5. He calls them his sons and daughters 2 Cor. 6. 18. 6. He calls them the Bride the Lambs wife Rev. 21. 9. 7. He calls them co-heirs with himself Rom. 8. 17. And if all this be too little to express his heart to them then he tells them that the Father loveth them with the same love for the quality of it wherewith he loveth Christ what shall I say more they have the glory of God to be their aime the word to be their rule the spirit to be their guide the angels to be their guard and the blessed promises to be their support and as by vertue of their oneness with the first Adam his sin was made theirs so by vertue of their oneness with the second Adam his righteousness is made theirs nay farther they have by vertue of converting grace union with Christ and so communion with the life and Spirit of Christ with the death and sufferings of Christ with the merits and victories of Christ with the priviledges and immunities as Adoption Son-ship c. The trials of Conversion by which a man may know whether he be converted yea or no. LEt the Reader make a curious narrow impartial diligent search into his own soul and see what humility what self-denial what sin-abhorrancy what love to Christ what delight in his ordinances what zeal for Gods glory what contempt of the world what desiring after the society of the Saints what sympathising in their afflictions and if thou findest any impressions of grace any spiritual work any saving savoury distinguishing operation upon thy soul and heart then the Spirit hath been there with his cure and thou art as certainly born again as thou wast born first but these graces thus planted in the heart at first are full of imperfections there is some darkness with your light some enmity with your love much hardness of heart with your mourning for sin and much worldly sorrow in your purest tears much pride with your humility much murmuring with your patience and therefore great care is to be taken in the laying down these trials or marks of conversion for as we are to put a difference between gifts and grace and internal and external marks and signs so also we are to distinguish between those that are strong in grace and those that are weak in grace that have but little grace and this will be of great use to Christians that are but of a lower forme new converts having but little grace yet they may know that little they have though as yet they have not attained strength of grace yet they may know the truth of grace in themselves although they come short of strong believers yet they shall know they go beyond the most shining hypocrite for the least measure of grace is better than the greatest measure of gifts But we come to the trials of the new birth by which a man may know whether he is born again yea or no. 1. He that is truly converted doth desire the word and means of grace 1 Pet. 2. 2. 2. He is either willing or willing to be made willing to do whatsoever the Lord doth command him though it be never so contrary to flesh and blood Gal. 1. 16. 3. He is brought unto an unseined hatred of the whole body of sin Rom. 7. 24. compared with Philip. 3. 21. 4. His greatest and hottest mournings and strivings is against his inward pollution his close spiritual and secret sins Psal 19. 12. compared with Psal 90. 8. 5. He often mourns for the sins of others and for the want of growth in himself Lam 16. 3. 48. 6. He doth love to be speaking of those great and saving truths which his heart hath taken in in the work of conversion 7. He doth begin to keep a watch over his own heart 8. He makes conscience of keeping every known command 9. He is willing to put himself upon the tryal and to have any Christian search him and sometimes he intreats the Lord to search him Psal 139. 23. Lam. 3. 40. 10. He that is born again or truly converted haâ—h his soul renewed in its faculties and vertues c. These are such flowers of Paradise that grows not in Natures garden until the new man was put on and the party renewed in the spirit of his mind until Christ was formed in him for these are pearls that are not to be found in the worlds field wherefore we shall speak something to each of them briefly but before I proceed further let me give the Reader this caution Let not every one think he is not converted unless he finde these and the like characters of a true conversion in him if he finde but something of every thing if it be but in the budding in the breeding in the beginning his state may be good for when he is a well grown Christian these things will more and more clearly appear at the first conversion a man hath as it were but the root of them c. 1. He that is indeed born againe and so converted doth desire the word and means of grace 1 Pet. 2. 2. as new born babes desire the sincere milk of the word that they may grow thereby There the apostle makes it a resemblance of a spiritual man a man spiritually new born will desire after the meanes of grace that he may grow in grace by milk is here meant the word of God which is compared to milk First because of the sweetness of it Psal 19. 10. and Psal 119. 103. Secondly because of the purity of it it is without falshood Psal 19. 18. and 119. 140 and Thirdly because of the nourishing property thereof 2 Tim. 3. 16 17. When the Lord begets one by the immortal seed of his word he teacheth him to rest upon the word of promise which indureth for ever tendred in the Gospel indeed tho whole word of God is sincere milk whereby we grow and the old and new Testament may be called the Brests of consolation but if we grow not it is because we feed not we play with the breast c. 2. He that is indeed born againe he is either willing or at least willing that the Lord should make him willing to observe and do whatsoever the Lord doth command him though it be never so contrary to flesh and blood Acts. 9. 9. Lord what will thou have me to do How willing Paul was to lay down his first commission to take up another So Psal â—10 3 thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power They are willing to hear speak Lord for thy servant heareth they are willing to do Lord what wilt thou have me to do Psal 119. 5. Oh that my waies were directed to keep thy statutes Again David sets down another character of a godly man Psal 1. 2. His delight is in the Law of the Lord and Paul after conversion speaks of himself that his delight was in the Law of God as concerning the
43 44 45. 3. There is a formal Change when men will do that which is commanded but not as it is commanded of these St. Paul speaks 2 Tim. 3. 5. Having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof they will be doing of good and forsaking evil because the eie of the creature and the ear of the creature the applause of the creature the rewards of the creature or the fear of the creature prevails with them notwithstanding this threefold change these people with the former are in an estate of estrangement to God and liable to condemnation for though the lives of some are less sinfull than others yet the hearts are alike these men do but walk in new practices with an old heart Acts 7. 51. Heb. 6. 4. Consider O thou that readest if thou and I had committed in all our lives but one sin and that onely in thought this makes us subject unto and leaves us in danger of eternal damnation thereby James 2. 10. Gal. 3. 10. The Law must have a perfect personal universal perpetual obedience or else we remain under the curse according to the rule of moral righteousuess between God and Man it followeth that the demerit of sin receiveth its nature measure and limits from the will of God according as he hath revealed himself in the Moral Law So that the damned in Hell suffer not more nor less than they deserved yea had God pleased to have inflicted a greater punishment for sin yet had he been still just the object offended being God the person suffering being but a Man the evil of punishment cannot exceed the evil of the offence neither can any thing relieve us but that which is answerable to the evil of sin now there is no righteousness in the world that is proportionable to the evil of sin but the righteousness of Christ onely 1. Our own righteousness is too short is called a monstrous rag a rag and therfore cannot cover us monstrous if it should cover us it were but to cover filth with filth as the Prophet speaks Isa 30. 