Christ do most if not all of them abide in the Soul after its union with Christ The hewing of the Stones and Timber which prepared them for the Temple did remain after the Temple was built the hewing of Timber making of Tennants Mortises which prepare for the House abide when the House is set up and perfected so do these works which prepare and make the Soul fit to close with Christ to be made his House Heb. 3.6 Those works which Mr. Shepherd saith make the Soul preparatively happy That clear real and constant light yea the legal fears whether they come from the Spirit of bondage or no I now dispute not sorrows that willingness that Christ should take away sin that humiliation emptying the Soul of its confidence in any of its duties and righteousness and if that be a preparatory work to make the Soul quiet without Gods Love and to be content to be disposed of by him to hell and damnation this with almost all the rest must abide after Union only when I say must abide I do not intend it of legal fears and legal sorrows of these I only say they are found often in many truly regenerated that are actually in Christ but for all the rest they must abide Hence from the beginning of the work of the Spirit upon an elect Vessel there seems to be a difference between his work upon such a one and that which a Reprobate hath Hence if you have not what you desire in these works called preparatory it is not too late now to get or increase them though they loose that respect now to one who is actually in Christ they are not properly preparatory Ninth Position In order of nature one work must go before another so Ministers must preach and write if they will keep to the Rules of Method but in order of time they may go all together Illumination must in order of nature go before Conviction and Conviction before Compunction c. but in order of time they may go together the Spirit of God at the same time lets in a clear light convinceth and strikes the heart with fears sorrows c. it is not thus that the Soul is one week or one day under the work of Illumination another comes under Conviction the third week or day comes under Compunction I know there may be light and conviction many weeks and years when there is no Compunction but it is not so when the Spirit of the Covenant is at work How often have men come home from one Sermon with these works wrought As for the work of Humiliation whether that be alwayes at the first stroak I do not determine but shall speak to it in its due place To conclude this Chapter concerning Preparations in general Let the Lord begin when he please let him work how he please yet he so worketh that first or last before God hath done with thee if thou livest to be one of ripe years he will make thee see how all his Counsels open themselves the necessity the truth the glory and excellency of them in saving thy soul His Counsel was to advance the glory of his rich Grace free Mercy the redemption the Righteousness satisfaction of his Son the power of his Spirit in regenerating and applying redemption and maintaining of his good work in thy heart with the throwing down of all thy conceited righteousness abilities whatsoever that may lift up and do lift up too many O saith the Soul I see all these I feel it must be thus my heart answers these Counsels of God My Reverend Tutor Doctor Hill whose memorial is precious to me laying his hand upon his breast would say Every true Convert hath something here that will frame an Argument against an Arminian and that is very true CHAP. II. Of the first Work of the Spirit Illumination WHen the Spirit of God Gen. 1.2 moved hovered or * So Syrus reads it incubabat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Incubuit ovis Schindler Rectius sentiunt qui dicunt Spiritum sanctum jucubasse confusis corporibus caeli terrae sicat gollina incubat ovis ut illa calore suo colefaciet animet Munslerus Clarius Hinc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lux Lumen A sto manifestum i. Clarum apertum quasi ad manus foris stans Perottus Col. 119. brooded upon the Deep which was covered with darkness the first particular work he formed out of that rude great and general heap was Light ver 3. So the first thing the same Spirit worketh in the new Creature is Light God who commanded light to shine out of darkness hath shined in our hearts c. 2 Cor. 4.6 Paul was sent to the Gentiles to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light Acts 26.18 Illumination and Conviction seem to differ as the cause and effect it is by his Light that we do convince Light brings in such reason proof demonstration that a man cannot evade the strength cannot reply cannot except then he must sit down convinced But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the Light or all things when they are reproved of the Light as the old translation and the Geneva translation so joyn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for whatsoever doth make manifest is Light Ephes 5.13 Make this manifest to me saith the man in dispute I will yield Light is brought in and that maketh manifest The Notion or Opinion that the Angel of Laodicea had of himself did differ much from that Opinion Christ had of him I am rich and want nothing saith the proud Angel Rev. 3.17 but I know thou art poor and miserable naked c. But how shall this luke-warm Angel be convinced of it Let him but go buy eye-salve of Christ Gospel price and anoint his eyes that he may see himself then he will be convinced who speak truest Christ or he The necessity of this work appears First From that darkness which is upon all our understandings naturally Darkness was upon the face of the deep Gen. 12. in the first Creation It is as true in the new Creation the Spirit findeth much darkness upon our Souls the Prince of darkness holds us under his power by this darkness that is in our understandings I do not mean only by this but in great part Ephes 5.8 For ye were sometimes darkness Ephes 4. Having their understanding darkened that is the reason why we walk so in the vanity of our minds ver 17. Neither is this the condition only of those who sit in darkness and shadow of death Matth. 4.16 Where the medium is dark as it was in the Egyptian darkness where no Scripture-light shines but of those who dwell in Goshen where Scripture yea Gospel-light shines clear there is darkness enough in some mens eyes though the Sun shine never so bright Bartimeus cannot see When Paul was converted the holy Story tells us Scales fell from his eyes when he was
pleasures for evermore Psal 16.11 Flesh bids ease and liberty from trouble Christ bids Peace in Conscience peace in Heaven pardon in bosome John 14.27 and 16 33. Flesh bids riches Christ bids unsearchable riches Ephes 3.8 Flesh bids the love and favour of great Persons Christ bids the love of his Father and his love John 14.21 To conclude to beat Flesh quite out saith God I give thee my self I give thee my Christ whatever Flesh bids make the best it is but temporary what I bid is eternal 2 Cor. 4 last The Soul being under the work of the Spirit is enlightened to see all these things in their reallity and enabled to understand the glory and good of them and thus the Lord carries away the will in triumph he hath out-bidden the Flesh the blessed Angels they rejoyce at this work Luke 15.10 There is joy in the presence of the Angels of God over one sinner that repenteth But what hast thou gotten sweet Saviour that thou art so pleased in thy victory Psal 110.3 What I have got thy will A huge booty Lord not worth the taking up nor worth the ten thousand part of what thou hast offered to win it thou hast but pulled trouble upon thy self in getting it now thou hast a sinful wretched guilty peevish froward polluted wretch to pardon to cleanse to take care of one that will try thy patience small reason why thou shouldst triumph in thy winnings Be it so yet my Father hath the glory of his Grace and Mercy I have the glory of my Love and Redemption I see of the travel of my soul and I am satisfied Isai 53.11 To eternity then let thy Fathers Grace and Mercy be adored thy Love and Redemption admired Thus it is Christs out bidding of Flesh and the Creature which strikes the main stroke in the answering of the Call And now the will being renewed and the Spirit present in this work to make clear to the will the will comes off most sweetly freely never acted more freely with more sweetness than now though still there lye a corrupt old Adam that is cross to this but at this time it is so overpowred with Grace that it appeareth not in the actings of it and the dominion of it is for ever broken Jansenius moves this Question Jansen Aug. tom 3. l. 4. c. 1. Caelestis quaedam ineffabilu servitus c. Quid fit medicinale Christi Adjutorium secundum Substantiam Or thus Wherein lyeth the efficacy of that which the Schools call gratia efficax What is it that makes it so He answers in blessed Austin's words Victrix delectatio an overcoming a conquering delight or thus in his own words It is nothing else but a certain heavenly and unspeakable sweetness or spiritual delight by which the will is prevented and bowed to will and do whatever the Lord commands it to will and do He spends eleven Chapters in proving that this conquering delight and heavenly sweetness which the Lord lets in to the Soul is that which makes Grace to be efficacious in Conversion and in overcoming any temptation he that reads his Chapters will find how experimentally he writes Now if by this conquering delight and heavenly sweetness he understands the joy the rest the sweetness the Soul finds in possessing the Object which it loves and desires as when God shines upon the Soul and gives it to know his Love this is rarely found in the first Conversion now though in the Gospel-Converts it was known to commend the Gospel in the first preaching of it to fit them for sufferings for it The Apostles being to travel up and down could not abide fixed with them to help them but yet a conquering an out-bidding Good having a pleasing sweetness attends it the Lord doth present to the will which draws the will sweetly after it and makes Calling to be effectual and without it there can be no sound Conversion by this the Soul seeth a reason to move to this term unto which it is called for all that pretended good which held the Soul fast in the term from which it was called is all answered out bid and conquered This Victrix delectatio B. Austin makes so much mention of because he had found it in his own experience how the Lord took him off by it when he was under that great Conflict how he should part with his lusts Christ threw them out Confess l 90.12 and camest in thy self more sweet than all pleasure then saith he of a sudden how sweet was it for me to want the sweetness of those trifles and those which before I feared to loose it was now my joy to let them go Thus Stella interpreting those words Luke 14.23 Compel them to come in speaks most excellently How doth the Lord