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
cast out and were broken off the true olive tree So also the obligation of the baptized who turn the true covenant of grace in aâ—oâ—her of their own framing doth still stand tying them to perform the condition of the true covenant and their right to the external priviledges of the confederat doth remain still in some sort even when they are inter-dyted from the honourable possession thereof by excommunication For the Apostle teacheth us that the excommunicat remain as to their ecclesiastick state albeit not as to their present ecclesiastick condition citizens and members of the Church and subject to Jurisdiction ecclesiastick and to Christs discipline because when they are judged and are under censure they are said to be within the Kirk and not without it 1 Cor. 5. 12. What have I to do to judge also them that are without do not ye judge them that are within And these that were delivered unto Sathan as to their present external condition remained notwithstanding as to their external state the domesticks of God under the discipline of God's house and were pressed by the censure laid on them to learn to cease from their sinfull course and specially from these faults for which they were censured and corrected by their excommunication 1 Tim. 1. 20. Hymeneus and Alexander were given over to Sathan that they might learn not to blaspheme that is that being humbled and brought to repentance they might return to the acknowledgement of the truth and to a reverent speaking of holy things and so the right to be counted brethren and members of the Church albeit under censure restraint and dis-respect till they repented was not taken altogether from them even under excommunication nor yet were the private duties of charity due to brethren in that fearfull condition to be altogether denied unto them even when the possession of the former honour of blamelesse brethren was taken from them for the Apostle will have them albeit excommunicat to be esteemed still censured brethren and not looked upon as enemies â— Thess. 3. 14 15. If any man obey not our word by this epistle note that man to wiâ— by putting the censure of excommunication on him and have no company with him that he may be ashamed yet count him not as an enemy but admonish him as a brother and this is so much the more carefully to be observed that the constitution of the visible Church of such and such members and the use of excommunication may be the better understood least the excommunicat being over-burdened by the sharpness of the censure should seem to themselves altogether excluded from Church-society and so despair of returning to the full possession of their priviledges but might know that the right of citizens of the city of God was reserved unto them and was to be restored by way of possession after their repentance and that they were not cut off from the Christian charity of the brethren no not when they were lying under the sentence that they might so much the sooner return to repentance and to the possession of their Ecclesiastick honour Obj. But here there ariseth a greater doubt and objection how and upon what reason God doth require the condition of faith which men cannot perform except it be given of God as the Apostle testifieth Ephes. 2. 8. you are saved of grace by faith and that not of your selves it is the gift of God Ans. The equity of the duty required doth not depend upon mens present power or strength of whom the condition is required but upon this ground that ability was given to Adam and to his posterity in him for all injoyned service and so the duty of believing in Christ is founded upon mans naturall obligation to obey the morall law for by vertue of the first command Adam was bound and we in him not only to believe the word of God already revealed unto him but to believe also every word of God to be revealed and he was bound to give unto God the glory of all his attributes not only of these which already did shew forth themselves in his works but also of these attributes which as yet did not put forth themselves in actuall exercise for as it cannot be denied that man was bound to give God the glory of his avenging justice upon his threatning to inflict the punishment of death in case man should sin albeit he could not see the execution of it before he fell So also it is manifest he was bound to give God the glory of his goodnesse and mercy albeit no object of shewing mercy was yet to be found and that partly because it was his duty to give the glory of all perfections unto God whereof mercy is one and partly upon the experience he had of Gods manifested goodnesse in his creation and Gods making a covenant with him about eternall life upon so easie and equitable tearms upon the same ground even after the fall Adam was bound not to despair nor flye nor hide himself from God from whom it was impossible he could escape It cannot then be reasonably denied but man by the law of nature is bound to give credit to God when he speaketh and bound to trust in God when He offereth himself as a friend and a father to him and when God bids him seek his face he is bound to obey him and seek his face and to follow after more and more near communion with him It is true indeed that Adam in his integrity could not formally and actually believe in God as a Redeemer partly because this mystery was not yet revealed partly because he not having yet sinned had not need of a Redeemer or of remission of sin but yet the power and ability of believing in God according as God should let forth his will and the power to adhere unto God and rest on his goodnesse and good-will was given to man in his creation for this perfection was a part of the image of God wherein man was created even as the habit of shewing mercy on the miserable though such an object was not to be found while man continued in the state of innocency was a part of that original holinesse in him and if this ground hold not sinners by their sinning once should make themselves free to sin for ever after and exempt themselves from all the duties of the morall law upon this pretence that they were unable to give obedience to it which is most unreasonable And 2. Because the hearers of the Gospel esteem themselves able to perform the condition of the covenant of grace offered and to believe in Christ yea and to give credit or not to what is preached unto them as they see reason is it not equitable then to put all men to it who judge themselves able to perform what is required to the end that after experience and tryall taken of themselves they should either acknowledge their naturall inability to believe in Christ and so go
4. They eat up my people as they eat bread and call not upon the Lord. They have a form of godlinesse but in their deeds they deny the power of it for they beleeve never a word of what is preached of things spirituall revealed in the word of God No wonder therefore that they will not examine themselves nor receive any accusation from their own consciences for any sin of this sort which concerneth godlinesse 2. The causes of such mens hardening of their heart may be four the first is the measure of worldly wisdom granted to them and others like themselves above common people with the conceit whereof they are so puffed up that they care for nothing save this present world they acknowledge no other holinesse but civil observance of humane laws as if Scripture and all Religious exercises were to be referred to this only end that men living according to the laws and customes received into the Societies they live into should study to make the best they can of this present world And this worldly and carnall wisdom is called Psal. 1. the counsell of the ungodly because all ungodly persons do think it shall be more safe to walk in the wayes of their wisdom then to be hemmed in by the laws of God The second cause of their obduration is carnall confidence in their worldly prosperity which they hope alwayes to enjoy and that by the principles of their own wisdom Psal. 10. 6. he hath said in his heart I shall never be moved I shall never be in adversity The third cause is the stumbling block of the cross and affliction wherewith they perceive the godly usually to be exercised Upon which offence they stumble the more readily because they judge that the greatest part of the affliction of the godly proceeds from their own imprudency and do ascribe their own prosperity to their own wisdom wherein they are so lifted up in their own estimation that they despise all men in comparison of themselves Psal. 10. 5. As for his enemies he puffeth at them The fourth cause is the not observing the slighting and despising of Gods Judgments concerning which they do not give credit unto God when he speaketh and therefore do not make use of the operation of his hands Psal. 10. 5. Thy judgments are far above out of his sight 3. Albeit there be very small hope of the conversion of any such because they cannot abide free dealing from any man in private for to give them any admonition is to them a reproach and they cannot endure it and nothing can cut them at the heart more then that any man should suspect them of hypocrisie and atheism yet because no Pastor may despair of any man or judge him a reprobat so long as the long-suffering patience of God inviteth him to repentance therefore the Pastor must deal with such men in the general in his sermons that from the Scripture he may convince them of their ignorance of Gods wayes and of their atheism To which end and purpose first he must point such men forth in their colours as the Scripture doth describe them yet so as he hold himself in generall in dealing with all such persons without particular description of any man by particular circumstances whereby such a man one or moe of the auditors may appear to be picked out and shot at Secondly he must denounce gravely and with compassion the heavy Judgments of God against them Thirdly he must pull the mask of civil honesty off their face and let them know the righteousness of Christ imputed to humble sinners flying to him to be the only garment to hide nakedness if possibly the hearer may conceive hope he may be forgiven his former hypocrisie and be allured unto Christ. Fourthly let him often against such persons make use of the Apostles admonition 1 Cor. 3. 18 19. Let no man deceive himself if any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world let him become a fool that he may be wise for the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God for it is written he taketh the wise in their own craftinesse Fifthly let the Pastor observe the occasion if at any time it shall please God to lay calamity on such a man and then let him wisely labour with all meekness and tenderness to awaken up his conscience to take notice of the sparks of wrath least he perish in Gods displeasure if he do not humble himself before God and draw in to Christ upon which condition let him make the fairest offers of grace and mercy that the Gospel can yield to him if possibly the Lord may give him repentance and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. For removing the fourth impediment THe fourth impediment of self-examination is the stupidity and senslesness of the conscience past feeling as it were burnt with a hot iron This disease may be seen in bâ—â—otted Epicures given to their brutish lusts who are so carried on after their furious beastly affections that they have no more power over themselves then beasts and such monsters of men by frequent sinning have extinguished all sense of sin for albeit by nature there is some remainder of light in fallen man whereby the work of the law may be found written in their heart as far as to make them inexcusable when they do contrary to it and albeit there is leâ—t in the natural man some natural power of the conscience to vex him that rebelleth against it to restrain him thereafter from doing the like yet some have so sold themselves to the lust and wantonnesse of their flâ—sh that they will not hear any admonition or check of the conscience which might make any remorse but do run madly after all sort of uncleannesse corrupting themselves as brute beasts The like disposition may be seen in openly profane persons who not only in their deeds have denyed the power of godliness but also renounce the profession of all form of godlinesse and shamelesly foam forth their ungodlinesse as an open rotten grave casts forth the stink thereof Of this sort are these who when they do blaspheme will not be reproved Psal. 12. 4. Our tongues are our own who is Lord over us and who as dogs do trample under-foot all holy things and rent them who reprove them and who insult over the godly in their affliction saying with Davids enemies where is their God and who openly scorn all religion like these desperat scoffers 2 Pet. 3. 4. saying where is the promise of his coming Such as these are practically atheists and in some sort also in their minds for albeit they have some natural principles of a Godhead imprinted on them yet they smother all knowledge of God and belch out their own shame against God and religion and all the godly 2. Of mens falling unto such a fearfull abomination four causes may be rendered The first is the mans violence used against his conscience frequently in committing of grievous
sort of men the Lord doth speak Deut. 29. 18 19. shewing that he makes his covenant with his people lest there should be among you saith he a root that beareth gall and wormwood And it come to pass when he heareth the words of this curse that he bless himself in his heart saying I shall have peace though I walk in the imagination of my own heart to add drunkenness to thirst It is possible few shall be found so impudent as that they dar in expresse termes professe this their mis-belief of Gods justice yet they are not a few who foster this error in their heart who having as it were made a Covenant with death and hell are far from fearing to perish in their sins In this sort are all they to be ranked who conceive that all the threatnings in the Scripture are given forth to the intent that men being bridled by terrors might compose themselves to a more humane and social life among others who lest they should seem Atheists in word do cry up Gods mercy bounty and love to man so as they make small reckoning of the Lords truth and justice even as if the justice of God in punishing rebels could not consist with his mercy to the penitent or as if the end of creating man could not be obtained if obstinat sinners be destroyed 2. The main cause of such error is an obstinat purpose to walk after the counsel and imagination of their own heart and because they cannot quiet their conscience in following their own wayes except in promising to themselves impunity in their sinning they presume confidently to go on in their own wayes against all threatenings and so do blow their consciences blind Such profane presumption although it deserveth to be beaten with a rod rather then to be reasoned with yet let the Pastor deal with the presumer as he ought to do with other desperat like sinners and in the first place let him propose for remedy of this evil what the Lord doth speak against such a person Deut. 29. 20. The Lord will not spare him but then the anger of the Lord and his jealousie shall smoak against that man and all the curses that are written in this book shall lye upon him and the Lord shall blot out his name from under heaven And as he findeth this work upon him So let him deal with him 2. Some are near of kindred to such persons who do not reject all threatenings yet do think in their heart that none are in danger except grosse flagitious and notorious sinners but as to themselves they conceive because they are not the worst of men they are without the reach of divine justice especially if their conversation be according to humane laws so regulated as they have the reputation of honest neighbours With such men Christ dealeth Luk. 13. 1 2 5. when word came concerning the Galileans whose blood Pilaâ— mixed with their sacrifices Christ saith to them Suppose ye that these Galileans were sinners above all Galileans because they suffered these things I tell you nay but except ye repent you shall all likewise perish This is the remedy prescribed by Christ to such men 3. Some there are who hope to be absolved before God and do absolve themselves in their own conscience by their good works and obedience done to the law Of this sort was Paul before his conversion who till the time that the spiritual light of the law brake in upon his mind and killed the conceit of his own inherent righteousnesse was no mean man in his own eyes Rom. 7. 9. Such was the rich young man in the Gospel who said to Christ that he had keeped all the commands from his youth up till Christ did prove him a covetous Idolater who put a higher price on his riches then upon Christ and the kingdom of heaven Such were the Pharisees who by their obedience to the law such as it was doubted nothing to absolve themselves and that God should absolve them also But that the met-yaird should be no longer then their cloath or the law of further extent then their imagined possible practice they admitted no metonymie or figurative speech in the law whereby under one branch of a duty commanded all duties of that kind are comprehended and all faults contrary to the duty are forbidden As for example they counted not the sixth command to be violat except the man did take away his neighbours life nor the seventh command broken except by grosse adultery and violation of the marriage-bed nor the eighth command transgressed except another mans goods were openly or privately taken away whose mistake Christ doth correct Matth. chap. 5. and 6. 2. Such men as those are far from repentance far from humbling themselves before God and seeking remission of sin through Christ for they are ignorant of the righteousnesse of the Gospel by faith in Jesus Christ and of the way of coming to ability for doing any acceptable work by faith in Christ and therefore they go about to establish their own righteousnesse Rom. 10. 3. and 9. 31. 32. The false ground which they do lay for their own absolution is this they think to be justified by their works against which ground the Apostle hath pronounced condemnatory sentence Rom. 3. 20. By the deeds of the law shall no flesh be justified in Gods sight for by the law is the knowledge of sin 3. With this sort we may joyn these who not only come short of the obedience due to the law but also are in conscience convicted of many transgressions of the Lords law yet they conceive that God will not exact of them or of any man who is about to obey his law more then the man can in the common infirmity of flesh overtake and do perswade themselves that God will be satisfied with all them in whom is a willingnesse to obey the law their false ground which they lay is this that God will accept a mans will for the deed And to this purpose they do abuse the Scriptures Isa. 1. 19 If you be willing and obedient you shall eat the good things of the land And 2 Cor. 8. 12. If there be first a willing mind it is accepted according to that a man hath and not according to that he hath not 4. But here is their error whereupon they purchase from their conscience mis-informed an unwarrantable absolution first they lay down for a ground that they must be justified by works 2. Because they know they do come and shall come short in obedience they turn the condition of the covenant of works into other terms then God hath appointed and make the will of a man to obey the law so far as he is able to be the condition of the covenant which God disclaimeth 3. They deceive themselves in this that what is spoken to converted believers in Jesus Christ already justified by faith aiming at new obedience they do apply to themselves lying under the curse
to invocat his holy name for the right use-making of his affliction The ninth question is how remission of sin may be said to be granted in respect of sins to come IT is commonly said that the convert in his justification hath the remission of sins by-gone and sins to come whereupon the question is moved how this can stand with daily renewed remission of daily sins on the one hand daily renewed remission seemeth not necessary first because we believe that remission of all sin is the priviledge of all believers in Christ and the abridgement of the special articles of faith set down in the Apostles Creed as it is called holdeth this forth 2. Because it is certain that Christ in his death did compleat the payment of the price of redemption from all sin as 1 Ioh. 1. 7. The blood of Iesus Christ cleanseth us from all sins 3. We are said to be not under the law but under grace and so fred from the curse of the law 4. Because if daily remission of sin be necessar to be granted then it presuppones that both original sin and every actual sin flowing forth from it daily must be taken notice of reckoned for and repented of daily which is impossible On the other hand the convert seeth that every transgression of and disconformity to the law is sin and the Apostle 1 Ioh. 1. 8. speaking of himself and other converts saith If we say we have no sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us And Christ hath taught us as oft as we pray for our daily bread to pray also for the remission of sins The question is how the doubt of the convert may be cleared 2. For answer We must grant to the convert that original sin remaineth in the believer and is not only an exceeding sin as the Apostle calleth it Rom. 7. 13. but also is the fountain of all actual sins which doth pollute the conscience and sometimes also the outward man 2. We must grant also that there cannot be an actual and properly called remission of sins which are not yet committed for no man is guilty of that fault wherewith he cannot be charged for such a remission were a dispensation and licence to sin such as the Pope granteth to his slaves to gratifie them in allowing their vile lusts for inriching himself with the price of that iniquity 3. If such an actual remission of sins were given in justification the once justified person could never become a daily debtor by his daily transgressions contrary to the declaration of Christ in one of the articles of the Lords prayer 3. For solving the doubt then we must distinguish the significations and acceptions of remission of sin For 1. it is taken for remission purchased by Christ by virtue of the covenant of Redemption in favours of the elect but not applied unto the elect before the mans conversion Heb. 10. 12 13 14. But this man after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever sat down on the right hand of God from henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his foot-stool For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified 2. It is taken for remission promised by Christ to all that shall believe in him to be bestowed on them so soon as they shall turn to him Act. 26. 18. Thirdly it is taken for the sentence of absolution judicially applyed and adjudged to the actual believer Eph. 1. 7. In whom we have redemption through his blood the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his grace 4. For the actual remission of all sins past before his conversion Rom. 3. 25. Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past through the forbearance of God 5. For a constant right to daily remission of sin and accesse to the fountain opened up in the house of David that is to all the children of the houshold of faith in Christ Zech. 13. 1. In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness 4. So then the convert hath first the actual remission of all sins preceeding his conversion and withall his state changed from being a child of Sathan to be a child of God Secondly he hath right unto daily remission of sins as they fall out after conversion for Christ speaking of the remission had in the time of conversion calleth it a washing of the whole man Joh. 13. 10 He that is washen needeth not to wash save his feet but is wholly clean to wit for the state of his person accepted in Christ and for the application of his right unto daily remission Christ teacheth all his disciples daily to pray for it which Christ calleth the washing of the believers feet Joh. 13. 10. 5. For answer to the objections made against the necessity of daily renewed remission of sin let it be remembred that the article of our Creed is so far from making daily remission of sin not necessar that of necessity it must be extended not only to the remission of sins past before conversion but also to the right made unto us for daily remission of the sins which run daily from the relicts of corrupt nature not fully mortified for otherwayes the believer could not have quiet consolation in the daily exercise of renewed repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. 2. As to the second objection concerning the perfect purchase made by Christ of remission by-past and to come It doth prove indeed that there is no other sacrifice for sin nor price of redemption from sin save that which was compleated on the crosse but it doth not prove that we must only once make application of this purchase for Christ keepeth the full purchase in his own hand and doth let forth the application thereof as we stand in need in his own order and by degrees till he perfect us in sanctification and glorification also 6. As for the third objection we must not think that when we are loosed from the Law as a covenant of Works we are loosed also from the commands of the Law for the covenant of Works prescribed in the Law is posterior both in order of nature and time to the natural writing of the Law in mans heart Rom. 2. 15. And therefore when the covenant of the law of Works is taken off the authority of the Law to direct and command all moral duties doth remain and can no more be dissolved then the obligation of the reasonable creature to be obedient to the Creator can be abolished and therefore when the believer falleth in a transgression he meriteth death and destruction as the wages of sin But Christ our Advocat who liveth for ever to make intercession for us holds off the execution of deserved wrath and giveth to the believer the grace of renewed repentance
from whence thou art fallen Or the thing we are to examine is our deeds words and thoughts actually done or omitted the neglect of which examination is reproved Ierem. 8. c. and Revel 2. 19 20. 7. The third thing to be looked unto in the court of Conscience is the rule whereby we are to examine our selves in all or any of the former respects which is the revealed will of God in holy Scripture wherein is set down to us what we should believe and what we should do and what is the reward of the obedience of faith and what is the punishment of disobedience And here if the Conscience be not well informed and the rule closly cleaved unto the erring Conscience may swallow down the grossest idolatry and cry up Diana for a great goddess Act. 19. 28 and make the murtherers of the Saints conceive that in killing them they do God good service Ioh. 16. 2. 8. The fourth thing is the judicial process of the Conscience for giving such a sentence of direction for what is to be done or of absolution or condemnation in the point examined and found done or not done which process if the Conscience be well informed is after the maner of clear reasoning by way of Syllogisme wherein we lay down the rule given by the supreme Law-giver in the major or first proposition Then we do lay our selves to the rule in the minor or second assumed proposition and from the comparison of our selves with the rule we give out sentence in the third room which is called the Conclusion As for example If the Conscience be about to give direction for what is to be done it reasoneth thus What God hath appointed to be the only rule of faith and maners I must take heed to follow it as the rule But the holy Scripture God hath appointed to be the only rule of faith and maners Therefore I must take heed to follow the Scripture as the only rule Or more shortly the Lord hath commanded to repent and turn unto him offering reconciliation in Christ therefore it is my duty so to do But in the process of the Conscience unto conviction or absolution sometime moe sometime fewer reasonings are used As for example for conviction the process goeth thus That which God hath commanded me I should have â—one But to repent and turn to Him He hath commanded me Therefore I should have repented and turned to God Again He that hath not obeyed the Lord in repenting of his evil wayes and turning unto God is under great guiltiness and worthy of death by the sentence of the Law But such a one am I may every impenitent person say of himself And therefore may conclude of himself I am under great guiltiness and worthy of death by the sentence of the Law Likewayes in the process of the Conscience a humbled person well informed may reason thus That way of reconciliation which God hath appointed a self-condemned sinner to follow I am bound to follow But this way and no other hath God appointed that the sinner convinced of sin and of deserved wrath should flee to Christ Iesus the Mediator that by Him he may be justified sanctified and saved Therefore this way of reconciliation and no other I am bound to follow Again Whosoever by the grace of God in the sense of sin and deserved wrath is fled unto Christ for righteousness and eternal life and in Christs strength is endeavouring to give new obedience to the will of God is undoubtedly a true believer and child of God But such a one am I may the humbled sinner fled to Christ say of himself Therefore I am by the grace of God undoubtedly a true believer and a child of God And yet again he may go on to strengthen his faith and to comfort himself in the Lord thus Whosoever in the sense of sin poverty and weakness hath fled to Christ the Redeemer resolved never to part with Him and hath consecrated himself in the strength of Christ to endeavour to give new obedience to the will of God he is an heir with Isaac of the promised blessings and may hope to have them perfectly in possession at last But such an one am I may the humbled sinner fled to Christ say of himself Therfore I am an heir of the promised blessings with Isaac and may hope to have them perfectly in possession at last Such a process as this doth the Conscience of the regenerat man follow when he reneweth the acts of his repentance and sentenceth himself worthy of what the Law pronounceth against his sin and when he reneweth the acts of his faith in Christ through whom alone he is fred from the deserved curse of the Law 9. As to the fifth thing to be observed in the court of Conscience which is the execution of the sentence it hath pronounced because the Conscience is set over the man by God as Judge-depute therefore it goeth about in the name of God by and by to execute as it may the sentence justly pronounced by it and according to the nature of the sentence of condemnation or absolution pronounced by it it stirreth up divers motions and affections in the heart some of them sad and sorrowfull some of them joyfull and comfortable The sad and bitter passions that follow upon the sentence of conviction and condemnation justly pronounced are shame grief fear anxiety vexation and such-like whereby the guilty sinner is either fretted as with a worm or fired and tormented Of this we have an example in our first parent Adam who being convicted in his conscience of sin and deserved wrath did flee from the face of God all amazed and a frighted Gen. 3. 9. 10. The Lord called unto Adam and said unto him where art thou And he said I heard thy voice in the garden and I was afraid because I was naked and I hid my self But the Conscience after it is furnished by the Gospel to absolve the penitent believer fled to Christ doth stir up more sweet and comfortable motions in the heart such as are peace comfort joy gladness exultation confidence and such like An example whereof we see in Paul 2 Cor 1. 2. Our rejoycing saith he is this the testimony of our conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God we have had our conversation in the world So the Conscience after it is wounded by the mans transgression doth the part of a Iudge citing the man before its Tribunal and the part of an Officer presenting the man at the Bar and the part of an Accuser challenging the man for his transgression and the part of the Recorder producing the book of Statutes and the part of sufficient witnesses proving and convincing him of the deed done Again it doth the part of a Iudge pronouncing sentence and condemning the convicted transgressour and the part of a Sergeant and Marshal binding the condemned wretch and the part of the