1. They cover but not with the covering of my Spirit that they might add sin to sin dung to dung 2. Nor will the righteousness of the Law be large enough if a man could keep it it will not acquit us for former disobedience Gal. 3. 21. If the Law could have given life verily righteousness should have been by the Law See Rom. 8. 3 4. 3. It is not the righteousness of all the Angels that can do it because this also is a created righteousness a finite righteousness and no way proportionable to the evil of sin 4. If we should weep as many tears as the Sea holds drops and humble our selves as manie daies as the world hath stood minutes all this were too short to purchase the pardon of one sin if the stung Israelites had made a Medicine of the best Herbs in the Wilderness and a Plaister of all the sovereign Ingredients in the whole World and applied it with Mountains of Praiers Seas of Tears this would not have helped them if withall they did not look upon the Brazen Serpent for all these cannot purchase the pardon of one sin nothing but infinicenâ—ss can deal with sin it must be infinite Wisdom to finde out a Way it must be infinite Mercy to pardon infinite Power to subdue infinite Merit to purge and cleanse and infinite Grace to destroy sin Look about thee whosoever thou art that readest these Lines this is or was thine estate and condition which is attended with these two Miscries viz. 1. Thou art unable to help thy self out 2. Thou art unwilling First of the first 1. Thou art unable to help thy self out Jer. 13. 23. Can the Ethiopian change his skin and the Leopard his spot then may they do good that are accustomed to do evil There is no power below the power that raised Christ from the dead that can turn the heart of a sinner to the Lord he is as well able to turn a Flint into Flesh as to turn his own heart to the Lord he is as well able to raise the dead and to make a World as to repent for Repentance is a Flower that grows not in Natures Garden as the Birth of Isaac was not by the strength of Nature like Ishmael's of Hagar but by virtue of the Promise after a supernatural manner upon sensibleness of barrenness so seemeth it to be with everie one that is born of the Spirit Johnsaith that Believers were born not of the will of the Flesh nor of the will of Man but of God 2. Thou art as unwilling as unable thou hast wilfully pulled upon thy self just miserie and art apt wilfully to reject free mercie there is a special enmitie in the heart against Conversion and Believing John 5. 43. I am come in my Fathers Name and ye receive me not if another should come in his own name him ye would receive Acts 22. 4. I saith Paul before conversion persecuted this way unto the death Rom. 10. 3. They would not submit to the righteousness of faith Here are proud hearts indeed that it should be matter of submission for a condemned man to take a Pardon a wounded man a Plaister a sick man a Cordial a naked man Cloathing a lost sinner a Saviour ls not this the case of the Men and Women of the World Consider wouldst thou not account him a Fool that will refuse Physick because he is sick a Cordial because he is faint Meat because he is hungrie Money because he is poor Cloathing because he is naked and Freedom because he is Satans Prisoner I could almost say to the Reader as once Nathan said to David Thou art the Man 2 Sam. 12. 7. There are amongst manie others these four things that keep most Men and Women from being converted 1. Most think it to be a needless work or an easie work when as it is a needfull work and a hard work Jer. 13. 23. compared with Matth. 18. 3. 2. Or because he is not able to pay that which God requires 3. Or because he thinketh he shall be able to discharge all himself in time 4. Or else because he doubts of the truth of him that promiseth to help him So much shall serve to speak of the Change 1. Moral 2. Partial 3. Formal It remains now that we come to the fourth to wit the Spiritual change and here I shall fix all that is written before is but an Introduction to this I have been shewing the Maladie let us now come to the Remedie the sum whereof is that God the Father Son and Holie Ghost hath sent forth Jesus Christ God-Man into the World to seek and save sinners and commandeth every one that heareth these glad tidings to believe in him whom he hath sent and promiseth that whosoever believeth in him shall be saved for God when the fulness of time by him appointed was come sent his Son him that is
inward man So again in another Psal 40. 8. I delight to do thy will thy Law is in my hearâ— there was a principal within him agreeable to the precept without him this is a clear demonstration of a new creature though he may drive heavily sometimes under vexing and lasting temptations 3. He that is effectually converted he iâ— brought unto an unfeined hatred of the whole body of sin especially his beloved sins that did most powerfully captivate him before Col. 3. 7 8. But now you put off all these anger wrath malice blasphemy filthy communication see 1 Corinth 6. 11. compared with Titus 3. 3 4 5. c. Nay further he hath an unfeined hatred of the whole body of sin as it is the greatest evil in the world sin is worse than hell there may be good in punishment but there can be no good in sin it makes God hide his face from us and shut out our prayers Isa 59. 2. it is the cause of all wars James 4. 1. it is the cause of all sickness Deut. 28. In a word sin is the cause of all misery both temporal spiritual and eternal therefore Daniel was content to be thrown into the den of Lyons rather than to sin the three Children in the fire Paul and Silas into the prison and many Christians have chosen to imbrace prisons stakes fire and the hottest persecutions rather than sin a converted person comes to see the weakness and wickedness of his own heart he knows he cannot trust any member alone without a guard 4. He that is indeed converted may know it by this viz. his greatest and hottest conflicts are against inward pollution his close spiritual and secret sins that are known only to God and himself he doth accuse himself for that which no man can accuse him he blames himself for that which no man can blame him he judgeth and arraigneth himself for that which no man can judge him for he makes a through and sound search he knows Hypocrisie is spun of a fine thred and is not discerned without diligent search Again he knows that one stab at the heart though it be with a pen-knife will kill a man one little leak in a Ship will sink it and one secret sin unrepented of will damn a Soul the least sin contains in it the nature of all sin no sooner did one sin enter into Adams heart but he had all sin in him 5. He often mourns for the sins of others and for the want of more grace in himself we read Jer. 13. 17. that the Prophet did weep in secret places for the sins of others so in another place mine eyes run down with tears because men keep not thy laws c. and as for the sins of others so for the want of more grace in themselves viz. Isaiah 6. 5. I am a man of unclean lips said Isaiah I abhor my self in dust and ashes said Job Job 42 6 Surely I am more brutish than any man and have not the knowledge of a man said Augur Pro. 30. 2. I am less than the least of all Saints said Paul Eph. 3. 8. nay I have so little grace that I am the greatest of Sinners 1 Tim. 1. 15 Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners of whom I am chief 6. He doth dearly love to be ever now and then speaking of those great and saving truths which his heart took in the work of conversion he feeleth most savour of life in those necessary points which were instruments of this blessed change that there is made upon him and upon these he feedâ—th and delighteth even on the inward life of spiritual things and so he feedeth his hungry Soul in hearing and reading praying and conversing with Christians he endeavours to learn something from â—very thing 7. He doth begin to keep a watch over his own heart eyes and tongue and feet c. 1. He keeps his heart with Solomons diligence Prov. 4. 