compel men to come in Two wayes saith he First By shewing to the will such good that the will cannot but desire it Secondly By removing and hiding all evil and whereas the object of the will is good God can represent to the will so much good that the will cannot but love that good which it seeth and this is no compulsion of the will Quia voluntas naturaliter fertur in bonum Thus we have the two last things which I opened as required to a true receiving of Christ proved and here let me only leave this word to many Christians who when they read of such a mighty power that God puts forth in the day of Conversion or of Faith closing with Christ Psal 110.3 Ephes 1.19 c. they apprehend God puts forth some strong Act whereby he bends or bows their wills and makes them by mighty power of his as it were by force to come up to his terms in offering of Christ and they have not felt such a force or powe but have found their hearts so willing to accept him upon those terms and blessing God for ever may they but have him for their Jesus and God for their God it is the best bargainn that ever they made hence not feeling such a power as they imagined their faith is not found Now this is a gross mistake yea though God wrought upon thee when thou wert adult and hadst played the Rebel against him before in thy life following thy vile lusts when God hath been preparing of thee before and thy will renewed whether mediately by working on the understanding first in order of nature though in order of time together or whether immediately I dispute not though I incline to the first thy heart comes up most freely and sweetly to thy closing with Christ as if there were no power at all put forth upon the will by God because by out-bidding of all thy lusts and setting before thy hungry will such a Gospel-Feast as I mentioned before and helping of thy understanding clearly to see it and taste it though he doth still concur with the will it comes off as freely as ever it did in making of a bargain in
soul is content satisfied and well-apaid if God will leave it in that miserable and damnable estate into which it hath brought it self Now when the awakened sinner in his way to Christ meets with these Lessons and begins to meditate upon them must I be quiet though God will never give me his love Must I be content though God will never work or manifest grace to me or in me Must I be content to bear the state of damnation well a paid satisfied though God leave me in it O what work do these make in a poor distressed lost undone sinner Here are blocks for me to get over if these things be true I must never look to come to the City of Refuge but must dye in the way and be damned for ever But suppose a man hath got through the way and is now come to the gate of the City to enter in to close with Christ by Faith Another meets him Well sinner whatever Christ was before to you now it seems he is of worth now you would have a Christ Yea with all my heart saith the distressed sinner But what is it in Christ you look at you would have a Saviour Yea and can you blame me is not his name Jesus I would have him a compleat Saviour Mr. Dan. Rogers Gatechise 1 Edit p. 118. I thought so This is the main aim of most hearers if they have faith they are sure to scape Hell and if they have the conditions of faith wrought faith will follow But poor soul tell me if this be thy aim wherein differest thou from a drunkard or a swearer God hath tyed himself graciously to such as do seek Him p. 117. not themselves He assists and seconds them who seek his glory above their own salvation There is a mixt-self Mr. Rogers Naan an and this mixt self is so dangerous a mischief as to deprive the soul of all her labour and hopes Now what is that mixt-self p. 129.123 Several are mentioned The fifth is Self-love When the soul so looks at the Promise as an object of immediate good to her self and for her own ends and welfare not subordaining her own salvation to the glory of God So that sinner Mr. Shepheard in two or three places of his Sincere Convert speaks to the same effect which I shall take notice of in its proper place here is the question before you enter into the City or close with Christ Is it the glory of Gods grace which you seek above your own salvation If your salvation be not aimed at in a subordinate way to his glory Self love only acts you and that will undo you Good Lord saith the poor sinner how shall I know this I am glad of a Saviour to deliver me from Hell and wrath which I so fear yea and willing to be saved from my own heart and lusts and enmity against God are drunkards and swearers so too if so then I am lost indeed while my soul is thus pressed and oppressed with the sense of my undone miserable lost sinful and damned estate I see it is rich grace which only can save me through Christ and I shall for ever adore his grace but whether the glory of it is now above my own salvation I fear it One block more lies in the way sinner there is no union with Christ without Faith and if no union then no communion do you then understand what this Faith is Mr. Perkins Catechise 4th princip I must tell you It is a wonderful grace of God by which a man doth apprehend and apply Christ and all his benefits unto himself But Sir how doth a man apply Christ to himself I tell thee This applying is done by Assurance when a man is verily perswaded by the boly Spirit of Gods favour towards himself particularly and of the forgiveness of his own sins Thus also Mr. John Rogers of Dedham Treatise of Faith p. 23. who thus describes Faith It is a particular perswasion of my heart that Christ Jesus is mine and that I shall have life and salvation by his means that whatever Christ did for the redemption of mankind he did it for me c. Other things I have met withall in the writings of these holy men which have caused some trouble and I may mention them afterwards but these are the things which chiefly have caused sinking thoughts If these things be true then if we divide those whom according to other sound notes we must judge to be sincere Converts into four parts I believe three parts must begin their work again If Christians had minded these things understood them and applyed them to their own hearts to see how they answered them I doubt not but they would have found the troubles that others have from them Again had these men been of the lower form in Christs School men but of common and ordinary gifts and grace they would not so much have daunted us but being men so eminent in gifts and grace Master builders hence our fears and troubles rise the more Surely the work of Regeneration or effectual Calling is not so easie though these things be left out he that tries it will find that which will make him cry out with Ephraim Turn me Lord Jer. 31.18 yea or else never turned Why then these blocks must be thrown in the way I know not If indeed the holy Scripture calls for them then I will not call them blocks but that is the thing which in their proper place I will with reverent respect to these blessed Saints humbly examine THE Real Christian OR A Treatise of Effectual Calling CHAP. I. Concerning Preparations of the Soul for Christ in General OUr worthy Divines have both by preaching and writing spoken much for preparations of the Soul Vide Sentent Theolog Britan de 3. 4. Anic in Synod Dord before it will close with Christ savingly and that not without cause That abundance of Christians have a long time doubted of and argued against the truth of their union with Christ for want of their sensible experience of these preparative works which they have learned and read is well known to him who hath had any inward converse with Christians if his own experience be not a witness of it How many years have some Christians here stuck and could not answer or help themselves Hence when they feel corruptions working and their hearts grow sluggish not following after Christ as they should do they impute the fault to the want of these preparations Had I tasted more of the bitterness of sin in that legal work as others have done sin would not have been so sweet so powerful as now I feel it my heart would have followed after Christ more close then now I do It 's true Divines have spoken and printed some things to help Christians in this particular but while they preach and print of such strong convictions such dreadful legal terrors deep sorrows and
of Solomon The words which his Mother taught him it seems Bathsheba used to catechize and drop into her Son Solomon Prov 4.3 4. David did also instruct him but David must be at Court or in the field in war Bathsheba is with her Son continually she carries on the work in Davids absence whether Absalom Amnon or Adonijah's Mother did so I doubt it the Scripture saith nothing To return to our question When was the time of Preparing these Infants for Christ It would be hard for Samuel Timothy and divers others in Scripture for the most of those who are mentioned for godly men in Scripture were so from their youth for ought we can find Obadiah Josiah to find this preparing time when they were so humbled to be quiet without Gods love content to be at Gods disposing for damnation yea or for legal terrors I know full well that those who thus are educated do find both legal fears and sorrows also but not as preparative to faith which is our question for they were regenerated before Sometimes in the children of wicked men such at least as we cannot judge to be godly there do such things appear that we must judge certainly God hath wrought some good work in them We read of Abijah 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 V. 3. He is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 V. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Kings 14.13 There was some good in him how old he was I know not but very young he was whether he had this preparing time is hard to prove To say then there is such a Rule layed down for preparative works both words express the youngest The 70. have not this History The Aloxand Copy 3. read v. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 V. