due to us in full measure but also because that which Christ suffered in the point of torment and vexation was in some respect of the same kind with the torment of the damned for in the punishment of the damned we must necessarily distinguish these three things 1. the perverse disposition of the mind of the damned in their sufferings 2. the duration and perpetuity of their punishment and 3. the punishment it self tormenting soul and body The first two are not of the essence of punishment albeit by accident they are turned into a punishment for the wickednesse vilenesse and unworthinesse of the damned who neither will nor can submit themselves to the punishment and put the case they should submit are utterly unable to make satisfaction for ever do make them in a desperat dolefull condition for ever though obstinat sinners do not apprehend nor believe this but go on in treasuring up wrath against themselves pleasing themselves in their own dreams to their own endlesse perdition Of these three the first two could have no place in Christ Not the first because He willingly offered Himself a sacrifice for our sins and upon agreement payed the ransom fully Not the second because He could no longer be holden in the sorrows of death then He had satisfied Justice and finished what was imposed on Him and His infinit excellency made His short suffering to be of infinit worth and equivalent to our everlasting suffering The third then remaineth which is the reall and sensible tormenting of soul and body in being made a curse for us and to feel it so in His reall experience And what need we question hellish pain where pain and torment and the curse with felt wrath from God falleth on and lyeth still till Justice be satisfied Concerning which it is as certain that Christ was seased upon by the dolours of death as it is certain in Scripture that He could not be holden of the sorrows of death Acts. 2. 24. Quest. But what interest had Christ God-head in His humane sufferings to make them both so short and so precious and satisfactory to Justice for so many sins of so many sinners especially when we consider that God cannot suffer Ans. Albeit this passion of the humane nature could not so far reach the God-head of Christ that it should in a physicall sense suffer which indeed is impossible yet these sufferings did so affect the person that it may truly be said that God suffered and by His blood bought His people to Himself Acts 20. 28. for albeit the proper and formall subject of physicall suffering be only the humane nature yet the principall subject of sufferings both in a physicall and morall sense is Christs person God and man from the dignity whereof the worth and excellency of all sort of sufferings the merit and the satisfactory sufficiency of the price did flow And let it be considered also that albeit Christ as God in His God-head could not suffer in a physicall sense yet in a morall sense He might suffer and did suffer for in as much as He being in the form of God and without robbery equall to God did demit His person to assume humane nature and empty Himself so far as to hide His glory and take on the shape of a servant and expose Himself willingly to all the contradiction of sinners which He was to meet with and to all railings revilings contempt despisings and calumnies shall it seem nothing and not enter in the count of our Lords payment for our debt Obj. But how could so low a downthrowing of the Son of man or of the humane nature assumed by Christ consist with the Majesty of the person of the Son of God Ans. We must distinguish in Christ these things which are proper to either of the two natures from these things which are ascribed to His person in respect of either of the natures or both the natures for infirmity physicall suffering or mortality are proper to the humane nature The glory of power and grace and mercy and superexcellent Majesty and such like are proper to the Deity but the sufferings of the humane nature are so far from diminishing the glory of the divine nature that they do manifest the same and make it appear more clearly for by how much the humane nature was weakned depressed and despised for our sake by so much the love of Christ God and man in one person toward man and His mercy and power and grace to man do shine in the eyes of those that judiciously look upon Him Obj. But seing Christs satisfaction for sinners doth not stand in any one part of His doings and sufferings but in the whole and intire precious pearl and compleet price of His whole obedience from His incarnation even to the death of His crosse how cometh it to passe that in Scripture the whole expiation of our sins is ascribed so oft to His passion and particularly to His blood Ans. This cometh to passe 1. Because the certainty and verity of His assumed humane nature and the certainty of His reall suffering and the fulfilling of all the leviticall sacrifices did most evidently appear unto sense in the effusion of His blood 2. Because the expression of His sufferings both in soul and body appeared in the effusion of His blood for in the garden while His body was not as yet touched or hurt by man from the meer pains of His soul drops of blood fell down out of all His body to the earth 3. Because His blood-sheding and death was the last act of compleeting the payment of the ransom to the Father for us which payment began in His humble incarnation and went on through all His life and was compleeted in His bloodshed and death whereof our Lord gave intimation on the crosse when He cryed as triumphantly victorious it is finished The use of this article of the covenant of Redemption WE have at some length spoken of the price of Redemption and of Christs defraying the debt by His passion 1. That hereby the merit of our sins may the more clearly be seen 2. That the sublimity and excellency of divine Majesty offended by sin may appear 3. That we may behold the severity of Gods justice till He have satisfaction and reparation in some sort of the injuries done to Him 4. That the admirable largenesse of Gods mercy may be acknowledged and wondered at For in the price of Redemption payed as in a mirror we may see how greatly the Lord hateth sin how great His love is to the world in sending his Son Christ amongst us how heavy the wrath of God shall lye upon them that flee not to Christs satisfaction for their delivery how great the dignity and excellency of the Lord our Redeemer is for whose cause reconciliation is granted to all that take hold of the offer of grace through him how great the obligation of believers is to love God and serve him and how
the end of his life which he suffered both in soul and body they were the compleating of his formerly begun and running obedience but were not his only obedience for us or his only suffering for us for he had done and suffered much from his incarnation before his last passion and death but the highest degree of his obedience whereby he bought deliverance unto us from sin and misery and whereby he bought unto us immortality and eternall blessednesse in heaven was his death on the crosse compleating our ransom 3. Whereas some have said that one drop of His blood was sufficient to redeem moe worlds then one if there wre any moe it is but an inconsiderat speech and destitute of Scriptural authority for when Christ had suffered all things before the time of His death it behoved Him to be crucified also Luke 24. 26. but it behoved Him not to suffer more then justice required for a ransom but only as much as was agreed upon and no less could satisfie Now this commandment He received of the Father that He should lay down His life for His sheep Ioh. 10. 18. For the wisdom of God thought good to testifie His own holiness and hatred of sin and to testifie His love to the elect world and riches of His grace toward them to whom He would be mercifull by inflicting no less punishment of sin on the Mediator His own dear Son taking upon Himself full satisfaction to justice for all the sins of all the Elect given unto Him to redeem then the death both of His body and soul for a season And indeed it was suteable to His holy and soveraign Majesty that for the ransom of so many thousands and millions of damnable sinners and saving of them from everlasting torment of body and soul no less price should be payed by the Son of God made man and surety for them then His sufferings both in His body and soul for a season as much as should be equivalent to the due deserved punishment of them whom he should redeem and it became the justice of the infinite Majesty offended to be reconciled with so many rebels and to bestow upon them heaven and eternal blessedness for no less price then the sufferings of the eternal Son made man whose humiliation and voluntary obedience even to the death of the cross was of infinite worth and value and therefore he yieldeth himself to the sufferings agreed upon in the covenant of Redemption both in body and soul. Of the sufferings of Christ in His soul. OUr Lords sufferings in His body did not fully satisfie divine justice 1. because as God put a sanction on the law and covenant of Works made with us all in Adam that he and his should be lyable to death both of body and soul which Covenant being broken by sin all sinners became obnoxious to the death both of body and soul So the redeemed behoved to be delivered from the death of both by the Redeemers tasting of death in both kinds as much as should be sufficient for their redemption 2. As sin infected the whole man soul and body and the curse following on sin left no part nor power of the mans soul free So justice required that the Redeemer coming in the room of the persons redeemed should feel the force of the curse both in body and soul. Ob. But how can the soul die seing it is by the Ordinance of God in creation made immortal Ans. The death of the soul is not in all things like to the death of the body for albeit the spiritual substance of the soul be made immortal and not to be extinguished yet it is subject to its own sort of death which consists in the separation of it from communion with God in such and such degrees as justly may be called the death of the soul from which sort of death the immortality of the soul not only doth not deliver but also it doth augment it and perpetuat it till this death be removed Obj. But seing the humane sould of our Lord could never be separated from the permanent holiness wherewith it was endued in the first infusion of it in the body and could never be separated from the indissolvable personal union with the second person of the God-head assuming it how could His soul be subject to any degrees of death Ans. Albeit the con-natural holiness of the soul of Christ could not be removed nor the personal union of it be dissolved no not when the soul was separated from the body yet it was subject by Christs own consent to be emptied of strength-natural to be deprived for a time of the clearness of vision of its own blessedness and of the quiet possession of the formerly felt peace and of the fruition of joy for a time and so suffer an ecclipse of light and consolation otherwise shining from His God-head and so in this sort of spiritual death might undergo some degrees of spiritual death The degrees of the suffering of Christs holy soul. AMong the deprâ—â—s of the death suffered by Christ in His soul we may number first that habitual heaviness of spirit which haunted him all the dayes of His life as was foretold by Isa. 53. 3. He was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief We hear He weeped but never that he laughed and but very seldom that he rejoiced 2. He suffered in speciall sorrow and grief in the observation of the ingratitude of them for whom he came to lay down his life we hid as it were our faces from him he was despised and we esteemed him not Isa. 53. 3. 3. The hardnesse of mens hearts and the malice of his own covenanted people and the daily contumelies and despightfull usage he found from day to day increased his daily grief as by rivolets the flood is raised in the river he was despised and rejected of men Isa. 53. 3. 4. He was tempted in all things like unto us and albeit in them all never tainted with sin Heb. 4. 15. yet with what a vexation of his most holy soul we may easily gather by comparing the holinesse of our Lord with the holinesse of his servants to whom nothing is more bitter then the firie darts of the devil and his suggestions and sollicitations to sin especially if we consider the variety of temptations the hainousnesse of the sins whereunto that impudent and unclean spirit boldly sollicited his holinesse Matth. 4. and withall the importunity and pertinacy of the devil who never ceased partly by himself partly by those that were his slaves and partly by the corruption which he found in Christs disciples to pursue presse and vex the God of glory all the time he lived on earth 5. The guilt of all the sins crimes and vile deeds of the elect committed from the beginning of the world was imputed unto him by accepting of which imputation albeit he polluted not his Conscience yet he burdened his soul binding himself to bear
whether the believer perceive his absolution or not for the time 4. There is a sensible intimation of this sentence unto the believer joyned with peace and joy which the Apostle calleth the shedding abroad of the love of God in the heart Rom. 5. 5. and the sealing of the holy Ghost stamping the heart with holinesse Ephes. 1. 13. The first three makes the absolution of the believer certain whether the believer thinks so or not but the fourth which is the sensible intimation of this sentence doth make the believer both sure and joyfull As justification is taken passively four things may be distinguished in the believer justified The first is his actual receiving of Christ offered in the Gospel for a perfect remedy of sin and misery The second is the Lords judicial setling of the general sentence of absolution upon the believer as if he had spoken to him by name as he did to the Apostles Ioh. 15. 3. Now are ye clean through the word I â—ave spoken unto you that is you are clean from the guilâ— of sin by my absolving of you The third is the believers observing in a reflect act of his conscience that he hath fled to Christ for absolution and therefore justified indeed The fourth is the feeling and observing of the testimony of the holy Ghost bearing witnesse with his spirit that he is a child of God absolved from sin and wrath The first two of these to wit the act of faith receiving of Christ and of the right made by Christ to the believer in him of his absolution may be in and on the believer without the other two to wit his observation of the act of faith and the felt intimation of this worlâ— of grace by the holy Spirit 2. For solving of the doubt then as justification is actively taken as proceeding from the immanent act of Gods eternal purpose and decree to justifie the believer it is no more the actual justification in this life of which we are speaking then the immanent act of Gods eternal purpose to raise the bodies of believers in Christ and to glorifie them in soul and body can be called the actual resurrection of their bodies and glorification of both soul and body in this life But the transient act of justification in a judicial way which is the Lords judicial sentence of absolution of the believer declared by his Word set down now in holy Scripture it is indeed and formally the believers justification and is judicially terminar upon every believer in the act of his conversion whether the believer doth clearly perceive his own conversion or be in suspicion of his being reconciled and justified And this may be made to appear if we compare the condemnation of the unbeliever with the absolution of the believer fled to Christ Ioh. 3. 