to prove a man to be regenerat but he must be proven also a true believer in Christ a man reconciled to God a man justified and an adopted child 2. It is necessary therefore for proving a man to be regenerat to know the right description of the regenerat man which is given by the Apostle Phil. 3. 3. We are the circumcision which worship God in the spirit and rejoyce in Iesus Christ and have no confidence in the flesh Wherein the Apostle holdeth forth the truly regenerat circumcised in heart 1. He is not sinlesse but so sensible of his sinfulnesse as he hath no confidence in himself nor any thing else in himself 2. He is not free of accusations or tentations and doubts but he flyeth to Christ for righteousnesse 3. He is not an idle and unfruitfull branch but a worshiper of God in spirit and truth 1. He is burdened with sin 2. He cometh to Christ for relief 3. He puts on Christs yoke Math. 11. 28 29. If a man have these three properties joyntly in him he is a regenerae man and may defend his interest in the state of grace and right to righteousnesse and eternall life through Jesus Christ. 3. Divine operations and saving graces which accompany salvation such as are faith repentance unto life hope Christian love to God and men for Gods cause effectual vocation justification reconciliation adoption go together in time by Gods gift but one of them goeth before another in order of nature for effectual calling goeth before faith and faith goeth before hope and before charity or love Again these graces which are given to the redeemed child of God joyntly in respect of time do not shew themselves in their evidence alike soon in time nor do they equally manifest themselves when they do appear in time And so the evidences of repentance may be discerned in not a few converts before faith in Christ do shew it self in them clearly So also love to God and his Saints oft-times may be discerned in a regenerat man before he himself dare affirm any thing of his faith in Christ. 4. Albeit there be many regenerat persons who for the present time cannot perceive in themselves any undoubted signs of their conversion yet it is certain also that there be many who to their own unspeakable comfort are assured of their regeneration and that they are translated from death to life and that they have received the spirit of adoption and earnest of eternal life as is pointed out in the experience of the Ephesians chap. 1. 14. And this is certain also that all who are fled to Christ for refuge should by all means labour to make their calling and election clear and certain to themselves 2 Pet. 1. 10. And to this purpose we are commanded to examine our selves and try whether we be in the faith or not whether Christ by his Spirit be in us or not 2 Cor. 13. 5. for otherwise except a convert know certainly the blessednesse of his own state and that he standeth in grace and favour with God it is not possible for him to give hearty thanks to God for the change of his state from being an enemy to be made a reconciled subject and child of God It is not possible for him to rejoyce in the Lord or set chearfully himself to serve God or comfortably call on God as a father to him in Christ Wherefore all who in the sense of their sins and fear of deserved wrath are fled for refuge unto Christ should deal by prayer earnestly with God that he would graciously grant unto them his Spirit by whose operation in them they may know the saving graces which he hath freely bestowed upon them of which gift of the holy Spirit the Apostle doth speak 1 Cor. 2. 12. 5. The knowledge of a mans own regeneration hath many degrees of clearnesse and assurance by reason of the variety of conditions wherein a man truly converted may be For many doubts may arise in the man regenerat which may darken his sight and hinder the assurance of saving grace granted unto him whereof sundry causes may be found and in special these four among others 1. In a man illuminat and renewed by the holy Spirit there remains a great deal of ignorance much doubting mixed with faith by reason of unskilfulnesse of the convert to examine and discern this blessed change made in him where through that cometh to passe in many young converts which will be seen in infants who have a soul indeed but do not know or perceive that they have a soul till they come to some years of discretion yea many sound Christians are oft-times at a stand about their regeneration and know not what to make of their faith or repentance especially when they feel the power of the body of death the strength of natural corruption in themselves and great indisposition for any spiritual exercise they are forced with the Apostle to cry miserable man that I am who shall deliver me Rom. 7. 24. mean time for weaknesse of their faith they are not able at the first to wrestle against discouragment and to come up unto the Apostles thanking God through Christ. 2. By the tentation of Sathan oft-times the perswasion of holy men is darkened so as they cannot see the evidences of their own regeneration clearly for Sathan sets himself to vex the Saints who are delivered from his kingdom and bonds whom albeit he know that he cannot destroy them yet he will not cease to trouble them that at least he may make them some way unfit for Gods service and marr their cheerfulness in his service and because he feareth harm from them unto his kingdom by their dealing with the unconverted to repent their sins and to turn unto God therefore he finds them work at home in their own bosome and puts them to defend themselves and to forbear to invade his subjects till they be setled themselves 3. Oft-times the Lord is offended by the sins of the regenerat and specially by their grosse transgressions for which his Spirit being grieved doth for a time cease from comforting them and doth not bear witnesse with their spirits that they are the children of God as he hath formerly used to do 4. Oft-times the Lord by suffering doubts to arise in their hearts useth to try and exercise the faith of his children and thereby to stir them up to the pursuing of the duties of piety and righteousnesse more vigorously and sincerely that after victory obtained over these tentations they may be more confirmed in their faith and more diligent in his obedience 6. It may come to passe that while the true convert doth most doubt of his own regeneration that the work of Gods special grace may be observed in him and clearly seen by others more experienced in the wayes of God and indued with the spirit of discretion The reason whereof is because howsoever the weak convert and child of light walking
and bring the believer fled unto him on upon his way till he put him in full possession of fredom from all sin and misery But yet this felicity is brought about not all at once but peece and peece and not without conflict with the enemies of our salvation and not without use of the meanes appointed of God Wherefore let the afflicted be exhorted to take courage unto him as becometh a souldier of Christ and let him go on in the wayes of the Lord in hope and patience being assured that whatsoever God hath promised he will surely perform in that maner measure order and time and by his own appointed means as he hath set down in his holy Scriptures 6. The third practical error of the afflicted in the foresaid case is that he doth not judge rightly of his own faith nor of the fruits thereof for of his own faith he judgeth no otherwayes than of the faith of another man whileas there is a diverse way to judge of my own faith then of another mans faith for because I cannot reach to the internal acts of the soul of another man therefore I must judge only by the outward effects according to the rule that Iames giveth chap. 2. ver 10. Shew me thy faith without thy works and I will shew thee my faith by my works Yet of my own faith I may judge not only by the external effects of it which in the first closing with Christ are not yet observable possibly but also by the internal act of faith which the holy Spirit who knows the heart doth reveal unto me by making me not only heartily to embrace Christ offered in the Gospel and love him but also can make me reflect and turn back mine eye upon his own gift and grace in me according to that of the Apostle 1 Cor. 2. 12. we have received the Spirit of God that we might know the things freely given to us of God Again the afflicted doth not judge rightly of his own fruits of faith according as the truth is and as the Lord in his Word doth judge he should distinguish between the sincerity of the work and the perfection of it a work may be done uprightly and yet be imperfect he should distinguish what is Gods part in the work from that which is wrong and corrupt flowing from the remainder of sin in him These things he doth confound and doth so fix his eyes upon the defects and imperfection of his work that he seeth nothing but what is wrong when it is his duty both to observe what is wrong that he may be humbled and cast away all confidence in his work and to observe also what is good and right in his work proceeding from the grace of God in him and so praise and thank God for it in Christ who will not quench the smoaking flax Isa. 42. 3. 7. For remedy therefore of this error let the afflicted first look upon the acts of his faith both internal and external both on the elicit acts of faith and the imperat acts as they are called in the Schools and let him judge of both according to what is right and equitable that whatsoever be the measure of new obedience it may be differenced from the mixture of infirmity defects or corruption And let him not judge of his work according to the suggestions and calumnies of Sathan who alwayes condemneth so far as he can what is good in Gods children or if he cannot condemn it doth labour to have it abused Secondly let the afflicted observe the due order both in doing his duties and in judging thereof for of necessity he must first put forth an act of faith and love on Christ before he can passe judgment on it and let him first do the work commanded to the believer and then passe sentence that he may be strengthened to do moe duties and so to present them to God to be washen accepted and amended in his following service Thirdly let him carefully look unto the end which he should propose to himself in judging of his acts of faith and obedience for the end of judging our selves and our works should be to confirm our faith in Christ when we find any thing done according to the rule and to â—lye to Christ for pardon and grace if we conceive all is wrong after we have examined maters 6. The fourth practical error is that the afflicted first suffereth his faith to be wounded and weakened by Sathans tentation and then to be drawn forth to the field to give a proof of the strength of his faith in some difficile duty before the wound of faith be bound up or healed for it is a great disadvantage to enter the lists with Sathan about the fruits of faith whether they be sincere or not when faith is wounded yea fainteth and is brought in question whether it be true faith or not Now this is a special stratageme and wile of Sathan by whatsoever mean he can to hurt the faith of Gods children that he may by that marr communion-keeping with God and cut off if he can the conduit whereby the power of Christ is conveyed to the believer for making him give acceptable obedience unto God And certainly it is no lesse difficile when faith is wrested and for a time out of joynt to set about acceptable service then it is to make a man to set upon his work when his armes are out of joynt Therefore for remedy of this error let the afflicted so soon as he findeth his â—aith wounded incontinent set himself down before God humbly and acknowledge his foolishnesse want of watching unworthinesse and inability either to know how he hath grieved Gods Spirit and made open a door for the Tempter to fall in upon him or to repent the sins which he knoweth might have provoked God so to exercise him and next let him look unto God in Christ reconcileing the world to himself and lay hold on the hornes of the altar on the throne of grace for strengthening his faith that he may find help for the present need and thereafter also to walk more wisely for this is the counsell which Christ doth give to the corrupt Church of Sardis Revel 3. 2. Strengthen the thing which remaineth and is ready to die Thus may the afflicted recover strength of faith and ability to resist Sathan and furniture for bringing forth unquestionable fruits of faith CHAP. VIII Wherein the regenerat mans doubt whether he be in the state of grace arising from his unquietnesse of spirit is answered THis case is incident to many dear children of God and may befall Champions in time of sad affliction as we see in the Prophet Ps. 42. 11. and 43. 5. why art thou cast down O my soul and why art thou disquieted within me But even in time of outward prosperity or when no great affliction bodily lyeth on many who in the sense of their sinfulnesse have fled to Jesus Christ and have taken
sinners to repentance And the promises of the Evangel are made to the poor in spirit to the hungry and thristy for the righteousnesse of Christ which only can satisfie a hungry soul Mat. 5. 3 6. yea the sense of unworthinesse is in effect that self-loathing whereof Ezek. speaketh chap. 36. 31. which sense of unworthinesse may be seen in Iob as a special act and evidence of his repentance Iob. 42. 6. Secondly let him consider that because by reason of sin no worthinesse can be found in us therefore God hath freely loved the world and provided grace in Christ that all that flye to him may out of his fulnesse receive grace for grace Ioh. 1. 16. Thirdly the three sold office of a Mediator wherewith Christ hath cloathed himself doth obviat and meet the doubts of the humbled soul under the sense of unworthinesse for albeit he be ignorant and slow to understand and believe the revealed will of God about mens salvation and his prescribed service yet upon 〈◊〉 flying to Christ he hath Christ offered and given to him for his wisdom a Prophet able to inform him to open his eyes and perswade him to imbrace by lively faith all saving doctrine Albeit he be exceeding sinfull and worthy of condemnation yet he hath Christ aâ— Priest made of God unto him righteousness and sanctification upon his flying to him for refute from sin and wrath undertaking also powerfully to sanctifie him by mortifying his corruptions and perfecting at last the Image of God in him And albeit he have the world and his own flesh and the power of all principalities and spiritual wickednesse with many miseries in this life to wrestle with yet he hath Christ Jesus as King made of God unto him redemption upon his flying to Christ for refuge against all his enemies So that he may be sure to be found among them whom he hath redeemed by price-paying and for whom he hath undertaken powerfully to sustain them in all this warfare whatsoever misery they may be in and at last to bring them out of all sin and misery to a perfect rest in everlasting glory And to what end hath our Lord taken on the office of a Mediator and Redeemer if not to open the eyes of the blind that flye to him for eye-salve to cover the naked flying unto him with the precious garment of his imputed righteousnesse and to enrich the poor needy and unworthy out of the store house of his unsearchable riches of grace Rev. 3. 