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So Drusius in his Copy that every one must pass through before they can be regenerated or have faith I cannot yet be convinced of it unless you can tell me how Infants can be prepared according to Mr. Shepberds method Therefore I say in those who are adult grown up to some ripeness of years before God works usually it is so but to say that in every one of these the work of Compunction is sensible afflicting as it is in some others I dare not affirm that neither For Lydia Mr. Shepheard answers she might be a Convert before so nothing can be proved from her Be it so but what shall we say to Zacheus what was in his heart when like a Boy he runs to climb up the tree to see Jesus I know not but I question whether he had any thoughts of that which followed The third v. saith he sought to see Jesus who he was which words imply nothing of any gracious work on Zacheus's heart only he had heard men talk of one Jesus and now he would see who he was Luke 19.9 This day is salvation come to this house If Zacheus had been a Convert before would Christ have said This day is salvation come Surely it was come before when he was converted but it appears it was not before this day when he also is become a Son of Abraham Where were those legal sore Compunctions The Samaritans Acts 8.5 8. there was great joy at Philip's preaching and faith too but where are these sore Compunctions That these were real Converts Acts 9.31 prove They walked in the fear of the Lord c. It is very much then there should be a standing Rule for preparatory works and we read of so many Converts and no mention of that Rule in practise Surely these examples in Scripture are not to be slighted Because the rugged Jaylor Acts 16. that spared not to execute what the persecuting Magistrates gave him in charge concerning Paul and Silas met with such work and the Jews who crucified the Lord met with such compunction Acts 2. as made them cry out must there be a Rule from hence made that All those who come to Christ must come under such sensible afflicting Compunctions But usually or commonly it is so when as I said persons be adult before God works That it is so and usually must be so experience doth testifie and we need not trouble our heads to find the reason of it So blind are we in the matters of eternity such great thoughts have we of Creatures and Creature-enjoyments such slaves unto our lusts our hearts so set upon our iniquities Hos 4.8 witness those terrible blows a man will endure before he will part with them so well conceited of our polluted righteousness that did not the Spirit of the Almighty set his power to work open our eyes to see our selves sin and creatures and filthiness that is in our righteousness in which we so bless our selves and disquiet the soul that lieth so at rest in Dalila's lap Christ might call and call long enough before we would come to him we may hear him indeed but as the Country Proverb is Hear as Hogs in harvest a similitude good enough for us who are compared to Swine 2 Pet. 2. ult though I know in some respects it holds not which is not required in similitudes Hogs in harvest-time when they are gotten into good Shack when they at home call them and knock at the trough the Hogs will lift up their heads out of the stubble and listen but fall to their Shack again home they will not go they are pleased where they are This is the frame of our swinish hearts feeding in the Shack of the world and our lusts let Christ call it may be if there be some warm man at the work that shows himself a workman we can lift up our heads and hear what he saith but to our shack we go again home we will not go to him who calleth us our swinish hearts looking upon the things of the Gospel that same holiness but as sowre swill but the things of this world the lust of the flesh lust of the eye and pride of life these are the sweet grain Absalom sends for Joab once and again 2 Sam. 14.30 but Joab is busie hath other matters to mind but when he sets his Barly-field on fire then he comes And thus God when he sends more then once but we are so taken up about other matters we will not come sometimes sets our creature-comforts on fire or causeth the sparks of Hell fire to be felt in a mans Conscience then God may hear of us When the heart is set upon an object upon which it feeds with delight as we do upon our lusts and the creature if you would take it off give me a reason saith the will and a reason must be given and such a reason as the will accepts God works rationally upon the rational Creature sutable to its principles if then you can make the soul see the object it feeds upon is really evil and at best but vain and can shew it a better so as the heart is convinced of it then you may take
only legal works terrors fears sorrows no mixture of Gospel with them in others a mixture of both Law and Gospel go together one while legal works then a little hope from the Gospel then legal again those who have been bred up under clear Gospel preaching and the Lord begins his work before they have abused it in that manner others have done these commonly have a greater mixture of the Gospel in their work but others who either live in dark corners where the Gospel is not lively preached or if men have lived under such preaching but have played the Wantons and abused the Grace of God those when God works shall know little enough of the abused Gospel at first Fourthly Various in the degrees Some drenched in sorrows legal workings and humblings some are but sprinkled men soaked in sin scandalous such as have sinned with a high hand these drink deepest say you of this Cup No not alwayes so neither God doth not keep to this Rule alwayes Sometimes one who hath been more restrained more civil in conversation shall have more of legal terrors then those who have been open sinners I could give instance in some whom I have known and may mention them in due place and therefore I pass over this Fifthly Various as to the continuance or carrying on of his work Some the Lord layeth hold upon and holds them fast will not let them go out of his hand till he hath done his good work in them brought them home to himself uniting them to his Christ others the Lord layes hold on and lets them go out of his hand again they slip as I may say out of his hand not against his will but according to his counsel this may be once twice I was once called by a Christian to go see a rare sight and what was it but a man who had been three times in Gods hands under workings and gave hopes of true conversion every time but the work came to nothing the fourth time God laid hold upon him held him fast and let him go out of his hand no more this is rare indeed A Kinsman of mine as I think the third time God took him into hand before the work stood I do not speak of stirrings men may have under the preaching of the Word which cause some resolutions for a day or two and then vanish as a morning Cloud but of higher workings when men give fair hopes of conversion and yet come no nothing This I note not only to shew the variety of Gods working but also to help against the secret workings of Satan in some mens hearts I found in one of my parish and I doubt not but it may be so in many others when he came to dye as I was questioning with him about the state of his soul it seems the Word had often met with him and several times put him to a stand in his sinful course but when company came he could not withstand them thus it had been with him several times though it did not come up to that height I am speaking of under this head to give fair hopes of conversion till at last when Christ and Mercy were tendered to him in the Word he turn'd away all those offers they could not concern him who had so often played fast and loose with God but now he might go on and take this course and so it seems he did concealing those thoughts in his own breast till at this time he revealed them to me Oh that people would take heed of dallying with God while his Spirit especially is striving with their spirits under means Yet again take heed of giving way to those secret despairing suggestionsof Satan since we see God hath taken men after the third relapse when hopes were given of true conversion and made his work to stand Sixthly Various in the way or means by which he works Sometimes he comes with a rushing Wind some terrible threats like a thunder-clap which he sets home he saves them with fear pulling them out of the fire Jude v. 23. The Jaylors heart quakes as much as the Earth Sometimes he comes in a most soft Wind as he did to Elijah 1 Kings 19.12 13. in a still small voice he breaks the heart melts the spirit of a man and as Absalom stole away the hearts of Israel 2 Sam. 15.6 with his fair and affable carriage so the Lord hath his way whereby he secretly draws and wins the heart to himself and this in a more still way the work goes on secretly one drop follows another till God attains his end Thus various in his working is the Lord. Search and you shall find these experiences true some are much humbled and much comforted some are much humbled and little comforted some are little humbled and little comforted some are little humbled and much comforted Fourth Position For any man to make the way of Gods working with him to be the way to which he will tye up all others is little better then high tyranny God hath not tyed up himself to one way why must yours be the only way Yet this I have observed in some Ministers men of great spirits and parts who in their preaching may I not say also in printing have pressed upon people that particular way they found God came to them in because God did handle them thus therefore he must do so with all One man is not a fair Copy saith Mr. Shepherd and this is very true God takes a man of a high lofty spirit and batters him with such or such workings Must the same be found in all others Fifth Position Though God is very various in the manner of his working when he converts or draws the soul to Christ yet the work wrought is in all the same there is no variety in the work wrought That is Conversion or regeneration is the same in every one without any difference God works other wayes in converting Manasseh then he did in converting Samuel but conversion is the same in Samuel that it is in Manasseb Run over the several varieties I have mentioned of Gods working and name you as many more yet that which makes regeneration or union with Christ is the same in all here all are alike Less will not serve the turn in one then in another as to the essence of regeneration Let your condition as to externals be what it will it is all one as to regeneration be you learned or unlearned noble or ignoble rich or poor 't is all one converted you must be if ever you mean to see Heaven and that which is regeneration in him who handles the spade the same and no less is regeneration in him who swayes the Scepter Strait is the gate c. Matth. 7.14 if it do not like you let it alone The gate of Heaven is not like the gate at great Mens houses if Merchants come they must come in at the little door if great Men come open
