licentious libertine is not compelled at all to sin but to say and do that which is right and to hearken to the Word of God rather then to his own erring conscience for the scandalous sectary schismatick or heretick lyeth in a twofold sin the one is in his spirit believing and embracing an error the other in his external words and deeds corrupting the minds and maners of Gods people If after conference and disputation the sin of his misled mind cannot be taken away yet the correcting of him by Church-censures and civil punishment may restrain and bind him up from troubling and infecting others with his leaven and ill example and so his sinning externally is cut off and he made in so far to cease from evil wherein he doth not sin in so far because sin is not every transgression of the ditement of the conscience simply but the transgression of the law and ditement of the conscience speaking according to the law is a sin It is true indeed that whosoever doth judge the ditement of his conscience to be the Law of God and yet doth the contrary must by interpretation of his deed be holden guilty of sin because he who by fear or hope can be moved to do contrary to the ditement of his erring conscience in effect doth professe he may be moved by hope or fear to do contrary to the ditement of his conscience well informed Mean time it is expedient not only for the good of the society of Gods people but also for the good of the erroneous person himself that he be curbed and hindered by these that have lawfull power from doing yet more harm and restrained from following the course of sin and filling up the full measure of sinning which he was about to do CHAP. X. Of such as do please themselves in a condition not pleasing God because they conceive they can pray well under any condition SUndry there are who think their souls to be in a good case and condition when they can pray much and that with freedom of spirit when possibly they do not watch over their hearts nor wayes as becometh them This sicknesse even converts are subject unto sundry times but it may be most clearly seen in those who put a sort of worth and merit in effect upon their religious exercises as we may see in many Israelits in Isaias time chap 58. They did reckon themselves among them that did seek God daily who delighted in his wayes and did approach unto him ver 2. yet because God did not grant their petitions they fell on chiding him ver 3. Wherefore have we fasted say they and thou seest not wherefore have we afflicted our souls and thou takest no knowledge The history also of Korah Dathan and Abiram is notour wherein we see what esteem Korah and his complices had of their own holinesse and of their accesse to God in their prayers that they durst hazard and lay their lives in pawn that God should make them as welcom when they came with their cenferes to pray before him as Aaron and Moses yea and more welcome then they Such a sort of deceit is that whereby some fanaticks enthusiasts and hereticks do foster themselves in their own folly and imagine they are no small men in Gods account because they find a sort of eloquence in their prayers which they conceive God would not give unto them except he were well pleased with their persons prayers and wayes and that the true convert also is subject to this sicknesse appeareth by this that Moses in charity judged many who countenanced the conspiracy to be godly persons otherwayes and therefore exhorted them to forsake the unhappy society of these wicked men And sure it is that sundry of the sons of Korah did repent and flye from the company of the obstinat transgressors for it is clear that all the sons of Korah did not perish Numb 26. 11. and frequent mention is made of the posterity of Korah in the Chronicles and Psalms But we need not insist much here seing experience teacheth that many go on confidently in maintaining schisme and error perswading themselves of the goodnesse of their course and condition because their prayers do flow according to their wish from day to day And many are who if they find fredom in prayer for any particular concerning themselves or others do assure themselves that it shall come to passe which they pray for And if their spirits be straitned in praying for spâ—â—itual and promised graces they fear they shall not be satisfied in the particular they pray for For remedy of this self-deceit men must know that it is one thing to pray much and another thing to be heard and their prayers and persons accepted The Jews are told by the Prophet Isaiah chap. 1. 15. that albeit they put up many petitions the Lord will not hear them because their hands were full of blood 2. Carnal affection may easily creep in and stir up a fervency of prayer Iam. 4. 3. you ask and obtain not because you ask amiss that you may bestow what you pray for upon your lusts 3. Saints may pray earnestly for that which God is not minded to grant unto them as Samuel prayed for Saul that he might be continued King 1 Sam 16. 1. And David may pray for the life of Bathshebas child and not prevail 4. On the other hand prayers put up from a straitened heart in a sad condition may prove no lesse pleasing unto God then when the supplicant doth find most inlargement of spirit and fredom of prayer How oft did the Pâ—almist cry out of the deeps when his spirit was overwhelmed within him when darknesse and the cords of death did straiten him as Ps. 61. 