by filling their heart on a sudden with the blessed Motions of his Spirit whereby the snare is broken and they escape that the remembrance thereof is enough to keep them humble all their dayes Besides if it have not been so with such that they have not been almost in such evils almost perswaded and enticed to such gross sins yet there is the Sin of our natures and the sins of daily infirmity distractions in holy duties vaine thoughts sinful passions idle words and the like for which we have cause to lie in the dust before God Thirdly Those that are converted young do many times attain to a higher degree of grace before they die then others who are converted in their latter time especially those that are converted young and live long afterwards before they finish their course such have longer time to grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and sasiour Jesus Christ Yet that none that were converted young may be high-minded but feare let it be considered that it is not alwayes thus but some of these through great temptations and falls into sin are but weak in grace all their days and some that were converted many years after them do get the start of them in grace are more awful of God more weaned from the world and more fruitful in their course And greatly are some humbled when they count the number of the years since God first wrought upon them and think with themselves how little communion they have with God how little mortification to the world how little service they have done for God and then look upon others that have been converted many years after them and see to what a greater measure of grace they have attained Though they do not envy the goodness of God to such but rejoyce therein and give thanks unto his Name for his grace bestowed on them yet they reflect upon themselves as those who have quenched and grieved the holy Spirit of God for which he is not pleased they think to influence and quicken and comfort them as he doth others that have been more obedient and so their souls are greatly abased before the Lord. Of these things which have been spoken of conversion in youth this is the summe That it is in it self a great priviledge and yet nevertheless such as are converted young had need to watch and pray be very humble and diligent least they fall into temptations and snares and go on very slowly and heavily in the wayes of God Likewise from what hath been said it doth appeare that how ever wee may be advantaged in some circumstances and priviledges above others as in being in Christ before them and the like yet without great supplies of grace from above we shall not make a proficiency according to such advantages Before I leave this head it may be profitable to speak some thing more by way of caution and counsel to those that are converted young 1. Have a care of errours of Judgement Youth is usually raw and ignorant you may have strong and good affections but it may be weak judgments go not out of novelty to hear unsound Preachers give your selves to Prayer and to the reading of the Word attend upon the Faithful Preaching of the word by the Ministers of Christ. 2. Be much in proving your own selves whether you have a sound work of grace upon your hearts the end of it usually to them that are sincere is a suller assurance that they are passed from Death to Life 3. Flie youthfull lusts as Paul exhorted Timothy 2 Epist 2.22 one that was converted young and was yet but a young man when the Apostle wrote thus unto him flee pride flee all kinds of uncleaness flee unlawful recreations flee bad company and the like Have a care that through ignorance you do not commit some sins in your youth that may wound your consciences much in age In riper years you may see some things to be sin which you would not have done in your youth if you had known so much then Therefore study the Scriptures well and beg of God to shew you what sins youth useth to fall into knows it not then but it may be afterward to the great wounding of Conscience Intreat the Lord that while you are yet young men or Women you may cleanse your way and take heed thereunto according to his word 4. Often bless the name of the Lord for revealing himself to you so soon in your young and tender years Wonder at the Lords free grace that he should convert you at all and labour to be much affected with the time when he did it in the morning of your lives so soon so early 5. Whatsoever difficulties temptations and afflictions you go thorough in the course of your pilgrimage let your hearts trust safely in the Lord that his grace shall be sufficient for you He will never leave you nor forsake you so that you may boldly say the Lord is your helper what ever sad lots of affliction are upon you and that all things shall work together for your good If God hath been the God and Guide of your youth he will be the God of your riper years and though in your latter time you may have great decaies of body and can do him little service yet he will be tender of you and care for you and do you good to gray hairs and in gray hairs he will bear you and he will carry you in his everlasting Arms to Heaven You may have many a Thorne in the flesh many humbling temptations least you should be lifted up but be not dismayed for the Lord is your God and he will strengthen you he will help you he will uphold you with the right hand of his righteousness 6. Admire him that is of power to keep you and hath kept you and will keep you in the state of grace unto the end remember the former