the Covenant and so are not worthy of him neither hath the Kingdom of God savingly entred into their heart Mat. 13. 44. Thirdly They never in earnest do close with Christs whole yoke without exception judging all his will just and good holy and spiritual as Rom. 7. 12. and therefore no rest allowed on them by Christ Mat. 11. 29. Therefore whosoever thou art who canst lay clear and just claim to these three foresaid things thou art beyond the reach of all atheists hypocrites and reprobates in the world as having answered the great ends and intents of Law and Gospel Object I am clear sometimes I think to lay claim to that mark of the new creature yet at other times sin doth so prevail over me that I am made to question all the work within me Answ It is much to be lamented that people professing his Name should be so slighted and enslaved by trangression as many are Yet in answer to the objection if it be seriously propounded we say the Saints are found in Scripture justly laying claim unto God and his Covenant when iniquity did prevail over them as we find Psal 65. 3. Iniquities prevail against me as for our trangressions thus wilt do them away Rom. 7. 25. Paul thanks God through Christ when a law in his members leads him captive unto sin But for the better understanding and safe application of such truths we must difference betwixt gross outbreakings and ordinary infirmities or sins that come unawares upon a man without fore-thought or any deliberation As for the former sort it is hard for a man whilest he is under the power of them to see his gracious change although it be in him and very hard to draw any comfort from it until the man be in some measure recovered and beginning seriously to resent such sins and to resolve against them We find David calling himself Gods servant quickly after his numbering of Gods people but he was then under the serious resentment of sin Sam. 24. 18. Jonah layeth claim to God as his Master under his rebellion but he is then repenting it and in a spirit of revenge against himself for his sin Jon 1. 9 10 12. Next as for these sins of infirmity and daily incursion and heart-ills such as these whereof Paul doth complain it is like were We shall draw out some things from that seventh Chapter to the Romans whereupon Paul maintains his interest in Christ and if you can apply them it is well 1. When Paul findeth that he doth much fail and cannot reach conformity to Gods Law he doth not blame the Law as being too â—rict so as men cannot keep it as Hypocrites use to speak but he doth blame himself as being carnal and he saith of the Law that it is Good Holy and Spiritual Rev. 7. 12 14. 2. He can say he failed of a good which he intended and did out-shoot himself and he had often honestly resolved against the evil which he fell into Rom. 7. 15 18 19. 3. He saith that the prevailing of sin over him is his exercise so as he judgeth himself wretched because of such a body of death from which he longeth to be delivered Rom 7. 24 4. He saith that whilst he is under the power and law of sin There is somewhat in the bottom of his heart opposing it although over-mastered by it which would be another way and when that gets the upper hand it is a delight some thing Rom. 7. 22 25. upon these things he thanks God in Christ that there is no condemnation Rom. 7. 25. Rom. 8. 1. Now then look if ye can lay claim to these things 1. If you do blame your self and approve the Law whilst you fail 2. If you can say that you do often resolve against sin honestly and without known guile and do so resolve the contrary good before the evil break in upon you 3. If you can say that you are so far exercised with your failings as to judge your self wretched because of such things and a body of death which is the Root and Fountain of such things 4. If you can say that there is a party within you opposing these evils which would be at the right way and as it were is in its Element when it is in Gods way it is well only be advised not to take rest until in some measure you be rid of the ground of this objection or at least until you can very clearly say you are waging war with these things Now a good help against the prevailing power of sin is to cleave close to Christ Jesus by Faith which as it is a desirable part of sanctification and a notable piece of Conâ—ormity to Gods will and most subservient unto his design in the Gospel Gal. 2 20 21. and so should be much endeavoured by people as a work pleasing to God Job 6. 29. So it is the ready way to draw life and sap from Christ the blessed root for fruitfulness in all cases as John 15. 4 5. Object I do not partake of these special communicatiâ—ns of God mentioned in the Scripture and actings and â—utgoing of his Spirit whereof gracious people often are speakâ—â—g and whereunto they attain the want of these things maketh me much suspect my state Answ I shall shortly hint some of these excellent comunications and I hope upon a right discovery of them â—here will be but small ground found for the jealous comâ—laints of many gracious people First besides these convictions of the Spirit of God which use to usher Christs way unto the Souls of men and these also which afterwards do ordinarily attend them â—â—ere is a Seal of the Spirit of God spoken of in Scripâ—â—re the principal thing whereof is the Sanctifying work â—f the Holy Ghost imprinting the draughts and lineaments 〈◊〉 Gods Image and revealed will upon a man as a seal◠〈◊〉 signet doth leave an impression and stamp of its likeâ—â—ss upon the thing sealed so it is 2 Tim. 2. 