1. is holden forth And the Apostle Rom. 8. giveth us to understand that the spirit of the convert may be so straitened by afflictions bodily and spiritual that they are not able to set their words in order before God yea nor have clear notions of their necessities and desires but in stead of an oration do sigh and groan unto God Wherefore if a man shall in the sense of his sins and wants have his daily recourse unto Christ and be carefull to bring forth the fruits of the spirit praying for what is promised with submission to God what measure and at what time he pleaseth to give he may be sure his person and prayers are acceptable as we are taught 1 Ioh. 5. 14 15. This is the confidence that we have in him that if we ask any thing according to his will he heareth us and if we know that he heareth us whatsoever we ask we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him CHAP. XI Of the converts esteeming the peace of God to be but a carnal security VVE have brought forth some examples of the first sort of the conscience erring by esteeming an evil condition to be a good condition Now let us look upon some
reason or common sense they are carried to destroy themselves some way Such persons can hardly be called voluntary and deliberat self-murtherers because they are neither able to observe and discern their own condition nor their danger wherein they are nor any circumstances which might hinder them from the mischief and therefore it cannot properly in this case be called desperation because the miserable person is not so much capable of reason as to consider the grounds and motives of hope or despair But voluntary self-murther proceedeth from properly called desperation because the wretch after deliberation how to escape from misery lying on and coming on when all reason of hope seemeth to fail him he casts away any further inquisition after the remedy and out of apprehension that he can be in no worse case after his death then he presently feeleth and that he can no other way be rid of his present torment then by death wittingly and willingly putteth hand in himself In this voluntary self-murther sometime the sense of wrath for sin committed doth predomine as in Iudas the traitour his desperation and self-murther sometime the apprehension of more worldly misery more bitter then death doth predomine as in King Saul who choosed rather to fall on his own sword then fall alive into the hands of the Philistines 1 Sam. 31. 4. and in Achitophels hanging himself when he foresaw what misery should come upon himself when his counsel was not imbraced by Absalom 2 Sam. 17. 23. 4. To speak of self-murther in general requireth a Treatise larger then our purpose doth permit it sufficeth us to speak a little to it as the temptation thereunto and desperation of finding Gods mercy is a hindrance of regeneration To this end where any fear or suspicion of any intention toward this fearfull sin doth appear all meeknesse should be used by all that have interest in the person suspected that may serve to save the vexed party from such a mischief God must be in-called and requested for relief unto the patient Physicians should be called and moe Pastors then one if they can be had the soul in danger must by friends be watched and waited on in a prudent maner night and day that he never be alone If the person be capable of reason he must be dealt with freely to confesse his temptation and purpose toward this sin the causes moving him must be inquired after and if they be other then sense of sin and fear or feeling of Gods wrath then course must be taken to make the party sensible of sin and to fear Gods wrath and to consider that if they give way to that sin they are tempted unto they do no lesse in effect then cast themselves in hell where the justice and wrath of God shall lye upon them without hope of ease or ending of their everlasting torment from which fearfull destruction they may be preserved both in soul and body if they shall acknowledge their sin and flye to God in Christ offering grace and pardon of sin and delivery from hell and right unto heaven promised to all and every one who shall imbrace Jesus Christ for their redemption And for these whose vexation is mainly from the conscience of heinous sins and felt wrath of God pursuing them the grace offered in the Gospel must be cleared unto them and inculcated if they can be moved to give reasons of their fear and to propone their doubts who knoweth what blessing may follow on their free dealing and from faithfull answers from Scripture returned unto them Conferences of experimented Christians may with profit be made use of in the patients audience whereby the party may receive both increase of knowledge and some beginnings of comfort Among other means godly persons who have in their own exercise had experience of such temptations and have gotten victory by flying unto Christ may serve much by their conference to encourage them In some of those tempted souls tokens of good hope will shortly appear in others it may be none can conjecture what shall be the event till the time declare it whether justice or mercy was intended of God for both in the elect who are cured of this disease and in the reprobat who perish in their sin the same symptoms may appear if the anxiety and expressions of the one and the other be compared Therefore care must be had of every one under such temptations whatsoever the event may be and the Lords blessing waited for in the use of the means Scripture sheweth us how hard exercises Gods dear children have been under Beside many other Saints we shall only name two witnesses the one is Heman the Ezrait that precious soul not much inferiour to Solomon in wisdom 1 King 4. 