name of Jesus then for conformity to the life of Jesus more zealous for a holy vestment then for a holy life more zealous for the inventions of men then for the institutions of Christ This is a superstitious zeal Heathens will rise up in judgment against such men Deus non superstitione coli vale sed pietate said Cicero and usually found in men unconverted whom grace never was wrought in When was it that Paul was so exceedingly zealous of the traditions of his Fathers as he saith Gal. 1.14 but only when he was in his wretched and unconverted state as you may see in the next verses But when it pleased God to call me by his grace Gal. 1 15 16. then I conferred not with flesh and blood Paul had another kind of zeal then acted by other kind of Principles Cer. 34.14 15. comp with v. 25 26 27 28 29. Fourthly There is a selfish zeal that hath a mans own ends for its motive Jehu was very zealous but it was not so much for God as for the Kingdom not so much in obedience to the command as in design to step into the Throne and therefore God threatens to punish him for that very thing he commands him to do Hos 1.4 I will avenge the blood of Jezreel upon the house of Jehu Because he shed that blood to gratifie his lust not to obey God So Simeon and Levi pretend great zeal for Circumcision seem very zealous for the honour of Gods Ordinance when in truth their zeal was for covetousness and revenge upon the Shechemites It is storyed of Dr. Aylmer that in his young days he was very high against the pride and covetousness of the Bishops and in a book of his he thus speaks to them come off you Bishops away with your superfluities yeild up your thousands be content with a little 1 Cor. 13.11 But afterwards when he himself came to be Bishop of London then his profits and preferment had eat up his zeal and he would confess to his friends that he had been of another strain in his youth abusing those words of Paul when I was a Child I spake as a Child I understood as a child I thought as a Child Fifthly There is an outside zeal such was that of the Scribes and Pharises they would not eat with unwashed hands but yet would live in unseen sins they would wash the cup often but the heart seldom paint the outside but neglect the inside Ne appetat quisquam ultra videri quam est ut possit ustra esse quam videtur Greg. Jehu was a mighty out-side reformer 2 Kings 10.16 but he reformed nothing within for he had a base heart under all v. 31. Jehu took no heed towalk in the Law of the Lord with all his heart Though his fleece was fair his liver was rotten Our Lord Christ observes of the Pharises they pray to be seen of men and fast so that they may appear to men to fast Matth. 6.5 16. Pro. 7.11 Sixthly There is a fortasick zeal that runs out upon others like the candle in the Lanthorn that sends all the heat out at top or as the lewd Woman Salomon mentions whose feet abide not in her own house Many are hot and high against the sins of others and yet cannot see the same in themselves like the Lamiae that put on their spectacles when they went abroad but pulled them off within doors It is easie to see fault in others and as hard to see then in our selves Jehu was zealous against Baal and his Priests because that was Ahabs sin but not against the Calves of Bethel because that was his own sin Teeum babita This zeal is the true Character of an Hypocrite his own Garden is over-run with Weeds while he is busie in looking over his Neighbours Pale Seaventhly There is a sinful zeal all the former may be called sinful from some defect but this I call sinful in a more special notion because against the life and cheif of Religion it is a zeal against zeal that flies not at profaness but at the very power of godliness not at error but at truth and is most hot against the most spiritual and important truths of the times Whence else are the sufferings of men for the truth but from this spirit of zeal against the truth Iam. 1.19 Rev. 12.12 This may be called a devillish zeal for as there is the faith of Devils so there is the zeal of Devils therefore his rage is great because he knows his time is short 1 Sam. 15.3 Eighthly There is a Scriptureless zeal that is not butted and bounded by the Word but by some base and low end such was Sauls zeal when God bids him destroy Amalek and spare neither man nor beast then contrary to Gods command he spare the best of the Sheep and Oxen under pretence of zeal for Gods Sacrifice 2 Sam. 21.2 Another time when he had no such command then he slaies the Gibeonites in his zeal to the Children of Israel and Judah Many a mans zeal is greatest then and there when and where he hath the least warrant from God It is worth the while to observe how zealous men are for Ceremonies and pompousness in the worship of God when as there is not one word in all the Scripture for them I will tell you and the Scripture adjusts me in it that it is one of the surest signs of an Antichrristian spirit to be zealous for unwritten and ungrounded traditions in the Worship of God The true spirit of zeal is bounded by Scripture for it is for God and the concernments of his glory God hath no glory from that zeal that hath no Scripture warrant Now then if the zeal of a man in the things of God may be onely a blind zeal or a partial zeal or a misplaced zeal or a selfish zeal or an out-side zeal or a forensick zeal or a sinful zeal or a Scriptureless zeal then it is evident that a man may be very zealous in the matters of Religion and yet be but almost a Christian 12. A-man may be much in Prayer he may pray often and pray much and yet be but almost a Christian so did the Pharises whom yet our Lord Christ rejects for Hypocrites Mat. 23.14 Object But is not a praying frame an argument of a sincere heart are not the Saints of God called The generation of them that seek the face of God Psal 24.6 Sol. A man is not therefore a Christian because he is much in prayer I grant That those prayers that are from the workings and sighings of Gods Spirit in us From a sincere heart lifted to God From sense of our own emptiness and Gods infinite fulness That are suited to Gods will the great rule of prayer That are for spiritual things more then temporal That are accompanied with faith and dependance Such prayers speak a man altogether a Christian But
