving Father Very good Wherein did God shew himself to be so merciful and loving Was it not in delivering him from the misery for mercy alwayes suppose misery he had brought himself into And is not guilt hell and damnation a part of that misery It seems then the man being delivered from hell calls God his loving and merciful Father for redeeming his Soul from death and from this love and mercy of God to him if he offends he mourns and grieves and would do though there were no hell and by this judge his state But had God been looked upon so merciful and loving if he had not delivered him from Hell and given him a Title to Heaven I doubt not So that when a man is sure of deliverance from the one and Title to the other now he repents and serves God though there were neither one nor the other This is the Divinity I cannot understand As to the Texts Mr. Perkins quotes to prove his Doctrine that of 2 Cor. 7.8 9. it proves not at all his point it mentions godly sorrow indeed but what was the only cause of it it treats not of it doth not say the Corinthians were so sorrowful though there were neither Hell nor Heaven Nay in the fear which it wrought ver 11. I do not know how Mr. Perkins will prove that the thoughts of the wrath of God of Hell might not be some inducement to that fear As to Peter's bitter weeping Matth. 26.75 which is his next it proves no more than what I yielded at first the look of a gracious Saviour upon unkind Peter who had boasted so before that he would dye with him and not deny him but now deals with him after this manner this breaks Peter's heart this argues that unkind dealing against love manifested breaks a heart and nothing like it But still in what is this love manifested John 6.68 Peter knew Thou hast the words of eternal life the Christ the Saviour had there been neither Heaven nor Hell I question whether Peter would have left all and followed him As to 1 Peter 2.19 the only Text he quotes for his second Answer the Apostle exhorts Servants to be subject to their Masters though froward his reason For this is thank worthy if a man for Conscience towards God endure grief suffering wrongfully By Conscience here is meant no other but that good Conscience before God which makes Christian Servants sollicitously careful lest by their disobedient and rebellious carriages against their Masters they should offend God who had given command to Servants to be obedient and subject to their Masters but as the Lord had given command to Servants so he promises them
it off This doth the Spirit in the work of effectual Calling as I shall open hereafter Third Position The wayes of God in converting or drawing the soul to Christ are very secret and in preparatory works very varions What Bildad said to Job Job 8.8 10. Enquire I pray thee of the former age c. So may I say call to the Saints of old ask the children of Abraham in all ages I do not say enquire of painted Hypocrites but real Christians will they not utter words out of their hearts as Bildad said which will confirm this Position The wayes of God are first secret the union of the soul with Christ is set out by marriage Durandus p. 2. and it is called a mystery Ephes 5.32 Mysterium est sacrum secretum can you lay open this secret before the Sun Agur among the things that were too wonderful for him Prov. 30.19 reckons this the way of a man with a maid the mystical sense which Alapide gives I regard not Most interpreters I see understand this of a wicked man The next verse seems to confirm this sense who is enamoured with love or inflamed with concupiscence and so to note his witty sollicitations his artificial plots and cunning devices to win consent c. yet I see others do not take it so but think it may as well be understood of lawful love and said to be wonderful both in respect of the rare and wonderful uniting of his heart with the Maid whom he loves and also in respect of the wonderful means used by him for the getting and enjoying of her This is as true as the former as experience witnesses which is the true sense of the words I determine not but in allusion to it I can say the wayes of Christ with the soul in effectual Calling how he works in bringing of the soul from its former lovers how he wooes and draws it to himself and makes it so gladly to come up to married union with himself this is too wonderful for me and I think for any one else to lay open Knowest thou how the bones do grow in the womb of her who is with child Eccl. 11.5 we have our English Harvy's famous De generatione Animalium and we have our English Divines famous De regeneratione Animarum but did learned Harvy stand by and see how the God of Nature wrought in that dark shop when he carried on his work so far he could see his work wrought but could he see the working Is it not as true in regeneration though considering the term from which a man turns and the term to which he turns and that this is done in a rational Creature we may certainly conclude such and such things must be wrought before regeneration can be effected but how God works them is a great secret God hath his path which the Vultures eye hath not seen Job 28.7 Why then should we trouble our selves so much about the wayes of Gods working as look to the work wrought As God is secret so he is various in his working Various First For Time God is various in working Some who lived in a course of sin who walked in the wayes of their hearts and in the sight of their eyes as Solomon Ironically bids the young man Eccles 11.9 can tell the time the day the Text the Sermon the Minister when God put a stop to their course opening their eyes awakening their consciences made their sweet morsels turn bitter others can tell the signsl Providence of God with which he was pleased to work some sharp affliction it may be he sent and sealed instruction Job 33.16 But others cannot tell the time when God began to work and this have been to some a long time an objection against the truth of their regeneration because they cannot tell the time of their new birth as if all the regenerated persons in the Scripture knew the time when God began to work as if there were any ground in Scripture for such a Position All that are new born know the time of their now birth What Divine that did deserve the name of a Gospel-Minister did ever deliver such a Doctrine Doth not God many times in insancy in childhood cast in the immortal Seed which being watered by the instructions and care of godly Parents at home who are dropping upon their Children ever and anon and by the lively Word preached springeth and groweth up the poor Christian knoweth not how Mark 4.27 Some Christians finding at some time more stirrings and higher workings or new convictions of some sin under the Ordinances then they did before will from thence reckon the time of their new birth when they are much mistaken God had begun it before This is a meer vanity and devils delusion to trouble thy self about the time look to the work that it be soundly wrought but I would never trouble my self about the time Many can tell the time when God did awaken their Consciences and set home sin upon them with legal terrors they can tell the Minister and the Text but they could not tell of a sound work of conversion as the event hath proved Secondly Various as for the beginning of the time so for the length of time It is in the new birth as in the natural birth some are a long time in travel their pains not very strong some their pains are long and strong some are but a little while in travel like the Hebrew Women Exod. 1.19 and pains sharp but short others not so sharp neither If we look at the beginning of the Gospel preaching how quick were the souls in their new birth as I may say they were delivered and up again hail and strong in a few hours I cannot say that the Jaylor was above one hour if so much in his travel under the work of Compunction the Text saith Acts 16.33 The same hour of the night he took them and washed their stripes the Earthquake began at mid-night ver 25. before day ver 35. here is one new born and lusty for he was filled with joy ver 34 So those in Acts 2. how long were they in travel they must be but a very little time under the work of Compunction for to have three thousand souls added in one day ver 41. baptized and settled with comfort by night when Peter began his Sermon but about nine of the clock in the morning ver 15. we must allow but a very little time for Compunction In Acts 8. little of pain is mentioned among the Samaritans in their new birth ver 5 8. Now though the Lord for the honour of his Gospel the establishing and encouraging of souls and fitting of them for times of persecution at hand was quicker with them then with us yet we see the Lord is very various for the length of time even amongst us some are not a quarter the time under their pains that others are Thirdly Various in his method in some
the great gates no wider gate is opened for the rich Man then for Lazarus If this do not please you find a better way if you can but be assured the Almighty scorns your greatness as much as you can his straitness Hence since the work wrought is the same in all let not Christians so much perplex and trouble themselves because God wrought not so in them as he did in others or because they cannot tell how God wrought in them they cannot trace out his path for in his working there is much variety but look to that in which all must agree look to regeneration union with Christ that the work be done no matter how God did it Sixth Position To say of a man under Gods working that he is but under a preparatory work and no more is a difficult thing Who can say there is no more but preparation in such a person Mr. Shepherd makes his preparatory works to consist 1. In Conviction there he saith the light is clear real constant p. 32. 2. In Compunction fear sorrows separation from sin p. 65. 3. In Humiliation taken off from self-confidence c. p. 125. Is there a preparatory state in which the soul stands for a time not as yet in a converted state May not the Lord at the very first stroak convey an immortal seed of grace into the soul the light which is so clear constant and real as he saith may it not be as the Lightning which cometh out of the East and shineth even to the West Matth. 24.27 so this shines into the whole soul will and all affections be so bright and clear at the first darting in that the Spirit withall quickens the will We know grace at first lieth in a narrow compass a seed a Mustard-seed is but a small thing Seventh Position To work a man under preparatory works to be as good a Christian as he is when he is actually united to Christ seems very strange When Mr. Hooker preached those Sermons about the Souls preparation for Christ and Humiliation my Father-in-law Mr. Nath. Ward told him Mr. Hooker you make as good Christians before men are in Christ as ever they are after and wished would I were but as good a Christian now as you make men while they are but preparing for Christ But he told him the reason why he thought God let him thus preach because he saw he had not long to stand and so should do his work all at once Let but one observe well Mr. Shepherd's preparatory work and I think we shall find a Christian with a good measure of Grace in my Letter to him I said I thought it strange that such an Act of Grace or Obedience supposing it to be so which yet I do not till I see a Command for it should be performed by a person under a preparatory work to Christ then which I knew none greater could be performed by one who is in Christ for a man to be so subject to the Justice and Soveraignty of God that if he will deny him his love work no grace dispose of him to damnation he is yet quiet contented I knew no Act of self-denial in the Gospel like it yet this is under the preparatory work of humiliation To this he answers I do not think this is the highest measure of grace as you hint any further then as any peculiar work of the Spirit is high for upon a narrow enquiry it is far different from that readiness of Paul and Moses out of a principle of love to Christ to wish themselves anathematized for Israels sake which is a high pitch indeed To which I reply 1. As to the principle it is true there may be some difference formally the principle is not the same yet this is a principle of humble and gracious submission to the Justice and Soveraignty of God and that in such a point as there is not another like it Could I but get it in all other things I should think it an Act of Grace from God to give me such a frame though I be not content to be damned Secondly Whatever be the principle I am sure according to the sense which must be given of Paul and Moses by this holy man they and the prepared soul or preparing for Christ must all meet in the same end or place i. e. in Hell Thirdly But with humble respect to Mr. Shepherd are indeed the Acts of Paul and Moses supposing the sense of the words to be as he takes them such Acts of Grace as are required by God and we bound to imitate if they were Acts of grace performed in obedience to a Command then we are all bound to the same Of necessity then the sense of the words must first be made plain First If the book written Exod. 32.32 be understood of the Book of life i. e. of divine Predestination and if Anathema in Rom. 9.3 be taken in the proper sense and these must be so taken to make Mr. Shepherd's answer good then both these wishes are inconsistent with a man as man and with a Christian as Christian as I shall prove anon to talk of limiting Anathema the sense of it as some would because they saw what this included signifies nothing if you fall a limiting I will limit also Secondly To me it appears further it cannot be the sense because God in answer to Moses ver 33. tells him Whosoever hath sinned against me him will I blot out of my book What out of the book of Divine Predestination I am sure Mr. Shepherd nor those other Divines will admit blotting out of that book the 34. ver tells Moses he will visit their sin upon them and ver 35. he plagued the people Surely God spake in that sense which Moses did Cor. a Lapide indeed affirms upon the Text It is lawful for the salvation of many for a man to wish his own damnation As much as they are for the works of Supererogation I do not believe the Jesuit did ever heartily wish his own damnation upon this account yet if so these Jesuits are so crafty he makes his bargain so that he will get by it for saith he God will reward such a generous and liberal soul with heaps and increase of love grace and other gifts Yes God doth use to fill those who are blotted out of the book of eternal life and accursed from Christ with increase of Love and Grace Let him fry this Other Divines therefore do not understand the book of eternal life or Divine Predestination See Mr. Coryl on Job cap. 24. v. 20. but the Records of the Church or Records of the people of Israel The Jews were wont to number their families and take their names and God commanded a Record of the people of Israel to be written Thus we read David praying Psal 69.28 against his enemies Let them be blotted out of the book of the living and not be written with the righteous Would David pray to
