after its future estate conclude after diligent search that as yet it hath neyther part nor portion in the inheritance of grace or glory Be assured that conscience will not lye and flatter at such a time and that where it findes no reformation of manners no change of the heart no puritie in the affections and desires no sense of the powerfull worke of the Spirit of Grace conscience will not spare to tell such a man to his face That he is a man of death prepared against the day of slaughter one hated of God detested of Saints and Angels living without communion and fellowship with Christ and so in a continuall expectation of Gods vengeance to fall on him in hell assoone as death shall strike him to the ground This will put the heart into a cold sweate and make the powers of the soule to shake specially when it shall looke about to all those things whence succour may seeme to be had and then shall finde it selfe utterly forsaken by them in its distresse Againe consider with me that no stranger can partake or perceive the unspeakeable joy of that heart which upon the like examination finds it selfe to be translated out of the bondage of Corruption into the libertie of Grace washed from its uncleanenesse by the Holy Ghost linked in communion with the Saints and body of Christ and sealed with the Spirit of promise to the assured Hope of everlasting happinesse If any thing can these thoughts will melt the heart into most humble thanksgiving and make us fall on our knees and with hands and eyes lifted up to him from whom our help commeth to confesse with the holy Prophet I was brought low but thou hast helped me I was in thraldome but thou hast loosed my bonds the sorrowes of death compassed mee and the paines of Hell gat hold on mee I found trouble and sorrow but thou hast delivered my soule from death mine eyes from teares and my feete from falling What is now my duty I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving and call upon the Name of the Lord My soule praise thou the Lord and all that is within me praise his holy Name And againe My soule praise the Lord and forget not all his benefits saith the same holy David Psal. 103. 1. 2. But wherefore was all this contention of Spirit why this striving with utmost endeavour to bee thankefull Oh there was good cause Grace was worth God-a-mercy and t is for that this holy man thus strives to bee thankefull to God who forgave all his iniquities and had healed his diseases Certainely where so undeserved mercy in such desperate misery in that shewed upon a wretch as not onely to free him from all evill but also put him into the possession of all blessednesse where this grace workes not the heart to Thankfulnesse and Humility it is most apparant that such a heart knowes not what such Grace meanes For our selves let us shew forth these vertues of the Spirit which hath converted us and dwells in our hearts let 's looke to the rocke out of which we were hewen to the pit whence we were digged consider what wee were and should have beene what we are and shall be and then take we up that most modest speech of that noble Athenian Captaine in the midst of all his glory 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from how great basenesse and misery to what great glory and blessednesse are wee advanced Make wee our confession with Iacob With my staffe I came c. and the Israelites Deut. 26. 5. A Syrian was my father ready to perish c. And now let us in like manner make unto God our thankefull acknowledgement and say in the words of the Prophet O Lord wee confesse unto thee that our father was an Amoâ—ite our mother an Hittite that our birth is of the land of Canaan wee were borne bond-slaves and children of the curse In the day of our nativity our navell was not cut we were not washed with water not salted with salt nor swadled in clouts none eye pitied us to doe any of these things unto us and to have compassion upon us but wee were cast out into the open field to the contempt of our persons in the day that wee were borne Onely thou O Lord when thou passest by and sawest us polluted in our bloud hast had mercy on us and saidst unto us Live even when we were in our bloud thou saidst unto us Live Of vile thou hast made us Honourable of sinnefull Holy of miserable Happy Wee praise thee wee blesse thee and wee beseech thee to finish the good worke thou hast begunne and as by thy mercy thou hast brought us into the kingdome of Grace so by thy power preserve us through faith unto thy Kingdome of Glory Amen I proceed to the third Circumstance considerable in this point of our Conversion namely the Subject wherein it is wrought Now this in generall is the Elect and they onely whom onely God hath called to glorie and vertue appointing them to that as the end preparing them unto it by this as the meanes I shall need to name vnto you but one place for proofe hereof and that 's Rom. 8. 30. Moreover whom he hath predestinate them also hath he called whom he hath called c. The linkes of this chaine are so surely fastned together that no power of hell no wit of man may breake and sunder them Whom God fore knew he predestinated to be made like to the image of his Sonne in grace and glorie whom he hath thus elected before all time those in due time he calls or converts those he justifies those he glorifies Wherefore Sanctification Iustification and Glorie are bounded within those limits which Gods predestination or election hath prescribed unto them extending to no other persons but such only as haue their names written in the booke of life and are enrolled in the List of Gods eternall election But this generalitie of the Subject is yet more particularly to be differenced The Elect in this life are of two sorts 1. Infantes Infants whose age permitteth them not the knowledge of good or actuall practise of evill 2. Adulti Such as are of age who may both know and doe eyther good or evill Both these are the Subjects of Conversion or Sanctification but with some difference in the circumstances or maner of working it in them Which will thus appeare our Vocation unto the state of grace is double 1. Inward in the worke of the Spirit of grace upon our hearts regenerating and sanctifying them by the infusion of Holinesse Now though this be properly a Worke yet it is metaphorically termed a Voyce or Calling whereby the Spirit speakes unto our hearts and perswades us to Obedience But you must know that this inward voyce or speaking of the Spirit to the heart of a man unregenerate is much more than a bare suggestion of some thing to bee done by him it