18. As he that believeth not in Christ is condemned already because the curse of the law and condemnation pronounced in the Scripture by God the soveraign Judge stands against him so long as he doth not believe in the only begotten Son of God And this sentence standeth fast whether the unbeliever take notice of this sentence or not whether he do apply it to himself or not do find grief for it or not So the believer in Christ is relaxed from condemnation and absolved and hath right unto eternal life and begun possession of it albeit for the time of his infancy tentation trembling and fear it be not so albeit he doth not perceive the blessed change of his state nor doth lay to heart as he might the words of Christ judicially pronouncing the sentence comprehending him as certainly as if his name were expressed Ioh. 3. 18. He that believeth on him is not condemned and ver 36. He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life and Ioh. 6. from ver 37. to 41. Hence we conclude that the formal act of justification of a man fled to Christ is to be found in the written sentence of the judge absolving every believer and the man we speak of There is another transient act of God in an actual revelation of justification wherein the holy Ghost openeth the eyes of the believer to behold and perceive the gift of saith already bestowed on him Of this speaks the Apostle 1 Cor. 2. 12. And after that the holy Ghost hath pointed out his own grace bestowed on the believer he followeth his work by giving remarkable peace and joy as earnest of life everlasting whereof the Apostle speaketh Ephes. 1. 13. In whom ye also trusted after ye heard the word of truth the Gospel of your salvation in whom also after ye had believed ye were sealed with the spirit of promise which is the earnest of our inheritance Therefore he that desireth to have the intimation of his justification after flying for refuge unto Christ for relief of felt sin and feared wrath must read his absolution in the Gospel as well as he hath read before that his condemnation in the law Unto which sentence of absolution let him hold fast in his daily endeavour after sanctification The fifth question is how to satisfie the convert who findeth himself pursued for his sins after remission believed and is brought in question what to judge of his case MAny converts have fallen in Iobs case and seemed to themselves to possesse the sins of their youth Iob 13. 26. For after conversion and felt reconciliation they find the sins they did repent of and did believe to be forgiven through Christ objected to them afresh pursued with sharp accusations and signs of wrath joyned therewith Their reconciliation and righteousnesse through Christ they purpose to hold fast their old guiltinesse and sentence of their conscience writing bitter things against them they cannot deny The pinch is here either the remission they did believe is null or the challenge is unjust do they reason with themselves the nullity of their remission they dare not admit and the just ground of challenge they cannot deny and the doubt what to think of this case they cannot shun not seeing how these things can consist and stand together 2. For answer to this doubt these four things must be distinguished and how they may all consist one with another must be timously considered The four things to be distinguished are 1. the reconciliation of a convert with God 2. the remission of the reconciled mans sins freely gifted unto him by God 3. a renewed bitter accusation raised by Sathan against the reâ—iled convert 4. The holy and wise dispensation of God permitting ordering these renewed accusations of his child by Sathan for the tryal and exercise of his faith and growth of his repentance and other good ends Now for the consistence of these four we need not doubt but the accuser of the brethren can cast up to us forgiven sins and bear upon us that they are not forgiven Nâ—ither need we doubt but God in wisdom and love to his children may suffer Sathan to
Prison and Stocks pinching and pressing the bound sinner and the part of the Burrio scourging and tormenting him But the Conscience after examination finding the man either innocent and free of the crime or forgiven and reconciled to God by Christ after repentance and faith embracing the Redeemer it doth the part of an honest Friend carefully comforting the innocent or penitent and the part of an Advocat excusing and defending the man against all challenges and the part of Witnesses compurgatours and the part of the Iudge absolving and the part of the Rewarder And so much concerning the nature and use of Conscience as may suffice our purpose CHAP. II. Of Cases of Conscience in general A Case of Conscience taken in a large sense comprehends every accident which any way affects or qualifieth the Conscience And in this sense the perswasion and certainty which the Conscience may have the soundness health and strength of the Conscience may be called Cases and good Cases of the Conscience So also any effect which the Conscience doth work on the soul such as are peace of conscience comfort and joy in the heart may be called Cases of the Conscience also But the Cases whereof we are to treat are the ill Cases of the Conscience whereby it is fallen from the soundness and streightness it should have which we call by the name of wounds diseases and sickness of the Conscience whereunto that we may descend to speak more orderly a twofold difference is to be observed 2. First we must put difference between a healthy and a sick Conscience A healthy Conscience is that which after examination of our wayes according to the rule of Gods Word doth justly absolve us and speaketh peace to us toward God Of such a conscience it is said by Solomon A sound heart is the life of the flesh Prov. 14. 30. by the heart he meaneth the conscience which ordinarly in Scripture is called the heart And he saith the sound conscience is the life of the flesh because the body is so much in better case that the conscience be at peace toward God And this blessing is allowed upon every believer in Christ in his orderly walking 2 Tim. 1. 7. God hath not given us the spirit of fear but of power of love and of a sound mind A Conscience in this disposition needeth not medicine but spiritual nourishment and exercise in all Christian-duties A sick Conscience we call that which either is senseless of its own evils and dangers it is in and sitteth down securely and resteth without a warrand Or which is justly wounded and labours under the sense of its pain or which is unquiet upon mistakes and ignorance of making use of the true remedy of such a sick Conscience we are to speak if possible by Gods blessing a word in season may be spoken to waken a secure conscience or to refresh the weary soul that being recovered from its malady it may be able to feed upon the bread and water of life and work the works of God in the strength of Christ. 3. Secondly we must put difference between a troubled Soul and a troubled Conscience for the Soul is more largely taken then the Conscience The Soul comprehendeth all the powers and faculties of the man but the Conscience as we speak of it is only one faculty of the mind judging of the mans moral ill or well-being and so all cases of the Conscience are cases of the Soul but all the cases of the Soul are not cases of the Conscience For the Soul may be troubled while the Conscience is not troubled at all yea a man may have a commendable trouble in his soul when he seeth God dishonoured or His Church in hazard whereby his conscience is so far from being troubled that such a holy trouble strengthens his conscience in his address to God as is in many places of the Psalms to be seen Again a mans mind may be troubled by sundry natural or civil motives while the conscience is allowably quiet as in losses of things temporal fears pains or unexpected inconveniencies occurring yea there may be passions and perturbations of the mind in persons that are not capable for the time of the exercise of Conscience as may be seen in young infants and in the elder sort in fits of feaver melancholy and phrensie and yet further it is possible that passions perturbations and troubles of soul may be found without any disease of the Conscience because our Lord Jesus in the dayes of his humiliation was a man acquainted with sorrows but was not obnoxious to sin or any self-challenging for he knew no sin in himself He had trouble in his soul but could not have trouble of conscience Iob 12. 27. Now is my soul troubled and what shall I say â—ather save me from this hour but for this cause came I unto this hour Of the cases of the Soul we speak not here but of the sinfull diseases of the Conscience 4. There is also a third difference to be observed between common cases of Conscience and these that specially concern Regeneration Common cases comprehend all these questions and doubts wherein the Conscience is seeking light and resolution about the rule of faith and maners that it may better inform it self about the sense of Scripture and about the application thereof in the point of direction in faith and practice These common cases are of as large extent as the bulk of Divinity as large as the Doctrine held forth in Scripture concerning faith and maners for there is not any one article of faith or duty prescribed as a point of piety or righteousness about which questions may not be moved and cases propounded wherein the Conscience may seek satisfaction Of this hudge great tree we take but only one branch to speak of so far as maketh for our purpose concerning Regeneration CHAP. III. Of Regeneration what it is and the regenerat man who he is WE speak not here of the regeneration of elect infants dying in their infancy God hath His own way of dealing with them but of the regeneration of those who are capable of being outwardly called by the ministry of the Word which we may thus describe Regeneration being one in effect with effectual caling is the work of Gods invincible power and meer grace wherein by His Spirit accompanying His Word He quickeneth a redeemed person lying dead in his sins and reneweth him in his mind will and all the powers of his soul convinceing him savingly of sin righteousness and judgment and making him heartily to embrace Christ and Salvation and to consecrat himself to the service of God in Christ all the dayes of his life 2. The main thing we must take heed to in this work is to give to God intirely the glory of His Grace and Power and Wisdom so that the glory of mans regeneration be neither given to man nor man made sharer of the glory with God but God may have
object requireth a supernaturall power of the understanding and will to take it up and rightly conceive of it But of this supernaturall faculty the unrenewed man is destitute and in respect of spirituall discerning he is dead that he cannot discern spirituall things spiritually 4. As for the second proposition anent a mans regeneration the Lord that He may break the carnall confidence of the person whom He is to convert first sheweth him his duty by the doctrine of the law and covenant of works making him to see the same by the powerfull illumination of the holy Spirit and so taketh away all pretext of ignorance Secondly He sheweth him his guiltinesse and deserved damnation wherein he is involved and so taken away all conceit and imagination of his innocency Thirdly He doth convince him of his utter inability to satisfie the law or to deliver himself from the curse thereof either by way of action and obedience or by way of suffering and paying of the penalty of the violat law of God And so overturneth all confidence in himself or in his own works Whence followeth the elect mans desperation to be delivered by himself because he seeth himself a sinner and that all hope of justification by his own deeds or sufferings is cut off Now that this is the work of the holy Spirit is plain Ioh. 16. 8. When the comforter the spirit of truth shall come He shall convince the world of sin c. And in this condition sundry of Gods dear children for a time are keeped under the bonds of the law under the spirit of bondage and sad conviction 5. As for the third proposition the Lord after He hath laid the sin of His elect child who is to be converted to his charge by the doctrine of the law first openeth up a light unto him in the doctrine of the Gospel and lets him see that his absolution from sin and his salvation is possible and may be had by flying unto Christ the Redeemer Secondly the Lord drawing near hand the humbled self-condemned soul deals with him by way of morall swasion sweetly inviting him in the preaching of the Gospel to receive the Redeemer Christ Jesus the eternall Son of God manifested in the flesh that by receiving of Him as He is offered in the Evangel for remission of sin renovation of life and eternall salvation he may close the Covenant of grace and reconciliation with God Thirdly because the fall of Adam hath bereft man of all spirituall and supernaturall power till he be supernaturally quickned and converted by the omnipotent power of Gods grace Therefore the Lord sâ—peraddeth unto morall swasion effectuall operation and formeth in the soul a spirituall faculty and ability for doing what is pleasant unto God and tendeth to save himself according to the will of God This infusion of a new life sometime is called the forming of the new creature sometime regeneration sometime rising from the dead and vivification or quickning of the man sometime saving grace and the life of God and the seed of God having in it the principle of all saving graces and habits which are brought forth afterward to acts and exercise Mean time true it is that all men because of their inborn corruption have an inclination and bent disposition to resist the holy Ghost But when the Lord will actually convert the man He overcometh and taketh away actuall resistance and doth so break the power of naturall rebellion that it doth not for ever after reign in him for if God did not take away actuall resistance of the man in his conversion no conversion should certainly follow and God should be disappointed of His purpose to convert the man even when He hath put forth His almighty power to work conversion But God doth so wisely and powerfully stir up this new infused life of grace and setteth it so on work that the understanding and judgement like a counsellour and the Will like a commanding Emperour and the active power of the new infused faculty as an officer do all bestir themselves to bring forth supernaturall operations Whence it cometh to passe that the new creature beginneth to look kindly on Christ the Redeemer and to desire to be united unto Him and doth streatch forth it self to embrace Him heartily for obtaining in Him righteousnesse and salvation as He is offered in the Gospel And so he casts himself over on Christ with full purpose never to shed from Him but by faith to draw out of Him grace for grace till he be perfected And here the man that was meerly passive in his quickning and regeneration beginneth presently to be active in his conversion and following conversation for God giveth to him to will and to do of His good pleasure And he having obtained by Gods effectuall operation to will and to do doth formally will and do the good which is done 6. As to the fourth proposition when the power of God is put forth invincibly for the converting of a soul that invincible working is so far from destroying the naturall liberty of the will that it doth indeed preserve it and sets it right on the right object and doth perfect it For as when God openeth the eyes of a mans understanding that he doth behold the wonders of His law when hee removeth the naturall blindnesse of the mind and maketh a man see that the Gospel is the wisdom and power of God unto salvation which sometime he counted to bee meer foolishnesse he doth no wayes destroy the mans judgement or understanding but doth correct help heal and perfect it So when the holy Spirit doth powerfully and effectually move and turn the Will of the man to embrace the sweet and saving offers of Christs grace in the Gospel and maketh him deliberatly choose this blessed way of salvation and to renounce all confidence in his own or any others worth or works He doth not destroy but perfect the liberty of the Will and raiseth it up from death and its damnable inclination and maketh it most joyfully and most freely to make choice of this pearl of price and blesse it self in its choice for ever Therefore let no man complain of wrong done to mans free-will when God stops its way to hell wisely powerfully graciously and sweetly moveth it to choose the way of life But rather let men beware to take the glory of actuall conversion of men from God and either give it wholly to their idoll of free-will or make it sharer of the glory of regeneration with God which glory God will not give to another but reserve wholly to Himself for all men in the point and moment of regeneration are like unto Lazarus in the grave to whom God by commanding him to arise gave life and power to arise out of the grave where he lay dead and rotting 7. As to the fifth proposition We must distinguish the work of regeneration from the preparation and disposition of the man to be regenerat
