God over all blessed for â—ver equal with the Father in being majestie and glorie him in whom his Father See Mr. R. F. in his mystery of godliness pag. 7. delighted from all eternitie his own and his onelie begotten Son promised before to Adam Gen. 3. 15. preached to Abraham Gen. 12. 3. typified in the legal Sacrifices Gal. 3. 18. and prophesied of by Moses and all the Prophets Gen. 18. 18. and Gen. 26. 4. and pointed at by John the Lord sends his Son in the liknesse of sinfull slesh to condemn sin in the flesh him we are to hear and to wait upon in a broken-hearted and diligent use of meanes untill we be made partakers of his free saving grace c. And although in this great work I shall I fear rather lisp than speak plain yet I trust I shall not darken counsel by words without knowledge It is true sometimes a child of light doth walk in darknesse as to the footsteps of the Lord Psal 77. 19. Thy way is in the Sea and thy path in the great waters and thy footsteps are not known compare this with John 3. 8. The wind bloweth where it listeth and thou hearest the sound thereof but canst nâ—t tell whence it cometh and whether it goeth so is every one that is born of the Spirit saith our Lord Christ c. From these and other Scriptures it doth appear that God doth not work in the same measure and method upon all in the work of conversion some are sanctified from the womb Jer. 1. 5. as Jeremiah was sanctified before he came out of his mothers womb and John the Baptist was filled with the Holy Ghost even from his mothers womb Luk. 1. 15. Some are converted by a small still voice See 1 King 19. 11. 12. some must have a great and strong wind renting the mountaines of sinne in their hearts others must have an Earth-quake to awaken them some must be brought through the fire to burn up their drosse some menâ— flesh is harder to heal then others so some mens hearts a needle may do that to one which a launce will not do to another a frown to one which a blow will not do to another some men are of greater parts of greater places who are not so easily humbled some men are of crabbed and untowards spirits and knotty blocks had need of hard wedges some men have longer scores and greater rekonings have been greater sinners than others and though not alwayes yet ordinarily God doth proportion the sorrow to the sinne Again upon some the Lord doth intend to bestow a greater measure of grace than upon others and so he layeth a proportionable foundation some he intends to use as one of a thousand To comfort others therefore he doth exercise them with difficulties of higher nature that they may experimentally comfort others 2 Cor. 1. 4. and some he intends for great service great imployment either in Church or State and therefore he doth humble them the more at the bringing in as we may seâ— and read in the conversion of Paul Luther Augustin It is true all Gods people are souldiers but all his people are not Champions all are brought home or shall be but all are not brought home equally alike in every thing and though the conversion of a sinner be a great work yet when the Lord sets about it it is soon done Though conversion be a great work yet it is soon done Vocation regeneration and conversion is many times wrought in an instant God in saying Awake thou that sleepest arise from the dead and Christ shall give thee life makes the soul to awake arise and live in a moment in the twinkling of an eye Isa 45. 22. Look unto me and be ye saved all the ends of the earth for I am God and there is none else Christ tells us in few words and the Apostle in as few John 3. 14. As Moses lifted up the Serpent in the wildernesse so must the Sonne of man be lifted up that whosoever believeth in him should be saved Rom. 10. 9. If thou shalt confesse with thy mouth the Lord Iesus and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved c. But to proceed consider these three things 1. What preparations conditions or qualifications should a man or woman find in themselves before they lay hold on Christ and the promises 2. How Conversion regeneration repentance and vocation agree or differ 3. The way step by step which the Lord in his ordinary dispensation in these Gospel dayes doth lead a soul as it were by the hand out of a state of nature into a state of grace c 1. What preparations conditions or qualifications should a manor woman find in themselves before they lay hold on Christ and apply the promises For answer hereunto take these considerations Viz. I know no qualifications preparations that are so required as that without it we should not come but there be some without which we will not come we must buy milk and wine although it be without money and without price Isa 55. 1 2. By preparatory work we understand certain inherent qualifications according to the ordinary dispensation of God and so the soul is made sensible of sinne death and curse due to it before it passe through the new birth he must be convinced that the Law is holy just and good the precept holy the promise good the curse just a man must acknowledge himself a lawfull captive before the Lord will set him free all the preparations required in Gods ordinary way of dispensation before conversion may be reduced to these four heads 1. Revelation of Jesus Christ dying for the sinnes of the people according to the Gospel of free grace and so tenders pardon of sinne to all sinners that are sensible of sinne sinners that are broken hearted Isa 61. 1. broken and bruised Luk. 4. 18. that are weary and heavy laden Mat. 11. 28. poor sick sinners Mar. 2. 17. sensible of their misery and necessity of a remedy without which they perish eternally 2. After this sense of misery and want of mercy there will be an inquiring after a remedy Sirs what shall I do to be saved Rom. 16. 30. So Paul Lord what wilâ— thou have me to do Rom. 9. 6. 3. There will be a waiting upon God in the use of means for the obtaining of mercy But let the Reader consider that whatsoever preparations and qualifications there is required in any before conversion they are wrought in us by the singer of God who worketh in us both to will and to do of his own good pleasure Phil. 2. 13. So then it is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy Rom. 9. 16. how was Paul disposed and affected when Christ calls him Acts 9. had not Pauls calling depended upon Gods choice at that time he had never been called here may
himself out c. Of the preparations or qualifications that we are to find in our selves before we lay hold on Christ and the promise Conversion and Regeneration Vocation and Repentance are but four words to hold forth as it were one and the self same thing Of the way step by step how the Lord in his ordinary dispensation in these Gospel-dayes doth lead a soul as it were by the hand out of a state of nature into a state of grace First by enlightning the soul Secondly by calling him effectually Thirdly by enabling him to believe Fourthly by giving him the spirit of prayer by which he prayes for more light to see his sins and then for pardoning mercy and for purging mercy Fifthly the Lord doth cause the soul secretly to give it self up to God and so he comes to surrender all its own supposed interest that he had in himself unto God that made it and unto Christ that hath dearly purchased it then there follweth the meanâ— to be used to breed and beget grace and to convert the soul First to keep close to grace-begetting Ordinances viz. hearing the Word preached reading the Scriptures and frequent and earnest prayer Secondly to dwell much upon grace-begetting promises Thirdly to frequent the company of grace-begetting and soul-converting companions Fourthly to call to mind and meditate upon grace-begetting considerations Fisthly to gather and to treasure up grace-begetting and soul-converting experiences and so to be diligent in the use of many other means for the confirming sealing and assuring the soul of salvation these and many other subordinate branches thou hast here presented in a little room and a few words c. Now to proceed a little farther in this great work and so to draw towards a close let the Reader consider these things following viz. 1. If we remain in an unconverted estate let us blame our selves only for the want of conversion is not in God for he makes use of all means and wayes to convert us 2. We shall present the Reader with some of the principal hinderances of Conversion 3. Consider the sad and miserable condition of the unconverted 4. The trials of conversion by which a man may know whether he be converted yea or no 5. The priviledges and benefits of all that are converted 6. Certain Objections answered which some out of weakness and others out of prejudice may be apt to make against the foregoing discourse and so I shall close up this Book The want of Conversion iâ— not in God but in our selves he makes use of all means and waies to convert us 1. Our conversion and salvation is not a thing impossible for a new and living way is consecrated for us by Christ through the vail his flesh and by his blood we may have boldness to enter into the Holiest he hath borne our burthen he hath removed the impossibilities and nailed to his Cross the hand-writing that was against us Coll. 2. 14 15. So that if any of us perish it is for want of grace in us not for want of satisfaction by the Redeemer salvation is brought even to our doors and thrust in as it were into our hands we have Christ himself offered us and pardon life and salvation with him we have God himself waiting to be gracious and beseeching us to be reconciled to him 2 Cor. 5. 19 20. We have the Lords Embassadors intreating us in his Name and stead the Lord hath provided excellent and plentiful means with promise upon promise of his presence with and blessing upon us in the use of them and if the Spirit make not these means effectual it will not be long of him but of our selves God himself presents and offereth us mercy Prov. 1. 