19. The â—â—undation of God having this seal The Lord knoweth them who are his And let every one that nameth the 〈◊〉 of Christ depart from iniquity And thus I conceive 〈◊〉 Seal to be called a Witness 1 John 5. 10. He that 〈◊〉 lieveth hath the witness in himself that is the grouâ—â— upon which an interest in Christ is to be made out aâ—proved are in every believer for he hath somewhâ—â— of the sanctifying work of Gods Spirit in him which 〈◊〉 a sure although not always a clear and manifest wâ—â—ness Secondly there is Communion with God much talâ—â—ed of among Christians whereby they understand thâ— sensible presence of God refreshing the soul exceedingly but if we speak properly communion with God is a mutual interest between God and Man who hath closeâ— with him in Christ It is a commonness or a commoâ— interest between God and a Man not only is a man interested in God himself but in all that is the Lords so the Lord hath
cases Psal 9. 6. Psal 42. 5. Psal 4. 2. 5. It is observable here that sometimes the man will halt and be silent to hear some indistinct whispering of a joyful sound glancing on the mind or some news in some broken word of Scripture which it may be the man scarcely knoweth to be Scripture or whether it is come from God or Satan to delude him yet this he hath resolved only to hear what God the Lord will speak as upon another occasion Psal 85. 8. 6. More distinct promises comes into the mans mind whereupon he assayeth to lay hold but is beaten off with objections as in another case the Psalmist is Psal 20. 3. 6. But thou art holy But I am a Worm Now it is about the dawning of the day with the man and Faith will stir as soon as the Lord imparteth the joyful sound Psal 89. 15. This is the substance of the Covenant which may be shortly summed up in these words Christ Jesns is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased hear ye him We can speak no further of the mans exercise as a preparatory work for what followeth is more than preparatory Yet that the exercise may appear compleat and full we shall add here That after all these things the Lord it may be after many answers of divers sorts mightily conveyeth the sound of his Covenant to the heart and determineth the heart to close with it and God now draweth him so to Christ Joh. 6. 44. and so shapeth out the heart for him that the conception cannot miscarry for now the heart is so in breadth and length for him as that less cannot satisfie and more is not desired like that of Psal 73. 25. Whom have I in Heaven but thee or whom have I desired on earth besides thee The soul now resolveth to die if he command so yet at his door and facing to him-wards We have drawn this preparatory work to some length not tying any man to such a work so circumstantiate only we say the Lord dealeth so with some and where he so convinceth of sin corruption and self emptiness and maketh a man take salvation to heart as the one thing necessary and sets him on work in the use of the means which God hath appointed for relief I say such a work rarely shall be found to fail of a good issue and gracious result Object Hypocrites and reprobates have great stirrings of Conscience and deep convictions about sin setting them on work sometimes and I do suspect any preparatory work of the Law I ever had to be but such as they have Answ It will be heard to give sure essential differences between the preparatory work in those in whom afterwards Christ is formed and those legal stirrings which are sometimes in Reprobates If there were not some gracious result of these convictions and wakenings of conscience in the Lords people and other marks of which we shall speak afterwards it were hard to adventure upon any difference that is clear in these legal stirrings Yet for answer to the Objection I shall offer some things which rarely will be found in the stirring of reprobates and which are ordinarily found in that Law-work which hath a gracious issue 1. The convictions of hypocrites and reprobates are usually confined to some few very gross transgressions Saul grants no more but the persecuting of David 1 Sam. 26. 21. Judas grants only the betraying of innocent blood Mat. 27. 4. But usually these convictions by which the Lord prepareth his own way in the soul although they may begin at one or more gross particular transgressions yet they rest not there but the man is led on to see many breaches of the Law and innumerable evils compassing him as David speaketh in the sight of his sin Psal 40. 12. and withal that universal conviction if I may call it so is not general as usually we hear senseless men saying that in all things they sin But it is particular and condescending as Paul afterwards spake of himself he not only is the chief of sinners but particularly he was a blasphemer a persecuter 1 Tim. 1. 13. 