24. 2. He keeps his eyes with Jobs Covenant Job 31. 1. 3. He keeps his tongue with Davids bridle Psalm 39. 7. 4. He keeps his foot with Solomons guard Eccles 5. 1. In a word we should not trust any Member without its Keeper for there doth and will remain even in the converted themselves the remnants of corruption a body of death a rebelling flesh and thiâ— will be still tempting and draw them from God so that the whole way to Heaven is a continual warfare there be enemies that will dispute every foot of the way there is no going a step forward but as the ship doth in the Sea by cutting its way through the waves there is Self our greatest enemy and there is Sathan and the world and almost all that we meet with in it will prove hinderances in the way to Heaven therefore keep up your watch with your loynes girt and your lamps burning 8. He that is truly converted makes conscience of keeping every known duty or command in respect of the general bent and frame of his heart he doth subject himself to Christ freely universally and constantly and unweariedly at least in desire if it be not so he could wish it were so he endeavours prays to have it so he considereth that Christ did not discharge us from the debt of sin to free us from the debt of service but therefore did he pay the one that we might be able to return the other Rom. 8. 12. Therefore we are Debters not to the slesh 1 John 2. 5. Who so keepeth his word in him is the love of God perfected hereby know we that we are in him there is no known sin but he labours to avoid and no known grace but he longs to have and no known duty but he labours to perform 9. He is willing to put himself upon the tryal whether he be converted or no he is willing to have any Christian to search him and sometimes he entreats the Lord to search him he loves those company best that deals most plainly with him he carefully and continually searcheth himself and goes down with light into his heart he is jealous of his own heart he doubts of none more than himself suspects most his own graces and the witnesse of his own spirit least Sathan shine like an Angel of light and say it is the testimony of Gods spirit he is content to have his spiritual estate tryed by any not only by a searching Ministry in publick but by any private Friends he opens his heart freely for others to ask and gives answers of his hope with weaknesse and fear his ears are open to the whole word he believes the threatnings and trembles he fears also the promises lest he comes short he hath found out the hell in his heart and feels the flames of it in secret he hath found an emptiness in himself and an enmity to all good he is poor in spirit which appears by his continual complaints and importunat prayers he desireth not to be
3. The Devil is said to be his Prince John 12. 31. 4. The Devil is said to be his God 2 Cor. 4 4. And so man thus fallen bears the Image of Satan which doth not consist in any bodily shape as some do foolishly imagine but in a likeliness of all manner of wickedness The understanding by this fall was darkened and filled with vanitie Psal 94. 11. and 2 Cor. 4. 4 The will depraved the affections disordered the memory misimploied the conscience benummed In a word the wretched soul is so desormed with filthiness outraged with passions pined with envie overcharged with gluttonie boiling with revenge transported with rage that the Image of God in Man is transformed into the uglie shape of the Devil Gen. 6. 5. And God saw that the wickedness of man was great and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was onely evil and that continually And this fallen heart not onely evil but desperately wicked Jer. 17. 9. The heart is deceitfull above all things and desperately wicked who can know it O Sirs there are but few that doth know the plague of their own hearts c. So that Man in this fallen estate is become a lump of sinne from the crown of the head to the soale of the foot there is no soundness And so all the posteritie of Adam have sinned and come short of the glorie of God and are now become Satans conquest captives and slaves being under the curse and subject to bondage and miserie Isai 63. 6. So we are all as an unclean thing and all our righteousness as filtby rags and we all do fade as a leaf and our iniquities like the winde have taken us away Mr. Baxter in his Treatise of Conversion p. 71. affirms that even our children by nature considered as finfull and unsanctified are as hatefull in the eies of God as any Toads or Serpents are in ours c. See 1 John 3. 10. Nay further consider a little by what names and titles all men and women thus fallen and so remaining are The names Titles given in Scripture to fallen man known by in the Scriptures of truth Sometimes they are called filtby dreamers defiling the flesh Jud. 8. Raging waves of the Sea foaming out their own shame Jud. 13. Natural bruit beasts made to be taken and destroyed that shall utterly perish in their own corruptions 2 Pet. 2. 12. Wells without water cloudes that are carried with a tempest to whom the mist of darknesse is reserved for ever 2 Pet. 2. 17. A generation of vipers Mat. 3. 7. Ye serpents how can ye escape the damnation of hell Mat. 23. 33. The Scripture calls them Lions for their fiercenesse and Bears for their cruelty Dragons for their hiddiousnesse dogs for their filthinesse and wolves and foxes for their subtilty in a word the Scripture stiles them Scorpions vipers thorns briars thistles brambles stubble dirt chaffe dust drosse smoak scum and a cage of every unclean Bird Rev. 18. 2. And if all this be not enough we are said to be Satans slaves or captives 2 Tim. 2. 26. Man can never be saved unlesse he be regenerated No salvation without regeneration born again and converted and have the image of God renewed which was defaced in our fall in the first Adam Hence it is that Christ tells us Mat. 7. 13. 4. Straight is the gate and narrow is the way that leadeth to life and few there be that find it There being four gates shut and five exceptions made by Christ against their entering in First there are four gates shut Mat. 25. 12. 1. The gate of hope 2. The gate of grace 3. The gate of mercy 4. The gate of comfort Secondly there are five exceptions made by the Lord Jesus Christ against their entring into heaven The first exception is that in John 3. 3. Jesus answered and said unto him verily verily I say unto thee except a man be born again be cannot see the Kingdome of God 2. Exception is that Mat. 18. 3. Verily I say unto you except ye be converted and become as little children ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven 3. Except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish Luke 13. 3. 5. 4. Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood ye have no life in you John 6. 53. 5. Except your righteousnesse shall exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharises ye shall in no case enter into the Kingdom of heaven Mat. 5. 20. But most of the world will be apt to say Object we grant all this But what is this to us we have confessed our sinnes we have prayed we have repented of our sinnes and in some good measure reformed our lives Beware of temporary faith partial obedience Answ messionary love pretended zeal legal sorrow and feined humility these may have the forme and yet want the power of godlinesse except thy righteousnesse exceed that of the Pharisees thy sacrifice that of Cain's thy confessing of sins that of Pharaoh's thy weeping that of Sauls thy fasting that of Abab's thy reformation that of Jehu's thy restitution that of Judas thy believing that of Simon Maguâ— thy fear and trembling that of Felix these were cast-awaies notwithstanding these were seeming good things Hast thou never read of Pharaoh desiring the prayer of Moses Balaam desiring to die the death of the righteous Saul condemning of himself Ahab humbling himself Ninive repenting Felix trembling Herod hearing John Baptist joyfully and did many things Mark 6. 