Harlots in all their sin and uncleanness Because resting in a false work a partial change we neglect to seek after a true and saving change There is nothing more common then to mistake our state and by overweaning thoughts misjudge our condition and so perish in our own delusions Mat. 7.26 The World is full of these foolish Builders that lay the foundation of their hopes of eternal salvation upon the sand Now my brethren would you not mistake the way to Heaven and perish in a delusion would you not be found fools at last for none are such fools as the spiritual fool who is a fool in the great business of salvation Would you not be fools for your souls and for eternity Oh then labour after and pray for a through work of conversion beg of God that he would make a saving change in your souls that you may be altogether Christians all other changes below this saving change this heart-change make us but almost Christians 11. A man may be very zealous in the matters of Religion and yet be but almost a Christian Jehu did not onely serve God and do what he commanded him but was very zealous in his service 2 Kings 10.16 come with me and see my zeal for the Lord of Hosts and yet in all this Jehu was a very Hypocrite Joash was a great reformer in Jehojadahs time it is said he did that which was right in the eys of the Lord 2 Chron. 29.2 all the days of Jehojada the Preist but when Jehojadah dyed Joash his zeal for God dyed with him and he becomes a very wretch v. 17 18. Mat. 11.12 Object But the Apostle makes zeal to be a note of sound Christianity Gal. 4.18 It is good to be zealously affected in a good thing nay it seems to be the non-such qualification for obtaining eternal life the Kingdom of Heaven suffereth violence and the violent take it by force Sol. It is true there is a zeal which is good and which renders the soul highly acceptable to God a zeal that never misses of Heaven and Salvation Now this is a zeal which is a celestial fire the true temper and heat of all the affections to God and Christ qui non zelat non amat It is a zeal wrought and kindled in the soul by the spirit of God who first works it and then sets it on work It is a zeal that hath the Word of God for its guide directing it in working both in regard of its object and end manner and measure It is a zeal that checks sin and forwards the Heavenly life Joh. 2.17 It is a zeal that makes the glory of God its cheif end which swallows up all by-ends The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up Lev. 10.1 But now all zeal is not this kind of zeal there is a false zeal as well as a true every grace hath its counterfeit as there is fire which is true Heavenly fire on the Altar so there is strange fire Nadab and Abihu offered strange fire upon Gods Altar There are several kinds of zeal none of which are true and sound but false and counterfeit I le instance in eight particulars Bernard Mat. 17.15 First There is a blind zeal a zeal without knowledge Rom. 10.2 They have a zeal saith the Apostle but not according to knowledge now as knowledge without zeal is fruitless so zeal without knowledge is dangerous it is like Wild-fire in the hand of a fool or like the Devil in the man possessed that threw him sometimes into the fire sometimes into the water zelus absque scientia quo vehementius irruit eo graivus corruit The eye is the light of the body and the understanding is the light of the soul now as the body without the light of the eye cannot go without stumbling â—o the soul without the light of the mind cannot act without erring Acts 22.3 4. Zeal without knowledge is like an ignis fatuus in a dark night that leads a Traveller out of his way into the Bogs and Mire This was the zeal of Paul while he was a Pharise I was zealous towards God as ye all are this day and I persecuted this way unto the death And so Asts 26.9 I verily thought with my self I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth So Philip. 3.6 concerning zeal persecuting the Church Such a zeal was that in John 16.2 They shall put you out of the Synagogue silence you you shall not be suffered to Preach yea the time comes that whoever kills you will think that he doth God service This is great zeal but yet it is a blind zeal and that God abhors Secondly There is a partial zeal in one thing fire hot in another key cold zealous in this thing and yet careless in another many are first-Table Christians zealous in the duties of the first Table and yet neglect the second thus the Pharises were zealous in there corban Mat. 23.23 Lyra hath these very words filius per professionem factam in religione excusatur a subveniendo par niïbus and yet unnatural to their Parents suffering them to starve and perish Others are second Table Christians zealous in the duties of the second Table but neglect the