occasion to handle at large Having now thus distinguished them let us see how these effects are appliable to their Causes the Word and the Spirit the dependance is thus 1. Common illumination and the naturall movings of the Will that follow thereupon are the effects of the ordinary grace of the Spirit in the ministerie of the Word preached 2. Proper illumination with the Spirituall affections thence arising are the Effects of the Speciall Vertue of the Holy Ghost in the ministery of the Word regenerating the Soule But we must goe further yet and whereas the Word and Spirit are both joyned together in this worke of regeneration wee must carefully see what belongs to one what to the other Wherefore we are to distinguish betweene the 1. Instrument For whatsoever can be ascribed to the Word agrees to it but only as it is an instrument of the power of Gods Spirit Now instruments are either Cooperative or Passive and the word must be one of the two Cooperative it is not moving and working on the soule by any inward force of it selfe For it cannot bee declared what operative force there should be in the bare Declaration of Gods Will to produce the reall effect of Sanctification in the unregenerate heart It is therefore in it selfe a Passive instrument working only Per modum Objects as it containes a Declaration of the Divine will and as it proposeth to the understanding and will the things to be knowne beleeved and practised Now 't is well knowne that no Object whatsoever hath any Active power per se to worke any thing upon the Organ but is only an occasion of working which some Force in or about the Organ makes use of But whence then hath the word its effect from the 2. Principall Agent the Spirit of God who by his immediate and proper vertue workes upon the Vnderstanding and Will causing in that a thorough apprehension of the things proposed and in this a cheerefull obedience to the things so understood The Object of this worke of the Holy Ghost is not the Word as if the Holy Ghost did infuse into it any speciall Vertue wherby it should worke together with himselfe as a partiall Coordinate efficient cause in our Coaversion the Word working one part the Holy Ghost another as the Arminians vainely dispute Act. Synod Defens Act. 4. p. 136. But the object of this Worke is the Soule of man whereinto this vertue of the Spirit is Infusa or Affusa or rather whereabout this Vertue is imployed quickening changing renuing the Faculties of the Soule with such spirituall strength and holinesse that so it may performe what the Word declares is to be done Which effect of Regeneration though properly it commeth only from the Sanctifying power of the Holy Ghost yet by a cōmon Metonymie it is ascribed also to the Word and for that cause wee are said to be borne againe by the Word 1 Pet. 1. 23. to get Faith by Hearing Rom 8. to bee begotten by the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 4. 15. to be sanctified by the truth id est the Word Ioh. 17. 17. and hence such proporties as these are ascribed to the Word that it is the Power of God to Salvation Rom. 1. that it is mightie in operation sharpe as a two edged Sword Heb. 4. 12. that it is a Sword Eph. 6. 17. Revel 19. 15. that it is Fire and a Hammer to breake the Rocke Ier. 23. 29. that it is Powerfull to cast downe all strong bolds of Mans proud imagination 2 Cor. 10. 4. with many the like which though they properly belong to the invisible power of the Holy Ghost giving effect unto his owne Word yet are figuratively attributed unto the Word it selfe which he useth as his visible Instrument I cannot better expresse the manner how the Holy Ghost useth the Word in the worke of Sanctification than by a Similitude or two Christ meeting a dead Coarse in the Citie of Nain touches the Beare and utters these words Yongue man I say unto thee arise Heare the Command and that given to a dead man But could these words doe any thing to raise him No t was Christs invisible power that quickened the dead not his words which only declared what hee meant to doe by his power Againe to the sicke of the Palsie Hee saith Arise take up thy bed and walke Here 's the Command given to a sicke man But was it the vertue of these words that heald him No 't was that secret vertue which went from Christs Deity which did the Cure His words declared what that should bring to passe So in this matter of our Conversion Christ bids us Awake wee that sleepe and stand up on our feet he bids us Beleeve repent obey turne unto him c. But all these commands worke nothing of themselves but take effect by the only Power of God working upon the Heart In which case the Word is truly the Voice of God not of man Now Gods Voice is not a bare sound or word carrying such or such a meaning with it and no more as mans doth but it is Verbum factivum as well as significativum it deeth and really brings to effect that which it commands to bee done it makes a world when it bids a world to be made it raises us when it bids us arise it awakens us when it bids us awake it workes faith in us when it commands us to beleeve it gives repentance when it bids us repent it makes us holy when it commands us to be so According to that of the Apostle 2 Cor. 10. The weapons of our warfare are mighty but it is through God and that in Esa. 59. 