20. All this mayst thou doe and more thou mayst live rejoycingly and die peaceably and yet perish eternally Consider if thou wert cursed in the wombe born a child of wrath what art thou now having lived so long in sin but the child of hell farr more than thou wast before Psal 58. 3. Job 20. 11. Again if for one fin all the curses of the Law doe lie upon thee as Gal. 3. 10. James 2. 10. what is due to thee for all thy sins If single sins deserve death what doe thy double and treble sins deserve Consider thy often backsliding sinnes against knowledge conscience covenants purposes promises protestations c. Doâ— not all these deserve double and dâ—eper damation viz. Not knowing of God he will not have mercie upon thee Isa 27. 11. compared with 2 Thess 1. 8. Not repenting thou shalt perish Luke 13. 3. Not believing in him thou shalt be damned John 3. 18. Not loving him thou art cursed 1 Cor. 16. 22. Not being zealous according to knowledge he will spew thee out of his mouth Rev. 3. 16. Not being meek thou art abomination to the Lord Prov. 3. 32. Not being mercifull thou shalt have judgement without mercy Jam. 2. 13. Not being holy thou shalt never see the face of the Lord Not washing thy heart from wickedness thou canst not be saved Jer. 4. 14. Therefore ground this in the bottom of thy heart That without true conversion
there is no hope of Salvation Mat. 18. 3. John 3. 5 Sin was that which fetched the dearest blood from the heart of Christ and will have thine too if thou gettest not an interest in him if thy sin doth not die before thou dost die thou art in danger of 18 Sorts of men womeÌ„ that shall never enter into heaven perishing eternally Read seriously but these four Scriptures and thou shalt find at least 18 sorts of men and women that shall never enter into heaven unless before they die Christ be formed in them and they restored and renewed born again and covertâ—d c. 1 Cor. 6. 9 10. Know you not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God be not deceived 1. No Fornicators 2. No Idolators 3. Nor Adulterers 4. Nor Effeminate 5. Nor abusers of themselves with mankinde 6. Nor Theeves 7. Nor Covetous 8. Nor Drunkards 9. Nor Revilers or envious persons 10. Nor Extortioners These shall not inherit the kingdom of God Rev. 21. 8. 11. Nor the fearfull and unbelieving 12. Nor murderers See Rev. 22. 15. 13. Nor sorcerers or those that use witchcraft 14. Nor Lyars all these shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire which is the second death Gal. 5. 19 20 21. 15. Nor he that is given to hatred variance and strife 16. Nor he that is given to seditions heresies they which doe such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God 2 Thess 1. 8. 17. Nor ignorant persons 18. Nor those that refuse to practice what they know being disobedient These persons being shut out of heaven makes good the words of Christ Mat. 7. 13 14. Enter ye in at the strait gate for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction and many there be which enter in thereat because straight is the gate and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life and few there be which find it Rom. 9. 27. Though the number of the children of Israel he as the sands of the Sea a remnant shall be saved Well the holy nature of God will not permit the unclean and unholy soul to come into his presence Rev. 21. 27. There shall in no wise enter into it any thing that deâ—ileth or whatsoever worketh abomination Ps 5. 4. Neither shall evil dwell with him the foolish shall not stand in his sight it is true you may call him Lord Lord till the last Mat. 7. 21 22. But he will tell you he doth not know you if thou hast not something of the image of that Spirit that holy nature whatsoever thou mayest think of thy self he will never take thee for his child thou art wicked and the wicked as Psal 9 17. shall be turned into hell and all they that forget God and surely God in the execution of the curse doth the sinner no wrong nay he should doe wrong unto himself and with reverence so to speak be unjust if he should not execute Justice upon the sinner either in himself or in his Surety There are four strong reasons for it viz. 1. To manifest the majestie of him who is offended 2. And the goodness of the command that is transgressed 3. The evil of sin that is committed 4. The vildness of the sinner for sinning c. I had once thought to have spoken somthing to each of these four heads but shall not at present but desire the Reader to consider that every sin puts God upon complaining and Christ upon bleeding and the Spirit upon grieving Every sin doth cast a treble dishonor upon God 1. In its malignitie as being most contrary to the pure unspotted and perfect nature of God 2. In its obstinacie it opposeth the command of God slights the will of God and contradicts the design of God 3. Sin doth cast a dishonor upon God in its choice a sinner in sinning chuseth a base lust a venomous sin a crooked way before the glorious precious and most desirable good the Lord himself So that man in the state of nature lives upon the earth as a condemned creature under guilt curse and death being conceived in sin and brought forth into the world in iniquitie having lost that Image of righteousness holiness and saving knowledg of God in which Adam our father was at first created and so remains till born again converted and regenerated the children of wrath by Nature dead in sins and trespasses Aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel Satans captives servants and slaves and these men in this estate of Nature differ much one from another one seems nearer unto the other farther from the Kingdom of God Mark 12. 34. compared with Psal 119. 155. They 1. Have such hardened hearts and seared consciences that they commit all manner of wickedness with greediness glorying in their shame and so making themselves as the Scripture saith sevenfold more the children of wrath than they were before guilty of original sin but now they are become guiltie of original and actual transgression having been filling up the measure of their iniquitie and fitting themselves for the day of slaughter Matth. 23. 32 33. compared with James 5. 5. 2. Others walk more evenly and usefully being in a measure civilized by education custome fear of punishment good Examples wholesome counsels So was the young man Matth. 19. 20. All these things have I kept from my youth up What lack I yet c. So was the Scribe we reade of Mark 12. 32 33 34 he answered discreetly and Christ told him he was not far from the Kingdom of God Let the Reader consider that although Man is so fearfully and shamefully fallen yet there râ—mains some footsteps marks and impressions of that righteous and eternal Law at first engraven in his heart by the finger of the Almightie by which many Naturalists have acted wisely and prudently as to worldly affairs and humane concernments as may at large be safely gathered from many Scriptures there may be a change and yet not The Change Some of the Lord's people upon good ground doth observe that there is a souâ— fold change Change 1. A moral 2. A partial 3. A formal 4. A spiritual A man by improvement of the light and gifc in Nature may obtain to the three former as to instance 1. There is a moral change when a person or a people changeth from sinfull notorious waies to temperance justice equitie patience when ignorance is taken away by illumination and boldness in sinning is abated by fear of punishment and sticks there and goes no farther and here thousands stay and live quietly and perish eternally 2. There is a partial Change when men forsake some sins and yet live in the love and liking of other sins Christ sets this down in the Parable of the unclean Spirit as to some sinfull courses is cast out for a time but afterwards returns with seven spirits worse than himself and so his last end proves worse than his beginning Matth. 12.
