Too many Preachers presse this carnally and carnall people go away with it that they have Faith yea they never doubt it and for a good conscience they discharge it I have spoken of Faith already but now that which such poor seduced souls take to be a good Conscience is onely to wrong no body to be just to all not to purloyn others goods to take and keep nothing but their own they take it to be chiefly conversant about the duties of the second table concerning their Neighbour A little to rectifie this soul-damning mistake 1. A scripture-Scripture-Conscience is an enlightened conscience which before was shut up in darknesse Eph. 1.18 The light of the word of God is set up in the conscience whereby it discovers those truths in their power and worth which before it was dark unto 2. A good conscience is a conscience searcht by the power of the word convinc'd to be under sin and guilt and pollution whereby trouble doth arise in it God laying in the weight of guilt the damnableness of sinne the pollution of it upon the Conscience so that the soul cries out What shall I do How shall God be pacified and the soul saved 3. And hence it is an awakened Conscience which before was asleep Awake thou that sleepest Eph. 5. The voice of the Spirit doth awaken that Conscience that before was asleep in sinful security 4. A good Conscience is convinced that all the keepings of the Law and keeping a Conscience to men cannot justifie the soul before God cannot commend it to God which a Second-Table-Conscience imagines it will and so is in peace Paul kept a Conscience as to many things Act. 23.1 I have lived in all good Conscience before God untill this day meaning I conceive from his youth up when he was a Pharisee but when his Conscience was convinced and awakened and came to see Jesus Christ he saw that all his keeping a Conscience as to many Sins and Duties could not in the least commend him to God 5. A good Conscience is sprinkled with the bloud of Jesus Christ Heb. 10.22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of Faith having our hearts sprinkled from an evil Conscience How much more shall the blood of Christ who through the Eternal Spirit offered himself to God purge your Conscience from dead works to serve the living God Heb. 9.14 So that this is the efficacy of the bloud of Jesus Christ upon the Conscience of a Believer it pacifies it in the sense of the forgiveness of sins towards God so as it can draw near to God and it purgeth it from dead works sin and pollution to serve God acceptably This is a good Conscience indeed 6. A good Conscience respects all the Precepts of God as well of Holiness to God as Goodness to men which the Conscience we have been speaking of doth not Such a one makes not conscience of this great and absolute Precept Be ye holy 1 Pet. 1. It makes not conscience of purging the heart of secret mourning to God of the purity of Gods Worship It makes no Conscience of lesser sins as we have shew'd not of all sin as Herod heard the Word gladly but made no conscience of persecuting John to death when he stood in the way of his Lusts Now I say a good Conscience respects precepts of Holiness secret as well as publique Duties inward as well as outward sins lesser sins as well as greater 7. A scripture-Scripture-good Conscience is much taken up about godly sincerity So Paul 2 Cor. 1.12 For our rejoycing is this the testimony of our Consciences that with simplicity and godly sincerity not with fleshly Wisdome but with the grace of God we have had our Conversation in the World c. Thus a soul that walks with a good Conscience towards God labours to a prove it self in all things with a godly sincerity to do all as unto God Lastly a good Conscience labours to keep it self pure and undefiled it is accompanied with a pure heart 1 Tim. 1.5 Now the end of the Commandement is love out of a pure heart and of a good Conscience and of Faith unfeigned A soul that would keep the Conscience good would keep it pure and the whole inward man pure as a Temple unto God Vse Now see how many ingredients go to make up a good Conscience in a Scripture-sense and what a great mistake is in this weighty matter and how far abundance of people that make conscience of their dealings with men conclude thence they have a Scripture-good-conscience to God when they are not savingly enlightned their Conscience never searcht by the power of the Word and throughly awakened out of a natural condition never humbled for resting in themselves and their Duties not having their Conscience sprinkled with the bloud of Jesus Christ and purged thereby not having a tender respect to all the Precepts of God not to walk before him in godly sincerity nor with a pure heart You then that are short of these things you are wholly to seek in that which you so much pretend to and speak peace to your selves in the having or keeping a good Conscience you have as yet no part in this matter 2. What hath been spoken of a good Conscience may be for instruction and direction to the Called Ones of Christ how to preserve the Conscience good and peaceable and so to live and dye in the peace and comfort of it through Jesus Christ our Lord. Get it sprinkled with the bloud of Jesus Christ every day and under the searchings of the Word and awake unto God and pure and undefiled respecting all the Holy Precepts of God as binding to your Conscience so will the Conscience be tender and peaceable and God will witness in your Consciences your acceptance with him in his Son Jesus Christ I would give out further some Notes of Tryal Whether you rest in false common grace or not as to what we have already spoken in so weighty a matter 1. By your never-suspecting the truth of your grace but taking all upon trust never doubting but you have Faith and do repent and so of all the rest That soul that never suspected his grace may well fear that his pretended grace is no more then what a Hypocrite may reach unto The poor called Children of God are exceedingly jealous their Faith is not sound that they are short in every grace because of the woful mixtures that they find more Unbelief then Faith more hardness of heart then softness more pride then humiliation and so of all Now that soul that goes away with an unsuspected confidence of every grace sure flatters himself and his way will be found to be deceitful 2. That soul that draws back his Conscience from the searching power of the Word when it gives out ways of tryal of sincerity and