31. of whom no man could say he was a weak brain and hypochondriack or melancholious person whose sad exercise stands registrated Ps. 88. for many mans comfort The other witnesse shall be Iob. whose perplexities we read in his dispute with his friends and how he tasted of this bitter temptation also Job 7. 13 14 15. When I say my bed shall comfort me my couch shall ease my complaint then thou skarest me with dreams and terrifies me with visions so that my soul chooseth strangling Behold there is a very sad exercise of the most holy and righteous man on earth there is a sore temptation even unto self-murther but how is this temptation over-come first he doth not hide his temptation but openeth it up in the worst shape this giveth the temptation vent he will not conceal it nor be Sathans secretar in this and this is one mean to weaken the temptation Then he presenteth it before God and poureth out his complaint unto the Lord and this giveth him the victory So let all souls tempted unto desperation do and cleave to God in Christ and they shall be victorious also CHAP. XI Concerning them that absolve themselves without warrand THe third rank of those that impede their own regeneration remaineth to be spoken of Of this kind are all they who after they have slightly exmined themselves and are convinced of sin and of deserved death if they were dealt with in rigour of justice do unwarrantably absolve themselves deceiving their own conscience by a fallacy false sylogisme or captious reasoning and from the conscience as from a blinded or seduced Judge do draw forth a sentence of absolution to themselves which God doth not allow All such persons do either lay down some false principle or ground for absolution of sinners or if they lay down a true ground they make wrong application of that ground to themselves and so beguile themselves miserably The first sort SOme do grant themselves to be sinners but do perswade themselves that God is so mercifull as he will not destroy any man for sin which principle being once laid down no wonder such men go on in their own way and sing a requiem to their own souls Of this
the cause which it should defend and it is borrowed from the unfaithfull advocat who for a bribe doth sell the cause which he pretends to defend and give over the plea of his client and falleth in to the adverse party Such is the man whose affection to some lust and worldly advantage doth blind-fold his conscience and moveth it to speak contrary to its duty and mean time doth pretend he is only following the light of his conscience for whose liberty he ought to dispute the mater may be seen in an example or instance one or two King Saul receives a command from God to slay all the Amalekits and destroy them and their beasts when it cometh to execution Saul conceiveth it shall be for his honour to spare Agag and reserve him for a triumph and that it should be for his advantage to spare the fattest of the cattel whereof the people might make use for sacrifice So advantage and honour do sollicit him The peoples consent who followed him helpeth on his resolution to spare Agag and the fattest of the cattel fear to offend the people whom he had drawn on to consent unto his mind concurreth to the giving forth his decreet contrary to Gods command and so his conscience being bribed faileth against the command of God In which resolution and practice Saul doth please himself The like treachery in Saul falleth forth in the mater of the Gibeonits The Gibeonits preserved from Ioshuas time did grow in number to the detriment of the Israelits as he conceived the oath of a covenant sworn for sparing their lives standeth up on the one hand to hinder him from slaying of them the advantage which his kindly subject might have by killing them and possessing their lands and goods standeth up to intise him to kill them on the other hand Saul being taken with the bait of advantage and honour from the people of Israel for whom he was zealous inclineth his conscience to mis-regard the oath of the covenant partly because it was given without Gods counsel and consent yea contrary to his positive command discharging a covenant with the Canaanits partly because the Gibeonits deceived Ioshua and the elders and fained themselves not to be of the number of the Canaanits but men of a far country partly because many years had interveened between the day of Ioshua's covenant with them and his time and it seemed unto Saul very unreasonable that a rash and unadvised oath should be still in force from generation to generation and partly also because the form of the civil Government was now changed whereby Saul conceiving himself not to be obliged as successor to the Judges but as King ordained at Gods special direction as free a Monarch as any in the world and