upon the spirit of a man which There may be many changes not inconsistent with the saving change yet are not inconsistent with the saving change of his Spirit Sometimes he may be lively and quick sometimes he may be flat and dull sometimes he may be confident and cheerful and at some other times he may be afraid and mournful sometimes he may be full and enlarged and at some other time he may be aukard and streightned sometimes he may have more sense of Gods Love and sometimes more sense of his own sins None of these things are essential to the converted estate a mans heart may be truly changed by converting grace notwithstanding many crosses and afflictions on his outward estate many eclipses in his comforts many varieties in his spiritual actings many contrarieties twixt his sence and his faith many temptations upon his spirit to many doubts and fears in his heart 4. Sinful corruptions never work with a more sensible strength Sinful corruptions work with more sensible strength when the heart is truely changed then when the heart is truly converted and changed Before Conversion our sins do work more mightily but we do not then perceive the workings because your delight was then in sinning and nothing is burthensome to delight and nothing was in us contrary to our sinnings the strong man kept all the house and every faculty was a friend and servant to sin the river ran all one way But when the heart is converted there is now laid into it 1. The quickest principle of feeling 2. The contrariest principle of resisting 3. The properest principle of destruction to sin and therefore no marvel that we feel our sinful natures more than formerly for all qualities are most active and most felt in cases of resistance and destruction nevertheless none of these must conclude against our Conversion but rather for it because 1. The greatest work of grace is inward 2. The sense of sinful workings joyned with an hatred of them and humbling of the heart under them and with addresses to God for subduing power is certainly a sign of converting grace Therefore hearken unto me thou distressed soul 1. Though the Glory of Grace consists in Victory yet the Truth of Grace appears in Combats the fighting Souldier is as right to the cause as the conquering Souldier there is fire in the smoking flax as well as in the flaming furnace 2. That great corruptions still remaining in temptation are the burdens of a weak Christian but are not the Characters of a false Christian 3. Jesus Christ can by a little grace weaken strongest corruptions The least true grace will help thy soul to Christ through whose strength thou who art now in conflict shalt ere long be made more than a Conqueror 4. True grace begins in weakness goes on with combat but ends in victory There is but little light at the first and more darkness for quantity but the light of the Sun is rising and dissipating and at length remains alone Conquering grace hath comfort conflicting grace hath strength and even mourning grace hath truth Peter's tears shewed truth of Grace as well as Paul's Triumph But how may I descern my change to arise from the power of converting How it may be discerned that this change is from converting grace and â—ot from the power of a troubling coâ—science Answered grace and not from the power only of a troubling conscience Sol. I conceive thus in four particulars 1. When the change is made only from the sting of conscience that change goes off and vanisheth when the trouble of conscience goes off and continues only while that doth continue whiles the trouble of conscience is on the man the man will hear and the man will pray and the man will consult and profess and resolve yea and now too to become a new man yea and he will cry out against his sins and will not come near his sins But when that trouble is off all is off again the Water which was heated grows cold again Saul is pursuing David again and Foelix is covetous again But if the change be from grace though trouble be off yet the heart is against sin and is for good for grace sets us against sin as it makes us unholy and evil and not only or principally as it makes us uncomfortable and miserable 2. When the change ariseth only from a troubling conscience not from a contrariety to God but to us It doth not arise from a hatred of sin and a love of good but only from a hatred of torment a self-love and a love of ease the man loves that sin that he dares not now commit and hates the good which now he doth he doth the good only as a means to take off his trouble he doth it not as a work in which he delights nor doth he flie sin as an evil which he hates he flies sin as it is malum sensibile not as it is malum spirituale But in a gracious change trouble doth not cause hatred but hatred causeth trouble of sin 3. When the change is only from a troubling conscience then when the trouble is gone the mans heart is more hardned and he growes more wicked then ever before and in after sinnings less sensible and less troubled as Iron growes more hardned after it hath been in the fire or water that is stopped more violent If they be again intangled and overcome the latter end is worse with them then the beginning 2 Pet. 2. 20. But where the heart is changed by grace the more grace still the more sense of sin and still the more fear to sin and still the more love of God 4. When the change comes only from the trouble of conscience the change extends no further then to that or those particular sins for which the conscience doth trouble the man if the other sins trouble not they are not left But when the change is wrought by grace this change extends to all sins I hate every evil way saith David they do no iniquity Psal 119. Let us â—leanse our selves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit 2 Cor. 7. 