23. and continues his Ordinanceâ— the Angels waits for the joy that is due to them upon our conversion Ministers are preaching and praying for our conversion godly friends and neighbours are praying and longing to see this work wrought in us See Mr. Baxâ—ers Call to the unconverted in the Preface We study plainness of speach to make them understand we come with serious piercing words to make them feel but they will neither understand nor feel if the greatest matters would work with them we should awake them if the sweetest things would work we should intice them if the most dreadful things would work we should affright them if truth and certainty would take with them we should soon convince them if the God that made them and the Christ that bought them might be heard the case would soon be altered with them if Scripture might be heard we should soon prevail if the best and strongest reason might be heard we should speedily convince them if experience might be heard even their own experience the matter would soon be mended yea if the conscience within them might be heard the case would soon be better with them than it is but if the dreadful God of Heaven be slighted who then shall be regarded If the blood of a Redeemer be made slight of what then shall be valued If the joyes of Heaven is not worth the desiring and the torments of Hell the avoiding what shall we do for such souls as these c Now if after all these and the like means Man will not turn it is not long of God that they are not converted but of themselves so that Mans destruction is of himself James 1. 15. So earnest is God for the conversion of sinners that he doubleth his commands and exhortations Turn ye turn ye why will ye dy Ezek. 33. 11. Again it is the promise of God that the wicked shall live if they will but turn nay the Lord hath confirmed it to us by an oath That he hath no pleasure in the death of the wicked See the forementioned place Ezek. 33. 11. Nay farther the Lord condescendeth to reason the cause with all unconverted sinners as to ask them why they will dy in their sinnes See the forementioned place Ezek. 33. 11. Compared with 2 Pet. 3. 9. The Lord is long-suffering not willing that any should perish c. Some of the principal hinderances of Conversion 1. The first Hindrance is ignorance both of their own misery and Gods mercy the kingdome of Satan is a kingdome of darkness and himself the ruler of darkness and the mist and blackness of darkness is reserved to him and his servants for ever Jude 6 13. compared with John 3. 19. this is condemnation that light is come into the world and men love darkness rather than light So that if the Gospel be hid it is hid to them that are lost in whom the God of this world hath blinded the minds of them that believe not lest the glorious Gospel of Christ should shine unto them but those that are converted can truly say we were once darkness but now we are light in the Lord Ephes 5. 8. 2. Hindrance of conversion is men think it to be either an easie work or a
no farther than to speak to her self she saith to her self if I may but touch his garment I shall bâ—â—whole then Christ spake to her though she would not speak to him to overcome her bashfullness he called her daughter and to overcome her unbelief he bid her be of good comfort he had healed her From how little a spark how greata fire from how little a beginning how great a proceeding she desired but the hemm of his garment and had himself See John 3. 2. Nicodemus he came to Jesus by night who was so weak as being either afraid or ashamed to own Christ in the day he cometh to him by night One would have thought that Christ would have said to him Nicodemus is thy desire after me so saint as that thou fearest to come to me in the day time Or am l so unworthy as not to be owned but out of fight Hast thou either so low an esteem of me or bearest thou so little love to me Goe return as thou camest I will not accept of thee in the dark who wouldest not acknowledg me in the light No no Christ hath not one syllable of this he knew that Nicodemus was but a beginner and therefore entertaines him and insâ—ructs him in the new birth John 3. 5. Except a man be born of water and of the spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God c. Consider there is none effect of election before illumination and effectual vocation the elâ—â—t themselves are said before to be children of wrath as well as others Ephes. 2. 3. Some affirme that in this act of Vocation the seeds or root of faith is wrought in the heart which may be true onely under correction I doe verily think it is not exercised but in part the Soul doth exercise but little more than to give credit to what is written which some call the faith of credence giving credit to what is written which others call the Faith of assent this undoubtedly is wrought in the heart either in the work of Illumination or in estectual Vocation now effectual Vocation or special effectual Calling is attended or accompanied with Viz. 1. The Faith of assent 2. Repentance 3. Conversion 4. Regeneration Now most of these words are used in Scripture to expresse the same work upon the soul as Mr Baxster affirmes or rather as the Scripture teacheth us c. 1. That special effectual Calling is attended or accompanied with the Faith of assent or credence See Mat. 8. 2. The Leper did assent to the power of Christ that he was able to clense him saying Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me clean surely Vocation is accompanied with a bare naked assent to every truth revealed by God 2. It is accompanied with Repentance which conteineth two things The first is a hearty sorrow that ever he sinned The second is a turning from that sinne to God or there is a turning from a state of sinne and misery unto God our only remedy this Repentance is wrought by the Ministry both of Law and Gospel the thunders of the Law terrifie and the dews of the Gospel mollifie there is nothing breaks the heart more than mercy nothing melts a man more than the mercies of God which he hath abused the consideration of this opens all the springs in thee the soul is not able to stand stubborn under it 2 Cor. 7. 9 10 11. 3. This special effectual Calling is accompanyed with Conversion which is a work of the Spirit of Christ in a sensible lost undone sinner by the Doctrine of Christ by which he effectually changeth the minde heart and life from the creature to God in Christ the parts of this Conversion are these three First it is a change of the minde Secondly of the heart Thirdly of the life c. In the moment of Conversion God works that blessed work which shall never be undone In a word that is wrought in an instant which shall remain for ever 4. This effectual Calling is accompanied with Regeneration which doth make so great a change that a man is as it were an other man so that this word Regeneration is more comprehensive than Conversion Repentance or Vocation 2 Cor. 5. 17. He that is in Christ is a new creature old things are past away behold all things are become new Mark every man that is in Christ that is thus converted every true Christian then is a new creature not in substance but in quality all things are become new a true converted man he hath new love new desires new sorrow new delight new resolution and a new conversion Vocation Conversion and Regeneration is wrought in an instant God in saying live makes the soul to live as it is in the first so it shall be in the second Resurrection in a moment in the twinkling of an eye whiles God speaks the word the dead shall rise 1 Cor. 15. 52 c. 3. The next step to get out of a state of death into a state of life is to trust or believe in the Lord. I know there be many that doth make this the first step to salvation which I hear them say but not prove sure I am no man can have grace without knowledge for who can hate sinne till he knoweth it and the evil of it and who can love God or believe in him till he know him to be merciful able and faithfull who can do the duty that he understandeth not or go the way to heaven that he is ignorant of so that illumination must needs be the first step but withall it is granted that the Spirit of God either in Illumination or Vocation doth cause the first act of faith in the heart and by that act a habit is effected and therewith the seed of all graces For the habit of faith saith Master Norton seemeth not to be infused alone before the other habits of saving grace The universal frame of saving grace is infused into the soul at once as one general habit so that the infusion of life into the heart or soul hath its being all at once and is uncapable of division into parts and so the habit of faith seemeth not to be infused alone before or after the other saving graces so that I am not speaking of what comes into the soul first but what the soul doth put forth and act first in order to its coming out of a state of nature into a state of grace Two things are here of an absolute necessity to our salvation the one is to believe unfainedly that Christ is the Redeemer of the world and that there is no other way of salvation but by him Acts 4. 12. Iohn 14. 6. Iohn 10. 1 7 8 9. The second is to accept of him as he is offered to us in the Gospel and so faith instates a soul in the possession of heaven whilst the body remains on the earth Now in this third step of trusting in God or believing in him the soul
both unable and unwilling to help himself out of this miserable estate 20 21 There is a fourfold Change and but one saving Change 1. a Moral 2. a Partial 3. a Formal 4. a Spiritual Change 16 to 26 The preparations and qualifications that we are to find in our selves before we lay hold on Christ and the promises 26 27 How Conversion Regeneration Vocation and Repentance agree or differ 28 29 Of the way step by step wherein the Lord doth lead a Soul out of a state of Nature into a state of Grace 29 1. The first step to Conversion is Illumination 29 30 2. The second step is Vocation which is accompanyed with 1. The Faith of Assent 2. Repentance 3. Conversion 4. Regeneration 35 36 37 3. The third step to Conversion is to trust or believe which is accompanied with 1. A looking unto him 2. A comming unto him 3. A receiving of him 4. Laying hold on him 37 to 43 4. The next step for the carrying on and compleating this blessed work there is dropped into the Soul the Spirit of prayer which causeth the Soul chiefly to pray for these three things 1. For more Illumination 2. For pardoning Mercy 3. For purging Mercy 45 46 5. The fifth and last step that I shall name is this the Lord doth cause the Soul secretly to give it self up and surrender all the supposed interest that it had in its self to God that made him and Christ that bought him 49 50 Of Grace-begetting and Soul-converting Ordinances which are 1. Hearing the word preached 2. Reading the Scriptures 3. Frequent and eâ—â—nest prayer 51 to 54 2 Dwell much upon Grace-breeding and Soul-converting promises 54 to 57 3. Frequent the company of Grace-begetting and Soul-converting companions 57 58 59 4. Call to mind and meditate upon Grace-begetting considerations viz. 1. Consider what Christ hath done for us 2. Consider how God hath dealt with other sinners 3. Consider what relation thou hast to him 4. Consider what engagements you have from God 59 to 62 5. Consider in whose name you come before him ibid. 5. Means to gather and treasure up a stock of Grace-begetting and Soul-converting experiences 62 63 64 65 Of the means to be used that is more especially