the bed-side heard him and God was pleased to convince that man that he was such a person who had lived upon himself without Christ to that day and would say afterwards had I died before score and sixteen I had perished for I knew not Christ Another man lived a civil life kept his Church on the Lords dayes went often to hear Mr. John Rogers of Dedham on Tuesdayes and so attended other Lectures thus he lived in a fine civil course till he was about fourscore and seventeen years of age then the Lord opened his eyes and shewed him that he was not acquainted with Christ at this time and then revealed Christ unto him he lived after this I think four years when any asked him how old are you he would answer two or three and according to the number of years were from the time that he knew Christ for then began his life in his own esteem all his years before he did not live 1. This agrees with Adam's principle once it was so we had life in our selves and needed not to go out to another for righteousness we are all born under a Covenant of works till the Lord brings us under a Covenant of Grace and we would live by a principle that agrees with a Covenant of works 2. This agrees with the pride of mans heart We have heard the pride of Moah he is exceeding proud Jer. 48.29 It may be truly applyed to us all as to this point proud yea exceeding proud poor as beggars not one rag of righteousness to cover us but proud no man cares to be beholden to another every man would be an Independent Rom. 10.3 The Jews went about to establish their own righteousness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they sought to make it stand they have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God would not submit their hearts too proud Was this proper to the Jews only No verily it is common to all the Sons and Daughters of Adam Whence rise these disputes against imputed righteousness exalting of merits works c. the bringing of men to walk according to the light within them i.e. which light within them is all the Christ that many know in these dayes Yea let a man that keeps a narrow watch over his heart and observes what rises there tell me doth he not feel sometimes in his life what risings there are against this self-emptying principle Verily mans nature loves it not he hates it 3. Satan helps here he seldom or never troubles that person whom he findeth living upon himself with temptations he labours to settle them in the way they are in keeps off all disquieting thoughts if he cannot draw them into that profaneness he would then he seeks to undo them this way if he can but keep them from closing with Christ well enough he is sure of these other men may possibly meet with an Alarum from their Consciences which these men seldom do 4. The life of Faith in Christ is the most cross duty to flesh and blood of any that God requires let men think of it what they will to be sure here is the same holiness required that the Law requires and that is as cross to mens lusts as the Law can be this is opposite to mans badness Then it empties a man of himself all his conceited righteousness duties abilities and this is opposite to mans goodness So that Faith is cross every way hence the vile heart frets against it 5. As to the poor humbled sinner of whom we are now treating he is ashamed to go to Christ he seeth himself in such a forlorn condition he knows not how to look Christ in the face nor can tell how Christ should look on him as if the Prodigal seeing himself in his rags should be ashamed to see his Father till he had gotten better clothes on his back So doth this if he had repented mourned changed his life and he thinks at least he might come better to Christ then now he can in this ragged condition Secondly Though the convinced sinner hath not a principle in him naturally that leads him directly to Christ but to self yet all that are convinced of sin by the Spirit do not turn aside to settle upon themselves their own doings duties righteousness instead of Christ All would do so if the Spirit let them alone but all do not so this I add to remove that stumbling block which temptation may lay before some who when they hear or read of the Spirits work in taking off the Soul from sinful self in former Heads and now of taking of it off from good self under this Head and this must be done else the Soul will never truly close with Christ they examine themselves when was this done in me when was that distinct time after my conviction of sin that I settled upon my own duties doings repentance changes c. then the Spirit took me off now I say this is not the case of all in the work of Conversion Commonly as is the light persons live under and as is the manner of the Spirits working If persons live where Christ is clearly and powerfully preached the Spirits work also very quick follows the Soul close that it stayes not long in the birth many times such persons turn not aside into this by path but are carried to Christ more directly search and many experiences will tell you this truth Thirdly Let the works of God in the former Heads be various yet in this work of self-unbottoming taking off the Soul from its own goodness righteousness abilities all converted Souls meet The reason is this unless this be done the end of Gods call will never be attained his call will not be effectual for no man will come to Christ for life John 5.40 Who can find life in one hand by his own duties and workings All the sin against the Law as a Covenant of works all a mans badness by reason of this sin is not so opposite and cross to Christ as is this self-righteousness self-considence a mans own goodness Consider God and Christ as being holy so indeed sin directly opposeth him but consider Christ as Redeemer Mediator High Priest Righteousness Jesus so it is not sin but self-righteousness that is most directly cross to him for not sin but our self-righteousness nulls and makes void his Righteousness and whole work of Redemption Mans nature had rather turn to God if he must turn directly by himself then turn to God by Christ So that all believers meet in this work Quest How doth the Spirit take off a man from his self-confidence and own-righteousness Answ I shall give my answer very briefly under several Heads premising this first He who will stand upon his own legs or seek to make his righteousness stand as Rom. 10.3 the Jews would do he must First Be able to make satisfaction for the wrong that sin hath done the broken Law and he must agree Secondly He must be
are the Heads be they more or less by which the Spirit doth usually drive the Soul out of it self Some Christians experience some of these some more of them some fewer no matter how many of them or how few if the Spirit useth any of them they shall do the work he intends For the effects of this work of the Spirit what follows upon it I shall briefly touch them but make no use of it for the reason I gave in my former Head First The good opinions man had of himself are now confuted the high thoughts of himself are taken down he seeth now his money is but brass not so good How highly did Paul value his priviledges his Pharisaical righteousness before Christ came to this work What a low esteem had he of them all after this work that now we are upon Phil. 3.7 8 9. thus it is with all true Converts had the man any opinions in doctrien proud and high they were never so confuted as now did he cry up the great Diana of Liberum arbitrium as most do and we grant it to be Liberum when the Son hath made it free now he calls it Servum arbitrium as Luther did Jansen Augustin tom 2. l. 3. c. 5. p. 182. and blessed Austin long before him as Jansenius in his excellent Work doth manifest in several places and saith he knows not what that new Writer means he doth not name him who saith Nomen servi arbitrii was never heard of in the Catholick Church for fifteen hundred years when as he makes it clear by his quotations out of Austin that he had called it so several times Conses l. 8. c. 5. Blessed Austin vvas not the man alone vvho complain'd of his Ferrea Voluntas here are others vvith him vvho feel it as vvell as that blessed Saint did Had the man slight thoughts of imputed righteousness did he jeer at it as some have done and do still his thoughts are changed he is now convinced of such a necessity of a perfect righteousness that now imputed righteousness is the most precious Doctrine of the Gospel the very life blood of a Christian the Spirit hath so disputed with him in this work of self-emptying that now all the Arguments in the Jesuits Colledge he scorns them he hath sound it felt it Lord if thy free Grace do not save me my free will I am fure will damn me Surely in the Lord not in my self have I righteousness and strength in him only must I glory Isai 45.24 25. Secondly The second effect is this by this work of the Spirit there is made a further and fuller conviction of a mans misery God drives the nail home to the head he was convinced of a miserable state before but now it is confirmed with a witness for though by the former conviction he saw himself to be bad yet not so bad it may be but he might have some good he thought he could do something to help himself set some good works against his bad ones but now he seeth he was mistaken he is convinced with Paul In me that is in my flesh dwells no good thing Rom. 7. He doth not say there dwells but a little good but no good he did not think he had been so wicked so vile void of any thing that good is though he had read The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked Jer. 17.9 yet he did not believe the Text to be true till his own heart became a Comment upon Gods Text and proved it Thirdly Now those Qualifications mentioned in the Gospel Luke 19.10 weary and heavy laden Mat. 11.28 are known experimentally others can prate of them but this Soul feels them Laden he is with the burden of his guilt and woful wicked heart a burden too heavy for him Psal 38.4 The man labours also under this would fain get rid of his load but he finds all is labour in vain no ease no rest comes but undone he is not withstanding all the duties he hath done or can do now he is lost though in his first conviction he saw he had gone astray from God and was going to hell yet he thought he could find the way home to God again by the compass of his own good duties repentance and reformation the new and living way he knew not nor thought there was any need of it but now he seeth he is bewildred quite lost when he hath walked a great while he seeth the Lake of hell fire before him still a way to hell he can find but no way to God Satan that Lion roars Conscience that affrights him in this Wilderness where he is wandring and what an afflicted condition that is lost Souls experience Fourthly Now is the Soul ready to listen to any one who shall direct him to get out of this misery in which he feels he is involved now the news of a Saviour is welcome the voice of the Gospel is pleasant now propound the terms say what you will only save me from my sin and misery and I shall willingly accept of a Christ the Soul now is rightly prepared for Christ It is a practise in some Towns so long as the poor in the Parish have any thing of their own in their houses which is money-worth except a bed or some such thing they will not take them into their Collection but let them make money of what they have and maintain themselves with that or make it over to them they must be poor indeed before they come into their Collection It is a truth I am sure here so long as the Soul hath any thing money-worth that it thinks is worth as Paul did Phil. 3 as it will not come to Christ so in this differs from many who are willing enough to burden Towns though they have something of their own so neither will Christ take them into his Collection or rather relief for he collects nothing he hath fulness enough to relieve all the poor of his Flock but poor they shall be before he will take them So long as the Prodigal could common with the Hogs fill his belly with husks he would not go home he was first brought to the starving point So it is with Souls if they can fill themselves or find any sustenance from their husky duty they will not go home through pride or shame but when brought to starving stay now Christ born in Bethlehem or house of bread And is that living bread becomes precious Thus John hath done his work that is To make ready a people prepared for the Lord Luke 1.17 Here we find this Soul thus far it is come it is prepared for the Lord. No saith holy Hooker and Shepherd there is something else required to a true preparation For Mr. Hooker though I had heard of his Doctrine yet I had not read his Book before I had read Mr. Shepherd and had seriously considered him I see both the Father-in-law Mr. Hooker