1. Quest How may a man know that his change is not the fruit of Hypocrisie but of Converting grace Sol. This may be discerned How it appears this change is not the fruit of Hypocrisie thus 1 The change by Hypocrisie 1. Is not Cordial no Hypocrites heart is changed In heart ye work wickedness The Hypocrite dares to give way to heart sins Judah turned Answered not with her heart but feignedly 2. Is not Vniversal The Prophet tells the hypocritical Israelites that they were as a Cake half baked and not turned an hypocrite though he forsake many sins yet he loves some sin Jehu cannot part with the golden Calves though he did destroy Baal 3. Is not lasting but changeable sutable occasions are too strong for an heart felsely changed 4. Is not able to abide three Trials of
a lost sinner p. 238. Why God doth thus find a lost sinner p. 241. Motives to a serious Trial whether our lost souls be found p. 242. An impenitent unconverted man is a dead man p. 254. Reasons of it p. 256. Trial whether we be spiritually dead p. 261. Every converted man is a living man p. 265. How this may be evidenced p. 268. Trial of our selves about our spiritual life p. 269. Objections answered p. 276. A very great and notorious sinner may be converted p. 279. Who may be called so p. 280. How it may appear great sinners may be converted p. 281. Directions to such converted sinners p. 288. Great afflictions are sometimes an occasion of great sinners conversion p. 289. How it may appear p. 290. There is an Almighty Ppower required to convert a sinner p. 294. proved 295. True Conversion is avery great inward and universal change p. 303. and demonstrated to p. 312. How may a man know that God hath indeed changed his heart p. 316. Comfort to those who are changed p. 323. How may we know this change is from converting Grace and not from the power of a troubling Conscinece p. 329. Conversion brings the soul into a very joyfull condition demonstrated p. 333. What kind of joy Conversion brings p. 336. Why Conversion makes the souls condition so joyfull p. 339. How can this condition be so joyfull that is so exposed to afflictions p. 344. and denies and abridges many delights p. 347. Trial whether converted or no p. 359. How converted persons should do to walk joyfully p. 363. The Parable of the PRODIGAL LUKE 15. 11 c. 11. A certain man had two Sons 12. And the younger of them said to his Father Father give me the portion of goods that falleth to me And he divided unto them his Living 13. And not many days after the younger Son gathered all together and took his journy into a far Country and there wasted his substance with riotous living 14. And when he had spent all there arose a mighty famine in that Land and he began to be in want 15. And he went and joined himself to a Citizen of that Countrey and he sent him into his fields to feed swine c. THis Chapter consists of three Parables all of them tending to one scope and issue though distinct in their special matter and object The first Parable is of a Sheep from vers 4. to vers 8. The second of a piece of Silver from vers 8. to vers 11. The third of a Child from vers 11. to the end All of these agree in two conditions One of Loss the Sheep was lost the Groat was lost and the Child was lost Secondly of Recovery the Sheep that wandred is brought home the Groat which was lost is found out and the Son who departed is returned and accepted There be who undertake the Cyril Reasons of these Parables or dark similitudes under which Christ doth couch some special Lesson as why man is compared to a Sheep viz. because of our Creation wherein God made us and not we our selves we are the sheep of his pasture Psal 100. And why man is then compared to a Groat because of that singular image of God which was stamped in man at his creation as the royal image of a King is stamped upon such a piece of Coin And then why man is compared to a Son because of that near relation which he had to God being once able to call him Father And then why in every one of these to a lost Sheep a lost Groat a lost Son because of his revolt and departure from God by sin Nay and if it were lawfull to put and use free conceits on Parables as I am sure some of the Ancients do as St. Austin Gregory c. what if in this threefold Parable you might espie a threefold cause of mans fall In the sheep wandring Satans suggestion In the Groat lost by the woman the womans yielding In the Sons departing Adams voluntary revolting and spending of his happy estate and condition But these and such like observations though to some they seem more acute and pleasant yet to me they are frothy and unprofitable Touching the Parable therefore concerning which I am to The Scope of the Parable with a division of the chief Heads thereof Who are meant by the two Sons treat there are several conjectures about the sense and intention of it Concerning the Father of the two Sons they all agree but about the two Sons they differ Some by the two Sons understand Angels and Men The Angels they were the elder Son Man the younger being created after them The Angels abode at home with their Father Man had the stock put into his own hands and in a quick time lost himself and it This opinion you see hath some kind of Vicinity or correspondency sensus pius as Aquinas speaks of it but not