perform their Duties as returnes to God Every called Believer saith in his heart as David Psal 116.12 Oh! What shall I render to thee How gracious hath God been and now how holy should I be Who shall love the Lord and fear before him and praise him if I shall not To whom shall his Name Laws Ordinances be precious if not unto me Who is more bound to love the blessed God then I and how shall I love him but by obeying him Thus doth a Believer perform his obedience as a testimony of a thankful return to God though I do not say that this is all his motive 10. By the Obedience and Holiness of Believers God is much glorifyed in the World 't is the greatest glory that God designs to himself in the World even by the holiness and willing-gracious obedience of his people to him When the World lyes in wickedness and makes War against the great and holy God this is that which Honours God that he hath a people called by his grace that set forth the glory of holiness in the world that are witnesses to the holiness of God the holiness of his Worship and all his Ways and profess and endeavour to walk in them and by this others are brought on to glorifie God on their behalf 1 Pet. 2.12 Vse 1. It may serve for instruction and information of your judgments and Consciences that there are other blessed and necessary and holy Ends in the Sanctification and Obedience of a Believer though they do not pacifie God nor justifie the Believer nor procure mercy by way of worthiness to a poor Soul called thereunto which may therefore serve to discover the damnableness of such kind of Doctrines that teach and cry in this day Grace is free Christ hath done all what need you pray and have Ordinances and be holy This is of the wicked one and comes from his Instruments and Factors who are sent abroad to damn Soules You may see that not one of those Ends mentioned but is of weight enough to convince a soul of the necessity of Holiness Duties and Obedience and such mens pretences are not a Scripture-way of Free-grace 2. If there are blessed and holy Ends of a Believers Duties and Obedience though he is not thereby justifyed It may serve to take off that prejudice of heart through misunderstanding and ignorance that is apt to be upon the hearts of such as are Carnal when they hear that all their Duties Sobriety and Righteousness is to be accounted as loss for Christ You see there are good and necessary Ends of all Duties of Obedience onely still take this with you and to your Consciences that till you come as poor and naked to Iesus Christ for your justifying Righteousness and so get life in and from him and so are carryed on in a way of Duty Your Duties serve you for no end and purpose unless for a lesser degree of Torment in Hell onely be encouraged to wait upon the means for the receiving of the Spirit for the Knowledge of Jesus Christ And these things I have spoken may be your Experience 3. It may further direct Believers what ends they are to propose to themselves in the way of their Duties and Obedience to be carryed on in them through the grace of GOD and the daily supply of the Spirit as one great end of your Redemption that you should serve the Lord in Holiness to eye the Soveraign and Absolute Command of God over you that thereby you are made conformable to God and shew forth his Image and to the Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ that there is an equity and goodness in all the Holy and Righteous Ways of God And see that the love of God be shed abroad in your hearts to draw out your love to him and so be acted in your obedience Get your hearts taken with the beauty and glory of the Lord Jesus and so long after likeness to him See that you look after Communion with God in your Duties and that you do not neglect your Evidence for the Pardon of your sinnes by the sight of your Sanctification and your Universal Obedience And perform them not as to procure mercy by any proportion thereunto in your Duties but as Returns to God and consider how much God is glorifyed in the World by the Obedience of his people And thus may you carry on your progress in Holiness and a sweet and consciencious performance of Duties and walking with God and yet live by your Faith for your justification by the rich and Free-grace of God through the Righteousness of Jesus Christ as if you had never obeyed at all In a word If thou hast felt the power and vertue of the bloud of Jesus Christ upon thy Soul coming as a poor naked polluted guilty Soul unto it as thou hast been shewed and hast received life from Jesus Christ by a believing closing with him and art waiting for a sight and sense of thy justification but doest yet want it Remember still that in the performance of thy Duties thy heart which it is very apt to do lay no stress upon them as in them to appear before God and to procure the favour of God but still go forth to the grace bloud righteousness promises of Christ and there fix for thy acceptance with God and be much in renewing of Acts of Faith that is casting thy Soul upon them and Evidence will come in yet go on in humbling praying waiting reforming sanctifying obeying as to the ends mentioned And the peace of God fill thy heart 2. Believers that have some sense of their Justification do you remember that you obey God not that thereby you were are or ever may be justified but because you are justified therefore you obey the Lord and delight in his wayes keep this in your eye and 't will keep the heart from going to bottome upon your selves as gracious and partly righteous which mixtures render Duties uncomfortable and keep souls from assurance No Believer performs his Duties so spiritually sweetly and comfortably as that soul that labours to keep the sight of his justification still upon the account of Free-grace and out of himself that soul enjoys sweetest Communion with God in the way of his Duties and gets to Heaven with most comfort and assurance AMEN The End of the Second Treatise of the Gospel New-Creature The Third Treatise THE Gospel-New-Creature In Christ positively opened The false appearances thereof in the Legal-new-Creature so called plainly refuted And the true Evidences thereof particularly held forth to the Experience of the weak Believers 2 COR. 5.17 If any man be in Christ he is a New Creature I Have been opening the difference between the Righteousness of the Law and the Gospel shewing the Necessity Nature and Way of obtaining Gospel-justification by the bloud of Jesus Christ and have discovered a soul estated therein I shall now endeavour to open the Gospel-New Creature peculiarly as distinguisht
