unto Christ and engaged heartily to his service must not take heed so much to what his sickly and not clearly informed conscience doth say as to what God who is greater then the conscience and giveth order and rule to the conscience doth say to such a poor soul fled unto Christ. Secondly let him consider that his peace is not â—arred with God by Sathans warring against him for peace with God standeth well with warr against all spiritual enemies and therefore the lesse rest he hath from Sathans trouble and molestation let him be the more confident of his peace with God whose battels he is fighting against Sathan Thirdly let him consider that perturbation of mind doth neither hinder peace with God nor peace of conscience for the mind and thoughts of a man for many reasons may be troubled and disquieted when peace with God and peace of conscience are setled and established for when the mind is troubled and tempted to anxiety the Apostle sheweth how to remove the perturbation of the mind and setle the peace of conscience also Phil. 4. 6 7. Be carefull saith he or anxious for nothing but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanks giving let your requests be made manifest to God and the peace of God which passes all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Iesus And in his own experience he lets us see the difference of perturbation of mind from peace with God and the conscience also 2 Cor. 7. 5 6. When we were come into Macedonia our flesh had no rest but we were troubled on every side without were fightings within were fears neverthelesse God that comforteth these that are cast down comforted us in the coming of Titus So also 2 Cor. 2. 12 13 14. 15. The seventh cause of disquietnesse is or may be this if the true convert be either ignorant or forgetfull of the way of obtaining maintaining repairing and recovering the true peace of God in himself and of the change of Gods dispensation toward his children which is common through many tribulations God doth bring his own to heaven Sometime he shews them his countenance in a comfortable providence sometime he hides his face but doth not change his love toward them Psal. 30. 7. Thou hidest thy face saith David and I was troubled but here was his wisdom he went the straight way to recover his peace I cryed to thee O Lord and unto the Lord made I my supplication and his mourning was turned into dauncing Psal. 30. 7 8. to the end But many weak converts are not so wise who by their inconfiderat courses do cast themselves in fears jealousies and suspicions both of Gods love to them and of their own interest in him when they misse felt consolations they fall to quarrel their right And if they resolve to have their condition helped they prescribe their own time way and measure and nothing can satisfie them till they recover possession of lost sense with the Spouse Cant. 2. 5. Stay me with stagons comfort me with aples saith she for I am sick of love It is true sometime God doth coudescend to their passionat put suit of comfort but their not believing in the mean time and their hasting to have their condition altered before patience hath wrought the perfect work is not to be commended or approven 16. For removing this cause of disquietnesse let the afflicted consider first that the Lord neither sheweth his loving countenance to the weak disciple nor hideth it from him but out of love he neither corrrecteth nor comforteâ—h him but out of love I am the Lord and change not saith he sensible 3. 6. Therefore you sons of Jacob are not consuâ—â—â—d If he give consolation sensibly it is to confirm their weak saith by 〈◊〉 experience of the fruit of believing in him and if he withdraw his consolation it is that he may excercise their faith and train them to belâ—â—ve his Word without a sensible pawn for it And therefore for removing this cause of disquietnesse by all 〈◊〉 let the afflicted beware to mis-construst the Lords dâ—aling but let him strive against all suggestions of Sathan or 〈◊〉 own misbelieving heart and entertain friendly 〈◊〉 of God for a true friend or father when they give them beter will take it for no small 〈…〉 or fatherly affection to 〈…〉 Physicians and 〈…〉 from their Patients 〈…〉 potions when they 〈◊〉 and carve and 〈…〉 they are exponed to aim at the 〈…〉 much more should every man whatsoever dispensation of God he meet with give a good costruction of his working Secondly let him consider that the Lord hath his own way and order of working first he discovereth sin and misery and weaknesse in the creature and after that he discovereth his grace mercy and power in Christ to relieve first he humbleth and then listeth up first he woundeth and then he healeth first he smiteth and then bindeth up first he bringeth down to death and then restoretâ—â—unto life Hâ—s 6. 1. and Ps. 9. 