their deserved punishment Now when we see that the vilest sinners as liars thieves adulterers cannot patiently hear themselves called liars or thieves nor bear the shame of the vilenesse whereof they are really guilty with what suffering of soul with what clouding of the glory of his holinesse think we that our Lord took upon his shoulders such a dunghill of all vilenesse then which nothing could more be unbeseeming his holy Majesty 6. Unto all the former degrees of suffering of his soul the perplexity of his thoughts fell on him with the admiration and astonishment of soul when the full cup of wrath was presented unto him in such a terrible way as made all the powers of his sense and reason for a time to be at a stand Which suffering of his soul while the Evangelist is about to expresse he saith he began to be sore amazed and also to be very heavy and to expresse himself in these words My Soul is exceeding sorrowfull unto death Mark 14. 33. 34. Obj. But did not this astonishing amazement of Christs soul speak some imperfection of the humane nature Ans. It did no wayes argue any imperfection or inlake of sanctity in him but only a sinlesse and kindly infirmity in regard of naturall strength in the dayes of his flesh for the mind of a man by any suddain and vehement commotion arising from a terrible object may without sinning be so taken up that the swift progresse of his mind in discourse may for a while be stopped and the act of reasoning suspended a while all the cogitations of the mind fleeing together to consult and not being able to extricat themselves in an instant may stand amazed and sit down a while like Jobs friends astonished Now our Lord taking on our nature and our common sinlesse infirmities became like unto us in all things except sin Daniels infirmity at the sight of an Angel was not sin Dan. 10. Obj. But doth not this astonishing admiration suddainly lighting upon Christs soul prove that something unforeseen of him did befall him Ans. Not at all for he knew all things that should befall him and told his disciples thereof and was at a point and resolved in every thing which was to come before it came But this astonishing amazement did only shew forth the naturall difference between things preconceived in the mind and these same things presented to sense for there is in the mind a different impression of the preconceived heat of a burning iron before it do touch the skin from that powerfull impression which a hot iron thrust into the flesh doth put upon the sense In regard of which naturall difference between foresight and feeling between resolution and experience this astonishment befell our Lord and in this regard Christ is said to learn experimentall obedience by these things which he suffered Heb. 5. 8. 7. Another degree of the suffering of our Lords soul is the interruption for a time of the sensible uptaking and feeling of that quiet and peaceable injoyment of the felicity of the humane nature given for the point of right unto it in its personall union with his God-head in so far that in the midst of many disciples Greeks and Jews looking on him the vehemency of his trouble did not suffer him to hide his perturbation for Ioh. 12. 27. our Lord cryed out Now is My Soul troubled and what shall I say and Mark 14. 34. made him declare his exceeding heavinesse My Soul is exceeding sorrowfull unto death In which words he insinuats that to his sense death was at hand yea that in no small measure it had seased on him and wrapped him up in the sorrows of death for the time as in a net of which he knew he could not be holden still Obj. But did not this hudge heap of miseries take away from the humane nature the felicity of its union personally with his God-head Ans. It did indeed hide it for a time and hinder the sensible feeling of it for a time as it was necessary in his deep suffering but it did not take it away nor yet eclipse it altogether for as a corporall inheritance hath a threefold connexion with the person owner thereof so a spirituall inheritance hath a threefold connexion with the believers soul. The first is of lawfull title and right the next is of possession of the inheritance according to the lawfull right the third is an actuall fruition and present feeling of the use of the inheritance The fruition and felt benefite and use may be marred or suspended the possession stand and the possession may be interrupted and suspended and the lawfull right remain firm Christ had not only an undoubted right to this felicity standing unto him by the personall union but also a fast possession of it in as far as the personall union was indissolvable But the actuall felt fruition in his humane sense and uptaking was so long interrupted as the humane nature was diverted from this contemplation for its present exercise and turned to look toward the sad spectacle of imminent and incumbent wrath especially when and how long it was as it were bound to the feeling of the present stroke which did fill the soul with sadnesse and grief anxiety and vexation without sin 8. Neither did the vindictive justice of God pursueing our sins in our Surety stay here but in the garden went on to shew unto Christ the cup of wrath and also to hold it to his head and to presse him to drink it yea the very dregs of the agreed-upon curse of the law was poured into his patient and submissive mouth as it were and bosome and the most inward part of soul and body which as a vehement flame above all humane apprehension so filled both soul and body that out of all his veines it drew and drove forth a bloody sweat the like whereof was never heard as when a pot of oyl boyling up and running over by a fire set under it hath yet further the flame increased by the thrusting of a firie masse of hot iron into it Hence came such a wasting and eating up of all his humane strength and emptying of his naturall abilities such a down-throwing of his mind such a fainting and swounding of his joy and so heavy a weight of sorrow on him that not only he desired that small comfort of his weak disciples watching with him a little and missed of it but also stood in need of an Angel to comfort him Luke 22. 43. It is without ground that some of the learned have denied the cause of this agony to be the drinking of the cup of wrath holden forth to him by the Father saying that the sight of it only and of the perill he saw we were into was the cause of this heavy exercise for the cup was not only showen unto him and the hudge wrath due to our sin set before him that he should see it and tremble at the apprehension of the
water in a glasse which howsoever it be troubled and tossed remaineth most pure and free of all muddinesse Obj. But at least was there not a conflict in our Lord between his faith and the temptation to doubting Ans. We grant not only a conflict of Christs humane naturall strength with the burden of affliction but also a conflict and wrestling of his faith against the temptation to doubting for wrestling doth not alwayes argue the infirmity of the wrestler for the Angel who is called God Hos. 12. wrestles with Iacob and in God was no infirmity Again wrestling doth not argue alwayes infirmity but doth only evidence the wrestlers power and the importunat obstinacy of an adversary who being repulsed and cast down doth not at first leave the field but riseth up again insists and presseth on so long as it pleaseth the most powerfull party to suffer the adversary to make opposition Obj. But you must grant that in the conflict of Christs humane naturall strength with the affliction and burden of the punishment laid upon him by the Father he was overcome and succumbed and died Ans. Yes indeed but we must put a difference between the conflict of naturall strength with the burden of affliction and the conflict between faith and a temptation unto sin in the conflict of holy humane nature in Christ with the punishment of our sins laid on Him it was not a sin to have his naturall strength overpowered and to lye down under the burden and to lay down his life and die but it was a main part of His obedience it was the performance of His promise and undertaking to yield himself to Justice and to die for us that we might be delivered from death eternall But in the wrestling of His faith with the temptation unto doubting it had been a sin to have yielded in the least degree and that which could not consist with the perfect holinesse of the Mediatour Surety for sinners Obj. But did not the perplexity of His thoughts and the anxiety of His mind diminish something of the vigour and constancy of his faith Ans. It did diminish nothing of the vigour and constancy of His faith for there is a great difference between the troubling of the thoughts and the hesitation or weakening of faith as there is also a great difference between the perturbations of the mind and the perturbation of the conscience For as the mind may be troubled when in the consideration of some difficulty it cannot at first perceive an outgate mean-time the conscience remaining sound and quiet so may the work of the mind 's discoursing be interrupted and at a stay for a time faith mean time remaining untouched wholly sound and quiet For example upon the sudden receiving of a wound or upon an unexpected report of some great losse such as befell Iob the wheels of the reasoning faculty may be at a stand for a time and the conscience in the mean time be quiet yea and faith in the mean time remain strong as we see in Iobâ— first exercise Now if this may be found in an holy imperfect man in any measure why shall we not consider rightly of the exercise of the holy one of Israel suffering in His humane nature the punishment of our sin Let us consider but one of the passages of our Lords exercise Ioh. 12. 27. 28. Now saith He My Soul is troubled wherein behold the perplexity of His mind smitten with the horrour of the curse due to us coming upon Him then cometh forth what shall I say wherein behold reason standing mute and altogether silent only He lets forth the confession of His perplexity presently after this He subjoyneth Father save Me from this hour wherein behold Holy nature trembling and shrinking to fall into the wrath of the Father and according to the principles of holy nature testifying the simple abhorrency of His soul from such an evill as is the wrath of God His Father which had it not been for love to save our souls He could not have yielded his humane nature to endure or bear it therefore He considering that we were but lost for ever if He should not suffer wrath for us He repeats the sum of the Covenant of Redemption agreed upon But for this cause came I unto this hour And last of all shuts up His speech and exercise in the triumphing voice of victorious and untainted faith Father glorifie thy Name and here He resteth wherewith the Father is so well pleased as that from heaven He speaketh to the hearing of the multitude standing by I have both glorified it and will glorifie it again 10. Among the deepest degrees of the suffering of Christ in His soul we reckon that desertion whereof Christ on the crosse giveth an account crying out My God My God why hast Thou forsaken Me By which speech He doth not mean that then the personall union of the natures was in him dissolved nor yet that God had withdrawn His sustaining strength and help from the humane nature nor that the love of the Father was taken off him nor that any point of the perfection of holinesse was taken from him but his true intent is to shew that God for a time had taken away sensible consolation and felt joy from His humane Soul that so justice might in His sufferings be the more fully satisfied And this is the forsakeing of Him here given to us to understand In which desertion Christ is not to be looked upon simply as He is in His own person the Son of the Father in whom He is alwayes well pleased but as He standeth in the room of sinners Surety and Cautioner paying their debt In which respect He behoved to be dealt with as standing in our name guilty and paying the debt of being forsaken of God which we were bound to suffer fully and for ever if He had not interposed for us 11. The last degree of Christs sufferings wherein He may be said to have descended into hell so far as Scripture in the old Testament or the hystory of Christs passion in the new will suffer us to expound that expression is that curse wherein the full wrath of God and the dregs of that horrible cup was poured forth upon His holy humane nature while heaven and earth and hell seemed to conspire to take vengeance on Him and fully to punish our sins in the person of Him our Surety by that cursed death of the crosse which was the evidence foretold of the malediction of God lying on Him in so far as was necessary to compleet the punishment of losse and feeling both in soul and body And therefore not without ground have Orthodox divines taken-in Christs suffering in His soul and the detaining of His body in the grave put in as the close and last part of Christs sufferings as the true meaning of that expression He descended into hell not only because these pains which Christ suffered both in body and soul were