proprius And there is one pregnant Reason against it in the Text for that the elder Son in this place is described to be grieved and sad at the acclamations and welcome testimonies of the younger Brothers return but the Angels rejoice and are glad at the conversion or return of a sinner 2. Others by the two Sons understand the Jews and the Gentiles the Jews were the elder the Gentiles the younger the Jews kept home as it were of all the Nations of the Earth they seemed to be the inclosure for God and his service and the Gentiles were as it were excluded rejected wandring sheep a lost people yet at length God through Christ looks after these lost sheep the other sheep of his fold as Christ speaks Joh. 19. and returns and accepts of the Gentiles which did much provoke the Jew as the elder Son was here provoked at the repentance and acceptance of the younger and kept out they were provoked to jealousie by those who once were not a people This interpretation pleaseth S. Austin and Cyril and some others and indeed it bears a fair congruity with the Parable in most respects 3. But the third and general opinion is that by the elder Son is meant the Scribes and Pharisees and under them any Justitiaries persons too conceited and confident of their own works service righteousness as this elder Son who had been as he said thus long in his Fathers house and never transgrassed any of his Commandments but served him carefully which indeed was the opinion of the Scribes and Pharisees who trusted to and boasted of their own righteousness And that by the younger Son is meant the Publicans and Sinners persons more notoriously riotous and infamous in sinning utterly forsaking of God as it were and living without him And the end of this Parable was to convince the proud and envious Scribes and Pharisees who in vers 1. and 2. of this Chapter murmured against Christ for receiving Publicans and Sinners Now Christ tells them that though these notorious sinners were despised by
Another is accidental which alters the qualities of man Naaman was the same man when he was a Leper and when he was cured of his Leprosie he was the same for substance of it there was no change but he was not the same for the accidental quality because his leprosie was changed Such a change is there in conversion the sinfull Leprosie is changed and a fair beautiful form of holiness is put into his soul the Glove is now perfumed the bitter water is now seasoned another nature contrary to his former nature is now infused old things are past away all things are become new 2. Cor. 5. 17. Againe observe that the accidental change or alteration of a person is likewise two-fold 1. One is Corruptive which is from good to evil such a change was there in the Angels that fell they fell from heaven to hell from being Children of Light to be the Princes of darkness and such a change was there in Adam that fell O what a change what a sudden loss of great possessions of unspeakable perfections O how good once he was O what a sinner now he is 2. Another is perfective which is from evil to Good Such a change is Conversion Why it is from sin to God It is more then for Joseph to leave the prison and be made a Prince when a man is converted he is now raised and enabled with the nature and life and excellencies of God and Christ true Conversion is a perfecting change One distinction more I cannot omit It is this The perfective change is likewise two-fold 1. Relative and forinsecal as in the Justification of a sinner when a sinner is Justified the state of this sinner is changed before it he was in the state of death and condemnation after it he is in the state of life and absolution 2. Inherent and intrinsecal as here in the conversion of a sinner which is a change within a man a change not so properly of his condition as of his disposition even from one contrary to another and that à Genere ad Genus from one kind of quality to another kind A sinner hath sometimes a contrary motion of good to evil put into him but this is not Conversion for it is not a mutation but a motion A sinners inclination is sometimes withheld that he doth not sin yet this is not conversion for it is a chaining only not a changing of his disposition the Lyon is a Lyon in chains A sinner goes from one sin to another he leaveth his riotousness and turneth to coveteousness he leaveth profaneness and turneth to hypocrisy yet this is not Conversion for his sinful disposition is not altered from kind to kind It is but a shifting from one evil to another evil as the wind from one poynt to another it is not a change from evil to good If a man could leave all the sins in the world and yet he loved and served but one this man is not a converted man because conversion is a change from one kind to a contrary kind which the man comes short of whose heart is still set on any one sin 2. True Conversion is a very great and notable Change It is a very great and not able change there is no change I think in all the world of that height and depth as the conversion of a sinner No not that from Grace to Glory because it is but ab imperfecto and this is à contrario The Scripture doth frequently parallel it even with those changes which are miraculous When Christ made the blind to see and the deaf to hear and the dumb to speak and the dead to live and dispossessed Devils these were very great and notable changes take them single and they were so Now all these miracles are wrought in any one converted person 'T is called a Creation a Resurrection c. because God puts out as much Power in the Conversion of a sinner as he did in creating the World It is the prime work of the Spirit of Christ the top the very highest when any one man is converted the blind is made to see and the deaf is made to hear Isai 29. 