18. Fourthly let him consider the constant course of grace and practical dispensation thereof in all ages toward all the converted Are not all they to whom the Gospel cometh in the state of corrupt nature when God cometh to convert them For never was there any person called unto the state of grace but he was found in his sins and in the state of lost sinners by nature none but children of wrath and enemies by nature are reconciled none but they who by the law are condemned are justified none but they that in their own sense are lost do obtain salvation for Christ doth plainly tell us I came to seek and to save them that are lost Did he ever reject any that fled unto him because they were unworthy No for it is said Ps. 9. 10. They that know thy name will trust in thee for thou never forsook them that sought thee And Ioh. 6 37. he saith These that come unto me I will in no case cast out 2 Tim. 1. 9. Not according to our works but according to his own purpose and 〈◊〉 hath he called us Fifthly let him consider the worthinesse of Christs person and merits who because he being God and man in one person hath paid a price of infinit value for redemption of sinners who flye unto him is worthy for whose cause the unworthy sinner flying to the throne of grace should be received in favour and made fit for eternal life by the sanctification of his Spirit Sixthly let him consider that if he stand a-back from Christ and do not flye unto him how unworthy soever he think himself he remains under wrath and the condemnatory sentence of the law Ioh. 1. 8. but let him rather remember that he is warranted by a command of God the Father to flye to Christ 1 Ioh. 3. 23. This is his commandment that we should believe on the name of his Son Iesus Christ and love one another as he hath commanded us And therefore let him say of his own soul with thâ— Centurion speaking of his servant to Christ Luke 7. 6 7. I am not worthy that thou should come under my roof but say the word and my servant shall be healed The word is said frequently in Scripture let the afflicted rest himself on it CHAP. III. Wherein the regener at mans doubts arising from the multitude and weight of his sins against the Law and the Cospel and against the light of his conscience are answered AS in the pangs of the new birth this doubt hath much weight to keep a soul a-back from imbâ—â—â—eing Christ and receiving pardon through him So after a man is regenerat and made quiet in his conscience when through sad affliction and sore temptation these wounds of his conscience begin to bleed again his pardon and peace is called in question Of this exercise there are three degrees the first is when sins against the law are mustered and led in an hoste against a soul which was the case of the afflicted Psalmist for a time till by faith he over-came the doubt Ps. 40. 12. Innumerable evils have compassed me about mine iniquities have taken hold on me so that I am not able to look up they are more then the hairs of mine head therefore my heart faileth me The second degree is when beside the mans sins against the Law his sins also against the Gospel against Christ and the means of salvation do arise in battel against him and do drive him to cry out with these not yet converted sinners Act. 2. 37. men and brethren what shall we do The third degree is when the regenerat man for some grosse sins against the light of his conscience is given up for a time to be scourged with the temptations and accusations of Sathan as if he had sinned against the holy Ghost and no more mercy were reserved for him and this was the case of the Prophet Ionah when being guilty and conscious to his late rebellion against God he is pursued and apprehended by God and casten in the sea he falleth in a â—it of desperation till God gave him victory by faith Ion. 2. 4. Then I said I am cast out of thy sight yet I will look again to thy holy Temple which was the trysting place of God with sinners in a Mediator This was also the case of David for a time after that his conscience is wakened by the message of God sent unto him in the mouth of Nathan the Prophet when he
sealed with the spirit of promise Ephes. 1. 11. As it is not sufficient to prove that wholsom water given to a feaver-sick person is not a wholsom drink because the cooling refreshment by it endureth but a short while So it is not sufficient to prove that consolation and joy given to a sorrowfull sinner seeking favour through Christ is not solid and true joy because it stayeth but a short while It is sufficient that it hath stayed so long as was needfull for after the word of promise was believed the joy was sent to ease the afflicted souls present grief and to give him earnest that full and lasting joy should be given in due time unto him When the messenger hath done his commission let him return to his master As the sheet let down in the vision from heaven to Peter after it had served for Peters instruction it was taken up to heaven again Act. 10. The Spouse in the Canticle knew by experience that her spiritual joyes would not last long and therefore chargeth the daughters of Ierusalem that they waken not her beloved till he pleased 5. Another objection is this If my joy had been solid saith the afflicted it should have brought forth better fruits then it hath done but joy spiritual as I then called it did degenerat into a carnal security and I was not the more holy by it To which objection the answer may be this the blame of this is not to be laid on spiritual joy but upon the abuse of this mercy by ingratitude for this gracious blink of felt favour negligence in the use of means to entertain this sense by sleepinesse of conscience and other sins and namely the laying too much weight upon this sense and not fixing the heart by so much more upon the word of promise when felt consolation may be withdrawn is a just cause for spiritual joy is not given to any to build upon its continuance but to make the convert hold the confirmed word of promise so much the faster when for the exercise of faith comfortable feelings are withdrawn The spouse in the Canticle after a feast of this kind falleth a sleep and giveth slight entertaining to the Bridegroom when called upon by his word for which she is chastised by his withdrawing of his comfortable presence Cant. 5. 1 2 3. c. But let us put the case that the felt joy of the spirit were not abused yet is it not unusual for God to withdraw consolation and to send trouble and anguish on the soul of his dear child to try his faith and train him on to hold the word of his grace in the hardest condition he can be into as he did exercise Iob and Ieremie the Prophet Ier. 20. and the Psalmist Ps. 77. In which condition to suspect that the consolation and joy of the spirit speaking to the heart by his word is not his gracious operation or is a delusion cannot but exceedingly grieve the Lord and give him cause to chastise this suspicion with desertion 6. But how may I know saith the afflicted that my joy was solid and was indeed the gracious operation of the holy Spirit For answer 1. If this joy was given to him when or after he was lamenting his sins and fearing wrath deserved and flying unto Christ offered in the Gospel he hath reason to reckon that joy to be such as the Word of the Gospel doth promise and approve 2. If during the time of his sweet feeling of peace and joy through Christ he found his faith in God and love to Christ confirmed and strengthned if the Word of the Gospel was in more estimation with him if his heart was inlarged to blesse praise and thank God for manifesting himself in Christ reconciled if the purpose of following after holinesse was renewed in him he hath no reason to suspect his joy and comfort 3. If after the removing of this sweet feeling he is going on in the study of holinesse believing in Christ how heavy in heart soever he may be by affliction and tentation he may be assured his sometime felt joy of the Lords Spirit was solid and his present suspicion thereof to be an evidence of his infirmity and of a tentation from Sathan This was the way how the Psalmist wrestled out of his sad condition Ps. 77. CHAP. XIV Of the converts suspecting that his zeal for God and against the sins of others hath been fleshly severity and imprudent temerity IT cometh to passe that they who love God sincerely and cannot endure the out-breakings of the wicked do sometimes transgresse the bounds of moderat zeal and being overtaken in some miscarriage for which being rebuked by their friends or by them in power censured or civilly chastised do in stead of moderating their zeal in time coming grow more slack and remisse in their zeal suspecting themselves inclined to unreasonable severity and rashnesse and ready to be esteemed haters of mens persons by those among whom they live as in some by-gone experience they have already felt And upon this occasion the tentation of Sathan falleth on tending to extinguish the fervency of true zeal required in all true converts And here there is danger lest true zeal grow cold and the convert become luke-warm both in curbing sin in others under his charge and in pursuing duties in his own person In which sicknesse he may be the better pleased with himself by so much as his friends and others do commend him for his moderation and prudence as they shall call it 2. As to the remedy of this evil there is no doubt but that may befall true zeal which is common to other vertues of which there is none so perfect but some in-lake or excesse may be observed in them And therefore as it is without reason to go back from pursuing duty in the exercise of other vertues because imperfections therein are remarkable from time to time So is it without reason to grow luke-warm in zeal which may render a man loathsome unto Christ Rev. 2. 3. Wherefore let the convert take heed what the Lords Word doth require of him in his calling and labour to discharge his duty towards others so as he may be found both zealous and prudent that in the expressions of his zeal against sin meeknesse and love to the offender may be manifested 2. To this intent let the convert carefully take heed to entertain these three properties of commendable zeal which are 1. The fear of God 2. Humility of heart 3. The love of his neighbour for the fear of God will not suffer the convert to depart from his commandments Humility of heart will make the man modest in his expressions and the love of his neighbour will make him mix meeknesse and compassion toward sinners with his zeal against offences This is the right seasoning of zeal which the Apostle calleth the zeal of God according to knowledge CHAP. XV. Of the converts suspecting his aiming at circumspect
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
the whole glory of His free grace because out of His own good-will not for any thing at all foreseen in man He lets forth his speciall love on the redeemed in a time acceptable And the glory of His Almighty power because by His omnipotent and invincible working He makes the man dead in sins to live opens his eyes to take up savingly the things of God takes away the heart of stone and makes him a new creature to will and to do His holy will And the glory of His Wisdom who dealeth so with His creature as He doth not destroy but perfect the naturall power of the mans will making the man regenerat most freely deliberatly and heartily to embrace Christ and to consecrat himself to Gods service The reason why we urge this is because Satan by corrupting the doctrine of regeneration and perswading men that they are able of themselves by the common and the naturall strength of their own free-will without the speciall and effectuall grace of God both to convert themselves and others also doth foster the native pride of men hindreth them from emptying and humbling themselves before God keepeth them from self-denyall doth mar the regeneration of them that are deluded with this errour and obscureth what he can the shyning of the glory of Gods grace power and wisdom in the conversion of men for whatsoever praise proud men let go toward God for making mens conversion possible yet they give the whole glory of actuall conversion to the man himself which Christ ascribeth to God only and leaveth no more for man to glory in his spirituall regeneration then he hath to glory in his own naturall generation Ioh. 3. 5. 6. 7. 8. And the same doth the Apostle teach Ephes. 2. 8. 9. 10. and Philip. â— 13. It is God saith hee which worketh in you both to will and to do of His own good pleasure And therefore it is the duty of all Christs disciples but chiefly their duty who are consecrat to God to preach up the glory of Gods free grace omnipotent power and unsearchable wisdom to live in the sense of their own emptinesse and to depend upon the furnitour of grace for grace out of Christs fulnesse and zealously to oppose the proud errour of mans naturall ability for converting himself as they love to see and find the effectuall blessing of the Ministery of the Gospel and themselves accepted for true disciples at the day of their meeting with Christ the Judge at His second coming 3. For opening up of regeneration these five propositions must be holâ—en The first is this the naturall man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of god for they are foolishnesse unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned 1 Cor. 2. 14. The second is this it is the Spirit of God which convinceth man of sin of true righteousnesse and of judgement Ioh. 16. 9. 10. 11. The third is this in regeneration conversion and quickning of a sinner God by his invincible power createth and infuseth a new life and principles thereof Psal. 110. 3. Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power and Ioh. 5. 21. and 6. 63. The fourth is this the invincible grace of God working regeneration and a mans conversion doth not destroy the freedom of mans will but makes it truely free and perfects it Ier. 31. 31. I will make a Covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Iudah and will put My law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts c. The fifth is this albeit a man in the act of Gods quickning and converting of him be passive and in a spirituall senâ—e dead in sins and trespasses yet for exercising externall means whereof God maketh use unto his conversion for fitting him and preparing of him for a gracious change such as are hearing of the Word reading of it meditating on it inquiring after the meaning of it c. the naturall man hath a naturall power thereunto as to other externall actions which sufficeth to take away excuse from them who have occasion of using the means and will not use them Matth. 23. 37. For clearing of the first proposition we must remember that the object of actuall regeneration conversion and effectuall calling is the man elected or redeemed by Christ lying in the state of defection from God destitute of originall righteousnesse at enimity with God bently inclined to all evill altogether unfit and impotent yea even spiritually dead to every spirituall good and specially to convert regenerat or quicken himselâ— for albeit after the fall of Adam there are some sparks of common reason remaining whereby he may confusedly know that which is called spirituall good acceptable and pleasant unto God and fit to save his soul yet the understanding of the unrenewed man judgeth of that good and of the truth of the Evangell wherein that good is proponed to be meer foolishnesse and doth represent the spirituall object and sets it before the will as a thing uncertain or vain and the will of the unrenewed man after deliberation comparison made of objects some honest some pleasant and some profitable in appearance naturally is inclined to prefer and choose any seeming pleasant or profitable thing whether the object be naturall or civill rather then that which is truly honest and morally good But if it fall out that a spirituall good be well and in fair colours described unto the unrenewed man yet he seeth it not but under the notion of a naturall good and as it is cloathed with the image of some naturall good and profitable for preserving its standing in a naturall being and welfare therein So did the false prophet Balaam look upon the felicity of the righteous in their death when he did separat eternall life from faith and sanctification and did rent asunder the means from the end appointed of God saying Let me dye the death of the righteous and let my last end be like his Numb 23. 10. After this maner the woman of Samaria apprehended the gift and grace of the holy Ghost and saving grace offered to her by Christ Lord saith she Give me of that water that I may not thirst again and may not come again to draw water Joh. 4. 15. So also did the misbeleeving Jews judge of the application of Christs incarnation and suffering for their spirituall feeding Joh. 6. 33. 34. 35. for The naturall man cannot know the things of the Spirit of God because they are spiritually discerned and the naturall man is destitute of the spirit of illumination 1 Cor. 2. 14. And the wisdom of the flesh is enimity to God for it is not subject to the law of God yea it cannot be subject unto it Rom. 8. 7. The power therefore of the naturall or unrenewed man is not fitted for the discerning and loving of a spirituall good because he is altogether naturall and not spirituall For a supernaturall