3. and therefore let the afflicted be hâ—mbled under the sense of apprehended caâ—ses of hiâ— disquietnesse and seek of God the restoring of whaâ— is lost or wanting and the healing of the wound inâ—â—â—ted in due order Now Gods order is this he will fiâ— have the Law magnified and his Justice acknowleâ—ed by all afflicted sinners even by them who are in thâ—tate of Grace and are not under the covenant or cuse of the Law to whom notwithstanding the Law musâ—till be a pedagogue to lead them to Christ and wâ—n the Lords Justice is acknowledged and all fretting â—d murmuring against his dealing stopped then comeâ— in the next place the discovery of grace in Christâ— for since the fall of Adam God hath alwayes been iâ— Christ going about to reconcile the world to himself not imputing their transgressions to them 2 Cor. 5. 19. And when God hath drawn the sinner by faith to the Mediator Christ God incarnat then there is a matrimonial contract made betwixt God in Christ reconciled and the believer and an union between Christ and the believer in a judicial maner and so the believer is made to have a right unto Christs person according to that of the Spouse Cant. 2. 16. My beloved is mine and I am his And by this means also the believer is made to have right unto Christs purchase and benefits and to communion with him and his Saints as the Apostle teacheth us Rom. 32. He that spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all how shall he not with him also freely give us all things And after right given to the believer in due time the Lord giveth and reneweth the earnest-penny of the inheritance Ephes. 1. 13. In whom also ye were sealed with that holy spirit of promise who really reneweth the believer and giveth him peace joy consolation strength and other gifts of grace with an ebbing and flowing thereof in the sense and feeling of
altogether Ans. We answer with the Apostle vers 20. Nay but O man who art thou that replyeth against God whether dost thou compear procuratour for the reprobat and for Satan the enemy of God to quarrell and dispute with God anent his righteous decrees If thou wilt avow this we leave thee and all such proud and presumptuous misbelievers of plain doctrine to reckon with your Judge But if thou speak only for thy self we shall let thee see that this doctrine shall not hinder thee from repentance If then thou shalt say I will not dispute against God but do desire earnestly to be satisfied about my self for I believe that many are reprobat and few are chosen and my fear is that I be found of the worst sort and do not know how to rid my self of my doubts and fears For answer we shall deal with thee in a friendly maner and first we put thee in remembrance that God hath served an inhibition on all men not to medle with the secret counsell of God Deut. 29. 29. The secret things belong to the Lord our God but these things that are revealed belong unto us and our children for ever Therefore do not hearken to this suggestion but go about thy duty We ask then first art thou convinced of thy sin and ill deserving If thou say I am a sinner and cannot answer for one of a thousand of my by gone sins for which God may justly and I fear he shall in effect reject me we answer unto thee it is to good purpose that thou are so far convinced of sin as to judge thy self worthy of death and utter exterminion from his mercy mean time be comforted thus far that thou art not of the number of those who confide in their own righteousnesse nor of the number of them who trust in their own strength or power of their free-will We ask again doth thy by gone life displease thee and wouldst thou have thy sins forgiven and thy self reconciled with God doth Christ offering himself in the Gospel please thy soul when thou hearest from his word that he craveth nothing of thee save that thou welcome his offer and consecrat thy self to him that so in him thou mayest have righteousnesse and sanctification and salvation If thou answer that the searcher of hearts knoweth thy hearty desire to be reconciled to God in Christ to live before him hereafter as a reconciled child there is good hope of salvation for such a one as thou art Thirdly we say seing thou hast heard the law convincing thee of sin and hast believed Gods word so far why dost thou not believe him also when in the Gospel thou hearest his offer and call unto all self-condemned sinners to come unto Christ and rest their weary souls upon him who hath excepted thee from the embracing of mercy offered in Jesus Christ look therefore what his word saith to all sinners flying for refuge unto Christ who is the hope set before sinners and leave him not whatsoever be thy fears for he that hungereth and thirsteth for righteousnesse through Christ shall be satisfied CHAP. VII For a further clearing and confirmation of the doctrine about the three Covenants from Jer. 31. and Heb. 8. THe prophet Ieremiah giveth us a short compend of the former doctrine anent these three covenants chap. 31. vers 31. c. whereof the Apostle giveth a clear commentary Heb. 8. vers 6 7. c. As to the covenant of Redemption it is here presupponed