object requireth a supernaturall power of the understanding and will to take it up and rightly conceive of it But of this supernaturall faculty the unrenewed man is destitute and in respect of spirituall discerning he is dead that he cannot discern spirituall things spiritually 4. As for the second proposition anent a mans regeneration the Lord that He may break the carnall confidence of the person whom He is to convert first sheweth him his duty by the doctrine of the law and covenant of works making him to see the same by the powerfull illumination of the holy Spirit and so taketh away all pretext of ignorance Secondly He sheweth him his guiltinesse and deserved damnation wherein he is involved and so taken away all conceit and imagination of his innocency Thirdly He doth convince him of his utter inability to satisfie the law or to deliver himself from the curse thereof either by way of action and obedience or by way of suffering and paying of the penalty of the violat law of God And so overturneth all confidence in himself or in his own works Whence followeth the elect mans desperation to be delivered by himself because he seeth himself a sinner and that all hope of justification by his own deeds or sufferings is cut off Now that this is the work of the holy Spirit is plain Ioh. 16. 8. When the comforter the spirit of truth shall come He shall convince the world of sin c. And in this condition sundry of Gods dear children for a time are keeped under the bonds of the law under the spirit of bondage and sad conviction 5. As for the third proposition the Lord after He hath laid the sin of His elect child who is to be converted to his charge by the doctrine of the law first openeth up a light unto him in the doctrine of the Gospel and lets him see that his absolution from sin and his salvation is possible and may be had by flying unto Christ the Redeemer Secondly the Lord drawing near hand the humbled self-condemned soul deals with him by way of morall swasion sweetly inviting him in the preaching of the Gospel to receive the Redeemer Christ Jesus the eternall Son of God manifested in the flesh that by receiving of Him as He is offered in the Evangel for remission of sin renovation of life and eternall salvation he may close the Covenant of grace and reconciliation with God Thirdly because the fall of Adam hath bereft man of all spirituall and supernaturall power till he be supernaturally quickned and converted by the omnipotent power of Gods grace Therefore the Lord sâ—peraddeth unto morall swasion effectuall operation and formeth in the soul a spirituall faculty and ability for doing what is pleasant unto God and tendeth to save himself according to the will of God This infusion of a new life sometime is called the forming of the new creature sometime regeneration sometime rising from the dead and vivification or quickning of the man sometime saving grace and the life of God and the seed of God having in it the principle of all saving graces and habits which are brought forth afterward to acts and exercise Mean time true it is that all men because of their inborn corruption have an inclination and bent disposition to resist the holy Ghost But when the Lord will actually convert the man He overcometh and taketh away actuall resistance and doth so break the power of naturall rebellion that it doth not for ever after reign in him for if God did not take away actuall resistance of the man in his conversion no conversion should certainly follow and God should be disappointed of His purpose to convert the man even when He hath put forth His almighty power to work conversion But God doth so wisely and powerfully stir up this new infused life of grace and setteth it so on work that the understanding and judgement like a counsellour and the Will like a commanding Emperour and the active power of the new infused faculty as an officer do all bestir themselves to bring forth supernaturall operations Whence it cometh to passe that the new creature beginneth to look kindly on Christ the Redeemer and to desire to be united unto Him and doth streatch forth it self to embrace Him heartily for obtaining in Him righteousnesse and salvation as He is offered in the Gospel And so he casts himself over on Christ with full purpose never to shed from Him but by faith to draw out of Him grace for grace till he be perfected And here the man that was meerly passive in his quickning and regeneration beginneth presently to be active in his conversion and following conversation for God giveth to him to will and to do of His good pleasure And he having obtained by Gods effectuall operation to will and to do doth formally will and do the good which is done 6. As to the fourth proposition when the power of God is put forth invincibly for the converting of a soul that invincible working is so far from destroying the naturall liberty of the will that it doth indeed preserve it and sets it right on the right object and doth perfect it For as when God openeth the eyes of a mans understanding that he doth behold the wonders of His law when hee removeth the naturall blindnesse of the mind and maketh a man see that the Gospel is the wisdom and power of God unto salvation which sometime he counted to bee meer foolishnesse he doth no wayes destroy the mans judgement or understanding but doth correct help heal and perfect it So when the holy Spirit doth powerfully and effectually move and turn the Will of the man to embrace the sweet and saving offers of Christs grace in the Gospel and maketh him deliberatly choose this blessed way of salvation and to renounce all confidence in his own or any others worth or works He doth not destroy but perfect the liberty of the Will and raiseth it up from death and its damnable inclination and maketh it most joyfully and most freely to make choice of this pearl of price and blesse it self in its choice for ever Therefore let no man complain of wrong done to mans free-will when God stops its way to hell wisely powerfully graciously and sweetly moveth it to choose the way of life But rather let men beware to take the glory of actuall conversion of men from God and either give it wholly to their idoll of free-will or make it sharer of the glory of regeneration with God which glory God will not give to another but reserve wholly to Himself for all men in the point and moment of regeneration are like unto Lazarus in the grave to whom God by commanding him to arise gave life and power to arise out of the grave where he lay dead and rotting 7. As to the fifth proposition We must distinguish the work of regeneration from the preparation and disposition of the man to be regenerat
whereby he is made more capable of regeneration to be wrought in him for the materiall disposition of him fitting him for regeneration is neither a part nor a degree of regeneration for albeit the Lord be not bound to these preparatory dispositions yet He will have man bound to make use of these externall means which may prepare him because by the use of externall means such as are hearing of the word Catechising and conference c. a man may be brought more near unto regeneration as Christ doth teach us by His speech to that Pharisee who was instructed in the law and answered discreedy unto Christ Thou art not far saith He from the kingdom of God Mark 12. 24. This preparatory disposition in order unto regeneration is like unto the drying of timber to make it sooner take fire when it is casten into it For dryness in the timber is neither a part nor a degree of kindling or inflammation of it But only a preparation of the timber to receive inflammation when the fire shall be set to it or it put in the fire possibly a long time after In these preparatory exercises then no man will deny that the naturall man unrenewed hath a naturall power to go and hear a Sermon preached to read the Scripture to be informed by Catechising and conference of Religion and regeneration whereof God when He pleaseth may make use in regeneration of the man Wherefore whosoever in the preaching of the Gospel are charged and commanded to repent to believe in Christ or turn unto God they are commanded also to use all these externall means whereby they may be informed of the duty required and of the means leading thereunto in the exercise of which externall means they may meet with sundry common operations and effects of Gods Spirit before they be regenerat or converted whereof the use may be sound not only in but also after conversion And if any man shall refuse slight or neglect to follow these preparatory exercises which may prepare him for conversion he is inexcusable before God and man and guilty of rejecting of the offer of reconciliation yea guilty of resisting of the holy Ghost of which sin and guiltynesse the holy martyr Stephen chargeth the misbelieving Jews Acts 7. 51. 8. As for the regenerat man he it is who in the acknowledgement of his sinfulnesse and deserved misery and of his utter inability to help himself doth cast away all confidence in his own parts and possible righteousnesse of his own works and fleeth to Christ offered in the Gospel that in Christ alone he may have true wisdom righteousnesse sanctification and redemption and doth with full purpose of heart consecrat himself and endeavour in the strength of Christ to serve God acceptably all the dayes of his life For the ground of this description we have the words of the Apostle Philip. 3. 3. Where putting a difference between the true people of God and the counterfit he saith We are the circumcision who worship God in the spirit and rejoyce in Iesus Christ and have no confidence in the flesh In which description of the regenerat man the Apostle first points forth unto us three speciall operations of the Spirit of regeneration then three duties of the man regenerat The first operation of the Spirit of God the only circumciser of the heart is the humbling of the man in the sense of his sin by the doctrine of the law and cutting off all his confidence in his own worth wit free-will and strength to help himself So that the man hath no confidence in the flesh The second operation is the infusion of saving faith making the man humbled to close with Christ in the Covenant of reconciliation and to rest upon Him as the only and sufficient remedy of sin and misery so that Christ becometh to him the ground of rejoycing and gloriation The third operation is the upstirring and enabling of the believer in Christ to endeavour new obedience and to worship God in the spirit As for the three duties of the man regenerat The first is to follow the leading of the Spirit in the poynt of more and more humbling of himself before God in the sense of his own insufficiency and â—shewing of all leaning on his own parts gifts works or sufferings or any thing else beside Christ He must have no confidence in the flesh The second duty is to grow in the estimation of Christs righteousnesse and fulnesse of all graces to be letten forth to the believer imploying Him by faith and comforting himself in Christ against all difficulties troubles and temptations He must rejoyce in Iesus Christ. The third duty is to endeavour communion-keeping with God in the course of new obedience in all cases worshiping and serving God in sincerity of heart he must be a worshiper of God As to the last thing holden forth in the Apostles words which is the undoubted mark and evidence of the man regenerat and circumcised in heart it standeth in the constant endeavour to grow in these three duties joyntly so as each of them may advance another for many failings and short-comings will be found in our new obedience and worshiping of God in the spirit but let these failings be made use of to extinguish and abolish all confidence in our own parts and righteousnesse that our dayly failings may humble us and cut us off from all confidence in the flesh But let not these failings so discourage us as to hinder us to put confidence in Christ but by the contrair the lesse ground of confidence we find in our selves let us raise so much higher the estimation of remission of sin and imputation of Christs righteousnesse and stir up our selves by faith to draw more strength and ability out of Christ for enabling us to walk more holily and righteously before God and having fled to Christ and comforted our selves in him let us not turn his grace into wantonnesse but the more we believe the grace of Jesus Christ let us strive in his strength so much the more to glorifie God in new obedience And in the circle of these three duties let us wind our selves up stairs toward heaven for God hath promised that such as wait on the Lord shall renew their strength they shall mount up with wings as Eagles they shall run and not be weary they shall walk and not faint Isaiah 40. 31. In the conjunction of these three duties the evidence of regeneration is found If there be not a sincere endeavour after all these three duties the evidence of regeneration is by so much darkned and short for probation for it is not sufficient to prove a man regenerat that he is driven from all confidence in his own righteousnesse and filled with the sense of sin and deserved wrath because a man that hath no more then that may perish in this miserable condition as we see in Iudas the traitour whose conscience was burdened with the sense of
their deserved punishment Now when we see that the vilest sinners as liars thieves adulterers cannot patiently hear themselves called liars or thieves nor bear the shame of the vilenesse whereof they are really guilty with what suffering of soul with what clouding of the glory of his holinesse think we that our Lord took upon his shoulders such a dunghill of all vilenesse then which nothing could more be unbeseeming his holy Majesty 6. Unto all the former degrees of suffering of his soul the perplexity of his thoughts fell on him with the admiration and astonishment of soul when the full cup of wrath was presented unto him in such a terrible way as made all the powers of his sense and reason for a time to be at a stand Which suffering of his soul while the Evangelist is about to expresse he saith he began to be sore amazed and also to be very heavy and to expresse himself in these words My Soul is exceeding sorrowfull unto death Mark 14. 33. 34. Obj. But did not this astonishing amazement of Christs soul speak some imperfection of the humane nature Ans. It did no wayes argue any imperfection or inlake of sanctity in him but only a sinlesse and kindly infirmity in regard of naturall strength in the dayes of his flesh for the mind of a man by any suddain and vehement commotion arising from a terrible object may without sinning be so taken up that the swift progresse of his mind in discourse may for a while be stopped and the act of reasoning suspended a while all the cogitations of the mind fleeing together to consult and not being able to extricat themselves in an instant may stand amazed and sit down a while like Jobs friends astonished Now our Lord taking on our nature and our common sinlesse infirmities became like unto us in all things except sin Daniels infirmity at the sight of an Angel was not sin Dan. 10. Obj. But doth not this astonishing admiration suddainly lighting upon Christs soul prove that something unforeseen of him did befall him Ans. Not at all for he knew all things that should befall him and told his disciples thereof and was at a point and resolved in every thing which was to come before it came But this astonishing amazement did only shew forth the naturall difference between things preconceived in the mind and these same things presented to sense for there is in the mind a different impression of the preconceived heat of a burning iron before it do touch the skin from that powerfull impression which a hot iron thrust into the flesh doth put upon the sense In regard of which naturall difference between foresight and feeling between resolution and experience this astonishment befell our Lord and in this regard Christ is said to learn experimentall obedience by these things which he suffered Heb. 5. 8. 7. Another degree of the suffering of our Lords soul is the interruption for a time of the sensible uptaking and feeling of that quiet and peaceable injoyment of the felicity of the humane nature given for the point of right unto it in its personall union with his God-head in so far that in the midst of many disciples Greeks and Jews looking on him the vehemency of his trouble did not suffer him to hide his perturbation for Ioh. 12. 27. our Lord cryed out Now is My Soul troubled and what shall I say and Mark 14. 34. made him declare his exceeding heavinesse My Soul is exceeding sorrowfull unto death In which words he insinuats that to his sense death was at hand yea that in no small measure it had seased on him and wrapped him up in the sorrows of death for the time as in a net of which he knew he could not be holden still Obj. But did not this hudge heap of miseries take away from the humane nature the felicity of its union personally with his God-head Ans. It did indeed hide it for a time and hinder the sensible feeling of it for a time as it was necessary in his deep suffering but it did not take it away nor yet eclipse it altogether for as a corporall inheritance hath a threefold connexion with the person owner thereof so a spirituall inheritance hath a threefold connexion with the believers soul. The first is of lawfull title and right the next is of possession of the inheritance according to the lawfull right the third is an actuall fruition and present feeling of the use of the inheritance The fruition and felt benefite and use may be marred or suspended the possession stand and the possession may be interrupted and suspended and the lawfull right remain firm Christ had not only an undoubted right to this felicity standing unto him by the personall union but also a fast possession of it in as far as the personall union was indissolvable But the actuall felt fruition in his humane sense and uptaking was so long interrupted as the humane nature was diverted from this contemplation for its present exercise and turned to look toward the sad spectacle of imminent and incumbent wrath especially when and how long it was as it were bound to the feeling of the present stroke which did fill the soul with sadnesse and grief anxiety and vexation without sin 8. Neither did the vindictive justice of God pursueing our sins in our Surety stay here but in the garden went on to shew unto Christ the cup of wrath and also to hold it to his head and to presse him to drink it yea the very dregs of the agreed-upon curse of the law was poured into his patient and submissive mouth as it were and bosome and the most inward part of soul and body which as a vehement flame above all humane apprehension so filled both soul and body that out of all his veines it drew and drove forth a bloody sweat the like whereof was never heard as when a pot of oyl boyling up and running over by a fire set under it hath yet further the flame increased by the thrusting of a firie masse of hot iron into it Hence came such a wasting and eating up of all his humane strength and emptying of his naturall abilities such a down-throwing of his mind such a fainting and swounding of his joy and so heavy a weight of sorrow on him that not only he desired that small comfort of his weak disciples watching with him a little and missed of it but also stood in need of an Angel to comfort him Luke 22. 43. It is without ground that some of the learned have denied the cause of this agony to be the drinking of the cup of wrath holden forth to him by the Father saying that the sight of it only and of the perill he saw we were into was the cause of this heavy exercise for the cup was not only showen unto him and the hudge wrath due to our sin set before him that he should see it and tremble at the apprehension of the
death of soul and body by the rule of simple justice whether the sinner had consented to the punishment or not But man by entering in the covenant actually gave a formall voluntary consent that death should sease upon him if he should sin as Evah beareth witnesse in her conference with the serpent while she doth repeat the condition put upon the breaking of the particular command given by God and accepted by man Gen. 3. 3. Fourthly when the covenant of works is abolished so far as it can neither justifie nor condemn the man that is â—led to Christ and entered in another posterior covenant of grace the naturall obligation of the man slandeth still for taking direction from and giving obedience to the law for it remaineth still the rule of a mans walking and it is impossible that a meer man should be exeemed from the authority of God over him and from subjection due by nature to his Creatour for upon this account that man is a reasonable creature understanding Gods will about his behaviour toward God he is alwayes bound for ever to love God with all his mind heart and strength and his neighbour as himself Neither can the naturall merit of sin be taken away nor death deserved be eshewed but by forgivenesse of it for Christs merits The covenant then was superadded unto the law in the deep wisdom of God for this way of dealing with man by a Covenant was of its own nature a most fit mean unto mans felicity and unto the glory of God How the Covenant of God with man was a mean to mans felicity THe Covenanting of God with man tended of its own nature to mans good and happiness First because a singular respect and honour was put upon man when he was made a confederat friend of God for if it be an honour to a mean and poor man to be joyned with a King or Prince in a formal bond of mutual friendship how much greater honour is it unto man to be joyned in a bond of mutual love and friendship with God Secondly before the making of the Covenant man had no promise made to him by God but so soon as the Covenant was made the Lord did freely obliege himself to give and made to man a right to ask and to expect of God with a ground of certainty to obtain of him such things as without promise 〈◊〉 he could not ask or at least he could not certainly expect to have granted unto him Thirdly before the making of the Covenant nothing hindred the Lord if he had pleased to command man to return to dust whereof he was but after the Covenant it pleased God by his own free promise to obliege himself to perpetuat mans happiness wherein he was made so long as he should go on in obedience Fourthly by the making of the Covenant a door was opened and a fair entry to a higher degree of felicity then he possessed by his creation for when a natural life and earthly felicity was given to Adam to enjoy upon the earth God by the Covenant made paction with him upon condition of perfect obedience to give him a life and felicity super-natural opposite unto death bodily and spiritual which was threatned unto him if he should transgress the command Fifthly Adam by the Covenant had a sort of help to make him keep the Law written in his heart more carefully and cautiously and a prop to make him stand more fixed for on the one hand he was advertised and forewarned of the danger of sinning that he might beware to offend God and on the other hand he was encouraged and allowed to serve God more chearfully and to perform due obedience to God the more diligently for in the Covenant the greatest reward that could be thought upon was set before him and promised unto him to wit eternal life upon his obedience and the greatest punishment threatned if he should dis-obey both which served greatly to move him to be constant in his obedience How Gods covenanting with man served for Gods glory IN Gods covenanting with man his glory did notably shine and shew forth it self to man First the goodness and bounty of God did manifest it self therein for in making a Covenant with man the Lord demitted himself and in a maner humbled himself to deal with man for the standing of mutual friendship between himself and man for ever and when we consider this as the Psalmist saith Ps. 8. 4. What is man that thou are mindfull of him and the Son of man that thou visitest him So may we say what is man or the Son of man that thou shouldest enter in covenant with him Secondly by covenanting with man God did show his wonderfull moderation for God is soveraign Monarch and absolute Emperour over his own creature to make of it what he pleaseth yet in covenanting with man he did sweetly temper his supreamacy seeking as it were to reign with mans consent And when because of his soveraign Authority and absolute Right and Interest he might have put upon man harder commands and conditions of the Covenant and these also altogether righteous and just he choosed to use such moderation that he would require nothing of man except that which man should and behoved in reason judge both a just and an easie yoke and in accepting the condition of the Covenant acknowledge it to be such Thirdly the Lord declared his wisdom in covenanting with man because when he had made man a reasonable creature he choosed to draw forth a free and voluntary service most suteable to his reasonable nature and that in a most sweet way to wit not only by giving unto man a most equitable Law but also by setting before the man by way of paction the highest reward that he could be capable of even life everlasting Fourthly in covenanting with man God did most wisely and holily have a respect to the glory of his own both soveraignty and holiness because after he had made man by nature good and holy albeit mutable and subject to change if the man pleased to essay another way he took course to help the mutability of his free will not only by setting a reward of obedience before him but also by a threatniug of punishment if he should transgress and so on the one hand and the other to hedge him in and guard him against all temptation unto sin that neither he should be forced by any external power to sin nor by any counsel or suggestion or moral swasion whereunto only man was exposed in the tryal of his obedience should have so strong motives to draw him to disobedience as the promise of God and the threatning should have force in all reason to keep him fast to his due and loyal obedience Thus was Adam fore-warned and fore-armed against whatsoever without himself might assault him for what reward for disobedience could be offered unto him so great as the favour of God and everlasting life in the