repentance and regeneration is and then think they have it themselvs because they can tell what it is and do believe it to be such There may be much knowledge in the head and yet no renewing grace in the heart That knowledge that is saving brings with it a power upon the soul to love delight in to experience the goodnesse vertue sweetnesse of what it knows It transforms the soul into the image of what is known 2 Cor. 3. last It is spirituall and it makes the heart the affections spirituall 8. A misconceit of the grace of love is also a false ground in this matter As that a poor soul will think that he loves God when he hath no knowledge of him nor delight in him nor Communion with him nor doth love his Image which is holinesse And that he loves All every one whereas much envy and malice reigns in the hearts if but a little provoked And for the people of God truly so called they hate them for Hypocrites Schismaticks and what not or if a little better thoughts of them t is not love to Christ and his Image in them that acts them which is the nature of the grace of love 9. So is patience humility meeknesse mistaken some natural dispositions are more patient and meek and these poor Creatures are apt to mistake for grace when 't is nothing but mere nature and more candid disposition And such Souls from naturall temper can bear much and it hath an appearance of grace But yet here may be no work of the Spirit all this while humbling meekning the soul in its own vilenesse no mortification of contrary lusts No humbling for pride of heart without which no true gracious humility No meekning by the Gospell and the power of Christs love upon their Spirits And yet upon this account you shall have poor carnall souls pretend much as I have often heard it urged by them to the fruits of Spirit mention'd Gal. 5.22 of love joy peace goodnesse patience temperance when t is nothing but disposition ingenuity or from civil education 10. As great a deceit there is about the fear of God many poor souls do fear the punishment and wrath of God which is all they do and then they think this is the fear of his servants The fear of the Lord which God promiseth to put in the hearts of his own people Jer. 32.40 is a fear of God because he is holy because he is gracious because he hath pardoned iniquity They shall fear the Lord and his goodnesse Hos 3. last which fear is mixt with a sweet and blessed love to God and consolation of the Spirit 11. A misapprehension of good workes causeth a mistake of the New-Creature many are convinc'd that workes of mercy and charity and Justice are to be done and so from a pittifull nature or from vain-glory or from a secrer thought to appease God or from Legall conviction at least they will be ready to do Charitable works things good in themselves and this they think discovers their Faith And herein lyes a common deceit in the vulgar professours of the people of England Now all the good works falsly so call'd done out of Christ are fleshly and not accepted with God A papist and many a carnall protestant even also for the sin of his soul doth much this way But good works properly so called do flow from a living faith from love to Jesus Christ and designe not a self-justification but the glory of God And gracious souls do find it very hard to performe them with holy ends 12. Mistake of a good conversation which may onely be a morall conversation civill sober righteous as to men but mindes not holinesse to God which is the speciall part of a Gospel-Conversation And yet the most of people go away with this that they are believers and in a good estate for heaven because they have a good conversation which they greatly mistake That which the word of God calls a good conversation as an evidence of faith is not onely a mere outward blamelesnesse which the Pharisees had but to walk with God from a Gospel-principle from Gospel-Grace and the love of God in the heart chiefly respecting holinesse to the Lord and the fear of the Lord upon the heart now a soul that hath nothing of this may be outwardly blamelesse a Jew and heathen may be so and nothing of the grace of God upon them Vse Now the Lord make this to be a convincing searching word to you you that have left some grosse sins from the word upon your consciences from afflictions from worldly advantages from age be it known unto you this you may do and more and be still the Children of wrath in an unpardoned condition and not the New-Creatures we are speaking of yea though thou hast taken up to new duties and makest conscience of many sins and many duties thou mayst still be out of Jesus Christ And you that call your daily sins which have dominion over you your infirmities when not humbled nor mourn for them nor cry for strength against them this your way is your folly and the Devil and your own hearts greatly deceive you yea you call such sins your infirmities meaning as if they were the infirmities of the Children of God that cannot consist with truth of grace such as common lying and common profaning the Lords name in your mouths and neglecting to sanctifie his Sabbaths and living in the neglect of secret spirituall prayer And such of you that have some striving in your consciences before and after the sin know it it may be so and yet not a drop of saving grace in you no regenerate part wrought forth in you And yet how many bear up themselves upon this score and think thence they allow not themselves in the sins they commit in Paul's sense look to this or you may for ever perish in this snare I have given some markes how you may know it Take you heed also that you take not that which is called Common-Grace which is Common to Reprobates for true grace There 's is a false faith a false Repentance a false Hope and so of the rest in which you may assuredly go to Hell you may have a harmelesse conversation and do some good works of Charity and yet perish for ever you may have nothing of the New-Creature in you and yet give all your goods to the poor In a word you may leave outward grosse sins have convictions of wrath to come have purposes such as they are to be better take up to new-New-Duties have common grace think you have faith repentance hope that you are humble patient have a good conversation and do good works and yet not be New-Creatures in Jesus Christ as we shall further evince I have yet one more deceit to discover and that is the mistake of a Scripture good conscience It is true that the Apostle in 1 Tim. 1.5 19. puts faith and a good conscience as the great Comprehensive Duties but there is not any one thing more mistaken then what this good conscience is