they shall never perish neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand c. But that we insist not too long in this argument whereof the Orthodox divines have written abundantly in their disputations against the foresaid errour because the adversaries take their pretended arguments from the instability of mens will in the mater of perseverance and from the freedom and power of mans changeable will in the mater of conversion and saving faith and from the maner of Gods speaking to the mixed multitude of both called and not chosen and to them that are both called and chosen we shall content our selves for clearing this covenant betwixt the Father and the Son Mediatour and Redeemer to make the mater fast concerning the elect founding their conversion faith repentance perseverance and salvation upon the unchangeable covenant of Redemption fixed upon the setled agreement between God and God the Son Mediatour and Redeemer as shall be proven from five places of Scripture The first proof is from vers 13. of Isa. 52. to the end of Chap. 53. THe first place is Isa. 52. vers 13. and forward to the end of chapter 53. where we have first the two parties contracters God the Father and Christ for the Father brings forth his confederat Son to be incarnat by covenant his servant whom he imployes in the whole work of Redemption as the meritorious cause and accomplisher of it behold My servant saith God the Father by his Spirit speaking by the Prophet Chap. 52. 13. Next both parties are sure of the event of the paction and of the accomplishing of the whole work gloriously behold saith he My servant shall deal prudently and prosperously He shall be exalted and extolled and be very high vers 13. Thirdly he tells the proper price which Christ the Son shall pay for the Redemption of his people agreed upon by paction to wit the exinanition and humbling of the Son incarnat unto the ignominious death of the crosse that His visage shall be marred more then any man and His form more then the sons of men vers 14. and more particularly Chap. 53. 2. He hath no form nor comelinesse and when we shall see Him there is no beauty that we should desire Him He is despised and rejected of men a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief c. vers 2. 3. He was wounded for our transgressions vers 5. He shall make his Soul an offering for sin vers 10. Fourthly Christ the Son of God incarnat is assured and confirmed of the sweet fruit of his passion in the conversion of many nations whom he should sprinkle with the blood of the covenant and sanctifie by the water of His holy Spirit Chap. 52. 15. He shall sprinkle many nations c. Fifthly God and Christ are agreed and well pleased in the conversion of so many as are elected and given to Christ to have in Him the right of adoption Chap. 53. 10. He shall see his seed that is He shall regenerat the elect and make them His children and see them so to His satisfaction Sixthly no meritorious nor impulsive cause is found in the persons redeemed for which the punishment due to them should be transferred upon the Mediatour Christ our Redeemer for they should be found in themselves but despisers of Christ because of His sufferings Chap. 53. 4. Surely he hath born our griefs and carried our sorrows yet we did esteem him stricken smitten of God and afflicted Seventhly no sin nor meritorious cause of punishment is found in Christ the Redeemer for which He should be smitten Chap. 53. 5. 9. He was wounded for our transgressions he had done no violence neither was any deceit in his mouth Eigthly peace and reconciliation and healing of our sinfull and miserable sicknesses and deliverance from wrath are purchased by the price of His blood Chap. 53. 5. the chastisment of our peace was upon him and with his stripes we are healed Ninthly these sufferings Christ did not endure unwittingly or unwillingly but by consent by covenant deliberatly Chap. 53. 7. He was oppressed and he was afflicted yet he opened not his mouth he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter and as a sheep before his shearers is dumb so he opened not his mouth Tenthly the cause of this covenant whereby the price is called for an yielded unto and payed is the only free grace of God and His good pleasure Chap. 53. 10. It pleased the Lord to bruise him He hath put him to grief Eleventhly It is agreed between the Father and the Son that our sins should be imputed unto Him and His righteousnesse imputed unto us and that the redeemed should believe in him and so be justified Chap. 53. 11. he shall see of the travell of his Soul and shall be satisfied by his knowledge or faith in Him shall My righteous servant justifie many for he shall bear their iniquities Twelfthly It is agreed between the parties that for whom Christ should lay down His life He should stand intercessour also for bringing unto them all the purchased graces and blessings Chap. 53. 11. he bare the sins of many and made intercession for the transgressours the rest of the world beside the elect He interceeded not for Ioh. 17. 9. 10. Hence it followeth that God and Christ did not bargain for the Redemption of all and every man no not for the Redemption conversion and salvation of all and every man to whom the Gospel was to be preached for many were to be called who were not chosen to whom the gift of saving faith was not to be given nor the power of God to salvation was never to be revealed and this is the observation which the Evangelist makes upon the 1. of Isa. 53. Ioh. 12. 37. c. But though he had done so many miracles before them yet they believed not on him that the saying of the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled which he spake Lord who hath believed our report and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed therefore they could not believe because Isaiah said again Isa. 6. 9. 10. he hath blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts c. Secondly it followeth hence that election and Redemption were not for the foreseen faith or works of the elect redeemed but of the meer grace and goodwill of God and all done for them and in them contrair to their deservings for it is said Isa. 53. 6. all we like sheep have gone astray and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all Thirdly it followeth hence that it was agreed upon that saving grace and conversion and sanctification should infallibly and invincibly come to passe and be given to the redeemed Isa. 52. 13. Behold My servant shall deal prudently and prosperously and vers 15. be shall sprinkle many nations and Isa. 53. 11. by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justifie many Fourthly hence it followeth that the agreement is past for their finall perseverance
2 Cor. 13. 5. except they would chuse to be judged of God without mercy But seing here we speak to Pastors or to such as aim at the holy Ministry we need not insist but with the Apostle 2 Tim. 2. 17. pray the Lord to give his servants wisdom and prudence in all things For removing the sixth impediment THe sixth impediment is a lazy and sluggish putting off of the duty of self-examination from time to time And many are guilty of this sinfull solly who will grant that it is a duty lying on them to set their conscience on work for tryal of their state or condition but like ill debtors who promising to pay as oft as they meet with their creditors do notwithstanding put off time and delay the work from day to day Such mens disposition in spiritual things is well resembled in the description of the sluggard Prov. 6. 10. How long wilt thou sleep O sluggard when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep Yet a little sleep a little slumber a little folding of the hands to sleep So shall thy poverty come as one that travaileth and thy want as an armed man And Prov. 26. 14 15 16. As the door turneth upon his hinges so doth the slothfull man upon his bed The slothfull hideth his hand in his bosom it grieveth him to bring it again to his mouth The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit then seven men that can render a reason Such are our lazy dâ—layers of examination of whom we speak they cannot endure to be at pains to search their wayes or commune with their heart But so long as God suffereth their conscience to sleep so long they put off the duty of searching themselves and lye still in security esteeming it a torture to have their sluggish sleeping any way interrupted by any person 2. Of this evil disease five causes may be given The first is the abhorring of all pains in spiritual duties how profitable so ever diligence might prove The second cause is the bewitching sense of sweetness they conceive they feel in this their idle carriage The third is the deceit of the sluggards heart still promising to follow his purpose of amendment of life from day to day and yet albeit deceived a thousand times he doth give credit to his own false heart The fourth is a false opinion which the sluggard entertains of his own spiritual abilities as if he were sure he could repent at any time and that if any sickness or appearance of death should befall him he would then undoubtedly make his reckening with God and crave pardon and so be saved and in such pleasant dreams he counteth himself a much wiser man then many who do put themselves to daily toiling and vexation by keeping their conscience on the rack-stock when with less misery they might follow his sluggish way of it The fifth but sinlesse cause is the Lords lengthening of prosperity to the sluggard which although it should lead him to repentance yet he becomes hereby more and more drunken and â—ulleth himself over in a deeper sleep 3. This sickness is not easily cured except the Lord take up a rod and rouse the sluggard out of his sleep But as for the Pastors part he shall do well in private if the sluggard confesse his fault and howsoever to set an edge on the law in publick that all such sluggards may apprehend the real danger their soul is into by delaying their repentance because the indurance of this brittle and frail life is most uncertain for the fool knoweth not whether the very next following night after admonition is given to him his soul shall be taken from him Secondly he must know that the longer he delay the number of his sins and the hardnesse of his heart and the wrath of God against him do daily grow to a higher measure Let the sluggard then be convinced of his madnesse if he shall delay for an hour by acknowledgment of his sin and flying to Christ to vomit up the deadly poyson of his sweetest sins and to have the hot burning wrath of God against him extinguished Thirdly let the deceits wherewith he beguileth himself be laid open and refuted and an offer be made unto him whether he will chuse that his conscience be tormented for ever in the society of unclean devils after a short while sleep in sin in this life rather then while he hath time while Christ offereth himself Mediator in his Gospel while he may have the sweet fellowship of the Saints he will chuse to put his conscience to it and acknowledge his sins and flye to Christ that he may have peace with God and so be saved for ever For removing the seventh impediment THe seventh impediment of self-examination is the too earnest care for earthly things and the mans involving himself in the affairs of this life for there are many who do not refuse the duty of trying their own spiritual state and condition who notwithstanding of this conviction of their duty do spend all their time in the businesses of this world wherein they are so involved and carried head-long that they passe perfunctoriously all exercises of religion and do neither wait for the direction of Gods Word or of their own conscience about what they have to do nor call themselves to account for what is past done or not done Of this sort arâ— these of whom Christ doth speak Luke 14. 18. who being invited to a free supper answered some of them I have bought land another I have married a wife another I have bought a yoke of oxen c. and so sought to be excused for their not coming to the marriage all pretending their earthly affairs as a just reason of their slipping of the invitation given them Of this sort of men speaketh Christ Math. 13. 22. He that received seed among the thornes is he that heareth the Word and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches chock the word and he becometh unfruitfull This sort of men are complained of Ier. 8. 6. I hearkened and beard but they spoke not aright no man repented him of his wickedness saying what have I done Every one turned to his course as the horse rusheth into the battel 2. Of this evil four causes among others may be given first inordinat concupiscence of earthly things which eateth up all the time and travell which the love of things spiritual doth call for and as it were spurreth the man to the immoderat pursuing of things temporal The second cause is the beguiling of the conscience under the pretense of seeking what is lawfull and necessary for a mans well-being in this life as if a mans spending of his care and pains and time in earthly business in it self lawfull were sufficient excuse for neglecting things spiritual and heavenly or as if it were not required of all men that hear the Word of God pointing out the way of mens salvation to prefer that one
thing necessary before all commodities of this earth for what can it avail a man to gain the whole earth if he lose his own soul The third cause is the deceitfulnesse of riches which every man naturally is inclined to pursue too eagerly and which many pragmatick busie men do attain for God useth to recompence every mans diligence in a lawfull occupation with a sort of external reward of the same kind with his work This success and rewarding of mens industry and pains by increasing busie mens riches earthly-minded men do interpret to be the speciall blessing of God and an approbation of their immoderat pursuing after things earthly wherein they are much mistaken for God never ordained any mans civil calling to be a hinderance of the spiritual welfare of his soul and if any man neglect his soul and pursue worldly riches if he obtain them what can be said but verily he hath his reward and cannot look after the fruit of pains taking in spiritual matters which he neglected The fourth cause is a light estimation of the Word of God and of maters concerning salvation which by reason they fall not under sense and present possession but are offered to us in promises and are not bestowed for the present therefore many are lesse carefull for things promised after this life and do follow the more eagerly after such things whereof they can take hold in this life 3. The way to cure this malady so far as pertaineth to a Pastor is that both in publick sermons and privat conferences he give unto things lawfull and to the following of a mans civil calling the own room and time and wisely let men know the subordination of all civill affairs unto the welfare of their souls and so to lay open the perill of mens souls when they are following too too eagerly their civill vocation as in the mean time he do not condemn mens diligence in their callings but that he give directions for such a wise moderation of every mans care about things of this world that the precious excellency of the soul and the infinit worth of eternal life be first and above all earthly things provided for and that in the using or conqueshing of riches no prejudice do come to his own salvation which is not possible a man shall do if he do not daily examine his own conscience carefully and keep it in a tender disposition resorting to Christ upon all occasions for pardon of daily sin and keeping him that if riches increase he may not set his heart thereon but may be forth-coming to the duties of charity towards others as his power shall be and opportunities shall be offered CHAP. X. Concerning them that are like to despair VVE have spoken of the first sort of them who do hinder their own regeneration by abhorring declining delaying and shifting off of the examination of their consciences The second sort or rank of those who hinder their own conversion is of such as after the wakening of their own consciences whether voluntary or by compulsion do despair of all remedy offered unto them in the Gospel of grace in Christ and renouncing the counsell of God do follow the counsell of Sathan and their own heart 2. We distinguish a volountary examination of the conscience from a compelled and inforced examination thereof as was hinted at in the former Section for it is one thing to say of a man he hath voluntarily examined himself and found out his dittey and deserved judgment and to say of him he is forced to examine himself and in himself to receive sentence according as his wayes have been for there are many who will not judge themselves yet after are forced unto it against their will These are said to judge themselves voluntarily who by a free act of their will do enter themselves to be judged of their own conscience and do go about the work either slightly and perâ—unctoriously or â—â—â—ictly and exactly according to their knowledge of the â—ule But a compelled examination is ever more exact and strict and joyned with the chastisement of the sinner for neglecting or slighting or delaying of examination Psal 50. 