appointed for the confirming sealing and assuring the Soul of Salvation In the use of means take these four cautions 1. Be sure they be means of Gods own appointment 2. It is not the means alone but Gods blessing upon the means that doth help us 3. His Blessing is not dispenced so much according to the means as according to the uprightness of the heart in the use of them 4. Yet we are to wait upon God in the use of means as it is Gods way of Conveyance c. 65 to 73 The want of Conversion is not in God but in our selves 73 74 75 76. Some of the principal hinderances of Conversion 1. Ignorance of our own misery and Gods mercy 2. Men think it to be either a needless or an easie work 3. A total neglect or careless use of means 4. Mens not considering the joyes of Heaven and the torments of Hell 5. False conceits of themselves 6. Too deep a familiarity with bad company 7. Ignorance of the grounds and princâ—ples of the Christian Religion 8. And last hinderance is delay 76 to 81 Of the sad condition of all that are not converted 81 Of the privileges and benefits of all that are converted 82 83 1. They are Chists Servants 2. They are his Friends 3. His Brethren 4. His Jewels 5. His Sons and Daughters 6. His Bride and Spouse 7. They are Co-heirs with Christ ibid. The tryals of Conversion by which a man may know whether he be converted yea or no. 83 84 1. He that is converted doth desire the word and means of Grace 2. He is willing to be made willing to do whatsoever the Lord doth coÌ„mand him 3. He is brought unto an unfeigned hatred of the whole body of Sin 4. His greatest conflict is against in ward pollution 5. He mourns for the sins of of others and the want of more grace in himself 6. He doth delight to be speaking of those things which his heart hath taken in in the work of Conversion 7. He doth begin to keep a watch over his own heart 8. He makes Conscience of keeping every known Command 9. He is willing to put himself upon the tryal 10. He hath his Soul renewed in its faculties and vertues 85 86 Cerrain Objections answered which some out of weaknesse and others out of prejudice may be apt to make against the foregoing Discourse 100 The Objections or Queries that are clearly answered are as followeeh Q. IF a people or a person refuse to imbrace the Doctrine and practise the Discipline of the true Religion whether they are not to be forced to receive the one and practise the other yea or no 100 Q. Whether liberty of Conscience be as some say a cursed tolleration or of Divine institution yea or no 101 Q. What is or ought to be the ground of Communion and Fellowship in the Church of Christ 102 Q. Whether there be any preparatory work required of men and women before Conversion and is so what it is ibid. Q. Whether there be not a free will remaining in all the posterity of Adam yea or no 103 Q. Whether Adam by his fall did totally lose every good thing that there was in him yea or no ibid. Q. How came the sin of Adam being but one to become the sin of so many yea of all mankind 104 Q. How could Christ being but one make satisfaction for the sins of so many ibid. Q. What are we to understand by election and reprobation which so many contend about 105 Q. Whether Election be the cause of Salvation and Reprobation the cause of Damnation yea or no 106 Q. Whether Christ hath dyed and tasted death for every man yea or no ibid. Q. How can they have hope to believe whom God hath decreed shall not believe 107 Q. Why doth the most just and righteous God command all men to believe and promise salvation to them that doe believe and threaten damnation to all that doe not seeing it is not in manâ— power to believe 108 Q. Whether there be not a Light in every man which if improved and walkt up to would lead us to the Gate of Heaven if not into Heaven yea or no 109 Q. How doth it plainly appear that our Acceptation and Salvation is only of Grace and nothing else 111 Q. If Salvation be only of Grace without works in what respect are good works necessary 111 to 116 Q. How shall a man be able to do what is required seeing he is not sufficient of himself so much as to think a good thought 116 119 Q. What is or who is the Object of Faith 120 121 Q. What encouragements or grounds are there to provoke or perswade a people to believe in God 122 124 Q.
In what way are we to concelve of God when we pray unto him 124 125 Q. How or in what order are we to direct our prayers to the Trinity 125 126 Q. How can there be three viz. Father Son and holy Ghost and yet but one God seeing they are all called God 126 127 128 To each of these Questions there are clear and full Answers which will satisfie all sober enquiring teachable people READER BY reason of the Authors absence from the Presse through the distance of his Habitation from the City some faults have escaped the Presse wherefore I pray thee do me the favour as to correct the greater faults that appear at first view and pass by in love the lesser and weigh these things in the Ballance of Righteousness Love and Impartiality c. Of the Creation of Man and the love of God to Mankinde therein THe Great and Glorious God who is infinite in knowledge wisdom and love having finished the glorious Frame of Heaven and Earth according to his divine will he calls a Council even the operations in the Deitie to build that excellent Tabernacle Man whom he made of the lowest and impurest Element Earth and calls his Name Earth or Earthly that the excellency of the work might appear so much the more glorious and wonderfull the Lord having breathed into him the breath of life he became a living soul the man was now wholly good just and righteous his Lord having such a tender intire and indeared affection towards him would not put him into a vast world but planted a garden of pleasure and delight for him the flower of earths treasure it being inriched with variety of fruites pleasing to the eye sweet to the pallat and decked with flowers and walks sweet to smell to pleasant and delightful to walk in and beautiful to behold the pleasant fountaines and filver streames gliding before him to water the garden the sweet drops of dew hanging upon the leaves and grasse like Jewels glittering the tender branches and fruitful trees continually clad in Summers livery the Birds ringing out chiriping peals of melody straining forth their several notes the nimble footed Beasts leaping and sporting in their fruitful pastures the Sun Moon and Stars as it were smiled upon him here was no scorching heat or freezing cold to distemper him no sicknesse or pain to afflict him no filthy or venomous thing to annoy him no such labour as to weary him no contradiction or combustion to molest him but a sweet harmony and Concord amongst all creatures c. Yet though all creatures were good delightful and loving man did so far exceed them all that there could not be found amongst them any one fit or meet â—â—n 2. 21 22. to be a companion for the man that he might have society with So the Lord God caused â— deep sleep to fall upon Adam he slept took one of his Ribs and closed up the flesh instead thereof and the Rib which the Lord God had taken from Man made he a Woman â—o that no sooner did the Man awake from his sleep but God presented him with a lovely Companion a Wife meet for him the Man being now enriched with such a singular Ornament of Beautie as to creatures composed of love puritie and innocencie Now had the man one Jewel more precious than all the rest one Flower more in his Garden exceeding all others in beautie and delight c. they might now discourse of the goodness of God and the excellenciâ— of the Creation c. But lest they should in this Paradise of pleasure and plentie grow too high in their own conceits and so forget the Lord their God he gave theÌ„ a righteous Law that they might know they were but Creatures and though they reigned as Lords and Kings on earth yet they ought to be in subjection to their Creatour so the Lord leaves him in the hand of his own counsel under a strict command not to eat of the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil with a Promise of Life upon obedience to it and threatening Death upon disobedience of that righteouâ— Command So Adam and Eve being in Paradise and looking upon themselves as indeed they were the most excellent Pieces of all the Creation bearing the Image of their Creatour This excellent estate did not long continue for they both soon cast off their Lords Precepts by giving more credit to the words of the Serpent than to the Word of their Creatour and so fell by transgression in the manner following viz. The Devil being a fallen Angel envying The manner of Adams fall Gods glorie and Mans happiness comes to the Garden in the form of a Serpent and first he boards the Woman thus viz. Hath God said Ye shall not â—at thereof as if he should have said it is a likely matter that the Lord cares what you eat what do you think that he stands upon an Apple hath he created all things for you then do ye use them this is the first Assault which the Woman weakly resisteth beginning at the first to yield whereas God had said Thou shalt die she answereth doubtfully and saith Lest ye die then the Devil perceiying the Woman to stagger and the ground of her saith to shake the word was no sooner out of her mouth Lest ye die but he replies Ye shall not surely die what die with eating so fair an Apple can there be any hurt in it O sillie Woman Ye shall not die at all God he affirmeth Ye shall die certainly Gen. 2. 17. The Woman saith Lest ye die Gen. 3. 3. The Devil that old Serpent saith Ye shall not die Gen. 3. 4. Well who shall we believe we see our Mother believed the Devil for he had said Ye shall not die but be as gods knowing good and evil c. wherefore behold O silly Woman saith he What a goodlie Tree is this how pleasant to the eie delicate to the taste divine for use Can it do you any hurt would any but Fools abstain eat and fear not then the Woman seeing it was good for meat pleasant to the eies and a Tree to be desired after to get knowledg she took of it and did eat And by these or the like Reasons she perswaded her Husband and gave him and he did eat and hereby he brought himself and all his The misery that Adam all his posterity fell into posteritie into an estate of death sin and miserie So those who were created in the Image of God and were told by the Devil that by eating the Apple they should be as gods by this one act of transgression he and all his posteritie he being the Head and Root of all Mankinde were transformed into the Image of Satan being filled with pride envie anger and discontent mischief and crueltie so that 1. The Devil is said to be his Master Rom. 6. 16. 2. The Devil is said to be his Father John 8. 44.