dayes when you were first illuminated what difficulties the Lord carried you through how he made you able by the power of his grace to break off from evil company and from your sinful courses and it may be to endure a great fight of afflictions from carnal Parents and Relations and acquaintance and though you were young youthfull and very unconstant yet by the power of God you were not afraid of any amazement and could not be turned aside from following the Lord. Some that are converted young are sometimes strengthned with such might by the Spirit of God that though they have carnal Parents and Relations that oppose them in the wayes of God they carry it with that Patience humbleness of mind and yet with that magnanimity and courage that is to be wondered at even while they are young and but Children they may go through such difficulties with a holy rejoycing as would be hard for them to go through afterwards without very much assisting grace from God Remember therefore and forget not the kindness of
legal way to seek peace and healing of his wounds by his own righteousness and duties without the blood of Christ these things come not from the holy Spirit that first convinced the Soul of sin but from Satan and from the corruption of our own hearts that mix themselves and put in with these convictions and workings of the Spirit 3. All that are convinced of sin and have terrours yea it may be very great terrours of Conscience thereupon are not converted Cain and Judas had great terrours of Conscience and yet never were converted yet alas many in giving account of their conversion build too much upon this that at such a time they were much troubled for their sins when as trouble for sin is not a sufficient evidence of a sound conversion if it be onely for fear of Hell and damnation But if after sight of our sins and fear of the wrath of God we were brought to know Christ to prize Christ above all to rest our weary souls upon him yea upon him alone and were made willing in the day of his power to take his yoak upon us that as we live by him we might also live to him then the work the good work of special and saving grace is begun in us Praises to Jehovah for ever 3. There is some stop put to sin especially grosse sin by this common illumination and common convictions of the Spirit So that a Man being awed with the terrors of the law dare not run into that excesse of riot and prophanesse that he hath done but having some feeling of the bitterness of sin cannot commit it with that greediness that he hath done But begins to leave more open and gross sins and persorm duties of Religion and sets upon reforming of his Life and finds some kinde of joy and peace therein which yet we may not think comes from the comforter the Holy Ghost for he giveth no joy and peace to any but what flows from the beholding God's reconciled face in Christ or a reflexion upon the effects of his grace and presence with us leading us forth in wayes of holiness and obedience in his Name So that wee must diligently consider that although these common workings of the Spirit do lay some restraint upon Sin and put us upon good duties and reformation of Life yet wee must not rest here and say surely the bitterness of Death is past but careful must we be as for our Lives that now our Souls be rightly bottomed upon Christ that he may be our righteousness to justify us and the onely Fountaine of sanctification and holiness to us Many other things might be added under this head of common grace and preparatory workings of the spirit as that the Lord doth sometimes make great impressions upon men of the holiness of the Law of his justice if he should cast us into hell of the insufficiency of our owne righteousness to make our peace with him and that we must come to Christ if we would have life But we must not extend the preparatory workings of the Spirit to far as some do as if there were any saving work upon the soul before union with Christ That which I aime at here is to shew that in conversion ordinarily there is legal repentance before Evange lical sight and sense of sin before Christ be brought into the Soul but no speciall grace and saving work untill union with Christ and infusion of a new heart and spirit of these things this is the sum The Lord doth usually work common grace before he works speciall grace Some have these common workings of the Spirit and yet are never savingly converted In the elect these common workings of the Spirit are the preparing the way to speciall grace that the Lord intends to bestow upon them that is that the common illumination convictions and humbling for sin that the holy Ghost worketh in the elect before their conversion are in order to their conversion CHAP. III. Shewing what Special Grace and Saving Conversion is NOw to shew what Special Grace and Saving Conversion is First I shall give a short definition of it 'T is a work of the Spirit of God upon the soul whereby the habit the principle and seed of all grace is infused changing and sanctifying the heart to the bringing of us to trust wholly in Christ for salvation to repent of our Sins to love God and unfeignedly desire to walk before him in obedience and newness of Life according to his will Those who have this change wrought in them are passed from death to life shall undoubtedly be saved and inherit everlasting Life But to open the doctrine of conversion more fully and plainly to every ones capacity I know no better and surer way then to explain some of those expressions