21. This distinction is holden forth to as by the Apostle 1 Cor. 11. 31 32. If we would judge 〈◊〉 selves we should not be judged But when we are judged we are chastened of the Lord that we should not be condemned with the world Both these sorts of examination have a blessing following upon them when Christ is 〈◊〉 unto after examination but if Christ be not fled unto then desperation may follow upon both slight and serious examination both upon voluntary and enforced examination 3. We do not take desperation here for every dissidence of Gods performing of promises or of Gods making good of his gracious offers but for diffidence to obtain reconciliation with God or to find mercy through Christ the Mediatour Neither do we call by the name of desperation every diffidence to obtain mercy and reconciliation cast in mans mind by the tempter Sathan and yielded unto for a time under the sense of Gods wrath for at some sits the diffidence will be found in renewed Saints as in Ionab chap. 2. 4. Heman the Ezrait Psal. 88. 16. David Psal. 116. 11. who seemed to themselves for the time to be cast off but but did swim out of this deep by faith Neither do we take desperation for every short or long ecclipse of hope wherein a distressed soul seems to its self to despair yea and may possibly utter and profess they do despair and in the mean time will not renounce the use of the means whereby they do get or recover hope Such was the condition of Heman the Ezraite Psal. 88. 14 15 16. Lord why casts thou off my soul why hidest thou thy face from me I am afflicted and ready to die from my youth up while I suffer thy terrors I am distracted He thought he was cast off yet for all that he went on daily praying for the sense of mercy and found it and was directed by God to acquaint the Church unto all generations with his long and sad exercise But we take desperation for a prevalent impression made by Sathan upon the spirit of a man that God will not shew him mercy and so fixed in him as the man resolveth not to deal with God any more for mercy 4. Of this properly called desperation there are two sorts one which we may call carelesse and secute desperation another which we may call anxious and tormenting desperation Cains desperation in his last resolution was of the first sort and Iudas desperation was of the other sort We call that a carelesse secure desperation when a sinner being convinced of his grosse and many sins either believeth not Gods Word or conceiveth God implacable and irreconciliable and to have destinate him to destruction according to the sentence of the law pronounced against such sinners as he knoweth himself to be and
measure of faith and repentance Neither need we in this case be feared least any such person go or be sent too soon unto Christ and that the teacher of this doctrine be found to foster presumption and to offer untimous consolation for it is one thing to direct a man to go to Christ for supply of whatsoever good is wanting in him and another thing to warrand a secure sinner to lay hold on the consolations of the Gospel which God hath reserved in his own hand to be dispensed in due time and order to the truly humble penitent The Lord knoweth how to deal with such as come unto him he can hold an unhumbled supplicant praying and knocking at heavens door without giving him a comfortable answer untill he be humbled and so prepare him by humiliation for consolation in due time True it is that many draw near to Christ with their lips while their hearts are far away and remain senslesse of their evil estate and condition and are far from the earnest desire of the remedy which is to be had in Christ and therefore it is not without cause that Pastors in their sermons require the sight and sense of sin and hunger and thirst for righteousnesse in them who come to Christ and desire to profit by their coming to him for albeit it be free to God without antecedent preparatory exercises to fall in upon mans heart suddainly and at one sermon both convince him of sin and lead him in to Christ as he hath sometime dealt with a multitude when Peter was preaching Act. 2. yet it is not free for men to neglect their duties when they are advertised that the order of Gods working ordinarily is to take a time for information of their mind concerning their natural misery and his gracious way of delivery and for a time to work on their hearts by the law before he give them the felt fruits of the Gospel Mean time this must be remembred that no man displeased with his disposition as not fitted for mercy and who doth regrate that he is a stupid sinner and so hard-hearted that he cannot repent should be keeped off and debarred from going to Christ till he discern in himself the contrition and humiliation of heart which he would have for this were as much as to say in effect that before a sinner may go to Christ he must seek not from Christ but out of his own strength and abilities to work up his own heart to the sense of sin and humiliation of heart and other such like dispositions as ordinarily go before the act and discerning of saving faith for if even Simon Magus discovered and found out to be in the gall of bitternesse and bond of iniquity was exhorted to pray that God would forgive his sins and remove the perversenesse of his heart and save him from deserved wrath Act. 8. 22. How much more are they to be encouraged to go to Christ for relief from these evils which they feel and fear in whom not only this gall of bitternesse doth not appear but also some appearances may be marked by wise beholders of a begun work of grace in them albeit the man himself cannot perceive so much for the time 17. Seing it is certain that God doth prevein by grace every converted mans actions before the man do actually turn himself to God and that the Lord useth to open the eyes of the man whom he is converting to see such and such evils in himself before these evils be taken away and seing it is Gods usual way by preventing to give some measure of the good to be prayed for that the man may pray for more good upon the receit of some measure of that good already bestowed therefore all they who desire to approach to Christ must be taught to make observe and take notice of the least degree of good bestowed upon them of the smallest beginnings of illumination of the meanest degrees of conviction for sin of the least measure of estimation of Christ and his grace wrought already in themselves and to thank the Lord for so much eye-salve as hath opened their eyes to discern their own blindnesse and misery and Christ to be the remedy of all the evils they do see and after they have marked what is bestowed already on them and have blâ—ssed God for the gift they must be exhorted to request the Lord to make out and perfect the begun mercy that they may be sure of their own real conversion for so doth the new convert pray Ier. 31. 18. Convert me and I shall be converted and the humble soul Cant. 1. 4. draw me after thee and we will run after thee And this we speak not as if any unconverted man could in the sense of his sin and misery sincerely and heartily seek after Christ or for more grace from him But because some that are converted do not perceive that they are converted we frame our speech to their estimation of themselves that they may be edified who are brought unto Christ by the draught of effectual calling and have not as yet received the gift of the Spirit to perceive these things which are freely bestowed upon them 1 Cor. 2. 12. 18. As it useth to be in the sicknesse of the body So it falleth out in the sicknesses of the conscience that as there are some sicknesses simple and other some complicat when moe sicknesses concur together So in the conscience there are some simple some complicat ill cases Simple and single cases of conscience are these wherein the diseased soul is troubled with one doubt only for the present as for example when the party afflicted is doubtfull only of the will of God toward him and not of his power such was the case of the Leper Matth. 8. 2. Thou canst make me clean if thou wilt Complicat and involved cases are when many evils concur together and the conscience is troubled with many doubts In which case many questions may offer themselves in a throng together which the afflicted party cannot well distinguish and thereupon is driven to darknesse and confusion of mind In this case the Pastor or prudent christian friend must observe some order beginning with the most perilous doubt that it may be first solved which doubt being answered in the first place let him fall upon the answering of the rest of the doubts in order As for example if the party be afflicted with tentations unto desperation let him be cleared and led by the hand to see and acknowledge a possibility of salvation by Christ and then a probability and appearance that it shall be by an argument taken from his present exercise which putteth an earand in his hand and so a warrand to go to Christ and so peece and peece let him be dealt with to accept the general offer of grace in Christ and to believe in him Now that such may be the exercise of the child of God appeareth Psal. 42. 7.
his yoke upon them are troubled with doubtings whether they be of the number of true believers whether they have rightly come unto Christ whether they have been well accepted of him and for their doubting they can give no other reason save this I cannot be quiet nor rest in assurance that I am in the state of grace if they be interrogat what they think of the evident signs of their regeneration which have been and are to be seen in their conversation since they began in earnest to seek the face of God in Christ They will possibly not altogether deny Gods work in them but yet dare not lean weight upon these signs because they do find these signs also brought in question whether they have been or are kindly and sincere mean time they are about to do that which is acceptable to God in the course of their calling albeit with more heavinesse and lesse alacrity then bâ—cometh persons reconciled to God in Christ. 2. This disease will be found complicat and made up of moe mistakes and errors then one and therefore is to be the more narrowly considered because it is no small hinderance of a comfortable christian conversation which God doth allow on his children for in the party troubled with unquietnesse we presuppone Iâ— there is a serious sense of sin and purpose to do better 2. An unfained embracing of the covenant of grace and reconciliation in Christ Jâ—sus And 3. an honest though weak endeavour to bring forth the fruits of new obedience and yet notwithstanding the person is not quiet but walketh heavily and is discouraged by reason of his uncertainty whether he be in the state of grace or not yea he is cast down and disquieted because he is disquieted and cannot get a reasonable answer from his conscience when he asketh of it why are thou cast down and disquieted within me 3. The mistakes and errors whence this dissatisfaction and unquietnesse doth flow are many but we shall condescend upon eight or nine only The first error and cause of unquietnesse is or may be this that the party afflicted albeit he have the habits of saving grace in him and doth by Gods grace put forth these habits in actual exercise yet he doth not reflect upon nor turn his eye to observe the operations of Gods holy Spirit in himself nor the acts of saving grace which the holy Spirit hath made him put forth of which if he take not notice they are to him for the time as if they were not and so no wonder he be disquiet while he perceiveth not in himself that which might make him quiet For example when the sense of sin is raised up in a mans spirit by the holy Ghost if he do not observe that this is one of the operations of the holy Spirit convincing the world of sin or if he do not turn back his eye on this operation and upon his own act stirred up thereby to subscribe the sentence of the law against himself no wonder that he doubt of his conversion till he see the foot-steps of God the converter of him from the love and approbation of sin unto the hatred of it and when he is â—lâ—d to Christ the only Redeemer from sin and misery and hath laid hold on him according to the covenant of grace offered in him if he do not look back on this operation of God drawing him to Christ and upon his own act of coming unto Christ by the draught of Gods Spirit what wonder he do not reckon himself among believers albeit he be in Gods account one of that number And when the holy Spirit hath kindled in him not only a purpose of new obedience but also a begun endeavour to live holily justly and soberly if he do not observe and acknowledge these operations of Gods Spirit making him to bring forth these acts what wonder that this mistake and inconsideration do open a door to disquietnesse and doubting whether he be in the state of grace or not 4. For removing this cause of disquietnesse the afflicted person must beware that he passe not sentence of Gods dispensation towards him according to the tentations and suggestions of Sathan nor yet according to the opinion which his Pastor or friend may have of him judging somewhat uncharitably of him upon sinister suspicions neither let him stand to the suspicions of his own incredulous heart but let him consider what the Word of the Lord hath said of the person in whom these three graceâ— do concur to wit 1. the sense of sin and inability to help our selves 2. flying unto Christ for relief from sin and misery and 3. some measure of upright purpose and endeavour to serve God in new obedience for of such saith the Apostle Phil. 3. 3 We are the Circumcision or true Israelits who have no confidence in the flesh but rejoyce in Iesus Christ and worship God in the spirit Let him therefore esteem the discovery of his sinfull and wretched estate in himself to be the very fruit of the eye-salve and work of the Spirit bestowed on him by Christ and let him esteem his hearty consent given to the covenant of grace and reconciliation to be the undoubted act of saving faith For hearty consent to the offer of grace in Jesus Christ presuppones first that the person sees no standing for him by the law or covenant of works but is beaten from all confidence in himself and made to believe and subscribe the righteous sentence of the law against himself to the praise of Gods truth and justice Secondly it imports the mans believing the testimony which God hath given of Christ Jesus to wit that God hath made a gift of life eternall to the soul that hungereth and thristeth for righteousnesse and that this life is in his Son yea it imports the mans receiving and embracing of Christ offered in the Gospel Thirdly it importeth that the consenter to the covenant of grace as he hath renounced confidence in his own works So he hath given up himself to God to live by the grace of Jesus Christ unto eternall life Now if the afflicted shall reflect upon these two operations of the holy Ghost making him humble in the sense of sin heartily to receive Christ Jesus for his relief and withall do observe an unfained purpose and begun endeavour to live more holily and fruitfully by the grace and furniture of Christ howsoever he labour under many infirmities not only is he undoubtedly a new creature but also by observing the foresaid evidence thereof may conclude that God hath begun a good work of grace in him and so shall this first cause of disquietnesse be removed 5. Another cause of disquietnesse is or may be this if the afflicted after examination of the work of grace in himself being convinced of his blessed estate and confirmed by present sense of Gods love shed abroad in his heart do not hold fast his estimation of Gods work in himself longer