comparing the words of Ieremiah and the commentary thereupon by the Apostle For Ieremiah saith that they did transgress the Covenant albeit God did shew himself a husband unto these un-believing Fathers that is they changed the covenant of Grace in a covenant of Works of their own framing and transgressed that Covenant also And the Apostle saith they did not continue in that covenant because they changed it to themselves in a covenant of Works according to which Covenant God did deal with them for in stead of being a husband to them he exacted of them the penalty of the broken covenant of Works and Lorded it over them and did not regard them Heb. 8. 6. For they sought after the righteousness of works and not to have righteousness by faith and therefore did he despise them and dealt with them after the tenor of the covenant of Works And it is observable that the words of Ieremiah do comprehend the Apostles meaning for the words may bear both that God was a husband unto them to wit in making a covenant of Grace with them and that he dealt with them as a Lord over them by exacting of them the penalty of the broken covenant of Works and of the rejected covenant of Grace As â—o the covenant of Grace the Apostle speaketh of it in express termes first by Gods promising that he would make a new Covenant with the house of Israel and Iudah Secondly by his setting better promises before them then these were which were made to the Fathers in the wilderness Thirdly by his giving no other cause of bestowing so great blessings on them but his own good-will and pleasure Fourthly by his requiring no other condition of them but saith that they who feel in themselves the want and need of the promised blessings and are convinced of their own unworthiness might give credit unto God that maketh the promise and so embrace the promises and apply them to their own use As to the external dispensation of the Covenant it is certain first that it was common to all that were externally called to all the members of the visible Church for the covenant made in the wilderness with the elect Fathers and reprobat with the believers and un-believers with those that rejected the covenant of Grace and the offer of Righteousness by faith and with those who looked through the vail afar off to Christ coming and were saved was one and the same 2. It is certain that the external form of the covenant of Grace was more obscure and vailed over by the types and figures of the levitical ceremonies before Christ came but after his coming it was propounded in clearer and better promises 3. A day is set to wit the fulness of time when these shadows and typical figures should be abolished and the grace of God should be set before his people to be looked upon with open face 4. And yet the grace of God was not so hid and obscurely propounded to the Church before Christs coming as it could not be taken up by the children of God for in the midst of the shadows and dark typs the star-light of gracious promises did shine and the doctrine of the new Covenant was in substance holden forth by the Prophets and one instance thereof doth appear in this place of Ieremiah As to the internal covenant of Grace first these things which are promised in that Covenant do declare in what state God doth find men whom he doth convert and draw into covenant with himself for when the Lord taketh in hand that he will write his law in their heart that he will teach them himself to know him by the teaching of his Word and Spirit and that he will forgive their sins he pre-supposeth that lawless rebellion did reign in them with blindness of mind and hardness of heart and that the Elect by nature are without law without God without faith before he reform them according to the Articles or tenor of the covenant of Redemption 2. Albeit by nature the law be written in mens hearts as to the knowledge of sundry moral duties and so far as is sufficient to make them inexcusable for their contraveening these sparks of light Rom. 1. â—0 and 2 14. 15. Yet the writing of the law here promised is spiritual and super-natural inlightning their minds by the light of Gods Spirit and renewing their heart and in effect the thing promised is actual conversion of them 3. And seing conversion is here promised by Christ the Testator absolutely he hath taken in hand absolutely to effectuat it for it is not said I will put my law in their heart if they please to suffer me but determinatly I will put my law I will write my law in their heart and inward parts that is I will make them willing who were averse and obedient to my law who were rebellious 4. Christ the Testator doth in all this not satisfie himself by promising the illumination of the mind and the inclining of the heart for a time but promiseth also to make a solid and permanent work of it by making them persevere which is imported in the words I will put and I will write it for to write it is as much as to fix and ingrave it that it may remain 5. The chief head of the Covenant and which in substance doth contain all blessings is set down in these words I will be their God and they shall be my people for by this promise right is granted unto the true heartconvert and confederat first unto God himself then unto all his benefits whereof he hath need in order to righteousness and eternal life for they whose God the Lord is they do live and shall live for ever as Christ saith God is not the God of the dead but of the living Matth. 22. 32. And all particular promises what are they else but explications of this great and first promise and applications thereof to his childrens cases in particular Gifts of the Spirit are promised here and induements whereof disciples have need whereof pilgrims going home to that heavenly city have need yea the Spirit himself is promised to them who is to remain with them to the end of their life as a directer and leader They shall all know me saith the Lord that is as Christ doth interpret it They shall be all taught of God Joh. 6. 45. 7. The Lord sheweth here that he will deal with men in their regeneration and reconciliation as with reasonable creatures by preserving and not destroying them in their simple naturals by maintaining and not over-turning the liberty of their free-will I will make a Covenant saith he with the house of Judah Now a Covenant is a free and voluntar Contract 8. He sheweth that he is Lord and Over-ruler of mans will who can turn it about as he pleaseth and that he is not hindred nor impeded to execute and bring to passe whatsoever he hath purposed to do by the
faith and to follow hard after the growth of sanctification without which no man shall see the face of God and let us so extoll the covenant of Grace and freedom of the believer from the covenant of Works that we neglect not to keep up the authority of the moral Law and the commands thereof as the perpetual rule of new obedience the use whereof is very profitable in the whole course of a Christian life to hold forth the duty of believers in Christ and to shew unto them by their short-coming in duties the poyson and power of corruption remaining in the Saints and to make them sensible of the necessity of flying daily to that imputed righteousnesse by faith in Christ and of drawing strength from Christ to bring forth more aboundant fruits whereby Christ shall be more and more precious in our eyes and be acknowledged absolutely necessar for our justification sanctification and salvation 15. When question is made concerning Christian vertues and operations of the holy Spirit in us the order of Gods working held forth to us in Scripture is carefully to be marked by us which is that sense of sin should go before faith in Christ for the Law is a pedagogue to Christ for he came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance Matth. 9. 13. And faith in Christ goeth before the fruits of faith and the fruits of faith before the sensible approbation of them and approbation of the fruits by Scripture goeth before the sensible fealing of the believer and the quieting of the conscience in its approbation of what the Scripture approveth for after we have believed we come to be sealed Ephes. 1. 13. Now for the not observing this order many real Christians do make unto themselves a very un-comfortable life for albeit they be convinced of sin and humbled in the sense of their own inability to help themselves and are fled to Christ for pardon and help and do lead a life blamelesse yet do they unhappily suspend the acknowledging of the work of faith bestowed upon them and do disquiet themselves so as they cannot rest on Christ but do quarrel the reality of their faith till they shall feel and perceive with approbation of their conscience such and such fruits of faith in themselves and that in such a measure as they have fore-imagined to be the necessar evidences of faith yea and they refuse to account themselves persons justified because they cannot perceive such mature fruits in themselves as they conceive must not only be but be acknowledged also to be in the justified person before he can lay hold on justification Such persons do in effect invert the order which they should observe for when it were their part to flye unto Christ the only Mediator because they come short of new obedience and because they are loaden with sin that in him they might have God reconciled to them and by his Spirit pouring in of his grace in their souls to make them more holy they take another and contrary course by suspending their faith upon their works and do exact of themselves works before faith and so do weaken their own faith and hinder it to bring forth such fruits as they do require It is reason indeed to prove our faith by our works and it is just that such a faith be accounted dead which is not accompanied with the purpose and endeavour to live holily justly and soberly But it is against all reason and equity to condemn weak faith accompanied with the purpose of a new life as if it were no faith because it hath not as yet brought forth so fair and fully ripe fruits as the weak believer would It were their wisdom when they perceive such impotency to do what is good and such strength of the body of death in them to flye unto the Redeemer so much the more and in him to seek remission of sin and strength to bring forth good fruits and to be sucking juice and sap out of him as the true Vine for if we come to him and abide in him we shall bring forth much fruit Iob. 15. 4 5. For faith in Christ in order of nature goeth before good works for only they who come to Christ and abide in him do bring forth aboundant fruit and not they who upon the apprehension of their want of fruits do loose or slacken their grip of faith and upon discouragment are ready to depart from the living God 16. The like wisdom is required in dealing with the consciences of men concerning the preparatory dispositions of such as may confidently come unto Christ to be justified sanctified and saved for albeit it be true that all that come to Christ ought to come in the sense of their sin and acknowledgment of wrath and death deserved for their sins ought to come with contrition of heart with godly sorrow for their sins and a humble renunciation of all confidence in themselves yet must not such persons as do not satisfie themselves in the measure or sincerity of such preparatory dispositions in themselves be keeped back or debarred from coming to Christ because they not only want as they conceive both the humiliation and sorrow of heart for sin and fear of wrath required in such as have accesse unto Christ but also do perceive in themselves such blindnesse of mind and vanity thereof such stupidity of conscience and stubbornesse of a proud heart as is not fit as they conceive to be received by Christ or fit to be comforted by him such persons I say are not to be forthwith debarred from coming to the throne of grace for oft-times sincerity of conviction compunction and humiliation is to be found in such as are displeased with their own short-coming in such preparatory dispositions more then in many others who make a fairer shew and profession of their godly sorrow and humiliation and are well pleased with themselves in that respect We must be wary also while we require sorrow and humiliation and other like preparatory dispositions in them who may come unto Christ least we secretly import and insinuat a sort of merit to be in such dispositions so as if he that doth not perceive himself thus qualified could expect no good at Christs hands except he have in his hand such preparatory dispositions as if it were a price of purchasing adresse to Christ. But let us hold this fast that the more poor and empty a man be in his own eyes he ought to draw the more near unto the riches of grace in Christ because in him only are to be found all the treasures of every saving grace and preparatory dispositions for receiving thereof he is that exalted Prince who giveth repentance unto Israel Act. 5. 31. he is the author and finisher of faith unto whom all they who in the sense of their want of repentance and faith do sigh in themselves ought and safely may come that they may have from him a more ample