of the holy Scripture by which special grace and conversion is set forth to us First special grace and conversion is frequently especially in the new Testament called believing on Christ To as many as received him to them he gave power to become the Sons of God even to as many as believed on his name John 1.12 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting Life John 3.36 This is the word of God that ye believe on him whom he hath sent John 6.29 Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved Act. 16.31 With the heart Man believeth unto righteousness Rom. 10.10 By grace are ye saved through Faith Ephes 2.8 yea this grace of believing is spoken of in the Old Testament though not so clearly as in the new Look to me and be saved Isa 45.22 where by looking is meant believing and vers 24. surely shall one say in the Lord viz the Lord Jesus the Mediator have I righteousness and strength even to him shall men come 24 vers where by coming is meant believing Those that were saved under the Old Testament saw Christ's day of coming in the flesh affar off and were glad and put their trust in him having the same spirit of Faith in Christ that the Saints have now Well then it is clear that where there is a true believing on Christ there is true conversion Now therefore let us inquire when a man doth believe to the saving of his soul And there is a necessity to enquire into the true nature of Saving Faith because a Man may have some kind of Faith and yet never go to Heaven some are said for awhile to believe and afterwards to fall a-away Luke 8.13 Simon Magus is said to believe Act. 8.13 Which Scripture do shew that there is an assent to the Doctrine of the Gospel which is but a temporary Faith an historical Faith from common illumination and convictions Yea it is said the Devils believe and tremble James 2.3 The devils by the power of light and convictions are forced to believe that there is a God though yet they are Enemies to him and wish there were no God The truth is if a man do
thick Cloud thy transgressions and will remember thy sins no more Fear not I am with thee be not dismayed for I am thy God be of good cheare thy sins are forgiven thee or the like This question may be moved hereupon Quest When a man hath some promise or word of grace come into his thoughts so as to make impression upon his heart and quiet him as to his feare of the wrath of God how shall he know that this is spoken by the spirit to witness to him that he is the Child of God or whether it be a delusion Answ 1 That the holy Ghost doth sometimes comfort the hearts of believers by some promise or word of grace mentioned in the Scripture is not to be questioned As the Holy Ghost in convincing men of sin and their last estate by nature doth often make use of some places of Scripture as for example the wages of sin is death the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all unrighteousness of men and setles home the commandments of the Law with the curse anexed to the breach of them in particular to the soul as if the Lord did speak from heaven to that particular person I have said in my Law thou shalt have no other Gods before me But thou hast made riches thy God thy belly thy God thy Name and esteem amongst men thy God therefore thou art cursed I have said in my Law thou shalt not take my Name in vain but thou hast done it I have said thou shalt keep my sabbath Holy but thou hast not regarded it and so thou hast broaken this commandment and the other I have said cursed is every one that continueth not in every thing that is written in the book of the Law to do it therefore thou art under the curse and what wilt thou do As the holy Ghost I say doth often set home such Scriptures to convince men os sin and shew them their need of Christ so doth the Holy Ghost many times make use of other Scriptures that hold forth Gods free grace in Christ both at first to work faith and draw the soul to Christ and afterwards to fill the heart with joy and peace in believing Thefore it is a sign of a prophane heart and destitute of the knowledge of conversion and of the comforts of the holy Ghost to make a mock and jeare of Scriptures and promises given into and set home upon the spirits of men 2. Sometimes promises and words of grace are given into the soul to work grace at that time and not to witness that grace was wrought before for we ordinarily receive the spirit to work grace at first in us by hearing in the preaching of the word or else darted more immediately from God into our souls some promise or declaration of Gods grace in Christ and if that be all our mistake that at such a time when we thought the Holy Ghost set home such or such a promise and word of grace upon our hearts to assure us that we were the Children of God that he did it at that time to work the first special grace in us and unite us unto Christ so that that was the time of our first receiving Christ If this I say be all the mistake it is not dangerous 3. Lastly it must be granted that all that have a promise or word of grace come into their minds yea though it take some impression on them and quiet their thoughts and affect them with a kind of joy for the present have not these words given in by the spirit of God either to work saving grace in them at that time or to bear witness to them that they are in the state of grace for such as are compared in the Scripture to the stony ground do sometimes hear the word with joy and consequently have it come into their thoughts with some