have any blotted out of the book of Divine Predestination Therefore by the latter clause the Church must be meant they seemed once to be men of that Society but they have discovered themselves to be of another alliance blot them out let not their names live in the Church The 13. of Ezek. 9. seems to answer this of the Psalmist They shall not live in the Assembly of my people neither shall they be written in the writing of the house of Israel To confirm this interpretation I add first In the tenth verse of this Chapter God bid Moses let him alone that his wrath might wax hot against the people and I will make of thee a great nation God is threatning to blot out the name of Israel cut them off and promiseth Moses to make of him a great nation Nay saith Moses I am so far from this ambition to be made a great nation upon this condition that I will let thee alone that thy wrath may cut this people off that I rather desire thee to blot my name out of the writing of Israel that my name may not stand in that Record as an head of thy people as now I am but let me not so much as be reckoned for an Israelite before thy Name shall suffer thus Secondly That God answers him ver 32. as I said before that he would blot out c. and did visit them and plagued them Thirdly From the Hebrew Text something may be gathered the word which our Translators render I pray thee is rendred Now (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by Arias Montanus and Pagnin the word signifies both I pray thee and now I conceive our Translators render it I pray thee because now was once before in the beginning of the verse but the Chaldee Paraphrast renders it also now (b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nunc So Jonatham Targum render it now (c) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Blot me now out of the book of the just in midst of which thou hast written my name The Alexand. The Chaldee Paraph. hath the same word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the begining of the verse also Gr. Manuscr 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 blot me also out but neither the Septuagint nor this have the word I pray thee nothing that answers the Hebrew word The Samaritan Text hath not this word in it but it hath another word in the Text the Septuagint and that Text agree If the word be translated now which may well be Moses being now in a great passion his zeal raised for God then this sense doth much confirm the interpretation I am so little desirous to be a great nation that if thou wilt blot out the name of this thy people blot me now also out of that book thou hast written I do not desire to live any longer Munster comments thus upon the words De libro scilicet vitae vel ut Sepharadi exponit De libro legis dele nomen meum ne memoria nominis mei habeatur in eo To this sense also Gomarus (d) In explicat cap. 3. Apocal. de libro vitae assents I think there may be something in this the Text doth not say Blot me out of the book of life but out of the book thou hast written which to me hints a difference between the book of Divine Predestination and that book of which Moses speaks As to Paul's Anathema I think Mr. Caryl saith well That Moses and Paul were moved with the same spirit of zeal for the glory of God in both their wishes and as Moses so Paul wished himself to be an Anathema from Christ that is a person separated or excommunicated from the society or communion of the faithful and so no more to be remembred amongst the Saints or to have his name blotted out of the Church Records though he had been so great a planter and propagater of Churches thus Mr. Caryl Certainly Paul whose heart was so inflamed with love to Christ Could not wish himself accursed from Christ and so an enemy to him as anathematized persons are 1 Cor. 16.22 besides the impossibility of the wish in Moses and Paul as men there were great sin in the wish First with that sense which Mr. Caryl gives agreeth Grotius upon the Text accursed from Christ that is From the Church of Christ which is called Christ 1 Cor. 12.12 Gal. 3.27 As it was the manner among the Hebrews for the Wives to be called by the name of the Husband Isai 4.1 This he saith I would not only want the honour of Apostleship but also to be the most contemptible amongst the Christians as those who are excommunicated thus Grotius In Text. Nor much different is Gomarus who distinguisheth between a temporal and eternal Anathema between Anathema simply so and for ever And secundum quid or after a sort so shows it is a temporal Anathema and after a sort which Paul wisht not the eternal as Christ was an Anathema for us but not for ever He quotes a passage in Nazianzen Oratio 44. in Pentecost wishing the same upon himself in behalf of the Macedonians who judged right of the Father and Son but held the Holy Ghost to be a Creature his love and affection was so great towards them that upon condition they might joyn together and celebrate the Trinity in common 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. it is but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nazianzen commends them for many things in that Oration he quotes this saying of the Apostle and doubts not to say with him as he did but yet limits it he will not take the extent of the word Learned Rivet saith Whatever be the sense we must not think that Moses and Paul did pray for any thing contrary to Gods will and absolutely and determinately contrary to their own salvation He inclines to that sense I have given In Exod. 31.32 thinking it doth sufficiently argue the ardent desire of the good and salvation of this people to chuse death rather then the Nation of the Jews should be rejected or blotted out Lipomanus whom he quotes looks on it as an Hyperbolical manner of speaking to express the greatness of his affection towards them as if saith Rivet a Son that is very dear to his Father should thus intercede for his rebellious Brother either pardon my Brother or kill me and deprive me of my inheritance To conclude before Mr. Shepherd's answer take me off it must be proved that this is the sense of Moses and Paul which he supposeth to be true but is denied Yet again suppose it were so I have not met with one Divine who will maintain that all Christians are bound to come up to Moses and Paul in their wish but both Mr. Hooker and Mr. Shepherd have made that whereof we now treat a part of the Souls humiliation and preparation for Christ and therefore must be found in all Eighth Position Those works which are called preparatory unto
God in Christ to deal with Secondly We observe as these were external bodily and temporary judgments so the people were actually under them they were not under the threats of the judgments but the judgments themselves So Levit. 26.41 expresseth it plainly when they were in the Land of their enemies If then their uncircumcised hearts were humbled and they accept of the punishment What punishment This their scattering amongst their enemies So in the Lamentations and Micah Make this agree with our question the Soul must be actually given up to its lusts and actually damned Thirdly They were such evils that though they were actually under them yet they might have union with God and live in communion with him though strangers in an enemies Land yet not strangers to God Thus we read of precious Saints in captivity Daniel c. So The Lord is my portion saith my soul Lam. 3.24 My God will hear me Micah 7.7 God would be a Sanctuary to them Ezek. 11.16 though scattered among Heathen promise He will not cast them away nor abhor them Levit. 26.44 Fourthly These evils were means in the hand of God to bring them home to God when they tasted the fruit of their rebellion it helped to bring them to repentance in a strange Land they learned acquaintance with God when they were strangers to him in their own Land thus Ephraim found it or shall find it Jer. 31.18 19 20. Thus God promiseth Isai 27.9 Fifthly They were such evils as they had gracious promises of deliverance from them and they have been in part when the two Tribes and a few of the ten Tribes with them returned and shall be to the life fulfilled when the time of their ingrafting comes Rom. 11.15 24 26. When the Lord shall set his hand Again the second time To recover the remnant of his people Isai 11.11 When Judah and Israel shall be joyned one to another in one stock Ezek. 37.16 17. Sixthly It is very true many of those Saints did humble themselves and accept of that punishment Daniel 9. Ezra 9.13 Nehem. 9.33 And as they so have many of the people of God either attained or laboured to attain a humble submissive quiet spirit under such evils as these Texts speak of not quarrelling or murmuring if they do they repent of it are ashamed they can sometimes kiss the rod put their mouths in the dust profess it is mercy they are living men that God may deal worse with them yet not in Hell causeth blessing of God in all conditions But I pray apply these Texts and these things to our question in hand where the judgments are internal eternal where can be no union nor communion with God no means to bring home the Soul to God from which no deliverance when actually under them as they were of whom those Texts speak whence I see not how these Texts prove the thing in hand Now I come to his Reasons though one clear Scripture had been more then all his Reasons First Else the Lord should not advance the riches of his Grace the advancement of Grace cannot be without the humiliation of the Creature Answ Cannot the Lord advance his Grace unless the Soul now enlightened convinced broken with fears and sorrows emptied of it self apprehending nothing but hell and damnation in it self having neither money to give nor hands to work and finding nothing to fly to but the riches of Mercy and freeness of Grace with the Redemption of Jesus Christ which now the Soul prizes at a high rate cannot the Lord I say advance his Grace now unless this Soul be contented to have no Grace no Love of God but be damned for ever Hath the Lord said so then I shall believe it To what end was all that work of the Spirit was it not to make the Soul quite undone in it self that it might see nothing but Grace and Christ can save it Let us call to thousands and ten thousands of Saints who never heard of this Doctrine till these two Worthies preached it Let us call to those who reading it are much troubled and cannot yield to it as true that God requires it what do you feel within you Is it not Grace the free rich Grace of God glorious in your thoughts Do you not cry out Grace Grace as those Zech. 4.7 Are not the riches of his Grace and Redemption of his Christ the Jachin and Boaz of thy Soul the pillars that bear it up as they did Solomon's Porch 1 Kings 7.21 which if taken away all thy hopes and comforts come tumbling down as the house upon the Philistines heads when Sampson took away the pillars of it Speak O you troubled wounded Christians whose hearts have sunk at the reading of this Doctrine do you not advance and labour every day to advance and think you can never advance enough this freeness of his Grace with the Righteousness and Redemption of his dear Christ Are not these wonderful in your eyes Blessed be God we have our senses our feeling our experience of these things yet we cannot tell how to be content without Gods Love to be given to our lusts and damned eternally Doth not God advance his Grace when we feel we cannot live but are miserable undone damned worse then Toads without it We can never advance the riches of his Grace enough we do acknowledge therefore we desire to see our own vileness more and more daily that we may more speak the praises of this rich Grace If God doth not advance the riches of his Grace in this way I have mentioned I wish he had told us how God doth it though we are poor weaklings and fall short of that measure of Grace he had yet we shall set our sense and feeling against his lines unless he had brought us a word from God that he cannot advance his Grace unless his Creature after all his preparations of it be content quiet well apayed satisfied words Mr. Hooker several times uses without his Love Grace given up to lusts and damned we shall not believe it His second Reason Else the Lord should not be Lord and dispose of his own Grace but a sinful Creature will have the disposal of it Answ I deny the Consequence Unless I be content quiet well satisfied without the Lords Grace he is not Lord of his own Grace Doth Gods being Soveraign of his Grace depend upon my being content without it But I answer secondly That there is such a Truth that the Lord is Soveraign of his own Grace that he will have mercy ou whom he will have mercy we must acknowledge and tremble at it though we know many men cannot digest it but to teach that Soveraignty in this place to a Soul under this work brought now up to the great sense of the want and high prizing of it I think it immethodical To preach it I say in the calling of the Soul home to Christ under the work of Conversion which is our question