there is no hope of Salvation Mat. 18. 3. John 3. 5 Sin was that which fetched the dearest blood from the heart of Christ and will have thine too if thou gettest not an interest in him if thy sin doth not die before thou dost die thou art in danger of 18 Sorts of men womeÌ„ that shall never enter into heaven perishing eternally Read seriously but these four Scriptures and thou shalt find at least 18 sorts of men and women that shall never enter into heaven unless before they die Christ be formed in them and they restored and renewed born again and covertâ—d c. 1 Cor. 6. 9 10. Know you not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God be not deceived 1. No Fornicators 2. No Idolators 3. Nor Adulterers 4. Nor Effeminate 5. Nor abusers of themselves with mankinde 6. Nor Theeves 7. Nor Covetous 8. Nor Drunkards 9. Nor Revilers or envious persons 10. Nor Extortioners These shall not inherit the kingdom of God Rev. 21. 8. 11. Nor the fearfull and unbelieving 12. Nor murderers See Rev. 22. 15. 13. Nor sorcerers or those that use witchcraft 14. Nor Lyars all these shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire which is the second death Gal. 5. 19 20 21. 15. Nor he that is given to hatred variance and strife 16. Nor he that is given to seditions heresies they which doe such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God 2 Thess 1. 8. 17. Nor ignorant persons 18. Nor those that refuse to practice what they know being disobedient These persons being shut out of heaven makes good the words of Christ Mat. 7. 13 14. Enter ye in at the strait gate for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction and many there be which enter in thereat because straight is the gate and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life and few there be which find it Rom. 9. 27. Though the number of the children of Israel he as the sands of the Sea a remnant shall be saved Well the holy nature of God will not permit the unclean and unholy soul to come into his presence Rev. 21. 27. There shall in no wise enter into it any thing that deâ—ileth or whatsoever worketh abomination Ps 5. 4. Neither shall evil dwell with him the foolish shall not stand in his sight it is true you may call him Lord Lord till the last Mat. 7. 21 22. But he will tell you he doth not know you if thou hast not something of the image of that Spirit that holy nature whatsoever thou mayest think of thy self he will never take thee for his child thou art wicked and the wicked as Psal 9 17. shall be turned into hell and all they that forget God and surely God in the execution of the curse doth the sinner no wrong nay he should doe wrong unto himself and with reverence so to speak be unjust if he should not execute Justice upon the sinner either in himself or in his Surety There are four strong reasons for it viz. 1. To manifest the majestie of him who is offended 2. And the goodness of the command that is transgressed 3. The evil of sin that is committed 4. The vildness of the sinner for sinning c. I had once thought to have spoken somthing to each of these four heads but shall not at present but desire the Reader to consider that every sin puts God upon complaining and Christ upon bleeding and the Spirit upon grieving Every sin doth cast a treble dishonor upon God 1. In its malignitie as being most contrary to the pure unspotted and perfect nature of God 2. In its obstinacie it opposeth the command of God slights the will of God and contradicts the design of God 3. Sin doth cast a dishonor upon God in its choice a sinner in sinning chuseth a base lust a venomous sin a crooked way before the glorious precious and most desirable good the Lord himself So that man in the state of nature lives upon the earth as a condemned creature under guilt curse and death being conceived in sin and brought forth into the world in iniquitie having lost that Image of righteousness holiness and saving knowledg of God in which Adam our father was at first created and so remains till born again converted and regenerated the children of wrath by Nature dead in sins and trespasses Aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel Satans captives servants and slaves and these men in this estate of Nature differ much one from another one seems nearer unto the other farther from the Kingdom of God Mark 12. 34. compared with Psal 119. 155. They 1. Have such hardened hearts and seared consciences that they commit all manner of wickedness with greediness glorying in their shame and so making themselves as the Scripture saith sevenfold more the children of wrath than they were before guilty of original sin but now they are become guiltie of original and actual transgression having been filling up the measure of their iniquitie and fitting themselves for the day of slaughter Matth. 23. 32 33. compared with James 5. 5. 2. Others walk more evenly and usefully being in a measure civilized by education custome fear of punishment good Examples wholesome counsels So was the young man Matth. 19. 20. All these things have I kept from my youth up What lack I yet c. So was the Scribe we reade of Mark 12. 32 33 34 he answered discreetly and Christ told him he was not far from the Kingdom of God Let the Reader consider that although Man is so fearfully and shamefully fallen yet there râ—mains some footsteps marks and impressions of that righteous and eternal Law at first engraven in his heart by the finger of the Almightie by which many Naturalists have acted wisely and prudently as to worldly affairs and humane concernments as may at large be safely gathered from many Scriptures there may be a change and yet not The Change Some of the Lord's people upon good ground doth observe that there is a souâ— fold change Change 1. A moral 2. A partial 3. A formal 4. A spiritual A man by improvement of the light and gifc in Nature may obtain to the three former as to instance 1. There is a moral change when a person or a people changeth from sinfull notorious waies to temperance justice equitie patience when ignorance is taken away by illumination and boldness in sinning is abated by fear of punishment and sticks there and goes no farther and here thousands stay and live quietly and perish eternally 2. There is a partial Change when men forsake some sins and yet live in the love and liking of other sins Christ sets this down in the Parable of the unclean Spirit as to some sinfull courses is cast out for a time but afterwards returns with seven spirits worse than himself and so his last end proves worse than his beginning Matth. 12.
we behold the downfall of all natural preparations and meritorious dispositions Quere 2. How Vocation conversion repentance regeneration agree or differ For answer to this let me give the Reader Master Baxsters judgement to which I fully assent and consent All these particular expressions saith he are used in Scripture to expresse one and the same work upon the soul onely they have some small difference Viz. The word Vocation is taken for Gods act of Calling and is two-fold First Common when men are brought to an outward profession Secondly Specially when people are savingly converted to Christ this last calling is the same with conversion only this difference Calling hath usually in Scripture a principal respect to the first act on the soul even the act of faith it self or at least the habit of faith is effected in the heart and therewith the seed of all graces in the soul this is that Vocation or special effectual Calling next Consider that Repentance is the same thing as special effectual Calling only this difference the word Vocation doth principally expresse the state to which we are called but the word Repentance doth principally respect our our turning to God from whom we fell and the word Vocation doth as much or more respect our coming to Christ the true and only way to the Father the word Regeneration is more comprehensive than Conversion Repentance and Vocation because there is so great a change that a man is as it were another man 2 Cor. 5. 11. He that is in Christ is a new creature And yet the word Regeneration fignifieth the same thing as Conversion Repentance and Vocation only observing a small difference as before mentioned Quere 3. The way step by step which the Lord in his ordinary dispensation in these Gospel-dayes doth lead a soul as it were by the band out of a state of nature into a state of grace 1. The first step to Conversion is Illumination 2. The second step to accomplish or at least to carry on this work is effectual Vocation which hath many branches 3. The third step to get out of a state of nature into a state of grace out of a state of death into a state of life is to trust or believe in the Lord which hath many branches 4. The fourth step for the compleating and carrying on this work there is usually dropped into the soul and heart the spirit of grace and supplication by which the party goes unto God with confessions and petitions 5. The fifth step to effect and compleat this great work the Lord doth cause the soul secretly to give it selfe up and surrender all the interest that it had in it self to God that made it and Christ that bought it 1. The first step to Conversion is illumination as doth fully appear by these Scriptures Acts. 26. 18. I send thee saith Christ to Paul to open their eyes and to turn them from darknes to light and from the power of Sathan unto God So Psal 119. 130. The entrance of thy word giveth light it giveth understanding unto the simple lob 33. 30. to bring back his soul from the pit to be enlightned with the light of the living Men are not born with this saving light in their hearts as they are born with tongues in their mouthes for the best knowing men under heaven untill born again and converted are in darkness Ephes 5. 8. For ye were sometimes darkness but now are ye light in the Lord being born again 1 Cor. 2. 14. The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned 2 Cor. 4. 6. For God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness hath shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ This illumination is acompanied with 1 A renewing of the mind Rom. 12. 2. Eph. 4. 23. 2 A conviction of sin and guilt he doth acknowledge himself a lawfull captive 3 There are the seeds or roots of all saving grace infused into the soul at once if the soul be enlightned with a special saving light but the soul doth not presently sensibly exercise thē all the first part of saving grace is illumination the opening of the eyes causeth the opening of the heart 2. The second step to accomplish or at least to carry on this work of conversion is Vocation this effectual vocation is the first or second act of Election saith Master Norton Calling is the first act of Divine mercy in recovering miserable man Doctor Twiss saith effectuall calling is the first mercy c. But let the Reader consider that if these four words Vocation Conversion Repentance Regeneration agree in one and are used in Scripture to expresse the same work upon the soul having but a small difference as hath been proved before then now in speaking to this word Vocation let the Reader take notice that though Conversion Repentance Regeneration be not exprest yet they all are included and contained and if so then Vocation seems to be a second work upon the soul rather than the first Jer. 31. 19. Surely after that I was turned I repented and after that I was instructed I was ashamed yea even confounded because I did bear the reproach of my youth the way that the Lord doth take for the recovering of a backslider and the conversion of a sinner doth in many thing if not in all go hand in hand together he calls upon the one and so he doth upon the other he enlightens the one to see from whence he is fallen and so he doth the other he gives repentance to the one and so he doth to the other c. There are principally these three things to be considered in this Vocation 1. The principal cause of Vocation is Gods free mercy 2 Tim. 1. 9. Titus 3. 3 4 5. 2. The instrumental cause is the preaching of the Gospel 2 Thes 2. 14. 3. The end of Vocation is Gods glory and the salvation of his elected ones Ephes 2. 1. And you hath he quickened when you were dead in sinnes and trespasses Col. 2. 13. And you that were dead in your sinnes hath he quickned Eph. 1. 12. that we should be to the praise of his glory There be certain steps at first in a souls coming to Christ or preparatory accesses like that we read Psalm 6. 2 4. Have mercy upon me O Lord for I am weak O Lord heal me for my bones are vexed Return O Lord deliver my soul O save me for thy mercies sake Matt. 9. 20. Bebold a woman diseased though she came not presently to look God fully in the face though she dare not come to touch Christ and lay hold on him yet she was sensible of her own misery and want of mercy she knew there was vertue to come from him and she came as near that as she durst she had a desire to speak but she went