be suffered for sin by the sinner is the curse-everlasting of soul and body seing a meer creature cannot for ever satisfie for his rebellion how long soever we presuppose his duration under suffering And for obedience by way of doing perfectly what the Law doth crave it is utterly impossible because we are carnal sold under sin and cannot satisfie the Law and because we cannot satisfie the Law the Law becometh weak and unable to justifie and save us Rom. 8. 3. How the Covenant of works may be called the Covenant of nature ALbeit the Law written by nature in mens heart differeth from the Covenant for performance of the Law as hath been shown before yet the Covenant of works made with Adam before he fell tying him to keep that Law may be called the Covenant of nature First because the Covenant of works is grounded upon the Law of nature and doth exact nothing of man save that which God might require of him according to the Law of nature Secondly because when the Covenant of works was made with Adam it was made with all his natural posterity which was to spring of him by natural generation and so the obligation thereof did pass upon all his natural posterity by the Law of nature which maketh the child begotten to bear the image of the begetters Thirdly that the Covenant of works may justly be called the Covenant of nature appeareth by the force of the conscience being wakened from its sleepy security for it challengeth for sin according to that Covenant and pronounceth the sentence of God's wrath against the sinner For the conscience doth acknowledge the Judgment of God that they which commit such things are worthy of death Rom. 1. 32. Fourthly because the conscience naturally inclineth a man to seek justification by his own works if it can any way find pretence for it as we may see in the Pharisee who in his speech to God doth judge himself a holy man because he is not amongst the worst of men and hath many good works above others to reckon forth and lay before God Luk. 18. 11. Fifthly the inclination of mans heart to expect a reward of every good work he doth whether it be in some part reall or only apparently such testifieth so much Iudg. 17. 13. Micah so reasoneth Now know I the Lord will do me good seing I have a Levit to my Priest And how miserably the conscience may be deluded in this case when men do dote upon their own well-deserving appeareth in Leah for Gen. 30. 18. Leah saith God hath given me my hire because I have given my maiden to my husband Sixthly this point is also made manifest by the natural ignorance of righteousness by faith and affectation to be justified by works which the Apostle finds fault-with in the Israelits Rom. 9. 31. They sought righteousness not by faith but as it were by works And Rom. 10. 3. being ignorant of the righteousness of God and going about to establish their own righteousness to wit righteousness by works according to the tenour of the Covenant of works they did not submit themselves to the righteousness of God Seventhly the same course followed by Papists and other erroneous teachers testifieth the natural inclination of men to seek righteousness by works according to the tenour of the Covenant of works and not by faith in Christ Jesus that righteousness may come by grace only And so are some mens hearts glued to this error that they do transform justification by faith in justification by one work in stead of all as if the work of faith were the mans righteousness and not Christ him-himself laid hold on by faith Not considering that to the man that renounceth all confidence in any work of his own and flieth to Christ by faith Christ is made of God unto that man wisdom and righteousness 1 Cor. 1. 30. Last of all this natural inclination even of the regenerat to seek righteousness by works doth prove the Covenant of works to be naturally ingraft in all mens hearts as appeareth in the Galatians who being instructed in the doctrine of justification by faith in Christ without the works of the Law did easily upon a tentation offered look back with likeing to the way of Justification by works for which the Apostle reproveth them Gal. 4. 21. Tell me saith he ye that desire to be under the Law or Covenant of works and ver 9. But now after ye have known God or rather are known of God how turn ye again to weak and beggarly elements whereunto you desire again to be in bondage Obj. But the Galatians as it seemeth did not reject Justification by faith but did joyn with it Justification by the works of the Law thinking that the safest way was to joyn both together Ans. The inconsistency of these two wayes of Justification the Apostle sheweth Rom. 11. 6. For Justification by grace is no more by works otherwise grace is no more of grace and what Justification is by works is no more of grace otherwise work is no more works And therefore the Apostle makes the joyning of these two wayes of Justification to be nothing else but a plain seeking of Justification by the Covenant of works which cutteth a man off from any benefit by Christ Gal. 5. 2. and whosoever seeketh to be justified by the Lawâ— or Covenant of works is fallen from grace ver 4. For further clearing this matter we may distinguish two sorts of the Covenant of works The one is true genuine and of God's institution which God made with all men in Adam for perfect obedience unto God's Law out of mans own natural abilities There is another counterfeit bastard covenant of works of mans own devising which a sinner lying in his sins unable to do what the Law commands or to suffer what the Law being broken binds upon him of his own head devileth upon other conditions then God hath set and will have God to take his devised covenant in stead of perfect obedience to the Law that so he may be justified Such was the covenant which the carnal Israelits made with God in the wilderness and which their posterity did follow turning the Covenant of grace whereunto God was calling them into a covenant of works of their own framing For the grace which was offered to them in Christ under the vail of levitical types figures and ceremonies they turned into an external service of performance only of bare and dead ceremonies and into a ministry of the letter and death for they did not take up Christ to be the end of the Law for righteousness to every one that believes in him but did think that both the moral and ceremonial Law was given unto them of God to the intent that they should do the external works of the moral Law so far as they could and when they transgressed the moral Law they should fly to the ceremonial Law and make amends for their faults by
satisfying for their sin by the external sacrifice of some clean beast offered to God or by the washing of their body and their cloaths Such also is the covenant which now adayes many make with God cutting short with the old Pharisees the sense of the precepts of the Law by extending it no further then they may keep the same that so they may make their own inherent righteousness the longer conform unto their own clipped rule of righteousness and this they do by denying themselves to be guilty of original sin after baptism and by extenuating and diminishing many faults as but light and venial as they call them and by devising satisfactions for expiating the sins of the living by penances and pilgrimages and of the dead by their sufferings in their imaginary purgatory that so they may be justified by their works and sufferings Such also is their covenant who seek justification by deceased Saints merits hoping they may so have absolution from sin and obtain life eternal And all these sorts of covenants of mens framing we call bastard-covenants of works because God will not admit any other Covenant of works then that which requireth perfect personal obedience And therefore so many as seek to be justified by works do stand under the obligation of perfect personal obedience under pain of death and will be found not only utterly unable to do any good work but also to be without Christ and to be fallen from grace as the Apostle Gal. 5. 3 4. doth teach us Obj. Seing God doth abhor these bastard-covenants of works and doth well know that men are so far from performance of the due obedience of the Law that they are utterly unable before they be reconciled through faith in Christ to do so much as one acceptable work as the Psalmist teacheth Psal. 14. 1 2 3. Why doth the Lord exact perfect obedience unto the Law from sinners why doth he press so instantly the slaves of sin to perform the duties required in the true Covenant of works Ans. The Lord justly doth abhor and reject these bastard-covenants because they evacuat and make void both the Covenant of works and the Covenant of grace which is by faith in Christ and he doth press all men to perform perfect obedience to all the commands whereunto they are naturally obliged to the end that proud men conceity of their own natural abilities may find by experience that they are unable to perform the condition of the Covenant of works and may acknowledge the same and so dispair of righteousness by their works and be forced to flye to Christ and to the Covenant of grace through him that they may be fred from that covenant and being justified by faith in Christ may be enablâ—d to begin new obedience to the Law in the strength of Christs furniture For Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to every one that believeth Rom. 10. 4 And the Law entered that men might by the Law see and acknowledge that the offence did abound and then might perceive that the 〈…〉 â—â—grâ—ce by Christ did super-abound Rom. 〈…〉 and 1 Tim. 1. 5. The end of the command is 〈…〉 of a purâ— heart and a good conscience and faith unfamed This was the end of the promulgation of the Law in mount Sinai that a stiff-necked people trusting in their own abilities might be made sensible of their imperfection by the repetition of the Law And to this also God super-added the external yoke of the ceremonial Law which neither they nor their posterity were able to bear Acts 15. 10. that the people perceiving their manifold pollutions and guiltiness wherein they were daily involved by breaking of God's Law might in the sense of the burden lying on them and of their damnable estate under it flye to Christ the lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world as he was represented and offered to their sight in the sacrifices and burnt offerings Of this end of pressing the Law upon proud men we have an example Math. 19. 16 17 18 19 20 21 22. In the conference of Christ with the young conceity rich man who in the opinion of his own inherent righteousness and of his abilities was hudgly swelled as if he had already for time by-gone satisfied the the whole Law and that he was able and ready to do any good work which could be prescribed unto him for obtaining of eternal life whose proud conceit that Christ might humble and bring down he craveth nothing but that he would keep the commands And when the young man denyed that he had broken the Law he proveth him guilty of gross and vile Idolatry from this that he put a higher estimation on his riches than on remission of sin and did love them more then heaven and fellowship with God in eternal life In all this let it be considered that albeit mens confidence in their works doth displease God yet good works do not displease him but they are so far pleasant unto him that there is no morall motive which may serve to stir up in his people an endeavour to follow after good works which the Lord doth not make use of partly by setting before them the reward if they obey partly by setting punishments before theiâ— eyes if they obey not yea and the very observation of externall morall duties and obedience such as may be discharged by the unregenerat man albeit God in relation to Justification do esteem it polluted and vile yet he doth sometimes reward their externall works by giving them externall and temporall benefits for their encouragement for even Ahabs temporary humiliation the Lord so far accepted that there-upon He took occasion to delay to take vengeance upon him 1 Kings 21. 27 28 29. Likewise the Lord useth to recompence the civil justice of Pagans with a temporal reward yea and to reward the outward diligence of every man in every lawfull occupation with some answerable outward reward The very Pharisees who for the raising to themselves a fame and higher estimation for holinesse did take a great deal of pains in prayers in the streets and Mercat-places and other exercises of Religion wanted not an answerable reward veâ—ily saith Christ they have their reward Matth. 6. 2. And this course the Lord doth keep that he may encertain and foster the civil society of men among themselves and that His people looking on this bounty of God may be stirred up the more to bring forth the fruits of faith in hope of a mercifull promised better reward of grace in the life to come beside what they may have in this life CHAP. VI. Of the Covenant of Grace THe third and last covenant concerning mans eternall salvation is the covenant of Grace made between God and man through Christ the Mediatour Grace someâ—imes simply and absolutely taken is opposed to merit and in this sense every good thing which of Gods good pleasure is ordained or promised or actually bestowed on the
altogether Ans. We answer with the Apostle vers 20. Nay but O man who art thou that replyeth against God whether dost thou compear procuratour for the reprobat and for Satan the enemy of God to quarrell and dispute with God anent his righteous decrees If thou wilt avow this we leave thee and all such proud and presumptuous misbelievers of plain doctrine to reckon with your Judge But if thou speak only for thy self we shall let thee see that this doctrine shall not hinder thee from repentance If then thou shalt say I will not dispute against God but do desire earnestly to be satisfied about my self for I believe that many are reprobat and few are chosen and my fear is that I be found of the worst sort and do not know how to rid my self of my doubts and fears For answer we shall deal with thee in a friendly maner and first we put thee in remembrance that God hath served an inhibition on all men not to medle with the secret counsell of God Deut. 29. 29. The secret things belong to the Lord our God but these things that are revealed belong unto us and our children for ever Therefore do not hearken to this suggestion but go about thy duty We ask then first art thou convinced of thy sin and ill deserving If thou say I am a sinner and cannot answer for one of a thousand of my by gone sins for which God may justly and I fear he shall in effect reject me we answer unto thee it is to good purpose that thou are so far convinced of sin as to judge thy self worthy of death and utter exterminion from his mercy mean time be comforted thus far that thou art not of the number of those who confide in their own righteousnesse nor of the number of them who trust in their own strength or power of their free-will We ask again doth thy by gone life displease thee and wouldst thou have thy sins forgiven and thy self reconciled with God doth Christ offering himself in the Gospel please thy soul when thou hearest from his word that he craveth nothing of thee save that thou welcome his offer and consecrat thy self to him that so in him thou mayest have righteousnesse and sanctification and salvation If thou answer that the searcher of hearts knoweth thy hearty desire to be reconciled to God in Christ to live before him hereafter as a reconciled child there is good hope of salvation for such a one as thou art Thirdly we say seing thou hast heard the law convincing thee of sin and hast believed Gods word so far why dost thou not believe him also when in the Gospel thou hearest his offer and call unto all self-condemned sinners to come unto Christ and rest their weary souls upon him who hath excepted thee from the embracing of mercy offered in Jesus Christ look therefore what his word saith to all sinners flying for refuge unto Christ who is the hope set before sinners and leave him not whatsoever be thy fears for he that hungereth and thirsteth for righteousnesse through Christ shall be satisfied CHAP. VII For a further clearing and confirmation of the doctrine about the three Covenants from Jer. 31. and Heb. 8. THe prophet Ieremiah giveth us a short compend of the former doctrine anent these three covenants chap. 31. vers 31. c. whereof the Apostle giveth a clear commentary Heb. 8. vers 6 7. c. As to the covenant of Redemption it is here presupponed to be past as the Apostle expounding this place of Ieremiah giveth us to understand while he sheweth us that the covenant of grace was no other wayes purchased then by the Mediation of our Lord Jesus transacting about the covenant of Redemption with the Father And that he may give us to understand this 1. Christ is called the Mediatour of a better covenant Heb. 8. to wit of the covenant of Grace 2. The covenant of Grace is designed by the name of a Testament which giveth us to understand that Christ the Mediatour did not obtain the making of this covenant on a lesse price then the laying down of his life that all the benefits contained in these better promises might first be his goods to dispone upon as he pleased and that he being resolved to die did make his Testament and leave them all in legacy to the redeemed his heirs and assigneys designed from eternity 3. The Mediatour making his Testament is called Iehovah not a meer man but God to be incarnat making an unchangeable Latter-will or Testament which of necessity required the death of the Testatour that it might be ratified Heb. 9. 15 16. and the death of a Testatour not a meer man but the Son of God to be incarnat and to die who had life in himself that he might lay down his life and take it up again 4. The goods which he purchased according to the covenant of Redemption and left in legacy to his heirs are all and every blessing which do belong to godlinesse and life eternall as remission of sin and writting of the law in their hearts c. 5. The redeemed and designed heirs are not all and every man but the elect only these that were to be saved only and who were to be effectually called and indued with the saving knowledge of God who from the least to the greatest were all of them to know the Lord not such as were the reprobat fathers nor their unbelieving children but the chosen society of the Israel of God and of Christs family the house of Iudah which is the tribe of Christ for the Apostle doth extend these promises unto the covenant between God and the elect to be gathered under the Evangel unto Christ out of Jews and Gentiles As to the covenant of works it is certain first that God made a covenant of grace in substance and upon the mater with the fathers that were brought out of Egypt as we may gather from the consideration of the parties and articles of that covenant for albeit God repeated the covenant of works and declared the force of the law for binding the curse upon all transgressours thereof yet he did presse the law on them in order unto their reconciliation by the sacrifice of the Lamb of God to be in due time offered up and did teach them that Christ was the end of the law for righteousnesse to every one that believed 2. It is certain that in the framing of this covenant of grace between God and the visible Church of the fathers God did make the promises of righteousnesse and eternall life and spirituall blessings under the vail of temporall types upon conditions more hard and difficile in appearance then the new covenant doth require for this the Apostle sheweth to us plainly Heb. 8. 6. 3. It is certain that the un-believing Fathers did not take up nor understand the covenant of Grace but turned it over in a covenant of Works which is manifest by
comparing the words of Ieremiah and the commentary thereupon by the Apostle For Ieremiah saith that they did transgress the Covenant albeit God did shew himself a husband unto these un-believing Fathers that is they changed the covenant of Grace in a covenant of Works of their own framing and transgressed that Covenant also And the Apostle saith they did not continue in that covenant because they changed it to themselves in a covenant of Works according to which Covenant God did deal with them for in stead of being a husband to them he exacted of them the penalty of the broken covenant of Works and Lorded it over them and did not regard them Heb. 8. 6. For they sought after the righteousness of works and not to have righteousness by faith and therefore did he despise them and dealt with them after the tenor of the covenant of Works And it is observable that the words of Ieremiah do comprehend the Apostles meaning for the words may bear both that God was a husband unto them to wit in making a covenant of Grace with them and that he dealt with them as a Lord over them by exacting of them the penalty of the broken covenant of Works and of the rejected covenant of Grace As â—o the covenant of Grace the Apostle speaketh of it in express termes first by Gods promising that he would make a new Covenant with the house of Israel and Iudah Secondly by his setting better promises before them then these were which were made to the Fathers in the wilderness Thirdly by his giving no other cause of bestowing so great blessings on them but his own good-will and pleasure Fourthly by his requiring no other condition of them but saith that they who feel in themselves the want and need of the promised blessings and are convinced of their own unworthiness might give credit unto God that maketh the promise and so embrace the promises and apply them to their own use As to the external dispensation of the Covenant it is certain first that it was common to all that were externally called to all the members of the visible Church for the covenant made in the wilderness with the elect Fathers and reprobat with the believers and un-believers with those that rejected the covenant of Grace and the offer of Righteousness by faith and with those who looked through the vail afar off to Christ coming and were saved was one and the same 2. It is certain that the external form of the covenant of Grace was more obscure and vailed over by the types and figures of the levitical ceremonies before Christ came but after his coming it was propounded in clearer and better promises 3. A day is set to wit the fulness of time when these shadows and typical figures should be abolished and the grace of God should be set before his people to be looked upon with open face 4. And yet the grace of God was not so hid and obscurely propounded to the Church before Christs coming as it could not be taken up by the children of God for in the midst of the shadows and dark typs the star-light of gracious promises did shine and the doctrine of the new Covenant was in substance holden forth by the Prophets and one instance thereof doth appear in this place of Ieremiah As to the internal covenant of Grace first these things which are promised in that Covenant do declare in what state God doth find men whom he doth convert and draw into covenant with himself for when the Lord taketh in hand that he will write his law in their heart that he will teach them himself to know him by the teaching of his Word and Spirit and that he will forgive their sins he pre-supposeth that lawless rebellion did reign in them with blindness of mind and hardness of heart and that the Elect by nature are without law without God without faith before he reform them according to the Articles or tenor of the covenant of Redemption 2. Albeit by nature the law be written in mens hearts as to the knowledge of sundry moral duties and so far as is sufficient to make them inexcusable for their contraveening these sparks of light Rom. 1. â—0 and 2 14. 15. Yet the writing of the law here promised is spiritual and super-natural inlightning their minds by the light of Gods Spirit and renewing their heart and in effect the thing promised is actual conversion of them 3. And seing conversion is here promised by Christ the Testator absolutely he hath taken in hand absolutely to effectuat it for it is not said I will put my law in their heart if they please to suffer me but determinatly I will put my law I will write my law in their heart and inward parts that is I will make them willing who were averse and obedient to my law who were rebellious 4. Christ the Testator doth in all this not satisfie himself by promising the illumination of the mind and the inclining of the heart for a time but promiseth also to make a solid and permanent work of it by making them persevere which is imported in the words I will put and I will write it for to write it is as much as to fix and ingrave it that it may remain 5. The chief head of the Covenant and which in substance doth contain all blessings is set down in these words I will be their God and they shall be my people for by this promise right is granted unto the true heartconvert and confederat first unto God himself then unto all his benefits whereof he hath need in order to righteousness and eternal life for they whose God the Lord is they do live and shall live for ever as Christ saith God is not the God of the dead but of the living Matth. 22. 32. And all particular promises what are they else but explications of this great and first promise and applications thereof to his childrens cases in particular Gifts of the Spirit are promised here and induements whereof disciples have need whereof pilgrims going home to that heavenly city have need yea the Spirit himself is promised to them who is to remain with them to the end of their life as a directer and leader They shall all know me saith the Lord that is as Christ doth interpret it They shall be all taught of God Joh. 6. 45. 7. The Lord sheweth here that he will deal with men in their regeneration and reconciliation as with reasonable creatures by preserving and not destroying them in their simple naturals by maintaining and not over-turning the liberty of their free-will I will make a Covenant saith he with the house of Judah Now a Covenant is a free and voluntar Contract 8. He sheweth that he is Lord and Over-ruler of mans will who can turn it about as he pleaseth and that he is not hindred nor impeded to execute and bring to passe whatsoever he hath purposed to do by the
any man the Lord hath given no certain mark as long as they live except that malicious and wilfull rejecting and opposing of known Christ Jesus to the intent that none should dare to exclude either themselves or others from repentance and hope of mercy so long as the day of Gods long-suffering and patience doth last This is collected from this that God doth not make mention of the reprobation of these misbelieving fathers while they are living but now long after they are dead and this mention making of them is in general only and not by nameing them particularly 17. Albeit in the dispensation of the covenant of grace for application of saving mercies the mater be so wisely carryed by God that both the decree and covenant of Redemption is keeped closs as to particular names and yet it is effectually made out in the applying of grace to individuall persons as the agreement is made between God and Christ Mediatour yet the covenant of Redemption is made this far clear that it did not passe for the conversion and salvation of all and every man by this evidence that not so much as the offer of the covenant of grace and reconciliation shall be made to all and every nation far lâ—sse to all and every singular person but that the people and nation of Israel and Iudah is chosen out of all people and nations in the world comprehending such others as should be called unto their society and the fellowship of the olive tree among them as Psal. 147. 19 20. holdeth forth And in this place the whole elect under the Gospel are taken up under the name of this one nation 18. That the decree of election of some may both be keeped up as to particular nomination and yet have certain execution and be performed the Lord taketh up all his confederats whether in the letter or spirit also under the same common name This is gathered from this that the misbelieving Israelits that perished in the desart with whom God made a covenant and they did break it are designed under the common name of fathers and are taken up in that covenant under the name of spouse Ier. 31. 32. and the elect posterity are taken up under the common name of the house of Israel and Iudah 19. Such as the covenanters are in regard of their inward estate such is the covenant wherein they really are or such is the covenant in relation to their persons Unto the reprobat who do change for their part the covenant of grace into the covenant of works the covenant of grace becometh in effect the covenant of works and is rendered void to them as the Apostle doth threaten the Galatians Gal. 5. 4. and as did befall the pharisaicall fathers who are here declared as instances but the covenant of grace unto the elect and true believers remains still the covenant of grace from which they do not fall nor can altogether fall as the comparison here between the fathers in the wildernesse and their elect posterity maketh evident 20. The Lord hath wisely joyned life with the means and way to life and death with the way to death and will not have that separated which he hath joyned This is collected from this that the fathers by not continuing in the covenant are despised and rejected of God and so perished but their elect posterity having the law of God in their hearts and cleaving constantly unto the Lord are saved 21. The Lord will have this doctrine taught where His word is preached concerning the election of some and reprobation of other some of Gods covenanting with some people and persons and not offering a covenant to other some of covenanting with some in the letter and with other some in the spirit also to this end and intent that men leaving the searching in particular of that which God hath keeped secret in the particular may follow commanded duties repent their sins and flee to Christ offered unto them and take up his yoke upon them and beware that they neither despair nor yet presume or turn the grace of God into wantonnesse This we gather from this that God sendeth forth Ieremiah to preach these things not only to the visible Church of the Jews going into exile and captivity but also to all who shall hear this doctrine from him to the end of the world And the Apostle repeating this doctrine for the use of the Christian Church of Jews and Gentiles doth confirm this CHAP. VIII Of the prudent application of divine covenants in general HAving spoken of these three divine covenants concerning mens salvation it follows now to speak of the application thereof first in generall and then more specially In the mater of application we must first look upon Gods effectuall applying and working in the hearers of these covenants such effects as he hath intended by these covenants to bring to passe Next we must look upon the means whereby he ordinarly doth convey and work his intended works in men And thirdly we must look upon the prudent way of use making of these means both by Pastors and people for peoples good 2. As to the first the Lords effectuall application is a reall and actuall bestowing the good of these covenants upon his own by way of powerfull working on their spirits Such as are 1. the giving the grace of understanding of the Scripture And 2. the belief of what is understood And 3. the application of the doctrine of the law concerning mens sin and misery to their own conscience And 4. the making them judge themselves according to the law And 5. the raising of sorrow in their hearts and fear of wrath And 6. the setting of their eye upon Christ for delivery from sin and death And 7. the makeing them perceive a possibility and probability that they may be saved And 8. to have an earnest desire after reconciliation with God in Christ And 9. the making of his own to cast themselves over on Christ and to believe on him And 10. the making them to consecrat themselves to God in Christ reconciling the world of meer grace to himself not imputing transgression to the reconciled through Christ And 11. the making them to wonder at the riches of the free grace of God who in a self-condemned sinner desirous to be reconciled with him requireth no personall dignity no good work which may commend him to God but only that he would receive and welcome Christ offered in the Gospel as the only necessary and sufficient remedy against all sin and misery requiring no other condition but that he flee from the curse of the law and the wrath to come unto Christ the Redeemer who offereth himself unto lost sinners in the preaching of the Gospel that through him the beleiver may be justified and sanctified and saved for ever And 12. after wondering raised in the hearts of his children the making them cleave closly to Christ and to strive against all temptations which