flashes of joy and those that fall away do tast of the heavenly gift and after a sort are made partakers of the Holy Ghost Heb. 6. In some of his common motions and impressions upon their hearts as hath been opened more largely before so that for a conclusion of this matter If there be not a work of grace wrought in the heart even an abiding work as well as promises words of grace that transiently and suddenly pass thorough the thoughts we may be fearfully mistaken about our spiritual estates But if we can find such faith in Christ such repentance and such love to God wrought in us as have before been spoken of the more promises and words of grace are cast into our thoughts the better for they strengthen true believers in holiness and communion with God and are as so many love-tokens send them from Jesus Christ by the spirit till they come to him in heaven Hypocrites and notional professours turn such promises and words of grace into wantonness and into a snare to their own souls but true believers get real good by them and lay up these sayings in their hearts and cleave the more unto the Lord in faith and holiness Thus I have endeavoured to shew how we may know we are in the state of grace let me speak a word or two to those that are converted and have had it cleared up to their souls that it is so 10. Praise the Lord for the exceeding riches of his grace Be content yea rejoyce and be thankful whatever sad loss of outward trouble and affliction lye upon you grace hath abounded towards you the Lord hath not dealt so with many others as he hath dealt with you look round about you and see what multitudes lye in wickedness in grosse ignorance and prophaness and live without God in the world what if you be poor in the World you are heirs of Gods Kingdom what if you have not health of body as others have you shall soone leave this ruinous earthly Tabernacle and be with Christ in Paradise and he will also raise up this poor frail body and make it like to his glorious body at the last day what if near relations Father and Mother should forsake you the Lord hath taken you up into his everlasting Armes where he will hold you for ever what though the world hate you and curse you the eternal God hath loved you and blessed you in Christ Rejoycing in the Lord and praising him cont inually are comely for those that are converted and pardoned in Christ O sing and give Praise 2 After God hath once given you a comfortable assurance of your conversion do not call all in question upon every fit of deadness and darkness that comes upon your Spirits Be humbled for the least sin but say not upon every spiritual fall that if there had been truth of grace you had never done thus for after conversion there remaineth in this life flesh and corruption that is not wholy taken away till death Then indeed the house of the Old Man will quite fall and all these
two states and conditions of men after this life but the two places to one of which all go at death Let none out of curosity enquire where Hell is ' tis-sufficient that the Scripture tells us that there is a Hell and tells us what will bring us thither that we may avoid it and that Christ onely can deliver us from it that we may make sure of our interest in him 2. Consider the misery of Hell Though there be a Hell yet if it were a tollerable good place and condition though far inferiour to Heaven it was not to be so much feared but O let us consider the misery of Hell I might insist upon that which is commonly called the punishment of loss that is what the damned are deprived of and what sad reflections they may make upon that account being not onely deprived of all the creature comforts which once they enjoyed in this world which the Saints in Heaven cannot reflect upon as any loss to them because God is there all in all and better then all to them but they are seperated from God from any hope of his favour and enjoyment of him shut out of the place where he shews the riches of his glorious Kingdom and the honour of his excellent majesty to the Angels and Saints not for a time onely but for ever Shut out of the company of the Holy Angels and Saints Surely these things gall the spirits of the damned If Esau wept so bitterly for that he had lost the birthright and lost an earthly Fathers blessing how bitterly may the damned weep that they have lost Heaven and the blessing of the Father of Spirits What better reflections the damned make upon their fall in Adam which now so little affects the generality of men and their great loss thereby we cannot conceive now nor how it will vex and fret them to think some of them what means of grace they enjoyed in the powerful preaching of the Word and good council of Parents Masters and Friends but that they have lost all those advantages for Heaven which once they had and made light of But let me speak something of that possitive misery or punishment of sense that the damned undergo 1. They are miserable for their place 2. They are miserable for their company 3. They are miserable for the wrath of God which They beare this is the worst of all 1. They are miserable for their place I shall not stand much upon this but surely Hell is a doleful place therefore compared to Tophet Isa 30.33 To a bottomless pit Rev. 9.2 Vtter darkness Mat. 22.13 Heaven is called Paradise Luke 23.43 Hell a Prison 1 Pet. 3.19 But I but touch this for the truth is as the enjoyment of God in Heaven is the Heaven of Heaven the best of Heaven and not meerely the splendour and glory of the place