to be past as the Apostle expounding this place of Ieremiah giveth us to understand while he sheweth us that the covenant of grace was no other wayes purchased then by the Mediation of our Lord Jesus transacting about the covenant of Redemption with the Father And that he may give us to understand this 1. Christ is called the Mediatour of a better covenant Heb. 8. to wit of the covenant of Grace 2. The covenant of Grace is designed by the name of a Testament which giveth us to understand that Christ the Mediatour did not obtain the making of this covenant on a lesse price then the laying down of his life that all the benefits contained in these better promises might first be his goods to dispone upon as he pleased and that he being resolved to die did make his Testament and leave them all in legacy to the redeemed his heirs and assigneys designed from eternity 3. The Mediatour making his Testament is called Iehovah not a meer man but God to be incarnat making an unchangeable Latter-will or Testament which of necessity required the death of the Testatour that it might be ratified Heb. 9. 15 16. and the death of a Testatour not a meer man but the Son of God to be incarnat and to die who had life in himself that he might lay down his life and take it up again 4. The goods which he purchased according to the covenant of Redemption and left in legacy to his heirs are all and every blessing which do belong to godlinesse and life eternall as remission of sin and writting of the law in their hearts c. 5. The redeemed and designed heirs are not all and every man but the elect only these that were to be saved only and who were to be effectually called and indued with the saving knowledge of God who from the least to the greatest were all of them to know the Lord not such as were the reprobat fathers nor their unbelieving children but the chosen society of the Israel of God and of Christs family the house of Iudah which is the tribe of Christ for the Apostle doth extend these promises unto the covenant between God and the elect to be gathered under the Evangel unto Christ out of Jews and Gentiles As to the covenant of works it is certain first that God made a covenant of grace in substance and upon the mater with the fathers that were brought out of Egypt as we may gather from the consideration of the parties and articles of that covenant for albeit God repeated the covenant of works and declared the force of the law for binding the curse upon all transgressours thereof yet he did presse the law on them in order unto their reconciliation by the sacrifice of the Lamb of God to be in due time offered up and did teach them that Christ was the end of the law for righteousnesse to every one that believed 2. It is certain that in the framing of this covenant of grace between God and the visible Church of the fathers God did make the promises of righteousnesse and eternall life and spirituall blessings under the vail of temporall types upon conditions more hard and difficile in appearance then the new covenant doth require for this the Apostle sheweth to us plainly Heb. 8. 6. 3. It is certain that the un-believing Fathers did not take up nor understand the covenant of Grace but turned it over in a covenant of Works which is manifest by
variable contingency or differency of mans will but can work upon the will of man and by the will of man what pleaseth him and by second causes whether working freely and contingently or by a naturall necessity can wisely holily and powerfully bring about his own purpose in his set time the dayes come saith he wherein I will make a covenant with the house of Israel Wherein he taketh upon him the effectuall work of covenanting promising not only for his own part but also for the elect of Israel and Judahs part for his promise is that it shall come to passe that by inclining their will unto reconciliation they shall willingly consent unto a covenanting with God for he saith I will make a covenant with them he saith not if they will but absolutely I will make them close a covenant with Me heartily 9. The party to be converted and to enter in covenant is not all men nor every society but the Church Gods own family not every nation but Gods people chosen out of all nations on the whole earth I will make a covenant with the house of Israel as it is also cleared Deut. 7. 6 7 8. 10. The Church of Christ under the Gospel as the Apostle looketh on this place is comprehended under the name of Israel and Iudah partly because Israel hath the priority of all other people in Gods covenant and partly because all the Christian Church of the Jews and Gentiles is comprehended under the name of the house of Iudah which is Christs tribe whereof he came who is the prince and head of all believers and confederat persons reconciled to God and partly because the Israelits or Jews have this prerogative above all other people and nations on the earth that of that race of people the posterity of Abraham Isaac and Iacob there shall be in all ages some elected persons till the great bulk of the now scattered people turn Christians and till the end of the world Rom. 11. 