faith in Christ bestowed on himself now in experience hath flowed from that fountain of Gods love and free grace through Christ. Except this order be keeped a man cannot warrantably and with confidence and comfort make application of these covenants Hence it followeth that it is a preposterous and perilous course which some do follow and presse others to follow that presently upon the hearing of the Gospel every man should believe that Christ hath died for him for Christ calleth no man warrandeth no man to come to him except he first do acknowledge his sins and himself to be worthy of wrath condemnation and hell for his sins and to be utterly unable to save himself by any mean save by Christ for Luke 5. 32. Christ saith I came not to call the righteous but sinners unto repentance Neither doth Christ require of any man to believe himself to be of the number of Christs sheep for whom he laid down his life except he come by faith as a lost sinner to him and submit himself to his doctrine and discipline and pastorall care over him for Ioh. 17. 9. Christ saith I pray not for the world but for these thou hast given me out of the world and no man shall know that himself is given of the Father to Christ till first he come in the order foresaid unto Christ and when he is come to Christ resolveth to abide with him then may he say the Father hath given me to Christ and drawn me to Christ for this is the mark which Christ giveth Ioh. 6. 37. All that the Father hath given unto me shall come to me And again vers 44. No man cometh unto me except the Father draw him 3. There is an order alâ—o to be observed in the application of the graces offered in the Gospel for in the Evangel first Christ himself is offered as the only and sufficient remedy against sin and misery and next unto the person that receiveth Christ heartily all Christs benefits are promised to come to him by Christ and are to be found in and through Christ such as are Justification Adoption the indwelling of the holy Ghost love joy peace gentlenesse bounty fidelity meekness temperance and other Christian graces Gal 5. 22. for no man hath right unto Christs benefits before he be a believer in Christ. But so soon as a man in the foresaid order is fled unto Christ and hath laid hold on him by faith straight way a door and entresse is opened unto him unto the rich treasure of grace and right is given to him unto all the benefits of Christ for all the promises are yea and amen not before a man come to Christ not to a man without Christ but they are all yea and a men in Christ. 4. Therefore they wrong both God and their own selves who when they come unto the throne of grace do prescribe unto God another order of working then he hath set down in his word craving in the first place consolation and sensible peace in their conscience felt in their hearts and that God would work some such saving graces in their heart which the reprobat cannot counterfit which directions if God will take off their hand and bestow his graces on them sensibly as they prescribe unto him then they will stand oblieged to continue in the faith of Christ but if they find not their directions obeyed and their petitions in their order granted then with grief of heart they begin to complain and to pretend that they dare not approach unto God or Christ so long as these petitions are not first granted and felt to be granted This temptation doth invert and overturn the order of Goâ—s calling for Christ doth not call unto him well-doers or these that do found their faith upon their own good behaviour and lean to their own works which they desire to find in themselves before they fasten faith on Christ but Christ doth call sinners in their own sense and acknowledgment who renounce all confidence in their own works past present or to come He calleth such as are lost in their own sense and do feel themselves utterly unable so much as to think a good thought of themselves that they may be cloathed with the imputed righteousnesse of Christ and indued with the spirit of sanctification by him and Christs will is that they who believe in him abide in him and suck by faith out of him as the branches do suck sap out of the tree grace to bring forth fruits more and more abundantly for this is the order which Christ doth prescribe unto his disciples Ioh. 15. 5. He that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruit for without me ye can do nothing Whosoever therefore will not believe in Christ or do think it is not lawfull to approach unto him till first they find in themselves amendment of life and evident fruits of saving faith they do in effect change the condition of the covenant of grace and do suspend their faith in Christ till they find works to build upon when it were their duty the more they feel their barrennesse so much the more straitly to lay hold on Christ and hold him fast and ply him with earnest supplications to make good his promise to them who do abide in him Ioh. 15. 5. 5. It is necessary to presse every man who doth believe his justification by faith that he be carefull to observe the morall law or ten commands as the perpetuall and unchangeable rule of good works prescribed of God for Christ came not to destroy the law but to fulfill it Matth. 5. 17. He hath indeed unto believers in him dissolved the covenant of the law not only by his doctrine teaching them that by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified in the sight of God because by the law is the knowledge of sin gotten but no absolution from sin Rom. 3. 20. But also by absolving every believer in him that walketh not after the flesh but after the spirit from all condemnation Rom. 8. 1â— Mean while he hath not broken the yoke of obedience of the law from off the believer as he hath broken off the yoke of the covenant of works but by the contrair he prescribes to them who come unto him for remission of sin that they take on his yoke upon them and bring forth works of new obedience Matth. 11. 29. and this is the order which the Apostle doth prescribe Tit. 3. 8. This is a faithfull saying and these things I will thou affirm constantly that they which have believed in God might be carefull to maintain good works these things are good and profitable unto men 6. The moral precepts of the law are so to be pressed that the hearers whether un-converted or converted may by them whether in some measure obeyed or disobeyed be driven to Christ that the law may ever in some sort be a pedagogue unto Christ for before conversion
sin must be made manifest by the law and the merit of sin committed must be shown forth that the man to be converted may see himself in a lost condition and that he must certainly perish except he flee for refuge to Christ the Redeemer that by him he may have remission of sin And after a mans conversion the believer must by the precepts of the law be convinced of his duty and inability to perform obedience except by grace power be communicated unto him from Christ both to will and to do And when he hath gotten grace to give obedience in some measure yet must he examine his best works by the rule of the commands and acknowledge the imperfection of his service that he may be more and more humbled in himself and glory only in the imputed righteousness of Christ and withall give unto Christ the glory of any good thing which he hath in any measure done well 7. The threatnings also all of them must so be applyed in general as both converted and un-converted may be forced to run to Christ who only can deliver the un-converted from guiltiness and wrath and death eternal deserved by sin and who only can deliver those who are converted from the deserved punishment of their sins and from the execution of the sentence which the law pronounceth and who only can make them eshew and hold off the way which God hath cursed And it is easie to judge how much cause of humiliation the godly shall have by daily comparing their actings with the law and how dear and precious Christ must be to them who giveth unto them as many deliverances from death as they commit sins and do fail of their oblieged obedience to God 8. A sinner already convicted of sin and impenitency and hardness of his own heart and who is grieved for the same must not be skarred nor deterred from going unto Christ till first he attain such a prescribed measure of contrition as he conceiveth his sins do call for which measure un-skilfull Physicians do rigidly exact of sinners who are desirous of repentance pretending for their rigidity their fear lest if such sinners should be so easily admitted unto Christ the work of repentance should be marred in them and presumption should have way and be fostered in them this fear is needless because it belongs to Christ alone to give repentance and he came to call sinners convicted of sin and destitute of repentance in their own estimation and sense unto repentance that he may give them repentance We grant that there is a danger lest a sinner lightly touched with the sting of the conscience do not well weigh the weight of his sin and the merit of it and that he go to Christ with his lips only when his heart is far from him but on the other hand there is no less hazard left he who is destitute of repentance in his own sense and not permitted to go to Christ to have it may either be driven to dispair or conceive that by his own pains on his own heart repentance must be wrought before he go to Christ whom God hath exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour for to give repentance unto Israel and remission of sins Act. 5. 31. We must be wary therefore lest a burdened conscience in any measure being excluded from going to Christ till he be in such and such a measure humbled set himself so upon bodily exercise of ordinances without daring to go to Christ as that he put some merit in effect upon his bodily exercise which he useth to bring himself unto contrition or else turn desperatly careless and leave off all using of means We need not fear that instantly upon a sinners coming to Christ he shall find too soon consolation and so not be humbled as need were for Christ is only wise and can prudently deal with the sinner coming unto him he hath eye-salve to give his proud merchant to let him see his blindness poverty and misery as well as gold and garments to the poor and naked but if any be proud and rich in their own conceit and approach toward him without sense of sin he can suspend them from comfort till first he rebuke and chasten them and keep them off from felt access a while till they be truly humbled and thirst in earnest after pardon and imputed righteousness 9. As the narrow way to the kingdom of heaven must not be made straiter then God hath made it So neither must the way be made broader then God hath made it and reignies loosed to mens lusts as if believers sins were either none or but light ones for God is not a favourer of sin and whosoever do turn the grace of God into wantonness undoubtedly they are ignorant both of the Law and of the Gospel Wherefore the Law and the Gospel must be so tempered that on the one hand none who would be at Christ and through him at mortification of their sinfull nature be discouraged and on the other hand that no man boasting of his profession of faith be strengthened in his iniquity for this is the true sense and intent of God both in his threatnings and promises that none despair hearing threatnings but repent and live and that none presume to sin upon hearing his gracious promises but walk in fear before him Ezek. 33. 10 11 12. to v. 20. and Christ doth blot out from the number of the saved all them who break off and make void any of the precepts and do teach men so to do Matth. 5. 19. 10. Because God doth make use of the same arguments in his Word both for moral swasion and for effectual operation of saving faith and bringing forth fruits of new obedience therefore the force of God's arguments and inducements as occasion is offered must so be opened up and sharpned and pressed that the hearers being soundly convinced of the holiness equity verity and necessity of the Lords commands may at least be morally perswaded to yield unto them And to this end that hearers must be exhorted that they call to mind and weigh such and such arguments unto duties that by reasoning with themselves they may prevail by Gods blâ—ssing to believe the Word of God So did Paul directing his speech to the governour Felix brash the castle of his conscience with this engine that he near by took it in Act. 24. 25. and so did he deal with Agrippa whom he near-by perswaded to become a Christian Act. 26. 28. and this was his endeavour to perswade all his hearers to believe the truth he taught 2 Cor. 5. 11. Knowing therefore saith he the terror of the Lord we perswade men And the same Apostle hath taught all Christs disciples to exercise the faculty of reasoning in the mater of strengthening their faith and purpose of obedience that having set before them the arguments which the Word of God doth furnish they may sum up the truth in
thing necessary before all commodities of this earth for what can it avail a man to gain the whole earth if he lose his own soul The third cause is the deceitfulnesse of riches which every man naturally is inclined to pursue too eagerly and which many pragmatick busie men do attain for God useth to recompence every mans diligence in a lawfull occupation with a sort of external reward of the same kind with his work This success and rewarding of mens industry and pains by increasing busie mens riches earthly-minded men do interpret to be the speciall blessing of God and an approbation of their immoderat pursuing after things earthly wherein they are much mistaken for God never ordained any mans civil calling to be a hinderance of the spiritual welfare of his soul and if any man neglect his soul and pursue worldly riches if he obtain them what can be said but verily he hath his reward and cannot look after the fruit of pains taking in spiritual matters which he neglected The fourth cause is a light estimation of the Word of God and of maters concerning salvation which by reason they fall not under sense and present possession but are offered to us in promises and are not bestowed for the present therefore many are lesse carefull for things promised after this life and do follow the more eagerly after such things whereof they can take hold in this life 3. The way to cure this malady so far as pertaineth to a Pastor is that both in publick sermons and privat conferences he give unto things lawfull and to the following of a mans civil calling the own room and time and wisely let men know the subordination of all civill affairs unto the welfare of their souls and so to lay open the perill of mens souls when they are following too too eagerly their civill vocation as in the mean time he do not condemn mens diligence in their callings but that he give directions for such a wise moderation of every mans care about things of this world that the precious excellency of the soul and the infinit worth of eternal life be first and above all earthly things provided for and that in the using or conqueshing of riches no prejudice do come to his own salvation which is not possible a man shall do if he do not daily examine his own conscience carefully and keep it in a tender disposition resorting to Christ upon all occasions for pardon of daily sin and keeping him that if riches increase he may not set his heart thereon but may be forth-coming to the duties of charity towards others as his power shall be and opportunities shall be offered CHAP. X. Concerning them that are like to despair VVE have spoken of the first sort of them who do hinder their own regeneration by abhorring declining delaying and shifting off of the examination of their consciences The second sort or rank of those who hinder their own conversion is of such as after the wakening of their own consciences whether voluntary or by compulsion do despair of all remedy offered unto them in the Gospel of grace in Christ and renouncing the counsell of God do follow the counsell of Sathan and their own heart 2. We distinguish a volountary examination of the conscience from a compelled and inforced examination thereof as was hinted at in the former Section for it is one thing to say of a man he hath voluntarily examined himself and found out his dittey and deserved judgment and to say of him he is forced to examine himself and in himself to receive sentence according as his wayes have been for there are many who will not judge themselves yet after are forced unto it against their will These are said to judge themselves voluntarily who by a free act of their will do enter themselves to be judged of their own conscience and do go about the work either slightly and perâ—unctoriously or â—â—â—ictly and exactly according to their knowledge of the â—ule But a compelled examination is ever more exact and strict and joyned with the chastisement of the sinner for neglecting or slighting or delaying of examination Psal 50. 21. This distinction is holden forth to as by the Apostle 1 Cor. 11. 31 32. If we would judge 〈◊〉 selves we should not be judged But when we are judged we are chastened of the Lord that we should not be condemned with the world Both these sorts of examination have a blessing following upon them when Christ is 〈◊〉 unto after examination but if Christ be not fled unto then desperation may follow upon both slight and serious examination both upon voluntary and enforced examination 3. We do not take desperation here for every dissidence of Gods performing of promises or of Gods making good of his gracious offers but for diffidence to obtain reconciliation with God or to find mercy through Christ the Mediatour Neither do we call by the name of desperation every diffidence to obtain mercy and reconciliation cast in mans mind by the tempter Sathan and yielded unto for a time under the sense of Gods wrath for at some sits the diffidence will be found in renewed Saints as in Ionab chap. 2. 4. Heman the Ezrait Psal. 88. 16. David Psal. 116. 11. who seemed to themselves for the time to be cast off but but did swim out of this deep by faith Neither do we take desperation for every short or long ecclipse of hope wherein a distressed soul seems to its self to despair yea and may possibly utter and profess they do despair and in the mean time will not renounce the use of the means whereby they do get or recover hope Such was the condition of Heman the Ezraite Psal. 88. 14 15 16. Lord why casts thou off my soul why hidest thou thy face from me I am afflicted and ready to die from my youth up while I suffer thy terrors I am distracted He thought he was cast off yet for all that he went on daily praying for the sense of mercy and found it and was directed by God to acquaint the Church unto all generations with his long and sad exercise But we take desperation for a prevalent impression made by Sathan upon the spirit of a man that God will not shew him mercy and so fixed in him as the man resolveth not to deal with God any more for mercy 4. Of this properly called desperation there are two sorts one which we may call carelesse and secute desperation another which we may call anxious and tormenting desperation Cains desperation in his last resolution was of the first sort and Iudas desperation was of the other sort We call that a carelesse secure desperation when a sinner being convinced of his grosse and many sins either believeth not Gods Word or conceiveth God implacable and irreconciliable and to have destinate him to destruction according to the sentence of the law pronounced against such sinners as he knoweth himself to be and
so doth harden and obdure himself against all threatenings and goeth on in his own wayes resolved to take ease and pleasure in the world so long as he liveth and not to make himself miserable before the time Such was the desperation of carnall Israelits Isa 22. 13. who hearing the threatenings of the Prophets concerning the just Judgments of God to come upon them when they should have humbled themselves in prayer and fasting in sackcloth and ashes and sought mercy from God they did set themselves to make good cheer and to feast one another saying Let us eat and drink for to morrow we shall die Of this sort were also these in Ezekiels time chap. 33. 10. Thus ye speak saying If our sins and transgressions be upon us and we pine away in them how shall we then live They do not deny that they are loadened with iniquity they doubt nothing of the righteousnesse of the threatned Judgment but comparing the justice of Gods Judgment with their sins and laying aside all thought of a remedy from Gods mercy they flatly despair as if there had been no remedy provided in the Word of God for them or as if the threatenings had been pronounced as sentences pronounced absolutely without exception of their repentance 5. The causes of this evil are specially these three the first is grosse misbelief of Gods Word contemning all threatenings as but the words of an angry prophee stirred up to vent his passions against people The second is the perversenesse of corrupt nature so hardened with the custom of sinning that the conscience not being terrified with Gods threatenings is nothing moved with inward accusations which they know to be just whereupon they resolve neither to seek for mercy nor care for reconciliation with God not to shed with their carnal pleasures and sinfull lusts but will go on in their own wayes and take their hazard The third is a false perswasion that it is impossible they can be reconciled to God arising partly from the vileness of their former life and grosseness of their sins partly from the ignorance of the Gospel and of the rich grace of God offered to the worst of sinners who shall forsake their former wayes and flye unto Christ and partly arising from the ignorance of the scope and end of the law which is appointed to be a pedagogue to lead and draw men unto Christ after their conviction of sin by the law how grievous soever their sins have been 6. The remedy of this sort of secure desperation is very hard and in some incurable namely these who do not believe the threatenings and go on still in unbelief or do believe the threatenings but are so wedded to their lusts that they will not change their course and maner of sinfull carriage come what may come but resolve to eat and drink and be merry while they live Concerning whom the Prophet Isaias sayeth chap. 22. 14. It was revealed in mine ears by the Lord of hostes surely this iniquity shall not be purged from you till ye die saith the Lord of hostes The best ground of hope is of such who through ignorance of the end of the law and offer of the Gospel have taken up a false perswasion of their desperat estate Now because the Pastor hath no warrand to read the decree of any mans reprobation in particular his care must be in private and publick to waken epicures and all besotted in their sins out of their deadly sleep laying before them from Scripture the unextinguishable fire of hell and the torments of the damned to be endured for ever by the impenitent and unbelieving sinner on the one hand and on the other hand making offer of remission of sin and reconciliation to all who shall forsake their former vitions wayes and be content to embrace Christ Jesus for their righteousnesse sanctification and salvation And to this end let him certifie all his hearers that threatenings are not intended of God to drive any man to desperation but to lead all to repentance that they may be saved and that the exception of repentance and faith in the Redeemer is to be understood in every threatening for so the Lord hath made a plain commentary upon all his threatenings and all his promises also that he be not for ever mistaken which is this in summe that by his threatenings he doth not intend to make any man to despair but to repent and turn to God and that by his promises he doth not intend that any man should presume to sin or turn his grace into wantonnesse as is at large set down Ezek. 33 from ver 10. to ver 21. and chap. 18. from ver 21. to the end Of anxious tormenting desperation ANxious and tormenting desperation is when a sinner from the apprehension of his guiltinesse of irremissible sins and fear of inextricable wofull misery wherein he hath thrown himself doth cast away all hope of relief to be had and so is tortured and vexed within himself without rest In this sort of desperation the miserable man having wrestled a while doth either turn himself to a carnal temporary consolation in this world and maketh choyce of a carelesse and secure desparation that he may be rid of present anxiety or else he resolveth to dispatch himself by some sort of self-murder counting it more easie to die by his own hand than to live and endure the tormenting vexation of his own mind 2. As for that sort of anxious desperation which after the sore byteing of the conscience once wakned falleth back again in carnal security it is most perilous and giveth very small hope to the Pastor or faithfull friends who perceive the man after fearfull wakening of his conscience to have fallen back to his old wayes and turned carelesse of the means of salvation for such a man is of set purpose and resolvedly wicked Such was the desperation of Cain who after a whiles lamentation and houling for the curse pronounced upon him by God plucked up his heart departed from the society of the Church where God giveth his presence and goeth into the land of Nod or voluntary banishment and giveth himself over to building of Cities Gen. 4. 13 14. Such also was the desperation of Esau who when he saw he was excluded from the spiritual blessing of the birthright laments a little and then turned himself toward the earthly blessing and sought all his consolation in it Gen. 27. 34 38. yet such men must be dealt with if God possibly may bless the means 3. As for the other sort of anxious desperation except it be cured by Gods blessing of the means used it draweth on voluntary and deliberat self-murther We put a difference between brute self-murther and voluntary or deliberat self-murther for this beastly brute self-murther may befall mad persons furious melancholious distracted persons or such as are beset by some evil spirit in whom the faculty of reasoning is so impeded that without the use of
and at length that they shall wholly give themselves to religious exercises and a holy life mean time they conceive they may come in among the true converts and young beginners albeit they come not up the length which they intend but are unde the power of some beloved lusts which they cannot rid themselves of but do hope they shall betime overcome them Such men do miserably mistake the mater first in that they think their purpose of repentance and a new life bred in them by conviction of their duty to be the very grace of regeneration and begun sanctification Secondly they conceive that the lusts which do reign in themselves are common to them and all other regenerat persons of whom few or none think they want their own grosse faults Thirdly they conceive they can repent more seriously when they please and will repent after a whiles following of their beloved lusts as if repentance were not a saving grace of the holy Spirit whom they do daily provoke by their vilenesse but a work in the power of every mans free-will being once convinced of his sin Fourthly they do not consider that by the delay of repenting and turning from all sin unto God their heart is daily more and more in Gods Judgment hardened and God provoked to punish their voluntary impenitence with judicial hardness of heart that they shall never repent Such men our Lord compareth to the disobedient Son who promised to his Father he would go work in his vineyard and went not Math. 21. 30. Such men are they who know the well of the Lord but do it not and therefore worthy of double punishment Math 12. 47. The â—â—medy of this evil Christ giveth Luk. 13. 24 25 26. Strive to enter at the strait gate for many â— say unto you will seek to enter in and shall not be able Mâ—n know not how soon God may shut the door therefore men had need while it is to day not to harden their hearts psal 95. 8. 2. Other some are who being of a civil life professe and do perswade themselves that they indeed do repent and believe in Christ and by faith in him do certainly expect salvation freely of his grace If you pose any such men whether they do indeed believe in Christ they shall presently answer that they firmly do believe in him and that they never doubted but he is their sweet Saviour who died for them If you press them to speak in earnest from their heart they shall presently be ill pleased with the question and ask what cause of suspecting the sincerity of their faith and repentance can be justly alledged or what cause hath any man to suspect them or doubt of Gods favour toward them in Christ In whom should we believe say they if not in Christ Is there any other Saviour of sinners beside him If a man please to try the truth of their faith by their repentance they shall forthwith affirm that they repent day and night and have just cause so to do for in many things we sin all and why then should we not alwayes repent If they be asked of their love to God and their neighbour they shall answer after the same maner Such men are these of whom Christ speaketh that they will confidently come to him and call him Lord Lord and yet be found no wayes carefull to do the Lords will but servants to their own lusts 3. Such men do deceive themselves first by framing to themselves such carnal notions of faith and repentance and of the love of God and of saving hope and other spiritual graces as in their phantasie they conceive they do practise which conceptions are not grounded upon the Word of God Secondly they esteem the assent of their mind unto the truth commending these duties unto men as good as the performance of them and they do take the sentence of their conscience concerning the equity of such duties for the sentence of their conscience bearing witnesse of their practice and obedience of these duties and while their conscience saith why should not I do so they take that for as good as if it had said I do so but saving graces go deeper then civil carriage and to commend the duties of repentance and faith in Christ is not enough except they be put in practice also in daily sorrow for sin and hatred of it and flying to Christ daily to be washen and more and more sanctified 4. Some there are who when they have heard that a man is justified by faith in Christ only without the works of the law do imagine a faith which needeth not to bring forth any good works at all and so they take off the justified man from all necessity of following good works as far as they take off good works from being the cause of justification and do open a door to themselves to live after their own will in the lusts of their flesh conceiving that they who believe in Christ are fred not only from the covenant of the law but also from the command of the law against whom our Lord doth speak and doth cut off such libertines and turners of the grace of God into wantonnesse from the kingdom of heaven Math. 5. 17 18 19. And the Apostle to guard against this self-deceit Heb. 12. 14. commandeth to follow holiness without which no man shall see the Lord. 5. Some there are who pretending to esteem well of the offer of the Gospel and of the duty of following the means of making them partaker of the marriage-supper do yet think themselves excusable when they have much ado in their worldly callings albeit they prefer the care of their family and provision for their things out-ward unto the main work of their entertaining communion with God yea they conceive that God will allow them in so doing as Christ doth insinuat in the parable of the ghuests invited to the feast answering the invitation with I pray have me excused Luke 14. 18 19. This is a rise evil in great personages rich persons and such as are much imploved in earthly affairs such men deceive themselves first in laying down this ground with themselves that their earthly affairs the necessity whereof doth first and most sensibly appear must in the first room be cared-for and that the one thing necessar may be followed after as their civil and earthly affairs may permit Secondly they reckon gain to be godliness 1 Tim. 6. 5. for they cannot be perswaded when gain may be had that God requireth of any man to slip the occasion or to put his worldly goods in hazard by defending or following maters of religion Thirdly they think themselves so wise as they can well enough serve two Masters God and covetousnesse albeit when it cometh to the proof they will be found to serve not God but their own lusts This error our Lord refuteth and giveth warning to beware of it Matth. 6. 24. And Luke 21. 34. Take heed