first more for Righteousness among men then for holiness towards God But now he whose religion ends with the first Table or begins with the second he is a foolin his profession for he is but almost a Christian The woman that was for the dividing the child was not the true Mother and he that is for dividing the Commands is not a true beleiver 2 Kings 10.16 comp with 29. v Jehu was zealous against Ahabs house but not so against Jeroboams calves many are zealous against sins of opinion that yet use no zeal against the sins of their conversation Now as we know that the sweat of the whole body is a sign of health but the sweat of some one part onely shews a distemper Io. Fernel de febrâ—bus â— 4. c. 19 and therefore Physitians do reckon such a heat to be symptomatical So where zeal reaches to every command of God alike that is a sign of a sound constitution of soul but where it is partial where a man is hot in one part and cold in another that is Symptomatical of some inward Spiritual distemper Thirdly There is a misplaced zeal fixed upon unsuitable and disproportionable Objects Many are very zealous in trifling things that are not worth it and trifle in the things that most require it like the Pharisees that were diligent Tithers of mint annise cumin but neglected the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the weightier matters of the Law judgement mercy and faith Mat. 23.23 They had no zeal for these though very hot for the other many are more zealous for a ceremony then for the substance of Religion more zealous for bowing at the
considering it was born under your roof and therefore hopes to find favour in your eyes and room in your hearts Accept it I beseech you as a publique acknowledgement of the ingagements which your great and I think I may say unparalleled respects have laid me under which I can no way compensate but by my prayers and if you will take them for satisfaction I do promise to be your remembrancer at the throne of grace whilst I am Matthew Meade TO THE READER Reader I Know how customary it is for men to ascend the publique stage with premised Apologies for the weakness and unworthiness of their labours which is an argument that their desires either for the sake of others profit or their own credit or both are stretched beyond the tedder of their abilities and that they covet to commend themselves to the Worlds censure in a better dress then common infirmity will allow for my own part I may truely say with Gideon Behold my thousand is the meanest my Talent is the smallest and I am the least in my Fathers House 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iud. 6.15 and therefore this appearance in publique is not the fruit of my own choice which would rather have been in some other subject wherein I stand in some sense indebted to the World or else in somewhat more digested and possibly better fitted for common acceptation but this is but to consult the interest of a mans own name which in matters of this concern is no better then a sowing to the flesh and the harvest of such a seeds time will be in corruption Gal. 6.8 Luk. 13.24 1 Cor. 9.24 Thou hast here one of the saddest considerations imaginable presented to thee and that is how far it is possible a man may go in a profession of Religion and yet after all fall short of salvation haw far he may run and yet not so run as to obtain this I say is sad but not so sad as true for our Lord Christ doth plainly attest it strive to enter in at the strait gate for many I say unto you will seek to enter in and shall not be able My design herein is that the formal sleepy professor may be awakened and the close Hypocrite discovered but my fear is that weak beleivers may be hereby discouraged for as it is hard to shew how low a Child of God may fall in sin and yet have true grace but that the sinner will be apt thereupon to presume so it is as hard to shew how high a Hypocrite may rise in a profession and yet have no grace but that the beleiver will be apt thereupon to despond The prevention whereof I have carefully indeavoured by shewing that though a man may go thus far and yet be but almost a Christian yet a man may fall short of this and be a true Christian notwithstanding judge not therefore thy state by any one character thou findest laid down of a false professor but read the whole and then make a judgement for I have cared Mat. 15.26 as not to give childrens bread to Dogs so not to use the Dog-Whip to scare the children yet I could wish that this book might fall into the hands of such onely whom it chiefly concerns who have a name to live Rev. 3.1 and yet are dead being busie with the form of godliness 2 Tim. 3.5 but strangers to the power of it These are the proper subject of this Treatise And the Lord follow it with his blessing wherever it comes that it may be an awakening word to all such and especially to that generation of profligate professors with which this age abounds who if they keep to their Church bow the knee tale out a few prayers and at a good time receive the Sacrament think they do enough for Heaven and hereupon judge their condition safe and their Salvation sure though their be a hell of sin in their hearts Ro. 3.13 and the Poyson of Asps under their lips their minds being as yet carnal and unconverted and their conversations filthy and unsanctified if eternal life be of so easie attainment and to be had at so cheap a rate of devotion it is to me a wonder what our Lord Christ meant to tell us Mat. 7.14 straight is the gate and narrow is the way which leadeth into life and few there be that find it And why the Apostle should perplex us with such a needless injunction To give diligence to make their callling and election sure 2 Pet. 1.10 certainly therefore it is no such easie thing to be saved as many make it and that thou wilt see plainly in the following discourse I have been somewhat short in the application of it and therefore let me here be thy remembrancer in five important duties Mat. 7.16 vers 27. 