21. My word saith God shall abide in you but this cannot be till he have first put his Spirit within our hearts Wherefore where this vertue of the Spirit is wanting as it is in most there the Word hath no other vertue than to bee as a faire Mappe presented to the eye wherein are described many matters of excellent knowledge which the unregenerate may gaze upon in a kinde of shallow heartlesse speculation which will differ asmuch from good knowledge as the knowledge of a Countrie by the Mappe and by the eye in travelling it And this is the Sentence of the Orthodox Church touching the Nature and distinction of these two Callings Inward by the worke of the Spirit Outward by the voyce of the Word The Arminians are of another opinion whose judgement about this matter is thas The Word say they and the Spirit alwayes goe together and wheresoever either the Law or Gospell is preached there and then the Quickening power and effectuall vertue of the Holy Ghost is present in all even those that are unregenerate untill such time as by Contumacy and Rebellion against the Spirit they have made themselves unworthy of further helpe But now what is this effectuall power according to the Arminians and what doth it in all men It doth say
shew what he intendeth effectually to bring to passe But yet here they urge further How can God in justice command unto a man by his Word the Performance of that which cannot be done by him without the inward helpe of the Spirit and yet in the meane time God denies this inward grace unto him I answer Gods justice will herein be as free from accusation of tyranny as before his truth was from falshood and collusion God may without blemish to his justice Command man to performe his dutie although hee have now no strength to doe it because once hee had strength and he hath now lost it Yea will they say that were true did not two things hinder 1. Man indeed had strength and hath lost it but how himselfe did not decoquere wastefully spend his Patrimonie and by the Act of his sinning abolish the Image of God within him but God for a punishment of his fault did by an immediate act take away his originall abilities And it is then as great injustice in God to command us Conversion Faith and Repentance when himselfe hath taken away our abilities whereby wee should performe it as for a Iudge after he hath put out an offenders eyes yet to command him under paine of further punishment to read such a booke If hee had put out his owne eies the case had beene otherwise the Iudge being not bound to take notice of that his fact To which we answer that t is true God for our sinne hath deprived us of his image so that we cannot doe his will without new strength restored unto us yet we must remember though this deprivation be an act of God yet it happens through our merit by reason of our sinne and in this case how harsh soever it may seeme to us yet God the Iudge of the world doth not unjustly To command us the doing of that which wee cannot performe without those abilities restored which himselfe for our transgression hath taken from us and will not give us againe This is proved by that one instance beyond all exception The perfect obedience to the Morall Law is required of all and yet t is madnesse to affirme that God gives or is bound to give unto all that strength to doe it which they had in Adam without which it cannot bee done Further that God may justly command what man cannot performe is manifest by Gods commanding Pharaoh to let the Israelites goe which yet Pharaoh could not doe for God himselfe hardened his heart that hee should not be willing to let them depart 2. When God commands man to beleeve the Gospell here 's a duety injoyned that man never had strengh in Adam to performe And therefore if God doe require a new duety he is bound to afford new strength because by that which he had and lost he was never inabled to doe it To which we answer that it is an errour to affirme that Faith which is the condition of the new Covenant is not commanded in the Morall Law Legall and Evangelicall or the Faith of Adam in innocency and of man since his Fall is for the substance of the grace one and the same viz. Credence and Confidence of and in all things whatsoever that God shall reveale unto man The difference is onely in the Vse and in the particular object as we shall see in the handling of that point of Faith Now Adam being commanded in all things to beleeve his Creator whether revealed or to be revealed and having ability so to doe so that if God had told of him the mystery of the Gospell he would have beleeved it we also are bound by the Law of our Creation and so the Morall Law to beleeve in Christ as soone as God reveales vnto us this thing to be beleeved and God may require it of us because wee had power once to doe it and what is lost God is not bound to restore 2. Reason If the Word at any time be destitute of the quickning Spirit it will follow that the Word shall be of it selfe a dead letter and the â—avour of death because it is destitute of the Spirit which only puts life unto it But this is not to be affirmed for as much as it is only our fault that the Word proves the â—avour of death c. To this we answer That the Word is never of it selfe the â—avour of death no not then when it is without the vertue of the Spirit and we reject those assertions as utterly erroneous That the Word should