25. Woe unto you scribes and Pharisees Hypocrites for ye make clean the out side of the cup and platter but with they are full of extortion and excesse so with the same woe pronounced verse 27. Ye are like unto whited sepulchers which indeed appear beautifull outward but are within full of dead mens bones and of all uncleannesse verse 28. Even so also ye outwardly appear righteous unto men but within ye are full of Hypocrisie and iniquity Mark the Lords words within ye are thus and thus As if the Lord should say God regards not what you are outwardly and your observing the law with the outward man seeing you have abundance of all iniquity within which every unregenerate soul in the world hath so you may see that an outward keeping of the law standes for nothing in the account of God whatever it do with men and your selves which you hear Jesus Christ gives forth as the mark of an Hypocrite Now you have heard the law requires inward as well as outward perfection perfect holinesse within as well as righteousnesse in the outward man I verily believe want of this conviction upon the soul sends more soules to Hell then any other thing in the world besides how confident are poor Creatures if they are a little consciencious in dealing and sober and blamelesse to men this you may be and be no better then devils as in your selves in Gods account and thy best Character from Jesus Christ Mat. 23.26 is a Blind Pharisee Every place I fear abounds with them therefore this inveterate cursed plea of being outwardly blamelesse in keeping the Law will not in the least tender you more accepted with God but t is at the best but painted Hypocrisie And yet wretched souls that you are none so well perswaded of themselves as these This the fourth reason 5. All the best keeping of the Law doth not cannot make satisfaction to God for one sin of thy soul therefore t is worth nothing Gods Justice is wronged and if the sinner be remitted God must be satisfied by the sinner himself or by another Now all the obedience of a sinner cannot make satisfaction to God in the least If he had the whole world to offer up to God it could not satisfie him for the the wrong of one sin see that known place Micah 6.6 7. Wherewith shall I come before the Lord and bow my self before the high God shall I come before him with burnt offerings with Calves of a year old will the Lord be pleased with thousands of Rams or with ten thousands of Rivers of Oyle shall I give my first borne for my transgression the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul Implying that there is nothing that a poor sinner of himself can offer up to God to make atonement or satisfaction to God for the least sin of his soul should he offer up thousands of prayers rivers of tears whole ages spent in services to God take up to a severe new obedience if you should so take up to a new course as never to sinne more all your dayes it would not make God satisfaction or atonement for one evil thought of thy soul Now observe this for if thou art not rightly convinced of this thing thou art lost for ever T is naturally upon every man and womans heart that hath sinned to imagine that when they have sinned they can put off God as to his displeasure with something or other they will reckon what good they have done gone to Church as you style it given Almes bin just to men or some such thing and the poor blind Creature imagines and pleaseth himself in it that this good thus done will well enough pacifie God for his sins or at least he will go over some prayers be strickt for a little while and then they doubt not but God because also he presently smites not with judgment is well enough apayed and he need no more trouble himself Is not this the very way of your hearts hath not the word found you out Object But you will say why cannot these duties and this obedience satisfie and pacifie God well enough for sin Answ 1. Because there is sinne mixt in them they come from a profane heart as is shew'd in the last reason though thou ignorantly because thou knowest not thy heart call'st it a good heart now that which is in it self sinfull cannot sure satisfie for sinne 2. Because of the infiniteness of Gods justice as well as purity of it A finite creature cannot offer up a proportionable atonement to an infinite God Suppose a poor man were under the guilt of treason condemn'd to dye and he should go offer up a little coorse broken bread to the Prince would any one think that this would satisfie the Prince for his treason So poor deceived creature thou art guilty of treason and rebellion against the great and most high God and thou comest and offerest up to him thy poor polluted broken obedience and duties and thinkest he will be satified with this whereas God may in the same moment justly send thee to Hell for the iniquity of them A poor sinfull soul thinkes that because such doings and services do satisfie himself his own conscience therefore he thinks they will satisfie God also because they quiet him upon any trouble for guilt he thinks they will also quiet God and take off his anger and justice from punishing him poor creature this thy way is thy folly and the ready way to come under the severe justice of the Almighty who will not thus be dealt with nor be thus bribed with thy cursed sacrifices This is a further convincement of the point All the creature can do cannot pacifie God for one sin and therefore all his best keeping of the law cannot justifie a poor sinner before God nor give him acceptance in the least with him till he sees pacification another way and takes up obedience from another principle and to another end as we are to shew 6. All a mans endeavour in setting himself to keep the law to the utmost cannot give him acceptance with God because it cannot give life to the soul Gal. 3.21 For if there had bin a law which would have given life verily righteousnesse had come by the law Man hath procured death and weaknes upon his soul and the law cannot give life nor strength to obey it All that righteousness which leavs the soul dead comes to nothing while a soul is under the law and upon the fulfilling of it as he hopes in a good measure still the soul is as dead as sin left it and void of the life of God true A poor soul thinkes himself alive by his legall performances as Paul thought Rom. 7.9 but he is dead in sin and under the sentence of death by the Law and all the performances towards the keeping of it can never give a drop of life to such a poor soul they are dead