aiming to walk as reconciled children and servants unto God uprightly laying forth their burdens and desires before him daily all these I say are believers in Christ and may assure themselves of reconciliation for there is no more in the Apostles and Ministers commission required for entering of the humbled sinner into a covenant of friendship save this we request you in Gods name and in the name of God incarnat Jesus Christ the Mediatour we beseech you be reconciled to God v. 20. Now we judge that humbled sinners fled to Christ and purposing to amend their lives by his grace will not be found unwilling to accept this offer of reconciliation but will declare their hearty consent to this offer and so may be convinced that a covenant is closed between God and them and that God hath given unto them saving faith how weak soever it seemeth unto them for the consenting unto and accepting of this offer is the condition required for entering in covenant and the proper act of saving faith Fifthly the Apostle holdeth forth the ground-right of this covenant and reason whereupon the sinner fled to Christ may be assured of justification because in the covenant of Redemption past between God in three persons on the one hand and the second person of the God-head as Mâ—diaâ—oâ— and perfect Redeemer by price-paying on the other hand it is agreed finally ended and decreed that Christs satisfaction made for the imbracer of this offered reconciliation shall as certainly make the believer judicially righteous and justifie him as Christ was judicially made sin or a sacrifice for the sins of the redeemed for God saith he v. 21. hath made Christ to be sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him Therefore as Christ the only Mediator by accepting the covenant of Redemption had the sins of the redeemed imputed unto him albeit there was no sin at all nor could be in him and was punished for them unto the death of the crosse So the humbled sinner by flying unto Christ and accepting the offered covenant of reconciliation hath Christs satisfaction imputed unto him albeit he can see nothing in himself but a masse of inherent sin and shall not enter into condemnation but be brought to life-eternal through Jesus Christ our Lord. Both the covenant of Redemption made with Christ in the Redeemers name and the covenant of Reconciliation made with us through Christ are of Gods making and so must stand and cannot be dis-annulled for ever The other place 1 Cor. 1. 30. holdeth forth the right which God hath made to the believer unto the unsearchable riches of Christ whereunto the weakest believer fled from sin and wrath unto Christ as the refuge and perfect remedy from both may claim namely wisdom righteousnesse sanctification and redemption by him and that by covenant and decree registrat in this and other places of Scripture as judicially declared and adjudged unto all and every believer in him So that they may and should make use of Christ as made unto them wisdom to direct them justification to justifie them sanctification to perfect them peece and peece in holinesse and redemption to support them under and deliver them from all bonds of misery For the better understanding of this rich passage we shall take it up in four sentences pronounced from the holy Spirit by the Apostle in every one whereof these three things are insinuat and imported first our need of Christ 2. his ingaged help and supply and 3. our duty to lay hold upon and make use of him according to the right and interest in him made unto every believer The first sentence is this Christ is made unto us wisdom which importeth first that not only we are by nature blind and ignorant of our sin and misery blind and ignorant of the way of salvation and right maner of serving God but also after that we are illuminat by grace and made in some measure to know our last condition and to flye unto Christ for delivery we are compassed about with much darknesse and foggy mists of doubts errors and mistakes and have need to be in every step of our way directed and powerfully taught by Christs Word and Spirit to know what is that good and acceptable will of God Secondly it importeth that as Christ is the treasure of all wisdom and knowledge who hath revealed in the Scriptures the whole counsell of God concerning our salvation So he is judicially made over unto us as anointed Prophet to his Church to make known unto us the way of life by his Word and Spirit Thirdly it imports our duty to receive him as the great gift of God and to give up our selves to his teaching to imploy him and depend upon him as Prophet appointed to us for direction by his Word what to believe and how to live before God Whereupon the weakest believer may trust in him for guiding them in the use of the Scripture and exercise of the means appointed by him unto salvation because he is made of God unto us wisdom and intimation thereof is made by his Apostle The second sentence is this Christ is made of God unto us righteousnesse which presupponeth first that we are by nature destitute of righteousnesse condemâ—ed as unrighteous by the law and unable to deliver our selves from condemnation and when we are fled to Christ and delivered from condemnation that we are not able to stand in that state but by our daily sins wherein we fall do deserve to be condemned as unrighteous Secondly it imports that Christ is not only righteous in himself and able to satisfie divine justice for our sins but also hath undertaken to pay and actually hath payed the price of our redemption by his obedience unto the Father even to the dâ—ath of the Crosse and hath taken on him the office of high Priest to apply unto us absolution from our sins make us accepted and to be dealt with as righteous and to keep us in that blessed estate by his intercession Thirdly it imports our duty to lay hold on Christ our Cautioâ—er by vertue of our right and interest in him granted and intimat unto us and so to rest on him that whatsoever Sathan Conscience or Law violat by us shalâ— say we who are fâ—ed from sin and wrath to him may oppose this sentence of our absolution registrat here Christ is made unto us righteousnesse judicially by the decree and decreet of God The third sentence is this Christ is made unto us of God sanctification which presupponeth that in the justified believer there are remaining still the reliques of sin inherent from which we are not able of our selves to deliver our selves but have need of divine power to mortifie sin in us and to repair the image of God by increasing holinesse in us Secondly it importeth that Christ the Mediator the holy one of Israel hath not only payed the price of our redemption
do acknowledge that they deserve death for their sins do confesse they stand in need of Christ do thirst for his righteousnesse do desire earnestly to be united unto him by faith do follow the exercise of Religion and do endeavour to keep their consciences undefiled in all things and yet for all this do not only doubt whether they be renewed but also do esteem it a presumptuous rashnesse in them to approach unto Christ or to cast themselves over on him by faith before they be more seriously humbled before they feel a more hearty sorrow and grief before they feel the pangs of the new birth more sharp before they be more pressed with the burthen of their sins and do feel in themselves the spirit of fear and trembling and bondage in a higher measure From whom if you ask a reason of their doubt they shall answer that they are not yet called to come unto Christ because these are only called to come unto Christ who are weary and loaden in the superlative degree and are so born down with the weight of sin as they cannot be more and not despair for so do they interpret that saying of Christ Matth. 11. 28. Christ is sent only to the contrite and broken in heart who sit in the dust under the spirit of bondage that is to say as they take it to them who are under grief unspeakable as they expound Isa. 61. 1 2 3. So in their opinion Christ came to save only those who in their own sense are lost that is who are on the brink of desperation wherefore in respect they are not gone down deep enough as they think into this gulf and hell of anguish and sorrow they dare not approach or look toward Christ. Mean time they lye daily mourning and weeping and will not grant that their grief is worthy of the name of grief which sorrow they cannot dissemble or hide but do bewray it in their countenance habite walking and frequent sighing and will professe that they can hardly think they have right to eat or drink of Gods creatures and were it not for fear of adding yet more sin to the former they would not eat or drink at all oft-times they chatter as swallows and sigh as the turtle dove and oft-times their bowels sound out as if their parents or children or nearest relations were dead and yet for all this do not satisfie themselves in sorrow but do complain that they are stupid and senslesse of their sinfull and miserable condition wherein they do lye bound and though they do confesse that sometimes they mourn yet they alledge their mourning is but like the early dew or morning cloud that goeth soon away All the while it is in vain to offer to the afflicted consolation in Christ because saith he I am not one of the mourners in Sion whom he will comfort and in this their mistake they do confirm themselves by another error saying that the measure of repentance and sorrow should answer unto the measure of sin my sins saith he go far beyond the sins of others This and the like objections they cast in whereby they do obstruct their own way unto Christ and keep themselves aback from him till they be satisfied with their own prescribed measure of sorrow which case indeed deserveth much compassion for who would not commiserat their case who being in a very miserable condition dare not seek relief from their own misery which they do feel and all because they are not yet more miserable and when they are asked cannot determine what measure of affected humiliation they would stand at as sufficient 2. In the cure of this case as much must be yielded to the afflicted as reasonably can be and first it must be confessed that it is the duty of all who approach unto Christ to come in the sense of sin and acknowledgment of their miserable condition and that the due deserving of their sin is everlasting death It must be confessed also that the measure of compunction contrition and lamentation for sin may possibly be exceeding great as we see in the experience of Heman the Ezrait Psal 88. 11. I am afflicted and ready to die from my youth up while I suffer thy terrors I am distracted And David Ps. 38. This also further must be yielded unto him that the operation of the spirit of conviction by the law doth ordinarily and of its own nature go before the spirit of adoption or the operation of the spirit of the Gospel according to the covenant of grace so that no man can in earnest embrace Christ as a Physician as Mediator and Saviour of his soul except he be sensible of his disease acknowledge his natural enmity against God and his own lost condition being by nature under the curse of the Law Secondly when these things are agreed upon the afflicted person may be posed concerning the measure of the sorrow for sin whether it must be the same in every convert to wit in that extremity and superlative degree which he doth miss and desiderat in himself and how long that sorrow in this eminent measure must continue By this question he cannot choose but be at a stand and unable to answer with Scripture-warrand for the Scripture doth indeed require serious repentance but the measure of sorrow and sadnesse it doth not prescribe for Matth. chap. 3. v. 2. 6. many upon the hearing of Iohn Baptist preaching were convicted of their sins and did confesse their sins in the general and forthwith were baptized by him And Act. 2. 37. 41. three thousand souls at the hearing of one sermon of Peter were convinced of their sin pricked at the heart repented and fled to Christ for grace were converted baptized and entered members of the Christian Church all in one day Again the afflicted may be posed with another question seing he desiderats such a measure of sound hearty sorrow in himself before he can make his addresse unto Christ out of what fountain mindeth he to draw this sorrow of himself he hath it not and from Christ by his grounds he cannot seek it for he saith for want of his imagined measure of sorrow for sin he dare not approach unto Christ because as he alledgeth none are called to come unto Christ except such only as are in a superlative degree weary and loaden and so full of the spirit of heavinesse that he must be at the point of desperation near by But the Scripture doth teach us that Christ is that exalted Prince to give repentance unto Israel in what measure of sorrow he pleaseth and that therefore such as are convinced of and in any measure sorrowfull for offending God should run unto Christ that he may give them a better measure of repentance Thirdly the evils and danger which accompany and follow upon this practical error may be represented unto the afflicted for first by this his error he giveth way to Sathans tentation who when he perceiveth the
of eternal life Other some doubting of the soundnesse of their conversion because the â—error of God and fear of condemnation and hell prevailed more with them for changing their course then the love of God and true holinesse did and both the one sort and the other do conceive the chief rise of their change to have been natural or carnal self-love fearing harm and loving life 2. For removing of this doubt we grant that there are many who after some notable delivery from death or some notable benefit received or after some sharp rod of chastisement for their sin have changed their outward way of living left off grosse vices and led a more civil and blamelesse outward life and yet have neither seriously repented them of sin nor seriously fled in unto the grace of Jesus Christ offered in the Gospel neither knowing what saving faith is nor carefull to know it but of such we do not speak here for we are speaking of the true convert and renewed man who in the sense of sin is fled to Christ in the sense of his unworthinesse maketh the grace offered his refuge and in the sense of indigence looketh up to Christ and seeketh supply of him in all things and by the holy Spirit is striving against sin endeavouring in some measure of sincerity to bring forth the fruits of faith and repentance and yet for all this he doubteth of the sincerity of his own conversion for the reasons foresaid To this souldier and wrestler we say as before we said to him that doubteth of his conversion because he cannot design the time of his conversion it is not material by what way or means or motives a man is brought unto Christ provided he doth come and indeed adhere to Christ it is all one whether the rise of the mans turning from sin to God was love alluring or terror driving him whether a benefit or a sharp rod whether fear or hope did at the first beginning of his change move him to seek God provided God manifested in the flesh Christ Jesus the Redeemer of sinners be now his beloved Lord and precious in his eyes for he that is most sweetly allured to come to God and without much fear is converted who possibly after serious conviction of sin and deserved death is not keeped long at the door of mercy but forthwith is admitted to the throne of grace and tenderly entertained by the Spirit of consolation may fall in hard exercises afterward This is evident in the experience of the Prophet David in whom his brethren living in the same family with him did not perceive any signes of a sorrowfull or heavy heart as his brother Eliab's words do shew 1 Sam. 17. 