2 King 6.25 First Take heed of resting in a form of godliness as if duties ex opere operato could confer grace a lifeless formality is advanced to a very high esteem in the World as a Kab of Doves Dung was sold in the Famine of Samaria at a very dear rate Alas the profession of godliness is but a sandy foundation to build the hope of an immortal soul upon for eternity remember the Lord Jesus Christ called him a foolish builder that founded his house upon the sand and the sad event proved him so for it fell and great was the fall of it Oh therefore lay thy foundations by faith upon the Rock Christ Jesus 1 Cor. 3.11 look to Christ through all and rest upon Christ in all Secondly Labour to see an excellency in the power of godliness a beauty in the life of grace if the means of grace have a loveliness in them surely grace it self hath much more for finis dat amabilitatem mediis the goodness of the means lies in its sutableness and serviceableness to the end the form of godliness hath no goodness in it any farther then it steads and becomes useful to the soul in the power and practise of godliness The life of holiness is the onely excellent life it is the life of Saints and Angels in Heaven yea it is the life of God himself As it is a great proof of the baseness and filthiness of sin that sinners seek to cover it so it is a great proof of the excellency of godliness that so many pretend to it The very Hypocrites fair profession pleads the cause of Religion although the Hypocrite is then really worst when he is seemingly best Malus ubi bonum se siâ—ulat tunc est passimus Thirdly Look upon things to come as the greatest realities for non entis non apparentis idem est effectus things that are not beleived work no more upon the affections then if they had no being and this is the grand reason why the generality of men suffer their affections to lacquey after the World setting the creature in the place of
may be called of God 15. He may in some sense have the spirit of God 16. He may have some kind of faith 17. He may love the people of God 18. He may go far in obeying the Commands of God 19. He may be in some sense sanctified 20. He may do all as to external duties that a true Christian can and yet be no better then almost a Christian The second Question Why or whence is it that many men go so far as that they come to be almost Christians First It may be to answer the call of conscience though few men have grace yet all men have conscience Now do but observe and you shall see how far conscience may go in this work 1. Conscience owns a God and that this God must be worshipped and served by the creature Atheists in practice we have many such as the Apostle speaks of Tit. 1.16 They profess they know God but in works they deny him But Atheists in judgment none can be Tully a Heathen could say nulla gens tam barbara c. Now their being such a light in conscience as to discover that their is a God and that he must be Worshipped by the help of farther light the light of the word a man may be inabled to do much in the ways of God and yet his heart without a dram of grace 2. Know this that natural conscience is capable of great improvements from the means of grace sitting under the ordinances may exceedingly heighten the indowments of Conscience though they do not sanctifie conscience it may be much regulated though it be not at all renewed it may be inlightned convinced and yet never savingly converted and changed Ye read in Heb. 6.4 of some that were once inlightned and tasted of the Heavenly gift and were made partakers of the holy ghost What work shall we call this It could not be a saving work a true change and conversion of state for notwithstanding this inlightning and tasting and partaking yet they are here said to fall away v. 6. Luke 22.32 Deut. 33.27 Had it been a true work of grace they could never have fallen away from that a beleiver may fall but he cannot fall away he may fall foully but he can never fall finally for underneath are the everlasting arms his faith is established in the strength of that prayer of Christ that our faith fail not nay he tels us expresly that it is eternal life which he gives from which we shall never perish John 10.28 This work then here spoken of cannot be any saving work because it is not an abiding work for they that are under it are said to fall away from it but though it be not a saving work yet it is a supernatural work it is an improvement made by the word upon the consciences of men through the power of the Spirit and therefore they are said to tast the good word of God and to be made partakers of the Holy Ghost they have not the spirit abiding in them savingly but striving with them and working upon them convincingly to the awakening and setting conscience on work And conscience thus stirred may carry a man very far in Religion and in the duties of the Gospel and yet be but a natural conscience A common work of the spirit may stead a man very much in the duties of Religion though it must be a special work of the spirit that steads a man to salvation a man may have the