shew that all who live as he did shall be happy as he is being now risen but raised by God not by himself and ascended into glory A goodly business an excellent gift to set out the love of God by had his Power Wisdom and Goodness in the Creation been no more than this the invisible things of him the eternal power and Godhead Rom 1.20 had never been seen to convince a Heathen by the light of Nature His miraculous Conception what is in this Adam's forming out of the earth was infinitely more miraculous But this Son had no sin no more had Adam when God made him and though he did live without sin that is little the Angels do as much That he died so have many Martyrs more as bad deaths and worse to bear testimony to the Doctrine of God and God will raise them also So that if the gift of God be no more than the Socinians Jesus we will never wonder at this love of God the Text may well leave out the so loved for this is not love to set out a God by our understandings can easily grasp this being a pitiful small gift this is not as he said a gift like a thing I must give like a King But now for God to send his only begotten Son therefore of the same essence with the Father as Children are of the Father else no Son the wonderful the mighty God Isai 9.6 1 Tim. 3.16 to take on him then he must have a praeexistence for non ens cannot take the seed of Abraham Heb. 2.16 to redeem the seed of Abraham that he must be made of a Woman made under the Law that he might redeem them that are under the Law being made himself a curse Gal. 4.4 5. Gal. 3.13 This is a gift indeed this argues love like a God indeed The Creation doth not more demonstrate his power and wisdom to be infinite than this gift demonstrates his love to be infinite he may well put so to this love this confounds swallows up the understanding sets it in amazement and there leaves it as do the other Attributes of God this love bears a full proportion with his other Attributes The Socinians Jesus debase God and make his Attributes of love unbecoming God The Socinians make great use of Matth. 28.18 All power c. But that was Gods love to his Son as he had been a Servant and done his Fathers work this is part of his wages but his love to us is in the gift of his Son and his dying for us Rom. 5.8 there look for the so loved Again in 1 Pet. 1.12 we read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 propriae usitatur de iis qui studio intuendi penitius introspiciendi se inclinant quique summ◠studio omnia explorant ac diligenter fixis oculis intuentur Which things the Angels desire to look into the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to look into is used of John John 20.5 and of Peter Luke 24.12 when they stooped down and looked wishly to see whether Christ were not in the Sepulchre and in James 1.25 Who so looketh into the perfect Law which the Dutch translate thus he that narrowly looketh for such looking the Law requireth it notes a curious prying into that which hath some veiled or secret rarity in it Grotius saith the Apostle hath a respect to Exod. 25.20 where the Cherubims the representative Angels were made with their eyes looking down to the Mercy seat What our Lord said to the Multitude Matth. 11.7 concerning John What went ye out into the wilderness to see so may I have leave with honour to those blessed Creatures to say What is it ye bow your selves to see What is it you are curious to pry into a Socinian Jesus You see but a man yea but he is a man whose conception is wonderful in the womb of a Virgin But the forming of the woman of the rib of the man and Adam out of the earth is a thousand times more wonderful than the forming of a man of the seed of the woman which concurs to all generations of men But he is without sin So are ye and so was Adam once and though now we are fallen yet considering that body of death within and the temptations that arise from thence and without from Satan and World it is a wonder that so many Saints walk so holily as they do But he preached the way to Heaven And this was preached before by Moses and Prophets as well as by the Socinians Jesus Enoch Abraham the Patriarchs knew the way to Heaven and were Pilgrims here Heb. 11.13 14 15 16. But he died to confirm his Doctrine So have thousands of Martyrs But he was raised again the third day The Socinians Jesus could not raise himself but if God raised him so shall all the Saints be raised as well as he the time on the third day makes nothing to raise the bodies of Saints dead so many hundred of years since is a wonder infinitely beyond the raising of a Socinians Jesus the third day And this wonder is to be performed by our Jesus John 6.39 40 44 54. This work is too hard for the Socinians Jesus therefore are the Socinians as faulty and erroneous in the Doctrine of the Resurrection Corpora haec quae nunc circum ferimus resurrectura non credimus saith Smalcius Now where is that Mystery where is that manifold wisdom of God Ephes 3.9 10. O ye blessed Angels that ye are so desirous to look into and find out Here is no such rare Invention in this Socinians Jesus to take up the thoughts of a man with admiration much less of Angels But to see God manifest in the flesh 1 Tim. 3.16 to see the second person in the Trinity united to that holy thing conceived in the womb of the Virgin to see him made under the Law yea made a Curse to see him made sin who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him 2 Cor. 5. last For God to find a way how to justifie a sinful condemned wretch and yet he be just true and holy none of these Attributes suffer and yet Mercy triumph in saving a sinner yea that he should find out a way to give his offended Justice greater satisfaction while he sheweth mercy in saving sinners than he could ever have received either by the confusion or annihilation of them to see him reconciling a world of obstinate and rebellious enemies unto himself and all this by the blood and righteousness of our Jesus God in our flesh to see him incorporating Christ and his Church things in their own distinct natures as unapt for mixture as fire and water here is a mystery indeed here is manifold wisdom of God indeed worthy to set the blessed Angels on work to find out worthy to set heaven and earth admiring And now we can see good reason why it is said Worship him all ye Angels Heb 1.6 But the
pleasures for evermore Psal 16.11 Flesh bids ease and liberty from trouble Christ bids Peace in Conscience peace in Heaven pardon in bosome John 14.27 and 16 33. Flesh bids riches Christ bids unsearchable riches Ephes 3.8 Flesh bids the love and favour of great Persons Christ bids the love of his Father and his love John 14.21 To conclude to beat Flesh quite out saith God I give thee my self I give thee my Christ whatever Flesh bids make the best it is but temporary what I bid is eternal 2 Cor. 4 last The Soul being under the work of the Spirit is enlightened to see all these things in their reallity and enabled to understand the glory and good of them and thus the Lord carries away the will in triumph he hath out-bidden the Flesh the blessed Angels they rejoyce at this work Luke 15.10 There is joy in the presence of the Angels of God over one sinner that repenteth But what hast thou gotten sweet Saviour that thou art so pleased in thy victory Psal 110.3 What I have got thy will A huge booty Lord not worth the taking up nor worth the ten thousand part of what thou hast offered to win it thou hast but pulled trouble upon thy self in getting it now thou hast a sinful wretched guilty peevish froward polluted wretch to pardon to cleanse to take care of one that will try thy patience small reason why thou shouldst triumph in thy winnings Be it so yet my Father hath the glory of his Grace and Mercy I have the glory of my Love and Redemption I see of the travel of my soul and I am satisfied Isai 53.11 To eternity then let thy Fathers Grace and Mercy be adored thy Love and Redemption admired Thus it is Christs out bidding of Flesh and the Creature which strikes the main stroke in the answering of the Call And now the will being renewed and the Spirit present in this work to make clear to the will the will comes off most sweetly freely never acted more freely with more sweetness than now though still there lye a corrupt old Adam that is cross to this but at this time it is so overpowred with Grace that it appeareth not in the actings of it and the dominion of it is for ever broken Jansenius moves this Question Jansen Aug. tom 3. l. 4. c. 1. Caelestis quaedam ineffabilu servitus c. Quid fit medicinale Christi Adjutorium secundum Substantiam Or thus Wherein lyeth the efficacy of that which the Schools call gratia efficax What is it that makes it so He answers in blessed Austin's words Victrix delectatio an overcoming a conquering delight or thus in his own words It is nothing else but a certain heavenly and unspeakable sweetness or spiritual delight by which the will is prevented and bowed to will and do whatever the Lord commands it to will and do He spends eleven Chapters in proving that this conquering delight and heavenly sweetness which the Lord lets in to the Soul is that which makes Grace to be efficacious in Conversion and in overcoming any temptation he that reads his Chapters will find how experimentally he writes Now if by this conquering delight and heavenly sweetness he understands the joy the rest the sweetness the Soul finds in possessing the Object which it loves and desires as when God shines upon the Soul and gives it to know his Love this is rarely found in the first Conversion now though in the Gospel-Converts it was known to commend the Gospel in the first preaching of it to fit them for sufferings for it The Apostles being to travel up and down could not abide fixed with them to help them but yet a conquering an out-bidding Good having a pleasing sweetness attends it the Lord doth present to the will which draws the will sweetly after it and makes Calling to be effectual and without it there can be no sound Conversion by this the Soul seeth a reason to move to this term unto which it is called for all that pretended good which held the Soul fast in the term from which it was called is all answered out bid and conquered This Victrix delectatio B. Austin makes so much mention of because he had found it in his own experience how the Lord took him off by it when he was under that great Conflict how he should part with his lusts Christ threw them out Confess l 90.12 and camest in thy self more sweet than all pleasure then saith he of a sudden how sweet was it for me to want the sweetness of those trifles and those which before I feared to loose it was now my joy to let them go Thus Stella interpreting those words Luke 14.23 Compel them to come in speaks most excellently How doth the Lord compel men to come in Two wayes saith he First By shewing to the will such good that the will cannot but desire it Secondly By removing and hiding all evil and whereas the object of the will is good God can represent to the will so much good that the will cannot but love that good which it seeth and this is no compulsion of the will Quia voluntas naturaliter fertur in bonum Thus we have the two last things which I opened as required to a true receiving of Christ proved and here let me only leave this word to many Christians who when they read of such a mighty power that God puts forth in the day of Conversion or of Faith closing with Christ Psal 110.3 Ephes 1.19 c. they apprehend God puts forth some strong Act whereby he bends or bows their wills and makes them by mighty power of his as it were by force to come up to his terms in offering of Christ and they have not felt such a force or powe but have found their hearts so willing to accept him upon those terms and blessing God for ever may they but have him for their Jesus and God for their God it is the best bargainn that ever they made hence not feeling such a power as they imagined their faith is not found Now this is a gross mistake yea though God wrought upon thee when thou wert adult and hadst played the Rebel against him before in thy life following thy vile lusts when God hath been preparing of thee before and thy will renewed whether mediately by working on the understanding first in order of nature though in order of time together or whether immediately I dispute not though I incline to the first thy heart comes up most freely and sweetly to thy closing with Christ as if there were no power at all put forth upon the will by God because by out-bidding of all thy lusts and setting before thy hungry will such a Gospel-Feast as I mentioned before and helping of thy understanding clearly to see it and taste it though he doth still concur with the will it comes off as freely as ever it did in making of a bargain in
strange but clear manner to that Soul doth so perswade the heart of Gods love and that it doth exceedingly ravish it for that time I doubt not of it But first They are but rare Christians who meet with these dainties Secondly This voice of Mr. Bolton's and so this way of assurance is without any Syllogismes The question is not which part the conclusion must follow Thirdly Satan sometimes is transformed into an Angel of light and as he can play his game in filling precious Souls with fears and darkness so he can no doubt help an unsound heart to ravishing comforts perswading them they are the Children of God One I knew who was under terrible lashes of Conscience upon a sin of theft Ministers and Christians came to visit him the Soar being opened by Confession the man was filled with such divine comforts expressed himself at that rate that they were amazed the Minister an able man and holy not being acquainted with such dainties though it were the last day of the week when he saw the man under these ravishments altered his course chose another Text to shew how the Spirit of God was able to raise a Soul as low as Hell even as high as Heaven in a short time they had there the Instance of it Yet the good Christians who lived in the family it was a Gentlemans family told me they could discern no work of Grace in this man afterwards So that here we have cause to look how to clear our selves from Enthusiasme And if the question be seriously put How shall I know this voice to be the voice of the Spirit of Christ If you say the Spirit cleared that when he spake it Will not the other say so of his Spirit Must we not come to examining of the work of Grace Faith Conversion for be sure the Spirit of God speaks only to such our Spirits must bear witness also and that Mr. Bolton addeth as a note to distinguish this voice of the Spirit from a delusion Ibid. p. 328. that this witness of the Spirit ever goeth along with the testimony of a renewed Conscience Rom. 8.16 and so followeth this under several heads to help resolve the Christian who is truly troubled about it and would not be mistaken about that testimony of the Spirit though he answered before with Ambrose The Holy Ghost doth never speak unto us but doth make us know that it is be which speaketh I doubt not of it but as the Sun clears it self so doth the Spirit when he speaks But yet a few words Our Spirits bear witness that our spirits may do so there must be a concourse of the Spirit of God with our spirits to help them do so 〈…〉 course of God as the first cause in all Acts qua Act 〈◊〉 a special gracious concourse in this Act for what 〈◊〉 the darkness corruption deceit confusion jealousie fears arising from hence our spirits though renewed will never be able to bear witness that we are the children of God as experience sufficiently declares but when the Spirit doth by his concourse help our spirits to bear witness this witness is formally the act of our spirits and so far we cannot call it special faith But the question is Whether besides this first witness which I believe is the highest that most Christians attain to is there another testimony of the Spirit distinct from this concourse of his with our spirits by which he enabled our spirits to witness which is the testimony of him purely as the first cause not making up the effect with the second cause as he did in the witnessing of our spirits This I perceive Mr. Bolton affirms for he calls that secret voice the testimony of the Spirit And faith he when our renewed