5. 11. No age old nor young no sex man nor woman nor any externall difference of men that can be put between one and another in this life doth exclude any man from the benefit of this covenant or commend a man to God that his person should be respected of God but all and every one whom God shall externally call may safely accept the offer of grace and joyn themselves to Jesus Christ for the grace of God here is extended unto all degrees and sorts of men from the least to the greatest 12. In the mean time God knoweth his own man be man both great and small and with the same love doth embrace them all for the promise is that all those elect who are known to God shall know him from the greatest even to the least 13. The great obstacle which may be supposed to exclude any from coming in to God through Christ is here removed to wit the greatness and multitude of by-gone sins cast up against the in-coming of some when they are called The mercy and grace of Christ the Testator taketh this doubt out of the way saying I will forgive their iniquity and their sins I will no more remember Jer. 31. 34. 14. This promised remission the Lord will not have limited nor abridged neither by the number of sins nor grievousness thereof nor kinds of sins but he purposeth and promiseth to take away all iniquity by forgiveness and to forget their by-gone sins ver 34. And confirmeth this by repeating the promise of not casting them off who shall acknowledge him ver 37. 15. From this promise the Apostle Heb. 10. draweth this consequence that under the Gospel or new covenant there is but one offering for sin which offering cannot be repeated in regard that full remission thereby is purchased For ver 14. he saith by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified and this he proveth from the words of the covenant ver 15 16 17. whence he concludes ver Now where remission of these are there is no more offering for sin 16. If any shall ask for the cause of so rich mercy and grace covenanted he shall find none in man at all The only cause is set down here to wit the will and good pleasure of God I will forgive their iniquity saith the Lord and their sins will I remember no more that is I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy 17. Because the Lord our God and Mediatour is here making his Testament wherein also he taketh upon him to be executor of his own latter will and to perform all that is promised therefore in confirmation he subscribeth and sets down his name Ier. 31. 35. Thus saith the Lord and that his subscription may be of weight with all men he designs himself by his stately stiles or titles taken from his creation and government of the creatures Thus saith the Lord which giveth the sun for a light by day and the ordinances of the moon and of the starrs for a light by night which divideth the Sea when the waves thereof roar the Lord of hosts is his name This he saith least the faith of his people should be shaken by their looking to impediments and difficulties and that they may gather strength and courage to go on in the Lords way constantly when they consider the power of God in the workmanship and government of the world 18. Unto his subscription he addeth both witnesses and pledges of his promises ver 36. If those ordinances depart from before me saith the Lord then the seed of Israel which comprehendeth the seed of Abrahams faith shall cease from being a nation before me forever ver 36. 19. Last of all least any man in the consideration of the grievousness of his sin or of the apparent impossibility of performing these promises should doubt of remission of sins to be granted to the confederat or of the perseverance of the true believer or of the perpetuation of the Church the Lord bids his people that come in to him be confident and quiet ver 37. saying If heaven above can be measured and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath I will also cast off all the seed of Israel for all that they have done saith the Lord Now both these are impossible that we can measure the heavens or search the bottom of the earth Therefore it is impossible that this covenant and the promises made therein should fail The maner of dispensing the new covenant outwardly and inwardly AS to the dispensation of this covenant both outwardly and inwardly first this promise of a new covenant is a challenge against the mis believing fathers who slighted the offer of grace and followed after the covenant of works seeking righteousness by works which covenant of works they were not able to perform and it served unto them only for their condemnation This the Apostle doth collect from this place of Ieremiah Heb. 8. 8. He found fault with