assisting presence of the spirit inabling him to preach and pray and yet he may perish for want of the renewing presence of the spirit inabling him to beleive Judas had the former and yet perished for want of the latter he had the spirit assisting him to cast out devils but yet he had not the spirit renewing him for he was cast out himself Thus a man may have an improved conscience and yet be a stranger to a renewed conscience and conscience thus improved may put a man very much upon duty I pray God none of us mistake a conscience thus improved by the word for a conscience renewed by the spirit the mistake is very easie especially when a life of duties is the fruit of it 3. The conscience of a natural man is subject to distress and trouble though a natural conscience is not sanctified with grace yet it is often troubled at sin trouble of conscience is not incident to beleivers onely but sometimes to unbeleivers also A beleivers conscience is sometimes troubled when his sin is truely pardoned and a natural mans conscience is troubled for sin though it is never freed from sin God sometimes sets the word home upon the sinners conscience and applies the terrours of the law to it and this fills the soul with fear and horrour of death and hell now in this case the soul usually betakes it self to a life of duties meerly to fence trouble out of conscience 2 Sam. 14.30 31. When Absalom sets fire on Joabs corn fields then he runs to him though he refused before so when God lets a spark of Hell as it were fall upon the sinners conscience in applying the terrours of the word this drives the sinner to a life of duties which he never minded before The ground of many a mans ingaging in Religion is the trouble of his conscience and the end of his continuing in Religion is the quieting of conscience if conscience would never check him God should never from him Natural conscience hath a voice and speaks aloud many times in the sinners ears and telleth him this ought not to be done God must not be forgotten the commands of God ought not to be slighted living in sin will be the ruine of the soul and hence it is that a natural man runs to duties and takes up a lifeless and graceless profession that he may thereby silence conscience As a man sick in his stomack what ever sweet morsel he hath eaten he brings up all and although it was sweet in the eating yet it is bitter in the rising So it fareth with the sinner when he is Sermon-sick or Conscience-sick though his sin was sweet in the practice yet the thought of it riseth bitter upon the conscience and then his profession of religion is the pill he rouleth about in his mouth to take away the bitterness of-sins tast 4. Natural conscience inlightned by the word may discover to a man much of the misery of a natural state though not effectually to bring him out of it yet so as to make him restless and weary in it it may shew a sinner his nakedness and hereupon the soul runneth to a life of duties thinking hereby to stead the misery of his case and to make a covering for his nakedness It is said Gen. 3.7 That when Adam and Eve saw they were naked they sewed Fig leaves together and made themselvelves a covering So when once the sinner seeth his nakedness and vileness by reason
Conscience 7. And lastly if a natural conscience be the spring of duty why then this spring runs fastest at first and so abateth and at last dryeth up but if a renewed conscience a sanctified heart be the spring of duty then this spring will never dry up it will run always from first to last and run quicker at last then at first I know thyworks and the last to be more then the first Rev. 2.19 The righteous shall hold on his way and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger Job 17.9 But you will say why doth that man abate and languish in his duties that doth them from a natural conscience more then he that doth them from a renewed conscience The reason is because they grow upon a failable root a decaying root and that is nature nature is a fading root and so are all it fruits fading but the duties done by a renewed conscience are fruits that grow upon a lasting root and that is Christ gifts have their root in nature but grace hath its root in Christ and therefore the weakest grace shall out-live the greatest gifts and parts because there is life in the root of one and not in the root of the other gifts and grace differ like the Leather of your Shooe and the Skin of your Foot take a pair of Shooes that have the thickest soals and if you go much in them the Leather weareth out and in a little time a mans foot cometh to the ground but now a man that goeth bare-foot all his days the skin of his feet doth not wear out why should not the soal of his foot sooner wear out then the soul of his shooe for the Leather is much thicker then the Skin the reason is because there is life in the one and not in the other there is life in the skin of the foot and therefore that holdeth out and groweth thicker and thicker harder and harder but there is no life in the soal of his shooe and therefore that weareth out and waxeth thinner and thinner so it is with gifts and grace Now then if I decay and abate and grow weary of a profession and fall away at last if I begin in the spirit and end in the flesh then was all I did from a natural conscience but if I grow and hold out if I persevere to the end and my last works be more then my first then do I act from a renewed conscience And thus I have in seven things answered that question viz. if conscience may go thus far