not bound by the oath of the rash swearing Judges and Elders in Ioshuas time doth treacherously seduce his own conscience and falleth upon the off-cutting of the Gibeonits by the sword How many are they who by such intisements having deceived their own hearts and for worldly gain or glory or for eshewing of damnage do embrace errors in religion and follow that course which most serveth to satisâ—ie their own lusts or is most applauded unto of them who are in power From which sort of treacherous dealing nothing can divert and draw back the man to repentance except the Lord partly by disputation and partly by Church-censures and civil punishments shall discover unto them their treacherous dealing in selling the truth and betraying their conscience for base ends and so bring them to repentance In this case such as are pretended maintainers of liberty of conscience but in effect patrons of licentious living after their own lusts put in their objections 1. Obj. It is necessary for me saith one to do what I do and to think what I think I conceive I have reason for me and am perswaded that what I do and professe is lawfull and that that is not lawfull whereunto censures and punishments tend to draw me Ans. What necessity can be pretended for a deliberat mans actions and profession except a morall necessity of doing duty and of not sinning Natural necessity he cannot alledge for the justifying of deliberat sinfull actions For if he pretend original sin and native corrupt inclination to sin it is no excuse for sin but a granting himself a sinner by kind by natural inclination and custom or if he pretend a civil necessity it is either for hope of gain or fear of wordly loss and that is but a base reason to move a man to do what is in it self sinfull If conscience be pretended and that he cannot without sin do what is against his conscience he must know that a conscience mis-informed cannot warrant a sinfull tenet or practice for except a man renounce the error which he hath embraced both the error is his sin and the profession and practice according to the error doth make his sin double if he pretend that except he do as his conscience diteth unto him he sinneth because the conscience is the rule of a mans actions he must know that the conscience is not the absolute rule of a mans actions but the Word of God must be the rule of his conscience and of his actions also Because if he put his conscience in the place of Gods Word and not in subjection and subordination thereto he must justifie the murtherers of the Martyrs of whom Christ giveth warning that they who kill his servants shall think to wit in their conscience that they do unto God good service Ioh. 16. 2. If he pretend that upon this ground liberty of conscience is altogether destroyed if men living under civil and ecclesiastick Government must renounce the light of their conscience and give obedience to mens commandments he must know that he is mistaken and that the true liberty of the conscience standeth in the following Gods Word and doing service unto God Neither doth sound doctrine tye any man to renounce the liberty of his conscience but to renounce the error which hath blinded him and to renounce his lust which hath opened the door unto the error which hath misled him lest both he perish in his sin and the society wherein he liveth be infected with the error and fall under the wrath of God If he pretend that neither the will of a man nor his conscience can be compelled For the nature of the conscience and will is to determine freely what the man shall do and the Lords people must be a willing people Ps. 110. 3 He must know that albeit the will and conscience cannot be compelled yet the carnal lusts which have seduced the conscience may be crossed and curbed by ecclesiastick censures and civil punishments that the conscience and will being better informed after the discovery of the deceitfulnesse of their lusts which did mislead them they may freely disclaim the error their unhappy venting thereof If he pretend that God is the only
be ready for new conflicts and assaults from Sathan and not be afraid of being deprived of the peace of God while he by faith in Christ is yoked in battel against sin which he seeth in the world and feeleth in himself CHAP. XII Of the case of a convert taking some acts of justifying faith to be high presumption in his person THis case is like the former Some true converts are who have fled to Christ for remission of sin and delivery from â—erdition and have applyed the promises made for sanctification and consolation and full salvation after this life in such a measure as doth suffice them for encouragment to wrestle with difficulties wherewith with they may meet in their way to heaven But when the highest and most excellent priviledges of the Gospel are presented to them and come to be made use of such as are sitting together with Christ in heavenly places Eâ—hes 2. 6. being co-heirs annexed with Iesus Christ Rom. 8. 17. So esteemed of and loved by Christ that they who touch his Saints do touch the apple of his eye Iudging the world and the damned Angels 1 Cor. 6. 