O how may this encourage us to stir up our selves and take hâ—ld of God! See Isa 64. 7. Isa 27. 5. Let him take hold of my strength and he shall make peace within me As there is no promise to us till we believe so if once we believe all the promises are ours he hath promised to be a tower a rock a refuge a covert from a storm and hidden place in time of danger he hath promised to hear us when we pray to answer us when we call to open to us when we knock Psal 50. 15. Mat. 7. 7. Ground this in the bottom of your hearts that without faith in Christ and obedience to Christ there is no promise of life and salvation by Christ no coming to the Father but by him no coming to Christ but by faith no getting of faith but by waiting upon him in the use of means c. And so to close up the fourth head let the Reader consider that this looking unto him coming unto him receiving of him and believeing in him is spiritually to be understood and spirituâ—lly to be performed 4. Step for the carring on and compleating this work there is dropped into him or her the Spirit of grace by which he is at length imboldened to go unto God with confessions and petitions he puts on the resolution of the King of Ninive Jonah 3. and saith within himself I will cry mightily unto the Lord who can tell but that he may have mercy upon me He principally prayeâ— for these and the like things 1. He prayes for more light that he may see his sinnes and the vildness of them more fully that he may arraign accuse and judge himself for them 2. He prayes for pardoning mercy Pardon my sin saith David for it is wondrous great 3. He prayes for purging mercy 1. He prayes for an increase of light that he may see his sinnes more fully and clearly that he may abhor arraign accuse and judge himself for them That which I see not teach thou me saith the Prophet Again Job 13. 23 How many are mine iniquities and my sins make me to know my transgression and my sin Job 40. 4. Behold I am vile what shall I answer thee once have I spoken yea twice but I will proceed no farther 2. He prayes for pardoning mercy Rom. 8. 15. We have received the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father As a little child at first saith Dad and Mam so doth a Christian the evidence that the Lord gave Ananias of Saul's conversion was this Acts 9. 11. Behold he prayes He that hath not this breath of Prayer is either a dead man or in a dangerous swoun Psal 25. 7. Remember not the sins of my youth nor my transgressions but according to thy mercy remember me for thy goodness sake 3. He prayes for purging mercy Psal 19. 12. Who can understand his errors cleanse thou me from secret faults Psal 79. 9. Purge away our sins for thy name sake the soul is not satisfied with pardoning mercy unless he may have purging mercy also so that pardoning mercy is so great a belly-mercy that it hath many mercies in the bowels of it 2 Cor. 5. 19. it brings reconciliation with God and admission into his favour and adoption of children whereby the soul hath access to God as a Father with child-like boldness and acceptation of our services and sanctification of every condition to us and supportations under tryals and crosses and last of all peace joy comfort which are not so much fruits of pardon as fruits of purging and keeping down of sin that it reign not in our mortal bodies He freed me from the guilt of fin and shall I love the filth of fin He made me a member of Christ and shall I be a filthy member of so holy a body He hath made me a branch and shall I be a polluted branch of so holy a stock the Lord forbid Let the Reader consider that although we have brought Prayer under the fourth Step or head yet this is to be understood that the habit or root of this grace or gift was infused or conveyed into the heart and soul in the first step to wit illumination but it lay there as fire under ashes or sap in the root of the tree it was still and dumb it did not open the mouth nor inlarge the heart until Vocation and Believing had made way If wee did consider what order and method the Lord doth take to unveil his love to man and what order and method man should take to apprehend and apply this love it will make much for our satisfaction Viz. Gods order is he goes downward from the Cause to the Effect and we must goe upward from the Effect to the Cause he goes from Election downward we must go from Illumination Vocation Regeneration and Believing upward and thus God and we at last shall meet in the middle way we must prove our selves to be called and he will acknowledg us to be elected Let us consider that golden chain Rom. 8. 29 30. For whom he did foreknow he also did predestinate moreover whom he did predestinate them he also called and whom he called them he also justified and whom he justified them he also glorified c. Here is a golden chain indeed no link thereof can be unlinked because the fastning thereof is from and by the Lord First whom he fore-knew for his own as the word is taken John 10. 14. 27. those whom he marked out as it were out of all other men in the world and set his affection upon 2ly he also did predestinate that is ordained to be conformable to Christ their head in part both in grace and glory 3ly Moreover whom he did predestinate them he also called to the obedience of faith by the outward preaching of the word and the inward and effectual operation of the spirit and whom he called them he also justified that is God merely of his own grace and free will forgiveth our sinnes and pronounceth us just justice and mercy doth both meet in this justification justice in that he will not justifie a sinner without a perfect righteousness and mercy in that he will accept of such a righteousness that is neither in us nor done by us but by our surety for us all eminent acts as justification regeneration sanctification are but one act in God as we have proved before but because of our darkness and unteachableness the Lord doth speak to us after the manner of men and so doth make out things gradually to us leading us from step to step from things more plain to things more and more hard as we are able to hear and understand and practice them 5. The fifth and last step that I shall name for the carrying on and compleating this work is the Lord doth cause the soul secretly to give it self up in an everlasting Covenant and so to surrender all the interest that it had in
acceptation there are promises to settle us when we are wavering and to support us when we are falling and to recall us when we are wandering and to comfort us when we are fainting surely as the lamp liveth upon the oyle and a child upon the breast so doth faith upon the promises All these and such-like promises are reduceable to these two heads either absolute or conditional promises The conditional promises runnes thus Believe and thou shall be saved John 3. 16. Repent and thy sinnes shall be forgiven thee The absolute promises are such as are without condition or such wherein the Lord hath promised to give the condition I will be merciful to your unrighteousness and your sinnes and iniquities I will remember no more Heb. 8. 12. So Isa 43. 25. I even I am he that blotteth out thy sinnes for mine own sake c. These and such absolute promises are Grace-breeding or Faith-begetting promises To these promises we must go for faith to the conditional promises we must bring faith without which we cannot apply them but to the absolute promises we are not to bring our penny to the promises but go to them as to the means of working faith in us such promises as these Jer. 32. 40. I will put my fear into their hearts that they shall not depart from me Ezek. 36. 25. I will sprinkle water upon you and you shall be clean from all your filthiness vers 26. A new heart also will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you Vers 27. And cause you to walk in my wayes Heb. 8. 12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness and their sins and their iniquities I will remember no more Now let the Reader take one promise and charge that upon the heart and if the heart be stubborn and will not yield then take another and if that will not do take another and lay that home upon the heart and never leave this work till you have gotten at least some small measure of faith viz If thou dost doubt and canst not believe the pardon of thy sinnes then take this promise and charge it upon the heart Isa 43. 25. I even I am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake and will not remember thy sinnes If the heart remain stubborn and will not yield then take another promise and charge that upon the heart Mich. 7. 18 19. Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth iniquity and passeth by the transgression of his people he reteineth not his anger for ever because be delighteth in mercy he will subdue our iniquities and cast all our sinnes into the depth of the Seas Now if the heart will not yield to believe this then take that portion of Scripture 1 Pet. 2. 24. and bring it to the 53. of Isaiah that whole Chapter and charge that upon the heart and there thou shalt finde that our sinnes were laid upon Christ and the stripes due unto us for them by which the Father is satisfied the Law fulfilled and by his stripes we are healed Let us then believe and apply this and we are saved wherefore live much in the haven of the promises feed upon the freeness sweetness and fatness thereof c. God hath so far condescended to our weakness for our establishment that he hath not only given us his promise but promise upon promise and assured us by the mouth of all his Prophets and Apostles yea and Christ himself that he is faithful mindful able and willing and to this he gives us his covenant his oath and his seale and all to assure us he will never faile nor forsake us but make good every tittle of his promise to us How then can we look so many sweet promises in the face and harbour so many misgivings in our hearts 3. The next meanes followeth frequent the Company of Grace-begetting and Soul-converting companions where we shall hear how God hath wrought grace in them and how the Lord doth usually work upon the hearts of unbeleivers as a man that cometh into a shop of perfumes will carry away some of the sent with him so we with conversing with the godly shall be the better Pro. 13. 