they read very Fables and fained Romances which they know to be such and yet they cannot command their affections in reading of them May not then an unrenewed man give as much credit to holy Scripture and be affected with the holy history thereof without any change made of his perverse nature the wisdom whereof is enmity against God and cannot subject it self either to his law or Gospel Secondly if we consider what the power of a natural conscience can work upon the affections by just accusations or excusations for raising grief and joy therein whereof not only Scripture but also heathen writers do bear witnesse we need not doubt but the natural conscience may have the same power in a temporary believer Thirdly if we consider what the precepts of morall Philosophy hath wrought upon the Schollers of Socrates and Aristotle and other heathen Masters for the outward framing of them unto seeming vertues we need not doubt what the precepts of the morall law may work upon a temporary believer for putting a luster on his life as was to be found in sundry Pharisees without conversion and renovation of the inner man toward God Fourthly if we consider what delight is found by Schollers in the contemplation of these things which Philosophy doth treat of we may easily perswade our selves that more delight may be had in contemplation of what holy Scripture doth hold forth without making the man a new creature But when unto the natural mans foresaid seeming perfections knowledge of the mysteries of religion and the gifts of preaching and prophecying are superadded which are but movable gifts common to renewed and unrenewed men and far from being saving graces what wonder the natural man and temporary believer be puffed up with a high estimation of his own worth and hope of being received by Christ the Judge and yet be found at last to have deceived himself and unwarrantably absolved himself by his own deluded conscience as Christ giveth warning Math. 7. 21. Quest. But what can a temporary believer want coming up all the length that is now spoken of and supposed to be indued with so many seeming good things whereunto many saved Saints do not attain Ans. Every saved Saint is beaten out of self-estimation for any thing in himself beaten out of confidence in any thing he doth or can do and is humbled in his heart by the law the spiritual perfection whereof being understood killeth his natural pride Rom. 7. 9. 2. Every saved Saint is chased for refuge to flye to Christ to his righteousnesse and the riches of grace holden forth in him and every saved Saint is a new creature aiming more and more to follow the course of new obedience and drawing vertue from Christ by faith to please God and worship him in spirit Phil. 3. 3. So that his purpose and endeavour in some measure is like unto that of David Psal. 71. 10 15 16. saying I will hope continually and I will praise thee more and more my mouth shall shew forth thy righteousnesse and thy salvation all the day for I know not the numbers thereof I will walk in the strength of the Lord God I will make mention of thy righteousnesse even of thine only But the temporary believer reckoneth not for his debt and deservings with the law he is not humbled in the sense of his sins and sinfulnesse and inability to satisfie the law by himself he hath not the root of repentance in him for immediatly upon the hearing of the Gospel he receiveth the Word with joy without godly sorrow for his sins Luk. 8. 13. The temporary believer is ignorant of the righteousnesse of God by faith in Jesus Christ and goeth about to establish his own righteousnesse upon the bottom of his own blamelesse conversation priviledges of the visible Church common gifts of the Spirit and successe with prosperity all which because he is not justified by faith in Christ do not advance him above the state of the workers of iniquity Math. 7. 21 22 23. The symptoms and ordinary signs of this malady of unwarrantable self-absolution are these 1. all of this sort are well pleased with their own wayes they are not daily humbled in the sense of short-coming in duties and chased to Christs righteousnesse which may hide their nakednesse 2. They are all secure and fear no wrath but put the evil day far from them 3. They cannot be induced to any accurat examination of their own life wayes condition or estate If any man insinuate any suspicion of hypocrisie in them or if their own conscience begin to question their sincerity they cannot endure it 4. Albeit they say unto Christ Lord Lord yet they make little use of his office of mediation of his power and vertue for illumination humiliation healing and helping on to salvation 5. They look more to the seeming good things in themselves for strengthening their carnal confidence then they take notice of the evil of a body of death in themselves to drive them to Christ the only deliverer from it 6. Yea they all serve some Idol lurking in their heart they yield obedience to some reigning lust which they will not forsake for which cause Christ foretells that he will declare them to be but workers of iniquity Math. 7. 23. The causes of this evil are 1. the ignorance of the law and the utter inability yea aversenesse of nature to be subject to it the knowledge whereof might make men live all their dayes in a loathing of themselves and cut off all hope of obtaining righteousnesse by the law 2. The ignorance of that dear-bought righteousnesse of Christ and of the riches of his grace offering to impute his satisfaction to every self-condemned sinner who shall flye to him and accept his offer 3 The ignorance of the necessity of the bringing forth the fruits of faith in love and study of new obedience and sanctification by the furniture of Christ without which no man shall see God 4. The taking of a presumptuous dead faith in stead of that true justifying faith which layeth hold on Christ and worketh by love The taking of a vain groundlesse hope for that lively hope which purifieth both the heart and external conversation also 5. The comparing of themselves either with the worst sort of vile sinners or with such as are like to themselves or with the Saints in their grosse failings not judging themselves according to the law The use to be made of this doctrine is first to stir us up to take notice of that power of the soul called conscience which God hath put in every man to observe all the mans words deeds and intentions and to compare them with the law and will of God so far as it is informed and to accuse or excuse condemn or absolve smite or comfort the man as it findeth cause that we suffer not our own conscience to sleep but set it on work whilst it is time that we may know how
the Son of God but his holy heart could not admit such a temptation And the Apostle Eph. 6. 11 12. c. doth warn the Saints that our adversary Sathan useth to throw firy darts at all the children of God which firy and poysonable darts the regenerat man should not meddle with nor finger them but by the shield of faith with all speed quench and extinguish them But when a probable reason is joyned with the temptation and the temptation doth appear to be very reasonable and when there is a fear that the tentation shall be yielded unto except the scruple be removed then let the temptation be examined and brought to the form of a reason or sylogism that the strength of it being tryed to be null it may be rejected or let the temptation be communicated to a prudent friend or Pastor who may discover the sophistry of the temptation for if the temptation shall be slighted and not discussed albeit it lye quiet for a time yet it will return again and raise more trouble and vexation to the conscience then it did before 11. In answering of doubts and temptations tending to weaken faith it is needfull to observe and â—shew an usual stratagem of Sathan whereby he doth multiply and heap together a number of doubts and after he hath suggested one doubt presently doth suggest on the back of that another and after that another whereby he marreth the answering of the first doubt which from the Word of God either immediatly or by some faithfull Friend or Minister is offered for solution thereof by this mean Sathan endeavours that the mind of the afflicted person may at one time both be turned off from taking notice of the answer offered and be taken up wholly with the consideration of the new suggested doubt So that the answer to the new doubt hath no place because the afflicted party doth not take heed thereto In this case both the party afflicted and the party offering consolation must hold to the first doubt and not suffer any other new doubt to have place till a satisfactory answer be given to the first doubt and after that let every objection moved by the party afflicted be answered one after another in order 12. Seing every doubt whereby the regenerat person is troubled doth tend either to weaken faith in Christ or to hinder the bringing forth of the fruits of faith let no answer to any doubt of this kind be esteemed sufficient except it lead the afflicted person unto Christ teaching him to humble himself before God and being brought low in his own eyes to lay hold by faith on Jesus Christ the only Redeemer and relief from sin and misery and after laying hold on the Physician to request for the remedy of that evil which hath moved and given strength to the doubt for Christ is the end both of the Law and of every spiritual exercise for the enjoining of such and such moral duties whereby un-skillfull Physicians use to over-charge diseased consciences commanding the afflicted party in the first place to go about such and such duties and the exercise of such and such vertues as may remove the evil which gave ground to the doubt can never avail the diseased person except he be led first unto Christ for remission of sin and acceptation of his person that in him power to do these duties may be obtained and by his Spirit moral precepts may be quickened for if these precepts be pressed upon the diseased without Christ they can do no more but detain the afflicted in self confidence and make him hope in vain that he may or can by his own work over-come the evil felt in him or that he can by himself attain to that good which he conceiveth necessar for loosing of his doubt but let him go to Christ for remission of sin and then for strength to go about the duty 13. Because almost in all cases of conscience which pertain to the state of the regenerat man some grace or Christian vertue is pitched upon and called in question whether it be in him or not heed must be taken that evangelick graces vertues or actions be not weighed in the ballance of the moral Law and covenant of Works wherein nothing hath weight which cometh short of absolute perfection of personal obedience for in the strict judgment of God and the conscience according to the law of Works no meer man nor any action of man can stand Ps. 130. 3. for there are so many imperfections and blemishes in the Saints and their best works being compared with the perfect rule of righteousnesse by the Law that whatsoever lustre or appearance of good may be in a work it is blecked and made to hide it's face before the Law but let the tender buds of new obedience and fruits of faith be examined by the grace of the Gospel which judgeth of the begun obedience of the believer in Christ according to the sincerity and uprightnesse of the man aiming at conformity to the Law how short soever he come of his aim and of the spiritual perfection of the Law and it will be taken for new obedience It is true the Evangel requireth that a man fled to Christ for justification and reconciled to God by faith in Christ should set himself to work the works prescribed in the moral Law for the glory of God and should aim at the exact obedience of all the Commands yet the Gospel doth not reject a good work for the defects imperfections and blemishes thereof but accepteth and taketh in good part the first fruits and buds of new obedience and doth foster the tender and small beginnings that they may grow and encrease And the reason is because the Gospel doth not teach us to seek the justification of our persons before God by works but by faith in Christ and then teacheth us to seek the justification of our faith before men in our own and others conscience by the sincere endeavour of new obedience And therefore 14. While we are about the cure of the wounds of the conscience and strengthening of faith we must on the one hand take heed left we foster presumption and hinder either the exercise of repentance or doing diligence in following duties for Christian graces do not impede but help and strengthen one another if they be real and kindly because they must flow from the same fountain of the spirit of sanctification and do run toward the same end which is the glory of God and on the other hand we must take heed lest we presse the exercise of repentance as it were out of our own strength or the practice of duties so as we hinder the exercise of faith in Christ who is that exalted Prince to give repentance and is the author and finisher of faith Let us so cry up the imputed righteousnesse of Christ that we neglect not to presse the regenerat man freely justified by grace to bring forth the fruits of
faith and to follow hard after the growth of sanctification without which no man shall see the face of God and let us so extoll the covenant of Grace and freedom of the believer from the covenant of Works that we neglect not to keep up the authority of the moral Law and the commands thereof as the perpetual rule of new obedience the use whereof is very profitable in the whole course of a Christian life to hold forth the duty of believers in Christ and to shew unto them by their short-coming in duties the poyson and power of corruption remaining in the Saints and to make them sensible of the necessity of flying daily to that imputed righteousnesse by faith in Christ and of drawing strength from Christ to bring forth more aboundant fruits whereby Christ shall be more and more precious in our eyes and be acknowledged absolutely necessar for our justification sanctification and salvation 15. When question is made concerning Christian vertues and operations of the holy Spirit in us the order of Gods working held forth to us in Scripture is carefully to be marked by us which is that sense of sin should go before faith in Christ for the Law is a pedagogue to Christ for he came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance Matth. 9. 13. And faith in Christ goeth before the fruits of faith and the fruits of faith before the sensible approbation of them and approbation of the fruits by Scripture goeth before the sensible fealing of the believer and the quieting of the conscience in its approbation of what the Scripture approveth for after we have believed we come to be sealed Ephes. 1. 13. Now for the not observing this order many real Christians do make unto themselves a very un-comfortable life for albeit they be convinced of sin and humbled in the sense of their own inability to help themselves and are fled to Christ for pardon and help and do lead a life blamelesse yet do they unhappily suspend the acknowledging of the work of faith bestowed upon them and do disquiet themselves so as they cannot rest on Christ but do quarrel the reality of their faith till they shall feel and perceive with approbation of their conscience such and such fruits of faith in themselves and that in such a measure as they have fore-imagined to be the necessar evidences of faith yea and they refuse to account themselves persons justified because they cannot perceive such mature fruits in themselves as they conceive must not only be but be acknowledged also to be in the justified person before he can lay hold on justification Such persons do in effect invert the order which they should observe for when it were their part to flye unto Christ the only Mediator because they come short of new obedience and because they are loaden with sin that in him they might have God reconciled to them and by his Spirit pouring in of his grace in their souls to make them more holy they take another and contrary course by suspending their faith upon their works and do exact of themselves works before faith and so do weaken their own faith and hinder it to bring forth such fruits as they do require It is reason indeed to prove our faith by our works and it is just that such a faith be accounted dead which is not accompanied with the purpose and endeavour to live holily justly and soberly But it is against all reason and equity to condemn weak faith accompanied with the purpose of a new life as if it were no faith because it hath not as yet brought forth so fair and fully ripe fruits as the weak believer would It were their wisdom when they perceive such impotency to do what is good and such strength of the body of death in them to flye unto the Redeemer so much the more and in him to seek remission of sin and strength to bring forth good fruits and to be sucking juice and sap out of him as the true Vine for if we come to him and abide in him we shall bring forth much fruit Iob. 15. 4 5. For faith in Christ in order of nature goeth before good works for only they who come to Christ and abide in him do bring forth aboundant fruit and not they who upon the apprehension of their want of fruits do loose or slacken their grip of faith and upon discouragment are ready to depart from the living God 16. The like wisdom is required in dealing with the consciences of men concerning the preparatory dispositions of such as may confidently come unto Christ to be justified sanctified and saved for albeit it be true that all that come to Christ ought to come in the sense of their sin and acknowledgment of wrath and death deserved for their sins ought to come with contrition of heart with godly sorrow for their sins and a humble renunciation of all confidence in themselves yet must not such persons as do not satisfie themselves in the measure or sincerity of such preparatory dispositions in themselves be keeped back or debarred from coming to Christ because they not only want as they conceive both the humiliation and sorrow of heart for sin and fear of wrath required in such as have accesse unto Christ but also do perceive in themselves such blindnesse of mind and vanity thereof such stupidity of conscience and stubbornesse of a proud heart as is not fit as they conceive to be received by Christ or fit to be comforted by him such persons I say are not to be forthwith debarred from coming to the throne of grace for oft-times sincerity of conviction compunction and humiliation is to be found in such as are displeased with their own short-coming in such preparatory dispositions more then in many others who make a fairer shew and profession of their godly sorrow and humiliation and are well pleased with themselves in that respect We must be wary also while we require sorrow and humiliation and other like preparatory dispositions in them who may come unto Christ least we secretly import and insinuat a sort of merit to be in such dispositions so as if he that doth not perceive himself thus qualified could expect no good at Christs hands except he have in his hand such preparatory dispositions as if it were a price of purchasing adresse to Christ. But let us hold this fast that the more poor and empty a man be in his own eyes he ought to draw the more near unto the riches of grace in Christ because in him only are to be found all the treasures of every saving grace and preparatory dispositions for receiving thereof he is that exalted Prince who giveth repentance unto Israel Act. 5. 31. he is the author and finisher of faith unto whom all they who in the sense of their want of repentance and faith do sigh in themselves ought and safely may come that they may have from him a more ample
sinners to repentance And the promises of the Evangel are made to the poor in spirit to the hungry and thristy for the righteousnesse of Christ which only can satisfie a hungry soul Mat. 5. 3 6. yea the sense of unworthinesse is in effect that self-loathing whereof Ezek. speaketh chap. 36. 31. which sense of unworthinesse may be seen in Iob as a special act and evidence of his repentance Iob. 42. 6. Secondly let him consider that because by reason of sin no worthinesse can be found in us therefore God hath freely loved the world and provided grace in Christ that all that flye to him may out of his fulnesse receive grace for grace Ioh. 1. 16. Thirdly the three sold office of a Mediator wherewith Christ hath cloathed himself doth obviat and meet the doubts of the humbled soul under the sense of unworthinesse for albeit he be ignorant and slow to understand and believe the revealed will of God about mens salvation and his prescribed service yet upon 〈◊〉 flying to Christ he hath Christ offered and given to him for his wisdom a Prophet able to inform him to open his eyes and perswade him to imbrace by lively faith all saving doctrine Albeit he be exceeding sinfull and worthy of condemnation yet he hath Christ aâ— Priest made of God unto him righteousness and sanctification upon his flying to him for refute from sin and wrath undertaking also powerfully to sanctifie him by mortifying his corruptions and perfecting at last the Image of God in him And albeit he have the world and his own flesh and the power of all principalities and spiritual wickednesse with many miseries in this life to wrestle with yet he hath Christ Jesus as King made of God unto him redemption upon his flying to Christ for refuge against all his enemies So that he may be sure to be found among them whom he hath redeemed by price-paying and for whom he hath undertaken powerfully to sustain them in all this warfare whatsoever misery they may be in and at last to bring them out of all sin and misery to a perfect rest in everlasting glory And to what end hath our Lord taken on the office of a Mediator and Redeemer if not to open the eyes of the blind that flye to him for eye-salve to cover the naked flying unto him with the precious garment of his imputed righteousnesse and to enrich the poor needy and unworthy out of the store house of his unsearchable riches of grace Rev. 3. 18. Fourthly let him consider the constant course of grace and practical dispensation thereof in all ages toward all the converted Are not all they to whom the Gospel cometh in the state of corrupt nature when God cometh to convert them For never was there any person called unto the state of grace but he was found in his sins and in the state of lost sinners by nature none but children of wrath and enemies by nature are reconciled none but they who by the law are condemned are justified none but they that in their own sense are lost do obtain salvation for Christ doth plainly tell us I came to seek and to save them that are lost Did he ever reject any that fled unto him because they were unworthy No for it is said Ps. 9. 10. They that know thy name will trust in thee for thou never forsook them that sought thee And Ioh. 6 37. he saith These that come unto me I will in no case cast out 2 Tim. 1. 9. Not according to our works but according to his own purpose and 〈◊〉 hath he called us Fifthly let him consider the worthinesse of Christs person and merits who because he being God and man in one person hath paid a price of infinit value for redemption of sinners who flye unto him is worthy for whose cause the unworthy sinner flying to the throne of grace should be received in favour and made fit for eternal life by the sanctification of his Spirit Sixthly let him consider that if he stand a-back from Christ and do not flye unto him how unworthy soever he think himself he remains under wrath and the condemnatory sentence of the law Ioh. 1. 8. but let him rather remember that he is warranted by a command of God the Father to flye to Christ 1 Ioh. 3. 23. This is his commandment that we should believe on the name of his Son Iesus Christ and love one another as he hath commanded us And therefore let him say of his own soul with thâ— Centurion speaking of his servant to Christ Luke 7. 6 7. I am not worthy that thou should come under my roof but say the word and my servant shall be healed The word is said frequently in Scripture let the afflicted rest himself on it CHAP. III. Wherein the regener at mans doubts arising from the multitude and weight of his sins against the Law and the Cospel and against the light of his conscience are answered AS in the pangs of the new birth this doubt hath much weight to keep a soul a-back from imbâ—â—â—eing Christ and receiving pardon through him So after a man is regenerat and made quiet in his conscience when through sad affliction and sore temptation these wounds of his conscience begin to bleed again his pardon and peace is called in question Of this exercise there are three degrees the first is when sins against the law are mustered and led in an hoste against a soul which was the case of the afflicted Psalmist for a time till by faith he over-came the doubt Ps. 40. 12. Innumerable evils have compassed me about mine iniquities have taken hold on me so that I am not able to look up they are more then the hairs of mine head therefore my heart faileth me The second degree is when beside the mans sins against the Law his sins also against the Gospel against Christ and the means of salvation do arise in battel against him and do drive him to cry out with these not yet converted sinners Act. 2. 37. men and brethren what shall we do The third degree is when the regenerat man for some grosse sins against the light of his conscience is given up for a time to be scourged with the temptations and accusations of Sathan as if he had sinned against the holy Ghost and no more mercy were reserved for him and this was the case of the Prophet Ionah when being guilty and conscious to his late rebellion against God he is pursued and apprehended by God and casten in the sea he falleth in a â—it of desperation till God gave him victory by faith Ion. 2. 4. Then I said I am cast out of thy sight yet I will look again to thy holy Temple which was the trysting place of God with sinners in a Mediator This was also the case of David for a time after that his conscience is wakened by the message of God sent unto him in the mouth of Nathan the Prophet when he