they do meet possibly with sad calamities which they did not foresee nor fear and being yoked in conflict with more fearfull tentations then ever before which they find themselves unable to overcome they seem to themselves to have just cause to call in question all the former work of grace in themselves and to doubt of their regeneration and of their reconciliation with God Of this sort some who lived in great wealth and outward prosperity do fall in so deep poverty that they are neither able to sustain themselves nor their families but are forced to live on the private charity of others or openly to beg Other some do fall in heavy sicknesses yea in uncouth diseases which but rarely do befall any which seem to be evidences of the wrath of God Other some do fall in horrible tentations and are troubled with blasphemous suggestions against God and the holy Scripture and the way of the Saints which as fiery darts do stick fast unto them and disquiet them continually Other some are tempted unto hainous sins and to such wickednesse against themselves or others as nature doth abhor to which acts of wickednesse they find themselves so powerfully solisted as they fear God hath decreed to give them over and that they shall be overcome with the tentations some after one way some after another way by one sort or other of vexation are tossed so as they suspect God is pursuing them in wrath and dealing with them otherwayes then with any of his children Whereupon oft-times they break forth in sad complaints and misbelieving suspicions saying if God loved me he would not deal thus and thus with me if I were a true convert and reconciled with God he would not thus pursue me my case is not the case of the children of God for any thing I know and other such like regrates and lamentations are uttered by them 2. For solving this doubt we neither esteem such exercises and tentations proper to the regenerat man or a token of regeneration neither do we deny that such exercises may befall true converts for all sorts of afflictions and calamities are common to the good and evil to the godly and the wicked so that by those troubles and miseries neither the love or hatred of God can be certainly concluded but thus much may be said in reason if these calamities do befall a man while he is walking in his own sinfull wayes then are they undoubtedly to be interpret as evidences of Gods wrath at least fatherly anger against the afflicted and to be esteemed as forewarnings of more and more heavy calamities to come upon him yea and finall perdition also if he do not repent 3. In which case the afflicted shall do well to humble himself before God and give a good construction of Gods purpose in sending on him such calamities in regard when he might forthwith have destroyed the sinner he hath sent forth these sad afflictions to waken his conscience and to warn him to flye from the wrath to come least he perish utterly 4. He shall do well also to consider with himself and to acknowledge that such a bitter potion was necessary in so deadly and desperat-like disease as his soul was lying into for what should the Lord do unto those who despise the worth of their own souls and of eternal life and do seek their felicity in vain and perishing pleasure profit and honour what shall he do with those whom he will not suffer to perish with this evil world but break their Idols in pieces and put themselves to grief who vex his holy Spirit Wherefore let the afflicted read his sin in the rod wherewith he is beaten if he be deprived of temporal goods or earthly comforts which he hath abused to the hazard of his own soul let God have the glory of his justice and mercy also in that he by cutting off earthly things from him is sending him to seek things spiritual and everlasting in heaven where Christ is at the right hand of the Father Col. 3. 2. If he be vexed with tentations unto blasphemies and such horrid fearfull sins which even nature doth abhor let him consider that misbelief of threatenings and promises are no lesse in effect than real asserting of blasphemies and that entertaining of sinfull lusts which fight against his soul is in effect a defiling and destroying of his own soul by which afflictions and tentations if the afflicted take not warning and repent he may justly fear these calamities and tormenting tentations are but the beginnings of sorrows But if these calamities and fearfull tentations befall a man walking in the wayes of God who is a believer in Christ who hath casten his anchor within the vail and studieth in any measure of uprightnesse to please God let not such a man be afraid for God is not pursuing him in wrath as Sathan his adversary suggesteth but as a most wise and loving father is trying and training his faith and bringing forth the evidence of grace bestowed upon him to the praise of his own name shaming of Sathan and edifying all beholders of this manâ— exercise Wherefore let the afflicted comfort himself in the Lord and be strong in the faith of holy Scripture which is granted to the Church for upholding of believers in patience and hope of the promised reward for even Iob the holiest man on earth in his generation was both sudainly surprized with a multitude of concurring calamities and also deprived of all consolation from God and man for a season for at once he was spoiled of all his goods deprived of all his children tempted by his wife to dispair despised by his servants judged to be a hypocrit by his most intire godly friends stricken by Sathan with an unusuall plague of botch-biles and how far the Lord did hide all comfort for a time the history of his complaints make evident Yea our blessed Lord Jesus Christ hath sanctified in his own person the hardest exercises of this sort which his children can fall into for albeit he could not be defiled with sin yet he was tempted of Sathan unto most abominable sins in special he was tempted to cast himself down from the pinacle of the Temple which was to kill himself he was tempted to fall down and worship the devil which O how horrible blasphemy is it yea for a time power was given to Sathan albeit not to hurt Christ yet to carry his body from one place to another as we read in Matth. 4. and therefore let this be for consolation to such of Gods children as are vexed with vile and blasphemous tentations and solistations to abominable sins Heb. 2. 18. for in that our Lord himself hath suffered being tempted he is able to succour them that are tempted 4. But if the afflicted insist and say he is so put to it by Sathans tentations to commit sin against his light and is ready to succumb because he neither hath strength in himself to
and for drawing him to Christ to be his refuge in his worst condition CHAP. XXVIII Wherein is solved the doubt of the true convert concerning his regeneration because he findeth the power of the body of death in the pollution of the imaginations of his heart vigorous and powerfull THere are some true converts who albeit they be cleansed from the pollutions that are in the world and have their conversation blamelesse and without giving scandall unto them they live among yet frequently are troubled with doubting of their state in grace because they feel in themselves such a power of in-bred corruption of their hearts as can hardly consist as they conceive with regeneration and saving saith because Iames chap. 3. ver 11. maketh the question thus doth a fountain send forth at the same plâ—ce sweet water and bitter c. unto the end of the Chapter This doubt the afflicted wrestles with and saith with himself what shall I think of my self whose heart is so polluted that it casteth forth continually dirt and mire how shall I reckon my self among the Saints how shall I incrude my self among the justified who find so little evidence of the work of sanctification in me For faith should purifie the heart from this pollution whereof I do justly complain 2. For solving of this doubt many things are already spoken which serve for the curing of this case and comforting the afflicted in this condition but because one and the same doubt doth diversely present it self now in one shape then in another and doth vex the afflicted in sundry wayes we shall answer this doubt proposed as it is set down First therefore let the afflicted examine himself whether he may with some measure of honesty say with the Psalmist Ps. 66. 18. I do not regard iniquity-in my heart I do not so delight in sin but that sin is still my affliction and my daily grief Secondly let him examine himself whether the power of corruption doth break forth in words and deeds or not or if it do burst out in some passionat fits whether he doth open the sluce and give it way or whether he sets himself to oppose the out-breaking of sin and is humbled for what doth break forth Thirdly let him examine whether he flyeth to Christ to wash him and help him against the power of sin or not If after examination he can in any measure of honesty joyn with the Apostle in his lamentation and recourse unto Christ for delivery Rom. 7. 24 25. he may be assured he is in the state of grace For there is a vast difference between a mans being sold unto sin by his native corruption captivating him and a mans setting of himself unto sin as a voluntary servant of sin for a renewed man may be in sundry cases a captive to sin and is a fighter against sin But a man selling himself to sin is a slave voluntarily suffering sin to reign in his mortall body Let the afflicted therefore comfort himself because in him there is a perpetual conflict between the flesh and the spirit between his native inclination to sin and the new creature or inclination to holinesse Neither let him by mis-understood Scripture formerly cited vex himself for his faith is indeed upon the work and the way of purifying his heart first because he doth flye to the bloud of Christ which cleanseth him from all sin in respect of remission granted Secondly there is a constant endeavour to be more and more holy and to draw vertue by faith from Christ to bring forth good fruits well-pleasing unto God Thirdly he is about to mortifie his lusts by the Spirit of Christ and to purge out the leaven of all filthinesse of flesh and spirit albeit he cannot purge it out all at once or wholly in in this life And fourthly because albeit his doubting of his estate in grace be not allowable yet it doth bear witnesse that the remainder of pollution in him is his grief affliction and vexation So also that other Scripture Iames 3. 11. which faith that out of the same fountain proceedeth not salt water and sweet is not to be understood so as if no rotten speech could possibly proceed out of the mouth of a regenerat man at any time for Iames doth witnesse that in many things we sin all in thought word and deed But the meaning is that he that bridleth not his tongue his religion is vain and nothing but a presumptuous boasting of that wich is not reall and in truth and that it is inconsistent with regeneration that out of a mans mouth pretending to blesse God cursing of men who are made after the similitude of God should flow forth as waters flow forth from a running fountain without controlment CHAP. XXIX Shewing how to quench the fiery darts of Sathan and resist his sinfull suggestions whether of shorter endurance or of longer continuance SOmetime on a sudain Sathan casteth a fiery dart of tentation unto some sin as his messenger seeking to prepare the lodging for him which tentation he doth so furiously presse as if he would not be refused or could not be resisted and possibly may so bear-in his tentation as the convert may be afraid that Sathan shall prevail finding himself as it were over-powered and unable to bear out in such a case as the Apostle had experience of 2 Cor. 12 7 8 9. who found himself as it were buffeted and abused by the messenger of Sathan and unable of himself to resist him The remedy whereof is that the afflicted with the Apostle be humbled in himself in the sense of his in-born sinfulnesse and inability to overcome tentations 2. That he flye to Christ the captain of militant souldiers and do pray unto him instantly to help to bear out in the conflict and to be rid of the Tempter 3. Let him hold fast the faith of promised grace and wrestle on so long as it shall please God to exercise him so With such a tentation Iob also was exercised which so far prevailed as to make carnall and corrupt nature speak for it The tentation was very fearfull and no lesse then self-murther Iob 7. 13 14 15. When I say my couch shall ease my complaint then thou scarrest me with dreams and terrifiest me with night-visions so that my soul chooseth strangling and death rather then life The remedy whereof is with Iob to flye to the Redeemer and fix faith upon him and to present the tentation unto God by prayer and humble lamentation striving against the suggestion and never to give over relying on God as he did 2. Sometime Sathan when he cannot find instruments to charge the convert with hypocrisie and a course of wickednesse as he found in Iobs tryall by his uncharitable friends he useth immediately to fall a railing against the whole course of the work of grace in the convert and charge him falsely with deep guiltinesse as calumniators use to do in their furious flyting and slandering