thing necessary before all commodities of this earth for what can it avail a man to gain the whole earth if he lose his own soul The third cause is the deceitfulnesse of riches which every man naturally is inclined to pursue too eagerly and which many pragmatick busie men do attain for God useth to recompence every mans diligence in a lawfull occupation with a sort of external reward of the same kind with his work This success and rewarding of mens industry and pains by increasing busie mens riches earthly-minded men do interpret to be the speciall blessing of God and an approbation of their immoderat pursuing after things earthly wherein they are much mistaken for God never ordained any mans civil calling to be a hinderance of the spiritual welfare of his soul and if any man neglect his soul and pursue worldly riches if he obtain them what can be said but verily he hath his reward and cannot look after the fruit of pains taking in spiritual matters which he neglected The fourth cause is a light estimation of the Word of God and of maters concerning salvation which by reason they fall not under sense and present possession but are offered to us in promises and are not bestowed for the present therefore many are lesse carefull for things promised after this life and do follow the more eagerly after such things whereof they can take hold in this life 3. The way to cure this malady so far as pertaineth to a Pastor is that both in publick sermons and privat conferences he give unto things lawfull and to the following of a mans civil calling the own room and time and wisely let men know the subordination of all civill affairs unto the welfare of their souls and so to lay open the perill of mens souls when they are following too too eagerly their civill vocation as in the mean time he do not condemn mens diligence in their callings but that he give directions for such a wise moderation of every mans care about things of this world that the precious excellency of the soul and the infinit worth of eternal life be first and above all earthly things provided for and that in the using or conqueshing of riches no prejudice do come to his own salvation which is not possible a man shall do if he do not daily examine his own conscience carefully and keep it in a tender disposition resorting to Christ upon all occasions for pardon of daily sin and keeping him that if riches increase he may not set his heart thereon but may be forth-coming to the duties of charity towards others as his power shall be and opportunities shall be offered CHAP. X. Concerning them that are like to despair VVE have spoken of the first sort of them who do hinder their own regeneration by abhorring declining delaying and shifting off of the examination of their consciences The second sort or rank of those who hinder their own conversion is of such as after the wakening of their own consciences whether voluntary or by compulsion do despair of all remedy offered unto them in the Gospel of grace in Christ and renouncing the counsell of God do follow the counsell of Sathan and their own heart 2. We distinguish a volountary examination of the conscience from a compelled and inforced examination thereof as was hinted at in the former Section for it is one thing to say of a man he hath voluntarily examined himself and found out his dittey and deserved judgment and to say of him he is forced to examine himself and in himself to receive sentence according as his wayes have been for there are many who will not judge themselves yet after are forced unto it against their will These are said to judge themselves voluntarily who by a free act of their will do enter themselves to be judged of their own conscience and do go about the work either slightly and perâ—unctoriously or â—â—â—ictly and exactly according to their knowledge of the â—ule But a compelled examination is ever more exact and strict and joyned with the chastisement of the sinner for neglecting or slighting or delaying of examination Psal 50. 21. This distinction is holden forth to as by the Apostle 1 Cor. 11. 31 32. If we would judge 〈◊〉 selves we should not be judged But when we are judged we are chastened of the Lord that we should not be condemned with the world Both these sorts of examination have a blessing following upon them when Christ is 〈◊〉 unto after examination but if Christ be not fled unto then desperation may follow upon both slight and serious examination both upon voluntary and enforced examination 3. We do not take desperation here for every dissidence of Gods performing of promises or of Gods making good of his gracious offers but for diffidence to obtain reconciliation with God or to find mercy through Christ the Mediatour Neither do we call by the name of desperation every diffidence to obtain mercy and reconciliation cast in mans mind by the tempter Sathan and yielded unto for a time under the sense of Gods wrath for at some sits the diffidence will be found in renewed Saints as in Ionab chap. 2. 4. Heman the Ezrait Psal. 88. 16. David Psal. 116. 