18. In that day shall the deaf hear the words of the Book and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity and out of darkness and the dumb is made to speak and the lame is made to leap Isai 35. 5. The eyes of the blind shall be opened and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped v. 6. Then shall the lame man leap as an hart and the tongue of the dumb sing Yea and the dead is made to live This my Son was dead and is alive again and so many sins as there are from which the heart is converted of so many Devils is that heart dispossessed thy filthiness was an unclean Devil and thy persecution was a raging Devil every sin that possessed thee was a strong Devil within thee Oh what a great change is it to behold a stone turned into flesh and yet in Conversion The heart of stone is turned into an heart of flesh Ezek. 36. 26. What a change were it to see a stone changed into a Son of Abraham and yet in Conversion a stony hearted sinner is changed into a Son of God what a change were it to see darkness turned into light yet in Conversion it is so Ye were once darkness but now are ye light in the Lord Eph. 5. 8. What shall I say in Conversion the Bramble becomes a Fig Tree and the Lion becomes a Lamb and the Wilderness is turned into a Paradise and Hell is turned into Heaven the Extortioner turns liberal so did Zacheus the Persecutor becomes a Martyr so did Paul the hideous sinner become a Saint so did Four things seâ— out the greatness of this change Theâ—e is a change of nature in nature the Corinthians the blasphemer now fears an oath There are four things which set out the greatness of the change in a sinners Conversion 1. There is a change of nature in nature there is a man and a man in the same man an old man and a new man in the same man two judgments in one judgment two wills in one will like two Armies in one Field or like the Twins in Rebecca's Womb. 2. There is the strangest unlikeness to a This is in a moment mans self in a moment that ever was in a moment to hate Christ exceedingly and the next moment to love Christ above all to crucifie Christ because he said he was the Son of God and presently confess that he is the Son of God to mock the Apostles as drunkards and presently cry out what shall we do c. this moment to love sin as if it were my only Heaven and the next moment to loath sin as if it were my only Hell Now to count all truth and holiness but as dung to the World and presently to count all the World but as dung
infused but also diffused it is tota in toto tota in qualibet parte the whole made alive so is it in true Conversion that grace which converts a sinner doth change all the sinner every faculty of the soul for the quality of it and every member of the body for the spiritual use of it Therefore converting grace is compared to the Light which runs through all the body of the aire every part whereof is inlightned and it is compared to Leaven which spreads and insinuates it self into every part of the Lump You cannot dip into any leaf of this Book into any parcel of a converted man but you shall find a divine and spiritual change a spirit of grace on it He is sanctifyed throughout in soul spirit and body I confess it were a work worthy of the deepest study of the exactest Minister to find out and deliver two things unto us 1. One is the Minimum quod sic the least breath or life of converting grace 2. Another is The specifical operations of converting grace in all the faculties of the soul so that one may say safely this faculty is changed and that faculty is changed by grace and nothing else This I make no question of that converting grace doth make the whole man alive For 1. It is a new and renewing quality 2. It is of a diffusive virtue being a good in Genere optimorum 3. It must be Co-extensive with sin which hath perverted the whole man But yet to set out its changing work in every faculty of the souâ— I cannot undertake it in the exquisiteness thereof yet if you will favourably accept of my endeavours I shall attempt towards it that so you may Concerning this universal change the better conceive of that universal change wrought in a sinner upon his Conversion 1. I premise a few Propositions which I take for granted Premise some things Coâ—verting grace is a concatination of all saving graces All these are Simultaneous in their Birth truths v. g. 1. That converting Grace which changeth the soul is a Concatination of all particular saving graces It is not Faith only â—or Repentance only nor Hope only nor Love only c. but all of them a Link or Golden â—hain as it were of them 2. That all these are simultaneous in their birth they are not implanted one before another or one more than another habitually considered but are of a simultaneous and coexistent production although in the order of working and manifestation of work there be a precedency 3. All these All these concur in their specifical nature as to this change graces concur in their specifical nature and immediate operation as to a change of the soul The change wrought in the mind is of the same nature with that which is wought in the will and the change in the will is of the same nature with that in the affections every faculty is renewed and changed with the same kind of Grace in Conversion for all true Graces are of the same nature