towards this Christ that by him the Soul may come to this God there remaining nothing but propounding of the terms and agreement to them which the man being thus far prepared and enlightened to see the Gospel will renewed and Spirit still acting drawing in order of the first cause he doth most willingly and freely come up to the terms and takes Christ for my Saviour and my Lord. Do not mistake Christians when I say my Saviour I do not say the Soul is assured that Christ is my Saviour It is one thing for a Soul to receive Christ for my Saviour and my Lord which all sound Believers do another thing to be assured Christ is my Saviour and my Lord which many Believers cannot attain unto at least not till a long time But of this more fully hereafter I shall but briefly touch these Heads because they are commonly taught and found in many Books Only to remove move a block here if any should think you have been a long time upon the work what have you more still before we come at Christ Alas when was this enlightning and conviction now you speak of wrought in me First I pray remember what I said in my first Chapter about Preparations in general how the Lord sanctifies many in their infancy and are trained up by Parents that have any Religion in them in the knowledge of Christ so far as their catechizing can help and many from their childhood are savingly acquainted with the knowledge of Christ their Saviour as they are with their sinful and lost condition in Adam Secondly If the Lord wrought upon you when you were adult yet living under the clear preaching of the Gospel you had the knowledge of Christ in the notion you thought you knew a Saviour so well that you had him pind on your sleeve you might have him when you list but as it was in the former work you knew the notions of sin and misery before the Lords work on you and it may be there were no new notions let in but a Divine light which made you see those notions you had before after another manner than ever you saw them before that now your sin misery and creatures appeared like themselves so you may have the notions of Christ his Person Offices Redemption before you could tell these truths before but you never saw their truth necessity and glory as now you do under the Spirits working How quickly had the Jaylour the knowledge of sin and of Christ and received him A very few hours if it were two is more than I can prove Thirdly Though you have not observed nor can observe the distinct times of these distinct workings yet the work is done and so done as we write You must have light first to know Christ his person what he is and his work and God in fulness and goodness you must be convinced of the sufficiency in Christ and in God to answer all your wants necessities desires your understanding must be brought to assent to all this as true else you will never receive nor trust Christ nor will your will and affections ever go out after God and Christ So that whatever you can observe for distinctness of the Spirits working which is very secret yet thus it is and we must preach and write as things are in nature methodically or else we shall be wild Preachers So that here is no matter of trouble if the Lord hath enlightned you and convinced you in the knowledge of Christ no matter when it was nor how it was the work is done Concerning the nature of saving Faith in Christ wherein the essence of it lies great hath been the controversie between Protestants and Papists great the difference between Protestants themselves Divines of late years have cleared up the nature of Faith more than ever yet I shall make bold to to cast in my Mite it being a thing wherein I was exercised for many years my self as to my own state not being able to find by the Books which then were extant what it was but if that were Faith and saving Faith which Mr. Perkins Mr. John Rogers and others had described and what my godly Father had taught me in my Catechism viz. that Faith was a sure perswasion of my heart that whatever Christ hath done belongeth to me as if I had done it he had learned it from some of those ancient Divines then be sure I had no Faith When I heard Ministers preach against unbelief in Christ or faith in him I could not tell what they meant by faith or unbelief nor do I know to this day when I hear some men what they mean by unbelief Doctor Ames in his Medulla Theolog l. 1. c. 2. Thes 14.17 cap. 27. Thes 17.19 was the Book that first gave me some hopes I might have Faith A reverend Divine whom I have mentioned in my Epistle to the Reader assured me that what I found and related to him was saving Faith It is an ill thing that in a thing of this moment the Trumpet should give an uncertain sound Ministers should be clear in their preaching As ye have received Jesus Christ the Lord Colos 2.6 Gospel-faith I conceive is here described by the object of it The person cloathed with his offices Jesus Christ the Lord By the Act received As ye have received his Doctrine say some there is a truth in that they do receive his Doctrine who do believe in Christ though Grotius would have the word in the Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be Vox propria discentibus whence he interprets Jesus Christ the Lord the Doctrine of Christ Yet in Matth. 1.20 24. it is twice used of Joseph's taking Mary to wife where Joseph took the person of Mary and so doth the Soul in its married union with Christ Faith unites the Believers with the person of Christ Vnion respects the person Communion the benefits Vnion is ever first Hence Doctor Davenant well Here is a great emphasis in this manner of speaking for it is to be observed that he doth not say as ye have received the Doctrine of Christ or concerning Christ but as ye have received Christ himself for by Faith we do not only perceive the Doctrine of Christ but also receive our quickning Saviour and lay him up in our hearts for our salvation Thus he Christ cloathed with his Offices so I understand the words thus the Angel Luke 2.11 there is indeed the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not this Hebrew word Jesus but yet this Saviour is by the Angel called Christ the Lord The quarrel the Jews had with him was not about his name Jesus but that this Jesus should be Christ the Lord Let his name be Jesus they had others of that name before but the name Jesus with that Notation which the Angel gave of it and which they saw believing Jews and Gentiles did embrace this they abhorred afterwards in so much that they would not pronounce it but
Mr. Shepherd though he speaks not the same words yet speaks the same sense in his Sincere Convert p. 123. where inviting the Soul to take hold of Christ he thus speaketh Go to him and take hold on him not with the hand of presumption and love to thy self to save thy self but with the hand of faith and love to him to honour him His ninth and last way that he numbers among the nine easie wayes to Heaven as men think all which lead to Hell seems fully to speak the same thing with Mr. Rogers which you may compare with him in the beginning of this book Ninthly Sincere Conv. p. 160. The way of self-love whereby a man fearing terribly he shall be damned useth diligently all means whereby he shall be saved here is the strongest difficulty of all to row against the stream and to hate a mans self and then to follow Christ fully Here he hath left the Reader in the dark sadly not telling him what he meant by rowing against the stream hating self following Christ fully but withall here is enough to sink a poor Christian that if a man feareth terribly he shall be damned and useth diligently all means whereby he may be saved this is but a way of self-love and a way to Hell self must be hated These two places fully agree with Mr. Rogers One head more he hath which needs an Interpreter The pining and devout Hypocrite Ibid. p. 37. that being pursued with the fear of hell labours for just so much holiness as will save him only and carry him to heaven at last If he labours for it and attains so much holiness as carries him to heaven at last I am confident he shall not be condemned for an Hypocrite What or how much is that just so much holiness as will carry a man to heaven According then to these two Worthies in the work of faith and the Souls closing with Christ it is not a mans salvation which is love to himself and self-love is but a way to hell which the Soul must aim at so much but the honour of Christ and glory of Gods Grace above its own salvation To carry on our work the more clearly I will handle two Questions briefly Quest 1. Whether the Soul in closing with Christ in effectual Calling may not lawfully and safely aim at and eye it s own salvation Quest 2. Whether the Lord requires to the truth of saving Faith and closing with Christ in the work of effectual Calling that we eye and aim at the honour of Christ and exalting of the glory of his Grace above our own salvation These two Questions will take in fully what Mr. Rogers and Mr. Shepherd have delivered as to this point where I pray take the state of the Question aright The question is not whether the glory of Gods Grace the honour of Christ be not things above our salvation that is easily yielded I know none so simple to deny it for Gods glory is his ultimate end and our salvation is but a means to this end yea though salvation be sometimes called or put for the end yet it is but finis medius which in respect of the ultimate end is but a means So then that is not the question But the question lieth here whether in faith answering the call of God in its first union with Christ doth God require that now we look that we receive Christ to exalt that glory of his above our own salvation For thus Mr. Rogers and Mr. Shepherd have both carried it For the first Question I shall not need stand upon that it is so plain to any man who hath read the Gospel that he is stark blind that cannot see this that believers in Christ may aim