and that if thou hadst bin let alone in peace in thy former state thou hadst bin certainly damned sure thou art then as yet void of any interest in the Gospel saving righteousnesse thy pretended faith and hope and duties and workes and conscience all 's in vain Now the soul that hath the blessed experience of all these and can say I have through infinite mercy bin brought off my own foundation I have found the difficulty of it I find my heart apt to settle upon my own performances and t is that I would watch against And I can experience the sin of my Nature the greatest burthen and cry out of it daily before the Lord The Hypocrisie of my heart is an abhorring to men I do find believing the hardest work of my soul I do mourn under the sinfull mixture of my duties I do give up my self to the spirits leadings I am troubled about my inward growth and humbled for the shortnesse of it I would learn more and more to live out of my self for my justification and be kept a poor empty nothing for ever before the Lord If this I say be thy experienc then thou shalt have peace and joy in the holy Ghost Thou mayst rejoyce in a justified estate Christ his righteousnesse grace spirit heaven are thine Having now laid open the sinner as under the law excuseless guilty and under condemnation under an impossibility of obtaining righteousnesse and acceptance with God by the best endeavours to keep the Law I would now set upon the opening the Gospel-righteousnesse by Jesus Christ through which onely a poor condemned sinner can find acceptance but that I conceive it first needfull to speak a word to those words in the close of the 22. verse viz. for there is no difference which may further help on the conviction we have been upon The Iew might object to the Apostle thus you by your doctrine seem to conclude all under the Law equally and under guilt you make no difference between us Iews who have the Law and endeavour to keep it and the open profane Gentiles and sinners In this you do us wrong No sayth the Apostle There 's no difference you who in part keep the Law are under the same condemnation as others That which I shall lay down will be this Observ There is no difference between the most profane person and the righteous and sober as to justification or condemnation by the law I mean this The just sober man as to his keeping of the Law outwardly or in part is in as damnable estate as the profanest wretch in the world This will hardly go down but t is most clear from the Apostle's words readd unto you and hath been in part proved by shewing all the Sons and Daughters of Adam Jews and Gentiles sober and ungodly all under the Law But a little further to prosecute this doctrine for were a man or woman who hath lived honestly and soberly in the eye of the world but yet out of Christ convinced that he or she were in as bad and damnable a condition as any great sinner in the world it might be a startling to them and a means through the Spirit 's working to bring them off their vain confidence and to lead them to Christ Now that I may clear this let us first consider what it was that might difference the sober Jew from the profane Idolatrous Gentile it being the same which such as conceive themselves sober harmelesse people in this day do put confidence in 1. The Jew was Circumcised which was the first Ordinance of the old Testament-Church as Baptism is of the New and to be administred to the seed of the Church and it doth appear this was much insisted on by the Jew by what the Apostle speakes Rom. 2. verse 18.19 For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly neither is that Circumcision which is outward in the flesh but he is a Jew which is one inwardly and Circumcision is that of the heart in the spirit and not in the letter whose praise is not of men but of God 2. They had the Scriptures of God Rom. 3.2 Unto them were committed the Oracles of God which indeed the Apostle calls an advantage in the same place as it might be a meanes to lead them to the knowledge of God and to the promise of Iesus Christ but no advantage at all as to the mere having them read and opened and in a generall faith believing them as the more to justifie them in the sight of God 3. The Iews were under the publique service of God such as was ordained by God himself Rom. 9.4 5. 4. They were for the most part righteous to men and sober and blamelesse in the outward man Ye indeed are they which are righteous before men as the Lord often speaks of them Now 't is most clear that these things did not difference the Iew as to acceptation with God and Iesus Christ from the most profane sinner for the Lord Iesus Christ rejected these and call'd to himself Publicans and Harlots and tells the Iews that such should enter into the Kingdome of God before them Math. 21.31 As might be further instanced in the case of the Pharisee and Publican Luke 18.9 Now the Reasons of this point have bin before hinted namely that a mere sober man under Christian priviledges is no more accepted with Christ nor in any nearer capacity to come to Christ then the greatest sinner because one sin puts a man under the condemnation of the law as well as a million of sins against it one felony condemns a man as well as a thousand and the malefactor must dye by the law for it All the good a man doth will not be imputed to him if he be found a transgressour in one part of the Law Ezek. 18.24 All men come short of the glory of God in the fulfilling of the Law and he that falls short but in one mile is in as bad a case as he that falls short twenty miles Jesus Christ accepts of no man for his righteousnesse but as a sinner nothing else but a sinner so that still the case of a just man in reference to the Law is as dangerous as the greatest sinner's in the world Use A little further to presse this you who are baptised have a generall belief of the Scriptures are under part of the publique service of God are just and harmlesse as to men but yet are under the power of unbelief and see it not are not born again of the Spirit are not in Christ Jesus you who rest satisfied in such a condition and think your hope for Heaven well-grounded and will not be beaten off it I must tell you and 't is proved unto your Consciences from the Word of the Lord that there 's no difference between you and the vilest sinners in the Countrey as to your acceptance with God Though it be thus with you yet as you have been