Consciences have upon such and such grounds born witness c. then the Spirit of God as another witness secondeth and confirmeth this assurance by Divine Inspiration Though these dainties I could never taste yet I have met with some but very rarely that have Some have told more stories what comforts and assurances they have had by absolute promises brought to them and set home by the Spirit of God whom I regard not But one I have met with whom I much honoured one of the lower rank in the world no great head-piece though of good competent knowledge in practical things he lived up to his knowledge you might see Mr. Rogers seven Treatises practised to the life in him which as it made me much to value him so I did the more attend to this story he told me As to the testimony of his own spirit he had several times examining himself by the Word preached and read found that witness but one time being under affliction and could not sleep in the night he fell to examining of himself what should provoke the Lord to follow him with affliction as it seems he had done being but low in the world at best after examination he lights his candle goes to reading in his Bible having done puts out his Candle layed by his Bible and composed himself to rest if God would give him any sleep but faid he while I was thus trying to sleep there came from God a Text which he had not thought of Mal. 4.2 Vnto you that fear my Name shall the Sun of Righteousness arise with healing in his wings which was set home with that life and power with such expressions as these all is healed thy sins all pardoned God and thou reconciled no enmity now between God and thee c. that he was filled with such joy and comfort that he was not able to have born it if God had not drawn back He did not tell me of any voice he heard nor doth God need our ear but these expressions were as real and clear to him as if any man had spoken to him This was that which all his life after he lived chiefly upon though every morning at his first awakening this was his work to look to his evidence examine himself and so kept the testimony of his own spirit Thus lived and died a precious Saint Two things were observable in this man one was as to the witness that in it there was no attendance to the condition expressed in that Text for it is there To you who fear my Name That he did fear his Name that was certain but I asked him Did not the Spirit clear the Condition He told me there was no attendance to the Condition at that time but only here was assurance of healing by the Sun of Righteousness pardon love c. had not this man both before and after this proved the Condition and been a close walker with God to his last I should not so much have regarded his comforts from this Text. But a second thing I wonder at more and there he and I differed That which made him to regard this so much was that it was a Scripture he had not in his thoughts or
had read at that time for said he had I been meditating upon it before and so had comfort from the Text I should not have regarded it so much that was the emphasis that it was a Scripture he had not thought of Whence according to him the greatest assurance is when the Spirit sets home a Promise to a man which Promise was not in a mans mind he was not meditating upon it for if he had been in meditation upon it he should not so regard it This Divinity I told him I dare not preach for I doubt not but if the Spirit will please to witness healing pardon love peace by a Promise that I was meditating upon it is as sound sure and good as if he doth it by a Promise I did not think of Hence we see experiences of eminent Christians must not be in every point our rule for in my discourse with him he alwayes set the Accent there and so that if it had not been a Text not thought of he should not have so much minded it at least not so much But sure his great comforts he would have minded Well then that this was the testimony of the Spirit I doubt not it was clear to him by the Sun that then did shine into his heart Here was no syllogisme First May we not say his assent to this testimony was special faith I conceive we may grant it The testimony came with such light and self-conviction that he could not deny but it was the testimony of the Spirit immediately Now if I be convinced clearly it is his immediate testimony I am bound to assent to his testimony which is here Divine special faith Secondly But this I hope is not the assurance and particular perswasion which holy Perkins and holy Rogers mean If so the number of true believers will be but few indeed I have known many and do now know many whom I question not but they are sound believers but never knew what this kind of testimony meant yet have and do know what the testimony of their own renewed spirits mean Hence quaere whether that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 8.16 be not ordinarily to be meant of that concourse of the Spirit with the Spirits of believers which while they are clouded and darkened in their self-examining and know not what to make of themselves the good Spirit scattereth those mists and helps the believer to see the work of faith and the frame of grace which he hath wrought in it and thus helps the Soul to witness and is a witness with it For if it be meant only of the Spirits witness as Mr. Bolton describeth it and this good Christian found it that witness I find very rare amongst those with whom I have conversed To have comforts by promises applied now and then I deny not but this was in an eminent way Thirdly Nor do I think this was the irradiation which learned Ward intended because as I said here was no Syllogisme which he is upon Nor I think is this that our Divines mean by their special faith in opposition to the Papists for they will yield that a man may have the assurance of his pardoned estate and being in grace by a certainty of faith if God will please to give him that assurance by a special revelation De Justific l. 3. c. 3. As Bellarmin yields and quotes abundance of his Authors agreeing to the same Opinion What to call this but a special revelation I cannot tell for here was no ratiocination on his part but now composing to rest and laying by those thoughts in came the Spirit of God after this manner immediately bearing down all doubts before him and assuring him he was pardoned and in favour with God But as to assurance if all the Papists will yield what Gregory de Valentin tom 2. disp 8. q. 4. p. 1. doth I would never quarrel with them about it Eighth Argument That cannot be the essence of saving Faith which leaveth a true Belieuer sinking under the sense of his sin and misery without support But this particular perswasion and assurance Christ is mine c. affirmed to be saving faith leaves a true Believer under the sense of sin and misery without support Ergo It is not the essence of saving faith For the minor first Here is a Christian and one whom if you examine as we have opened the work of faith can give some good answer to it this Christian is under the sense of his own vileness guilt and wretchedness ready to sink I pray how will you support him Thus though thou art guilty vile abominable yet there is enough in Christ to heal thee pardon thee redeem thee and reconcile thee to God yea saith the Soul I doubt not of it but how shall I get him How by faith that is the way the Gospel tells us Ay but saith this Soul I cannot believe What no Do you know what faith is A particular perswasion and assurance that Christ is mine and that my sins are pardoned c. Ah saith the Soul if this be faith I am damn'd indeed Without are unbelievers Revel 21.8 I must be without indeed for I am sure I am an unbeliever now A perswasion Christ is mine that my sins are forgiven I cannot reach such perswasion or assurance had I this faith there were an end of my troubles but now you tell him what faith is and if no faith no Christ and to be sure he hath no faith if this be the faith which uniteth to Christ so you do but plunge him deeper into despair while you go about to support him yet that he is a true believer the notes which these worthy men give of one are found in him The major is clear True believers have right to comfort and support they ought to be supported Strengthen the weak hands confirm the feeble knees Isai 35.3 but miserable Physitians will they prove that go about to heal their wounds with this plaister More Arguments might be added but these I hope are sufficient to prove that the definitions of our fore-fathers which they gave of faith was not clear And so Christians may be eased as to that point not cutting off themselves from true faith because they have not attained to that particular perswasion and assurance that Christ is theirs Having removed this now I shall prove that to be saving faith which I have opened As for the other contest between the Papists and us about the general assent to Divine truths c. though as I said to have that assent to be Divine faith is another manner of thing than many Christians take it to be yet as that was never my own doubt nor of others with whom I converse whether that alone would make up saving faith being easily convinced of the contrary therefore I leave it Faith in Christ then is the receiving of Christ as he is offered in the Gospel and so resting upon him alone for life and salvation How
Mr. Shepherd though he speaks not the same words yet speaks the same sense in his Sincere Convert p. 123. where inviting the Soul to take hold of Christ he thus speaketh Go to him and take hold on him not with the hand of presumption and love to thy self to save thy self but with the hand of faith and love to him to honour him His ninth and last way that he numbers among the nine easie wayes to Heaven as men think all which lead to Hell seems fully to speak the same thing with Mr. Rogers which you may compare with him in the beginning of this book Ninthly Sincere Conv. p. 160. The way of self-love whereby a man fearing terribly he shall be damned useth diligently all means whereby he shall be saved here is the strongest difficulty of all to row against the stream and to hate a mans self and then to follow Christ fully Here he hath left the Reader in the dark sadly not telling him what he meant by rowing against the stream hating self following Christ fully but withall here is enough to sink a poor Christian that if a man feareth terribly he shall be damned and useth diligently all means whereby he may be saved this is but a way of self-love and a way to Hell self must be hated These two places fully agree with Mr. Rogers One head more he hath which needs an Interpreter The pining and devout Hypocrite Ibid. p. 37. that being pursued with the fear of hell labours for just so much holiness as will save him only and carry him to heaven at last If he labours for it and attains so much holiness as carries him to heaven at last I am confident he shall not be condemned for an Hypocrite What or how much is that just so much holiness as will carry a man to heaven According then to these two Worthies in the work of faith and the Souls closing with Christ it is not a mans salvation which is love to himself and self-love is but a way to hell which the Soul must aim at so much but the honour of Christ and glory of Gods Grace above its own salvation To carry on our work the more clearly I will handle two Questions briefly Quest 1. Whether the Soul in closing with Christ in effectual Calling may not lawfully and safely aim at and eye it s own salvation Quest 2. Whether the Lord requires to the truth of saving Faith and closing with Christ in the work of effectual Calling that we eye and aim at the honour of Christ and exalting of the glory of his Grace above our own salvation These two Questions will take in fully what Mr. Rogers and Mr. Shepherd have delivered as to this point where I pray take the state of the Question aright The question is not whether the glory of Gods Grace the honour of Christ be not things above our salvation that is easily yielded I know none so simple to deny it for Gods glory is his ultimate end and our salvation is but a means to this end yea though salvation be sometimes called or put for the end yet it is but finis medius which in respect of the ultimate end is but a means So then that is not the question But the question lieth here whether in faith answering the call of God in its first union with Christ doth God require that now we look that we receive Christ to exalt that glory of his above our own salvation For thus Mr. Rogers and Mr. Shepherd have both carried it For the first Question I shall not need stand upon that it is so plain to any man who hath read the Gospel that he is stark blind that cannot see this that believers in Christ may aim at their own salvation in receiving of him Only this same word self love is a suspicious word and Mr. Rogers especially with Mr. Shepherd have spoken so much against it that they make poor Christians afraid Now it is true self-love is the great cut-throat it damns thousands if not all I touched this before and will repeat it yet once more for the support of poor Christians and I will lay down this Rule concerning self and will by the wisdom of God defend it against any man that hath a mind to oppose me A Rule Never did God declare against self or call a man to deny himself in that which did hinder his own salvation and happiness lying in union and communion with God by Christ Did I hear any man preach a duty to Christians in answering of which duty I saw clearly my self my happiness my salvation were cut off and hindered placing my happiness as I said in my union and communion with God by Christ I would be bold to tell that Preacher he lyed God never gave him a Text to preach such Doctrine I know he hath given me Commands to deny my self but in those Commands obeyed my self that is my happiness and salvation is preserved safe and sound If the Reader thinks by my writing that I am warm in this business I am so indeed for it hath been a vexation to me to hear precious Christians in the dayes of their despondencies when I have been endeavouring to help clear out to them their work of faith in Christ and they could not deny but such a faith as I have mentioned they had found then they would turn me off with this It was their own salvation they aimed at and this was nothing but self So that to receive Jesus Christ God in our flesh in all his Offices in his compleat work of Redemption resting trusting relying upon him only for all redemption and blessings of the new Covenant and this declared to be true by a Gospel-conversation this hath been esteemed as little having nothing in it to bear up a heart but why I pray because I aimed at my salvation which is no more but self-self-love I wish I could have preached all my people into such self-lovers I would have ventured my Soul for theirs if they had miscarried Very briefly then to the Question First Do not all the Promises in the Bible regard a mans self Do they not contain in them and speak good to us Doth not the whole new Covenant speak good for our selves Doth not the Lord every where call us and draw us to obedience by promises of good to self Did you ever read your Bible and not read this Secondly Did not the Lord in those blessed thoughts of his heart in eternity when he decreed to give his only begotten Son make thy self thy salvation to be the design of that gift John 3.16 Didst ever read the Evangelists and the Apostles and not read this I know he hath another design his own glory but yet salvation of poor man was such a thing as without him Christ had not been I know very well there is a question whether the second Person in the Trinity had not been incarnate though man had