though it is a glorious place so it is the bearing of the wrath of God in Hell that is the Hell of Hell the worst of Hell though it is also a doleful and miserable place 2. They are miserable for their company Now men are fit to go out of their wits if the Devil appear to them what will they do how will they be eternally scared and â—â—igted when they know they are amongst a throng of them shut up with them in the same eternal Prison That Devils and damned Men and Women shall he together in the same place of torment is cleare from the sentence of condemnation at the last day depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels Mat. 25.41 As those of the Children of men that are saved shall be in the same Heaven with the elect Angels and their company will be a great refresh ng to them so those that are damned shall be in the same Hell with the faln Angels the Devils and their company will be a great terrour to them And as much as prophane men delight in in one anothers company now it will be very grievous to them in Hell To hear one anothers howlings weeping wayling groanings and bitter Lamantatioas will surely be very terrible and especially the company of those that have been partners in sin fellow-drunkards fellow-thiefs fellow-persecutors fellow-wantons will be very grievous O how they will curse one another and course the days that ever they saw one another 3. They are miserable for the wrath of God that abideth on them It is not meerly the place nor the company that makes them miserable but the sting of Hell is the mediate sense and feeling of the wrath of God in an unsportable manner this is their paenal Hell which is worse than their local Hell As God lets out his love and makes great impressions thereof upon the spirits of the Saints in Heaven so he lets out his wrath and makes great impressions thereof upon the damned in Hell The damned are said in the Scripture to be punished tormented beaten with stripes burnt with unquenchable fire all to shew how the wrath of God lies very hard upon them It is true there are degrees of torments in Hell more and fewer stripes a great difference there is no doubt of the sufferings of the damned some receive greater damnation and beare more wrath then others 't is according as men have sinned more or less in this world I speak of those that perish that they are punnished more or less in Hell But surely those that have fewest stripes and the coolest places in Hell have a sad portion If people do verily believe that there is a Hell yet few believe the extremity of misery that is suffered there I remembre a poor Woman that suffered death for being a Witch told me that after she had made a contract with the Devil she began to be much afraid of Hell as a miserable place and condition whereupon the Devil told her that Hell was not so bad a place as people thought that he was the prince of the aire that people lived very well in his dominions and that she for her part should be an hostess and keep a fair Inn there It was to this purpose what this poor ignorant Woman told me The Devil hath scarce the face to tell his followers that there is no Hell but rather that it is a tollerable good place and not bad as some zealous preachers would make them believe At another time I heard a prophane man when he was told of Hell fire say I hope there are some ponds of cold water there to where I may go and cole my self when I am heated and scorched with the flames thus fools now make a mock of sin and a mock of Hell too till they came to it and then they will be past their jesting Hell torments put the greatest wits and the most sanguine tempters past their Joaks and meriment Many go laughing and merry to Hell but when they come once there they laugh no more for there is nothing but
sins which if it had been laid upon us would have been eternal but he overwrastled it made satisfaction put away sin by the sacrifice of himself made peace and obtained eternal redemption for us whereof he hath given assurance unto all men in that after he had the iniquities of all his people laid and charged upon him yet he rose again the third day is gone unto the Father and is set down at the right hand of the Majesty in the Heavens By one offering upon the Cross he did the work he being an infinite Person God as well as Man his short suffering was of an infinit value He dieth no more there is no need at all of it in referance unto those for whom he made his soul an offering for sins he hath done the work fully to whom be glory for ever This is the Summ and substance of the Gospel Now if any hearing of the danger they are in of the wrath of God for their sins and sensible of the Rebellion and perversness of their hearts and wayes against God would have a Saviour and a sanctifier that it may go well with them for ever this is he Jesus the Son of God He is not here now upon earth to be seen with bodily eyes he is gone into Heaven and is on the right hand of God Look up to him there with an eye of Faith put your trust in him he is able to save to the uttermost all that come to God by him Get the knowledge of him out of the word search the Scriptures for they testify of him they tell you what he is what he hath done and what he hath suffered to bring us to God Think of him continually prize him set your hearts on him if you flight him you will find there is no other Saviour no other Mediatour no other advocate with the Father If the work be yet to be done even now whilst thou readest these things look to him close with