bee preached unto some to damne them or with this intent to make them inexcusable The Gospell is not published with any such purpose at all for the judgement of our English Divines in the Synod is â—ound that those who being called refuse to convert should be made more inexcusable Neque enim ea singi potest homines reddere inexcusabiles per Verbum Spiritum vocatio quae eo tantum Fine exhibetur ut reddat inexcusabiles No there 's no such matter The end of the VVord preached is to shew unto man what is that good and that acceptable will of God which he requires man should performe and the declaration of the will of God to man is alwaies in it selfe most good and excellent nor doth it vary in its owne nature whether the vertue of the Spirit goe with it or no. For as I touched before the power of the Spirit doth not worke upon the VVord to put life into it but it workes upon our soules to put life into them So that whether our hearts be sanctified or not sanctified t is all one to the VVord it makes no alteration in the nature of that All the difference lies in the Effect where the heart is sanctified there the VVord is heard with obedience where t is not sanctified there t is heard and disobeyed But the cause of this difference is meerely in the disposition of mans heart not any jot from the VVord the preaching whereof is good and to a good intent but unto some it becomes hurtfull not because the VVord hurts them but they hurt themselves by their owne sinnefulnesse leaving themselves inexcusable in their fault and aggravating their damnation by wilfull disobedience The VVord is neither dead nor deadly in it selfe but wee are dead and by our sinnes against the VVord slay our selves 3. Reason If the preaching of the VVord be sometimes destitute of the vertue of the Spirit it will follow that men should bee condemned for not beleeving and being converted by that which hath no power to cause them to beleeve and convert as the VVord without the Spirit hath not But that were injustice so to doe c. Ergo. To this slight argument we answer that the default of mens not beleeving and converting is not through want of any thing in the VVord which is onely to tell them what God requires of them and this the VVord doth fully and sufficiently If they obey not
it is through want of something in themselves namely sanctified abilities in the heart which as they come not from the VVord so God is not bound to give them by his Spirit It sufficeth that God onely command them if they cannot obey whose fault is that but their owne Gods commands presuppose that strength to obey is or should bee in the creature if that through sinne be made weake God is yet just in commanding and punishing And thus much of this second question by way of knowledge let us briefly see what use we may make thereof to our practice it learnes us a threefold lesson 1. What our affections are to bee in hearing of the Word namely the same that in teachable Schollars towards a most wise Master or in sicke Patients towards the skilfullest Physitian We must be content to be â—â—ld and every way submit our selves to the discretion of that our Heavenly Doctor Wee must remember we have to doe with more than man in this businesse t is the Holy Ghost that does all in all in this sacred ordinance When therefore we goe to heare let us put on all holy humble obedient and tractable affections A proud disdainfull selfe-conceited contentious minde is unâ—it for mans instruction most opposite to the wisedome of Gods teaching who must needs scorne to be their Master that thinke themselves to be too good to bee his Schollars Againe a malicious uncleane worldly voluptuous heart stands contradictory to the holinesse of this blessed Spirit Those proud affections hinder us in knowing these impure lusts in doing our Masters will both together or each alone make the Word utterly unprofitable unto us 2. What the duety of Ministers is in preaching the Word This is threefold one respecting the worke two the issue of it For the worke it selfe the nature and Spirituall quality thereof should teach them faithfulnesse to speake Gods Word as it ought to be spoke which is opposed as to negligence and accaused carelessenesse in the handling thereof contrary to the dignity and majesty of it so on the other side too overmuch diligence humane curiosity contrary to the simplicity and saving vertue thereof Not that a man can be too diligent in doing Gods worke or that it is easie to define precisely what and how farre humane helpes are to bee used in Divinity but yet this is apparant a singular fault there is in mens preparations to this worke who either intend not at all the saving of mens soules or if they doe they thinke themselves must doe as much in it as Gods Spirit Whence else or to what end should so much of man be mingled with that of God why so much study to please mens â—ares why so much care to winne credite to their owne persons c. Sure it cannot but be a thing very admirable to any that will observe it to heare a man standing as Gods Embassadour speaking as from his mouth in his Name to make a solemne praier for assistance of Gods Spirit in his preaching to blesse his Meditations that he hath put into his heart to make them effectuall in the hearers c. when in the meane time his conscience tells him that in his studied preparations hee sought for nothing lesse than the aide of the Spirit and his preaching tells us that he publisheth the words not of Gods but of mans wisedome In the Issue of this worke there is a double dutie 1. If it succeed well Thankefull Humility opposed to Pride that when men are converted by his Ministery hee ascribe all to God nothing to himselfe who was but the Saw in the workemans hand c. 2. If it succeed ill