else there is an impossibilitie of my serving this end the exalting the glory of Grace Hence this word Above the setting up or loving any thing above God hath place only there in Scripture where the thing set up or loved by my self may stand in opposition to God then self-love proves destructive indeed But where doth Mr. Rogers find this Command in Scripture that though the Soul doth so seek its own salvation as it willingly embraceth Christ upon his own terms yet that in believing and closing with him it sets up the glory of Gods Grace above its salvation and so self-self-love not obeying but crossing this Command ruines the Soul eternally Let any man observe the Prophets Christ and his Apostles how they preached and see through the whole Scripture if this were not their way to draw men to repentance to believing in Christ with these Arguments of salvation and good things to us but as for the glory of Gods Grace that honour which he hath in our repentance in our believing that is mentioned nothing so much as the others though he hath glory it is true in it and will have it more yet that Argument is little inculcated but to command or move with this the setting up this glory above salvation I find it not nay we see how vile we are that though the Lord doth follow us and press us to repentance to faith to walking with him from Arguments that concern self our own salvation and happiness yet how little did these Arguments and do they at this day prevail O gracious condescension of God! O vile heart of man Did Mr. Rogers and do Ministers now find that people are so eagerly set to seek their own salvation according to the Gospel Do crouds of people come in so thick that he had need stave them off and keep them out with this puzzling notion I am sure I could observe no such thing when I lived by him though there were some blessed be God in the place yet more would have been welcome I am sure very few in his latter dayes came in if any From this observation of the way of preaching which the Prophets Christ and all his Apostles took I have wondered what our Ministers of late did mean that they could not be content to preach as the Prophets Christ and his Apostles did but must thus puzzle perplex and grieve the spirits of Christians who truly close with and love Christ with their strains and notions which neither Prophets Christ nor his Apostles ever delivered God from eternity did intend the manifestation of the glory of his Mercy mixed with Justice in our for ever blessed Surety in some persons This is the end he propounds and this end this efficient who propounds it will take care that it be brought about it lyeth upon the Efficient who propounds it to himself to effect it in order to this end he creates man though creation serves for a means as well for the manifestation of Justice as Mercy in a pure estate makes a Covenant with him leaves him to his own will permits the fall I purposely avoid disputes about the fall but permission I think will not be quarrell'd with though I know what disputes there are here also being fallen See Bradward de causa Dei l. 1. cap. 33. he sends a Redeemer gives faith in him justification pardon holiness renewing of nature rewarding faith and obedience continued in to the last with salvation and glory All these being means to bring about this end the manifestation of the glory of his Grace mixed with Justice All these means lye in the Efficients hand one way or other for he did not concur to the fall as he doth in other means so to order them that be sure he fails not of the end he propounded God cannot send a Redeemer give faith in him justification peace pardon holiness perseverance in all with salvation to crown all but his end must of necessity appear so that he cannot fail of his end The believer pardoned redeemed sanctified saved doth give him the glory of this Grace and serves his end the Efficient hath his end In the work of faith and obedience walking with God there I set God above my self above my own will and lusts so in parting with any thing that is lawful to enjoy any creature comfort when it comes to be opposite to God here the glory of God is above me here lieth my duty this serves as means to that end this is his gift he is the principal Efficient as the first cause though formally Faith Repentance Obedience be my Acts. But to bring in this as a duty in my first closing with Christ that I set up this end manifestation of his Grace above my salvation I cannot find this in Scripture The first Agent looks to and takes care for his end There are several persons have conspired to take away the Kings life their treason is discovered the King is willing and resolves to make manifestation of his clemency and mercy upon the Traytors petitioning to him promising loyalty to him for the future he freely pardons them in pardoning of them he doth clearly manifest his clemency and mercy all men know as they could say of the Kings of Israel and say the King is a merciful King he bears the glory of it the pardoning of the Traytors is a means to his end it was the King ordered the means though he did not put in this clause See that you exalt my mercy above your life His end did not depend upon this whether they did exalt his mercy above their lives Alas poor men their lives are dear to them and they do exalt his clemency No he hath his end all the Kingdom bears him witness and other Nations by him that he is an exceeding merciful King and deserves praise So it is here the attaining of Gods end doth not depend upon this that I ser up the glory of his Grace above my salvation for he hath his end in saving heaven earth and hell must all confess as doth the saved Soul the pardoned Traytour cry out O the depth of the riches of the Grace and Mercy of this God but for the word Above I let that alone and not mind it Arg. 4. If Repentance towasds God and Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ Acts 20.21 be conditions sufficient to put a man into a state of salvation then the exalting of the Grace of God above my salvation is a condition needlesly added But Repentance and Faith are sufficient Ergo. For the Consequent To add more than the Gospel requires to put a man into a state of salvation is needless yea it is boldness for any man to do it it is in effect an adding to the word as if God did not know what were sufficient but we must teach him and if needless then there is no danger of this self-love destroying the Soul as is asserted by him The Antecedent is true
never was right prepared for Christ I never yet saw sin in its right colours lours I never felt that spirit of bondage those legal terrors and sorrows as I ought to have done hence fin is no more bitter Christ and holiness are no more precious to me sin and I were never so separated in that work as ought to have been hence it cleaves so close unto me and hath such power over me at this day here also they lay the blaine when they cannot find their hearts running out in love after Christ as they should have them and would have them yea all their errors and miscarriages in their after works they reduce to their errors in this first work it being a sure Rule An error in the first concoction is not mended in the second I shall not repeat what I have before written but desire the Christian Reader to look back upon what I have said about Preparations and especially my Answer to that Question How a Christian may satisfie himself concerning those preparatory legal works Here I shall only add these few Heads very briefly First It is very true legal fears terrors and sorrows are very good to help loosen the Soul from sin to imbitter sin to make the Soul see the necessity and excellency of Christ prize him and love him accordingly Secondly It had been well for many Christians had they experienced them more than they have done light hearts apt to be frothy vain and running out to the utmost line of lawful liberties Thirdly Legal terrors and sorrows will not of themselves kindly nor soundly take off a Soul from sin such persons who have been plunged in them have returned to their vomit again after them Fourthly Soms Christians who have experienced them in a small measure have walked more awfully tenderly with a more mortified Gospel-conversation than other Christians who have had them in far greater degrees and yet have true Grace Fifthly Christians who have had great legal workings and attained sound Grace after them have found and complained of the rebellion of strong corruptions and the same things which other Christians complain of who have not found the legal workings after their manner but they cannot say that these things they complain of and which make them fear the soundness of their work arise from want of legal preparations they have had enough of them Why then should the workings of those corruptions c. be resolved into the want of legal preparations fears and sorrows and you for want of these legal workings question the soundness of your faith and conversion For you might have had those legal workings as others have had in a great degree and yet make as great complaints of these inbred corruptions and other evil frames as now you do Sixthly Great legal workings with great Gospel-grace following the remembrance of the legal works past kept up fresh the glory of Gospel-grace at present seen and felt make Christians set a higher price upon Christ morefearful of sin and so legal workings become very helpful and subservient to a Gospel-conversation all the dayes of a mans life Seventhly A frame of holiness wrought in the heart the Spirit of Christ there dwelling keeping and acting it the glorious Majesty of God discovered the love and sweetness of Christ really tasted and out-tasting all the sweetness of sin and creature do most kindly and soundly take off the Soul from sin and creature Let us labour then to experience these things more and not run to legal terrors which can never soundly and surely do the work though they may prepare for the work The next thing that makes many real Christians exclude themselves from the number of Believers is their want of faith they have no faith And why no faith Because they have not that particular perswasion that Christ with all his benefits are theirs they cannot say they dare not say Christ is mine or that my sins are forgiven when they hear of unbelief they know of no unbelief but this when persons do not believe or cannot believe that Christ is theirs and their sins are pardoned when they hear how great a sin unbelief is and what terrible threats the Word of God hath made against unbelievers they apply all to themselves What pangs have some Christians yea men of great parts and Ministers been under when they read that Revel 21.8 But the fearful and unbelieving c. shall have their parts in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone applying the Text to their fears doubts unbelief because they could not believe that Christ and his benefits were theirs And no wonder if Christians did thus conclude against themselves if faith in Christ be no other than that particular perswasion and assurance that Christ Jesus is mine that I shall have life and salvation by his means that whatever Christ did for the redemption of mankind he did it for me c. Those that had not this definition had not the thing defined that is saving faith Hence they might exclude themselves from the number of Believers Now though this be in great part taken off since Ministers of late have cleared the nature of faith in Christ better than it was before yet still it is that which keepeth many Christians under the old doctrine being not yet forgot of many and the latter not so clearly understood by most of which many Ministers may be in fault for if they be not clear in it themselves how can they preach it clearly to others But if that be saving faith in Christ which we have opened and are assured it is saving how many thousands will be found to be real Christians sound believers who according to the old definition of faith were cut off from that number Ask Christians Have you this particular perswasion that Christ is yours that whatever he did for the redemption of mankind he did it for you and that your sins are pardoned They will shake their heads answer you with a sigh O no I wish I had it I cannot come to that grounded assurance and perswasion Ask them again Hath not the Lord made you sensible of your sin guilt misery wretchedness in your self Hath he not revealed such excellency and fulness in Christ that now you feel your Heart willing to receive and embrace him for your Saviour and Lord Prophet High-Priest and King and so commit your self to him to have all his work of Redemption applyed to your Soul trusting and resting upon him alone for life and salvation They will answer you sometimes with an awful jealousie of their hearts I would have it so if my heart deceive me not sometimes more roundly ay with all my heart and soul Yea this work is found in them and unless it be in a day of great darkness desertion or vile sinful temptations and lusts working pend them up close in examination and they have been forced to yield it though sometimes they would eat their words again