found the spirit of consolation with-drawn from him and the wrath of God breaking his bones and consuming the marrow thereof Ps. 51. 8 9 10 11 12. Make me to hear joy and gladness that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice c. 2. In answering this doubt we must proceed sutably to each degree severally In curing this case in the fiâ—â—t degree let the afflicted admit all the just aggravations of his sins against the Law which the conscience doth presse for by extenuation of sin neither is Gods justice glorified nor the conscience satisfied and consolation or hope of remission of sin must not arise from the few number oâ— lightnesse of sins but from the multitude and largenesse of Gods mercy and therefore we must not cut short the reckoning with the Lords law nor must we diminish the weight and estimation of our evil deservings but course must be taken that by the sense of guiltinesse the judgment of the afflicted person be not so confounded â—nd perplexed as if his case were desperat and possibility of salvation were passed but rather let the afflicted humble himself under the mighty hand of God who alone can destroy and make alive and who usually bringeth down to death and brink of hell and bringeth back again and who alone doth work wonders This doubt then arising from the multitude of sins may be loosed first by a fresh consideration of the infinit excellency and worthinesse of Christ Jesus God manifested in the flesh and of the incomprehensible value of the price of redemption payed by him for all who flye unto him for the Father hath declared himself satisfied by him in behalf of the redeemed for whom he did offer himself Matth. 3. 17. saying This is my well-beloved Son in whom I am well pleased And Heb. 7. 25. â—his is he who is able to save to the uttermost all that come to God by him Secondly by consideration of the infinit largenesse of Godâ— bounty grace and mâ—rcy wherein he hath set no bounds to himself in pardoning and abolishing the sins of those that come unto him how grosse and grievous soever they have been Isa. 44. 22. I have blotted out as a thick cloud thy transgressions and as a cloud thy sins return unto me for I have redeemed thee And Isa. 1. 18. Come now and let us reason together saith the Lord though your sins be as scaâ—â—et they shall be as white as snow though they be red as crimson they shall be as wool And Matth. 11. 28. Come unto me saith Christ all ye that labour and are heavy loaden and I will give you rest Thirdly by the consideration of the many examples and experiences of the mercy of God manifested in the pardon of hainous sinners both in the old and new Testament set down in Scripture of set purpose to invite such as are troubled with the sense of their manifold sins to come unto Christ the Mediator or to God in Christ reconciling the world to himself by not imputing sins to them who embrace the offer of grace and reconciliation tendered unto them in the Gospel As to the second degree wherein the doubt is augmented by the addition of the sins against the Gospel unto the sins against the Law by despiseing or slighting the means of salvation offered in the Gospel true it is that the despising or slighting of the offer of grace in Christ cannot be sufficiently aggreged because the sins of Sodom and Goâ—orah will be found lighter being laid in the ballance with the contempt of the Gospel Matth. 10. 14 15. yet notwithstanding when God is entered in reckoning with a sinner and is begun to challenge him for his sins against the Law and the Gospel also and hath by his terror humbled the man there is mercy insinuated unto that person in the bosome of the threatening Wherefore the soul born down with the sense of ill-deserving by his sins against both Law and Gospel must be exhorted to humble himself before God and flye in unto Christ who of set purpose 〈◊〉 he might answer this doubt hath declared that whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man it shall be forâ—iven him to wit if he repent this injury done to Christ Matth. 12. 32. and he standeth knocking at the door of luke-warm Laodicea with an ofter of coming in to them and supping with them that shall open to him notwithstanding they have slighted him long in their senslessenesse of sin nakednesse and misery As to the third degree wherein the afflicted doth suspect that he hath sinned against the holy Ghost because he hath sinned against the light of his conscience and diâ—ement of the holy Spirit let the afflicted consider that the sinning in actual grosse out-breakings against the light of the conscience is indeed a high provocation of God to his face for which the offender is to be humbled all the dayes of his life Secondly let him learn to glorifie Godâ— Justice who hath made a proud rebell to be scourged with scorpions and sore bitten with the remorse of a slighted and contemned conscience Thirdly let those particular transgressions objected to be done against the light of the conscience be examined with their motives and circumstances and out of the bitter rod of Gods correcting the offender that he should not perish with the world let the afflicted take up the Lords love in judging him that he may not be condemned As also let the Pastor or the prudent friend who goeth about to comfort the afflicted carefully observe if the afflicted be grieved for grieving of the holy Spirit if he desire and long after the consolation of God whom he hath offended if he purpose to walk more circumspectly afterward and eshew the snare he hath taken into or what other evidences of repentance can be seen in him whereof use may be made to assure the afflicted that he hath not sinned unto death Because the sin against the holy Ghost as it is described unto us in holy Scripture is either a malicious refusing and opposing wittingly and wilfully of Christ Jesus after that the Spirit of Christ hath convinced the person that Christ is the Redeemer and this was the sin of some Pharisees desperat professed and irreconciliable enemies to Christ Mat. 12. 24. to 33. or it is a totall apostasie from Christ after they have known him to be the Redeemer joyned with a malitious oppugning of the christian Religion as it is set forth Heb. 10. 26 27. to 32. and whosoever falleth in this sin he neither repents him of it nor desires to repent or be reconciled with God And therefore let the humbled and afflicted penitent longing to be reconciled unto God through Christ and to find the sense of his favour granted or restored not suspect himself any more guilty of this sin but let him make use of the offer of grace in the Gospel and of the example of penitents mentioned in Scripture Who knoweth how soon the
his yoke upon them are troubled with doubtings whether they be of the number of true believers whether they have rightly come unto Christ whether they have been well accepted of him and for their doubting they can give no other reason save this I cannot be quiet nor rest in assurance that I am in the state of grace if they be interrogat what they think of the evident signs of their regeneration which have been and are to be seen in their conversation since they began in earnest to seek the face of God in Christ They will possibly not altogether deny Gods work in them but yet dare not lean weight upon these signs because they do find these signs also brought in question whether they have been or are kindly and sincere mean time they are about to do that which is acceptable to God in the course of their calling albeit with more heavinesse and lesse alacrity then bâ—cometh persons reconciled to God in Christ. 2. This disease will be found complicat and made up of moe mistakes and errors then one and therefore is to be the more narrowly considered because it is no small hinderance of a comfortable christian conversation which God doth allow on his children for in the party troubled with unquietnesse we presuppone Iâ— there is a serious sense of sin and purpose to do better 2. An unfained embracing of the covenant of grace and reconciliation in Christ Jâ—sus And 3. an honest though weak endeavour to bring forth the fruits of new obedience and yet notwithstanding the person is not quiet but walketh heavily and is discouraged by reason of his uncertainty whether he be in the state of grace or not yea he is cast down and disquieted because he is disquieted and cannot get a reasonable answer from his conscience when he asketh of it why are thou cast down and disquieted within me 3. The mistakes and errors whence this dissatisfaction and unquietnesse doth flow are many but we shall condescend upon eight or nine only The first error and cause of unquietnesse is or may be this that the party afflicted albeit he have the habits of saving grace in him and doth by Gods grace put forth these habits in actual exercise yet he doth not reflect upon nor turn his eye to observe the operations of Gods holy Spirit in himself nor the acts of saving grace which the holy Spirit hath made him put forth of which if he take not notice they are to him for the time as if they were not and so no wonder he be disquiet while he perceiveth not in himself that which might make him quiet For example when the sense of sin is raised up in a mans spirit by the holy Ghost if he do not observe that this is one of the operations of the holy Spirit convincing the world of sin or if he do not turn back his eye on this operation and upon his own act stirred up thereby to subscribe the sentence of the law against himself no wonder that he doubt of his conversion till he see the foot-steps of God the converter of him from the love and approbation of sin unto the hatred of it and when he is â—lâ—d to Christ the only Redeemer from sin and misery and hath laid hold on him according to the covenant of grace offered in him if he do not look back on this operation of God drawing him to Christ and upon his own act of coming unto Christ by the draught of Gods Spirit what wonder he do not reckon himself among believers albeit he be in Gods account one of that number And when the holy Spirit hath kindled in him not only a purpose of new obedience but also a begun endeavour to live holily justly and soberly if he do not observe and acknowledge these operations of Gods Spirit making him to bring forth these acts what wonder that this mistake and inconsideration do open a door to disquietnesse and doubting whether he be in the state of grace or not 4. For removing this cause of disquietnesse the afflicted person must beware that he passe not sentence of Gods dispensation towards him according to the tentations and suggestions of Sathan nor yet according to the opinion which his Pastor or friend may have of him judging somewhat uncharitably of him upon sinister suspicions neither let him stand to the suspicions of his own incredulous heart but let him consider what the Word of the Lord hath said of the person in whom these three graceâ— do concur to wit 1. the sense of sin and inability to help our selves 2. flying unto Christ for relief from sin and misery and 3. some measure of upright purpose and endeavour to serve God in new obedience for of such saith the Apostle Phil. 3. 3 We are the Circumcision or true Israelits who have no confidence in the flesh but rejoyce in Iesus Christ and worship God in the spirit Let him therefore esteem the discovery of his sinfull and wretched estate in himself to be the very fruit of the eye-salve and work of the Spirit bestowed on him by Christ and let him esteem his hearty consent given to the covenant of grace and reconciliation to be the undoubted act of saving faith For hearty consent to the offer of grace in Jesus Christ presuppones first that the person sees no standing for him by the law or covenant of works but is beaten from all confidence in himself and made to believe and subscribe the righteous sentence of the law against himself to the praise of Gods truth and justice Secondly it imports the mans believing the testimony which God hath given of Christ Jesus to wit that God hath made a gift of life eternall to the soul that hungereth and thristeth for righteousnesse and that this life is in his Son yea it imports the mans receiving and embracing of Christ offered in the Gospel Thirdly it importeth that the consenter to the covenant of grace as he hath renounced confidence in his own works So he hath given up himself to God to live by the grace of Jesus Christ unto eternall life Now if the afflicted shall reflect upon these two operations of the holy Ghost making him humble in the sense of sin heartily to receive Christ Jesus for his relief and withall do observe an unfained purpose and begun endeavour to live more holily and fruitfully by the grace and furniture of Christ howsoever he labour under many infirmities not only is he undoubtedly a new creature but also by observing the foresaid evidence thereof may conclude that God hath begun a good work of grace in him and so shall this first cause of disquietnesse be removed 5. Another cause of disquietnesse is or may be this if the afflicted after examination of the work of grace in himself being convinced of his blessed estate and confirmed by present sense of Gods love shed abroad in his heart do not hold fast his estimation of Gods work in himself longer
senselesse and secure and doth please himself in his pollutions for whatsoever he may be the holy Ghost points him forth among the unregenerat as a dog or sow If such a man after a time shall repent and bewail his condition and set himself to the seeking of God in Christ and to draw grace out of Christ to mortifie his lusts we shall not pronounce or determine of his former estate whether he was before that time regenerat or not but for the present case of his repenting he is on the way to evidence his regeneration more clearly then before only let him take heed to humble himself in earnest before God and to repent more seriously that so he may confirm himself and go on in the course of faith and obedience of the Evangel strengthening his brethren as Peter was commanded to do by our Lord Luk. 22. 22. 3. But if corruption of nature do not break forth to defile the whole man but inwardly stirreth and striveeth to bring its old servant into bondage again unto which tentations albeit the afflicted do not succumbe yet he is shaken and staggers in his faith doubting of his state and of the sincerity of his conversion because he findeth the power of sin in him more vigorous then he had found it before the change of his old conversation We do not deny but this case is readily incident unto such as are lately converted from formality in religion and fair civil carriage before men to true repentance and inward holinesse beseeming Christians This case because it may have sundry causes doth require also sundry cures 4. First this case may befall a young convert who because he hath not as yet gotten the experience of his own weaknesse is somewhat puffed up in the conceit of his own strength and is more confident then he hath reason that the sincerity of his purpose shall bear down and overcome all his spiritual enemies so oft as they shall oppose his holy resolution In this case what wonder is it that the Lord by a new proof of the mans weaknesse let him see that it is not in him that willeth or in him that runneth but in God that hath mercy to the intent his pride may be broken down and that he being humbled in himself may learn not to trust any more to himself but to God to Christ who by his Spirit maketh his children to mortifie sin in themselves as the Apostle teacheth us Rom. 8. 13. saying if ye mortifie the deeds of the flesh by the Spirit ye shall live Therefore the afflicted in this case must beware to fret or murmure or entertain suspicions of Gods grace in himself but rather let him after experience of his own weaknesse humble himself and renew the exercise of repentance and resolve in the use of the means to lean to the strength of Christ who doth help his souldiers in their conflict against sin and Sathan either by giving them the victory quickly or else sustaining them in the conflict by his grace as he did the Apostle 2 Cor. 12. 7. to whom Christ did not grant the victory till he despairing of his own ability to stand out against the messenger of Sathan did humbly beg deliverance from the tentation and then he gave him assurance that the assistance of his grace should prove sufficient to sustain him in the conflict and to deliver him in due time Secondly this case may fall out by the meer malice of Sathan who doth set himself to vex the young and â—ender convert lately taken out of his dominion to the intent he may make him repent his coming out of Egypt if it be possible and by leading out against him a new army of temptations may move him to despair of the victory and so bring him back to the flesh pots and taking on again the yoke of bondage if he can 2. And here consideration must be had of Gods wise and holy permission who suffereth Sathan to put a young convert to so hard tryals that in the weaknesse of his own child he may make evident his great power in upholding his young souldier against the forest assaults of Sathan and his wisdom in breaking by this mean the strength of in-born corruption raging against the work of grace in his child In this case let the afflicted remember he is called to give a proof of his faith and sincerity that he may acquit himself manfully and not be afraid of the power of temptations but bear out stoutly resisting Sathan being confident of the victory and of tramping Sathan under his feet shortly yea pre-suppose with inward temptations external persecution be joyned let the Lords souldier follow the example of the godly Hebrews whom the Apostle doth exhort to prepare themselves after spoliation of their goods to meet with grievous affliction under hope to overcome Heb. 10. 32. 36. and 12. 4. 3. This case may fall out not so much from the growing power of corruption as from the growing light of grace discovering sin more clearly then before regeneration for he who before regeneration was lying dead in sin did not feel the weight of sin at all or was sensible only of grosse out-breakings but when the clearer light of the Law doth come opening up the dens and caves of natures corruption out of which come forth legions of sinfull motions and amongst these sundry monsters of unperceived wickednesse are discovered to the young convert what wonder he be afraid and cast in many doubts and suspicions For if even the Apostle Paul himself out of the sense of inherent sin and of the bonds thereof where-with he did find himself bound was compelled with tears to cry out Miserable man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death Rom. 7. 24. what wonder is it that a novice in Religion do tremble when he seeth and smelleth the dunghill and filthy stable of his own unclean heart In this case all the comforts which the Gospel doth furnish are to be ministred to the afflicted hope is to be fostered in him of victory over all those evils the wisdom of God is to be set forth before his eyes under this exercise wherein the Lord hath brought to light the latent corruption of nature of set purpose that he might yoke his young souldier in combat with it and give him the victory by the holy Ghost over not only those evils which do trouble him for the time but also all other sins and so promoveth the mortification and abolition of the whole body of corruption in him 4. The fourth cause is or may be this that the afflicted hath not such estimation of the imputed righteousnesse of Christ as is requisit but with the slighting of Christs satisfaction and righteousnesse purchased to the believer by Christ goeth about to establish his own righteousnesse whereupon the Lord discovereth his short-coming in sanctification which in this life is imperfect and should indeed be followed after carefully
not please God Now it is an act of injustice not to give unto God the praise of every good thing in a man especially when the man is found to be cast down in himself and to be thirsting in his soul for a more intimat communion with Christ as is presupposed in this case 3. The second cause is or may be this that the afflicted albeit he hath had oft times sweet and sensible consolation and confirmation of the promises of the Gospel and hath thereby been put out of doubt of his adoption for the time yet when new temptations do arise according to what was expedient for the exercise of his faith because the same sweetnesse is not felt but heavinesse for the while 1 Pet. 1. 6 7. he forgetteth the consolations he hath had or suffereth them to be called in question For removing whereof whensoever the afflicted is cut short in the point of sense or sensible consolation let him then strive to abound in the work of the Lord and not slacken his hand in the exercise of religion and of his lawfull calling and his indeavour to please God in all things for seing the covenant of grace imbraced is a firm and solid ground for â—aith to fix upon albeit full perswasion and victorious consolation were neither at all or but very rarely â—elt in this life the afflicted whom we have to speak to here hath no cause to stumble but reason to blesse God who hath in any measure at any time comforted him by the Gospel for that condition which the afflicted wisheth for is reserved unto us in heaven and promises such as are made to the meek and mercifull Mat. 5. which qualified promises they look upon as conditional excluding them as they conceive who do not find in themselves such qualifications and partly because they are not clear about their right to receive the offer of the Gospel because they want as they conceive fitnesse in themselves to receive the same and thus are they oft-times vexed with doubts whether they be in the state of grace or not 2. For lousing of this doubt sundry things are already said by the way in answering other doubtfull cases But because many do meet with this difficulty we shall speak a little more particularly to the case and first it is needfull that the afflicted be confirmed about that which is right in him that the thing which remaineth and is ready to die may be strengthened To this intent we commend the afflicted that being sensible of sin and feared for-wrath he hath fled unto Christ for refuge next we commend him that he hath begun to give new obedience to Gods Law and doth purpose to follow on as he shall be enabled and thirdly we commend him that albeit he cannot attain that near conjunction with Christ which he would yet he neither will nor dare forsake Christ not put himself out of the number of weak believers in Christ for he hath said in his heart with Peter Joh. 6. 68. To whom shall I go for Christ hath the words of eternal life Hitherto all is right and the afflicted must resolve to cleave close to this foundation because Christ hath said Ioh. 6. 37. These that come unto me I will in no case cast out 3. For his doubt arising from the nature of the promises absolute conditional and qualified looked upon by him as if they were conditional we answer â— That these qualified promises having some mark in them of true believers are not exclusive of these believers who find in themselves a defect of the qualification but they are inductive unto all believers to study the attaining of that qualification and are corroborative of these belivers who find in any sensible measure these qualifications For example promises made to the mercifull to the peace-makers to the upright in heart do not exclude these who find themselves short in these graces and yet are hungry and thristy for righteousnesse yet are poor and indigent of all good in themselves and daily beggers at the throne of grace for what they want Mat. 5. for these qualifications found in a weak believer are signes and effects of sound faith in them And we must grant that of these graces specified in these qualified promises some of them are more eminent in some of the Saints and other some of them more eminently seen and felt in other some of the Saints And in the same person one of these qualifications may sometime shine more clearly and at another time by some tentation or mistake be over-clouded and not shine so clearly as before yet the qualifications are comfortable to all them who find the same in themselves and are inductive to make every believer to aime to excell in these graces and so to confirm their own faith more and more as 2 Pet. 1. 4 5 6 7. we are exhorted Again these qualifications are signs of a believer already entered in the covenant of grace by faith in Christ and begun to bring forth good fruits but they are not the conditions of entering into the covenant for then none could enter in covenant till first these qualifications in exercise were sound in them and that were to dis-annull the covenant of grace and to set up a sort of covenant of works for there is not another condition of entering in the covenant but faith in Christ only whereby the humbled sinner renouncing all confidence in any good in himself or from himself doth betake himself wholly to the grace offered in Jesus Christ in whom perfect righteousnesse is to be found Now unto the man who shall believe in Christ all the promises of the Gospel are made upon this condition that he do believe in Jesus Christ which condition of presuppose the afflicted should have what he wisheth consolations alwayes running like a river where were place for trying exercising and training of him in his faith but let him work and wrastle on and among hands he shall have as much peace as may suffice a pilgrim 4. The third cause is or may be this that the afflicted hath grieved the Spirit of God either by ascribing his gracious operations to some other cause then grace or counting his consolations to be but flashes and like unto delusions or that the afflicted by corrupt communication or grosse offences hath provoked God to anger as befell David Psal. 51. For removing of this cause whether the sin of the afflicted hath been more or lesse provoking let him with David Ps. 51. renew the exercise of repentance and faith in Gods mercy who only can renew a right spirit in him or rather restore him to the formerly-felt consolation and joy of his Spirit and let him walk more warily hereafter that he provoke not to wrath so mercifull a father 5. The fourth cause is or may be this that the afflicted albeit he hath consented to the covenant of grace and hath embraced Christ Jesus offered in the Evangel yet he doth not
set to his seal to the truth of God without an hink or fear and suspicion of his right to apply the grace offered in which case so long as he doubts and doth not rest his sinfull soul on the Word of God offering grace to every soul sensible of sin who shall flye to Jesus Christ what wonder the holy Spirit doth with-hold the sealing of the mans faith For this is Gods order holden forth Ephes. 1. 13. that a sinner should first six his faith on Christ offered in the Gospel and after he hath believed not before he do believe wait for the sealing of the holy Spirit For removing this cause 1. let the afflicted acknowledge that his hesitation doubting and suspicion is justly chastised of God because he hath not firmly adhered to the covenant embraced by him and because he hath not given unto God the glory of his truth without a pawn and yet doth in effect quarrel and complain that he doth not find these consolations which are given and but rarely it may be even to the sound and strong in the faith 2. Let him for the confirmation of his faith hereafter consider well how strong and solid a foundation faith hath to lean unto even Gods promise and oath given unto all that do flye to Christ for refuge and relief from sin and misery Heb. â— 17 18. that the afflicted may with the Psalmist Ps. 56. 10. sing in God I will praise his Word 3. Let the afflicted study to be so fast glewed unto Christ in every condition and case he findeth himself and go about the exercise of repentance and faith and new obedience in his calling submitting himself to the will of God in every dispensation which direction if he shall aime to follow he shall not want the fruit of his faith and honest endeavour to please God for Psal. 97. 11. Light is sown for the righteous and joy for the upright in heart CHAP. XXI Wherein is solved the doubt of the true convert whether he be indeed converted because he cannot confidently apply to himself the promises of the Gospel THere are some true converts who albeit for fear of the wrath of God for their sins are already fled unto Christ and have hid themselves under the wings of the propitiatory in the shadow of the Almighty Mediator and are already begun in earnest to give new obedience to the law of God yet from time to time they fall in fear and trembling suspicion that all be not a sound work of grace in them and that partly because they cannot confidently apply to themselves the promises of the Gospel whether absolut such as are made to the Elect Ier. 31 31. or conditional such as are made to believers in Christ offered in the Gospel or qualified promises such as are made to the meek and mercifull Mat. 5. which qualified promises they look upon as conditional excluding them as they conceive who do not find in themselves such qualifications and partly because they are not clear about their right to receive the offer of the Gospel because they want as they conceive fitnesse in themselves to receive the same and thus are they oft-times vexed with doubts whether they be in the state of grace or not 2. For lousing of this doubt sundry things are already said by the way in answering other doubtfull cases But because many do meet with this difficulty we shall speak a little more particularly to the case and first it is needfull that the afflicted be confirmed about that which is right in him that the thing which remaineth and is ready to die may be strengthened To this intent we commend the afflicted that being sensible of sin and feared for-wrath he hath fled unto Christ for refuge next we commend him that he hath begun to give new obedience to Gods Law and doth purpose to follow on as he shall be enabled and thirdly we commend him that albeit he cannot attain that near conjunction with Christ which he would yet he neither will nor dare forsake Christ nor put himself out of the number of weak believers in Christ for he hath said in his heart with Peter Joh. 6. 68. To whom shall I go for Christ hath the words of eternal life Hitherto all is right and the afflicted must resolve to cleave close to this foundation because Christ hath said Ioh. 6. 37. These that come unto me I will in no case cast out 3. For his doubt arising from the nature of the promises absolute conditional and qualified looked upon by him as if they were conditional we answer 1. That these qualified promises having some mark in them of true believers are not exclusive of these believers who find in themselves a defect of the qualification but they are inductive unto all believers to study the attaining of that qualification and are corroborative of these believers who find in any sensible measure these qualifications For example promises made to the mercifull to the peace-makers to the upright in heart do not exclude these who find themselves short in these graces and yet are hungry and thirsty for righteousnesse yet are poor and indigent of all good in themselves and daily beggers at the throne of grace for what they want Mat. 5. for these qualifications sound in a weak believer are signes and effects of sound saith in them And we must grant that of these graces specified in these qualified promises some of them are more eminent in some of the Saints and other some of them more eminently seen and felt in other some of the Saints And in the same person one of these qualifications may sometime shine more clearly and at another time by some tentation or mistake be over-clouded and not shine so clearly as before yet the qualifications are comfortable to all them who find the same in themselves and are inductive to make every believer to aime to excell in these graces and so to confirm their own faith more and more as 2 Pet. 1. 4 5 6 7. we are exhorted Again these qualifications are signs of a believer already entered in the covenant of grace by faith in Christ and begun to bring forth good fruits but they are not the conditions of entering into the covenant for then none could enter in covenant till first these qualifications in exercise were sound in them and that were to dis-annull the covenant of grace and to set up a sort of covenant of works for there is not another condition of entering in the covenant but saith in Christ only whereby the humbled sinner renouncing all confidence in any good in himself or from himself doth betake himself wholly to the grace offered in Jesus Christ in whom perfect righteousnesse is to be found Now unto the man who shall believe in Christ all the promises of the Gospel are made upon this condition that he do believe in Jesus Christ which condition of faith in Christ when it is now performed and by the