28. I know thy pride and the naughtiness of thy heart Thus did Eliab judge of David's chearfull carriage whereof also we have some evidence that David was of a ruddy and beautiful countenance and for some years of his youth did passe the time pleasantly serving God with his songs and harp while he was feeding his sheep in the wildernesse now none can justly question his conversion all this time or his sincerity in this service yet afterward he was otherwayes exercised for oft-times he felt the power of the Law upon his spirit and was tossed with the terror thereof and made to mourn and weep heavily Such doth Iob's condition seem to be in his youth as it is described Iob 29. but afterward in the tryal of his faith what a conflict with temptation he had the sacred History doth testifie Therefore there is no reason why any in whom these evidences of a true Israelit are found in any measure should suspect the sincerity of his regeneration because he hath been gently handled in his conversion for it may come to passe that the same person may fall in firy tryals and so hard temptations as he may fall in doubt of his conversion in regard of the sad afflictions inward and outward whereby he is exercised In which case he will be found to be mistaken no lesse then he was mistaken in the former case and condition for some dear children of God may possibly both in their conversion and most part of their life be exercised with the terrors of the Law and yet retain fast hold by faith on Christs grace in their deepest afflictions For instance we offer that precious soul Heman the Ezrait who came near unto Solomon in the point of wisdom 1 King 4 31. and yet how bitter his afflictions of spirit were the 88. Psalm beareth witnesse specially v. 13. 14 15. But unto thee have I cryed O Lord and in the morning shall my prayer prevent thee And why castest 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 c. And therefore there is no just cause that any in whom the evidences of faith and repentance may be found should call the sincerity of his own conversion in question how hardly soever he seem to be handled of God for whosoever is joyned to the Lord Jesus and will neither suffer himself to be driven from him nor yet will endure sin to remain in himself uncontrolled is certainly a true convert As for these who for some temporal cause are come to Christ as many did come in the dayes of his flesh that they might be delivered from some temporal evil or obtain some temporal benefit and for that cause do doubt of their conversion or sincerity thereof they need not dispute much about the occasions of their first seeking after God provided that they have learned what Christs grace is and do seek righteousnesse and salvation in him for we read in the Evangel that sundry that they might be cured of leprosie palsie blindnesse c. came unto Christ who afterward came and adhered to him by faith as the only Redeemer and Saviour of their souls from sin and misery Wherefore in such doubtings let not the afflicted trouble himself nor call his conversion in question but let him give all diligence to strengthen his faith and to increase in holinesse making his calling and election sure by well-doing for if he do this he shall neither be found idle nor unfruitfull in the knowledge of our Lord Iesus as the Apostle promiseth 2 Pet. 1. 8. CHAP. XI Wherein the converts doubt of his being in the state of grace arising from heavy afflictions and grievous tentations is solved SOme true converts sometime fall into great suspicionâ— of their regeneration of their effectual calling and of the love of God unto them and that because they meet with sore outward afflictions and are assaulted also possibly with horrible inward tentations which do befall them unexpectedly and are ready to swallow them up for whereas after divers conflicts in their conversion and peace of conscience following after these sad exercises of mind they hoped to have injoyed Gods peace still after
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
things to come and the gift of working miracles and the gift of preaching the Gospel may be granted unto the unregenerat for the use and edification of the Church The observing of this difference shall teach the afflicted to esteem well of all the gifts of God which may serve for humane society or to edifie the Church but not to look upon them as evidences of regeneration for they are nothing in comparison of saving graces for if he shall study to humility and repentance toward God and faith toward Jesus Christ and love to God and his Saints and to a holy life by the grace of Christ in any measure let him esteem more of them then of all these common gifts how glorious soever they seem As also let him put a difference betwixt the judgment of charity concerning other mens estate which contents it self with probabilities and the judgment of certainty and reall verity concerning his own estate which proceeds from the operation of the holy Spirit bearing witnesse to our spirits that we are the children of God and revealing unto us what things are freely given to us of God to wit among other gifts giving unto us eye-salve to make us know that we are blind poor naked and miserable with grace leading us to buy without money or price from Christ gold tryed in the fire and garments to hide our nakednesse which is the righteousnesse of Christ imputed unto us In the judgement of charity concerning other mens estate we see nothing save what is outward and cannot pierce into their hearts which God only can and doth search but concerning our own estate we may know certainly if we search well 1 Cor. 2. 10 11 12. Wherefore that the afflicted may overcome this doubt let him leave unto God the judgment of the hearts of these hypocrits and apostats which were never humbled in 〈◊〉 sense of sin nor seriously believed in Christ but to satisfie himself concerning his own estate let him study to discern the power of sin in himself more and more and daily be humbled before God in the sense of it And the more he discern the loathsomnesse of sin in himself let him the more heartily embrace Christ offered in the Gospel and consecrat himself wholly unto him that in his furniture drawn by faith out of Christ he may bring forth good fruits and add one vertue to another and so shall he be sure that he hath passed the perfection of the unregenerat and is a true subject of the kingdom of God effectually called and elected of God unto eternall life 2 Pet. 1. 5 6 7 8. CHAP. XIV Wherein is solved the doubt of the true convert whether he be in the state of grace because some godly persons look upon him as an hypocrit SOme true converts do suspect themselves not to be true converts because some of the godly of their acquaintance whose judgment otherwayes is not to be lightly rejected not only do suspect them to be hypocrits but by words spoken of them and behaviour toward them declare their judgment of them 2. This tentation doth not a little afflict the weak in faith who of themselves are ready to call in question their own conversion and when they perceive their own suspicion of themselves to be as it were confirmed by the suspicion and testimony of some Saints howsoever rashly judging other mens hearts no wonder the tentation of Sathan questioning whether they be the children of God grow strong against them By this stratageme Sathan useth to assault the strongest in faith and to vex them at least as we may see in the exercise of Iob whose faith was mightily assaulted when his godly friends mistook his affliction and condemned him as a wicked hypocrit The like we see in the exercise of the Prophet Ps. 38. 11. when his friends stood aloof from his plague 3. For strengthening the afflicted under this tentation first let him examine himself so much the more acuratly because of the suspicion that the godly have of him after which examination if he find any measure of sorrow for sin in himself and of faith flying to Christ for relief and of endeavour to live holily righteously and soberly albeit joyned with much infirmity and manifold imperfections let him not cast away his confidence but rather strengthen what he findeth of the Lords gracious work in him although it seem to him ready to dye Secondly let him consider whether this exercise and affliction be a correction from God chastising him for his rash judgment of others whom possibly he hath wounded with such rash suspicions of them but whether he find this or not let him not despise this exercise but be humbled before God in the acknowledgment of the reliques of hypocrisie in our corrupt nature and flye unto Christ in whose mouth there was no guile that he may be cloathed with his righteousnesse head and feet and let him study unto more and more sincerity that he may approve himself to God and to discreet Judges of his conversation and let him not alienat himself altogether so far as in him lyeth from them by whose suspicions his faith and good name hath been wounded but in humility and charity toward them in the constant following of piety toward God and righteousnesse toward men labour to commend himself to all mens consciences And in so doing he needeth not stand for the rash judgment of any man for by so doing Iob was victorious over this tentation in his conflict with his friends and it is sure that men may be deceived in their judgement of other mens estate for first the ignorance of another mans heart maketh the Judge to judge what he knoweth not It is true God hath granted unto his children liberty according to his Word to judge of the actions of other men and from their actions to judge of their condition and temper in relation to those actions but to judge of their state who outwardly do what is right doth not belong to men but to God who hath reserved to himself the searching of every mans heart and only knoweth who is the upright and who is the hypocrit who is the wise and who is the foolish virgin the outward conversation of both being like one to another Again to know another mans manners ingine inclination and way of his life doth require long conversing with him comparison of his actions one with another and a prudent conjunction of all signes of his inward disposition before a discreet charitable judgment can be had of him And whosoever do judge rashly of other mens hearts do not well know their own heart or of what spirit they are in judging for many presume too much to justifie their own condition and state and make themselves to be as rules and paterns unto others and so become too too rigid censurers and severe judges of other mens conditions and state except they find it like to their own And if there be any
dissimilitude of manners or discrepance of judgment or contention about any mater then partiality hindereth a right judgment one of another and affection marreth reason many times that it cannot discern what is right Therefore let the person afflicted with this tentation turn himself to God who searcheth the reines and let him humble himself in his sight renewing the exercise of repentance and faith in Christ and let him apply to himself what the Scripture doth pronounce of these who in the sense of their sin do flye to Christ Jesus that in him they may have remission of sin and amendment of their life for so did the Prophet in the whole Psal. 17. when he had to do with his uncharitable friends and kinsfolk and so let the afflicted do CHAP. XV. Wherein the converts doubting of his being in the state of grace so oft as he doth not feel the sense of his reconciliation with God is examined and answered SOâ—e true converts are who indeed are indued with the saving graces of faith hope and charity and give evident proof of the in-dwelling of the holy Spirit in them and do rejoyce now and then in God their Saviour when his love to them is shed abroad in their heart but when a cloud cometh over their eyes and they do not feel the warm beams of the Sun of righteousnesse shining in their soul as they before have felt they are assaulted with doubting if any saving grace be in them at all and do entertain these tentations oft-times so far as to suspect and expresse in words that there is no solid faith in themselves no lively hope no christian charity no mortification of sin no purity of heart and such like if when they are thus tempted and tossed they lay hold on Christ as in their first conversion and find the sensible comfort of the holy Spirit by the word of the Gospel applyed unto them then all is well their doubting is overcome for the time they rejoyce and praise God But if the Lord shall delay for his own wise ends to renew their sensible consolations and to renew the earnest-penny of their inheritance forthwith they begin to doubt again and to hearken to Sathans suggestions and to suspect that their former feelings were but temporary and not the special operations of the holy Spirit and at length break forth in many sad complaints And in a word they do not maintain the work of saving grace in themselves longer then the sun shine of spiritual felt consolations abideth with them And albeit their exercise be no wayes so hard as was the Prophets Psal. 77. yet they fall out in the same complaint which the Prophet expresseth ver 7 8 9. Will the Lord cast off for ever and will he be favourable no more is his mercy clean gone for ever doth his promise fail for evermore hath God forgotten to be gracious hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies 2. For clearing of this case two diseases may be perceived in the afflicted which is here described The one is this the afflicted setteth himself to live rather by sense then by faith and doth put his faith on work of set purpose that he may obtain or recover consolation shortly but if his desire be not shortly granted he maketh not use of the formerly felt consolations to strengthen his own â—aith when consolation is withdrawn The other sicknesse is this the afflicted doth not take up the nature of saving graces nor perceive the beauty thereof except in the sun-shine of sensible divine approbation thereof he doth not take up the right definition or description of saving graces for saith is to him nothing if it be not a full perswasion except he can pour forth tears alwayes he thinks he doth not repent except he find a joyfull expectation of Christs coming in glory he thinks his hope not lively and so of charity and patience temperance righteousnesse and holinesse if he do not find them in some eminent measur as they may nearâ—by stand before the law the afflicted of whom we are now speaking thinketh he hath nothing of saving grace in him We grant that this sicknesse is very rare and few they are that are troubled with it yet where it appeareth it must be speedily cured but with great circumspection cured for the earnest desire he hath of feeling the sweet sense of the joy of the holy Ghost must not be disallowed but commended to him and he taught to cry as it is said Cant. 2. 5. Stay me with flaggons comfort me with aples for I am sick of love yet with holy submission unto Gods will for time maner and measure 2. He is also to be commended that in his trouble he goeth to God in Christ not altogether without faith which he putteth forth in active exercise thereof by confession of sin by supplication and otherwayes but here is he to be reproved that while he is actually exercising faith love hope c. he reckoneth all he doeth to be nothing no faith no hope c. because it is not in such a measure as he would 3. He is to be commended that he doth aime at the highest degrees of faith love hope patience mortification of sin and practice of holinesse and all commanded vertues but here he faileth that he counteth all as nought when consolation and sensible approbation of what he hath is not felt for here he despiseth the day of small things and unthankfully mis-regardeth the lower degrees of these saving graces which notwithstanding are bought to the redeemed by the same price wherewith the highest degrees are bought to wit with the precious blood of Jesus Christ. 3. Wherefore let the afflicted consider first that the will of God revealed requireth of us that we walk by faith and under the sense of our sinfulnesse and afflictions whatsoever hold fast the covenant of grace in Christ Jesus and by adhering unto him hold up our heart and entertain spiritual life in us Secondly let him consider that this way of living by faith and dependence on the word of Gods grace doth please the Lord well for without faith it is impossible to please him and thus living by faith in him doth give more glory of truth grace mercy and constancy unto God then when we suspend the glorifying of him till we find the sense of consolation from him for if we believe in God only because we find the consolations of his Spirit our faith in that case is weak and leaneth more upon the pledge and sensible evidence of his truth bestowed upon us then upon his promise without a pledge for no man will refuse to give credit to a man upon a pawn but God is worthy to be credited upon his word without a pawn yea when his dispensation seemeth contrary to his promise Thirdly let him consider that the Lord useth to give sensible consolations not only to help our faith in the time of consolation but also to help our