to such I shall if God will apply a further word before we have done Onely now of the semblance of the New-Creature falsely so called but not really so 1. A soul being convinc'd of the damnablenesse of such and such a sin from the Law and the power of the word upon the Conscience that a soul living continuing in it shall never enter into the Kingdom of God as from such a place as 1 Cor. 6.9 10. Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not enter into the Kingdome of God Be not deceived neither Fornicators Adulterers Idolaters nor effeminate nor abusers of themselves with mankind nor Theeves nor Covetous nor Drunkards nor Revilers nor Extortioners shall inherit the kingdome of God And such were some of you c. I say from this or the like Scripture a soul may be convinced that if he continued in any of these grosse wickednesses he shall never see the face of God and so may take up from the grosse outward Acts of them or at least from a frequent committing them Now this person may go no further and because he hath left some speciall grosse sin he thinks himself a true Convert and a New-man and may flatter himself with the conceit of being the New-Creature we are to set forth but no New inward man no coming to Christ nor being in Christ And it may be feared many souls are under this dreadfull snare 2. Such a kind of outward Reformation may arise from special judgment and affliction upon a sinner trembling that God hath smitten him for such a sin and so may take up from it and this also often passeth for conversion not but that sometimes God begins the first stroke by laying his hand upon a sinner but I speak of a mere taking up from a profane course and never getting into Jesus Christ which many rest themselves in 3. A sinner may leave some sins of youth as inconsistent with riper years and upon that may take himself to be a Convert or a kind of New-Creature to be changed and turned from what he was but no forsaking this sin with loathing of it as against God no unbrokennesse of heart for it and the root of it still unsubdued in his heart 4. A sinner may take up from some grosse sins as inconsistent with reputation credit in the world or his profit and worldly advantage so many debaucht persons turn to be great worldlings and yet take themselves to be good Converts when they have turned from a sin that would wast their estates to be wretched worldlings yet these go away with a good opinion of themselves 5. Sinners may take up and reforme to get the favour of some Religious Friend or great person that doth countenance Religion in hope of some special preferment or honour by them and so get a forme of profession an ability to speak of good things own the best people hear good men and yet all this proceed from a rotten heart as was with Simon Magus Acts 8. hoping after great gain by the gift of the Holy Ghost the gift of Miracles and yet was in the gall of bitternesse and bond of iniquity 6. Souls may have a kind of reall conviction and taking up to some new dutyes in the sinfull neglect of which they have long lived as to a kind of secret prayer in observing the Sabbath more strictly read more hear more things good in themselves when used as meanes to find Jesus Christ in and yet may continue long in these and not a Gospell New-Creature in Christ Never humbled so as to be emptyed of themselves and come to Jesus Christ as for righteousnesse so for life and strength for the performance of all dutyes and subduing of all sin and herein chiefly the Legall New-Creature so called doth consist in taking up to most known outward dutyes something strictly yea sometimes more then a soul that is in Christ and make conscience of them as of grosse outward sins and yet no Gospel New-Creature I wish there are not too many such 7. A soul may take himself to be a new-Creature from some good liking that he hath of such as are better then himself and some purposes and resolutions to be better which purposes for a time carry a man forth till new temptations and then they will not bear a man forth Thus you shall find many sinners purposing and strongly resolving to take up to avoid such courses they have found to end in trouble and yet fall back again because purposing in themselves and not getting into Christ for strength and these think themselves to be a kind of New-Creatures 8. Yea further a soul may be under some terrours of conscience for a time and yet heal and relieve himself by a leaving the sin outwardly that occasioned such terrour and taking up to a greater bulk and formall course and round of set duties under which such souls ensafe themselves and settle in a kind of peace and take themselves to be New-Creatures because they were under terrours and forsake some sins and performe more duties and yet never healed by the blood of Iesus Christ nor have taken root in him Before I go any further let me bring home if the Lord will these things to your Consciences and let it be a word to find out such whose conditions have bin opened Such then of you who haply have left some grosse sins some open profane courses because the word of God hath glar'd upon your consciences and you could not commit such sins in peace that upon some speciall affliction have taken up to a little stricter course that have left the sins of your youth onely because they were youthful sins not sutable to riper age or have ceas'd from Lewd courses because of your credit among men or your worldly profits sins in which you could not thrive in your estates If this be all know it that your are not the New-Creatures we are speaking of you are far from the kingdom of God and if you come no further even to see your selves wholly at a losse and so get to Iesus Christ you are damned for ever Yea if any for the favour of men or some outward advantage have taken up a seeming profession of Religion above the ordinary rate and this be your main principle know thou art seven times the Child of the Devil more then thou wast to deal thus Atheistically and Hypocritically with the great God who will one day lay thee open to all the world and thou shall be confounded in thy self because of this thy abominable iniquity And such as have come a little further that from some conviction of your shortnesse of what you should be have betaken your selves to a greater bulk of duties make conscience of many sins and many duties and so you have setled your selves in your course know you also this you may do and be far from Gospel New-Creatures Such also as rest in purposes and resolutions wishings and some wouldings