of such as they hate hoping how false and groundlesse soever the calumnies be that yet something shall prove likely and probable and so fasten something upon the innocent In which case let the afflicted lift up his mind to the Lord and pray him to rebuke Sathan 2. Let him humble himself in acknowledgment of his natural corruption and having fled to Christ for righteousnesse let him take the shield of faith for quenching that dart 3. Let him as he is inabled contemn these devilish slanders of Sathan and set his mind on some better employment then to dispute with so impudent and restless an adversary for we have other businesse to go about then to take notice of the dogs barking at us but if it please God to continue that exercise from day to day let the afflicted in patience submit himself to God and direct his speech and thoughts unto God only not answering directly such a Shimei at all It is not safe to direct our speech to Sathan at all but let us say to God the Lord rebuke Sathan 3. Sometime Sathan falleth on with suggestions blasphemous against God and all the grounds of religion and fathers all these blasphemies on the afflicted as his proper sins In which case let the afflicted be humbled before God because of original sin whereof Sathan maketh use as of something of his own in us 2. Let him renew the grips of faith on Christ the Mediatour in whom the fulnesse of the Godhead dwelleth reconciling the elect world to himself not imputing their sins unto them 3. Let not the afflicted look upon these blasphemies otherwayes then as Sathans malice against God for so they are indeed and not the sins of the poor soul vexed with such suggestions 4. Let the afflicted beware of discouragments misbelief or weakening of his faith in God of impatiency and fretting under this sad exercise for there is more cause of fear from Sathans second subtile tentations then from his grosse suggestions whereby at the back of the former grosse blasphemies he goeth about to draw the afflicted to the suspicion of the former work of grace in him and of Gods love unto him His wiles in this case are much more dangerous then his violence in his furious lyon-like assaults for he may more easily get the consent of the afflicted to some sits of misbelief and impatience or some other sins then to admit or consent unto any of these grosse blasphemies suggested 4. Sometime when the young and tender convert is reading or hearing in Sermon the sad sentences of God against such and such sins which do reign in the wicked Sathan flyeth on him with a false application saying thou art the man and doth not a little disquiet the weak in faith In which case let the afflicted consider that whatsoever is spoken in or from Scripture of the maledictions of the law are spoken against them that are under the curse of the law and covenant of works 1 Tim. 1. 8. who have not repented their sins nor fled to Christ nor are aiming at reformation of life and sanctification but these curses are not spoken against the righteous that is to say against such as in the sense of their sinfulnesse do loath themselves and are fled to Christ for refuge and have taken on his yoke upon them already justified and begun to be sanctified 5. Sometime Sathan doth abuse the Scripture and put a wrong sense upon it that thereby he may wound these that are weak in the faith For example it is written Rom. 14. 23. whosoever doubteth is damned if he eat But thou saith Sathan to the young and weak convert hast done many things whereof thou didst doubt whether they were lawfull or not yea thou hast eaten the Supper of the Lord with doubting therefore thou art damned Again it is written 1 Cor. 11. 29. He that eateth the sacramental bread of the Lord or dinketh of the cup of the Lord unworthily eateth and drinketh his own condemnation but thou saith Sathan hast eaten the bread and drunken the cup of the Lord unworthily for thou knowest thou art very unworthy therefore thou hast eaten and drunken thy own condemnation In this case and such other like let the afflicted convert inquire of the Pastor or some faithfull Christian better acquaint with Scripture concerning the sense of the words of Scripture which seem to make against him that the words being well understood the doubt may be dissolved As for example these foresaid abused Scriptures do only declare the sentence of the law against him that doth what he doubteth to be lawfull but doth not exclude him from mercy upon the acknowledgment of his sin and flying to the mercy offered in Christ Jesus And by eating and drinking unworthily we must not understand that every one who finding himself unworthy flyeth to the grace offered and sealed in the Supper of the Lord eateth unworthily for so no man should eat worthily for all worthy communicants in the sense of their unworthinesse must and do flye to free grace offered in Christ but the meaning is that these do eat and drink unworthily who profane the Sacrament and put no difference betwixt this holy banquet of the Lord and a common supper yea and even this sin of not discerning the Lords Body doth not exclude the man from mercy for the Apostle for remedy of this sin exhorteth these who are guilty to judge themselves that so they may not be judged by God who pardoneth the penitent 1 Cor. 11. 31. And so let the afflicted for strengthening of his faith know that every Scripture which speaketh against sin doth drive the guilty man unto repentance and faith in Christ without whose grace sought after and embraced there is no salvation 6. Sometime Sathan the adversary of all converts doth assault the faith of Gods children when he findeth them under some present guiltinesse lately contracted or under tryall of their faith as under desertion and disconsolation or some miserable condition whereof he taketh advantage to suggest to the child of God that his faith is but phantasie that God neither loveth him nor can love the like of him In which case let the afflicted humble himself before God and flye to him in Christ offering reconciliation let him 1. resolve firmly to adhere to the covenant of grace offered to self-condemned sinners through Christ. 2. Let him observe his present condition to be the day of his visitation tryal and probation what use he will make of Christ in his difficulties and straits 3. Let him in the use of Gods worship wait for the day-star of divine consolation promised to those that wait on the Lord Isa. 49. 10. 11 and Hos. 6. 3. and Isa. 40. 31. And last of all lest we insist too long in reckoning the innumerable wiles of the crafty serpent let every convert consider that there is no time while we dwell in the tabernacle of this body of death wherein we may be secure
So soon as his condition is clear to the Pastor or friend who is about to help him let the speaker unto him recollect in few words his condition as he conceiveth it and take up his doubt in a word as shortly as may be that the afflicted may perceive that his case is well taken up by the Pastor or Christian friend For oft-times here is the cure marred when the afflicted conceiveth that his case is not rightly apprehended or what is spoken is not spoken to purpose 7. Whatsoever his case seem to be Christian compassion must be shewed to the afflicted and his affliction estimat no lesse then the afflicted conceiveth of it but made possible for God to cure it For even our Lord in the resurrection of Lazarus groaned in his spirit in compassion toward the mourning friends before he gave them the full consolation And surely compassion doth well become a Physician for it is an addition to the affliction of the afflicted when the beholder cometh to him to think little of his pain 8. Whether the afflicted seem to be a convert or not let him be exhorted by his present exercise to humble himself before God and confesse his original and actual sins to God and flye to the grace of reconciliation and remission of sins and consolation holden forth in the Gospel to every self-condemned sinner through Jesus Christ our Lord for Christ is the end of the law for righteousnesse when the conscience is burdened and the rod is heavy the curse of the law and the rod of correction do drive the man to flye unto Christ and take his yoke upon him And this course is wholsome and safe whatsoever be the afflicted mans estate whether he be converted or not 5. And as for that speciall stratageme of Sathan whereby he beareth in the sentence of condemnation on the afflicted and fiteth his phantasie with the continual ingemination and inculcating of this fiery dart crying over and over again blasphemous words charging the afflicted with the sin thereof and pronouncing sentence against him saying thou art condemned thou art a reprobat and such like the afflicted man must be informed 1. that such peremptory sentences are not from the Lords Spirit speaking in the Scripture but from the false accuser of the brethren for God pronounceth not condemnation but remission of sin to every one that flyeth to Christ. 2. That he must put difference betwixt Sathans part in the sinfull suggestions and his own part in rejecting of them abhorring them and grieving for them 3. That he must put a great difference between his imagination or phantasie and his conscience between the voice sounding in his phantasie whether he will or not and the sentence of his well informed conscience approving or disallowing what is offered unto it to be chosen or refused consented unto or dis-assented from by the conscience judging according to the rule of Gods Word for a sentence of words may be suggested to the phantasie repeated and obtruded upon the phantasie a thousand times which the conscience may and should refuse and reject a thousand times We know by experience that a sentence of words may by oft repeating in the ears of a parret and other birds take such an impression on the phantasie of the bird that it shall repeat vocally the words one by one and pronounce them disstinctly as if that sentence had been the work of its own invention So also we see that by frequent repetition of any whistle or song the phantasie of some birds may be so beaten and informed that they shall chant the same song over and over again and make it as if it were its own Now phantasie and imagination being a thing common to man and beast it is certain that the phantasie of a man may be wrought upon and stamped with the like impression And this much as experience teacheth us doth befall men for when a certain song or toon is sung in our audience and is often repeated our phantasie before we be aware useth to repeat and same song or toon or quietly whisper the notes and measure of the song or toon And after our judgment hath observed this work of the imagination we can hardly stay our imagination or phantasie while we are about other serious thoughts from its secret sowthing of the measures and notes of the song for phantasie will not be ruled by the laws of reason more then the outward sense of seeing can be hindered from observation of what it seeth whether pleasant or displeasant What wonder is it then that Sathan who hath great influence on mens imagination doth make so deep impression on it by continual iteration that the afflicted seems to himself to own those blasphemous suggestions as his own thoughts and as the voice of his conscience and yet they are indeed nothing but Sathans whistling and false sentences pressed on the mans imagination And put the case that his deluded mind should take them for the justly deserved sentences of the conscience yet are they only the voice of the conscience ill informed not judging of the mater according to the rule of Gods Word which â—oth not impute Sathans suggestions to the soul afflicted by them and mourning for them And so much for solving of the doubts of the true convert concerning his state in grace and regeneration THE THIRD BOOK CHAP. I. Concerning some premises WE have handled some examples of those cases of the conscience of a regenerat man wherein his state whether he be converted or not is brought in question Now follow some examples of those cases which concern his condition In which cases albeit the state of the convert be not at the first brought in question yet his conscience may be deceived and miscarry for a time to his detriment Of which cases that we may speak the more clearly some considerations must be premised and taken along with us 1. A mans staâ—e and his condition sometime are taken in a larger sense indifferently for the same thing as when we say that all the regenerat are in a blessed state or good condition and that all the unregenerat are in a miserable state or in an evil condition But when we put difference betwixt these two in a more strict sense a mans state is that relation of his person wherein he standeth either as a child in grace or as a child of wrath In which sense every convert is said to be in the state of grace and every unregenerat person is said to be in the state of wrath judicially declared such in Scripture But the condition of a man is his present morall disposition in order to his exercising of vertue or vice better or worse In which sense the renewed man or true convert is said to be in a good condition when he is going about the duties of religion and righteousnesse as becometh a renewed man and said to be in an ill condition when he is otherwayes disposed and exercised for
Christians with giving them over to their own hearts lusts and letting them not only walk in their own counsells and in the imaginations of their own ill hearts but also in his justice sending to them strong delusions and false teachers to authorize their errors and hold them on in the way to perdition What wonder to see God for the light esteeming of baptisme bestowed on men in their infancy and the not making use thereof for mortification of lusts and sanctification of life by faith in Jesus Christ to let loose phanatick Anabaptists to teach men to renounce their baptisme What wonder to see mens loose-living in the service of their sensual lusts punished with letting loose antichristian Antinomians who turning the grace of God in wantonnesse do avouch whatsoever they do it is no sin and that they are not bound to keep the law which Christ professeth he came not to dissolve but by the contrary to establish it What wonder to see mens carnal confidence in their own wit worth strength and ability works and merits punished with letting loose lying spirits to harden them in their error And what wonder to see God punishing the abuse of the Gospel and refusing to receive the truth in love with giving men over to the spirit of Antichrist and strong delusions 2 Thess. 2. The patrons and propagators of such errors and delusions are called by the Apostle ministers of Sathan and false brethren 2 Cor 11. 16. deceivers 1 Tim. 4. 1. and men who were of old ordained to this condemnation From whose contagion and punishment let every misled soul pray to God to be delivered CHAP. VIII Concerning the converts conscience mistaking vice for vertue and pleasing himself in this condition THis case differeth from the case of delusion which we have taken for erring in the matter of Religion whether doctrine or worship pertaining to the first table of the Law but this mistaking conscience is in the practice of duties of the second table when the doctrine of the duty is confessed but in practice and action vice is practised under the notion and pretense of vertue and the man is pleased with himself in so doing Whereof it shall suffice to give three instances The first instance THe first instance wherein a convert may be for a time mistaken is when a man pleaseth himself in â—igardly parcimony and narrow scraping together of mony to the hinderance of spiritual duties under pretense of frugality and diligence in his calling c. Whereby he perswadeth himself that his practice is so far from sin as it is rather commendable and worthy to be imitat for he conceiveth that according to Gods command he is not slow in the work of the Lord but fervent in spirit serving the Lord Rom. 12. 11. that he is working with his hands that which is good Ephes. 4. 18. that he is providing for the necessity of his family for which if he should not provide he should be worse then an infidel 1 Tim. 5. 8. If the mater were found so to be after examination true it is frugality diligence in a lawfull calling and provision for a mans family are commendable but here is the deceit of the heart found when anxiety is found in stead of moderat carefulnesse when hasting to be rich is found in stead of moderat diligence in his calling when love of money and avarice is found in stead of honest provision for a mans family We grant also that this mistake is not easily discerned by beholders but yet the convert himself after examination may discern it when he looketh upon the effects signs and concomitant evils such as are felt impediments and hinderances of a spiritual disposition for this covetousnesse of things earthly whereof we are speaking doth marr the study and endeavour for things spiritual and diminisheth the fear of sinning in the mater of gain and taketh up the time due for spiritual exercise In this case carnal joy in the getting gain is a sign and evidence of a deceived heart and so is also wordly grief for want of successe or for not getting expected and desired gain a proof of this mistaking The causes of this evil are the too great fear of poverty an over-high estimation of riches a diffidence of Gods providence a doubting of Gods promises to furnish his own with food and raiment and things necessary for this temporal life which diffidence Christ doth expresly discharge Mat. 6. 24 25. But for a remedy of this evil the person guilty cannot seek after nor embrace it so long as he is not convinced of his sinfull condition wherefore for clearing a mans mind in this point let him examine himself whether in following gain his heart be oft-times surfetted and overcharged with the cares of this life and made frequently indisposed for prayer and religious exercises whether he be too much taken with gladnesse when he gaineth and grief when he suffereth loss and worldly damage whether he useth for hope of gain or fear of life to lye and flatter or dare deal injustly in his bargains whether he findeth himself slow unto exercises of religion but prompt and ready for secular affairs whether he spend the time heavily in religious exercises and is weary of them but can passe the time pleasantly in the affairs of this life If he find himself convinced by shrewd signs of this evil let him humble himself in Gods sight flye unto Christ for fastening his bargain for righteousnesse and eternal life through Christ then let him not cast off his diligence in and faithfull discharge of his lawfull calling but by a religious disposition of mind and observance of all religious exercises seasonably temper and moderat his diligence in secular affairs and depend upon God more then he hath done for the successe of his labours and take from God loss or advantage as he giveth it so as he may be found in prosperity and adversity submissive unto God and ready for the discharge of charity and equity as occasion shall offer Another instance THere is another instance wherein a convert may be mistaken to wit when a man pleaseth himself in in the prosecution of privat revenge that he may pay home to such as have wronged him in the mater of his credit and reputation or in his goods or bodily harm done to him or his friends for this ungodly disposition he may pretend possibly a care of following retributive justice wherein he may seem to himself to come short except he should watch for a recompence-giving to the person injurious he may possibly pretend a dutifull respect to publick peace and welfare of the commonwealth of the society wherein he liveth wherein he may seem to himself to come short if he should suffer the person injurious to him to go away unpunished he may pretend also his own safety and security for time to come whereof he may seem to himself carelesse except he make it evident that whosoever doth him wrong
examples of a conscience erring by esteeming a good condition to be an evil condition Of the which sort this shall be one Sometime some converts do mistake the peace of God granted unto them after hard exercise and do esteem the quietnesse of their conscience to be nothing else but a carnal security and sleepy disposition of the conscience To which case that we may speak the more clearly we do not deny that many are who indeed fall in a carnal security and please themselves therein conceiving they have the peace of God and a blessed quietnesse of conscience Such persons have no doubt nor suspicion but all is well with them for they do not examine and compare their condition and wayes with the Word of God but sleep sweetly in their carnal security and negligence of spiritual duties like to these luke-warm Laodiceans Rev. 3. Of such we do not speak here 2. Again we do not deny that true converts are in danger to suffer the peace which God hath granted unto them to degenerat unto a carnal security For easily may a convert after consolation divine fall in a sleep as the Spouse did in the Canticle 5. 2. But we are speaking of the case of a convert watching unto duties who after no small vexation in his conflict with the tentations of the devil with the terror of the law and sense of divine wrath hath gotten the victory by faith in Christ and hath obtained peace with God graciously granting his petition we are speaking here of these converts who after the Lord hath granted peace unto them through faith in Christ dare not injoy their peace but do suspect that their peace is not sound and at length do count and call it carnal security and so do breed themselves new troubles of mind The pretense and seeming reason whereby they do deceive themselves is this When God say they seemed unto us angry with us when we found no peace and were wrestling under the sense of sin and in doubt whether such as we should find mercy then we did pray very earnestly night and day then we were diligent in hearing and reading of the Word of God and were painfull in the exercise of all duties of religion and obedience But now we find our selves much cooled and slackened in all these duties whereupon we justly suspect the peace which we now do find to be nothing else but a carnal security of a sleeping conscience By this mistake all thanksgiving for the peace granted unto them is well-near suffocat extinguished Their former condition under doubts and fears is judged to be better then their present condition they wish their former fears may return rather then they should continue in this condition wherein their tears are dryed up and their former diligence eaten up Hence go they on to lay forth their complaints before their intimat acquaintance concerning Gods dispensation and dealing with them because the spirit of fear and reverence toward God the spirit of grace and supplication is much diminished and near-by quenched in them By which complaints they do not only breed trouble to themselves but also make heavy the hearts of their godly friends and do tempt them to fall into the like complaints and to grieve the Lords Spirit 2 This mistake doth arise partly from the not considering and esteeming of the gracious gifts of peace and other graces bestowed upon them and partly from a wrong comparison of their former present condition For first the afflicted person taketh no notice of the evidences of a new creature in himself he doth not consider how great a benefit is bestowed upon him when he feareth to offend God feareth to be shut out from society with him and earnestly desireth to be sure of his favour in Christ he hath not a due estimation of having peace with God and war with sin in himself joyned together to be freed from the torment of the conscience condemning him according to the law and withall a desire and delight in the obedience of the Gospel joyned together 2. He doth inconsideratly exact of his conscience that his soul should be in the same disposition before peace be granted and after that it is bestowed or that his affections should be stirred up one and the same way in both these cases for before peace is given he cannot choose but he must have sorrow heavinesse of heart unquietnesse fear and such like other sad affections But after that God granteth peace these perturbations are quieted tormenting fear ceaseth lamentations are restrained tears are washen away in a good measure and in their place do thanksgiving to and praises of God succeed and every duty do call for their own place in a pacified mind so that the mans body be not neglected as before but care had of keeping health for inabling to do what is required of him in his calling toward every one with whom he liveth For now his condition being changed why should not his affections and the effects depending on them be changed also Who can reasonably exact the same duties of a man in a fight which he may require of him when he hath gotten the victory who can expect the same carriage from a man when he is sick and when he is in health Doth not the Apostle say Iam. 5 13. If any man be afflicted let him pray Is any merry let him sing Psalms 3. For remedy of this evil 1. leâ— the afflicted examine himself whether this peace hath had a conflict of conscience and faith under the sense of sin and fear of the wrath threatned in the Law going before it or not 2. Whether this peace hath followed upon flying to Châ—â—st by faith unto whom he did cleave in his sad exercise 3. Whether this peace hath followed after prayer and supplication made to God for it that he might without fear of his enemies serve God all the dayes of his life 4. And last of all whether his heart still inclineth and endeavoureth to give obedience to the commands of God and to be grieved for his short-coming therein If these things do concur which beseem a convert let him perswade himself his peace which he hath censured for carnal security is the solid peace of God mistaken by him And therefore 1. let him no more suspect the gift of God but hold fast the Word of God which faith of the soul chased to Christ hath laid hold on that being now justified by faith he may have peace with God Rom. 5. 1. For God doth not give to his supplicant carnal security for peace a stone for bread and an adder for fish But 2. let him observe the wiles and malice of Sathan who cannot indure that the soul fled from him to Christ should have peace or in the enjoying of it blesse God for his gift of grace And 3. let him study to make use of this peace granted to him going on in the obedience of Gods commands chearfully and to