they think but in scares any thing while under fears and horrors I was once sent for to a Gentleman who lay at an Inn who was under some trouble of mind as I was told I knew no reason why I should be sent for there being other Ministers in the Town more able and my self but a stranger at the Inn when I came into the Chamber I found the man in dreadful horrour his carriage towards me was such as I abhor my self ever since at the remembrance of it the man was under the terrible apprehensions of a damned estate what sin was then set home upon him I know not to enquire into his particular sin was not I thought convenient I never saw his face before nor never after but once in a Church three dayes after seeing the man in this Agony just like the Jaylour I could not but speak to him as Paul did opening the work of faith in Christ what it was I could say nothing to him by way of question if he were willing to embrace him c. but he yielded in all things to me nothing came amiss now but I feared then it was but in a horrible scare I could not learn what was his name nor how to enquire after him what became of this work The Merchants goods shall over board in a storm not because he hates them to save Ship from sinking himself from drowning though when the storm is over he wisheth he had them again with all his heart A man that is drowning will catch hold of a sharp Sword though it cuts his hands to save himself if that will save him If you will say men by these scares and fears may be made very willing to embrace Christ for their Saviour from these evils which they so fear I grant it this is one thing that moves the will in the real Christian to embrace Christ the privative good it shall enjoy by him delivering of the Soul from wrath to come and none ever did close with him but had an eye to this and this most affected also when it comes first to him yet in this is a free and willing choice for here is good to be enjoyed but if this be all and the Soul seeth nothing else in him I doubt this will not hold when these fears grow off the heart will back again and be weary of its Match Thirdly As it is an advised and free so it is a full choice understand me rightly by the word full I do not mean such a perfection as if the whole of the Soul did so close with Christ and embrace him that there were nothing in the will cross to this reception of Christ for we are but in part renewed though we are quickened Ephes 2.1 yet so quickened as there remains a body of death behind Rom. 7.24 and the unrenewed dead part will never make this choice but what Philip said to the Eunuch Acts 8.37 If thou believest with all thine heart So here the Believer chuseth with all his heart Such is the prevalency of the will in its choice that there is not many times so much as any actual resistance of the unrenewed part felt to oppose this choice but as if there were no such thing as a corrupt unrenewed part to oppose the whole Soul comes off fully in the choice of Christ the heart is not divided there is not a heart and a heart as in those hypocritical penitents Jer. 3.10 Her treacherous sister Judah hath not turned to me with her whole heart but feignedly Here was no full turning the whole heart went not after God but was divided and to be sure God had the least part As in repenting so in believing the whole heart comes to Christ If a rich person and every way an object of love should ask a poor woman wilt thou have me for thy Husband and is in earnest as if Boaz should have put that question to Ruth what would have been her answer Yea with all my heart there is a full choice So doth the Soul answer to this question wilt thou have Christ Yea with all my heart the best bargain that ever I made The fulness of the choice is felt in this that this choice is made with complacency the heart is exceedingly well pleased delighted satisfied in its choice and finds it self at rest in Christ What David said Return to thy rest O my soul Psal 116.7 This Soul saith to it self can I but get this Christ that I have real union with him and he once undertakes for me I shall then be at rest I am satisfied fully with him What the Father said This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased Matth. 3.17 The believing Soul saith This is my beloved Saviour with whom I am well pleased The Father is pleased and the Believer is pleased with Christ Fourthly It is a firm constant abiding choice or reception of Christ Take the Real Christian when you will yet you shall find he holds to his choice when he is wurried with his base temptations that labour to draw away the will yet here he holds no I do not repent me of my choice Take him under his dark temptations when he apprehends Christ will not receive him nor chuse him yet he doth receive and embrace Christ It was an advised free and full choice therefore it proves a constant firm choice It was not in a scare when I was forced and that scare being removed now the will goeth off again to its former lovers It is so indeed in the unsound Christian but not in the real Christian When persons have lived together in a married estate thirty years have seen the infirmities of each other if the question were then put suppose you were now to make your choice where would you chuse If the answer be heartily made I would chuse where I did before the same choice I made then I make now that Match that choice was well made Let Christians live in married covenant with Christ thirty and thirty years when they have experienced not the infirmities of Christ in whom there is none though he experience ours sufficiently but the troubles they meet with from within from without the infirmities which Paul mentions 2 Cor. 12.9 10. upon the account of keeping close with Christ and walking with him if then you put the question if you were put to your choice now Where would you chuse Who should be the beloved of your Soul You should soon hear the answer they would not stand long as if they were in doubt what to say what Christ said of Mary Luke 10. last Mary hath chosen the good part which shall never be taken from her As that which Mary had chosen shall never be taken away so Maries choice and every sound Believers choice with her of that part is not taken away nor shall be changed That was one reason why God saith in the forementioned Text Hosea 2.19 I will betroth thee unto me
for ever there is no more parting no Divorce because he did betroth her in Judgment It was a judicious choice the judgment is constant and the choice is constant Fifthly Lastly It is such a receiving embracing or chusing of Christ as groweth stronger if so then it must needs be firm and constant The reason of this lyeth here when a Christian once commeth to be acquainted with the Christian Race and Conversation what it is and observes the workings of his wretched vile treacherous heart he is driven to such plunges ever and anon that he knows not what to do or think his temptations perplexities are so multiplied that his necessities of Christ do more appear there was a necessity of Christ and excellency in him which the Soul saw at first but now necessities are branched forth into many particulars which were not all in view at first that the Soul feeleth its necessity of Christ more and more and as it feeleth its necessities so finding in Christ that fulness and fitness in him to answer all these necessities troubles perplexities and that Christ in his Marriage-Covenant is ingaged for them all it lyeth upon him to secure the Believer against whatever comes this openeth further the excellencies of Christ to the Soul and causeth the will to embrace and chuse him yet more that thus the choice grows stronger I did not know this I did not think of this at the first saith the Soul but now I see I am the most pitiful Creature without Christ none so bad These new various particular exigencies and streights which the Believer meets with clear up and discover Christ more unto him for the real Christian knows none but Christ to run to when he almost ready to run out of his wits temptations blow in so hard from every quarter of the Compass that the man is ready to sink give up all and conclude desperately upon himself but when he comes to understand and meditates upon it how Jesus Christ hath undertaken for all even for that which I feel now and knows not which way to get over this maketh him to cleave to Christ the more and embrace him yet the more strongly The second thing is the Object or what you do receive Jesus Christ the Lord Christ cloathed with all Offices not one too much nor one too little the real Christian cannot spare one and desires no more Christ is so fitted for my turn saith the Believer by being made Prophet Priest and King for me Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption for me that I know not what I could desire more nor could I be healed recovered redeemed if he were made less so that God and the real Christian are agreed upon terms Were I to make my terms saith the Believer I could not tell how to mend or how to have other propounded than God hath made and propounded to me already But let me take this into pieces for here also shall we find deceits lye See how the real Christian receiveth his Object and by it we shall discover the Christian only in name First The sound Christian receiveth the Person of Christ Vnion is with the Person of Christ though this must be first yet I would not put that block in the way of poor Christians Did you embrace the Person of Christ first Had you union with him first before you did meddle with his goods Alas many poor Christians are not so distinct they cannot tell what they did first nor second but it was Jesus Christ with all his goods which they felt the want of they were lost undone had need of a Saviour and willing also to receive him Christ and Lord this they can tell but yet if you ask them What is Christ to you If you put the question as they did to the Spouse Cant. 5. v. 9. What is thy Beloved more than another Beloved the Believer will answer though he cannot tell what the Spouse meant in that description of Christ by particular parts to set out the beauty of his Person yet she can say with the close of the description ver 16. He is altogether lovely In Marriages union is with the person not with the goods hence if the person please not as some will say if I had her money take her person who will such Marriages will meet with miserable miscarriages because that with which the person is united pleaseth not and there being the greatest tye there proves the greater affliction Christ hath riches unsearchable Ephes 3.8 might but an unsound heart have some of the riches of Christ as to his Person it matters not take him who will but the real Christian is taken with the love of his Person nay no found Christian can rest without God himself Christ himself the goods will not satisfie no not all the good things God or Christ gives distinct from himself because God is better than his goods Christ is better than his goods therefore the understanding being savingly enlightned to know God and Christ and the will renewed as good is its Object so the best good is its Object if there be any better good than other discovered the sanctified hungry will must have it but God and Christ are discovered as better goods than the benefits of communion therefore the will cannot rest but in the union with and enjoyment of himself all the blessings of communion being either such as make a relative or real change in the Believer gracious habits which make the real change are but Accidents or Adjuncts these do not satisfie If holiness the Image of God be good then God whose Image holiness is is better If reconciliation with God be good then God himself is better If Christ be the Peace-maker then he is better than the Peace it self if his Righteousness be good then he himself is better else his Righteousness could not be so good So that in this substantial good God himself Christ himself doth the will of a real Christian take up its rest Secondly From union with the Person we come to communion with his Benefits or to his Offices Consider first his Priesthood or those benefits which make our Relative change First What sayest thou to imputed Righteousness to the blood of Atonement to Christ our High-priest and Sacrifice to him who knew no sin yet was made sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him As for the real Christian these are glorious things in his eye these the Gospel truths and tidings which cause such amazement in the thoughts of a sound Believer while he meditates upon them how such a one as he should stand at the Bar of God and be acquitted yea pronounced just and righteous by a Holy and Just God that such a one as knew no righteousness but was all in sin should be made the righteousness of God in him that he who knows what enmity lyeth naturally in his heart against God and knows how infinitely God hates sin and how
have it yet deny you have saving faith or are a believer Christians should be more careful in their denials Secondly That which all Christians are exhorted to that is a duty belonging to all Christians Exhortation implies a duty I ought to do what I am exhorted to But all Christians are exhorted to be assured of their state in Faith Vnion with Christ 2 Cor. 13.5 Effectual Calling and elation 2 Pet. 1.10 Therefore such Christians as the Question speaks of are bound to conclude and not left to their liberty whether they will conclude or not that Christ and pardon are theirs This also to me is clear that the Apostles giving such charge and exhortations to all the Corinthians and all the believing Jews by their examination self-probation diligence to make sure their calling election that Christ was in them and they in the faith the Apostles did not intend that mens assurances could not be had but by absolute promises and such as a Christian did not think of before set home or applyed by the Spirit in that way which some have found or by revelations secret whispers or what some have mentioned for self-examinations and proving of our selves and our diligence have no efficacy or tendency to produce such an effect that comes that way And it should seem by them as if these evidences or assurances though much differing in their strength and clearness should be more familiar with Christians though not alwayes alike but depending upon our humble and reverent walking with God and meet it is that it should be so that those who would enjoy that comfort should walk sutably to it Object But my duty is terminated in my examination proving of my self whether I conclude or not Answ That is not true you have not proved your self till you have concluded What are you Are you a believer or not Are you in Christ or not or is he in you which is all one This you must know and prove this you are bound to which must be by concluding upon your examination for then hath a man performed his duty in examination when he comes to the end of his examination you are to examine and prove your selves to this end to see whether you are not in the Faith Christ in you that you are called and chosen now you have performed your duty and not till now We will suppose as no doubt but there were such amongst them there were some unbelievers and Christless persons amongst the Corinthians they were bound also to examine and prove themselves now if these did not upon examination and proving themselves conclude themselves to be unbelievers and out of Christ and now look out for sound faith and interest in Christ these persons did not answer their duty nor perform what the exhortation called for though they did examine so on the other