11. who seemed to themselves for the time to be cast off but but did swim out of this deep by faith Neither do we take desperation for every short or long ecclipse of hope wherein a distressed soul seems to its self to despair yea and may possibly utter and profess they do despair and in the mean time will not renounce the use of the means whereby they do get or recover hope Such was the condition of Heman the Ezraite Psal. 88. 14 15 16. Lord why casts thou off my soul why hidest thou thy face from me I am afflicted and ready to die from my youth up while I suffer thy terrors I am distracted He thought he was cast off yet for all that he went on daily praying for the sense of mercy and found it and was directed by God to acquaint the Church unto all generations with his long and sad exercise But we take desperation for a prevalent impression made by Sathan upon the spirit of a man that God will not shew him mercy and so fixed in him as the man resolveth not to deal with God any more for mercy 4. Of this properly called desperation there are two sorts one which we may call carelesse and secute desperation another which we may call anxious and tormenting desperation Cains desperation in his last resolution was of the first sort and Iudas desperation was of the other sort We call that a carelesse secure desperation when a sinner being convinced of his grosse and many sins either believeth not Gods Word or conceiveth God implacable and irreconciliable and to have destinate him to destruction according to the sentence of the law pronounced against such sinners as he knoweth himself to be and
reason or common sense they are carried to destroy themselves some way Such persons can hardly be called voluntary and deliberat self-murtherers because they are neither able to observe and discern their own condition nor their danger wherein they are nor any circumstances which might hinder them from the mischief and therefore it cannot properly in this case be called desperation because the miserable person is not so much capable of reason as to consider the grounds and motives of hope or despair But voluntary self-murther proceedeth from properly called desperation because the wretch after deliberation how to escape from misery lying on and coming on when all reason of hope seemeth to fail him he casts away any further inquisition after the remedy and out of apprehension that he can be in no worse case after his death then he presently feeleth and that he can no other way be rid of his present torment then by death wittingly and willingly putteth hand in himself In this voluntary self-murther sometime the sense of wrath for sin committed doth predomine as in Iudas the traitour his desperation and self-murther sometime the apprehension of more worldly misery more bitter then death doth predomine as in King Saul who choosed rather to fall on his own sword then fall alive into the hands of the Philistines 1 Sam. 31. 4. and in Achitophels hanging himself when he foresaw what misery should come upon himself when his counsel was not imbraced by Absalom 2 Sam. 17. 23. 4. To speak of self-murther in general requireth a Treatise larger then our purpose doth permit it sufficeth us to speak a little to it as the temptation thereunto and desperation of finding Gods mercy is a hindrance of regeneration To this end where any fear or suspicion of any intention toward this fearfull sin doth appear all meeknesse should be used by all that have interest in the person suspected that may serve to save the vexed party from such a mischief God must be in-called and requested for relief unto the patient Physicians should be called and moe Pastors then one if they can be had the soul in danger must by friends be watched and waited on in a prudent maner night and day that he never be alone If the person be capable of reason he must be dealt with freely to confesse his temptation and purpose toward this sin the causes moving him must be inquired after and if they be other then sense of sin and fear or feeling of Gods wrath then course must be taken to make the party sensible of sin and to fear Gods wrath and to consider that if they give way to that sin they are tempted unto they do no lesse in effect then cast themselves in hell where the justice and wrath of God shall lye upon them without hope of ease or ending of their everlasting torment from which fearfull destruction they may be preserved both in soul and body if they shall acknowledge their sin and flye to God in Christ offering grace and pardon of sin and delivery from hell and right unto heaven promised to all and every one who shall imbrace Jesus Christ for their redemption And for these whose vexation is mainly from the conscience of heinous sins and felt wrath of God pursuing them the grace offered in the Gospel must be cleared unto them and inculcated if they can be moved to give reasons of their fear and to propone their doubts who knoweth what blessing may follow on their free dealing and from