him give up thy self to him to be saved and Sanctified by him fall in love with him you will never repent of your choice Poor soul what saist thou to a Pardon for all thy sins what saist to peace with God what saist thou to eternal life Come to Christ and thou shalt have all these and a New Heart and spirit to walk in holiness and obedience before God too O doth the Lord affect thy heart for he doth this great work that thou art taken with Christ and art a thirst for this water of life then take it freely as excellent and precious as the Lord Jesus is he bestowes himself freely upon poor sinners the best qualification you can have for receiving Christ is to see your need of him and that you are altogether unworthy of him do you see your sins now the multitude of them the hainousness of them let not your sins drive you from Christ but drive you to Christ Come poor sinners come to Christ his blood cleanseth from all sin his righteousness is able to cover all your unrighteousness Come to Christ but with a true Heart to give him all the glory of your salvation and to desire now to have him reign over you and fear not he is mighty to save Jesus is the Lord of glory consider his God-head in your looking to him to take away your sins Never any Patient came to this Phisitian and missed of cure come with all the spiritual Vlcers running Sores and Bloody Issues of sin touch the hem of his Garment by Faith as the Woman in the Gospel did and you shall see there is vertue enough in Christ to make you whole The Devil labours to make men confident and presumptuous when they are going on greedily in sin but when they are convinced of their lost estate and are looking after Christ then he endeavours to puzle them with many doubts and suspitions as if they were past cure and it were too late now to lock after Christ Ah poor souls do not you see that the hand of Sathan is in all this When you went on in ignorance and prophaness he would not endure you should hear when Ministers preached of damnation and now that you are convinced and stopt in your vile courses and are thinking how you may make peace with God now the Devil cannot endure you should hear of Salvation in Christ the Son of God least you should come unto him that you may have life Thus I have set before them that are not yet converted life and death pardon of sin peace with God and eternal life if the Lord giveth them hearts to repent and close with Christ The Wrath of God and eternal destruction If they still go on in their ignorance prophaness and slighting of Jesus Christ If any that read these things shall say in their hearts they shall have peace and shall do well enough whatsoever some zealous preachers say though they cast Gods law behind their backs and never look after a work of Grace and conversion upon their souls the anger of the Lord and his Jealousy shall smoake against those persons and burn against them for ever But if they shall now tremble at the word of the Lord and lay hold upon the offer of Christ believing on his name and submitting unto him their sins shall be forgiven them for his names sake and they shall be the heir of eternal life through him for though the wages of sin is death even eternal death yet the gift the free gift of God is life even eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord to whom be glory for ever Amen FINIS Books Printed for and Sold by Henry Mortlock at the Phaenix in S. Pauls Church-Yard and at the White Hart in Westminster-Hall THe Saints Ebenezer and Pillar of hope in God when they have none left in the Creature Or the godly-mans Crutch or Staff in times of sadning disappointments sinking discouragements shaking dissolations wherein is shewed the Transcendent Excellency of God his Peoples help and hope with the unparalell'd hapiness of the Saints in their confidence in him over-balancing the Worldlings carnall dependance both as to sweetness and safety by F. English A word in season or 3 great dutys of Christians in the worst of times viz abiding in Christ Thirsting after his instruction and submission to his providence to which is added by way of appendix the advice of some Ministers to their people for the receiving the power and practice of godliness in their familys Oct. The freeness of the grace and love of God to believers discover'd in reference to First Their service and suffering Secondly their consolations Thirdly their salvation and eternal glory together with the Excelency of the fear of God The goodness and pleasantness of brotherly Love the wisdom of hearing the voice of the Rod repentance the only way to prevent Judgments delivered in several Sermons by William Bridg sometimes Preacher of the Word at Yarmouth Death unstung in 8 Sermons Preached at the Funeral of Tho. Moseley an Apothecary who died July 1669 With a brief Narrative of his Life and Death Also the manner of Gods dealings with him before and after his Conversion drawn up by his own Hand and Published by James Janeway Oct. A Fathers Testament Written long since for the benefit of the Particular Relations of the Author Phineas Fletcher sometimes Minister of the Gospel at Hillgay in Norfolk The voice of one crying in a Wilderness or the business of a Christian both Antecedaneous to Concomitant of and consequent upon a Sore and heavy Visitation represented in several Sermons First Preached to his own Family lying under such Visitation and now made publick as a thank offering to the Lord his healer by S. S. a servant of God in the Gospel of his Son FINIS