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
let the convert thus mistaken after his experience felt that he hath been carnally confident not be discouraged as if his confidence which he seemed to have placed on God were altogether vain and in no degree spiritual but let him first be humbled before God and submit himself to the Lords rod let him acknowledge the wisdom justice and mercy of God who hath removed this prop of carnal confidence and reduced him from going astray to depend more on God then he hath done 2. Let him strengthen his faith in Christ according to the renor of the covenant of Grace and that so much the more as he finds his own unrighteousnesse in following and relying on creature-comforts to have been great 3. Let him set his affections upon things spiritual which are above the earth and to be found in Jesus Christ who is at the right hand of the Father Col. 3. 1. 23. and to loose his estimation and affection from these things that are on earth 4. Because this sicknesse is not well observed except in the time of adversity let the afflicted person approvâ— himself in the point of sincerity of adherence unto God by his trusting in God now when he wanteth means and creature-comforts as Iob did who in this condition blessed God for the giving of the benefits and blessed God at the removing of them from him Iob. 1. 21. For by so doing he shall learn both to have and want and in every condition to be content as the Apostle was taught Phil 4. 12. and this is for the first sort of carnal confidence The other sort of carnal confidence is that which too much leaneth to some apparent measure of the operation and fruits of the holy Spirit observed by the convert in himself and this sicknesse may be taken up and perceived chiefly by comparison of the converts stronger confidence of the love of God toward him so long as he can find evidencâ— signes of his regeneration and work of the holy Spirit 〈◊〉 himself with â—is weaker confidence of the love of God toward him under the cloud of descrtion or under some powerfull temptation when these evident signes of his conversion are darkened or do not appear so clearly unto himself as they did 〈◊〉 In which case his confidence is greatly weakned and his faith not a little shaken with doubting In both the one and the other condition the câ—venant of Grace standeth fixed and the promises of the Gospel remain the same and the convert still adhereth to the covenant and claimeth interest in Christ more or lesse confident Whence cometh then this difference between his former confidence which was strong and his weaker confidence now in the change of his case being brought low Certainly it proceedeth from the smiting of the pillar whereupon his former confidence was too much fixed for whensoever the mist is cleared up and he findeth the livelynesse of the work of grace in himself his confidence convalesceth and returns to it 's former strength as it seemeth to him and when his graces are darkened he falleth in a languishing weaknesse of faith This sicknesse is so frequently incident to the Saints that few shall be found who are not again and again overtaken in it for how few are they who are not much more confident when they find a heart freely poured forth in prayer when they injoy the peace of God in their heart when the love of God is shed abroad in their heart when they find the consolations of the holy Spirit when they observe the â—ruits of the holy Spirit in themselves when the candle of the Lord shineth in their soul and the tokens of Gods savour toward them are manifest and on the other hand when they find their spiritual condition changed when darknesse falleth on their spirit when they find themselves unfit for worship and unable to do service but most of all when they perceive tokens of fatherly wrath against them super-added unto the foresaid evils in this case who is he that beside the inevitable perturbation of mind incident to those who are strongest in faith doth not find a diminution of his former confidence and a conflict with temptations fears doubts and difficulties which diminution and abating of his confidence in his tryals and inward exercises doth evidently prove that in his best condition he hath laid too much weight upon on the mutable disposition of his soul and hath not so stucken to the Word of Gods grace through Jesus as became him 2. That this sicknesse may be the more easily cleared and cured it is expedient to answer some questions which being discussed may inform and edifie the afflicted Question 1. THe first question which the afflicted may propound is this Seing the signes of Gods favour manifested in the bestowing and continuing of common benefits and gifts outward and inward do certainly serve to confirm a mans faith in God is it not very reasonable to say that the signes of Gods wrath manifested in the removing of those benefits do certainly serve to debilitat and weaken a mans faith Ans. 1. Signs of Gods favour and signs of Gods wrath are not inconsistent because God can carry love and favour to a man and be angry at him also for the present ill disposition wherein he is for love and fatherly wrath are not opposit and inconsistent but love and hatred are inconsistent 2. Let it be granted that any signes whatsoever of Gods favour may be made use of by the convert for strengthening of his faith yet it must not be granted that the taking away of those signes of favour should be made use of for weakening of a mans faith For many things may encourage a man to do his duty which being removed must not discourage him or justly hinder him to do his duty 3. There is a great difference between the man who never found any other sign of Gods favour beside prosperity in common benefits and the man who beside common benefits hath felt a work of grace upon his spirit bringing him unto the sense of sin and chasing him to Christ and making him to take on his yoke The first sort of men can neither from the having nor wanting or removal of common benefits conclude eh is loved or hated for so are we taught Eccles. 9. 1 2 No man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before him all things come alike to all c. But a man of this sort hath reason to judge that the sending on him adversity and wakening of him out of a flâ—shly and deadly security doth speak more of Gods favour to him then his prosperity did And this other sort of men who have felt a work of special grace on their hearts may make use both of their prosperity and adversity for confirmation of their faith 4. Put case that a convert chased unto Christ in the sense of his sin and resolved to bear Christs yoke upon him shall find common benefits taken back
conscience and felt wrath pursuing me for sin may be clear to me by its own light and scriptural evidence albeit it being possibly the very instant of my conversion I cannot produce any fruits or evidences of my conversion past or else what shall be said of malefactors on the scaffold presently to be put to death and possibly not wakened in conscience before not fled to Christ before What shall be said of sick persons near unto death who being self-condemned do betake themselves in their last agony unto the grace of God in Christ offered to self-condemned sinners in the Gospel 2. I must put difference between a reason to prove that I have believed and a reason why I may and must now believe The reason to prove that I have believed is from the effect to prove the cause thereof to wit faith to be in me but the reason why I may now and must believe is from the cause to infer the effect that should be in me the cause of believing in Christ is Gods command to self-condemned sinners which command I must now obey left I perish and so if I find fruits I prove I have believed because I feel the love of God shed abroad in my heart and that I love God who hath freely loved me and here I reason from the effect to prove that the cause of this fruit to wit saâ—ing faith hath preceeded and is gone before Again I prove that I should believe because the offer of the Gospel and of free grace in Christs made to all self-condemned persons renouncing confidence in their own worth or works is made to me with a command to believe in the Son of God Christ Jesus for which cause I may and ought to cast my self upon his grace who justifieth the ungodly flying to him without the works of the Law 3. I must put difference between my having fruits of faith in me and my observing and finding these fruits in me for a true convert may have both faith and fruits and for the time being under tryal and temptation may be so darkened that he can see nothing in himself but sin and apparent wrath pursuing him for sin as may be seen in Ionah in the belly of the fish Ionah 2. 4. and David Ps. 51 9 10. 4. I must put difference between my perswasion that I have been and am a true convert and a sincere believer and my perswasion that I have right reason and good warrand to believe in Christ in my lowest condition howsoever then I find my self emptied of all signes of saving grace in me for the time yet my perswasion that I should in this sad condition flye to Christ and believe in him doth serve to make me consent heartily unto the offer of the covenant of grace in Christ doth serve to make way for my justification and looseth all doubts and objections of Sathan tempting me to mis-believe and to run away from Christ and the offered mercy in him 5. And last of all I must put difference between making use of good fruits brought forth by me for confirmation of my faith and my putting confidence in or laying weight on these good fruits for many true converts do here fail and do not mark the mistakes for when they find love to God and his Saints with fear and holy reverence and such other like signes of grace in their hearts and outward fruits thereof in their life then they do believe in Christ and rejoice in him but when at another time they find hardnesse of heart profanity and perversenesse of a wicked nature in themselves they are like to quite their interest in the covenant of Grace and to stand aloof from Christ like strangers when they should most be humbled and creep in to him for remission of sin aâ—d hiding of their nakednesse by his imputed righteousnesse And what is this in effect else then in the first place to lean on their works and holy disposition as if there were merit in them and then after in the next place to believe in Christ who hath furnished them those fruits whereas they should in the sense of their sin and unworthinesse first flye to Christ and firmly adhere to him by faith that out of his fulnesse they may receive grace for grace according as we are taught to do by Christ himself Ioh. 15. 5. He that abideth in me and l in him the same bringeth forth much fruit for without me you can do nothing CHAP. VII Concerning the case of the convert in some point of doctrine deluded and pleasing himself in this condition TO speak of delusion and bewitching in the general requireth a large Treatise It shall suffice our purpose to speak of it as it hath place in the point of doctrine and practice erroneous Which we describe thus Delusion is a powerfull operation of a lying Spirit whereby he obtrudes to men some noysome error in doctrine or practise contrary to true doctrine fairded over with sophistical deceits and doth perswade inconsiderate souls effectually to receive the error for truth and to defend and spread it in their rash zeal For explication of which description we say 1. delusion is a powerfull operation of a lying Spirit wherein Sathan in Gods judgment is permitted to put forth his power in lying effectually Therefore in all his effectuall delusions there is a concurring righteous judgment of God in loosing reins to the rempter that by delusion one sin in one degree may be punished by a following sin in a higher degree No wonder therefore that a lying Spirit do work more effectually when he is not restrained by the powerfull hand of God 2. We say that delusion is in some dangerous error tending to the damage of the Church and hazard of souls And this we say not as if we did think that any sin doth not draw with it the merit of death for the wages of every sin is death but because Sathan is not so busie to spred and foment such errors as are lesse perillous as he is active in such errors which do most tend to pester the Church and divert the professors of religion from the path way of saving doctrine And to this purpose he essayes all means that he may obscure and darken the truth and devise and spread abroad the most pernicious errors Mean time he is not idle in sowing and spreading lesser errors that he may stir up contention and jangling in the Church whereby precious time which should be spent for mutual edification may be idly wasted in needlesse disputes and mens minds may be prepared to receive grosser errors Thirdly we put some difference between errors in doctrine and errors in practice albeit there cannot be one error in practice whether it be in the external worship or government of the Church or in outward conversation which being stiffly maintained hath not some error of judgment and doctrine joyned with it or else it should not be contrary to sound doctrine