20. he that walketh with wise men shall be wiser but a companion of fools shall be destroyed vaine talk and vaine practises inticeth the minds of men to vanity the noyse of their foolish laughter and ungodly discourse will drown the voice of conscience remember grace is hardly got and hardly kept and more hardly increased in such company Prov. 10. 20. 21. The tongue of the just is as choice Silver but the heart of the wicked is little worth the lipps of the righteous feed many but the foolish die for want of knowledge Prov. 14. 7. Goe from the presence of foolish men when thou perceivest not in him the lips of knowledg Oh why should we not strive to live among those companions on earth that we must live with in heaven if ever we come there Nicodemus came to Jesus for counsel and Christ thereupon did give him advise in the great work of the new birth So Math 19. 16. Another came and inquired what he should do to be saved so the Eunuch desires instruction of Philip Acts. 8. and Paul of Ananias Acts. 9. 12. 13 17. and Cornelius inquired of Peter so the Jews that were pricked at heart askt Peter and the rest of the Apostles what they should doe to be saved Acts 2 37. and the saylor asked Paul and Silas what he should doe to be saved To close up this point consider this that a man never goes in the company of wicked men but he comes away less a Christian then he was before Joseph by this began to swear by thâ— life of Pharaoh and Peter being in bad company but a little began to swear and lye in one breath therefore let us resolve with David Psal 119. 63. to be a companion of all them that fear the Lord and keep his statutes c. Let us then if it be possible frequent the company of the most sober serious spiritual heavenly professors that will be drawing us heaven-ward and opening to us the riches freenesse fulness and everlastingness of God the Fathers and of the Sonnes love and of the Holy Ghosts love one Lord blessed for ever 4. The next means for the begetting of grace and converting the soul may be this let us meditate upon and call to minde grace-begetting considerations which may be reduceable to these few heads 1. Consider what Christ hath done for us 2. Consider how God hath dealt with other sinners as bad as we are 3. Consider what relation we have to him 4. Consider what engagements we have from him 5. Consider in whose name we come before him 1. Let us consider what Christ hath done for us Viz. 1. Christ by the will of God gave himself a ransom for our sinnes a sacrifice of a sweet smelling favour acceptable
unto God 2. Consider that the Father accepted of this sacrifice in full satisfation for all our iniquities transgressions and sinnes 3. The Father Sonne and Holy Ghost in the preaching of the Gospel doth make Proclamation with open mouth to all the world that he the Lord of Glory is fully satisfied forasmuch as the debt by Christ our surety is fully paid and the bond or hand writing that was against us cancelled and so much for the first Consideration of what Christ hath done for us 2. Consider and that seriously how God hath dealt with other sinners as bad as we are who have come to him viz. The Lord did not despise the weeping Mary the begging Canaanite the intreating Publican the confessing Thief the adulterous Woman the denying Disciple the persecuting Paul c. And if he refused not these but shewed mercy to them converting and healing them he will not reject me if 1 arise and go to him Psal 119. 59. I thought on my waies and turned my feet to thy testimonies I made hast and delayed not to keep thy commandments 3. Consider what relation we have to him he is our Creator we are his creatures in a word we are his by right of Creation Redemption and now we begin to be his by right of Regeneration Vocation Marriage and Covenant c. 4. Consider what engagements we have from him viz. he hath promised to pardon our sinnes to purge our natures Ezek. 36. 25. Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you and ye shall be clean from all your filthiness and from all your Idols will I cleanse you 5. Consider in whose name we come before him not in our own neither in the name of any but only his own dear Son in whom he is well pleased and for his sake he hath promised that whatsoever we ask in his Name he will give it unto us 1. We have his prayer to the Father to subdue and conquer our lusts John 17. 17. 2. We have his promise I will subdue your iniquities Micah 17. 19. Sin shall have no more domin ion over you Rom. 6. 14. 3. He is not only a Redeemer but also a Refiner a Purifier he gave himself for us to redeem us from all iniquity and to cleanse and purifie us to be his peculiar people zealous of good works 4. We have his merits as a Sanctuary to fly unto as to a fountain set open to wash us from all finne filthiness and uncleanness Zach. 13. 1. Sure these are grace breeding considerations consider them over and over again and again 5. The fifth means is gather and treasure up a stock of Grace-begetting and Soul-converting experiences viz. We have had some experience of the riches freeness fulness and everlastingness of Gods love and we have a little taste of the sufficiency and efficacy of the death and sufferings of the Lord Jesus Christ Gen. 30. 27. O friends shall Laban a natural man make use of experience which he had treasured up and shall not a true Christian in carrying on the work of grace began in his soul make use of it much more It is the duty and it should be the practise of all in converting and also of those converted to treasure up experiences of Gods goodness to them even from their cradles that God made them men and women and not toads and serpents that he hath hitherto preserved them when he might have destroyed them that they have as yet the means of grace whilst others in the world want that they have liberty sight limbs food and raiment these and such like are the blessings of his left hand and he tenders to thee also the blessings of his right hand Psal 63. 7. Because thou hast been my help therefore in the shaddow of thy wings will I rejoyce 2 Cor. 1. 10. Who delivered us from so great a death and doth deliver us in whom we trust be will yet deliver us See Psal 116. 2. Because be hath inclined his ear unto me therefore will I call upon him as long as I live It is good to hear better to hear and understand better to enjoy and best of all to have blessed experience of what we hear understand and enjoy the Saints of old could say that they had such experience of the faithfulnesse of the Lord that he made good every thing that he had promised to them no one good thing failed Josh 21. 45. There failed not any good thing that the Lord had promised to the house of Israel all came to passe Josh 23. 14. Not so much as one thing hath failed c. In the use of these and the like meanes the Lord usually scattereth some little seeds of grace in the hearts of those that he will bring unto himself which seeds being sowen doe afterwards by degrees put forth and act towards God as we may see in Lydia the Jaylor and Zacheus c. God makes himself known to us as a God of mercy gracious long-suffering pardoning iniquitie transgression and sin and so offers himself to be reconciled to us though we have rebelled against him promising to be a Father unto us and to accept of us in his beloved as his sons and daughters and thus is the difference made up between God and man the soul begins now to say at least in its self I that was an enemy he hath now reconciled unto himself I that was in times past without God without Christ without promise without covenant without hope yet now I have God for my God he is become my salvation Christ is become my Redeermer the Holy Ghost my Sanctifier O blessed thrice blessed be Father Son and Holy Ghost O how often did he call how carnestly did he knock how powerfully did he strive how long did he wait upon me before my stubborn hard heart would yield if he had never loved me I had never loved him if he had never drawn me I had never come if he had never sought me I had been yet straying in the wilderness of iniquitie and feeding in the fields of vanity now I see that God keeps open house invites intreate beseecheth us to beleive and come in O every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters come buy ye that have no Silver or Gold come buy milk and wine without money Isai 55 1. and he that comes to me John 6. 37. I will in no wise cast out Let him that will come whosoever hath a mind let him come let his sinnes be what they will be for nature number and for continuance yet come I will in no wise cast thee off Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth iniquity passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage thou retainest not anger for ever for thou delightest to show mercy Micah 7. 18 19. Means to be used for the confirming sealing ratifying and increasing of Grace where it is began WEe are to take notice that the same meanes for the most part
5. He calls them his sons and daughters 2 Cor. 6. 18. 6. He calls them the Bride the Lambs wife Rev. 21. 9. 7. He calls them co-heirs with himself Rom. 8. 17. And if all this be too little to express his heart to them then he tells them that the Father loveth them with the same love for the quality of it wherewith he loveth Christ what shall I say more they have the glory of God to be their aime the word to be their rule the spirit to be their guide the angels to be their guard and the blessed promises to be their support and as by vertue of their oneness with the first Adam his sin was made theirs so by vertue of their oneness with the second Adam his righteousness is made theirs nay farther they have by vertue of converting grace union with Christ and so communion with the life and Spirit of Christ with the death and sufferings of Christ with the merits and victories of Christ with the priviledges and immunities as Adoption Son-ship c. The trials of Conversion by which a man may know whether he be converted yea or no. LEt the Reader make a curious narrow impartial diligent search into his own soul and see what humility what self-denial what sin-abhorrancy what love to Christ what delight in his ordinances what zeal for Gods glory what contempt of the world what desiring after the society of the Saints what sympathising in their afflictions and if thou findest any impressions of grace any spiritual work any saving savoury distinguishing operation upon thy soul and heart then the Spirit hath been there with his cure and thou art as certainly born again as thou wast born first but these graces thus planted in the heart at first are full of imperfections there is some darkness with your light some enmity with your love much hardness of heart with your mourning for sin and much worldly sorrow in your purest tears much pride with your humility much murmuring with your patience and therefore great care is to be taken in the laying down these trials or marks of conversion for as we are to put a difference between gifts and grace and internal and external marks and signs so also we are to distinguish between those that are strong in grace and those that are weak in grace that have but little grace and this will be of great use to Christians that are but of a lower forme new converts having but little grace yet they may know that little they have though as yet they have not attained strength of grace yet they may know the truth of grace in themselves although they come short of strong believers yet they shall know they go beyond the most shining hypocrite for the least measure of grace is better than the greatest measure of gifts But we come to the trials of the new birth by which a man may know whether he is born again yea or no. 1. He that is truly converted doth desire the word and means of grace 1 Pet. 2. 