at their own salvation in receiving of him Only this same word self love is a suspicious word and Mr. Rogers especially with Mr. Shepherd have spoken so much against it that they make poor Christians afraid Now it is true self-love is the great cut-throat it damns thousands if not all I touched this before and will repeat it yet once more for the support of poor Christians and I will lay down this Rule concerning self and will by the wisdom of God defend it against any man that hath a mind to oppose me A Rule Never did God declare against self or call a man to deny himself in that which did hinder his own salvation and happiness lying in union and communion with God by Christ Did I hear any man preach a duty to Christians in answering of which duty I saw clearly my self my happiness my salvation were cut off and hindered placing my happiness as I said in my union and communion with God by Christ I would be bold to tell that Preacher he lyed God never gave him a Text to preach such Doctrine I know he hath given me Commands to deny my self but in those Commands obeyed my self that is my happiness and salvation is preserved safe and sound If the Reader thinks by my writing that I am warm in this business I am so indeed for it hath been a vexation to me to hear precious Christians in the dayes of their despondencies when I have been endeavouring to help clear out to them their work of faith in Christ and they could not deny but such a faith as I have mentioned they had found then they would turn me off with this It was their own salvation they aimed at and this was nothing but self So that to receive Jesus Christ God in our flesh in all his Offices in his compleat work of Redemption resting trusting relying upon him only for all redemption and blessings of the new Covenant and this declared to be true by a Gospel-conversation this hath been esteemed as little having nothing in it to bear up a heart but why I pray because I aimed at my salvation which is no more but self-love I wish I could have preached all my people into such self-lovers I would have ventured my Soul for theirs if they had miscarried Very briefly then to the Question First Do not all the Promises in the Bible regard a mans self Do they not contain in them and speak good to us Doth not the whole new Covenant speak good for our selves Doth not the Lord every where call us and draw us to obedience by promises of good to self Did you ever read your Bible and not read this Secondly Did not the Lord in those blessed thoughts of his heart in eternity when he decreed to give his only begotten Son make thy self thy salvation to be the design of that gift John 3.16 Didst ever read the Evangelists and the Apostles and not read this I know he hath another design his own glory but yet salvation of poor man was such a thing as without him Christ had not been I know very well there is a question whether the second Person in the Trinity had not been incarnate though man had
bondage but what the Apostle saith of him as a Priest Heb. 7.26 Such an High-Priest became us c. so I say of him as a King Such a King became us not only one who hath authority to give us Statutes but power to cause us not force us to walk in his Statutes Ezek. 36.27 and to this doth Mr. Pemble Diodati and Junius agree upon that Zech. 6.23 Christ sitting and ruling upon his Throne He delivers us from our spiritual enemies gives his Spirit to incline us to voluntary obedience enacts a Law of the Spirit as they said before were it not thus poor Christians must go look for their comfort where they can find it when obedience to Commands is prest and holy walking with God required To this of Zechariah doth the speech of Peter Acts 5.31 agree Him hath God exalted with his right hand Christ then is upon his Throne to be a Prince and a Saviour both his Offices as in Zechariah to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins This exalted Saviour on his Throne gives forgiveness of sins this exalted Prince on his Throne gives repentance to Israel If Christ as a Prince only gives Laws he gives no repentance for to gives Laws is not to give repentance Christians then in the work of faith or union receive Christ such a Prince and Lord as gives repentance to the Soul who receives him he gives what Ethraim and true Converts pray for Jer. 31.18 Turn thou me and I shall be turned Such a King then we receive as hath power over our wills and affections to incline them to obedience rules them and yet saves their liberty makes us freely and sweetly to obey what is commanded by him Do causa Dei l. 3. c. 29. p. 738. We say with profound and pious Bradwardin Illum nolo pro Deo nostro habere qui non sit omnipotens in agendo qui non habet omnipotentissimum Dominatum super meam debilem voluntatem qui non posset omnipotentissime facere me velle facere quicquid velet c. quinimo constanter libera voce dico Illum nole pro Deo meo habere cujus beatissimam voluntatem ego miser peccater possum facillime a summa arce suae dignissimae libertatis detrudere c. This receiving of Christ our Lord and King gives ease to a poor Christian that lies under the sense of his perverse will his crooked nature that cursed fountain of sin within him when he hears duty required and the holiness of the Command urged it is the office of this King whom I receive To work in me both to will and to do Phil. 2.13 To make * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to go in the path of his Commandments Psal 119.35 He is made of God to us Sanctification and Redemption 1 Cor. 1.30 The real Christian willingly freely receives this King the Office likes him he is well pleased with it yea so well pleased is he with it that a great part of his comfort dependeth upon it Christ were but half a Redeemer to him not so glorious so beautiful to him were he not such a King To destroy the works of the devil in him 1 John 3.8 and redeem him from all his iniquities Tit. 2.14 The believer answers his temptations from guilt of sin with the Priesthood of Christ he answers all his temptations from the power of sin with this Kingly power of Christ were I left alone to grapple with my corrupt heart strong lusts and the worlds temptations I must give up all hopes and comfort and resolve to meddle no more with Religion saith the Believer See then Christian how thy heart answers here and let me advise thee to look to two things in the receiving of Christ as Lord and King First When the heart is not so well pleased with this but yet rather than I will not have Christ for my Priest I will have him for my King rather than I will not have him for my Saviour to deliver me from hell I will have him for my Lord You had best look to this keep your eye upon your heart for here may be a deceit that will undo all I do not say absolutely there is the deceit as yet for I know at the first fears of hell wrath guilt work strong and a Christian under the sense of these will yield too much rather than to fall under that misery which he fears Now if this be the sense of thy heart that it looks on the receiving of Christ as King to be a hard term but as we say of two evils chuse the least so the Soul will chuse this evil rather than hell which is the worse so that Christ as King is not looked on as good the work that he doth in turning out of lusts and idols in thy heart and subduing thy will to his will working up thy Soul to an obedient holy conversation before him and walking with him this is not pleasing it would not be chosen if I knew how to help it but I submit to it rather than to go to hell though it be a hard condition now look to your self for if the fears of hell once draw off if Conscience come to be quieted again that no trouble be felt the next news we may fear will be thy heart will go back to its old lovers again I know this is the great Argument to make the Soul at first coming home in those whom God works upon when adult to accept of Christ as Lord and King that it may have him for a Saviour and God may carry on the work more afterwards and so make the Soul see an excellency in Christ as King as well as Saviour so make Christ appear yet more lovely and higher prized this Christians know experimentally therefore at first I do not condemn it but yet I say look to thy self for if all that God hath made Christ to be for lost man do not please thee if less than compleat Redemption will ferve thy turn Redemption from the curse of the Law Gal. 3.13 Redemption from all thy iniquities Tit. 2.14 Redemption from thy vain conversation 1 Pet. 1.18 Redemption from the earth Revel 14.3 If less than this Redemption were better in thy esteem look to thy self for thy faith will prove but feigned Secondly Thou receivest Christ Lord and King thou sayest as well as Saviour or Priest Take heed of generals we have a saying Dolus latet in universalibus if true any where it is true here for this is such a deceit as ruines thousands in their supposed faith and closing with Christ Ask them do you receive Jesus Christ for your Saviour and your Lord Yes they do so but this only in general Quest But how shall we find out this deceit Answ Bring down this general into particulars and then we shall find rottenness enough I will but name a few Heads not all you may enlarge First Carry this Lord to thy particular bosom
his Ministers to do Is he your Lord have you received him so and can you find your Lords Institutions and trample upon them Men are now grown so spiritual that they can live above Ordinances yea and above your Lord too if he be your Lord which I much doubt Tell not me of your spirituality I tell thee if thou hast truly received Christ thy Lord then all thy Lords Institutions in his House are reverently received by thee thou hast a high esteem of them for his sake who did appoint them else you make your self to be the Lord and not him Whose Image and Superscription is this said Christ Matth. 