side nor did the true believer answer his duty till he concluded he was in the Faith and Christ in him that he was called and chosen Thirdly If Christians ought not to conclude their state accoridng to the Question then examination were a vain thing and Christians called and bound to that which is but a vain duty for there is nothing comes of it God hath given man a rational Soul set up his candle and light within him made able to reflect upon it self try and know what is in himself it is able to draw Conclusions from Premises hence when the Lord sets him upon examination he sets him about a rational work to which he hath fitted and enabled him If by it he be able to see the Minor proposition convinced so as he dare not deny but such a work of faith if this be true faith which you have opened as I am sure it is I do feel in me why then is he not as able and ought he not to infer the Conclusion and so perform the duty of examination which is very profitable and not vain as those Christians make it who can come to the Minor proposition and cannot deny it yet wave the Conclusion when as examination respects the Conclusion and hath not its scope and aim till it determines there Fourthly Rejoycing in the Lord thankfulness and praise are duties to which all Christians are bound the Scripture calls upon them in several places to perform these duties The drawing up this Conclusion upon the formentioned Premises is that which is the ground of all these duties when the Christian can say Christ is mine my sins are forgiven God and I are reconciled this Soul and only this Soul is fitted indeed to perform these duties Let once a Christian have his eyes opened to see and Conscience awakened to make him understand his misery let that man rejoyce in the Lord let his mouth be filled with thanks and praise if he can so long as he cannot tell but God is his enemy and Christ a stranger to him no singing of Sions Songs in Babylon the Harps then hang upon the Willows Not yet in Hell this I acknowledge is matter of thanksgiving to a Christian in this condition but if you name all other things outward in this world take other things in Church as Ordinances Church-priviledges these signifie nothing to him Reprobates and Hypocrites have enough of these such whom God will never love tell him of the Gospel a Redeemer manifested precious Promises the more is my torment saith he that there are such things and I have no part in them Let him have what he will he looks on all unless God be my God and Christ be my Christ and I am his but as husks of mercies and God hath but husks of praises If then Christians be bound to these duties then they are bound to this duty which only qualifies them makes them fit to perform them now the man rejoyceth in God now his high praises are in his mouth now for any mercy outward inward he can give thanks I have it in love I have God and Christ in it yea now for the Rod he can yet rejoyce in the Lord when under it while he seeth it is in his Fathers hand and knows he means him only good Conscience bearing him witness that he hath not broken with God to provoke his anger What advantage this is to all the course of a Christian whether in doing or suffering I do not instance I name only such as depend if not wholly yet chiefly upon this To conclude then since Christians are not left to their liberty to determine or not determine of their states certainly those Christians that upon serious examination of themselves do endeavour 1. Chedientially to draw up the sonclusion I say obedientially in conscience of the duty they owe to God as that person I mentioned before who told her Minister on her death-bed I did believe because I dare do no other 2. Humbly in sense of their own vileness baseness and unworthiness let the things be as great as they will if God will be like himself in
freely giving and the Son in purchasing great things what is that to you 3. Thankfully wondering at and admiring as I am sure you will wonder and admire at this Grace of his those Christians I say that thus endeavour to draw up the Conclusion they do quit themselves more like Christians answer their duty and shew a more humble Spirit and reverent awe of God than those who out of a pettish froward and quarrelling kind of humour set themselves to oppose whatever the most judicious experienced and godly Christians can say for their establishing and comfort Object The thing I am as willing to endeavour to do as you would have me But what if I do conclude Christ is mine and pardon is mine and I should be mistaken how then How woful were my condition Answ First All the Christians in the world that ever were or shall be may make this Objection so no Christian should ever have drawn up this Conclusion that Christ is mine c. Secondly How did our Christians in our Fathers times when they taught them that Faith was the particular perswasion and assurance that Christ is mine that my sins are forgiven This Objection was as full against them as me and as they apprehended Faith to be no body should have believed if this Objection be sufficient to keep them off Thirdly Is it a duty or not You are bidden to examine and prove your self To what end Do but say that and we shall know what to say to you if a duty then you perform an Act of obedience and say were it not for obedience Lord I dare not do it but since it is disobedience if I do not endeavour I will then beg of thee help me to draw up the Conclusion that now I may be able to say Christ is mine and pardon is mine Fourthly The consequences will prove whether a mistake or not see how this works if the heart by it be drawn forth in more love to God joy in God awful reverence of God humble and holy walking with God uprightness for God stronger life of faith upon God more quiet submission under God I say if these be the consequences that the Conclusion drawn up works this way fear no mistakes all will do well in the conclusion Object Since it is thus Tell me when may I truly conclude and say Christ is mine and pardon is mine When may I apply the precious Promises that carry these rich benefits in them to my self without deceiving my self Answ The Question is answered already in what hath been said to that experience which we often find in Christians scarce any thing more common when as upon serious examination of themselves or when others have helped them to clear out their work of faith so as they dare not deny it but stand convinced that God hath done it whereas now they should conclude then they are in a state of faith that Christ is theirs and pardon is theirs because the Word of God saith so which is the ground of the conclusion yet they fly off and dare not conclude But yet to give you another answer and it shall be the same which Mr. Shepherd gives to a Question like it Quest Sound Believer p. 211 212. When may a Christian take a Promise without presumption as spoken to him and given to him in particular To this he answers The Rule is very sweet but certain when he takes all the Scripture and embraceth it as spoken to him he may then take any particular promise boldly my meaning is when a Christian takes hold and wrastles with God for the accomplishment of all the promises of the New Testament when he sets all the Commandements before him as his Rule and Compass and Guide to walk after when he applies all the threatnings to drive him nearer unto Christ the end of them this no Hypocrite can do this the Saints shoul do and by this may know when the Lord speaks in any particular unto them Thus he This Rule is sure and will deceive no man if he do not deceive himself in the application of the Rule look you to that Christian and you have a full answer to your question Object Is that part of his answer right which teacheth Christians to apply all the threatenings to drive them to Christ Doth this agree with a true Christian to be acted with threatnings Is not this slavish and unworthy of him who hath ever tasted of the love of God that he must be driven to Christ to duty and taken off from sin by threatnings fears of hell c. Answ His Answer stands right no error in it as for the Objection it is that indeed which many Christians suspect themselves by they fear they are not right and question whether they may make use of such Arguments some Christians cry it down very much I have heard as if it were not a principle or practise consistent with Christianity therefore I will speak a few words to it and but briefly And thus I pass to some of those things which cause trouble in the conversation of a Christian constituted Here let us distinguish between a man 1 Who is actually under these terrors and fears of Hell or other judgments from an awakened Conscience that lasheth him sorely under which fears the man is a meer Passive they arise in him against his will and are upon him against his will shake them off as yet he cannot and while he is under these he dares not but perform duties he dare not follow his lusts or vain companious being acted and moved from these fears he now lieth under will he nill he And Secondly A man who is not actually under them not a meer Passive his conscience doth not terrifie him as the other but he as an Active or Agent makes use of this Argument Hell judgments and wrath of God to keep under that vile corrupt part which would be rebelling against God and carrying on his Soul to sin also to towze up his lazy heart to duty and to press after Christ more to get evidence of his interest in him thus to be moved and a man to endeavour to move and stir up himself to duty to follow Christ to keep down the rebellious risings of a corrupt principle within him is well consistent with true Christianity and not unbecoming him who hath tasted of the love of God This is First Rational It agrees with found reason Secondly Seriptural It agrees with the holy Scriptures and I hope this is enough I say it is Rational and that upon these Grounds First Christianity doth not at all destroy Reason the faculties of man as to their essence are the same after Christ union with him which they were before he knew Christ Now it is essential to the will to be moved with good or evil to chuse good to fly from evil To have the will taken off from any thing because there is great evil attends it this is but rational agreeing
their dayes Thus the Apostle Paul Ephes 5.6 and Col. 3.6 he is dehorting of dear children ver 1. and those who are risen with Christ from several lusts sensual and spiritual and this Motive he useth to urge his dehortation That for these things the wrath of God cometh upon the children of disobedience Upon which words Bodius saith thus Although Arguments à dextris such as have an attractive power sweet and alluring should be sufficient to make believers and regenerate persons to avoid any sin yet such is that corruption that lieth in us like fire raked up in ashes ready upon the blowing of temptations to break out Such are the allurements and provocations which we meet with in the world amongst those with whom we live Such are the subtle reasonings of our carnal hearts and wiles of Satan c. that we have need not only of those sweet Arguments by which we are allured sed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ac terrificis illis but also those violent and terrifying Arguments by which we may in a manner be compelled to our duty To the same purpose speaketh the Apostle Peter 1 Peter 1.17 And if ye call on the Father who without respect of persons judgeth according to every mans work pass the time of your sojourning here in fear Believers regenerate persons as he calls those ver 3. are exhorted to pass the time of their sojourning here even all their life time in fear But what causeth this fear The consideration that he whom they call on and call Father is a Judge and will judge persons yea every one respecting no mans person according to his work What is the Sentence this Judge gives We know well I could name more Texts but these are clear and sufficient Thirdly Holy men in Scripture have been moved with this Argument they dare not meddle with sin Job 31.23 giving an account of this carriage towards the poor the fatherless c. he dared not to injure them or deny them what was necessary and what was his duty to perform What moved this upright God-fearing-man For destruction from God was a terrour to me and by reason of his highness I could not endure Yet Job was one who knew his state to be sound and safe that his Redeemer lived and that he should see him c. Though that of David Psal 119.120 be spoken in reference to the judgments of God how he deals with the wicked yet it may very well be brought to prove what I am upon My flesh trembleth for fear of thee and I am afraid of thy judgments Before David before spake of love in this verse of fear Though these affections differ much saith Calvin on the words yet if we consider well by what rudiments God brings us to the reverence of his Law we shall see they do well agree Neither is the mortification of the flesh a thing so easie that a man will consent unto it unless he be compelled by violent means c. If the judgments we see here executed have such an effect then what we know are coming the eternal judgments should much more cause this trembling and be a means to keep us from those sins which cause these judgments Habakkuk chap. 3.16 trembles lips quiver rottenness enters into his bones c. The threats which he heard ver 2. caused this and made him lay in afore-hand though a man of such faith as few of these have I doubt who do slight this Argument ver 17 18. Noah is moved with fear Heb. 11.7 and prepares an Ark. If holy men were so struck so awed with these judgments did they make light do we think of those eternal judgments Bodius conceives that though Paul was a man acted with love as much as any man For the love of Christ constrained him 2 Cor. 5.15 yet in the same Chapter ver 10. having spoken of our appearing before the Judgment-seat of Christ c. Knowing the terrour of the Lord ver 11. That terrour of the Lord did move him not only to labour to perswade men to help save others from the dreadful judgment coming But it did move him also to run the race set before him constantly Surely he that thought it an Argument to move other Christians did make use of it himself I shall add no more to this Question but say it were well if some who talk altogether of love had not lost if ever they had it Gods fear By the Answer to this Question we may a little call into question that high Divinity which many have published yea and given it for a note of a true and sound Christian of one who is a Son p 532. Theilog notur revelat p. 568. and not a Slave viz. for a man to worship and serve God for the love of himself though there were neither Hell to punish nor Heaven to reward I meet with this Divinity in several persons I shall name but three Clemens Alex. Strom. l. 4. hath many lines to this purpose of our late Divines Calonius an angry Lutheran but for whose labours against the Socinians and that particular piece of Crellius de Deo uno patre I bless God He answered Schmalrius that gross Heretick well enough and might have answered him full enough though he had not added this note of distinction between Servants and Sons Servants or Mercenaries worship God for reward or fear of punishment if these be all the motives they are Servants and Mercenaries indeed Sons from the meer study of the glory of God so that if there were neither reward nor punishment neither heaven nor hell nevertheless for the praise of God alone they would consecrate and give themselves up to the worship of God This I hope agrees with the Scripture but not one that he names I care the less than for these two for no Scripture quoted by either of them to prove it but there is a third person who moves me more than these As for Calonius I only say to him what I find him frequently alledging against us and some who are truly Hereticks and it stands in the front of his Answers This is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and we must not be wise above that which is written 1 Cor. 4.6 So he reads the words I am sure though this Divinity be written in Calonius Clem. Alex. and others yet it is not written by the Prophets or the Apostles we shall fear the less but the other person is our learned and holy Perkins whom I much value and that he hath put it down for a Catechetical head supposing this to be a fundamental truth this is more than the other about the end of his fourth principle the question is moved Quest What followeth if in any temptation he be overcome and through infirmity fall Answ After a while there will arise a godly sorrow 2 Cor. 7.8 9. Matth. 26.75 which is when a man is grieved for no other cause in the world but for