Contented Patience opposed to repining Thought as Why should not my Ministery be as effectuall as anothers is Let a Minister remember he onely sowes the seede God must give it a body of his good pleasure nor is it himselfe but God whom the people here cast off He may take comfort and shall have reward for his godly painâ—… in the conscionable discharge of his duety albeit God saw it not good that it should bee so blessed in the effect as 〈◊〉 could desire 3. This teacheth us how to judge of our â—onversion by the Word preached namely by the inward Sanctification of the heart not by having and frequenting the publicke ordinance Silly wretches they are that so farre misâ—ake themselves and the nature of these things as to thinkâ— the going to Church the hearing of the Sermon the remembring and discoursing â—f it the commending of the Preacher outward reverence to his Person and Ministery some kinde of Reformation of maners wrought out of very shame not to follow such plaine directions as they must needes confesse to be good and others allow of in opinion and practice that thinke I say these things sufficient arguments of a sound Conversion by the Word Let us not beguile our selves in a matter of this high consequence these things are outward but the effect of the Word is inward also upon the conscience in the change of the heart and sanctification thereof with all sacred affections to holinesses Looke then inwards and trie how wee are affected in and after the hearing of the Word Doe we finde an Holy feare to fall upon us when our sinnes are threatned are we willing to abide the Surgeons hand upon our tenderest sores and though it be painfull yet doe heartily rejoyce in the sharpest strokes and deepest cuts of the sword of the Spirit when it pierceth in to the dividing asunder of the Soule and Spirit marrow and joints parting us and our best beloved sinne Doe our hearts secretly rejoyce with joy unspeakeable and glorious in hearing those sure and stedfast promises of Mercy and Grace published in the Gospell Are our soules brought under the powerfull command of the majesty and authority of the Word captivating all our thoughts to the obedience of Christ so that no command of a King armed with greatest terrour can lay the like necessity of obedience upon our outward man as Gods injunctions do upon our consciences Hath the Word wrought in us an unfained hatred of that evill which we outwardly forsake a sincere love of that good which outwardly wee practise Can we truely mourne with much bitternesse and anguish when the Word discovers unto us the infinite corruptions and loathsome uncleannesse of our hearts so that we wish for nothing more in the world than to bee freed from the sinne that hangs so fast on us and to be cloathed with perfect holinesse Finally doe wee love the Word that hath begotten us preferring that food of our soules before our appointed bodily food If these things be in us we have a witnesse to our soules that the Word preached hath been unto us not onely in word but also in power and that the same Spirit which gave it unto the Church hath made it his most blessed instrument of our effectuall Conversion to God But if the case stand
ascribes unto mans Heart corruption and grace as much nay more than to any other part of man That the Heart of man is the root of all evill workes out of it come evill thoughts murders adulteries and such other things as defile a man Mat. 15. 18 19. That the Heart is deceitfull and wicked above all things Ier. 17. 9. That in regeneration the Heart must bee renued made cleane softened of stony made fleshy That the Heart is the seate of all Spirituall gifts as Vprightnesse Purity Goodnesse and Honesty Faith Lowlinesse and many more spoken of in every chapter of the Bible almost In which places by the Heart to understand our Sensuall and brutish affections were most absurd And if as it is the Soule of man be there meant it cannot be but a nice subtilty beyond the intention of Scriptures to exclude the Will from having any part in that good or evill which is attributed to the Heart as if by the Heart were meant only the understanding part of the Soule 3. Wee preferre the uniforme judgement of all the learned hitherto above the opinion of one Arminiâ—â— and his followers who as they make the Vnderstanding the seate of all speculative Habits so for all practicall Habits whether Morall or Theologicall they place them in the Will With whom agreeably to Scripture and sound reason we maintaine that there was in Adams will besides the liberty thereof an Habituall holy inclination to all that was good though with a possibility of embracing evill again there is in our wills since the Fall besides some kind of liberty an Habituall vitious quality making them averse and froward in choosing the good prone and inclinable to embrace the â—vill so that man now doth naturally drinke iniquity like water Iob 15 16. and make a pastime of doing evill Prov. 2. 14. And therefore as Adams will was truly good not onely in the actions but in the inward qualities thereof so our will is truely and properly corrupt not onely in its evill actions but also the inward vitious disposition thereof This is the fourth errour the fifth is but a consectary of the former namely 5. That the wll of a man Vnregenerate hath a naturall freedome to choose any Spirituall good thing as soone as it is made knowne vnto him For say they the Will of man hath no other property but onely liberty when man fell and lost other good qualities his will had no hurt but retained its liberty perfect and entire So that an Vnregenerate man after once hee knowes any Spirituall good thing offered unto him hath naturally as much freedome of will to embrace it even as Adam had in his Innocency or as any man can have after his Conversion But this opinion falls to the ground with the former upon which it is built presupposing that there is no vitious quality in the will drawing it to evill But we know that to be false and therefore we confesse that untill such time as God doe heale that disease and replant in our wills their primitive integrity they are utterly dead in sinne captives and bond-slaves of corruption So that however they have some liberty in Naturall Civill or Externall Spirituall things yet in regard of true Grace and Holinesse they have no liberty at all to will and choose that but are wholly enthralled unto sinne according to that of the Apostle Rom. 6 20. When yee were the servants of sinne yee were free from righteousnesse and Rom. 8. 