faithfull answers from Scripture returned unto them Conferences of experimented Christians may with profit be made use of in the patients audience whereby the party may receive both increase of knowledge and some beginnings of comfort Among other means godly persons who have in their own exercise had experience of such temptations and have gotten victory by flying unto Christ may serve much by their conference to encourage them In some of those tempted souls tokens of good hope will shortly appear in others it may be none can conjecture what shall be the event till the time declare it whether justice or mercy was intended of God for both in the elect who are cured of this disease and in the reprobat who perish in their sin the same symptoms may appear if the anxiety and expressions of the one and the other be compared Therefore care must be had of every one under such temptations whatsoever the event may be and the Lords blessing waited for in the use of the means Scripture sheweth us how hard exercises Gods dear children have been under Beside many other Saints we shall only name two witnesses the one is Heman the Ezrait that precious soul not much inferiour to Solomon in wisdom 1 King 4. 31. of whom no man could say he was a weak brain and hypochondriack or melancholious person whose sad exercise stands registrated Ps. 88. for many mans comfort The other witnesse shall be Iob. whose perplexities we read in his dispute with his friends and how he tasted of this bitter temptation also Job 7. 13 14 15. When I say my bed shall comfort me my couch shall ease my complaint then thou skarest me with dreams and terrifies me with visions so that my soul chooseth strangling Behold there is a very sad exercise of the most holy and righteous man on earth there is a sore temptation even unto self-murther but how is this temptation over-come first he doth not hide his temptation but openeth it up in the worst shape this giveth the temptation vent he will not conceal it nor be Sathans secretar in this and this is one mean to weaken the temptation Then he presenteth it before God and poureth out his complaint unto the Lord and this giveth him the victory So let all souls tempted unto desperation do and cleave to God in Christ and they shall be victorious also CHAP. XI Concerning them that absolve themselves without warrand THe third rank of those that impede their own regeneration remaineth to be spoken of Of this kind are all they who after they have slightly exmined themselves and are convinced of sin and of deserved death if they were dealt with in rigour of justice do unwarrantably absolve themselves deceiving their own conscience by a fallacy false sylogisme or captious reasoning and from the conscience as from a blinded or seduced Judge do draw forth a sentence of absolution to themselves which God doth not allow All such persons do either lay down some false principle or ground for absolution of sinners or if they lay down a true ground they make wrong application of that ground to themselves and so beguile themselves miserably The first sort SOme do grant themselves to be sinners but do perswade themselves that God is so mercifull as he will not destroy any man for sin which principle being once laid down no wonder such men go on in their own way and sing a requiem to their own souls Of this
dissimilitude of manners or discrepance of judgment or contention about any mater then partiality hindereth a right judgment one of another and affection marreth reason many times that it cannot discern what is right Therefore let the person afflicted with this tentation turn himself to God who searcheth the reines and let him humble himself in his sight renewing the exercise of repentance and faith in Christ and let him apply to himself what the Scripture doth pronounce of these who in the sense of their sin do flye to Christ Jesus that in him they may have remission of sin and amendment of their life for so did the Prophet in the whole Psal. 17. when he had to do with his uncharitable friends and kinsfolk and so let the afflicted do CHAP. XV. Wherein the converts doubting of his being in the state of grace so oft as he doth not feel the sense of his reconciliation with God is examined and answered SOâ—e true converts are who indeed are indued with the saving graces of faith hope and charity and give evident proof of the in-dwelling of the holy Spirit in them and do rejoyce now and then in God their Saviour when his love to them is shed abroad in their heart but when a cloud cometh over their eyes and they do not feel the warm beams of the Sun of righteousnesse shining in their soul as they before have felt they are assaulted with doubting if any saving grace be in them at all and do entertain these tentations oft-times so far as to suspect and expresse in words that there is no solid faith in themselves no lively hope no christian charity no mortification of sin no purity of heart and such like if when they are