all these have born up bravely by your faith above sinking and afflicting thoughts and solaced your Soul with the joyes of Heaven if it be so magnifie mercy and yet pity those who would walk with God uprightly and do for the main but have not yet attained to that measure you have but if you have not been under these conditions and experienced what the temptations are if you will teach them their duty how they should walk do it but yet let it be with compassion the poor body will complain we live an Animal as well as a rational and spiritual life and though I know God can send in that which shall lift up a Soul above all discouragements under these conditions yet that all Christians under these conditions have such influences of grace and comfort from God alwayes abiding by them to do it though sometimes a glimpse they meet with I do not find it Secondly As to the fixing of the thoughts upon such an object so as no other thoughts intermix themselves more than they should in prayer I have nothing to say against it if this be the duty that we must separate so much time for these thoughts or meditations only What others find of intermixing of thoughts in prayer I know not but this I know who hath cause to be ashamed and humbled for such intermixings had we not a High-Priest to bear the iniquities of our holy things I know it would go ill with some body When the mind of a man is like a Spannel that runs before his Master one while he keeps before him in the path presently he is hunting on the other side the hedge then into the path he comes again and runs a while by and by gone again thus the mind one while attends the business it is about presently it slips aside to other matters then in again but to hold it firm fixed in the work alwayes in the path this some body finds hard But when we come only to thinking meditating who will fix this Quicksilver The Bird hops off one bough to another stayes long on none this vanity and inconstancy is a wretched distemper and this makes the duty of meditation so hard If the heart be laden with sorrows or filled with fears it can fix the mind upon the Objects which cause these fears or sorrows if it be enlarged with joy delight it will fix on the Object that causeth it so if love and desire be greatly drawn forth after an Object it will fix the mind upon the Object Voluntas imperat intellectui quoad exercitium actus Impellit intellectum ad considerationem But the affections must be much enlarged else they will not fix the mind Hence many Christians I do not mean such as bear the name only but real and serious Christians if I have any skill to judge by the inward acquaintance I have with them and observation of their conversation have complained much and said they find this to be such a hard duty when they set themselves apart only to think and meditate that they cannot perform it after that manner which Divines write not out of a corrupt spirit and enmity to the duty for they are very willing with it and try to do it but cannot fix their minds and make them hold to the thing they propound but for secret prayer there they make up what they cannot in meditation And in truth the prayers of many Christians what are they but their spiritual meditations expressed in words to God But if other thoughts should come in are they as sinful as in prayer wherein we deal with God immediately in Divine worship Thirdly For the time allotted for this duty one hour or half an hour To hold the mind fixed one hour or half an hour together without any other thoughts intermixed about Heavens Joyes or iudeed about any other Grace what say poor Christians to this Hath the blessed God revealed this to be his will hath he set down the time how long Christians must meditate What if a Christian cannot hold his mind fixed a quarter of an hour what if not half a quarter doth he break any Command or Rule of God form editation I know very well the Scripture speaks of meditating in the Word day and night but the meaning of that Text I hope is not according to this duty of meditation which is urged in this manner Many poor Christians who cannot meditate of Heavens Joyes or other Graces half an hour nor quarter without thoughts intermixing do yet labour to meditate in the Word both day an night Psal 1.2 that is endeavour to have their conversation framed according to the Word both day and night I honour much that holy man whose name I have forgot but he was Minister either in Wales or near Wales the same man it was as I remember whose conversion was so observable two Livings he had before his conversion but discharged not his duty to one being at a Fair and buying something at a Pedlers Stall he rends off a leaf of Mr. Perkins Catechism to put the thing into which he bought and reading a line or two in it God set home something out of it which did the work presently he parts with his best Living kept the least and proves a faithful Labourer in Gods Vineyard This holy man was observed by those who lived in the house with him to keep Fasts alone and they observed this was his manner sometimes to walk then fall down upon his knees to prayer and was not at prayer but a very short time may be five or six minutes then walk again and pray again a few minutes and thus spent his day in meditation and prayer This man I much honour that could do thus and so I do those who can meditate if two hours or ten hours but to set down times how long men should meditate I know no ground for that First I conceive under favour meditation is then rightly performed when the affections are wrought up unto a sutableness with the object I am meditating upon Would I meditate upon the vanity of the Creature to which I see my self enslaved too much if I can by meditation come to see the vanity of it by the Spirit of God assisting me that I find my affections are more loosened from is get more above it and take up more in God I conceive meditation hath in its measure attained its end If it be any lust or sin that I would see the evil of it if the Spirit helps me in meditation to see the evil of it so that I fear it I tremble at it my will turns away from it and begs grace and strength against it a heart to hate it meditation hath its end If my Object be God Christ Grace Holiness and I would see the good of these if the Spirit assisting me I come so to see the good of these that my will chuseth love desire run out after these with an unsatisfied spirit
till I enjoy these or if I cannot come to the enjoyment yet my affections and will pursue those I think meditation hath its end In meditation I see the object as it is I affect as I see and follow as I see and affect in my endeavours allowing here various degrees both in the sight and affections yet so as the prevalency is on Gods side I conceive this person hath in his measure performed this duty Now let this meditation be performed how it will let it be in what length or shortness of time what is that to the essence of the duty If a man can thus meditate as he sits in his house amongst others if as he walks in the streets about his other occaons if as he is at his work in his calling if as he walks in the fields or rides or in bed so the end of meditation be attained though he doth not separate himself only for meditation as for prayer if this meditation for the time be not a quarter of an hour or half quarter but often in a day as those who are plagued with their hearts followed with temptations all the day long are put upon these meditations frequently will not this meditation answer the Scripture-meditation unless we separate our selves one hour or half an hour to meditate and that upon the Joyes of Heaven If not let us hear a Scripture-reason to prove it For those who are able to contemplate and solace themselves with the Joyes of Heaven if it be ten hours together I only say they are the happier men and have great cause to bless God for such a mercy given to them But when I come to impose duties as meditation c. upon Christians to be performed by them in such a manner and for such a time and their soundness or unsoundness seriousness or slightness is determined according to their performance or non-performance according to that manner which I set down surely I had need bring clear Scripture proof to warrant what I impose and not speak or write that which shall perplex many sincere Christians and make them call all their work into question because they come not up to what I deliver Of the same opinion concerning meditation was that judicious and able Divine Mr. Nathaniel Rogers of whom I made mention in my Epistle to the Reader a man of solid judgment a close walker with God and awed with the reverent fear of God who could not be perswaded to publish any thing being troubled with an Haemoptysis or spitting of blood he thought it would kill him if he should go about such a work this excellency he had in his work that as he was very sound clear and searching so he was ever very tender and careful that he spake nothing which should perplex or trouble a poor sincere Christian Having handled a Christians daily walk with God which he did to the life and which deserved the Press as well as any practical piece of Divinity that is printed I observed he omitted that Head of meditation which I waited for I asked him in private why he did not preach upon it as others had done and that in such a manner as now we are speaking of as if meditation were not rightly performed unless men did separate themselves unto this duty daily as they do to prayer besides that meditation which they had as I instanced before To which he answered It is true men had printed so but he could not prove it out of the Word and he did not love to impose that upon the people of God which he could not find God himself to impose That meditation was a duty was not the question and so instanced how and when Christians might meditate but the question was as to such a way and manner of performing the duty which some Divines had set down putting the stress in the performance of it after such a way and manner binding all Christians to that as if the duty were not performed unless so performed this he could not prove therefore would not preach it but omitted it Secondly I conceive the fixedness of the thoughts in meditation to hold long upon such or such a Subject which we would meditate upon depend First Upon the tempers and constitutions of men Some are of a temper inclining to Melancholy which temper renders men more fixed in what they fasten upon in meditation be it what it will If the humour be predominant it fixeth men too much Others are of a more volatile hot constitution which temper cannot fix as the other can Secondly It depends upon the strength of the Invention For a man to dilate upon a Subject in meditation as he must if he holds long and fixed it cannot be if his Invention be weak Hence that worthy Divine who makes the Abridgment of Mr. Rogers seven Treatises upon that Chapter of Meditation as I remember for I have not the Book though once I saw it teacheth men how to help themselves in meditation by carrying the Subject they meditate upon through Ramus Topicks Hence for men of vast parts large inventions and of a more fixed melancholy temper to be longer in meditation than others is no wonder Hence also many Christians who cannot separate themselves to meditate an hour or half hour yet can tell how to improve the Sermons they hear because in preaching the Ministers invention hath helped their inventions giving them Light Arguments Motives c. which move upon their wills and affections and help them to pray and follow God to teach them to profit I say many Christians can do thus But what shall we say to many plain hearted Christians who go with a sincere frame to hear Gods Word and profit by it set themselves to observe and lay up for themselves but sometimes through the imprudence of the Ministers lading the hearers heads with many heads what with darkness being not clear in what they deliver what through want of method or tediousness in preaching many poor Christians can bring away nothing they hear something which they think they will lay up then they hear more and that they would lay up and thus while they are greedy to catch and lay up the Word while they lay up one thing they loose another and in conclusion loose all their weak memories being not able to retain what they hear and would lay up but while they catch at much and would lay up much they loose all then they complain of their unprofitableness and dulness none so bad as they How can they meditate upon that which they do not remember Yet divers of these good Christians it was not their giving way to sleepiness so much or want of attention but weakness of understanding and memory that hindered Thirdly It depends upon the strength of habitual Grace received and the influences which that habitual Grace hath from the Spirit of Grace Men who have received great Grace and whom the Lord doth influence daily with second