2. The convictions which Hypocrites have do seldom reach thier Corruption and that body of death which breeds an averseness from what is good and strongly inclineth to what is evil Ordinarily where we find Hypocrites speaking of themselves in Scripture they speak loftily and with some self conceit both as to their freedom from corruption Joh. 9. 34. The Pharisees say to the poor man Thou wast altogether born in sins and dost thou teach us as if they themselves were not as corrupt by nature as he They speak of great sins as Hazael did 2 Kings 8. 13. Am I a Dog that I should do this great thing And also in their undertakings of duty as that man spake Mat. 8. 19. I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest See how the people do speak Jer. 42. 2. to 7. They undertake to do all that God will command them so that they still go about in any case to establish their own righteousness not submitting unto the righteousness of God But I may say that convictions and exercise about corruption and that body of death inclining to evil and disenabling for good is not the leasâ— part of the work where the Lord is preparing his own way They use to judge themselves very wretched because of a body of sin and are at their wits end how to be delivered as Paul speaketh when he is under the exercise of it afterwards Rom. 7. 19. 3. It will ordinarily be found that the convictions which are in hypocrites either are not so serious as that some other business will not putâ— them out of head before any satisfaction be gotten as in Cain who went and built a City and we hear no more oâ— his Convictions Gen. 4. Felix went away until a morâ— convenient time and we hear no more of his trembling Actâ— 24. 25. Or if that work become very serious then iâ— runneth to the other extremity and despair of relief leaving no room for any escape So we find Judas very serious in his Convictions yet he grew desperate and hanged himself Mat. 27. 4 5. But where the Lord prepareth his own way the work is both so serious as the person cannot be put off it until he find some satisfaction and yet under that very seriousness he lyeth open for relief both which are clear in the Gaolers words What shall I do to be saved Acts 16. 30. This serious enquiry after Relief is a very observable thing in the preparatory work which leadeth on to Christ yet we desire none to lay too much weight on these things since God hath allowed clearer differences between the precious and the vile Object I still fear I have not had so through a sight of my sin and misery as the Lord giveth to many whom he effectually calleth especially to great Transgressors such as I am Answ It is true
some great legal shakings are deceitful and turn to nothing if not worse we shall point at some things remarkable in these converts spoken of before which did prove the work of the Law on them to have had a gracious issue and result 1. Some word of truth or dispensation putteth the person to a dreadful stand with a great stir in the Soul Some are pricked in heart Acts 2. 27. Some fell on trembling Acts 16. 29. and this is such a stir that the person is brought to his wits end What wilt thou have me to do saith Paul Acts 9. What shall I do saith the Jaylor Acts 16. 30. 2. The person is content to have Salvation and Gods friendship on any terms as the questions do import What shall I do as if he had said What would I not do What would I not forego What would I not undergo 3. The person accepteth the condition offered by Christ and his Servants as is clear in the fore-cited Scriptures 4. The person presently becometh of one interest with the Saints joyning himself with that persecuted society putting respect on those whom he had formerly persecuted joyning and continuing with them in the profession of Christ on all hazards Those with whom the Lord hath so dealt have much to say for a gracious work of Gods spirit in them and it is like many of them can date their work from such a particular time and word or dispensation and can give some account of what past between God and them and of a sensible change following in them from that time forward as Paul giveth a good account of the work and way of God with him afterwards Acts 22. Again The Lord sometimes carrieth on this work more calmly foftly and gently protracting it so as the steps of mens exercise under it are very discernable It would draw a great length to enlarge every step of it we shall touch the most observable things in it 1. The Lord Iayeth siege to men who it may be have often refused to yield to him offering himself in the Ordinances and by some word Preached Read or born in on the mind or by some providence leading in unto the Word he doth also assault the house kept peaceably by the strong man the Devil and thus Christ who is the stronger man cometh upon him Luke 11. 22. and by the Spirit of truth doth fasten the Word on the man in which Gods curse is denounced against such and such sinners whereof the man knoweth himself guilty The spirit convinceth the man and bindeth it upon him that he is the same person against whom the Word of God doth speak because he is guilty of such sins and from such sins the man is led on to see more until ordinarily he comes to see the sins of his youth sins of omission c. yea he is led on until he sees himself guilty almost of the breach of the whole Law he seeth innumerable evils compassing him as David speaketh in a fit of exercise Isa 40. 