to be better this will not do if it be no more or such as have heald your selves and have not bin healed by coming to the Lord Iesus Christ by a more exact way of some outward duties know it and be convinc'd that the core will break out again and you are yet to seek for a well grounded peace and are none of the Gospel New-Creatures Now another degree of mistakes of the New-Creature doth arise from the taking of Common grace which a Hypocrite may reach to for truth of renewing sanctifying grace And know that every Hypocrite doth not know himself to be such but a Hypocrite is one that appeares to himself and others to be what he is not He takes himself to be a good Christian a believer a new Creature and is not so The ground of some of these great mistakes I shall mention As first A poor Creature thinks himself safe because what he doth he thinks he doth it all with a good heart No one so confident of the goodnesse of his heart as a Hypocrite because he knowes not his own heart in that great Reformation in Iosiahs time Ieremiah speakes of Chap. 3.10 that Iudah turned to the Lord but feignedly not with the whole heart yet the people thought otherwise of themselves as t is likely when they entred into a Covenant with God with good Iosiah This is it that most poor sinfull Creatures do bolster up themselves with in their ignorance and security that they do all to God and men with good hearts whereas a renewed soul doubts of the goodnesse of his heart and hath matter of humbling for it in every duty 2. Another mistake of poor souls is as to the Gospel New-Creature from a misprision of sins of infirmities for such as are indeed reigning damning sins As to instance to lye for advantage to swear petty Oaths sometimes by faith and troth by the masse to mention Gods name frequently as a by-word crying Oh Lord Oh God slightly vainly or sometimes to drink to excesse or the like evils 'T is common to hear wretched souls when convinc'd of them to excuse the matter Why 't is their infirmity whereas it proceeds from a heart wholly unregenerate and under the power and reign of sin Infirmities of the Children of God are not allowed by them but humbled for mourned for every day watch'd against the root of them they endeavour to mortifie through the Spirit which the common professour that calls all his sins his infirmities doth not Oh! Souls there 's a vast difference between the infirmities of such as are indeed New-Creatures and between the reigning sins of naturall men sin reigns in its peace power habit in the heart no subduing crucifying purging which a New-Creature doth and hath 3. This mistake of the New-Creature doth arise from a misconceiving of the reluctancy of a naturall conscience before or in the committing of sin taking it for the conflict that is in a truely regenerate Soul between the Regenerate and the carnall part which mistake usually is bottomed upon a misunderstanding of that place of Paul Rom. 7.15 For that which I do I allow not c. Hence say many unregenerate gracelesse persons Why though they do break out into such and such hings and omit such and such duties yet they do not allow themselves in it that is their conscience is not wholly seared and so make some resistance and this they take to be saving grace A grosse and most dangerous mistake Now take such a person and he hath not a delight in the Law of God in the inward man as Paul had vers 22. doth not cry out as inwardly burthen'd wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death No such daily complaints and groanings under the weight of it No tying God through Jesus Christ for deliverance from it No serving the Law of God with a renewed inward man No walking after the Spirit as Paul professeth to do so that unlesse it be so with you that no-allowance in the conscience and yet do it it comes to nothing and an Hypocrite may and doth as much till given up to a seared conscience past feeling 4. From a mistake of faith taking that for sound and saving which is common to a Reprobate such as James describes in his Epistle speaking of men who say they have faith and have not really A faith that believes that God is the Scriptures the dying and rising of Jesus Christ and all other Gospell truths as it pretends yea that he believes on Jesus Christ and hopes to be saved by him as well as the holiest and upon this they have a kind of peace I have spoken before of Justifying faith only a word as to the New-Creature know therefore That faith which hath convinc'd the soul of its own weaknesse and so brought it to Jesus Christ for life that doth not teach a soul to deny it self that doth not purifie the heart that doth not live upon Jesus Christ and so created into him is not the faith of the New-Creature but a common dead putrifying faith that suffers the soul to putrifie in sin and works not to the cleansing of it 5. To instance in some other graces as namely repentance which souls do take to be onely a wishing the sin had not bin committed with a little fear and sorrow after it and this they think to be true repentance which when true is accompanyed with loathing of the sin and our selves and our corrupt natures brokennesse of heart for it and from it and turning to God by Jesus Christ and eyes the honour patience holinesse love of God in its sorrowing more then his wrath and hath for its effects carefulnesse indignation against it self vehement desire after more holinesse by Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 7.11 6. A false and carnall hope of Heaven mistaken for a gracious saving hope deceives the soul in this matter many poor souls yea it may be feared the most think they shall go to Heaven because they hope so and think they ought to hope Now a saving hope of pardon and Heaven is rightly bottom'd namely upon the riches of Gods grace Titus 3.7 Upon the righteousnesse of Jesus Christ Gal. 5.5 Upon some speciall promise of God Upon experience of God Rom. 5. And purifies the soul 1 John 3.3 as I may have occasion more at large to speak Oh! this false and carnall cursed hope that is not thus bottom'd serves onely to shut up the heart against the power of the word and a saving closing with Jesus Christ till a soul is dasht in this hope it will never get a better 7. A form of knowledge specially if encreas'd under the Ministery of the word may much deceive a soul in this great and weighty concernment so Paul speaks of the Jews Rom. 2.20 having a form of knowledge and of the truth of the Law Many have a Catechisticall form of knowledge they can describe what faith and