we behold the downfall of all natural preparations and meritorious dispositions Quere 2. How Vocation conversion repentance regeneration agree or differ For answer to this let me give the Reader Master Baxsters judgement to which I fully assent and consent All these particular expressions saith he are used in Scripture to expresse one and the same work upon the soul onely they have some small difference Viz. The word Vocation is taken for Gods act of Calling and is two-fold First Common when men are brought to an outward profession Secondly Specially when people are savingly converted to Christ this last calling is the same with conversion only this difference Calling hath usually in Scripture a principal respect to the first act on the soul even the act of faith it self or at least the habit of faith is effected in the heart and therewith the seed of all graces in the soul this is that Vocation or special effectual Calling next Consider that Repentance is the same thing as special effectual Calling only this difference the word Vocation doth principally expresse the state to which we are called but the word Repentance doth principally respect our our turning to God from whom we fell and the word Vocation doth as much or more respect our coming to Christ the true and only way to the Father the word Regeneration is more comprehensive than Conversion Repentance and Vocation because there is so great a change that a man is as it were another man 2 Cor. 5. 11. He that is in Christ is a new creature And yet the word Regeneration fignifieth the same thing as Conversion Repentance and Vocation only observing a small difference as before mentioned Quere 3. The way step by step which the Lord in his ordinary dispensation in these Gospel-dayes doth lead a soul as it were by the band out of a state of nature into a state of grace 1. The first step to Conversion is Illumination 2. The second step to accomplish or at least to carry on this work is effectual Vocation which hath many branches 3. The third step to get out of a state of nature into a state of grace out of a state of death into a state of life is to trust or believe in the Lord which hath many branches 4. The fourth step for the compleating and carrying on this work there is usually dropped into the soul and heart the spirit of grace and supplication by which the party goes unto God with confessions and petitions 5. The fifth step to effect and compleat this great work the Lord doth cause the soul secretly to give it selfe up and surrender all the interest that it had in it self to God that made it and Christ that bought it 1. The first step to Conversion is illumination as doth fully appear by these Scriptures Acts. 26. 18. I send thee saith Christ to Paul to open their eyes and to turn them from darknes to light and from the power of Sathan unto God So Psal 119. 130. The entrance of thy word giveth light it giveth understanding unto the simple lob 33. 30. to bring back his soul from the pit to be enlightned with the light of the living Men are not born with this saving light in their hearts as they are born with tongues in their mouthes for the best knowing men under heaven untill born again and converted are in darkness Ephes 5. 8. For ye were sometimes darkness but now are ye light in the Lord being born again 1 Cor. 2. 14. The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned 2 Cor. 4. 6. For God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness hath shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ This illumination is acompanied with 1 A renewing of the mind Rom. 12. 2. Eph. 4. 23. 2 A conviction of sin and guilt he doth acknowledge himself a lawfull captive 3 There are the seeds or roots of all saving grace infused into the soul at once if the soul be enlightned with a special saving light but the soul doth not presently sensibly exercise thē all the first part of saving grace is illumination the opening of the eyes causeth the opening of the heart 2. The second step to accomplish or at least to carry on this work of conversion is Vocation this effectual vocation is the first or second act of Election saith Master Norton Calling is the first act of Divine mercy in recovering miserable man Doctor Twiss saith effectuall calling is the first mercy c. But let the Reader consider that if these four words Vocation Conversion Repentance Regeneration agree in one and are used in Scripture to expresse the same work upon the soul having but a small difference as hath been proved before then now in speaking to this word Vocation let the Reader take notice that though Conversion Repentance Regeneration be not exprest yet they all are included and contained and if so then Vocation seems to be a second work upon the soul rather than the first Jer. 31. 19. Surely after that I was turned I repented and after that I was instructed I was ashamed yea even confounded because I did bear the reproach of my youth the way that the Lord doth take for the recovering of a backslider and the conversion of a sinner doth in many thing if not in all go hand in hand together he calls upon the one and so he doth upon the other he enlightens the one to see from whence he is fallen and so he doth the other he gives repentance to the one and so he doth to the other c. There are principally these three things to be considered in this Vocation 1. The principal cause of Vocation is Gods free mercy 2 Tim. 1. 9. Titus 3. 3 4 5. 2. The instrumental cause is the preaching of the Gospel 2 Thes 2. 14. 3. The end of Vocation is Gods glory and the salvation of his elected ones Ephes 2. 1. And you hath he quickened when you were dead in sinnes and trespasses Col. 2. 13. And you that were dead in your sinnes hath he quickned Eph. 1. 12. that we should be to the praise of his glory There be certain steps at first in a souls coming to Christ or preparatory accesses like that we read Psalm 6. 2 4. Have mercy upon me O Lord for I am weak O Lord heal me for my bones are vexed Return O Lord deliver my soul O save me for thy mercies sake Matt. 9. 20. Bebold a woman diseased though she came not presently to look God fully in the face though she dare not come to touch Christ and lay hold on him yet she was sensible of her own misery and want of mercy she knew there was vertue to come from him and she came as near that as she durst she had a desire to speak but she went
it self to God that made it and Christ that bought it and so his soul is carried forth to a secret resting relying leaning staying and hanging upon the mercy of God in Christ alone for life and happinesse Now he looks after and endeavours to be found in walking in the way of sanctification he reads and finds 1 Pet. 1. 2. that if he be elected to life it is through Sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience and 2 Thes 2. 13. God hath chosen a people from the beginning to salvation through Sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth He labours for holiness as well as happiness he reads and findeth that the word of God hath a purifying faculty in it John 15. 3. Ye are clean through the word that I have spoken to you Ps 119. 9. Wherewith shall a young man cleanse his way but by taking heed thereto according to thy word Ps 119. 