12. A man sometimes will see ugly sights of sin in this case and is sharp-sighted to reckon a filthiness to every sin almost Thus the spirit convinceth of sin Jo. 16. 8. 2. The Lord shaketh a special strong hold in the garrison a refuge of lies to which the man betaketh himself when his sins are thus discovered to him The poor man pretendeth to faith in Christ whereby he thinks his burden is taken off him as the Pharisees said John 8. 41. We have on Father even God They pretend to a special relation of God as a common Lord. The Spirit of God beats the man from this by the truth of the Scriptures proving that he hath no true faith and so no interest in Christ nor any true saving grace shewing clear differences between true grace and the counterfeit fancies which the man hath in him and between him and the truly Godly as Christ laboureth to do those Joh. 8. 42 44. If God were your father ye would love me Ye are of the Devil for ye do the lusts of such a father So fear surpriseth the Hypocrite in heart Isa 33. 14. especially when the Lord discovereth to him conditions in many of these promises wherein he trusted most not easily attainable he now seeth grace and faith another thing than once he judged them to be We may in some respect apply that word here The Spirit convinceth him of sin because he hath not believed on the Son he is particularly convinced of unbelief John 16. 9. he seeth now a huge distance between himself and the godly whom he thought before out-stripped him in only some unnecessary proud hateful preciseness he now seeth himself deluded and in the broad way with the perishing multitude and so in the sight of his misery coucheth down under his own burthen which before this time he thought Christ did bear for him he now beginneth to be afraid of the Promises because of that and such other words What hasâ— thou to do to take my Covenant in thy mouth c. Psal 50 16 3. The man becometh careful about his salvation and beginneth to take it to heart as the one thing necessary he is brought to this with the Jaylor Act. 16. What shall I do to be saved His salvation becometh the leading thing with him It was least in his thoughts before but now it prevaileth and other things are much mis-regarded by him since his soul is ready to perish What shall it profit him to gain the whole world if he lose his soul Mat. 16. 26. Some here are much puzled with thoughts of an irrecoverable decree to their prejudice and with the fears of uncertain death which may attach them before they get matters put to a point and some are vexed with apprehensions that they are guilty of the sin against the Holy Ghost which is unpardonable and so are driven a dangerous length Satan still casting up to them many sad examples of people who have dolefully put an end to their own exercise but they are in the hand of one who knoweth how to succour them that are tempted Heb. 2. 18. 4. When a man is thus in hazzard of miscarrying the Lord useth a work of preventing mercy towards him quietly and under-hand supporting him and this is by bearing upon his mind the possibility of his Salvation leading the man to the remembrance of pregnant proofs of Gods free and rich grace pardoning gross transgressors such as Manasseth who was a bloody idolatrous man and had correspondence with the Devil and yet obtained mercy 2 Chron. 33. 12 13. and other Scriptures bearing offers of grace and favour indifferently to all who will yield to Christ whatsoever they have been formerly So as the man is brought again to this What shall I do to be saved which doth suppose that he apprehendeth a possibility of being saved else he would not propound the question He applyeth that or the like word to himself It may
the Lord discovereth to some great sight of their sin and misery and they are thereby put under great legal terrours But as all are not brought in by that sensible preparatory Law-work as we shewed before So even those who are dealt with after that way are very differently and variously exercised in regard of degrees of terrour and of continuance of that work The Jaylor hath a violent work of very short continuance Paul hath a work continuing three days Some persons are in bondage through fear of death all their days Heb. 2. so that we must not limit the Lord to one way of working here The main thing we are to look unto in these legal wakenings and convictions of sin and misery is If the Lord reach these ends in us for which usually these stirrings and convictions are sent into the soul and if these ends be reached it is well we are not to vex our selves about any preparatory work further Now these ends which God driveth ordinarily with sinners by these legal terrours and wakenings of conscience are four First The Lord discovers sights of mens sin and misery to them to chase them out of themselves and to put them out of conceit of their own righteousness Men naturally have great thoughts of themselves and do incline much to the covenant of works The Lord therefore doth discover to them so much of their sin and corruption even in their best things that they are made to loath themselves and to despair of relief in themselves and so they are forced to flee out of themselves and from the Covenant of works to seek refuge elsewhere Heb 6. 