and all of them concur to work a like saving change though one grace be seated in one faculty and another grace in another faculty all of them are like so many streams flowing from the same Fountain and coming into diverse Rooms and washing or cleansing of them all so that the whole house is made clean by them 2. These things being premised I shall now briefly shew unto you the Universâ—lity of change wrought by converting The universality of this change shewed in the particulars In the mind Grace 1. In the mind or understanding of a sinner when he is converted there is implanted an heavenly or saving light or knowledg which removes the power and dominion of darkness or ignorance and now inables the person to behold the saving truths and will and wayes of God in Christ in a spiritual clear serious and delightful manner all which he looks upon not with a naked or meerly intuitive apprehension but with admiration but with application but with delight and singular desire and a certain kind of transformation 2 Cor. 3. 18. Buâ— we all with open face beholding as in a glass the Glory of the Lord are changed into the same image from Glory to Glory When the mind is renewed it hath now a spiritual light and worth Jesus Christ appears as an excellent Object to Paul Phil. 3. 8. and the Statutes of God an excellent Object to David Psal 119. 4 5. 2. In the Judgment of a sinner when he is converted there In the judgment is also a saving and a gracious change for there doth converting Grace cast down the high imaginations of a sinner as touching himself and his carnal reasonings and fleshly disputes against God and Christ and holiness and so captivates the judgment of a sinner that he confesseth and acknowledgeth and approveth of all the methods truths causes means and wayes of salvation as best and best for him and now best for him Oh none but Christ none but Christ said the Martyr It it wonderful to behold how the judgment of a converted man condemns what he formerly approved most and how it approves what he condemned most the man now judgeth of his sin as the only evil and of Christ as his only good Oh how foolish how vain how vile that I have lived in and served and followed my sinful lusts Oh how glorious how happy how desireable is a part in Christ and Grace yea and the judgment now is as fruitful and vigorous in forming Arguments to forsake sin as it was once to draw the heart to sin and sees a thousand times more reason to embrace Christ and love holiness then to slight and refuse them 3. In the Will of a sinner when he is converted there is also a change wrought by Grace the resisting proud unreasonable In the will stubbornness and enmity of it is subdued and an holy pliableness yieldingness willingness is conveyed into it T is rare to behold how the Needle with one touch of the Adamant wheels about so to behold the admirable inclinations of the will of a sinner upon one touch of Grace from Christ not long since deaf but now hearkening not long since resisting of Christ to the death and now following Christ as for life a little while since shutting the door and barring it and now unlocking the door and opening it ere while I will not and now Lord what wilt thou have me to do I should be tedious unto you to discourse of the new inclinations and aversions of the new elections and rejections of the new purposes and resolutions of the In the affections new conformableness and subjections which are plainly evident upon Conversion in the will of the sinner 4 In all the affections of a sinner which in Conversion are so metamorphosed or changed that you can hardly perswade your self this is the man to day whom you knew yesterday one affection seems to be
changed into another love into hatred and hatred into love joy into grief boldness into fear Lately the desires were who will shew us any good now the desires are what shall we do to be saved Lately the delights were iâ— sin in sensualities in vain societies now they are in the favour of God in Jesus Christ in pardon of sin in heavenly communion Lately the love was set on that which was most unlovely now it is set on the most lovely object indeed Christ is the center c. Lately the grief was a turbulent Sea for worldly losses but now it is a running River for sinning against God Lately the affections were wings for iniquity but now they are springs for duty I may not inlarge by what you have heard it may plainly appear Dâ—monstrations of a notable change in Conversion From the person converted From the work of Conversion that true Conversion works an universal change in the sinner Demonstrations that there is a notable change in Conversion 1. The person converted he is made pertaker of the Divine Nature 1 Pet. 1. 4. He is a new Creature 2 Cor. 5. 7. He is quickned from the dead Eph. 2. 1. He is born again Jo. 3. 3. 