in putting a man upon duties then what difference is there between this natural conscience in Hypocrites and sinners and renewed conscience in beleivers And that is the first answer to the main query viz. whence is it that many men go so far as that they come to be almost Christians It is to answer the call of conscience Secondly It is from the power of the word under which they live though the word doth not work effectually upon all yet it hath a great power upon the hearts of sinners to reforme them though not to renew them 1. It hath vim discriminationis a discerning discovering power Heb. 4.12 the Word of God is quick and powerful sharper then any two-edged Sword peircing to the dividing assunder of soul and spirit and of the joynts and marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart Iam. 1.23 This is the glass where every man may see what manner of man he is as the light of the Sun discovers the little Moths so the light of the Word shining into conscience discovers little sins 2. The Word hath vim legislativam the power of a law it gives law to the whole soul binds conscience it is therefore frequently call'd the law in Scripture Psa 119 92. Isa 8.20 unless thy law had been my delight c. To the law and to the testimony this is spoken of the whole Word of God which is therefore called a Law because of its binding power upon the conscience 3. It hath vim judicativam a judging power John 12.48 The word that I have spoken the same shall judge him at the last day the sentence that God will pass upon sinners hereafter is no other then what the word passeth upon them here the judgement of God is not a day wherein God will pass any new sentence but it is such a day wherein God will make a solemn publique ratification of the judgement passed by the Ministry of the word upon souls here this I gather clearly from Mat. 18.18 whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in Heaven and whatever ye shall loose an earth shall be loosed in Heaven so that by bringing a mans heart to the word and trying it by that he may quickly know what that sentence is that God will pass upon his soul in the last day for as the judgment of the word is now such will the judgement of God be concerning him in the last day Indeed there is a twofold power further then this in the word It hath Vim plasticam Et vim salvificam A begetting and saving power but this is put forth onely upon some But the other is more extensive and hath a great causality upon a profession on of godliness even among them that have no grace A man that is under this threefold power of discerning law and judgement that hath his heart ransacked and discovered his conscience bound and awed his state and sinful condition judged and condemned may take up resolution of a new life and convert himself to a great profession of Religion Mat. 6.5 Thirdly A man may go far in this course of profession from affectation of applause and credit and to get a name in the World as it is said of the Pharises they love to pray in the Market places and in the corners of the streets to be seen of men Many are of Machiavels principle that the appearance of virtue is to be sought because though the use of it is a trouble yet the credit of it is a help Jerom in his Epistle to Julian calls such popularis aurae vilia mancipia the base bond slaves of common fame Many a man doth that for credit that he will not do for conscience and owns Religion more for the sake of a lust then for the sake of Christ thus making Gods stream to turne the Devils mill Fourthly It is from a desire of salvation there is in all men a desire of salvation it is natural to every being to love and seek its own preservation who will shew us any good Psal 4.6 This is the language of nature seeking happiness to its self Many a man may be carryed so far out in the desires of salvation as to do many things to obtain it Mat. 19.16 So did the young man good Master what good thing shall I do that I may inherit eternal life he went far and did much obeyed many
that goes to the bone and seems to indanger the life of the Patient and is not healed but with great skill and when it is healed leaves a Scar behinde it that when the Patient is well yet he can say here is the mark of my wound which will never wear out Vna eademque manus pulnus opemque tulit So a soul that is under Spiritual conviction his wound is deep and not to be healed but by the great skill of the Heavenly Physitian and when it is healed there are the tokens of it remaining in the soul that can never be worn out so that the soul may say here are the markes and signes of my conviction still in my soul 5. Natural convictions make the Soul shy of God guilt works fear and fear causes estrangedness thus it was with Adam Gen. 3.8 when he saw his nakedness he ran away and hid himself from God Ier. 31.18 Now spiritual convictions drive not the soul from God but unto God Ephraims conviction was spiritual and he runs to God Turn thou me and I shall be turned So that there is you see a great difference between conviction and conviction between that which is natural and that which is spiritual that which is Common and that which is Saving Yea such is the difference that though a man hath never so much of the former yet if he be without the latter he is but almost a Christian and therefore we have great reason to inquire more after this spiritual conviction For 1. Spiritual conviction is an essential part of sound conversion conversion begins here true conversion begins in convictions and true convictions