convert being chased by the law to lay hold on Christ who is the end of the law for righteousnesse unto every one that believeth shall stand aback from laying hold on the highest priviledges of Saints and the greatest promises made to justified souls because of his own unworthinesse doth he not say in effect if I were more worthy and like in holinesse unto such and such Saints I could be more confident to lay hold on these high promises which ground if it be once holden it makes the reason of the mans confidence to be his own well-deserving and not the meer and only grace of God the free promiser thereof and so the way of salvation by grace should be undermined and over-turned which is absurd because the Apostle Ephes 2. 8. saith that by grace we are saved through faith and that not of our selves it is the gift of God Therefore let not the humbled convert think it presumption to lay hold on Christ and the fulnesse of all promised grace in him how large soever it be CHAP. XIII Of the condition of the convert fearing that the joy of the holy Ghost which he hath felt be found only to be either the joy of speculation common to temporal believers or a meer delusion OF this sort also is this case wherein the convert doth suspect that the joy of the Spirit which he hath felt at some times was either a joy of speculation or contemplation only such as Philosophers may find in their study of humane learning or else a delusion of Sathan also This case may fall upon the true convert in the time of affliction and felt desertion when not only the sense of consolation is withdrawn but also sorrow and heavinesse have seized on his spirit when the sharpnesse of affliction takes up the whole soul and sorrow doth fill the heart At such a time the memory of by-past joy is greatly darkned and the sense of present grief inflameth the whole man For as it falleth forth in a mans body that both sweet and sour liquor do affect the sense of tasting most when they are presently felt but when they are past the memory of them doth affect the imagination only and that but lightly in comparison with present sense As the sense of a fiery coal doth otherwayes affect us when it touches our flesh then the memory of the pain we have felt doth move us when the pain is past So it is in the passions of the soul for joyes spiritual shine for a while when they are lately raised up in the soul but after a time they are darkned and in some sort worn out especially when grief doth arise then they are swallowed up with sorrow or are well near forgotten or lightly esteemed and rejected My soul refused comfort saith the Psalmist Ps. 77. 2. Such was Davids condition Ps. 116. 11. when he said in his haste all men are lyars at which time whatsoever joy he had felt in believing the promises made to him by Samuel or other Prophets he counted all to be but deceiving of him and delusion This mistake is strengthened ordinarily by Sathans tentation and wicked suggestion watching upon all occasions to traduce and slander all Gods words and operations The complaint of Ieremie savours of this malicious suggestion which the Prophet layeth out before God to be rid of it Ier. 20. 7. Thou hast deceived me and I was deceived Yea oft-times it cometh to passe that our old man and corrupt inclination taketh part with Sathan and when occasion doth offer scorneth all the spiritual affections of the new man as Ishmael mocked Isaacs devotion 2. This evil except it be speedily and solidly cured not only casteth the convert in a miserable condition but also calleth in question his state whether at all he be regenerat reconciled and in the state of grace for if the joy of the holy Spirit granted to the supplicant praying to God in Christ for confirmation of his faith granted to the mourner for sin that he may be comforted shall be esteemed as the effect of speculation only then the comfort of the earnest-penny and first fruits of the spirit is lost the confirmation of faith by that consolation is enervat and weakened thanksgiving formerly offered for the comfort sometime felt is recalled and the testimony of Gods Spirit speaking according to the word in oft-repeated experience is laid aside And so the afflicted soul shall seem to himself in worse condition then when he was lying in his sins because he shall seem to himself to have lost his labour from the time that he renounced his sins Wherefore it is necessary that this sicknesse be speedily cured lest it prevail 3. For remedy of this evil let the afflicted lay aside the dispute for a time whether his joyes and spiritual experiences of the Lords working in him have been reall as they sometime seemed and let him turn his eyes upon his present miserable confused condition let him take a new view of his sins and unworthinesse let him observe Sathans malice power and wiles to weaken faith and what need now he standeth in of Christ Mediator Redeemer Surety and Physician by office after a new discovery of his sinfulnesse and let him look upon the riches of the grace of God offered in the Gospel to every hungry and thristy â—oul flying to Christ for refuge and let him say to God Lord there was never a time wherein I had more need of Christ for righteousnesse and salvation behold I flye unto thee I welcome and embrace Christ offered in the Gospel and heartily do consent unto the covenant of grace through him and do accept embrace and relye upon remission of sins through him and the imputation of his satisfactory righteousnesse made over to such as flye unto him or else I should perish utterly and do give up my self to thee that thou mayest write thy law more powerfully on my heart By this means the confidence of the afflicteds interest in the covenant of Grace shall be more fixed and made sure to him and Sathan disappointed of his design to cast the afflicted by his tentations in mis-belief and separation from Christ. 4. Thus when he hath renewed the grips of faith in Christ let him now enter the lists and dispute the solidity of his former felt experiences by discussing the objections which did weaken his estimation of the former felt joyes of the Spirit One objection against them was because they were of short endurance and therefore seemed not solid The answer may be this The short staying of the joy of the Spirit is no proof against it as not true joy for it is sufficient earnest of the promised salvation if when the Word of God in the Gospel speaketh peace to the man fled to Christ he findeth the Word believed to be confirmed to the believer by peace and joy albeit the sense of it remain but a short while After you believed saith the Apostle you were
walking shall be found in him scrupulosity SOmetime it cometh to passe that the convert being under hard exercise before his consolation doth put on the whole armour of God and studieth to walk circumspectly for a while but after a time he becometh somewhat weary of the yoke suspecting he hath given too much way unto scrupulosity whereupon he becometh more remisse and slack in his watchfulnesse and diligence laying aside the armour of God as David laid aside the armour of King Saul wherewith he was not accustomed For satisfying himself in this course I presuppone he maketh use of three pretended reasons The first is because it is impossible for any man to attain to such circumspection in his carriage as becometh him for it is no lesse then to aim at perfect obedience of the law which the Apostle hath declared to be impossible because of the weaknesse of the flesh Rom. 8. 3. The next pretended reason is because this bending of a mans spirit maketh the conscience unquiet that a man cannot injoy the peace of God granted in the Gospel The third pretended reason is because it doth restrain christian liberty in many things lawfull so as a man can neither make use of recreation of body or mind without scruple and here we must beware on the one hand lest we give way to any degree of mis-regarding the law which is the error of the Antinomians and on the other hand lest we insnare the conscience of converts and hinder them in the lawfull use of what God doth allow unto them 2. For remedy of this evil let the convert know that there is a necessity of aiming at circumspect walking This duty is indispensable for if a chink be opened here in the vessel for the least entry of water it may ere long fill and sink the whole ship for the command standeth unmoveable â—hâ—b 12. 14. Follow peace with all men and holiness without which no man shall see the Lord. And 1 Pet. 1. 15. As he that hath called you is holy so be ye holy in all manner of conversation And Mat. 5. 48. Christ hath said Be ye perfect as your father in heaven is perfect This ground being laid let us examine these three pretended reasons As to the first albeit the attaining unto the perfect obedience of the Law in this life be impossible because of the infirmity of corrupt nature yet the aiming at the perfect obedience of Gods Commands is both possible and profitable and he who aimeth at perfection of obedience in this life shall attain it fully in the life to come It is one thing to give perfect obedience unto the Law for in many things we do sin all of us another thing to endeavour according to the measure of grace given to obey the Law perfectly For God who hath loosed converts fled to Christ from the convenant of Works or the covenant of the Law he hath not loosed his subjects from obedience to the Law-giver he hath not abolished the ten Commands he hath not loosed the duties of the redeemed and converted souls but by receiving them in favour through faith in Christ he doth augment their obligation to serve the Lord their Redeemer so much more chearfully and carefully as the grace is large in forgiving them their sins and translating them from the slavery of sin and Sathan into the kingdom of Christ. Again albeit it be true that it is impossible to attain perfect obedience unto the Law yet there is great advantage to be had by circumspect walking and aiming at perfect obedience for this 1. doth glorifie our heavenly Father when we strive to be conform to his will and to have respect to all his commands 2. This endeavour adorneth the Gospel and profession of our most holy faith whereby we lay hold on the grace of free justification that we may become the servants of righteousnesse indeed 3. This endeavour beareth witnesse of our sinceâ— desire to serve God with all our heart albeit we attain not to the perfection of obedience in this life 4. This endeavour giveth unto us daily new mater of humiliation when in our aiming at our duty we come very short of our mark we shoot at 5. This endeavour and short-coming for all we can do maketh us despair of seeking justification by works before God and to esteem highly and make use by faith of Christs satisfaction for us imputed to us for righteousnesse which is a garment able to hide our imperfections and nakednesse 6. This endeavour to walk circumspectly puts us to the exercise of all christian graces and to strive with others and with our selves to perfect holinesse in the fear of God 3. As for the second pretended reason that this endeavour to walk circumspectly may make the conscience unquiet it puts a foul aspersion on the holy precept of the Apostle Ephes. 5. 15 16 17. who hath declared this to be a mans wisdom and so a good mean of making his conscience quiet and to establish in it the peace of God For by this endeavour to walk circumspectly believers in Christ are assured that they are without the reach of condemnation because they walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit Rom. 8. 1. Secondly this endeavour is the evidence of a good conscience which accompanyeth true faith and in a maner doth guard the conscience from just challenges which might trouble the same Thirdly by this endeavour the believer is by a holy necessity forced to cleave closse unto Christ to converse with him in heaven that the pollution of daily sin may be washen away by new application of Christs expiarory sacrifice to the believer and that Christ may let forth more strength to him to walk in the way of commanded duties and so the convert may stand in the grace of God Thus the peace of God offered and covenanted in the Gospel is preserved in him so long as this endeavour to walk circumspectly is entertained 4. As for the third pretended reason against circumspect walking as if by it Christian-liberty shall be crossed and cut short it is a false pretense for the contrair is true that Christian-liberty is not hurt but helped and preserved by circumspect walking for this is true Christian-liberty to have allowance of the use of the benefits which God doth bestow with his blessing so far as may serve our well-fare seing it is not a point of Christian-liberty licentiously by intemperance to abuse Gods benefits and turn them to our own hurt Wherefore let our heart be all day in the fear of God that we may in lawfull manner make use of lawfull things neither doth the study of holinesse make recreations of body and mind unlawfull but restraineth immoderat and untimeous use of things lawfull All that Christian liberty granteth unto us is that whether we eat or drink or what lawfull thing else we do we do all for the glory of God 1 Cor. 10. 31. that is so as we may be
whether the believer perceive his absolution or not for the time 4. There is a sensible intimation of this sentence unto the believer joyned with peace and joy which the Apostle calleth the shedding abroad of the love of God in the heart Rom. 5. 5. and the sealing of the holy Ghost stamping the heart with holinesse Ephes. 1. 13. The first three makes the absolution of the believer certain whether the believer thinks so or not but the fourth which is the sensible intimation of this sentence doth make the believer both sure and joyfull As justification is taken passively four things may be distinguished in the believer justified The first is his actual receiving of Christ offered in the Gospel for a perfect remedy of sin and misery The second is the Lords judicial setling of the general sentence of absolution upon the believer as if he had spoken to him by name as he did to the Apostles Ioh. 15. 3. Now are ye clean through the word I â—ave spoken unto you that is you are clean from the guilâ— of sin by my absolving of you The third is the believers observing in a reflect act of his conscience that he hath fled to Christ for absolution and therefore justified indeed The fourth is the feeling and observing of the testimony of the holy Ghost bearing witnesse with his spirit that he is a child of God absolved from sin and wrath The first two of these to wit the act of faith receiving of Christ and of the right made by Christ to the believer in him of his absolution may be in and on the believer without the other two to wit his observation of the act of faith and the felt intimation of this worlâ— of grace by the holy Spirit 2. For solving of the doubt then as justification is actively taken as proceeding from the immanent act of Gods eternal purpose and decree to justifie the believer it is no more the actual justification in this life of which we are speaking then the immanent act of Gods eternal purpose to raise the bodies of believers in Christ and to glorifie them in soul and body can be called the actual resurrection of their bodies and glorification of both soul and body in this life But the transient act of justification in a judicial way which is the Lords judicial sentence of absolution of the believer declared by his Word set down now in holy Scripture it is indeed and formally the believers justification and is judicially terminar upon every believer in the act of his conversion whether the believer doth clearly perceive his own conversion or be in suspicion of his being reconciled and justified And this may be made to appear if we compare the condemnation of the unbeliever with the absolution of the believer fled to Christ Ioh. 3. 18. As he that believeth not in Christ is condemned already because the curse of the law and condemnation pronounced in the Scripture by God the soveraign Judge stands against him so long as he doth not believe in the only begotten Son of God And this sentence standeth fast whether the unbeliever take notice of this sentence or not whether he do apply it to himself or not do find grief for it or not So the believer in Christ is relaxed from condemnation and absolved and hath right unto eternal life and begun possession of it albeit for the time of his infancy tentation trembling and fear it be not so albeit he doth not perceive the blessed change of his state nor doth lay to heart as he might the words of Christ judicially pronouncing the sentence comprehending him as certainly as if his name were expressed Ioh. 3. 18. He that believeth on him is not condemned and ver 36. He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life and Ioh. 6. from ver 37. to 41. Hence we conclude that the formal act of justification of a man fled to Christ is to be found in the written sentence of the judge absolving every believer and the man we speak of There is another transient act of God in an actual revelation of justification wherein the holy Ghost openeth the eyes of the believer to behold and perceive the gift of saith already bestowed on him Of this speaks the Apostle 1 Cor. 2. 12. And after that the holy Ghost hath pointed out his own grace bestowed on the believer he followeth his work by giving remarkable peace and joy as earnest of life everlasting whereof the Apostle speaketh Ephes. 1. 13. In whom ye also trusted after ye heard the word of truth the Gospel of your salvation in whom also after ye had believed ye were sealed with the spirit of promise which is the earnest of our inheritance Therefore he that desireth to have the intimation of his justification after flying for refuge unto Christ for relief of felt sin and feared wrath must read his absolution in the Gospel as well as he hath read before that his condemnation in the law Unto which sentence of absolution let him hold fast in his daily endeavour after sanctification The fifth question is how to satisfie the convert who findeth himself pursued for his sins after remission believed and is brought in question what to judge of his case MAny converts have fallen in Iobs case and seemed to themselves to possesse the sins of their youth Iob 13. 26. For after conversion and felt reconciliation they find the sins they did repent of and did believe to be forgiven through Christ objected to them afresh pursued with sharp accusations and signs of wrath joyned therewith Their reconciliation and righteousnesse through Christ they purpose to hold fast their old guiltinesse and sentence of their conscience writing bitter things against them they cannot deny The pinch is here either the remission they did believe is null or the challenge is unjust do they reason with themselves the nullity of their remission they dare not admit and the just ground of challenge they cannot deny and the doubt what to think of this case they cannot shun not seeing how these things can consist and stand together 2. For answer to this doubt these four things must be distinguished and how they may all consist one with another must be timously considered The four things to be distinguished are 1. the reconciliation of a convert with God 2. the remission of the reconciled mans sins freely gifted unto him by God 3. a renewed bitter accusation raised by Sathan against the reâ—iled convert 4. The holy and wise dispensation of God permitting ordering these renewed accusations of his child by Sathan for the tryal and exercise of his faith and growth of his repentance and other good ends Now for the consistence of these four we need not doubt but the accuser of the brethren can cast up to us forgiven sins and bear upon us that they are not forgiven Nâ—ither need we doubt but God in wisdom and love to his children may suffer Sathan to
and faith in him and so saveth the believer 1 Ioh. 1. 9. and 2. 1. 7. As for the last objection taken from the impossibility of knowing taking notice of or confessing every sin wherewith we are daily polluted or from the impossibility of putting repentance and faith in exercise about every particular sin we answer first that the children of God notwithstanding of this impossibility acknowledged by them have sought and obtained renewed remission of their innumerable sins Ps. 40. 12. and Ps. 19. 12 13. 8. Secondly such as are justified by faith upon confession of such sins as they know and do remember are accepted of God as if they had confessed all their sins particularly because he that hath no mind to deny or excuse any sin in himself but is willing to open up his heart to God in sincerity and to canfesse every particular if he were able he hath presented a contrite heart before God which is a sacrifice acceptable to God Ps. 51. 8 9. Ps. 32. 5. and this much also Christ doth teach us speaking of the Publican who made a short and general confession of his sins in sincerity and went home justified Luk. 18. 13 14. Thirdly it is not impossible for a watchfull conscience to observe daily as many particular sproutings from the root of in-born sin as may humble him daily and bear down all confidence in his own righteousnesse and furnish to him mater for exercise of repentance and faith in Christ. And this lesson the Lord did teach his people under the Law by the twice offering sacrifice every day morning and evening that his people observing daily the running issue of corrupt nature might daily have their recourse by faith unto the lamb of God that takes away the sins of his own people and hitherto we are directed to look Is. 45. 22. and 1 Iob. 2. 1. Mean time on the one hand let us beware to lay any sort of merit upon our daily exercise of faith and sorrow for sin in our repentance otherwayes we should be found offerers unto God of satisfaction from us and not suiters of remission of sins from God and on the other hand let us beware to be discouraged albeit we do not find daily the renewed intimation and sense of remission but as we apply the Law to our selves in the exercise of repentance So let us apply the sentence of absolution pronounced in the Gospel in favours of every penitent soul that flyeth to Christ for refuge The tenth question shall be concerning spiritual dispositions of mind and qualifications which may be joyned with or separat from the special work of true conversion and saving grace THe Apostle Heb. 6. 4 5 6 9 10. tells us of sundry qualifications which may be found in unconverted men and also he tells us of better things which do accompany salvation and are sure evidences of regeneration Of the first sort there are among others these five 1. A legal conviction of the vilenesse of sin and vanity of the world 2. A renouncing of unlawfull pleasures joyned with a refraining even from lawfull and allowed wordly delights 3. A natural desire of salvation and of sanctification that they may be saved 4. A purpose to live righteously holily and soberly in this present world 5. An outward change of maners and conversation so far as they may be blamelesse before men These and such like qualifications may make a fair show in the flesh and yet may be found to be not only in true converts but also in such as are strangers from the life of God such was the Apostle Paul before conversion such was Israel Rom. 9. 31. Which followed after the law of righteousnesse and did not attain to the law of righteousnesse Who being ignorant of Gods righteousnesse did and going about to establish their own righteousnesse did not submit themselves to the righteousnesse of God Rom. 10. 3. Of this sort are such of the Papists who go about to be justified by their own works and do but mock at the imputation of Christs righteousnesse calling it blasphemously a putatious or conceited righteousnesse not considering that the Pope and his servants do reckon the imputation of the righteousnesse and merits of men and of the superfluity of the Saints righteousnesse by reason of their works of supererogation to be worth a great sum of money as they find their merchants Concerning these five qualifications some converts especially such as desire to see the evidences of saving grace in those with whom they will joyn in the society of Church-membership may make question what to think whether they be saving graces or common operations of the Spirit 2. For answer we must distinguish between a mans judging of those qualifications in himself and his judging of another in whom these qualifications appear to be for a man judging of himself may attain to a clear and certain discerning of saving grace in himself as the Apostle giveth us to understand 1 Cor. 2 11 12. In which case of our judging of our selves this much may be said that if a man find in himself those qualifications joyned with faith in Christ for righteousnesse and eternal life and is seeking furniture from Christ to bring forth fruits of his faith in new obedience he may be quiet and be out of doubt of saving grace in himself for unto such a person the description of a true convert may safely be applyed Phil. 3. 3. We are the circumcision c. And pre-suppose he hath observed these qualifications in himself before he hath observed his closing with Christ or his application of the offer of reconciliation through him he neither needeth nor should trouble himself or others with questioning whether such and such qualifications in him before his fixing on Christ were the common or special operations of the holy Ghost for seing the kingdom of heaven cometh not with observation alwayes it is hard to determine of the first beginnings of the working of saving grace by the holy Spirit because saving faith hath in it the substance of historical dogmatical and temporary faith And therefore when both saving faith and historical dogmatical and temporary faith may produce belief of the law and convince the man of sin and wrath due for sin and produce the belief of the Gospel also without application of the offer of reconciliation how shall a man determine whether these effects were produced by vertue of dogmatical and temporary faith or by vertue of saving faith untill the time that the humbled sinner flye in unto Christ and seek to draw furniture from him for new obedience of the law of love toward God and man and so put difference betwixt saving faith and that faith which may be in an unregenerat aud unreconciled man But when the man is come up to apply Christ and cleave unto him for righteousnesse and life and furniture to carry him on the way unto salvation it is not his wisdom to dispute whether these
God and men concerning the way of justification For by nature we cannot admit the righteousnesse of God which is by faith in Jesus Christ flying to his satisfaction of justice for us and righteousnesse imputed to us thereby for by nature with mis-believing Israel we acknowledge no iustification save of or for works albeit it be impossible Rom 10. 3. And as they being ignorant of Gods righteousnesse and going about to establish their own righteousnesse have not submitted themselves unto the righteousnesse of God So we even after conversion and after embracing of justification by faith in our conversion do give oft-times evidence of our natural inclination to seek after the righteousnesse of works for after examination of our selves we shall find that our confidence doth flow and eb as we are pleased or displeased with our own carriage and when we have most need to make use of the righteousnesse by faith in Christ we forget it or slight it do not flye to it do not adhere to it do not comfort and strengthen our selves in conflicts by it as hath oft-times been observed by us what then would we do if our going about to establish our own righteousnesse did prosper or if the power of in born sin did not set up it self against us and force us by the law either to dispair or flye to Christ And this our natural inclination even after conversion to return and seek after the righteousnesse of the law may be seen in the Galatians who having begun in the spiritual way of justification by faith sought to be perfected by the fleshly way of justification by works and did fall in danger of falling from grace and excluding themselves from the blessing of the promise through Christ. Wherefore our infinitly wise Physician Jesus Christ taketh course as we have said for his own glory and our good not to repair at once the image of God in us not to heal our sinfull diseases all at once but piece and piece by degrees that his righteousnesse bestowed on those that flye unto him for refuge may be in higher and higher estimation daily that the fountain opened up in him for removing of sin and uncleannesse may daily be made use of and the benefit of justification may daily be looked upon as a new gift that vertue may daily be sucked out of him for bearing of good fruits and out of his fulnesse we may receive daily grace for grace and may render thanks unto our God daily and blesse him for his grace given unto us as did the Prophet Ps. 103. 1 3. Blesse the Lord O my soul who forgiveth all thine iniquities who healeth all thy infirmities And grow in the love of God for the remission of so many sins as escape us daily as did the woman Luk. 7. 47. who loved much because many sins were forgiven her And grow in holinesse without putting confidence in our works as the Psalmist did Ps. 71. 15. 16. My mouth shall shew forth thy righteousnesse I will go in the strength of the Lord God and will make mention of thy righteousnesse even of thine only And the Apostle giveth us his example Phil. 3. 8 9 12 13 14. Wherefore let the doubting convert make use of these considerations and long for the coming of Christ who shall abolish sin and misery altogether To whom with the Father and holy Spirit be glory for ever Amen A TABLE of the Titles of the several Chapters BOOK I. Chap. Page 1. OF Conscience in general 1 2. Of cases of Conscience in general 7 3. Of Regeneration what it is and the regenerat man who he is 10 4. Of divine Covenants about the eternal salvation of men and in special of the covenant of Redemption shewing that there is such a Covenant and what are the articles thereof 22 5. Of the covenant of Works 71 6. Of the covenant of Grace 86 7. For a further clearing and confirmation of the doctrine about the three Covenants from Jer. 31. and Heb. 8. 133 8. Of the prudent application of divine Covenants in general 148 9. Of the more special application of divine Covenants for removing the impediments of regeneration 162 10. Concerning them that are like to despair 182 11. Concerning them that absolve themselves without warrand 190 BOOK II. 1. OF considerations to be premised 215 2. Wherein the regenerat mans doubt of his being in the state of grace by reason of his felt unworthiness is answered 241 3. Wherein the regenerat mans doubts arising from the multitude and weight of his sins against the Law and the Gospel and against the light of his conscience are answered 245 4. Wherein is solved the doubt of the regenerat man raised by his suspicion whether he be elected or not 250 5. Wherein the regenerat mans doubting of his regeneration because he findeth no power in himself to believe in Christ is answered 253 6. Wherein the doubt of the regenerat man concerning his being in the state of grace arising from his apprehended defect of humiliation and sorrow for sin is answered 257 7. Wherein the Christians doubt whether he be regenerat because he findeth not his righteousness exceeding the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees is answered 263 8. Wherein the regenerat mans doubt whether he be in the state of grace arising from his unquietnesse of spirit is answered 274 9. Wherein the converts doubt arising from his uncertainty at what time he was converted is solved 292 10. Wherein is solved the converts doubt of his regeneration arising from his apprehension that the beginning of the change of his life was not from the sincere love of God but either from terrour or self-love which he conceiveth to be but carnal 294 11. Wherein the converts doubt of his being in the state of grace arising from heavy afflictions and grievous tentations is solved 298 12. Wherein is solved the converts doubt of his conversion arising from the power of his corruption manifesting it self more after his entry upon the course of new obedience then it did before he began to repent 304 13. Wherein is solved the converts doubt whether he be in the state of grace arising from his comparing of himself with the hypocrit and unregenerat in those perfections they may attain unto 311 14. Wherein is solved the doubt of the true convert whether he be in the state of grace because some godly persons look upon him as an hypocrit 313 15. Wherein the converts doubting of his being in the state of grace so oft as he doth not feel the sense of his reconciliation with God is examined and answered 316 16. Wherein is solved the true converts doubt of his regeneration because he seemeth to himself not to grow in grace by the use of the means appointed for his growth 320 17. Wherein is solved the converts doubt whether he be regenerat because he seemeth to himself to follow religion and righteousnesse from the common operation of Gods working by moral swasion