2. The work of Conversion It is the effect of the great and good will of Election and in it God displayes the glory of his great Love and Grace and Mercy And Christ sees of the travel of his soul some special fruit of his wonderful sufferings and purchases And the holy Ghost doth manifest his almighty Poâ—er and the noblest act thereof and converting grace is a new contrary nature a new man 3. The end of Conversion Conversion is the first From the end of Conversion inward work for heavenly glory It is wrought to make us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light Naturally we are opposite to God and to all Communion with him Without holiness no man shall see the Lord no unclean thing can enter there sinning Angels were cast out of Heaven God qualifies those whom he will dignifie he qualifyed Saul for an earthly Kingdome much more the sinner for an heavenly Kingdome Heavenly glory is absolutely inconsistent with a graceless heart the promise of it is so and the nature of it is so and the work of it is so and the reward of it is so 4. Converted persons are to live other lives and to do other works therefore there must be a change of their Converted persons must live oâ—her lives Vse 1. This convinceâ—h many to be yet unconverted Such in whom appears no change at all Forms and Principles and Powers Is true Conversion a change a great change an internal and cordial change an universal change Why then this one truth palpably convinceth multitudes of people to be as yet not converted 1. There are some men in whom there appears no change at all neither inward nor outward the Leopards spots remain and the Blackmores skin is unchanged they were ignorant and so are still they were drunkards swearers railers scoffers mockers of godliness and godly men Sabbath-breakers unclean proud and so are still The Prophet speaks of some whose scum departed not from them Ezek. 24. 12. And the Apostle of some who cannot cease to do evil 2 Pet. 2. 14. And David of some who hate to be reformed Psal 50. 16. And Steven of some who alwayes resist the holy Ghost Acts 7. 51. And Paul of some who wax worse and worse 2 Tim. 3. 13. Although changes go over their age they were young and now are old yet no change goes over their hearts and lives although changes go over their bodies their strength is changed into weakness and their health is changed into sickness although changes go over their estates their wealth is changed into poverty and their abundance is changed into want although changes go over the times peace is changed into war and safety is changed into danger nay although sometimes changes goe over their consciences Stupidity is changed into horrour and pleasure into terrour yet their hearts are not changed they approve love and delight in their sins as much as ever and their Conversations are not changed they drive the same trade run on to the same excess of Riotousness wallow in the same mire of Ungodliness despise converting Ordinances converted Persons converting Graces Now what shall I say to these Persons They are unchanged sinners and so is God an unchangeable God who hath threatned them and swore his Wrath against them Thou wilt not repent of thy sins nor will God repeâ—t of his Wrath thou wilt not turn to him and therefore will he turn away his mercy from thee and will overturn overturn overturn thee as the Prophet phraseth it 2. There are some whose change is only outward but it is Such whose Change is only outward not inward not inward and cordial they stand off from many sins and come on to many duties and yet their hearts are not changed There are six things which may convince a man that his heart is not changed 1. When a man seems to be tender least he should Six things convince a man his Heart is not changed commit a sin but yet his heart was never tender and humbled for all the sins which he hath committed Jer. 31. 19. I was ashamed yea even confounded because I did bear the reproach of my youth If Repentance begins not in tears it will end in tears When I look forward and see sin with a trembling eye O I dare not offend my God and when I look backward and see sin with a mournful eye O I have sinned I have sinned these indeed do shew a converted and changed heart But I fear it is rather a policy then a change and a regard more to my credit then my conscience when I expostulate with a sin in Temptation and never mourn for many sins in Commission 2. When a man leaves many sins but yet he doth not loath any sin Many a man sometimes abstains from meat yet loves it but a good heart abstains from sin as from a serpent which he hates He turnes his face from them but he turnes not his heart from them he doth not act the sin nor doth hate the sin he doth not let 〈◊〉 out of door nor yet crucify it within door he seems not to be a friend and yet is not an enemy to sin this mans heart is not changed 3. When a man acts from an awing Conscience and not from a renewing Spirit flies from sin only when conscience flies upon him for sinning and doth good only when conscience is unquiet when not Grace which works uniformly but terour which works accidentally is his Principle though a while there be some diversity and diversion too in this man yet there is no change of heart in him even Pharaoh under a Judgment yielded who yet upon a respite hardned his heart again and Iron whiles hot
becomes malleable nevertheless it is not changed in its Intrinsecal disposition 4. When a man is Formal in duties but not Spiritual in duties he holds a customary course but not a conscientious course this mans heart is not changed Judas was as busie about Christ as the other Disciples yet he was not changed Some unconverted man may be as frequent in religious duties as converted persons are yet their hearts unchanged There are four things which prove a formal Christian to have an unchanged Four things prove a formal Christian to have an unchanged Heart Heart for though he doth good duties yet he doth them 1. From carnal Principles of Custome Education Example not from Faith Love and Spiritual Principles 2. For Carnal Ends with a respect to his Estimation with men not with God or he doth some good to blind and cover more evil 3. As a Carnal or Natural work not as a Communion with God or Christ if he