end in conversion Till the sinner be convinced of sin he can never be converted from sin Christs coming was as a Saviour to dye for sinners and the spirits comming is to convince us as sinners that we may close with Christ as a Saviour till sin be throughly discovered to us interest in the blood of Christ cannot rightly be claimed by us nay so long as sin is unseen Christ will be unsought They that be whole needs not the Physitian but they that are sick Mat. 9.12 2. Slight and common convictions when they are but skin deep are the cause of much Hypocrisie Slight convictions may bring the soul to clasp about Christ but not to close with Christ and this is the guise of a Hypocrite I know no other rise and spring of Hypocrisie like this of slight convictions this hath filled the Church of Christ with Hypocrites Mat. 13.5 6. Nay it is not onely the spring of Hypoorisie but it is also the spring of Apostacy what was the cause that the Seed was said to Wither away Mat. 13.5 6. is was because it had no deepness of earth Where there is a through conviction there is a depth of earth in the heart and there the Seed of the Word grows but where convictions are slight and common there the seed withers for want of depth so that you see clearly in this one instance whence it is that many are but almost Christians when they have gone so far in Religion viz. for want of sound convictions Mat. 13.20 21. Secondly And this hath a neer Relation to the former It is for want of a through work of grace first wrought in the heart where this is not all a mans following profession comes to nothing that Scholar is never like to read well that will needs be in his Grammer before he is out of his Primmer Cloath that is not wrought well in the Loom will neither wear well nor wear long it will do little service so that Christian that doth not come well off the Loom that hath not a through work of grace in his heart will never wear well he will shrink in the wetting and never do much service for God it is not the pruning of a bad tree will make it bring forth good fruit but the tree must be made good before the fruit can be good Mat. 12.33 He that takes up a profession of Religion with an unbroken heart will never serve Christ in that profession with his whole heart If there be not a true change in that mans heart that yet goes far and doth much in the ways of God to be sure he will either dye an Hypocrite or an Apostate Look as in nature if a man be not well born but prove crooked or mishapen in the birth why he will be crooked as long as he lives you may boulster or stuff out his clothes to conceal it but the crookedness the deformity remains still you may hide it but you cannot help it it may be covered but it cannot be cured Iohn 3.5 So it is in this case if a man come into a profession of Religion but be not right born if he be not begotten of God and born of the Spirit if there be not a through work of grace in his heart all his profession of Religion will never mend him he may be boulsterd out by a life of duties but he will be but a Hypocrite at last for want of a through work at first a forme of godliness may cover his crookedness but will never cure it A man can never be a true Christian nor accepted of God though in the highest profession of Religion without a work of grace in the heart For 1. There must be an answerableness in the frame of that mans heart that would be accepted of God to the duties done by him his spirit and affections within must carry a proportion to his profession without Prayer without faith obedience to the law given without fear and holy reverence of the Law giver God abhors acts of internal worship must answer the duties of external worship Now where there is not grace wrought in the heart there can never be any proportion or answerableness in the frame of that mans heart to the duties done by him 2. Those duties that find acceptance with God must be done in sincerity God doth not take our duties by tale nor judge of us according to the frequency of our performances but according to the sincerity of our hearts in the performance It is this that commends both the doer and the duty to God with sincerity God accepts the least we do without sincerity God rejects the most we do or can do This is that temper of spirit which God highly delights in Prov. 11.20 They that are of a froward heart 1 Chron. 19 17. are an abomination to the Lord but such as are upright in their way are his delight We read it Godly sincerity The Apostle gives it a great Epithete he calls it in 2 Cor. 1.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sincerity of God that is such a sincerity as is his special work upon the soul setting the heart right and upright before him in all his ways This is the Crown of all our graces and the commendation of all our duties thousands