of Carnal Worldlings are said to pant after the dust of the Earth Amos 2.7 that is it the carnal mans heart thirsts after but a Soul in Christ breathes upward the Treasures of Heaven it pants after and will never be at rest till satisfied with them 2. This may serve to distinguish formal praying from that which is of the Spirit in the Children of God There 's no such thing as the breathing panting crying longing of the Soul after God and Holiness and Communion with him in formal saying of prayers the thing done quiets the Conscience but for God himself the Soul thirsts not for Therefore you that pray in forms in secret and content your selves in saying and repeating such a form of words sure you have little or no breathing for Jesus Christ in such Duties the Heart is not exercised in longings and pantings for God ye Souls that pray out of forms upon terrors and no more upon the Conscience but you thirst not breathe nor after God himself you may be short of the life of God in you 3. This may also encourage weak Souls that have but broken words to express themselves to God yet your very Souls do breathe and pant after the Lord verily the life of Christ is in you if it be indeed so with you and God will hear those breathings in you Lam. 3.56 Hide not thine Ear at my breathings The blessed God will not hide his Ear from the breathings of his poor Children Onely let crying-panting Souls take heed that this breath be not stopt nor intermitted 't is a most dangerous thing to intermit the breath of Prayer that it grows weaker and fainter it will be a sign unto you and a sad one too that the New-Creature is rather decaying then increasing in you Be not contented with no more praying then will just as we say hold Life and Soul together that 's to live at a very low rate but just to live if that As breathing takes in the Air revives enlargeth the Natural Spirits renders the whole man lively and lightsome and vigorous so doth this constant Spiritual breathing with God and after God it enlargeth the Heart revives the Soul keeps freshness and vigour of Spirit in the way of God when God comes in with a full gale upon the soul how sweetly is it refreshed how doth faintness weariness indisposition go off and the Spirit of a poor Creature is chearful with God and blessedly delights it self in him Oh delight to be every where in every way where God breathes upon the hearts of his people and where they breathe after him And let new living Souls take heed by the way how their Hearts do pant after the Earth and World and the Contentments of it this will as much damp Spiritual Life and breath in the Soul as any evil whatsoever Lay your hearts to the fulness and sweetnesses of the Lord Iesus Christ and breathe strongly for them and those things will be but wind and vanity 4. But I must proceed I come now to speak of the next Discovery of the New-Creature and that is it hath new senses That you may see how fully it answers the frame of man as a Living-Creature and what a New Creation this is As the New-Creature hath a new Nature a new inward life and hath a new breathing so it hath new Spiritual Senses So the Apostle Heb. 5.14 speaks of the Exercise of Spiritual Senses And as the Natural Life is exercised and preserved by Senses so is also this new Spirituall Life of the New Creature which I shall mention particularly First There is a New Ear given to this New Creature This Jesus Christ hath frequently promised that he would open the Deaf Ear So Job 36.10 He openeth also their Ear to Discipline and commandeth that they return from iniquity The hearing Ear and the seeing Eye the Lord hath made even both of them Prov. 20.12 By this opening the Ear is meant the opening of the Heart as 't is said of Lydia Act. 16. Whose heart the Lord opened The heart is shut up naturally and naturally cannot hear the voice of the Spirit till the Lord himself open it A natural man hears no more then the voice of a man and the Letter of the Word but when this New Creature is formed he is enabled to hear the voice of Jesus Christ himself the voice of the Spirit Joh. 10.27 My sheep hear my voice A Soul can then say This the Lord speaks to me in special This is the voice of Christ that calls me to come to him and that Soul comes Jesus Christ speaks with a convincing particular powerful Word and the Heart being opened to receive it obeys it as his voice And so in every Ordinance 't is the Voice of the Spirit of Christ the New-Creature waits for He that hath an Ear to hear let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches Rev. 3. last Secondly The New Creature hath a new seeing eye The eyes of the Understanding opened to see into the blessed and hidden mysteries of the Gospel of Jesus Christ saith the Apostle of the Natural man Eye hath not seen 1 Cor. 2.9 And seeing they see not Math. 13.13 But Christ speaking of called Disciples saith Blessed are your eyes for they see c. They have a new sight of God in Jesus Christ which sight doth abase them and also draw them to Jesus Christ The Vail being in part taken away they can look into the things of God which they saw not before the Scriptures begin to be unveiled and they see beyond the Letter of them into the Life and Spirituality of them And thus the Lord Jesus promised of old specially as to new Testament-days I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not I will lead them in paths that they have not known I will make darknesse light before them and crooked things straight c. Isa 42.16 Thirdly There is a new power of Tasting given to the Soul as another Spiritual Sense which before the Soul had not to purpose A new and blessed tasting of the good Word of Life Thy Word is sweeter then the Honey-Combe Psal 19. How sweet are thy words unto my mouth Psal 119.103 If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious 1 Pet. 2.2 there 's a new taste of the bitterness of sin The heart knows its own bitterness saith the Wise-man A tasting of the special free and precious love of Christ A tasting of the goodness of God in mercies And thus there is a savoury spirit given to the New Creature whereby he doth delightfully savour the things of Jesus Christ and can speak savourily of them to others Fourthly Adde to this a new Smelling to which the Spouse of Christ often alludes in Solomon's Song Because of the savour of thy good Cintments Chap. 1.3 speaking of Jesus Christ who is as a new and precious Perfume to the Soul Who is this that cometh out of the