11. Thy word-have I bid in mine heart that I might not sinne against thee Of Grace-begetting and Soul-converting means for all heedfully to attend upon that hope to enter into Heaven THere are springs of Grace or pipes of conveyance which if cut off or neglected we may live in sinne and die in sinne and at last go to hell but if we heedfully and frequently make use of them we may live in the fear of the Lord and die in his favour and enter into heaven these means are for the increasing holiness as well as for the attaining it and therefore we are not to satisfie our selves with making use of them now and then but frequently and willingly for the same meanes that doth work the work of Illumination doth also work the work of Conversion Vocation Regeneration Faith and Repentance c. And not only work and beget these in us but increase it and cause it to flourish and grow up from one degree of grace to another untill we come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Sonne of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ the means follow 1. Keep close to Grace-begetting and Soul-converting Ordinances 2. Dwell much upon the meditation of Grace-begetting Promises 3. Frequent the company of Grace-begetting and Soul-converting companions 4. Be frequent in the cherishing of Grace-begetting Considerations 5. Gather and treasure up Grace-begetting and Soul-converting Experiences 1. Keep close to Grace-begetting and Soul-converting Ordinances and they are these three 1. The hearing of the word preached 2. Reading of the Scriptures 3. Frequent and earnest Prayer First of the First 1. Hearing of the Word preached Acts 2. 37 41. it was by hearing Peter preach that the Jews were pricked at the heart and converted and three thousand added to the Church at once So Acts 26. 17 18. God sent Paul to preach for the opening of mens eyes and turning them from darkness to light by teaching sinners the way of God David assured himself they shall be converted to him Psal 51. 13. the word of god is the seed of life which is sown and takes root in thâ— hearts of them that God will save 1 Pet. 1. 23 25. It is the word of God which is the incorruptible seed by which we are born again it was those that had ears and heard not that were not converted and born again Mark 4. 12. c. as we should hear the word preached in order to conversion so for the begetting of faith in our hearts Luke 10. 17. Faith cometh by hearing Ephes 1. 13. in whom also ye trusted after ye heard the word of truth the Gospel of our salvation Isai 55. 3. hear and your soules shall live Now in the use of this blessed meanes observe these four rules and thou shalt never miscarry but get something by every Sermon thou hearest 1. Try the doctrines preached by the Scritures Act. 17. 11. they received the word with all readiness of mind and searched the Scriptures daily whether those things were so 2. Receive what thou findest agreeable to the word as from the Lord 1 Thess 2. 13. for this cause also thank we God without ceasing because when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us ye received it not as the word of man but as it is in truth the word of God 3. Keep in memory as much of it as may be James 1. 25. Being not a forgetful hearer but a doer Heb. 2. 1 2. Therefore we ought to give the more earnest beed to the things which we have heard leâ—t at any time we should let them slip vers 3. How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation 4. Indeavour to practise it thy self and communicate it to others Mat. 7. 26. Every one that heareth these sayings of mine and doth them not is like unto a foolish man that built his house upon the sand James 1. 25. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty and continueth therein being not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work this man shall be blessed in his deed therefore be ye doers of the Word and not hearers only deceiving your own souls 2. The next Faith-begetting and Soul-converting Ordinance is reading the Scriptures many a soul hath had happy experience of the benefit of reading the Word Psal 19. 7. for the Law of the Lord is perfect converting the soul Acts 8. 28. The Eunuch was reading in Isaiah and in the 37th verse we read he was converted and baptised 1 Tim. 4. 13. Till I come give attendance to reading Rev. 1. 3. Blessed is he that readeth and they that hear the words of this Prophesie Acts 17. 11 12. They searched the Seriptures daily whether those things were so and many of them believed 3. The next Grace-begetting and Soul-converting Ordinance is frequent and â—arnest prayer prayer is a fruit of faith and yet prayer is a means for the begetting of faith as the Spirit is the fruit of prayer so prayer is the fruit of the Spirit Luke 11. 13. Compared with Rom. 8. 15. In the former place the Spirit is said to be the fruit of prayer in the latter place prayer is said to be the fruit of the Spirit whereby we cry Abba Father c. Isa 55. 6 7. Seek the Lord whilst he may be found call upon him while he is neer let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts c. James 1. 5. If any of you lack wisdome let him ask of God that giveth to all men liberally and â—pbraideth not and it shall be given him Joh. 4. 10. Jesus said unto her if thou knewest the gift of God and who it is that saith to thee give me to drink thou wouldst have asked of him and he would have given thee living water 2. Dwell much upon Grace-breeding and soul converting promises there are promises of direction and supportation and promises of protection and promises of justification and sanctification and promises of
acceptation there are promises to settle us when we are wavering and to support us when we are falling and to recall us when we are wandering and to comfort us when we are fainting surely as the lamp liveth upon the oyle and a child upon the breast so doth faith upon the promises All these and such-like promises are reduceable to these two heads either absolute or conditional promises The conditional promises runnes thus Believe and thou shall be saved John 3. 16. Repent and thy sinnes shall be forgiven thee The absolute promises are such as are without condition or such wherein the Lord hath promised to give the condition I will be merciful to your unrighteousness and your sinnes and iniquities I will remember no more Heb. 8. 12. So Isa 43. 25. I even I am he that blotteth out thy sinnes for mine own sake c. These and such absolute promises are Grace-breeding or Faith-begetting promises To these promises we must go for faith to the conditional promises we must bring faith without which we cannot apply them but to the absolute promises we are not to bring our penny to the promises but go to them as to the means of working faith in us such promises as these Jer. 32. 40. I will put my fear into their hearts that they shall not depart from me Ezek. 36. 25. I will sprinkle water upon you and you shall be clean from all your filthiness vers 26. A new heart also will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you Vers 27. And cause you to walk in my wayes Heb. 8. 12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness and their sins and their iniquities I will remember no more Now let the Reader take one promise and charge that upon the heart and if the heart be stubborn and will not yield then take another and if that will not do take another and lay that home upon the heart and never leave this work till you have gotten at least some small measure of faith viz If thou dost doubt and canst not believe the pardon of thy sinnes then take this promise and charge it upon the heart Isa 43. 25. I even I am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake and will not remember thy sinnes If the heart remain stubborn and will not yield then take another promise and charge that upon the heart Mich. 7. 18 19. Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth iniquity and passeth by the transgression of his people he reteineth not his anger for ever because be delighteth in mercy he will subdue our iniquities and cast all our sinnes into the depth of the Seas Now if the heart will not yield to believe this then take that portion of Scripture 1 Pet. 2. 