the present And in this sense an unrenewed man is said to be in a better or worse condition for the present in comparison with other unrenewed men or with himself at another time In which sense Mark 12. 34. Christ speaking to the Scribe who answered him in all things discreetly saith thou art not far front the kingdom of heaven The condition for the present of this Scribe was better then his fellows and better then his own at another time and yet his person was in the state of wrath because he was not entered in the state of grace or in the kingdom of heaven howsoever he was not far from it In this more strict sense the judicial state of the mans person is fixed so long as the judicial sentence of the Judge binding the unconverted to the curse that is pronounced in the Law or in the Gospel lousing the converted from the curse doth stand But the morall disposition and the condition of the man whether in the state of grace or nature is variable and changeable to the better or worse in comparison with others or himself at another time Whence it is that one and the same person may be in a better or worse condition his state remaining the same to wit good if he be renewed and evil if he be still in nature unrenewed 2. But here we are about the condition of the renewed man only which may be better at one time and worse at another time as his disposition and caâ—â—age in order to the duties of religion and righteousnesse falleth out to be better or worse according as his actions and behaviour are more or lesse conform to the revealed will of God and as his conscience doth its duty more or lesse commendably Sometimes his conscience upon good grounds speaketh good to him while he studieth to walk before God unto all well-pleasing and then he may say with the Psalmist Ps. 26. 12. My foot standeth in an even place in the congregation will I blesse the Lord. To this good condition we need not say much because there is no present disease which calleth for cure of this case Only it is for the child of God in this case necessary to observe dyet and exercise to maintain his good condition and to watch over his heart and wayes that he may continue and go on therein All that we have to deal with is the ill condition of the true convert when his conscience doth deceive him or doth not discharge its duty for in this case only remedy and cure is called for 3. As that condition wherein the convert is best pleased with himself is not alwayes the best So neither is that condition wherewith he is worst pleased alwayes the worst But that is the best condition wherein the holy Spirit doth most bear down the power of sin and advance the work of sanctification of the man and that condition is the worst wherein sin most prevaileth And as the goodnesse of a mans condition is is not to be estimat by any eventual accident but by its own nature and proper effects So the illnesse of a mans condition is not to be estimat by any eventual accident but by its own nature and proper effects as God in the Scripture giveth grounds of judgment of a good or ill condition for otherwayes by the default of the renewed man the best condition may degenerat in a very ill condition As when a man doth abuse divine consolations and after receiving of the renewed earnest of the inheritance from the holy Spirit groweth carnally secure and negligent in his duties or when after some grosse pollution of himself in body or soul having grieved the holy Spirit he doth not humble himself as became him but by Sathans suggestion of wicked thoughts against God and his former work in him doth fall in suspicion of all former gracious operations of the holy Spirit in him and mis-calleth all these former experiences and in his tentation esteemeth and nameth them among Sathans delusions or else at least suspecteth and feareth they shall prove no better then such On the other hand the worst conditions of the renewed man by the wisdom mercy and power of God may be turned to advantage in order to Gods glory and the renewed mans salvation as the experience of the Psalmist doth shew us Psal. 116 3 4. c. 4. An evil condition is so called either 1. in respect of the evil which the convert not only feeleth really but laments it seriously or 2. in respect of the converts estimation only who laments his good condition without cause or 3. in respect of a reall evil which the convert lamenteth not at all but lyeth under it securely Of the first sort is the condition of the convert when he seeth his own blindnesse nakednesse and misery the hardnesse of his own heart and the deceitfulnesse of it and doth flye for remedy thereof to Christ the true Physician to cover and cure all his diseases This condition is evil only in respect of felt evil but in respect of the converts making the right use of the discovery of these evils and flying unto Christ for relief therefrom it is a good condition because the diseased convert carryeth himself well and wisely in this exercise Of the second sort is the converts condition when his faith is put to tryall by manifold afflictions and tentations and he conceives himself to be in a very evil condition wherein he ought not to afflict himself but to judge this condition to be a good condition according to the Apostles exhortation Iam. 1. 2 3. My brethren count it all joy when ye fall in divers tentations knowing that the tryall of your faith worketh patience Of the third sort is the condition of the convert who when for example he feels himself unapt and unable to pray or praise or discharge any duty heartily doth not trouble himself with this his ill case but either layeth-by the doing of the duty or doth the work negligently and perfunctoriously and pleaseth himself in so doing for a time This condition is evil indeed both in respect of his spiritual diseases and of his sinfull slighting the duty of seeking relief thereof 5. For rectifying the judgment of the conscience in any or all of those conditions first let difference be put between the sinfull diseases and distempers of our spirit which are evil indeed and the discovery thereof unto us which is a benefit in it self and a gift of eye-salve bestowed by Christ upon us and the right use of that discovery by flying unto Christ which is yet a greater blessing even the work of God drawing us to the Saviour of souls the remedy of every evil Secondly let difference be put between tentation or tryal of faith and yielding to tentation under affliction The observation of tentation offered to make us depart from the truth in tryal is a matter of joy but yielding is a sin and mater of
perfection which the Law doth require albeit he find not the fruits whensoever he would exact them albeit he find them not in that measure as he hath found them before For as trees are not to be esteemed dead or barren which bring forth fruits in due season albeit they bear not fruit in winter So faith is not to be esteemed dead which as occasion is offered bringeth forth the fruit at one time of mercy at another time of justice and equity at another time the evidence of zeal at another time of love and other vertues albeit when occasion or opportunity offereth not it doth not exercise such and such vertues yea albeit sometimes when occasion calleth for the evidencing of such and such gracious vertues the convert be somtime found in-laking or short of doing duty or guilty of doing contrary to duty faith must not be counted dead for all that Because it may come to passe that faith may be so wounded and fall sick and languish and fall in a swound that it cannot bring forth fruits till it be recovered of its sicknesse as we may see in Ionah David and Peter whose faith fainted but failed not altogether It is true they suspected they were cut off and gone when they were in hard exercise but after that they did look up to the mercy of God in Christ draw near unto him and did shew themselves alive in the Lord and to be in the state of grace Last of all we answer that the regrate of the humbled soul of its barrennesse and short-coming of bringing forth fruits as it would is no small evidence of life and sense in the inward man And of such a disposition it may be said as it is written Cant. 2. 13. The figtree putteth forth its green figs and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell For he that is fled to Christ and laments his barrennesse is a lover of doing good works and of bringing forth the fruits of the Gospel Quest. V. Q. BUt how can a man maintain his faith in Christ who after examination findeth no evidence at all of his conversion and that all his former life hath been spent in the unfruitfull course of corrupt nature and the mater is so indeed he hath lived after the course of this world a stranger to the life of God and grace Ans. Let such a mans examination and sentence of himself stand being according to the truth but this sentence of himself must not hinder him from believing in Christ or from flying to him for refuge for remission of sin for reconciliation and furniture of grace to bring forth better fruits then he hath brought forth before he hath proven against himself that in time bygone he hath noâ— been a regenerat man hath not been a believer in Christ but he hath not cut off himself from flying to Christ and believing in him for time to come for he must put diâ—ference between these two questions whether I have been of the number of sincere believers in Christ heretofore and whether I must now â—lye to Christ for time to come that I may be found hereaâ—ter and henceforth a true convert believing in Christ His former want of good fruits altogether doth prove him not to have been a believer in Christ for time by-past which is the first question and the same want of all good fruits heretofore doth answer the other question for his present duty and in time to come to wit that now except he will perish he must flye to Christ and believe in him In proving of this assertion that I have heretofore for such a space of time been a true convert I must bring forth the evidence of my faith by my works as the Apostle Iames appointeth shew me thy faith by thy works and I will shew thee my faith by my works But in proving this other assertion to wit I must now flye to Christ while the offer is made to me of reconciliation left I perish it will suffice to produce first my want of good fruits and next the commandment of the Gospel charging me to flye to Christ for refuge in time leâ—t I perish And so a man must maintain the way of believing in Christ Jesus for time to come whether he find he hath been a 〈◊〉 or a barren branch in time by-gone or not Quest. VI. Q. SEing the Apostle 2 Pet. 1. 10. commands us to make our calling and election sure by well-doing how can it be called carnal confidence which in part doth lean upon good works For seing assurance and certainty of our effectual calling is not attained unto but by reasoning from our good works that we are called effectually and are elected how do not our works support the assurance of faith concerning our calling and election and so may be leaned unto Ans. A man may make use of his good works for confirmation of his faith and yet not lean his confidence upon his works but upon the grace of God who hath called him of his free grace and made him imbrace the offer of his free grace and given unto him both to will and to do of his free grace and made him to be Gods workman-ship created of Gods free grace unto good works wherein he hath made him to walk Thus grace is by Gods word and working cleared up to the believer to rest upon without laying too much weight upon the mans work but if a man lay hold on Christ and his free grace only then when he observeth in himself such and such fruits of faith and looseth or slacketh his grips of Christ when he feels deadnesse and indisposition to good works justly we may call this a carnal confidence in his works for when he ought with Paul Rom. 7. 24 25. so much the more to flye in to Christ and his righteousnesse as he findeth the body of death powerfull in him and in-born sin strong to hinder his obedience he doth contrary wayes abate of his confidence languish and decay in his faith and look like a departer from Christ we must say he putteth carnal confidence in his own works Quest. VII Q. BUt seing it is impossible to perswade me of the truth and sincerity of saving faith in me except I do observe in me and can bring forth my good works to prove the reality of faith in me how is it possible that I should not lean weight on my good works seing the proof of my faith is by my works which proof if I have not I am at a stand I cannot prove my self to have been a true believer in Christ I cannot perswade my self that I have been and am a true believer in Christ Ans. 1. The observation of the fruits of faith in me is not the only proof of my believing in Christ for the very act of imbracing the offer of reconciliation made to me in the Gospel and flying unto Christ for a refuge when I am chased by the Law by the
shall be made sensible of his injury done he may pretend that the glory of God requireth so much that sins should be punished the avenging whereof if it should be delayed longer then occasion of revenge should offer or till the Magistrat should take notice of it no punishment should fall upon the injurious at all and last of all he may pretend the good of the party injurer who by feeling the smart of his wrong done may be led to repentance and made to learn by his suffering the recompence of his injury done to carry himself more equitably toward his neighbours in all time coming All these pretenses may bear weight in the corrupt inclination of a convert and may harden him in his sinfull course of seeking a privat revenge on the person who hath injured him And his corrupt inclination may be observed by himself 1. by the stirring of his passion and wrath against the injurer whensoever he doth see the party injurer or call the injury to mind 2. By dissimulation and hiding from all men the sense he hath of the wrong received till he find an occasion offered to be avenged on him 3. By a stop made in his own prayer for remission of sins by his conscience telling him he could not subscribe the condition put in the prayer for remission of sin by Christ which is forgive us our sins as we also forgive them that sin against us The causes of this sinfull condition are 1. corrupt and unmortified carnal self-love with a too high estimation of himself in pride which maketh the injury seem so much greater as he hath a higher estimation of himself 2. A defect in his christian love meeknesse long-suffering patience and pity which should have their exercise specially in cases of provocation of our unmortified affections 3. The oblivion of the commands of God and of the manyfold sins daily committed against him whereof if there were a due estimation had the fountain and course of carnal revenge should soon be stopped that privat and carnal revenge should not break forth When these evils are found out and acknowledged by the convert in himself the main remedy thereof is in and by Christ who hath died for us when we were his enemies Rom. 5. 8. and for whose cause greater sins against God are daily forgiven to us then are the injuries done unto us by men 2. In this case also the grave admonition of the Apostle should not be forgotten Ephes. 4. 26 27. Let not the Sun go down upon your wrath neither give place to the devil Giving us to understand that if wrath which draweth with it the desire of revenge shall lodge all night with a man the devil will lodge with it also stirring the man up to pursue a revenge whensoever he findeth opportunity A third instance A third instance of this possible mistake of a convert may be found when he pleaseth himself in his carriage too much for his own carnal satisfaction in meat drink apparrel and recreations and here he may be hardened by sundry pretenses which he may have for his excesse in the use of things otherwayes lawfull As 1. that what he spendeth upon himself is of his own means 2. That his recreations are lawfull and allowed unto him of God 3 That in all this he hath a care of his health 4. That he doth not spend more upon himself then his rent and ability may well bear 5. That God hath said by the mouth of a wise King that this course which he doth follow in allowing on himself is the gift of God Eccles. 5. 