thus tempted and tossed they lay hold on Christ as in their first conversion and find the sensible comfort of the holy Spirit by the word of the Gospel applyed unto them then all is well their doubting is overcome for the time they rejoyce and praise God But if the Lord shall delay for his own wise ends to renew their sensible consolations and to renew the earnest-penny of their inheritance forthwith they begin to doubt again and to hearken to Sathans suggestions and to suspect that their former feelings were but temporary and not the special operations of the holy Spirit and at length break forth in many sad complaints And in a word they do not maintain the work of saving grace in themselves longer then the sun shine of spiritual felt consolations abideth with them And albeit their exercise be no wayes so hard as was the Prophets Psal. 77. yet they fall out in the same complaint which the Prophet expresseth ver 7 8 9. Will the Lord cast off for ever and will he be favourable no more is his mercy clean gone for ever doth his promise fail for evermore hath God forgotten to be gracious hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies 2. For clearing of this case two diseases may be perceived in the afflicted which is here described The one is this the afflicted setteth himself to live rather by sense then by faith and doth put his faith on work of set purpose that he may obtain or recover consolation shortly but if his desire be not shortly granted he maketh not use of the formerly felt consolations to strengthen his own â—aith when consolation is withdrawn The other sicknesse is this the afflicted doth not take up the nature of saving graces nor perceive the beauty thereof except in the sun-shine of sensible divine approbation thereof he doth not take up the right definition or description of saving graces for saith is to him nothing if it be not a full perswasion except he can pour forth tears alwayes he thinks he doth not repent except he find a joyfull expectation of Christs coming in glory he thinks his hope not lively and so of charity and patience temperance righteousnesse and holinesse if he do not find them in some eminent measur as they may nearâ—by stand before the law the afflicted of whom we are now speaking thinketh he hath nothing of saving grace in him We grant that this sicknesse is very rare and few they are that are troubled with it yet where it appeareth it must be speedily cured but with great circumspection cured for the earnest desire he hath of feeling the sweet sense of the joy of the holy Ghost must not be disallowed but commended to him and he taught to cry as it is said Cant. 2. 5. Stay me with flaggons comfort me with aples for I am sick of love yet with holy submission unto Gods will for time maner and measure 2. He is also to be commended that in his trouble he goeth to God in Christ not altogether without faith which he putteth forth in active exercise thereof by confession of sin by supplication and otherwayes but here is he to be reproved that while he is actually exercising faith love hope c. he reckoneth all he doeth to be nothing no faith no hope c. because it is not in such a measure as he would 3. He is to be commended that he doth aime at the highest degrees of faith love hope patience mortification of sin and practice of holinesse and all commanded vertues but here he faileth that he counteth all as nought when consolation and sensible approbation of what he hath is not felt for here he despiseth the day of small things and unthankfully mis-regardeth the lower degrees of these saving graces which notwithstanding are bought to the redeemed by the same price wherewith the highest degrees are bought to wit with the precious blood of Jesus Christ. 3. Wherefore let the afflicted consider first that the will of God revealed requireth of us that we walk by faith and under the sense of our sinfulnesse and afflictions whatsoever hold fast the covenant of grace in Christ Jesus and by adhering unto him hold up our heart and entertain spiritual life in us Secondly let him consider that this way of living by faith and dependence on the word of Gods grace doth please the Lord well for without faith it is impossible to please him and thus living by faith in him doth give more glory of truth grace mercy and constancy unto God then when we suspend the glorifying of him till we find the sense of consolation from him for if we believe in God only because we find the consolations of his Spirit our faith in that case is weak and leaneth more upon the pledge and sensible evidence of his truth bestowed upon us then upon his promise without a pledge for no man will refuse to give credit to a man upon a pawn but God is worthy to be credited upon his word without a pawn yea when his dispensation seemeth contrary to his promise Thirdly let him consider that the Lord useth to give sensible consolations not only to help our faith in the time of consolation but also to help our