2. 2. He is either willing or willing to be made willing to do whatsoever the Lord doth command him though it be never so contrary to flesh and blood Gal. 1. 16. 3. He is brought unto an unseined hatred of the whole body of sin Rom. 7. 24. compared with Philip. 3. 21. 4. His greatest and hottest mournings and strivings is against his inward pollution his close spiritual and secret sins Psal 19. 12. compared with Psal 90. 8. 5. He often mourns for the sins of others and for the want of growth in himself Lam 16. 3. 48. 6. He doth love to be speaking of those great and saving truths which his heart hath taken in in the work of conversion 7. He doth begin to keep a watch over his own heart 8. He makes conscience of keeping every known command 9. He is willing to put himself upon the tryal and to have any Christian search him and sometimes he intreats the Lord to search him Psal 139. 23. Lam. 3. 40. 10. He that is born again or truly converted haâ—h his soul renewed in its faculties and vertues c. These are such flowers of Paradise that grows not in Natures garden until the new man was put on and the party renewed in the spirit of his mind until Christ was formed in him for these are pearls that are not to be found in the worlds field wherefore we shall speak something to each of them briefly but before I proceed further let me give the Reader this caution Let not every one think he is not converted unless he finde these and the like characters of a true conversion in him if he finde but something of every thing if it be but in the budding in the breeding in the beginning his state may be good for when he is a well grown Christian these things will more and more clearly appear at the first conversion a man hath as it were but the root of them c. 1. He that is indeed born againe and so converted doth desire the word and means of grace 1 Pet. 2. 2. as new born babes desire the sincere milk of the word that they may grow thereby There the apostle makes it a resemblance of a spiritual man a man spiritually new born will desire after the meanes of grace that he may grow in grace by milk is here meant the word of God which is compared to milk First because of the sweetness of it Psal 19. 10. and Psal 119. 103. Secondly because of the purity of it it is without falshood Psal 19. 18. and 119. 140 and Thirdly because of the nourishing property thereof 2 Tim. 3. 16 17. When the Lord begets one by the immortal seed of his word he teacheth him to rest upon the word of promise which indureth for ever tendred in the Gospel indeed tho whole word of God is sincere milk whereby we grow and the old and new Testament may be called the Brests of consolation but if we grow not it is because we feed not we play with the breast c. 2. He that is indeed born againe he is either willing or at least willing that the Lord should make him willing to observe and do whatsoever the Lord doth command him though it be never so contrary to flesh and blood Acts. 9. 9. Lord what will thou have me to do How willing Paul was to lay down his first commission to take up another So Psal â—10 3 thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power They are willing to hear speak Lord for thy servant heareth they are willing to do Lord what wilt thou have me to do Psal 119. 5. Oh that my waies were directed to keep thy statutes Again David sets down another character of a godly man Psal 1. 2. His delight is in the Law of the Lord and Paul after conversion speaks of himself that his delight was in the Law of God as concerning the
but he and all his posterity retain some footsteps and impressions though not of grace yet of gifts he did not utterly lose the knowledge of God nor did his posterity for that is learned by the things that are made Rom. 1. 20. Nor did he utterly lose the fear of God for Adam confessed Gen 3. that when he heard the voice of God he was afraid there remains some scraps of wisdom by which he acts prudently as to worldly affairs Luke 16. 8. Again he walks toward his fellow-creatures in the performance of certain acts of duty and charity as they stand related to him and his light or conscience excusing or accusing according to his acting Q. How came the sin of Adam being but one man to be made the sin of so many men yea of all seeing they eat not the apple An The sin of Adam in eating the forbidden fruit is made ours by participation and imputation 1. By participation Adam being a publick person all his posterity was conteined in his loins and so sinned in his sinning Rom. 5 12. 2. By imputation the Lord doth impute the legal guilt therof unto his whole posterity descending from him by way of ordinary generation Rom. 5. 18 19. compared with-1 Cor. 15. 22. Q. How could Christ being but one make satisfaction for the sins of so many An How could Adam being but one infâ—ct so many with original sin the second Adam was as publike a person as the first and as well able to sanctifie as the first to putrifie and farther though Christ was but one yet he was such a one as was greater and better than all and so able and sufficient to satisfie for all and to redeem all for the blood of such an one as Christ the son of God was of such an infinite value and price that it did â—urmount and surpass in dignity and worth all the souls of the world and his sufferings and merits were a sufficient satisfaction if intended and to that end for to save so many worlds of men as there is men in the world for all things besides God came from nothing and are in themselves nothing It is true God calleth himself I am Exod. 3. 14. We are but created results of God bits of dependancies upon him we are of yesterday little branches budding from our mother nothing by the alone will and pleasure of God Isa 40. 15. 17. Behold all nations are before him as a drop of a bucket as the small dust of the ballance as a very little thing as nothing as less than nothing even as vanity c. Q. What are we to understand by Election and Reprobation which are mentioned in the Scriptures and so many people contending about An. Gods eternal purpose according to the counsel of his will for his own glory he hath fore-ordeined whatsoever comes to pass voluntarily to save some through Christ but others being left to themselves in their own fin and misery to perish eternally and albeit God worketh most freely and according to his good pleasure yet neither have the Elect any just cause to boast nor the Reprobate to complain for to the one undeserved grace was bestowed and on the other deserved punishment is inflicted Again consider that as predestination is a part of Gods providence so is Reprobation for as God by his providence hath ordeined some to life eternal so by that same providence he was pleased to suffer some to fall away from that happiness they are altogether foolish who acknowledge election and deny reprobation because the Scripture â—eacheth that there is a reprobation as well as election Isa 41. 9. I have chosen thee and not cast thee away Mal. 1. 3. Jacob have I loved and I have hated Esau Rom. 9. 18. He will have mercie on whom he will and whom he will be hardneth Rom. 11. 7. The election hath obtained it and the rest have been hardned 1 Thes 5. 9. God hath not appointed us to wrath but to salvation 2 Tim. 2. 20. Vessels to honour and to dishonour Jude vers 4. For there are certain men crept in which were before of old ordained to condemnation So that we may learn from these Scriptures that if Christ sheweth a people mercy it is frâ—e and meer mercy if he doth not shew them mercy he doth them no wrong Rom. 9. 15 16. Q. Then Election seemeth to be the cause of salvation and Reprobation the cause of damnation An. Election and Reprobation are not in any sense the causes of salvation and damnation but Christ is the proper and meritorious cause of salvation and Sin the proper and meritorious cause of damnation election and reprobation they are but precedent acts or decrees and the causes of salvation and damnation they come in between the decrees and the execution thereof If it be demanded Why the Potter out of the same lump makes vessels of such different condition It is answered because there be different uses of those vessels in the house If again it be demanded Why out of one piece of the same lump a vessel of honour is made and a vessel to dishonour It is answered because itso pleased the Potter O the unlimited Soveraignty of the being of beings how unsearchable are his judgements and his wayes past finding out Rom. 11. 33. Q. Whether Christ hath dyed for all men and tasted death for every man 2 Cor. 5. 15. 1 Tim. 2. 6. as these Scriptures seem to affirm An The word all hath many restrictions in Scripture and so hath the word every man as to instance the word all is sometimes restrained in Scripture to the Lords peculiar people John 12. 32. Christ saith he will drsw all men to him that is all men that the father gave him Jo. 6. 45. Again we read They shall be all taught of God not all the world sure but all Gods people Again Acts 2. 7. I will powr out my Spirit upon all flesh this place cannot be meant of all the wicked Again we read 1 Thess 2. 15. They please not God and are contrary to all men that is all good men Again we read Ye shall be hated of all men for my names sake that is of all wicked men So we see the word all is taken variously and when as it is said he tasted death for every man it is to be taken for some of all kinreds tongues and people As to instance Cant. 3. 8. Every man had his swâ—rd on his thigh So Micah 4. 4. Every man shall sit under his vine So â— Cor. 4. 5. Every man shall have praise of God Now let us consider every mon in the world had not a sword to wear nor a vine to sit under neither shall every man have praise of God much more might be said to this but this point is fully debaâ—ed and answered by many precious Christians whose books are extant Q. How can they have hope to believe whom God hath decreed shall not believe An. We are