truth that the fruit of righteousness shall be peace But suppose the people of God experience little of this comfort in life yet 2. They find it in the day of death grace and holiness will Minister unto us then and that ministration will be peace A beleiver hath a twofold spring of comfort each one emptying it self into his soul in a dying season ' one is from above him the other is from within him the spring that runs comfort from above him is the blood of Christ sprinkled upon the conscience the spring that runs comfort from within him is the sincerity of his heart in Gods service When we lye upon a death-bead and can reflect upon our principles and performances in the service of God and there find uprightness and sincerity of heart running through all this must needs be comfort it was so to Hezekiah Remember O Lord how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and have done that which is good in thy sight Isa 38.3 Nothing maketh a Death-bed so uneasie and hard as a life spent in the service of sin and lust nothing makes a Death-bed so soft and sweet as a life spent in the service of God and Christ Or put the case the people of God should not meet with this comfort then yet 3. They shall be sure to find it after Death if time bring none of this fruit to ripeness why yet eternity shall grace in time will be glory in eternity holiness now will be happiness then what ever it is that a man soweth in this World that he shall be sure to reap in the next World He that soweth to the flesh Gal. 6.7 shall of the flesh reap corruption Gal. 6.8 but he that soweth to the spirit shall of the spirit reap life everlasting Ro. 6.23 When sin shall end in sorrow and misery holiness shall end in joy and glory well done thou good and faithful servant enter thou into the joy of thy Lord Mat. 25.23 Whoever shareth in the grace of Christ and conformeth to the life of Christ in this World shall share in the joys of Christ in the World to come 1 Pet. 1.8 and that joy is joy unspeakable and full of glory Lo here is the fruit of godliness say now if there be not enough in Religion whether we respect profit or comfort to ingage us to be Christians throughout 4. What an intire resignation wicked men make of themselves to their lusts Consid 4 and shall not we do so to the Lord Christ they give up themselves without reserve to the pleasures of sin and shall we have our reserves in the service of God they are altogether sinners and shall not we be altogether Saints they run and not faint in the service of their lusts and shall we faint and not run in the service of Christ shall the sevants of corruption have their ears boared Exo. 21.6 at the Door-posts of sin in token of an intire and perpetual service and shall not we give up our selves to the Lord Christ to be his for ever Isa 28.15 shall others make a Covenant with Hell and death Ier. 50.5 and shall not we joyn our selves to God in an everlasting Covenant that cannot be forgotten Acrius illi ad perniciem quam nos ad salutem shall they take more pains to damn their souls then we do to save ours and make more speed to a place of vengeance then we do to a crown of righteousness 2 Tim. 4 8 Which do you judge best to be saved everlastingly or to perish everlastingly which do you count the best Master God or the Devil Christ or your lusts I know you will determine it on Christs side Oh then when others serve their lusts with all their hearts do you serve Christ with all your hearts Eccle. 8.5 Ier. 3.5 if the hearts of the Sons of men be fully set in them to do evil then much more let the hearts of the sons of God be fully set in them to do good 5. If ye are not altogether Christians Consid 5 ye will never be able to appear with comfort before God not to stand in judgement of the last and great day for this sad dilemma will silence every Hypocrite If my Commands were not holy just and good why didst thou own them if they were holy just and good why didst thou not obey them If Jesus Christ was not worth the having why didst thou profess him if he was then why didst thou not cleave to him and close with him If my Ordinances were not appointed to convert and save souls why didst thou sit under them and rest in the performance of them or if they were then why didst thou not submit to the power of them If Religion be not good why dost thou profess it if it be good why dost thou not practise it Friend how camest thou in hither not having on a wedding garment Mat. 22.12 If it was not a Wedding feast why didst thou come at the invitation and if it was then why didst thou come without a wedding garment Mat. 11.22 I would but ask an Hypocritical professour of the Gospel what he will answer in that day Verily you deprive your selves of all possibility of Apology in the day of the righteous judgment of God it is said of this man that had no Wedding garment on that when Christ came and examined him he was speechless he that is graceless in a day of grace will be speechless in a day of judgment professing Christ without a heart to close with Christ will leave our souls inexcusable and make our damnation unavoidable and more intolerable These are the motives to inforce the duty and oh that God would set them home upon your hearts and consciences that you might not dare to rest a moment longer in a half work or in being Christians within a little but that you might be altogether Christians Quere But you will say possibly how shall I do what means shall I use that I may attain to a through work in my heart that I may be no longer almost but altogether a Christian Now I shall lay down three rules of directions instead of many to further and help you in this important duty and so leave this work to Gods blessing First Break off all false peace of conscience Direct 1 this is the Devils bond to hold the soul from seeking after Christ As there is the peace of God so there is the peace of Satan but they are easily known for they are as contrary as Heaven and Hell as light and darkness The peace of God flows from a work of grace in the soul and is the peace of a regenerate state but the peace of Satan is the peace of an unregenerate state it is the peace of Death in the grave Job saith their is peace Iob. 3.17 there the wicked cease from troubling so a