doth them it is sufficient but whether he meets with God in them or God with him in them whether he pleaseth God and God accepts of him and them or what heavenly revenues come into his soul upon them he regards not 4. Without any Delight A good mâ—n hates the sin which he doth an evil man hates the good which he doth he delights not in the Law of God after the Inward man he is glad when the work is done but not to do the work It is his Task it is not his Pleasure It is a Heaviness but not an Heaven to him his Spirit is weary as much as his Body he cannot take hold of God be importunate in prayer for any Grace he doth not put out a Might a Power a Zeal in holy Services but acts them with a sleepy faint wearisome undelightful Spirit 5. When a man hath been and still is a stranger to Inward Conflicts certainly that mans heart was never changed there may be two conditions wherein all may be quiet One is in anothere life where grace stands alone in heaven there is no sin but holiness is grown unto its utmost perfection and therefore it is above contrariety and conflict Another is in this life where sin stands alone it hath the dominion and blinds the mind sears the conscience and hardens the heart there is neither a contrary light nor a contrary grace to raise any stirs and conflicts But then there is a third condition which hath medium participationis in it in which the soul is partly flesh and partly spirit sin is there and grace is there there are two contrary Natures two contrary Lawes two contrary Inclinations and workings two Adamants as it were one drawing the soul to evil the other drawing the soul to good one willing the other unwilling one yielding the other resisting one putting on to â—aith to love to mourning to praying to repenting the other putting off the soul from all these when I would do good evil is present with me saith Paul And verily it is thus with every converted and changed man The flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit lusteth against the flesh and these two are contrary one to another so that they cannot do the good that they would Gal. 5. 17. And if no such thing be in thee thy heart was never changed That man who never finds an unbelieving nature opposing and conflicting with a believing nature hardness conflicting with softness c. his heart was never changed for converting grace is in us but in part and if but in part then some sinfulness still remains and believe it there are not two more active more contrary more conflicting principles then grace and sin in the same subject 6. When a man is constantly formal in the same rode and posture all his dayes like a Pioâ—ture never better nor worse Such who seem to be changed without and within but it is not total Two things manifest a partial change When they do not come up fully to the commanding Will of God 3. There are many men who seem to be changed without and within yet the change is not a total or universal change and there are two things which do manifest a partial change only to be in many men 1. When they do not come up fully to God in respect of his commanding will they cannot come up to the Will of God when his Will is most spiritual when his will is most strict as self-denial when his will is most difficult Oh to sacrifice Isaâ—c that beloved Child to part with Benâ—amin this is against them to pluck out the right eye and cut off the right hand this is an hard saying when his will is most suffering For the young man to forsake all his riches this is a sorrowful Injuction to renounce all our honours with Moses and to suffer reproaches with the people of God to leave Friends and Father and Mother and Brethren and Sisters and Children and Lands and Life too as the Apostles did When a man is converted he is now so changed that his will and Gods Will are not sutable but also coextensive It is pliable and it is parallel Gods Will is my will and what he wills I will the Law of God is written in his heart every command of God is ingraven upon it there may you read the Masters Copy and the Scholar writing after it This is to be done saith God this I desire to do saith the Godly heart this I would have thee to believe Lord I believe help my unbelief Thus much I would have thee to suffer Lord strengthen me and give me not only to believe but to suffer for thy sake But in a partial change it is otherwise 2. When they do not fully come up to God in respect of his forbidding Nor to the forbidding Will of God will You know that God forbids all sin he forbids spiritual sins pride ambition c. as well as fleshly sins 2 Cor. 7. 1. little sins faith and troth vain thoughts as well as great sins secret sins alone as well as open sins heart sins heart-adultery revenge malice as well as life sins Gospel sins unbelief and grieving of the Spirit of God as well as Law sins sins of Omission as well as sins of Commission breeding or original sin as well as actual Quest But some may say unto me If the case be so How How a man may know that God hath indeed changed his heart Some things premised There are many aboâ—â—ive changes may one know that God hath indeed converted and changed his very heart so that he may confidently say that although I was once dead yet I am now alive This Question deserves a serious Resolution For 1. There are many abortive changes deluding changes rising from false and insufficient Principles from a terrifyed conscience or from politick parts or from the power of restraint or from denial of occasions or from prevalent passions or from the contrariety of one sin