yet there may be an error in doctrine and judgment of the mind when in the outward practice the error may lye hid and men of contrary judgment may consent and agree in the same practice Fourthly we presuppose the errors whereof we are speaking to be coloured and covered with fair pretenses and to be found deceitfull sophistry For otherwayes a disciple of Christ could not be easily insnared if the error were seen in its own colours if it were demonstrat unto him with sound reason to be contrary to sound doctrine and pernicious to the welfare of the Church and to mens souls For in this case every ingenuous and honest mind would keep off from the error as from a deep pit But Sathan setteth forth the error as if it were no error but most consonant to wholsome doctrine and profitable for mens souls and the Churches good And by plansible pretenses sets out the error so as it may seem lovely and worthy to befended and spred abroad by all means Fifthly in this delusion we are speaking of we presuppose that in the person deluded there is a perswasion stronger then any probation which he hath can support For there the efficacie of error doth specially appear when the lying Spirit by probable conjectures appearance of advantage and sophistical disputation doth perswade the deluded soul that the error is as sure as if by divine oracle it were revealed and declared to be a truth How this can be and how Sathan worketh this perswasion it is not to our purpose to make inquiry For lying Spirits have their own way unknown to us whereby they insinuat and suggest their errors unto men It may suffice us that the Scripture hath taught us that Sathan can form objections against our faith Ephes. 6. 10 11 12. and throw them at us as fiery darts and work strong perswasions in unstable or ignorant souls Such was the perswasion of the Galatians which the Apostle avoucheth to have been procured not by God who had called them Gal 5. 8. Sixthly we presuppose in a powerfull delusion a bastard and misled zeal making the deluded man ardently to defend and promove the error which he hath embraced For this is Sathans main endeavour when he hath leavened with error one or moe in a Church to make all the use of them he can to leaven the Church with the same error And to the intent this mater may be the more usefully spoken of three questions must be answered so briefly as may be The first question is whether such a powerfull delusion may befall a true convert We answer it is possible and experience proveth it that it is possible we learn from the Apostles fear 2 Cor. 11. 3. I fear least by any means as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtility So your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity which is in Christ He was feared also for the Colossians lest they should be deluded Col. 2. 4. This I say lest any man beguile you with intising words And ver 8. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit after the traditions of men after the rudiments of the world and not after Christ. Wherein it is clear that this sort of delusion may befall the Saints Now that it hath indeed and in experience befallen some true converts it is evident by what Christ saith to the Church of Thyatira Rev. 2. 20. I have a few things against thee because thou sufferest that woman Jezabel which calleth her self a prophetesse to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication and to eat things sacrificed to Idols And the Apostle shews the mater evidently to have befallen the Galatians Gal. 3. 1. O follish or mad Galatians who hath be witched you that you should not obey the truth Secondly that this delusion drew deep and was very dangerous appeare Gal. 1. 6. I marvel that you are so soon turned from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another Gospel And Gal. 5. 2. they were in danger to lose all benefit by Christ and ver 4. in danger and on the way to fall from grace Thirdly the Galatians did erre both in doctrine and practice in doctrine because they sought to be justified by the works of the Law Gal 5. 4. In practice they erred Gal. 4. 10 11. ye observe dayes aud moneths and times and years I am afraid of you lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain Fourthly their error was fairded with the pretense of the truth which made them greedily embrace the error for Gal. 4. 9 they turned themselves back to Mosaical rites and ceremonies now abolished under the pretense of sometime commanded duties And ver 21. they desired to be under the Law and so run themselves under the curse Fifthly their error was not by a light opinion held by them but by a full perswasion wrought in them not by Christ but by a lying spirit Gal. 5. 8. Sixthly this bastard and unhallowed zeal was evidenced both in the seducing teachers and in the misled Galatians Gal. 4. 17. They zealously affect you but not well yea they would exclude you that you might affect them that is draw you away from the society of Christ and his true Apostles that you might be their affectionat disciples And as for the Galatians deluded by Sathan by their means they turned their ardent affection toward the Apostle almost in hatred against him Gal. 4. 15 16. Am I become your enemy because I tell you the truth Hence it is clear that true converts are subject to this evil and ready to fall in it except they watch carefully and earnestly deal with God to keep them from deceivers for many young converts are like lambs and sheep very simple and being lately turned unto the course of holinesse they are easily taken with every appearance of piety whereof if they do apprehend any seeming signs in seducers they suspect no guile in wolves clad with sheeps skins wherethrough they are overtaken unawares and moved to separat from the society of the Saints by the fleshly authors of division who by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple Rom. 16. 17 18. Quest. 2. As for the second question what are the effects and marks of such a delusion We answer there is a delusion active wherein Sathan and his seducing instruments do set themselves on work to delude and there is a passive delusion in the party deluded by Sathan and his instruments The effects of the deluding or lying spirit and the marks of delusion in the party deluded do concur for the effects of Sathans powerfull delusion do appear in the party deluded as signs and evidences of the effectual delusion These effects and signs albeit they be many we shall content our selves to specifie some of them The first and chief effect and sign of delusion is the rejecting of a point of true doctrine and the avouching of a false error
of the heart perfectly Rom. 16. 18. They that are such serve 〈◊〉 our Lord Iesus Christ but their own belly and by good â—ords and fair speeches they deceive the hearts of the simple Of such men Iude speaketh ver 20. These are murmuâ—rs complainers walking after their own lusts c. As for passive delusion in seduced people the Apostle prophesieth 2 Tim. 4. 3 4. The time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine but after their own lusts â—all they heap to themselves teachers having itching ears and they shall turn away their ears from the truth and shall 〈◊〉 turned unto fables In which words he holdeth forth the meritorious and adjuvant causes of passive delusion their lusts their turning away from sound doctrine their itching ears and desire to hear flatterers who by false doctrine may foster them in their lusts and making choyce of such men to be their Pastors From this sort of teachers Christ fore-warneth his disciples to keep off Mat. 17. 15. Beware of false prophets which come to 〈◊〉 in sheeps cloathing but inwardly they are ravening â—olves ye shall know them by their fruits Their outward behaviour and conversation will not decipher them for they will seem innocent and harmlesse lambs but their doctrine which is the fruits of their teaching and the proper work of the ministery shall find them out But the meritorious cause of this giving men over to be deluded is plainly set down 2 Thess. 2 10 11. Because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved for this cause God shall send them strong delusion This judgment albeit it pursues unto the death only the reprobat yet whiles in some degree for a time it may over-take the elect and renewed persons because some of them sometime are found to give way to their lusts and not to take head to the truth which by Gods blessing might kill these lusts therefore God in his justice suffereth them to be infected with a contrary error and to eat the bitter fruits of their folly that being corrected they may repent and for ever fall out with their carnall lusts and reject the error whereby they were infected for God in his wisdom and justice most holily and powerfully doth so rule the whole exercise of his elâ—ct that truth shall have no loss but be the more cleared and no elect soul perish as Christ giveth assurance speaking of the efficacie and power of delusion by the doctrine of false christs Mat. 24. 24 There shall arise false Christs and false prophets and shall shew great signs and wonders in so much that if it were possible they shall deceive the very elect This is also manifest by what the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 11. 18 19. where he declares that God hath decreed to permit heresies to arise that both the truth oppugned by the heresie and the true converts may be made the more manifest for by this means the lusts and wickednesse of some is brought to light some are chastised some perish justly some have their weaknesse and folly discovered by being tainted with error for a time and in their recovery out of the heresie the grace and power of God is made more evident and in these who shall suffer for refusing or resisting heresie God shall make manifest for stopping the mouth of Sathan and all â—alumniators that truth is more precious to his sincere â—isciples then goods or lands or liberty or life or whatsoever can befall them in this mortall life for adâ—ereing to truth and of this many martyrs are sufficient proofs in all ages The remedy of this fearfull condition ALbeit this delusion draweth the reprobat when they are over-taken with it unto certain perdiâ—on as the Apostle 2 Thess. 2. 10 11. expresly doth â—â—ach and albeit this fearfull plague be hardly curable when it falleth on the elect partly by reason of the deep roots of carnall lusts in them which open the way unto error partly by reason of the subtile sophistry of seducers whereby honest souls are inâ—ngled partly by reason of new tentations suggested against returning to the truth wherefrom they are â—lidden and partly by reason of the difficulty of coming forth from the bonds of temporal judiciall hardnesse of heart whereby God hath chastified his child for harbouring such lusts in himself as made way for the error yet the cure of delusion is not desperat for the Apostle giveth good hope of possible and certain recovery out of it for Gal. 5. 10. I have confidence in you saith he to the insnared Galatians through the Lord that you will be no other wayes minded but he that troubleth you shall bear his judgment whosoever he be 1. For preveening and curing of this evil the Apostle commandeth Pastors to hold forth to all sound doctrine to preach the Word and to be instant upon all occasions in season and out of season reprove rebuke exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine 1 Tim. 4. 6. and 2 Tim. 4. 1 2. 2. Let the deluded person be disputed with that by arguments drawn from Scripture he may be convinced as the Apostle dealt with these who denyed the resurrection 1 Cor. 15. and with these who sought to be justified by works among the Galatians 3. Let the deluded be exhorted to examine accuratly his own conscience how he standeth affected to his own carnal wisdom and earthly lusts for if he be proud in the conceit of his own wisdom power or holinesse or any gift he hath received or be led by the lust of the eye lust of the flesh or pride of life and come to God by prayer to solve his doubts or to teach him the right way he shall receive such an answer as Balaam received and such as the Lord threateneth to give Ezek. 14. 2 3 4. c for he hath by his lusts deceived his own conscience and made it a flatterer of himself when it should have been a grave counsellor being well informed 4. Let the deluded person be exhorted to be humbled for the sins which he granteth to be in himself and flye to Christ for pardon pity and help against his own known corruptions making use of all Christs offices in the sense and acknowledgment of his standing in need of the benefits thereof daily for if he do not repent known sins but go on in them against the light of his conscience how shall he expect that God shall give him light in his doubts or errors who maketh no use or an ill use of the light he hath and if he be in a course of grieving the Spirit of the Lord and make no use of the grace that is offered in Christ how is it possible that he who doth not follow Christ should eshew to walk in darknesse 5. And last of all let the party deluded consider how from time to time and most evidently in this time wherein we live God hath punished the lusts and sinfull practices of professed
convert being chased by the law to lay hold on Christ who is the end of the law for righteousnesse unto every one that believeth shall stand aback from laying hold on the highest priviledges of Saints and the greatest promises made to justified souls because of his own unworthinesse doth he not say in effect if I were more worthy and like in holinesse unto such and such Saints I could be more confident to lay hold on these high promises which ground if it be once holden it makes the reason of the mans confidence to be his own well-deserving and not the meer and only grace of God the free promiser thereof and so the way of salvation by grace should be undermined and over-turned which is absurd because the Apostle Ephes 2. 8. saith that by grace we are saved through faith and that not of our selves it is the gift of God Therefore let not the humbled convert think it presumption to lay hold on Christ and the fulnesse of all promised grace in him how large soever it be CHAP. XIII Of the condition of the convert fearing that the joy of the holy Ghost which he hath felt be found only to be either the joy of speculation common to temporal believers or a meer delusion OF this sort also is this case wherein the convert doth suspect that the joy of the Spirit which he hath felt at some times was either a joy of speculation or contemplation only such as Philosophers may find in their study of humane learning or else a delusion of Sathan also This case may fall upon the true convert in the time of affliction and felt desertion when not only the sense of consolation is withdrawn but also sorrow and heavinesse have seized on his spirit when the sharpnesse of affliction takes up the whole soul and sorrow doth fill the heart At such a time the memory of by-past joy is greatly darkned and the sense of present grief inflameth the whole man For as it falleth forth in a mans body that both sweet and sour liquor do affect the sense of tasting most when they are presently felt but when they are past the memory of them doth affect the imagination only and that but lightly in comparison with present sense As the sense of a fiery coal doth otherwayes affect us when it touches our flesh then the memory of the pain we have felt doth move us when the pain is past So it is in the passions of the soul for joyes spiritual shine for a while when they are lately raised up in the soul but after a time they are darkned and in some sort worn out especially when grief doth arise then they are swallowed up with sorrow or are well near forgotten or lightly esteemed and rejected My soul refused comfort saith the Psalmist Ps. 77. 2. Such was Davids condition Ps. 116. 11. when he said in his haste all men are lyars at which time whatsoever joy he had felt in believing the promises made to him by Samuel or other Prophets he counted all to be but deceiving of him and delusion This mistake is strengthened ordinarily by Sathans tentation and wicked suggestion watching upon all occasions to traduce and slander all Gods words and operations The complaint of Ieremie savours of this malicious suggestion which the Prophet layeth out before God to be rid of it Ier. 20. 