22.20 to them who sought to intangle him if Cesars then give to Cesar the things that are Cesars c. So say I whose Superscription is there upon the Gospel-ministry upon Baptisme the Lords Supper Church Discipline Is it not the Lord Christs I look not on him as a sober Christian that dare deny it Let then the Lord Christ have what is his It was a very unsavoury speech if true of one whose name I spare and very unbecoming a Minister let his notions be as high as they will calling Baptisme and the Lords Supper Low Ordinances Was it fit for a Servant to call the Institutions of his Lord low Ordinances We do bless him for his Institutions he appointed nothing in vain in his Church But this is our misery since the Orthodox have rectified the doctrine of good works and Sacraments Charity good works and Sacraments come to be slighted by a Gospel-glutted generation I do not intend Infant-baptisme alone when I mention Baptisme for the Anabaptists do set up Baptisme if they do not put too much upon it the Ordinance they keep up though as to the subject of it there they differ I intend not to meddle with the Opinion Only this I may say the Christians who were baptized in their Infancy upon the account of Gods Covenant with his People and their Seed have generally I speak of good Christians made so little improvement of the Covenant and their baptisme that it is no wonder though some men rise up against the baptizing of Infants God thereby giving a check to their negligence therein But Christian if thou hast not been so good a husband as thou shouldst have been wilt thou therefore cut off all the seed of believers for thy sake and deny them that priviledge and advantage the Lord hath given them If you say what advantage is this to them If you do not know I will tell you what some have found when in the time of their temptations and darkness they have been beaten out of all and could not tell what promise to apply or fasten upon as theirs then they remembred God was my Fathers God my Mothers God in Covenant with them and with their seed Lord I hold to my Fathers Covenant or my Mothers Covenant I chuse thee for my God as thou wert my Fathers God or my Mothers God if one be a believer 1 Cor. 7.14 thou hast given me the Seal in my baptisme I hold to the Seal the things thou didst there signifie and seal I prize I embrace I plead for that blood of Christ that may purge my Conscience from dead works that I may serve the living God Heb. 9.14 that thou wouldst pour that clean water upon me that I may be clean from all my filthiness and from all my idols that thou wouldst cleanse me Ezek. 36.25 If thy Institutions have any thing in them as it were vile profaneness to imagin thou shouldst set up any vain thing in thy Church then I bless thee that thou hast prevented me thus in my infancy and hast given me an advantage so lay hold upon thee which now I desire to improve and plead here have some found footing this it is hath brought in stay and support with resolution to cleave to the Lord in this Covenant and Ordinance when they could not tell where else to fasten So that I conceive as they do very ill that mind not this their priviledge nor improve it so they do ill that cut off their Children from this priviledge that they cannot improve it whatever thy Child is now I suppose you cannot say of those few who are rebaptized when adult that they are all godly no we see the contrary what doest thou know but God may awaken him and then it may be an advantage to remember the Covenant of God with his Father and his Seed and that God hath entred into Covenant with him in his baptisme but I must insist no more upon this Head but conclude if Christ indeed be received thy Lord then thou wilt have an honourable esteem of all thy Lords Institutions and thou wilt as reverently observe them else thou art not right Thus I have done with that which I intended If you say these are old things we have heard and read them before I intended not to give you new notions or high strains but though they be old notions yet they will serve to discover new Hypocrites let their new notions be as high as they will there is never an unsound believer but by what I have said he shall be discovered Thou that canst slight them because they are old canst thou answer them all bring them close home to thy heart let Conscience speak How many of our high flown Gospellers whose ears are itching after new things are found basely to fall short of old Truths in their practises How abominable is this to a sincere Christian It was a saying of that eminent Servant of Christ Mr. Daniel Rogers to me O Cousin I find so much in the old Truths they are so spiritual so hard that till I have reached and learned them I will never listen after new But I leave these and turn to the humble and sincere Christian to whom after I have spoken a few words in answering two or three Questions I shall put an end to my work Now Christian what saith thy heart to what thou hast read can you experience what hath been said I do not ask you if you find no difficulties but come off with ease in all points if you find your heart come off with ease I am afraid you do not understand what I have written and I should the more suspect you for if your heart be indeed set upon the work to clear out and prove the sound work of faith in closing with Christ your Saviour and Lord you will find you have an old man a dead body a corrupt principle yet within you and a Devil without you that will cause the work shall not come off with so much ease I will allow you fears jealousies surmizes doubts whether there be or ever will be a sound work of faith from what thou meetest with in thy heart and yet shall like you never the worse for that the question is where art Christian how far art come I have endeavoured to take away what may
trouble a sincere heart and yet have layed the work sound to cut off an Hypocrite Hast thou applied these things to thy self which thou hast read If thou doest not apply to what end doest thou read this or any other book But if thou hast applyed what answer doth thy heart give thee If the day be stormy cloudy and dark give in thy answer another time when being more quiet and still thou canst weigh the things that have been written and thy heart in a just ballance then say how thou findest Having then considered what hath been written concerning preparatory works to faith concerning the nature of saving faith how it receives Christ and what it receives Hast viewed him in his Person in his Offices Priestly and Princely Hast taken the general Head down into particulars and considered them Doest say yes I have and all things being thus considered supposing difficulties temptations and hard work which you have told me I must look for from my own heart and be sure I find it true I can humbly say before the Lord my Soul hath thus received and embraced Jesus Christ my Lord And if you ask me what I am doing I answer I am endeavouring to live by the Faith of the Son of God Gal. 2.20 whom I have thus received that my Soul may experience him in the execution of all his Offices in the application of the compleat work of Redemption that as my union with him is my life the consideration of what God hath made him and how he stands engaged in the new Covenant is the support and stay of my life so the experiencing of all this may be the joy of my life thus far I am come the Lord then carry on his work yea Faithful is he who hath called you who also will do it 1 Thes 5.23 And now Soul what hinders but thou mayst say My Beloved is mine and I am his Why doest not draw up the conclusion then Christ is mine forgiveness of sin is mine having laid such premises which will of necessity inforce this conclusion Here Christians many times fly back that which is the most ridiculous thing in the art of reasoning that is to yield the premises and deny the conclusion or not yield it every boy laughs at it being so absurd this absurdity is found no where but among Christians in their concluding upon their spiritual state and interest in Christ as those who have to deal with troubled and dark Christians do commonly experience Quest Whence riseth this what should be the reason that when Christians have yielded to that which will certainly conclude them to be in Christ and that Christ is theirs that forgiveness of sin is theirs according to our Fathers definition of Faith that yet they cannot come to assent to the Conclusion Christ is mine Pardon is mine As in what is said before He that believeth in Christ that receiveth him as he is offered and so resteth upon him for life and salvation for all the benefits of communion Christ is his for he is united to him by this faith Forgiveness is his this they yield But I do believe in Christ I do receive Christ as God offers him his Person cloathed with all his Offices and I so receiving do trust to him rest upon him for life salvation all the benefits of communion when you have well examined them take them in cool blood they will say I dare not deny it but I must yield it the first they yield for the Scripture saith it that is faith no denial there the second they must yield their own Confciences force them they must speak against their Consciences their experience and sense testifie this yet dare not draw up the Conclusion Therefore Christ is mine forgiveness is mine Answ In answer to it may be you will say because they are simple Mechanicks they have no skill in Logick if they had they would soon see the gross absurdity they commit such for which the boyes would hiss them out of the Schools but friend you are mistaken that is not all the reason those who know what belongs to syllogizing as well as you and know that it is a gross absurdity to yield the premises and deny the Conclusion yet they cannot do it or are afraid to do it There are other grounds whence this rises as experiences have proved First From the greatness of the things a man concludes If once I conclude Christ is mine what will this imply Then God is my God his Love is mine Peace Pardon Justification Adoption all the benefits of the new Covenant yea Heaven Glory all are mine for in Christ all the Promises are Yea and Amen 2 Cor. 1.20 I must conclude all these which are so infinitely great in themselves and my esteem and which is yet more how few are they that ever shall partake of these things and must I be one of these few to whom these great things do belong I dare not apply them I tremble at the Conclusion The greatness the glorious splendour of the Sun dazles the eye the eye cannot look on it so do the greatness the glory of these things the eye of a mans reason puts by the actings of Reason that it cannot conclude here as in other things When Jacob's Sons told him Joseph is yet alive and is Governour over all the Land of Egypt Jacob's heart fainted for he believed them not Gen. 45.26 the old man had not heard of him above two or three and twenty years together but supposed he was dead long since he could not believe them the news was too good and too great for Jacob they told him a lye before when they made him believe he was dead so that this conflict between hope and doubt joy and fear but fear prevailing partly from the greatness of the thing they spake of and partly because of what they told him long before of his death whence he could not believe them put old Jacob into a swooning fit It is the same with this Believer tell him Christ is yours pardon is yours God and all that he hath purposed and promised for his elect-believers all yours you make the heart of the believer to faint with the report of these great things he cannot believe you nor dare conclude himself whatever the premises infer Secondly The fears and jealousies that are upon the heart though it doth yield to and cannot deny the minor Proposition Regeneration union with Christ are great works to be a wise Builder a wise Virgin is hard few attain to this I have a naughty treacherous deceitful heart within me and though it is true while you thus urge me and follow me up and down in your tryals and examining of me yea whilest I try and examine my self I cannot but as I find my heart at this present by all the searches I can make into it I must yield to what you ask me I dare not deny this work yet I fear there may be