24. and bring it to the 53. of Isaiah that whole Chapter and charge that upon the heart and there thou shalt finde that our sinnes were laid upon Christ and the stripes due unto us for them by which the Father is satisfied the Law fulfilled and by his stripes we are healed Let us then believe and apply this and we are saved wherefore live much in the haven of the promises feed upon the freeness sweetness and fatness thereof c. God hath so far condescended to our weakness for our establishment that he hath not only given us his promise but promise upon promise and assured us by the mouth of all his Prophets and Apostles yea and Christ himself that he is faithful mindful able and willing and to this he gives us his covenant his oath and his seale and all to assure us he will never faile nor forsake us but make good every tittle of his promise to us How then can we look so many sweet promises in the face and harbour so many misgivings in our hearts 3. The next meanes followeth frequent the Company of Grace-begetting and Soul-converting companions where we shall hear how God hath wrought grace in them and how the Lord doth usually work upon the hearts of unbeleivers as a man that cometh into a shop of perfumes will carry away some of the sent with him so we with conversing with the godly shall be the better Pro. 13. 20. he that walketh with wise men shall be wiser but a companion of fools shall be destroyed vaine talk and vaine practises inticeth the minds of men to vanity the noyse of their foolish laughter and ungodly discourse will drown the voice of conscience remember grace is hardly got and hardly kept and more hardly increased in such company Prov. 10. 20. 21. The tongue of the just is as choice Silver but the heart of the wicked is little worth the lipps of the righteous feed many but the foolish die for want of knowledge Prov. 14. 7. Goe from the presence of foolish men when thou perceivest not in him the lips of knowledg Oh why should we not strive to live among those companions on earth that we must live with in heaven if ever we come there Nicodemus came to Jesus for counsel and Christ thereupon did give him advise in the great work of the new birth So Math 19. 16. Another came and inquired what he should do to be saved so the Eunuch desires instruction of Philip Acts. 8. and Paul of Ananias Acts. 9. 12. 13 17. and Cornelius inquired of Peter so the Jews that were pricked at heart askt Peter and the rest of the Apostles what they should doe to be saved Acts 2 37. and the saylor asked Paul and Silas what he should doe to be saved To close up this point consider this that a man never goes in the company of wicked men but he comes away less a Christian then he was before Joseph by this began to swear by thâ— life of Pharaoh and Peter being in bad company but a little began to swear and lye in one breath therefore let us resolve with David Psal 119. 63. to be a companion of all them that fear the Lord and keep his statutes c. Let us then if it be possible frequent the company of the most sober serious spiritual heavenly professors that will be drawing us heaven-ward and opening to us the riches freenesse fulness and everlastingness of God the Fathers and of the Sonnes love and of the Holy Ghosts love one Lord blessed for ever 4. The next means for the begetting of grace and converting the soul may be this let us meditate upon and call to minde grace-begetting considerations which may be reduceable to these few heads 1. Consider what Christ hath done for us 2. Consider how God hath dealt with other sinners as bad as we are 3. Consider what relation we have to him 4. Consider what engagements we have from him 5. Consider in whose name we come before him 1. Let us consider what Christ hath done for us Viz. 1. Christ by the will of God gave himself a ransom for our sinnes a sacrifice of a sweet smelling favour acceptable
found in his own righteousness but in Christs righteousness all the rest he accounts as dung 10. He that is born again or truly converted hath his soul renewed in its facultiâ—s and vertues when the Lord made man in his own image Gen. 1. 26 27. Gen. 9. 6. which image of God in man consisteth not in any bodily shape but in the nature of the soul as it is a spiritual and immortal substance indued with three faculties Understanding Will and Memory as the Deitie hath three Father Sonne and Holy Ghost this image of God in man by his fall was defaced which by regeneration is again restored and renewed 1. In its faculties 2. In its senses 3 In its vertues 1. In its faculties 1. Understanding 2. Will. 3. Memory 1. The Understanding that by the fall was darkened is now again by regeneration â—nlightened Ephes 5. 8. Compared with Ephes 1. 18. 2. The Will that was inthralled is now renewed by which it doth choose the good and reject the evil 3. The Memory that since the fall of Man would forget the good that it should have reteyned and retein the evill that it should forget is now restored so as to treasure up spiritual things and let slip carnal things The Conscience which is Gods Deputy in man that did cease to do his Office being seared with an hot Iron 1 Tim. 4. 2. is now awakened and sits as Judge overall your Actions accusing in one thing excusing in another now if Conscience he not a Bridle it will be a Whip if it be not a Curb iâ— will be a Scourge if you will not hear the Warnings you shall feel the Lashes if it doth not restrain from Sin by admonition it will put uâ— to pain in sin by Contrition The Senses also they come to be exercised Heb. 5. 14. to discern both good and evil the Sense of Hearing is frequently exercised in hearing the joyfull sound and the Sense of Seeing is exercised in beholding the wonderfull works of God and the Sense of Smelling is exercised smelling a sweet savour in Christ and all his wayes and so for the rest of the Senses they are ever now and then exercised about spiritual things The Vertues of the Soul or graces of the Spirit they begin also to be employâ—d about matters of great concernment viz. Faith endeavours to believe and lay hold on God for what he hath promised Hope anchors upon the promise and waits with patience for a supply of all its wants Love is exerciâ—â—d in loving of God his Ordinances and People and sometimes in doing good to his enemies Prudence iâ— a verâ—â—â— whereby we foresee how things arâ— to be done in respect of time place and mâ—nner and what will be the event of each bâ—siness which is undertaken prudence in our hearts to guide our thoughts and in our mouths to order our speeches it is prudence in the evils of sin to choose none and in the evils of punishment to choose the lesser 2 Sam. 24. 12. Another Vertue which begins to be exercised is Temperance which moderates our desires and brings the Appetite under a rule of reason then Constancy or Perseverance is another Vertue whereby a man is resolved to persevere to the end in the knowledge profession and worship of God Justice is another Vertue which giveth every man his due it binds us to give due to God to our Parents and Kindred and to exercise Verity and Equity in all that we do lo what a wonderfull change is here yet notwithstanding all this the Soul is the same after conversion as it was before and so it shall be after the resurrection the same there being the same faculties only thus changed the Soul is renewed and restored to its primitive institution and so its purity and blessednesse is or shall be greater than ever it was before c. Thus the Regenerate doth partake of another begetting of another birth of another nature that a man should be the same and not the same the same man for Body yet as different in quality as if another soul did dwell in the same body he of a lyon iâ— become a lamb of a wolfe a sheep of a Saul a Paul of a persecuter a friend of the persecuted here is a blessed change indeed Wouldst thou know whether thou art regenerated art thou one whom God hath enlightned art thou one whom he hath called art thou one who art washed purged renewed sanctyfied examine thy heart throughly deceits lie low and false evidence is the fruit of a slight search Art thou one whose heart is taken with Christ when God delights in us thereupon we come to delight in him God knows us and thereupon we come to know him John 10. 14. God apprehends us and thereupon we come to apprehend him he chuseth us and thereupon we chuse him he loves us and therefore we love him 1 John 4. 