7. Thou hast deceived me and I was deceived Yea oft-times it cometh to passe that our old man and corrupt inclination taketh part with Sathan and when occasion doth offer scorneth all the spiritual affections of the new man as Ishmael mocked Isaacs devotion 2. This evil except it be speedily and solidly cured not only casteth the convert in a miserable condition but also calleth in question his state whether at all he be regenerat reconciled and in the state of grace for if the joy of the holy Spirit granted to the supplicant praying to God in Christ for confirmation of his faith granted to the mourner for sin that he may be comforted shall be esteemed as the effect of speculation only then the comfort of the earnest-penny and first fruits of the spirit is lost the confirmation of faith by that consolation is enervat and weakened thanksgiving formerly offered for the comfort sometime felt is recalled and the testimony of Gods Spirit speaking according to the word in oft-repeated experience is laid aside And so the afflicted soul shall seem to himself in worse condition then when he was lying in his sins because he shall seem to himself to have lost his labour from the time that he renounced his sins Wherefore it is necessary that this sicknesse be speedily cured lest it prevail 3. For remedy of this evil let the afflicted lay aside the dispute for a time whether his joyes and spiritual experiences of the Lords working in him have been reall as they sometime seemed and let him turn his eyes upon his present miserable confused condition let him take a new view of his sins and unworthinesse let him observe Sathans malice power and wiles to weaken faith and what need now he standeth in of Christ Mediator Redeemer Surety and Physician by office after a new discovery of his sinfulnesse and let him look upon the riches of the grace of God offered in the Gospel to every hungry and thristy â—oul flying to Christ for refuge and let him say to God Lord there was never a time wherein I had more need of Christ for righteousnesse and salvation behold I flye unto thee I welcome and embrace Christ offered in the Gospel and heartily do consent unto the covenant of grace through him and do accept embrace and relye upon remission of sins through him and the imputation of his satisfactory righteousnesse made over to such as flye unto him or else I should perish utterly and do give up my self to thee that thou mayest write thy law more powerfully on my heart By this means the confidence of the afflicteds interest in the covenant of Grace shall be more fixed and made sure to him and Sathan disappointed of his design to cast the afflicted by his tentations in mis-belief and separation from Christ. 4. Thus when he hath renewed the grips of faith in Christ let him now enter the lists and dispute the solidity of his former felt experiences by discussing the objections which did weaken his estimation of the former felt joyes of the Spirit One objection against them was because they were of short endurance and therefore seemed not solid The answer may be this The short staying of the joy of the Spirit is no proof against it as not true joy for it is sufficient earnest of the promised salvation if when the Word of God in the Gospel speaketh peace to the man fled to Christ he findeth the Word believed to be confirmed to the believer by peace and joy albeit the sense of it remain but a short while After you believed saith the Apostle you were
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
this evil these five things must be distinguished by the afflicted convert 1. the labour of the lips or formality in prayer or devotion 2. prayer in faith 3. prayer with felt and observed affection in prayer 4. prayer approven of God 5. prayer with the sense and feeling of Gods approbation As to the first the labour of the lips or formality in prayer which the Scripture doth condemn is when a man prayeth with his mouth for things necessar or lawfull and is about the external work of devotion wherein he pleaseth himself and doth rest upon the work wrought without affection of heart or faith as we see Is. 58. 1 2 3. and this is not the case of the convert of whom we are speaking for because he esteems his devotion to be but a formality he is displeased with himself and is unquiet As to the second prayer in faith is when the convert misseth freedom of speech and answerable affection to his speech in his devotion in prayer praises thanksgiving intercession c. yet because the duty is commanded he doth offer it up to God with hope of acceptation and yet is displeased with himself and humbled in the sense of his coldrife affections which is the duty of the convert of whom we are speaking but the not esteeming this his devotion through Christ acceptable is his fault As to the third prayer or devotion with felt affection in discharging it is when the convert poureth out his heart unto God with fredom of speech and yet cannot be quiet because he doth not feel any sign of Gods approbation of him and hearing of his supplication and this was the case of the Psalmist in sundry Psalms But this is not the case of the convert we are speaking of for he complaineth of the hardnesse of his heart and want of affection and doth weaken his own faith which is his fault As to the fourth prayer approven of God is when the convert doth offer his devotion to God in sincerity and prayeth for what is promised in hope to be heard and answered in due time And this prayer or devotion is approven by God in Scripture whether the convert be satisfied with the measure of answerable affection to his words or not as the Apostle testifieth 1 Ioh. 5. 14 15. And this should be observed by the convert of whom we are speaking for rectifying his judgment and quieting of him albeit he neither find his affection moved as he would nor find consolation from God as he would As to the fifth prayer or devotion with the sense and feeling of Gods approbation is when God not only approveth the converts prayer and devotion by his Word in the Scripture but also by his Spirit doth sensibly comfort the supplicant and sends him to his calling with joy So did he deal oft-times with the Psalmist David and so did he comfort Samuels mother in and after her prayer 1 Sam. 1. This is the thing which the convert we speak of would be at and which would satisfie him if he could come to it 4. This condition is the sweetest to the supplicant and much to be desired with submission to Gods dispensation whatsoever it be but it is not the only condition acceptable to God as we see 1 Ioh. 5. 14. 15. This is the confidence which we have in God 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 we have the petitions that we desired of him And that the mater is so may be perceived in David's condition at sundry times for Ps. 119 seven or eight times he prayeth Quicken thou me according to thy word He findeth in himself much deadnesse of spirit yet he continueth meekly praying to be quickened in the service of God 5. Wherefore so oft as the convert is displeased for any defect he findeth in his devotion let him 1. humble himself in the sense of his imperfection and betake himself so much the more to the intercession of Christ and lay hold more firmly upon the satisfaction made by the Mediatour and draw by faith grace for grace out of his fulnesse and let him in faith and sincerity worship God and live holily in his conversation and not be afraid that his devotion shall be esteemed of God to be but lip-labour 2. To this end let him rightly construe Gods dispensation and consider that his gifts are wisely given forth for the good of his people for sometime he giveth to will that which is good without ability for the time to effectuat what the convert willeth he may give a willing heart to pray affectionatly and not for the time grant ability to pray as his child would Rom. 7. 18. Sometime he may give no more but to sigh and groan without ability to expresse the confused desires of his heart Rom. 8. 26 27. Sometime he will suggest words and make the supplicant in sincerity of faith present the words put in his mouth Hos 14. 1. 2. Sometime he will grant to the supplicant to bear out much disputation in his prayers without sensible consolation Ps. 77. Sometime he will grant the supplicant a loosed heart in prayer and abundance of tears and yet seem for a time not to regard them Ps. 6. Sometime he will grant confidence and consolation to the supplicant as Ps. 6. and many other Psalms And certainly the variety of divine dispensation to his children cannot be told in all which he requires of his supplicants meek submission and perseverance in prayer with confidence to find a good answer at last for if his child do not accept well of the measure which is bestowed on him he may readily find the measure he complained of more scant and confusion of mind without words to fall upon him and if yet he shall not wisely submit himself to Gods exercising of him he may fall in harder trouble and questioning of his state in grace and be tempted to restrain prayer till he cease complaining and flye for refuge to Christ the Mediatour and come to a better estimation of the measure of presence with him when he began to complain CHAP. XVIII Concerning the converts looking upon the sight of his faith as if it were the failing of his faith SIncere faith in Christ is the special grace of God given to the elect only which grace the more we do exercise it the more we please God for without faith it is impossible to please him Heb. 11. 6. This saving grace the Lord taketh pleasure to put it unto tryall and exercise that thereby he may train it on and foster and increase it and bring it forth to light both for his own glory and for the commendation of his children as is told us 1. Pet. 1. 7. In which exercise the true convert is oft-times much mistaken and doth mis-construe his condition The reasons are 1 the faith of young converts is very imperfect knowledge is many
Doctrine and Discipline of Christ. Of which question there is enough written by learned and godly men and and in this place it doth not fall in conveniently to be disputed 2. Concerning the other pretense of being oft-times deceived by sundry such as were unworthy of respect we grant that there are many hypocrits who pretend to be Saints and worthy to be blamed in that respect and it is no wonder that the charity of many wax cold when so many speak vanity every man to his neighbour Ps. 12. 2. for this our Lord foretold Mat. 24. 12. Because iniquity shall abound the love of many shall wax cold Yet it is not iustifiable to cut charity short because of mens ill-deserving Rivers of tears saith David run down my eyes because they keep not thy Commands Here is love to Gods glory and pity toward perishing â—ouls such mourners were spared in the day of Gods wrath Ezek. 9. 9. 1. Ob. But some may say the same Psalmist did hate the wicked and profane Ans. 1. But he did so with a perfect hatred not with a carnal and corrupt hatred against their persons but with a spiritual and sincere hatred tending to the abolishing of their vice and safety of their persons for which end the Psalmist presenteth his affections to be examined of God and teacheth men by his example to purifie their hearts in hating sinners 2. 〈◊〉 caâ—e that God did reveal unto the Prophet the reprobation of some enemies of God for whose perdition he prayed in sundry Psalms that the justice of God might be ministered and the Church preserved from their malice This his practice is not to be imiâ—aâ— by them who know not of what spirit â—hey are and cannot justifie before God the integrity of 〈◊〉 â—earts in the particular 2. Ob. But put case saith one that I am a civil Judge shall my charity hinder justice and cutting off malefactors man-slayers or others such-like Ans. Not for charity to the malefactor may stand with the love of Justice and the Common-wealth when the malefactor is adjudged to death For when Ioshua was to destroy Achan he exhorted him to repent and give glory to God that his soul might be saved Ios. 7. 19. Likewayes the Prophets when they denounced the destruction of Cities and Nations had melting hearts in compassion toward them who were condemned by God Is. 16. 11. Ier 48. 36. and Christ our Lord charity it self weeped for the misery of Ierusalem destinat justly to destruction Mat. 23. 37. 3. Obj. But saith he a special regard must be had toward believers in the exercise of charity Gal. 6. 10. Ans. It is true but the Apostles words are As we have opportunity let us do good unto all men especially unto them that are of the housheld of faith Which houshold consisteth of all them who by profession have subjected themselves to the doctrine and discipline of Christ and are members of the visible Church 4. Ob. But saith he as all that are of Israel are not the Israel of God Rom. 9. 6. So all that are in the visible Church are not of the houshold of God Ans. Who hath made thee a Judge either to discern who are elect who not or to discern what shall become of this man or that man whereby thou may abandon charity toward him God hath given to us his Spirit saith the Apostle that we may know what saving grace he hath given to our selves but not to know what he hath bestowed on others 1 Cor. 2. 10 11. God who only searcheth the secrets of all hearts hath reserved the judgements of mens hearts to himself and he alone can discern who is the hypocrit and in whose heart there is no guil 5. Ob. But saith he the judgment of charity iâ— not blind but should be according as the truth is otherwayes I shall esteem a man a true convert who is not regenerat and so deceive my self Ans. The judgment of charity concerning other mens inward estate and condition is not one alwayes with the judgement according to verity for the rule of the judgement of charity is equity and commanded duty reserving the judgment according to verity to God For this distinction the Apostle gives ground Phil. 1. 6 7. in charity judging all the Philippians to be sincere converts he saith his speech and estimation of them was according as was meet for him to think Now equity required that he should judge the best of them all albeit he did not know the hearts of them all as he saith 1. Cor. 13. 7. charity believeth all things hopeth all things endureth all things But for the judgment of other mens estate and condition in grace according to verity he doth forbid men to judge before the time 1 Cor. 4. 3. 5. Rom. 14. 4. Iam. 4. 12. And 1 Pet. 5. 12. the Apostle speaking in charity of Sylvanus saith he is a faithfull brother as I suppose 2. If we see it our duty to show charity to our neighbour whatsoever he be our charity is not blind but clear-sighted 6. Ob. But saith he mens profanity wickednesse and atheisme may clearly be seen for the Psalmist saith The transgression of the wicked saith within my heart that there is no fear of God before his eyes Ps. 36. 1. and Christ speaking of false Prophets Mat. 7. 16. saith Ye shall know them by their fruits Ans. What the Prophet saith by the Spirit and what Christ saith is true and we grant that mens ill deeds and corrupt doctrine do be wray their naughty inward disposition but what serveth this to justifie thy rash judgment of thy brother that there is no saving work of grace in him because they cannot perceive the evident signes thereof in him in whom possibly thou cannot find any reigning vice or open out-breaking scandals What doth this serve to hinder expressions and fruits of charity toward open sinners so long as God waiteth patiently on their repentance It is one thing to be wary lest we be infected with the contagion of mens ill maners or corrupt doctrine another thing to cut them off from being the objects of our charity 7. Ob. But we are forbidden saith he to have fellowship with sinners who may intise us to sin Pro. 1. 11. and to make friendship with an angry man Pro. 22. 24. Ans. This warinesse may consist with charity for albeit we cannot be partakers with evil workers or enter in needlesse familiarity with those with whom we cannot converse and be free of damnage from them yet we may not exclude them from the object of our charity or carry our selves so toward them as they can take no good from our hand for so long as we live in the world we must follow peace with all men and holinesse Heb. 12 14. 1 Cor. 5. 10 8. Obj. Albeit it be true that we must in common duties of civility and humanity prudently behave our selves yet we must carry otherwayes to professed Christians if their conversation