of Gods own will James 1. 18. Of his own will begat he us by the word of truth Faith is also the free gift of God Philip. 1. 29. Justification is freely by grace Rom. 3. 24. Forgiveness of sinnes is according to the riches of his grace Eph 1. 7. In whom we have redemption through his bloud the forgiveness of our sins according to the riches of his grace Eternal life also is the gift of God Rom. 6. 23. Qu If these and the like precious things be only of grace without works then in what respect are good works necessary An. Good works are necessary 1. in respect of God 2. in respect of our selves 3. in respect of others 1. Works are good in respect of God 1. to shew our obedience 2. to glorifie his name 3. to testifie our thankfulness 4. to beautifie his gospel 1. To shew our obedience Rom. 6. 16. To whom ye yield your selves servants to obey his servants ye are to whom ye obey whether of sin unto death or of obedience unto righteousness See John 8. 34. compared with 2 Pet. 2. 19. 2. To glorifie his name Mat. 5. 16. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorifie your Father which is in heaven 1 Pet. 2. 12. Having your conversation honest among the gentils that when as they speak against you as evil doers they may by your good works which they shall behold glorifie God in the day of visitation See Thess 1. 12. 3. To testifie our thankfulness when we consider that we our selves together with the residue of mankind lay equally in the guilt and pollution of Adams sin he freely gave unto us so excellent a being after his own Image leaving our fellow sinners unto misery from all eternity he appointed his son to descend as low as hell to fetch us from thence and to ascend up as high as heaven to carry us up thither this is the great and glorious cause of thanksgiving saying in these or the like words Psal 116. 12. What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits towards me Whatsoever we are we are by him whatsoever we have we have received from him whatsoever we are or have we owe to him Rom. 11. 36. Of him and through him are all things to whom be glory for ever Amen 4. Good works are necessary to beautifie the Gospel Philip. 1. 27. Let your conversation be as it becometh the Gospel of Christ And in the 2 Col. 9. 13. there were a people commended fortheir professed sibjection to the gospel surely unless we maintain and keep up good works in our conversation we walk unworthy of God Col. 1 10. That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing being fruit failin every good work c. Nay farther if we are negligent in obeying we walk unworthy of our calling Eph. 4. 1. I beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called Tit. 2. 10. that we might adorn the doctrin of God out Saviour in all things for indeed an holy conversation is the end of our election Eph. 1 4. compared with John 15. 16. Again it is the end of our redemption 1 Pet. 1. 18 19. compared with 2 Cor. 5. 15. Nay farther it is the end of our vocation 1 Pet. 1. 15. compared with 1 Thess 4. 7. Lastly a holy conversation is the end of our new creation Eph. 2. 10. We are created in christ Jesus unto good works which God hath ordained before that we should walk in them So much for the first of these Good works are necessary in respect of God to shew our obedience to glorifie his name to testifie our thankfulness and to beautifie his gospel c. 2. Good works are necessary in respect of our selves 1. As it is the way of conveyance of mercy to us 2. To declare and manifest our sincerity 3. This is the way to have a being and a well-being 4. This is the way to make our calling and election sure 1. They are necessary in respect of our selves as they are the pipes of conveyance of both the apprehension and application of mercy to us See these Scriptures Psal 50. 23. To him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God Psal 107. 43. Who so is wise and will observe these things even they shall understand the loving kindness of the Lord. John 14 21. He that hath my commandements and keepeth them he it is that loveth me and he that loveth me shall be loved of my father and I will love him and will manifest my self to him 2 Cor. 1. 12. For this is our rejoycing that in simplicity and godly sincerity we have had our conversation among you 2. They are necessary to clear and manifest our sincerity both to ourselves and others to our selves as they spring from a right principle and are regulated by a pure rule and done to a good end 1 Tim. 1. 5. compared with 1 Cor. 10. 31 to others they know a tâ—ee by its fruits they know where faith is by its works and where love is by its effects 1 John 1. 6. If we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness we lye and do not the truth so 2 Cor. 8. 7. 8. 3. They are necessary as to our being and well being Psal 37. 3. Trust in the Lord and do good so shalt thou dwell in the land and verily thou shalt be fed Mat. 16. 27. He will reward every man according to his works 4. This is the way to make our calling and election sure 2 Pet. 1. 5. 6 7 8 9 10 11. For if ye do these things ye shall never fall for so an entrance shall be administred unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ 3. Good works are necessary in respect of others Titus 3. 8. they that have believed in Christ must be carefull to doe good works for these things are good and profitable to men in these four-sold respects 1. To stop the mouths of wicked men 2. To increase the joy of the Lords people 3. To win others to the embracing of the Gospel 4. For an example of vertue 1. To stop the mouthes of wicked men who will condemn sin in a Professor although they will approve of it in themselves 1 Pet. 217. For so is the will of God that with well-doing we may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men this made wicked Saul say to David 1 Sam. 24. 17. Thou art more righteous than I for thou hast rewarded me good for evil 2. To increase the joy of the Lords people Col. 2. 5. for though I am absent in the flesh yet am I with you in the spirit joying and beholding your order and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ So again the second Epistle of John vers 4. I rejoyced greatly saith John that I found of thy children walking in truth Surely
3. The Devil is said to be his Prince John 12. 31. 4. The Devil is said to be his God 2 Cor. 4 4. And so man thus fallen bears the Image of Satan which doth not consist in any bodily shape as some do foolishly imagine but in a likeliness of all manner of wickedness The understanding by this fall was darkened and filled with vanitie Psal 94. 11. and 2 Cor. 4. 4 The will depraved the affections disordered the memory misimploied the conscience benummed In a word the wretched soul is so desormed with filthiness outraged with passions pined with envie overcharged with gluttonie boiling with revenge transported with rage that the Image of God in Man is transformed into the uglie shape of the Devil Gen. 6. 5. And God saw that the wickedness of man was great and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was onely evil and that continually And this fallen heart not onely evil but desperately wicked Jer. 17. 9. The heart is deceitfull above all things and desperately wicked who can know it O Sirs there are but few that doth know the plague of their own hearts c. So that Man in this fallen estate is become a lump of sinne from the crown of the head to the soale of the foot there is no soundness And so all the posteritie of Adam have sinned and come short of the glorie of God and are now become Satans conquest captives and slaves being under the curse and subject to bondage and miserie Isai 63. 6. So we are all as an unclean thing and all our righteousness as filtby rags and we all do fade as a leaf and our iniquities like the winde have taken us away Mr. Baxter in his Treatise of Conversion p. 71. affirms that even our children by nature considered as finfull and unsanctified are as hatefull in the eies of God as any Toads or Serpents are in ours c. See 1 John 3. 10. Nay further consider a little by what names and titles all men and women thus fallen and so remaining are The names Titles given in Scripture to fallen man known by in the Scriptures of truth Sometimes they are called filtby dreamers defiling the flesh Jud. 8. Raging waves of the Sea foaming out their own shame Jud. 13. Natural bruit beasts made to be taken and destroyed that shall utterly perish in their own corruptions 2 Pet. 2. 12. Wells without water cloudes that are carried with a tempest to whom the mist of darknesse is reserved for ever 2 Pet. 2. 17. A generation of vipers Mat. 3. 7. Ye serpents how can ye escape the damnation of hell Mat. 23. 33. The Scripture calls them Lions for their fiercenesse and Bears for their cruelty Dragons for their hiddiousnesse dogs for their filthinesse and wolves and foxes for their subtilty in a word the Scripture stiles them Scorpions vipers thorns briars thistles brambles stubble dirt chaffe dust drosse smoak scum and a cage of every unclean Bird Rev. 18. 2. And if all this be not enough we are said to be Satans slaves or captives 2 Tim. 2. 26. Man can never be saved unlesse he be regenerated No salvation without regeneration born again and converted and have the image of God renewed which was defaced in our fall in the first Adam Hence it is that Christ tells us Mat. 7. 13. 4. Straight is the gate and narrow is the way that leadeth to life and few there be that find it There being four gates shut and five exceptions made by Christ against their entering in First there are four gates shut Mat. 25. 12. 1. The gate of hope 2. The gate of grace 3. The gate of mercy 4. The gate of comfort Secondly there are five exceptions made by the Lord Jesus Christ against their entring into heaven The first exception is that in John 3. 3. Jesus answered and said unto him verily verily I say unto thee except a man be born again be cannot see the Kingdome of God 2. Exception is that Mat. 18. 3. Verily I say unto you except ye be converted and become as little children ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven 3. Except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish Luke 13. 3. 5. 4. Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood ye have no life in you John 6. 53. 5. Except your righteousnesse shall exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharises ye shall in no case enter into the Kingdom of heaven Mat. 5. 20. But most of the world will be apt to say Object we grant all this But what is this to us we have confessed our sinnes we have prayed we have repented of our sinnes and in some good measure reformed our lives Beware of temporary faith partial obedience Answ messionary love pretended zeal legal sorrow and feined humility these may have the forme and yet want the power of godlinesse except thy righteousnesse exceed that of the Pharisees thy sacrifice that of Cain's thy confessing of sins that of Pharaoh's thy weeping that of Sauls thy fasting that of Abab's thy reformation that of Jehu's thy restitution that of Judas thy believing that of Simon Maguâ— thy fear and trembling that of Felix these were cast-awaies notwithstanding these were seeming good things Hast thou never read of Pharaoh desiring the prayer of Moses Balaam desiring to die the death of the righteous Saul condemning of himself Ahab humbling himself Ninive repenting Felix trembling Herod hearing John Baptist joyfully and did many things Mark 6. 20. All this mayst thou doe and more thou mayst live rejoycingly and die peaceably and yet perish eternally Consider if thou wert cursed in the wombe born a child of wrath what art thou now having lived so long in sin but the child of hell farr more than thou wast before Psal 58. 3. Job 20. 11. Again if for one fin all the curses of the Law doe lie upon thee as Gal. 3. 10. James 2. 10. what is due to thee for all thy sins If single sins deserve death what doe thy double and treble sins deserve Consider thy often backsliding sinnes against knowledge conscience covenants purposes promises protestations c. Doâ— not all these deserve double and dâ—eper damation viz. Not knowing of God he will not have mercie upon thee Isa 27. 11. compared with 2 Thess 1. 8. Not repenting thou shalt perish Luke 13. 3. Not believing in him thou shalt be damned John 3. 18. Not loving him thou art cursed 1 Cor. 16. 22. Not being zealous according to knowledge he will spew thee out of his mouth Rev. 3. 16. Not being meek thou art abomination to the Lord Prov. 3. 32. Not being mercifull thou shalt have judgement without mercy Jam. 2. 13. Not being holy thou shalt never see the face of the Lord Not washing thy heart from wickedness thou canst not be saved Jer. 4. 14. Therefore ground this in the bottom of thy heart That without true conversion