19. his heart is taken with us and thereupon we come to be taken with him take thy evidences from the carriage of thy spirit neither at the best nor at the worst but the middle way which is most thy frame for if thou look upon thy self at the worst thou mayst be discouraged if at the best thou mayst be deceived neither judg of thy self by particular actions but look upon the universal frame and benâ— of thy spirit art thou heavy laden with the weight of thy offences dost thou groan under the yoak and tyrannie of manifold temptations Come unto me saith Christ I will refresh the Mat. 11. 28. Doest thou thirst after the wayes of grace loe I am the living spring saith Christ Come drinks hâ—râ— is my blood that was shed for many for the remission of sinnes are the wounds of thy transgressions so deep that they â—annot be searched or so old that they corrupt and purâ—fie loe here is the good Samaritan that will either eind them up or powr in oyle and wine are there any seeds of true life began is there any motion of repentance in thy soul will thy pulse of remorse heat a little hast thou but a touch of sorrow a spark of contrition a grain of faith a drop of self denyal surely he that hath began this good work will finish it Philip. 1. 6. Surely he will more and more inform thy mind conform thy will reform thy life and tranâ—form the whole man into the likeness of the heavenly patterne a man that is born again may be weak in respect of life in whom the spirit breathâ— though feintly whose pulse beats but feebly whose heart pants after Christ but weakly in whom Christ who is the wisdome of the father shines though through many clouds very dimly who indeed reâ—â—ives Christ and his free gâ—â—â—â— though with a shaking hand who hopes that Christ will not cast him off though not sure he will take him up he hath a desire to fear the name of the Lord hâ— hath a willing mind 2 Cor. 8. 12 and this is
according to ordinary dispensation to look at all living under the gospel to be capable of believing and in the judgement of charity for ought we know elected and it is the duty of every one to whom the object of faith is propounded to believe and it is the duty of every believer to believe that he is elected Again God together with the object of faith tenders us means so farr sufficient to the begetting of faith as leaveth us without excuse we love our unbelief and resist this means of believing John 1. 11. He came to his own and they received him not John 5. 40. And you will not come to me that ye might have life If we look on God with a legal eye so the least sinner is uncapable but if wee look at him with an evangelical eye so the greatest sinner is capable of mercy Abraham becometh a father and Sarah a mother by overcoming such temptations as arose from his dead body and the deadness of her womb Again let us consider though the decree be absolute yet the dispensation of the decree in the gospel is conditional Whosoever believeth shall be saved John 3. 16. compared with Rev. 3. 20. Again who dare say that God hath decreed that he should not believe This decree is a secret thing and secret things belong to God and revealed things to us a man may know he is elected when he hath made his calling and election sure but no man can say he is reprobated till he is given up to a reprobate sense We read in many places of Scripture that it is the duty of every one to believe and we finde in many other places of Scripture that God is the author of faith which is wrought in our hearts by his mighty power so that without him we cannot believe Q. Now why doth the most just and righteous God command all to believe and promise salvation to them that doe believe and threaten damnation to all that doe not believe seeing it is not in mans power to believe Ans For these Five Reasons 1. That he might by means of those promises and threats work us unto that which by nature we are averse unto 2 Cor. 5. 11. 20. Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord we perswade men we are ambassadors for Christ as though God did beseech you by us c. 2. That the sons and daughters of men might appear mâ—re inexcusabâ—e when neither promises nor threatmings will move them to imbrace free mercy Acts 13 46. 51. and Acts 18. 6. 3. That the grace of God might as well appear in giving us power to believe as in giving Christ and in him forgiveness of sins to be believed Rom. 9. 16. Rom. 11. 5. 6. 4. That we might apply ourselves unto God in the use of means appointed by him for the working of faith in us Isa 55. 3. John 6. 27. 5. That we might search and by searching find in the covenant of grace matter of free conveyance of power to believe whatsoever is required to be believed Rom. 10. 17. John 5. 39 Rom. 4. 16. Qu. Whether there be not a light in every man which if improved and walkt up to would lead us to the gate of heaven if not into heaven yea or no An God doth give to every man some talent or talents which if people did improve should be increased and the party much advantaged c. the same Lord doth give to some natural talents as wisdom wealth aâ—t c. and to others spiritual talents or gifts as to pray prophesie in erpret c. and God may justly condemn men for not improving what he gives them we read that the heathen that had but the very light of nature Rom 1. and 2. chapters their walking not up to that left them without excuse but withall consider that not to minde the light within him so as to improve that and all other talents given him is enough to damn him yet the improvement thereof is not sufficient to save him the Law that every man hath broken must have a perfect personal perpetual universal obedience or else it leaves us under the curse and all our improvements cannot purchase the pardon of one sin If the stung Israelites had made a medicin of the best herbs in the wilderness and a plaister of all the soverein ingredients in the whole world and applied it with mountains of prayers and seas of tears yet this would not have helped them if withall they did not look upon the brazen serpent and all because that was Gods way of healing c. So now Gods way of saving is not by or for the improvement of light but by the obedience of Christ for us and his righteousness imputed to us and therefore in Scripture we read that our salvation is attributed all to grace Titus 3. 7 Rom. 3. 24. Rom. 4. 5. Isa 43. 23 24 25. All our best and choicest performances are but gilded sins we can doe nothing which is truly really and substantially good no not so much as think a good thought 2 Cor. 3. 5. Neither are we able to understand as we ought 1. Cor. 2. 14. Neither able to will any thing that is good Philip. 2. 13. Neither able to begin a good work Philip. 1. 6. Neither able to perfect it when it is begun Isa 26. 12. Rom. 7. 18. So that in all our improvements there is still imperfection something polluted so that our most Spiritual duties are not wound up to command they are all tainted with disproportion to rule and be-leopard with spots so that it is in vain to expect a bed or rest in the barâ—en wilderness of our own performances Isa 28. 20. This bed is shorter than that a man can stretch himself on it and the covering is narrower than that a man can wrap himself in it Isa 50. 11. Behold all ye that kindle a fire walk in the light of your fire and in the sparkâ— that ye have kindled this shall ye have of my hand ye shall lie down in sorrow Our own righteousnes is called a monstrous rag a rag therfore cannot cover us monstrous and therefore if it should cover us it would but cover filth with filth Isa 30. 1. They cover but not with the covering of my spirit that they might add sin to sin that is the sin of their own righteousness to the sin of their unrighteousness they cover a blot with a blot add sin to sin dung to dung Q But how doth it more particularly appear that our acceptation salvation and glorification c. is purely clearly and only of grace and nothing but grace Ans Election is the election of grace and according to the good pleasure of his will Eph. 1. 5. Vocation is also of grace 2 Tim. 1. 9. Who hath saved us and called us with an holy calling not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace given us in Christ c. Regeneration is