19. And last of all that he might seem justly a nigard if he did not well to himself when he is able so to do and here are pretences abundant But if after examination of a mans own self he shall find the aboundance of earthly things weakening his desire after things spiritual or shall find the sense of his in-born corruption laid over to sleep in his prosperity or shall find his flesh wax wanton against the spirit and to prevail in the conflict or shall find his compassion toward the poor and afflicted to grow cold and his delight in things spiritual much diminished or shall find too great a share and portion of his time bestowed upon his body and but little time bestowed upon the care of his soul a wakened conscience may easily convince the convert that maters are not so right with him as he supposed The remedy of this evil is not for a man to turn unto another extremity and to a contrary vice as if there were no place for a wise moderation or as if at sometimes a more liberal use of the creature were not allowed unto men or as if a spiritual disposition of a mans spirit could not consist now and then with any banquet or festivity for it is plain from Scripture that there is a time to â—east and a time to fast a time to labour and a time to be refreshed both in body and mind after labour In which prudence the Apostle had not a little advanced when he saith Phil. 4. 12 13. I know both how to be abased and I know how to abound every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry both to abound and suffer need I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me But here is the remedy 1. that distrusting our selves and fearing the snares which Sathan layeth for us in all things we have our conversation with Christ and set our affections on things which are above as the Apostle giveth direction 1 Col. 3. 1 2. Next that we watch against the lusts of the flesh least at any time our hearts be suâ—fetted with meat or drink or any thing which is pleasant to the flesh Luk. 21. 34. Rom. 13. 14. For we are not debters to the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof Rom. 8. 12. but are bound so to care for our bodies so as our souls have no loss thereby for the lusts of the flesh do fight against our souls 2 Pet. 2. 11. And to this end let the admonition of the Apostle be well remembred 1 Cor. 7. 29 30 31. This I say brethren the time is short it remaineth that both they who have wives be as though they have none and they that weep as though they weept not and they that rejoyce as though they rejoyced not and they that buy as though they possessed not and they that use this world as not abusing it for the fashion of this world passeth away Many moe instances might be given but these may suffice our purpose who mind only to give some taste of cases of conscience in some examples which may give light unto other like cases as they fall in CHAP. IX Of the case of conscience dealing treacherously under pretense of liberty of conscience PRevarication or treacherous dealing is strictly taken when for a bud or bribe the conscience doth betray
licentious libertine is not compelled at all to sin but to say and do that which is right and to hearken to the Word of God rather then to his own erring conscience for the scandalous sectary schismatick or heretick lyeth in a twofold sin the one is in his spirit believing and embracing an error the other in his external words and deeds corrupting the minds and maners of Gods people If after conference and disputation the sin of his misled mind cannot be taken away yet the correcting of him by Church-censures and civil punishment may restrain and bind him up from troubling and infecting others with his leaven and ill example and so his sinning externally is cut off and he made in so far to cease from evil wherein he doth not sin in so far because sin is not every transgression of the ditement of the conscience simply but the transgression of the law and ditement of the conscience speaking according to the law is a sin It is true indeed that whosoever doth judge the ditement of his conscience to be the Law of God and yet doth the contrary must by interpretation of his deed be holden guilty of sin because he who by fear or hope can be moved to do contrary to the ditement of his erring conscience in effect doth professe he may be moved by hope or fear to do contrary to the ditement of his conscience well informed Mean time it is expedient not only for the good of the society of Gods people but also for the good of the erroneous person himself that he be curbed and hindered by these that have lawfull power from doing yet more harm and restrained from following the course of sin and filling up the full measure of sinning which he was about to do CHAP. X. Of such as do please themselves in a condition not pleasing God because they conceive they can pray well under any condition SUndry there are who think their souls to be in a good case and condition when they can pray much and that with freedom of spirit when possibly they do not watch over their hearts nor wayes as becometh them This sicknesse even converts are subject unto sundry times but it may be most clearly seen in those who put a sort of worth and merit in effect upon their religious exercises as we may see in many Israelits in Isaias time chap 58. They did reckon themselves among them that did seek God daily who delighted in his wayes and did approach unto him ver 2. yet because God did not grant their petitions they fell on chiding him ver 3. Wherefore have we fasted say they and thou seest not wherefore have we afflicted our souls and thou takest no knowledge The history also of Korah Dathan and Abiram is notour wherein we see what esteem Korah and his complices had of their own holinesse and of their accesse to God in their prayers that they durst hazard and lay their lives in pawn that God should make them as welcom when they came with their cenferes to pray before him as Aaron and Moses yea and more welcome then they Such a sort of deceit is that whereby some fanaticks enthusiasts and hereticks do foster themselves in their own folly and imagine they are no small men in Gods account because they find a sort of eloquence in their prayers which they conceive God would not give unto them except he were well pleased with their persons prayers and wayes and that the true convert also is subject to this sicknesse appeareth by this that Moses in charity judged many who countenanced the conspiracy to be godly persons otherwayes and therefore exhorted them to forsake the unhappy society of these wicked men And sure it is that sundry of the sons of Korah did repent and flye from the company of the obstinat transgressors for it is clear that all the sons of Korah did not perish Numb 26. 11. and frequent mention is made of the posterity of Korah in the Chronicles and Psalms But we need not insist much here seing experience teacheth that many go on confidently in maintaining schisme and error perswading themselves of the goodnesse of their course and condition because their prayers do flow according to their wish from day to day And many are who if they find fredom in prayer for any particular concerning themselves or others do assure themselves that it shall come to passe which they pray for And if their spirits be straitned in praying for spâ—â—itual and promised graces they fear they shall not be satisfied in the particular they pray for For remedy of this self-deceit men must know that it is one thing to pray much and another thing to be heard and their prayers and persons accepted The Jews are told by the Prophet Isaiah chap. 1. 15. that albeit they put up many petitions the Lord will not hear them because their hands were full of blood 2. Carnal affection may easily creep in and stir up a fervency of prayer Iam. 4. 3. you ask and obtain not because you ask amiss that you may bestow what you pray for upon your lusts 3. Saints may pray earnestly for that which God is not minded to grant unto them as Samuel prayed for Saul that he might be continued King 1 Sam 16. 1. And David may pray for the life of Bathshebas child and not prevail 4. On the other hand prayers put up from a straitened heart in a sad condition may prove no lesse pleasing unto God then when the supplicant doth find most inlargement of spirit and fredom of prayer How oft did the Pâ—almist cry out of the deeps when his spirit was overwhelmed within him when darknesse and the cords of death did straiten him as Ps. 61. 1. is holden forth And the Apostle Rom. 8. giveth us to understand that the spirit of the convert may be so straitened by afflictions bodily and spiritual that they are not able to set their words in order before God yea nor have clear notions of their necessities and desires but in stead of an oration do sigh and groan unto God Wherefore if a man shall in the sense of his sins and wants have his daily recourse unto Christ and be carefull to bring forth the fruits of the spirit praying for what is promised with submission to God what measure and at what time he pleaseth to give he may be sure his person and prayers are acceptable as we are taught 1 Ioh. 5. 14 15. This is the confidence that we have in him that if we ask any thing according to his will he heareth us and if we know that he heareth us whatsoever we ask we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him CHAP. XI Of the converts esteeming the peace of God to be but a carnal security VVE have brought forth some examples of the first sort of the conscience erring by esteeming an evil condition to be a good condition Now let us look upon some
strengthened and set forward to glorifie God in Christ in necessar duties As for the maner and measure to be keeped in the use of things lawfull prudence must be asked of God who will direct us in this as in other Christian duties CHAP. XVI Concerning the converts suspicion that his softness of heart is nothing but a natural disposition to weep upon any occasion VVHen the Lord hath taken away from the sinner a heart of stone and hath given unto him a heart of flesh so that he dar not any more harden himself against the threatnings of Gods Word but doth tremble at the hearing thereof as speaketh Isaiah 66. 2. and in his prayer doth pour forth his heart ordinarily with tears he may as experience hath taught fall in a suspicion of this ordinar or frequent melting of heart as if it were nothing else but a childish or woman-like temper of body and spirit and no evidence of contrition for spiritual causes which the Scripture requireth and commendeth in the penitent 2. In this case there is danger on either hand if the convert be not wary and circumspect in this condition for on the one hand he is in hazard of making light account of the work of God who hath taken from him the heart of stone and given him an heart of flesh On the other hand he is in hazard of laying too much weight on his tears if once he be satisfied about the suspicion he hath of his own tears and made clear that they were proofs and evidences of his sincerity in his prayers to God That there is a danger on either hand experience hath taught for some sincere converts having entertained the suspicion that their tears in prayer proceeded from the soft temper of their natural complexion disposition of spirit have resisted their inclination to mourn and striven against letting forth of tears so far that they have become so dry for a long time and have prayed more perfunctoriously then before that when just causes of grief and tears were given unto them they were not able to bring forth one tear for easing of their grieved heart On the other hand experience hath taught that some looking upon the expressions of the Saints in Scripture concerning their tears have laid so much weight upon their tears as they have numbered in a manner all the drops of their eyes and from the lesse or more quantity of them made reckoning of their own better or worse condition and of Gods acceptation of their prayers lesse or more 3. This tendernesse of heart and easinesse to be moved unto tears for spiritual motives is a rare gift Few they are who with sense of the body of death and original sin bearing them down do lament their natural sinfulnesse in their best condition with Paul Rom. 7. 24. Few shall be found so affectionat to the glory of God and salvation of peoples souls as to pour out tears both in secret and openly for promoving thereof as the Apostle did Act. 20. 19 21. and 2 Cor. 2. 4. Few like Timothy whose heart was so tender that the Apostle could not but observe his tears and remember them 2 Tim. 1. 4. Yet we doubt not that from age to age sundry be who by the grace of God have this constantly melting heart according to the measure of Gods free donation some with tears some without tears And therefore if there be found in such mourners an honest endeavour to walk circumspectly let not the suspicion that their tendernesse is but natural weaknesse of spirit or bodily complexion be entertained Only let the giver of the grace of a tender heart be relyed upon and not their tears as if they were any more then witnesses of their honest affection in spiritual exercises for such prayers may prove sincere and acceptable to God both when they cannot mourn and also when their heart seemeth withered hard and dry CHAP. XVII Concerning the converts suspicion that all his devotion is but lip-labour which is not joyned with a tender and melting heart and with Gods sensible approbation AS some are suspicious of their condition because of their ordinar tendernesse and melting of heart So other some are suspicious of their condition because they find not their heart tender and soft in their devotion All converts do agree in this that God must be worshiped in spirit and truth and that it is not acceptable worship to God if a man draw near him with his lips when his heart is far from him whereupon every convert when he is mindfull of his duty goeth about to worship God with understanding and inward affection of heart to confesse sin deprecat wrath ask of God things necessar interceed for others give thanks to God for his benefits and praise him for his works and working so as his affections may be conform to his expressions and the conscience may approve both his words and his hearty affections and God may with his peace and consolation approve the worshiper But some converts are who albeit in sincerity they worship God yet they count all their devotion to be but lip-labour except they find their affections wakened up and their heart tender and some vigour of spiritual life in their exercises and the sense of Gods approbation of their worship by giving sense of his peace and consolation to them in their worship Hence oft-times doth suspicion arise without just ground that they are deserted of God that he is displeased with them and this suspicion being entertained doth send forth complaints and bringeth on coldrifenesse in prayer and discouragement 2. This unjust suspicion of the grace of prayer the Lord doth oft-times chastise by with-drawing peace and comfort and order in prayer and of words also that he who complained that his devotion was but lip-labour because he sound not such measure of affection as he would have had nor that consolation which he wished to have shall find himself in worse taking after his complaining then he was in at first when he began to suspect his condition It is true that confusion of mind and want of words to expresse the case wherein he is may fall on a convert by reason of afflictions and manifold temptations and yet he may be free from this suspicion of Gods affection and acceptation of his person and prayers as the Apostle doth teach us Rom. 8. 26. Likewayes the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities for we know not what we should pray for as we ought but the Spirit it self maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered But when this cutting short of the gift of prayer in any measure doth follow after suspicion of Gods respect and good will toward the complaining and discouraged convert it is a fatherly chastisement from God threatning the convert with a greater measure of desertion and heavier temptation except he repent his folly and return to God whom by his suspicion and misbelief he hath offended 3. For remedy of