3. and such like other priviledges they are at a stand and dar not apply these priviledges for fear of high presumption 2. Neither must we wonder that a soul should fall in this exercise and yet adhere to Christ as a convert and true believer For when a sinner for fear of perdition is chased to a Saviour and dar not loose his grips lest he fall in the pit he may seem to himself to be in good case if he get in to Christ albeit he do not thrust himself upon such high priviledges and joyn himself with Abraham and the Patriarchs and Prophets Like unto Mephibosheth who judged himself to have found grace enough at Davids hand that his life was spared but trembled when he was priviledg'd to come to the Kings table who in his own eyes was like a dead dog for his unworthinesse as he judged of himself Or like the prodigal in the Gospel who in his own eyes was not worthy to be counted a child of the family but content to be as one of the hired servants in his fathers house And true it is that the wonderfull largenesse of the promises of the Gospel maketh the true convert lately come forth of the slavery of sin and Sathan to stand so astonished that he dar not take to him so glorious titles priviledges and consolations as the Scripture doth allow him yea when he would lift up himself to believe the glory promised he can no more apprehend the infinit love and grace of God propounded and adjudged unto him then he can measure the heaven with his span or comprise in his hand the great Globe and round of heaven and earth From such a consideration was it that Peter did at first utterly refuse to suffer Christ to wash his feet and that Martha in the beginning of her conference with Christ could not think of so great a benefit as the resurrection of her brother Lazarus before the day of judgment 2. The convert in this case doth wrong to himself and to the Word of God and to the liberality and rich grace of God for so long as he suffereth himself to be born down from imbracing as safely he may the rich allowance of God upon a soul reconciled to him by â—aith in Christ he not only cuts himself off from that measure of joy of the holy Ghost which he may have but also giveth occasion and advantage to Sathan to brangle and call in question whether the man hath indeed believed in Christ at all or whether he hath laid hold on Christ for righteousnesse and salvation by faith unâ—ained for if it be presumption for a self-condemned sinner flying unto Christ by faith to lay hold upon the benefits which Christ hath prepared purchased and offered unto him upon this pretended reason that these benefits are so hudgely great and the man so small and unworthy in his own eyes why may not Sathan with as great reason if there were any weight in it call it presumption for such a man to lay claim unto Christ who is greater then all his benefits and so beat him off from faith and confidence in Christ the great gift of God made of God to poor sinners fled unto him wisdom and righteousnesse sanctification and redemption 3. Wherefore to help the convert in this condition let him consider he doth well to be feared for presumption for it is a fearfull evil but let him remember to put due difference between presumption and true faith and confidence for 1 presumption is proud and puâ—t up with self-conceit but we pre-suppose the convert to be humble and laid low in his own eyes in this condition we are speaking of 2. Presumption is secure and negligent in the discharge of commanded duties but the convert we speak of is about the use of the means and in some measure diligent in discharging commanded duties in his calling 3. Presumption layeth hold upon promises not made to the presumptuous and troubleth not it self with precepts and threatnings but the convert in this condition we are speaking of regardeth both precepts and threatnings and is so far from putting forth his hand without a warrant unto promises that he stands aloof from laying hold on moe promises then he conceiveth necessar to save his soul from hell 4. The presumptuous promiseth to himself felicity albeit he walk in his own wayes and turneth the grace of God into lasciviousnesse incouraging himself to sin because God is mercifull but this convertâ— sheweth sin and followeth the way which may lead him to the possession of all promises Therefore 1. let the convert in this condition remember that Christ and all his benefits are so joyned together in the grant of grace that he may confidently say with the Apostle Rom. 8. 32. that seing Christ is given to the believer flying unto him it cannot be but God with him will give all things also 2. Let him consider that it is a dangerous mater not to give credit unto Gods faithfull Word holden forth in one promise as well as in another For seing he is worthy to be believed in the first promise of receiving into favour a sinner flying to Christ why shall he not have the glory of truth and grace in the rest of the promises which belong to the accomplishing of the full glorification of the man reconciled 3. And last of all let the convert in this condition consider how near he draweth to a popish error in this practice for Papists do measure the gifts of God unto men by the mans merit and well-deserving and not by meer grace only and upon this ground do reckon it presumption for any ordinar Christians to be assured in this life that God will guide them with his counsel and at their departure out of this life immediatly receive them into glory For if the