7. The carnall minde is enmity against God for it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeede can bee Doe they not then manifestly give the Scripture the lie that affirme a man in the state of unregeneration who without doubt is if any be a servant of sinne and carnally minded is notwithstanding free unto righteousnesse and may be even of his owne naturall power subject to the Law of God commanding him faith and obedience There are yet other errors the sixth therefore is this 6. That mans Conversion begins in the Act of Beleeving not in the Habit of Faith infused I have heretofore touched upon this point in shewing the falshood of that assertion of theirs That Conversion begins in some worke that we do not in a worke that God first doth Here you are further to note whereto tends this opinion and that is to establish their other opinion of Falling away from grace For seeing Conversion is nothing but the Act of Beleeving this Act is freely in our power as not to do it at first so when it is once done not to repeat it often for the continuance of our Conversion it follows thence that as it was in our power not to become Converts by not doing that Act so being Converted t is in our power to relapse by not continuing to doe it For which purpose they deny that there is any such thing as the grace of Faith infused into the heart yea that there is any constant habit of Faith at all and that a man is not termed a Beleever from the Habit but from the Acts of Faith which being transient and vanishing Faith ceaseth when they cease So that belike when a godly man is asleepe he hath no faith when Noah and all his Family were asleepe in the Arke then Faith ceased in the Church and seeing by faith we please God men asleepe or dying in a Lethargy doe not please God T is wonder but these men will deny all other Habits too and say that David had no skill in Musicke but that his right hand had forgot her cunning as soone as he had layd his Harpe aside They may aswell denie the one as the other both are alike ridiculous There is yet one Error more and that is this 7. That mans Conversion is properly nothing but the Act of Beleeving the Promise of Grace This restraint of our Conversion unto so narrow a compasse as first to bring it from the Habit of Faith to the Act of Beleeving and then to appropriate it to that Act without so much as once mentioning any other graces this narrow conceit touching our Conversion is that which hath filled the writings of many learned about this point with much darknesse and confusion They so speake and write of Conversion as if it began in that one and only Action of mans will Consenting to the promise of mercy in Christ. But this is without all ground To convert is not only to beleeve but to repent to love God and our Neighbour to abstaine from every evill way to practise all duties of Piety and Goodnesse these acts are as proper and immediat parts of true Conversion as Faith Nor doth the Scripture so much as intimate any such limitation as to appropriate our Conversion to the Act of Faith nay t is manifest that the Scriptures when they speake of manâ— Turning unto God doe joyne repentance and other godly Acts together with Faith as appeares by that solemne invitation of
way they say They will not walke therein when hee bids them harken to the sound of the Trumpet they say We will not barken that they say unto God Depart from 〈◊〉 wee desire not the knowledge of thy wayes that God stretcheth forth his hands all the day long to a rebellioâ—s and gainesaying people that hee calleth and they refuse that they have eyes to see and will not see eares to heare and heare not that they resist the Holy Ghost that they Rebell and vexe his Holy Spirit that Christ would have gathered Ierusalem but shee woulld not that hee preached unto the Iewes to the end they might bee saved but they would not come unto him that they might have life with a thousand the like testimonies setting forth the stubbornnesse and hardnesse of mens hearts in rejecting this grace of God offered to them and despising the riches of his goodnesse that should lead them unto repentance All which places noting out unto us a sâ—all resistency are to be understood not of that Speciall grace whereby God intends to worke mans Conversion as our Adversaries pervert them but of that common grace in the ordinary Antecedents of mans Conversion whereby God calleth all unto himselfe Of which grace wee confesse that it may bee received in vaine that this talent may be hidden in the ground and become unprofitable as Scriptures together with lamentable experience testifie in three parts of â—oure that heare the Word unprofitably in those temporary outside seeming Christians who after illumination in the truth and much affection to goodnesse quite fallaway and after they have knowne the way of righteousnesse turne away from the holy Commandement given unto them So that by this fault all comes utterly to naught and they perish â—…ally