God hath blessed our English Nation abundantly Satan might deal with them as he hath dealt with others before take occasion from some things written to fill some with perplexing thoughts and put others upon some practises in which they shall wurry and tire themselves and when they have done so be never the nearer But I have exceeded already and gone beyond what at first I intended Leaving this work for more able men and well acquainted with varieties of temptations I shall add no more but Blessed be the Lord for the discoveries of the riches of his Grace in a Covenant of Grace Blessed be the Lamb upon whose blood this Covenant is founded and of which he hath undertaken to be the Mediatour and Surety Blessed be that good Spirit that brings our Souls under this Covenant and keeps us in it This is all our salvation this is all our desire Those who can find salvation any where else let them take it But by the faith of this we live in the strength of this will dye FINIS These Books with several others are printed for and to be sold by Dorman Newman at the Chirurgions-Arms in Little Britain near the Hospital-gate Folio THe Exact Politician or Compleat Statesman By Leonard Willan Esquire Il Cardinalismo di Santa Chiesa Or the History of the Cardinals of the Roman Church from the time of their first Creation to the Election of the present Pope Clement the Ninth with a full account of his Conclave Written in Italian by the Auth. of the Nipotismo di Roma Eng. by G. H. A Relation of the Voyage and Residence of Charles II. K. of Great Britain c. in Holland By Sir W. Lower Knight Memoires of the Lives Actions Sufferings and Deaths of those Noble Reverend Personages that suffered for the Protestant Religion and the great Principle thereof By David Lloyd A. M. sometime of Oriel Colledge in Oxon. Mr. Knox his History of the Reformation of the Church of Scotland A Treatise of Justification By George Downam D. D. Spencers History of Ireland Brathwaites English Gentleman and Gentlewoman Austins Meditations Review of the Council of Trent Babingtons Works Jermin on the Proverbs and Ecclesiastes Quarto THat excellent Piece of Mr. George Swynnocks Christian mans Calling in three Volumes Faiths Universal Usefulness with the excellency of a Spiritual life By Mr. Matthew Lawrence of Ipswich Mr. Elborough's Sermon on the Fire Gospel Remission By Mr. Jer. Burroughs lately extant The Virtue and Value of Baptism By Mr. Zach. Crofton Mr. Durham's Exposition upon the Canticles Doctor Hamptons Sermon before King James Lesley's Sermon tending to Unity Hampton's Three-fold State of man A Serm before K. James Hist of Gentle Craft Dod and Clever on the Commandments Souls Sentinels Spiâ—ers Elogy on Sir Arth. Chester Octavo THe Life of Cardinal Woolsey L. Chanc. of England c. A guide to Ladies Gentlewomen and Maids how to behave themselves in all Estates Relations and Conditions By Hannah Wolley A guide to the true Religion By J. Clapham M. A. The Christians great Interest By W. Guthry late Minister of the Gospel in Scotland The fifth impression Justification only upon a satisfaction or the necessity and verity of the satisfaction of Christ as the alone ground of remission of sin asserted and opened against the Socinians By Rob. Firgirson Minister of the Gospel in London The Pastors Love to a loving People By M. William Thomson Minister of the Gospel in London A Synopsis of Quakarisme or a Collection of the Fundamental Errors of the Quakers With a brief Refutation of them By Thomas Danson sometime Minister of the Gospel in Sandwich in Kent The Laws and Canons drawn up and agreed upon by the General Assembly or Meeting of the Head of the Quakers from all parts of the Kingdom Phanatick Primer for the instruction of little ones in order to perfect reading By H. Adis Rebukes for sin by Gods burning Anger By T. Doolittle The Life of Doctor James Vsher late Arch-bishop of Armagh and Primate of all Ireland A most comfortable and Christ Dialogue By W. Cooper Spare Minutes or resolved Meditations and premeditated Resolutions By Arthur Warwick Clarissimi Viri Adriani Heereboordi Philosophiae professoris Ordinarii Disputationum de Concursu Examen à Jo Stearne M.D. Institutum ad Amicum suum Jo. Rawlineum An excellent Oration of that Learned J. Raynolds DD. Archers Jests Sejanus Heaths Transubstantiation Owens Epigrams
that they can go up and down to duties to meetings though through their laziness and idleness in their particular Callings their families at home do suffer Trencher-Christians that serve their bellies by good discourses Those who have Estates and can spare the time it is well done Those who work the harder rise the earlier as the old Essex Christians would do that they might enjoy an oportunity for their Souls without detriment to their Families have acted like Christians indeed but some I have enquired after and find a habit of laziness and idleness hath taken them but they must go for very good Christians because frequent at Fasts I like not this Christianity An honourable and vertuous Lady was once commending of her Gardiner to Mr. Dod that holy man what a good man he was how much good discourse he had how helpful to others in the family to teach them to read c. But Madam said Mr. Dod what is this man in his particular Calling for God looks on us as we are in our particular Callings Here the good Lady could not then give any answer being new come but forced soon after to turn him away being an idle Jack I do not speak of a Christian at his first coming home when his Conscience being newly awakened and his danger felt that now he bestows more time in holy duties than afterwards Nor do I speak of any poor Christian that may be abused by their own darkness and Satans subtilty As one good woman because the Text saith Pray continually 1 Thes 5. she could never be satisfied but must be in secret at prayer and reading and the family neglected her children not dressed but went forlorn Christians could not take her off till at last Mr. Richardson that holy and learned man who wrote the Comment upon Ramus hearing of it and having occasion to go that way went into the house and seeing the children how they went spake with a loud voice and very terribly Is there no fear of God in this house and other words to this purpose which concluded there could be no true grace where there was such negligence in the particular place where the woman was set The poor woman hearing this language comes out of her private Room from her duties with trembling and now was taught another lesson if she would prove her grace to shew her diligence and care in her particular place where God had set her and carry on that with her duties in secret but this is not the case I am speaking to As for the other part the care and conscience the equity righteousness which men shew in all their dealings these things are often spoken to I forbear to enlarge upon them but wish that persons whose heads are taken up with high Gospel notions would credit their profession with righteous hands according to that Rule the Lord left us Matth. 7.12 Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you do ye even so just so to them A Rule little applyed to the actions of them who will yet say they have received Christ for their Lord What your high Gospel notions are I cannot tell and do as little care but I can tell this from our Lords mouth This is the Law and the Prophets such a Law as binds you and according to that Authority must you act deal trade live with men if your faith in our Lord Christ be sound Fourthly Bring this general to some particular Actions and Cases in your life when your gain profit ease liberty begin to be hazarded let us suppose the action to be questionable whether it may be done or not Doest thou now let Conscience have fair play doest not labour to hoodwink it that it may not see doest with a naked breast before the Lord willing to understand the mind and will of thy Lord whom thou hast received as thou sayest search pray enquire that thou mayest know what is his will and what he will have thee do Art willing to see light the true light or art afraid the window should be open lest if the light should come in it should determine thy actions so that profit ease liberty must go Doest shrink at this art shy of this Doest read only one part with much seriousness which speaks what you would have to be true and not as seriously search and examine the contrary for fear light should dart in and then Conscience and you could not be quiet I know I speak of a close thing a hard business to have a heart so sincere so awed with the Authority of our Lord that the heart is very willing to see light open all the windows let light come in fall back fall edge as we say this is the will of my Lord to him I resign up my will let come of it what will I know Christians meet with hard tugging here yet how can a man carry this evidence that he hath received Jesus for his Lord who is not willing with a plain heart without seeking evasions and distinctions which he may justly question whether his Lord will own or no to search and find out what the will of his Lord is I am sensible of difficulties here I do not write with a magisterial spirit but yet the Rule I must own and I do not know one sincere Christian that will deny it He that doth truth cometh to the light that his deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought in God John 3.21 Fifthly Carry this general to particular frames of heart slightness formality hardness of heart deadness coldness I know who will rise up here presently and tell me now you hit me now you have found out me No it may be not thou art not the person whom I mean who art so sensible of these and to whom these frames are not only sins but plagues I know too well how commonly these things slightness formality c. get in upon Christians yet I cannot call them frames of slightness c. because the real Christian will not endure such frames upon his spirit he is not right with himself when he feels these distempers upon him if through some temptations they have gotten head upon him How hard a thing it is to keep up a warm serious frame in the things and wayes of God unless a Christian be warmed with influences from Heaven conveyed through Ordinances I know too well but when a man lyeth in these frames can content himself in them let him look to himself for he is serious and real somewhere else which will shake his closing with Christ and right receiving of him for his Lord. 6. Lastly I shall conclude with this though I thought such a thing might have been spared for it will not reach all but some What opinion hast thou of thy Lords Institutions I am sure this Lord hath set up Ordinances in his House Divine institutions There is his Ministry and the work which he hath called and ordained