18. They become dead to themselves and the Law as to the point of justification Rom. 7. 4. Then have they no more considence in the flesh Phil. 3 3. This is supposed in the offers of Christ coming to seek and save that which was lost Luk. 19. 10. and to be Physician to those who are sick Mat. 9. 12. The second great end is to commend Christ Jesus to mens hearts above all things that so they might fall in love with him and betake themselves to that treasure and jewel which only enricheth Mat. 12. 44. and by so doing may serve the Lords design in the contrivement of the Gospel which was the manifestation of his frec grace through Christ Jesus in the salvation of men The sight of a mans own misery and damnable estate by nature is a ready way to make him prize Christ highly who alone can set such a wretch at liberty Yea it not only leadeth a man to an high esteem of Christ but also of all things that relate to that way of Salvation as Grace New-Covenant Faith c. and maketh him carefully to gather and treasure up his Michtams or golden Scriptures for the confirmation of his interest in these things The third great end is To deter and scar people from sin and to make them fall out with it aud consent to put their neck under all his yoke God kindleth some sparkles of Hell in mens bosoms by the discovery of their sin as a ready mean to make them henceforth stand in awe knowing how bitter a thing it is to depart from the Lord Jer. 2. 19. So we find rest offered to the weary upon condition they will take on Christs yoke Mat. 11. 29. And God offereth to own men as their God and Father upon condition they will allow no peaceable abode to Belial 2. Cor. 6. 14 17. 18. The fourth great end is to work up men to a patient and thankful submission to all the Masters pleasure This is a singular piece of work Ezek. 16. 63. Then shalt thou not open thy mouth any more The sight of a mans own vileness and deservings maketh him silent and to lay his hand on his mouth whatsoever God doth unto him Psal 39. 9. I was dumb and opened not my mouth because thou didst it Ezra 9. 13. God hath punished us less than oâ—r iniquities Micah 7 9. I will bear the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned The man careth not what God doth to him or how he deal with him if he save him from the deserved wrath to come Also any mercy is a large mercy to him who hath seen such a sight of himself Gen. 32. 10. he is less than the least of mercies any crumb falling from his Masters Table is welcome Mat. 15. 27. he thinks it rich mercy that he is not consumed Lam. 3. 22. This is the thing that marvelously maketh his poor afflicted people so silent under and satisfied with their lot Nay they think he deserveth Hell who openeth his mouth at any thing God doth to him since he hath pardoned his transgressions So then for satisfying the Objection I say if the Lord hath driven thee out of thy self and commended Christ to thy heart above all things and made thee resolve on his strength to wage War with every known transgression and thou art in some measure as a weaned Child acquiescing in what he doth unto thee desiring to lay thy hand on thy mouth thankfully Then thy convictions of sin and misery and whatsoever thou do'st plead as a preparatory work is sufficient and thou art to debate no more about it only be advised to study new discoveries of the sense of thy lost condition every day because of thy old and new sins and also to see fresh help in Christ who is a Priest for ever to make intercession and to have the work of sanctification and patience with thankfulness renewed and quickned often for somewhat of that work which abaseth thee exalteth Christ and conformeth to his will must conveigh thee throughout all thy life-time in this World We come now to speak of some more clear and sure marks by which men may take up their gratious state and interest in Christ The first thing whereby men know it is their closing with Christ in the Gospel wherein he is held forth This is believing or Faith which is the condition of the Covenant Rom. 4. 16. It is faith c. Act 16 31. Believe and thou shalt be Saved Now althoughâ— in propriety of speech it is hard to prove an interest 〈◊〉 faith it being our very interest in him yet the heart closing with Christ Jesus is so discernable in it self that it may well be placed amongst the marks of a gracious state And if a man can make out this that he believeth on and in Christ Jesus he thereby doth prove a very true interest in him Many are prejudiced at this as a mark upon one of these three grounds ordinarily 1. Some conceive faith to be a difficult mysterious thing hardly attainable To these I say do not mistake Faith is not so difficult as many do apprehend it to be I grant true faith in the meanest degree is the gift of God and above the power of flesh and blood for God must draw men to Christ Phil. 1. 29. Joh. 6.