in their naturall corruption But now the Elect albeit they are also disobedient and froward at the first yet God forsakes them not but in mercie goes on to perfect the worke that hee hath begun till Grace gâ—ts the victory over their Corruption Till that their outward fashionable sâ—vice of God bee turned into true spirituall worship their knowledge made effectuall to all holy practice their consciences sprinkled with the blood of Christ and freed from legall terrours their worldly sorrow turnd into godly griefe their slight wishes and hope of mercy changed into zealous prayers for and firme beliefe of Pardon their partiall and halting reformation of life turned into perfect and sincere obedience And thus farre of the ordinary preparations to Grace and how farre they are resisted I come in the next place to our Conversion it selfe Which is to bee considered two wayes 1. In actu primo as it is the worke of Gods Spirit on us renuing our corrupt nature healing all vitions infusing all vertuous inclinations into each faculty by which Habituall infused qualities they are disposed to all Spirituall and Holy actions This is the worke of God by his preventing grace 2. In actu sicundo as it is our worke converting our selves to God in all holy operations of Faith Love and godly Obedience which Acts we doe by the help of Gods subsequent and assisting Grace Of Conversion in both senses we are to enquire how farre it may bee resisted and hindered touching the first namely our Habituall Conversion in the infusion of all gracious habits this conclusion is to be defended That in our first Conversion or Sanctification wee are meerely Passive and cannot by any Act of ours eyther worke it our selves or binder Gods working of it This is apparant by the Scriptures which testifie unto us what our state is before Conversion what the worke of God is in our Conversion namely That wee are dead in sins Ephes. 2. 1. Col. 2. 13. Matth. 8. 22. Ephes. 5. 14. That we are blinde and very darkenesse in regard of Spirituall knowledge Rev. 3. 18. Ephes. 4. 17. 5. 8. Matth. 6. 23. Luc. 4. 18. Iohn 1. 5. Act. 26. 18. 1. Cor. 2 14. That our hearts are stony destitute of all sense and motions of goodnesse Ezek. 36. 26. 11. 19. Againe that Gods worke in our Conversion is a raising from the dead Ephes. 2. 5. Col. 2. 12. Rev. 20. 6. Iohn 5. 21. 25. A restoring of sight to the blinde Luc. 4. 18. A new generation and birth of a man Ioh. 1. 13. Ioh. 3. 3. Another creation of him Ephes. 2 10. Psal. 51. 12. 2. Cor. 5. 17. Gal. 6. 15. The giving of a new heart of flesh and taking away of the old stony heart Ezek. 11. 19. Out of which and many the like places wee conclude that a man can doe no more in the effecting or hindering of his first Conversion than the Matter can do in regard of the Forme to receive or reject it no more than Adams body could resist the entrance of the soule into it or Lazarus carkasse and the dead bones in Ezekiel could refuse the spirit of life's comming into them no more than an infant can hinder its owne conception and birth or the world the creation of it selfe no more than the bodies of those sick persons whom Christ cured by his word could hinder the restitution of health when Christ commanded them to be whole or the eyes of the blinde could nill the restoring of their sight or the aire that is darke can refuse to bee illightned in briefe a mans heart can no more hinder the worke of Gods grace in changing it out of stone into flesh than the body of Lots wife could resist the force of his power in turning it out of flesh into a pillar of salt Against this Doctrine of mans Passivenesse in his first Conversion our adversaries object many things qualifying the rigour of those censures the Scriptures give touching our utter disability eluding their force by many subtile shifts all devised onely to this purpose that our Conversion may not be thought to be altogether of grace but shared betweene the grace of God and some power of our owne To alledge and answer every cavill were a businesse of more length than difficulty unto them all in generall I answer That hee that takes a mans judgement touching mans abilities he followes the sentence of a blinde corrupt Iudge and that in his owne cause It is the Lord that judgeth us and it becommeth us to submit to his censure not to extoll our selves when hee abaseth us lest wee bee found lyers like those hypocriticall Laodiceans boasting that we are rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing when in the meane God knowes though wee know not how that we are wretched and miserable and poore and blinde and naked standing in neede of all things Wherefore let this truth alwaies stand firme that as no man can prepare himselfe by any strength of his owne effectually to worke his Sanctification either alone by himselfe or as a coworker with the Spirit of grace so no man can hinder
things past will fill the heart with boldnesse confident expectation of the like successe for the time to come And so much touching the three grounds of Certaintie and Strength in the Assent of Faith I come now to the second point proposed touching this Assent or the diuers degrees of it and those essentiall differences whereby sauing faith in Gods Elect is distinguished from that Faith which is in others We haue shewed you that faith may be in all reasonable creatures and the Scriptures testifie that there is some kind of faith in the Diuels and wicked men We must therefore enquire what their faith is and what the faith of Gods Elect is by what essentiall difference they are distinguished You are therefore to obserue that this assent by which generally all Faith was defined is two-fold 1 Generall to all Diuine Reuelations as good and true whilst barely considered in themselues or as they haue no opposition to our desires being applyed to ourselues 2 Particular when assent is giuen to all Diuine Reuelations as most true and good in regard of our selues when they are applyed to all our particular occasions and compared with all contrarie desires and prouocations Herein lies a substantiall difference of this assent of Faith there being a great Diuersitie betweene an Assent vnto the truth goodnesse of things taken in the generall and an Assent vnto the truth goodnes of the samethings particularly applied as you shall see in the progresse of this discourse The former is but an inferiour degree of Faith and only a step vnto that faith which is true and sauing It is commonly called by two names 1 Historicall Faith synecdochically from one part of the obiect of because it beleeues the Letter of the Scriptures whether Histories or doctrines that are expressed therein 2 Temporarie Faith from the Euent issue of it because it perseueres not vnto the end but failes in time of Temptation It is but one and same degree of faith that hath these two names which assenting to things in grosse flies off and disallowes when it coms to particular application Such a general assent there is in the Diuels who know the Scripturs to be of God and acknowledge the things contained in them to be in themselues true good because from God though mean-while they hate both the one other bitterly The truth of God his Word Essence Attributes works vpon their vnderstandings a deep apprehension of its certainty excellency euen when they with vnspeakable hatred and horrour thinke of it According Iames saith They belieue tremble Such a Faith there is in thousands of Hypocrites reprobates who being inlightened and conuinced of the Truth of the Word yeeld a generall assent vnto it for the time as in those Luk. 8. â—3 Who receiue the Word with ioy but they haue no root which for a while beleeue but in time of temptation goâ— away In those Heb. 6. 4 5 Which were inlightened tasted of the heauenly gift and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost And haue tasted of the good Word of God and of the Powers of the world to come are salue away In those Many that beleeued in Christs Name but yet Christ would not trust them because he knew them all that they were not found at heart Ioh. 2. 23 24. In those many againe that at another time beleeued in him but Christ giues them a caueat that they looke their faith be â—ound 〈◊〉 ye continue in my Word ye are verely my Disciples Ioh. 8. 30. 31. Such a faith was in Simon the Witch Act. 8. 13. who beleeued the Apostles preaching and was baptized euen whilst yet he remained in the gall of bitternesse and bond of iniquitie i. a â—ierce enemie to that truth which he seemed to beleeue and professe and fast bound vnto the loue of those sinnes that he seemed willing to forsake verse 23. Such a conception of Faith there was in Falix who trembled when he heard Paul dispute of righteousnesse temperance and the iudgment to come Acts 24. 25. He beleeued and like the Diuels trembled But Faelix was not temporate his wife Drusilla was another mans wife Felix was vnrighteous and couetous and looked for a bribe and this likes him not that Paul should come so close to him wherefore he hath a shift and put him off in complement to a more conuenient season which Faelix will take at leasure The same imperfect faith there was in King Agrippa who hearing Pauls Apologie could haue found in his heart to haue beene a Christian had it beene a thing in fashion with Kings at that time Acts 26. 28. So was the Case with Herod who heard Iohn Baptist gladly and reuerenced him as a Iust man and holy and did many things willingly Marke 6. 20. But if Iohn be so bold with Hâ—rod as to tell him of his Incest He shall to prison for it and for all that he is a Prophet yet he shall dye if Herod did not feare the multitude more then he reuerenced Iohn Matth. 14. 5. And thus it is with many men still who knowe the Scriptures and assent to the truth of such things as they containe but this goes no further then generalities whilst they approoue and allowe of such things as they know to be good and excellent considered abstractiuely and in the Vniuersalitie and as they doe not crosse them in any of their maine desires and delights And so long they seeme to bee as forward in faith and practise as the best The Causes of this Kinde of Faith in men are many as 1. That common grace of the Spirit whereby men are inlightened in the knowledge of heavenly things Which grace God bestowes upon the unregenerate and unsanctied more for others than their owne good Some light shines upon them whereby they may know and assent unto divine truths for a common good of the Church that others may be instructed by their teaching For Christ in the building of his Church doth also use the helpe and ministery of such men according as Salomon did in the building of the materiall Temple who imployed not the naturall Israelites but the reliques of the Cananites and strangers that lived in the land to be bearers of burdens and hewers of stone and overseers of the worke 2 Chron. 2. 17. And these men though unsanctified and such as doe not themselves heartily esteeme and affect that which they know yet in the generall they beleeve it and willingly teach it to the benefit of the Church Againe 2. Authority of men in high account for their knowledge and wisedome The esteeme that the people had of Iohn the Baptist to bee a great Prophet made Herod reverence him the more and the fame that went of Christ drew many to hearken to his doctrine And so t is still with hundreds whose faith in matters of religion standeth or falleth with their admiration or disesteeme of mens persons The same effect