THE WAY STEP by STEP To sound and saving CONVERSION With a clear discovery of the two states VIZ Nature Grace AND How to know in which state one is and the way to come out of the one into the other OR The ready and right path-way for the first Adams posterity to get out of their fallen estate accompanied with sin and misery into the relation and Family of the last Adam which estate is attended with Grace and Glory c. With many weighty questions answered and cases of Conscience resolved for the clearing and confirming the truths asserted By ROBERT PURNELL John 3. 3. Except a man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God Matt. 18. 3. Except ye be converted and become as little children ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven Luke 13. 5. Except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish LONDON Printed by T. Childe and L. Parry for Edw. Thomas at the Adam and Eve in Little Britain 1659. An Epistle to the Impartial Reader THough it be not expedient to be alwaies laying the Foundation yet it is of absolute necessity that the Foundation be at first firmly laid that so the building notwithanding the Floods Winde and Storms may stand c. There are many waies to Damnation and there is but one way to Salvation that is streight and the Gate narrow so that although the Runners are many yet the Obtainers are but few for except a man be born again converted regenerated renewed and quickned he cannot be saved for we are by Nature Children of Wrath and such a one as this even just such a one and no other is a man yea every man by Nature such a one was I and you and each of all the Sons of Adam that have been or shall be and that universally without any exception or reservation we are all gone out of the ways we are all become unprofitable there is none that doth good no not one yet there is a way if we could light on it how to possess what we want and to live long in a little time and to have one foot as it were in Heaven whilst the other is upon the earth to point out that way was my endeavour in this Treatise Reader this small peece is the birth of many Prayers and a Description of many choyce Experiences and the sum and substance of many solid and sweet converses and the judgement of many precious Christians wherefore I would entreat the Reader to weigh things in the Ballance of Righteousness and then I am almost confident that there will be few or none that have the work of Grace upon their hearts unlesse they be under some violent fit of Temptation or re-insnared and intangled in a state of Backsliding but in the main will cordially own the ensuing Treatise wherefore let the Reader rather amend what I have done amisse than to carp catch and bark at what he may suppose to be unsound let him rather put pen to paper and correct the faults and supply the defects if he find any that so this Book may be of great worth though but of small price I am sure this subject is the most seasonablest and the most needfullest that can be offered or presented Conversion being a most blessed work and the day of Conversion the most blessed day that dawns on this side Heaven it self It is true nothing is more common than for men to write of this subject on the by and by parts and pieces but purposely on this subject and alone I know none nor as yet could ever hear of any besides Mr. Whatleis New Birth Mr. Baxters Treatise of Conversion so that a man may almost say there is nothing more rare than to find Books that are wrote purposely alone on this subject those few that are are either so voluminous on the one hand or scolastick on the other that the Reader for want of Learning and a better Memory gains not altogether that benefit thereby as otherwise he might To draw towards a close Let me acquaint the Reader that the best and chiefest Authors that I have consulted withall in the asserting and compiling the ensuing Discourse are the Prophets and Apostles mentioned in the holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament next unto them not as infallible but as fallible men knowing but in part I have perused the writings of Mr. John Wollebius Mr. Sam Boulton Mr. Christopher Love Mr. William Jenkin Mr. Jeremiah Burroughs Mr. John Norton Mr. Francis Roberts Mr. Thomas Brooks and many others but chiefly and principally I have perused and made use of Mr. Whatleis New Birth and Mr. Baxters Treatise of Conversion finding my Spirit witnessing the same before I ever saw their Books for a great part I have sometimes named them and sometimes omitted it and so do here recite it in general I have not step by step followed the method of neither but here and there where I found things fully proved by Scripture and my own Conscience bearing me Witnesse thereto those and such like things I have taken as helps in the compiling the ensuing piece and no otherwise c. Reader I doubt not through the Grace of God and his blessing upon thee in the reading this Book but Faith may be wrought in thee if thou hast it not or strengthened if thou hast it and if so I have my end and thou wilt have the benefit Let a mans sin be never so great if he believe he shall be pardoned if his Sin be never so small if he believe not he shall be damned the very sin against the Holy-Ghost est is not unpardonable for want of Grace in our Saviour but for want of Faith and Repentance in the sinner the cause of condemnation according to the Law is all sin but the cause of condemnation under the Gospel is Vnbelief and as Vnbelief contains in it all manner of Disobedience so Believing containeth all Obedience therefore this one Act of Faith is more acceptable unto God than all our Sins are unacceptable Here thou art presented with the means for the obtaining this grace of Faith and all other graces of the Spirit and for the growing in Grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ to whose protection I leave thee and subscribe my self thy Servant for his sake ROBERT PURNELL A Table of the principal Heads in General and the conexion of these things together and dependency of the one upon the other OF the Creation of Man page 1 Of the pleasurable and delightfull condition he was placed in 1 2 The manner of his fall and the subtilty of Sathan therein 4 The sad and miserable estate he fell into 5 Man can never be saved unlesse born again 8 There be four Gates shut against him 8 9 There be 18 sorts of persons that shall not enter into Heaven 11 12 There be four reasons why the Lord will not save them 14 Man is
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
Answ The best way to mortifie our flesh with the Affections and Lusts is to meditate on the mercies of God which is one of the most powerfull Arguments to perswade and prevail with a Soul to leave sin Psal 26. 3 4. For thy loving kindnesse is before mine eyes and I have walked in thy truth 1 John 3. 3. he that hath this hope in him purifieth himself as he is pure I have read of five men that were studying what was the best way to mortifie sin The first said to meditate of death the second said to meditate of judgement to come the third said to meditate on the joys of Heaven the fourth said to meditate on the torments of Hell which is the wages of sin the fifth said to meditate on the blood and sufferings of Iesus Christ And certainly the last is the strongest motive of all to mortifie sin surely it is the appearance of Gods grace to us which works a hope of glory in us and this hope of glory doth purifie 1 Ioh. 3. 3. both in kind and degree 2 Cor. 7. 1. Let us cleanse our selves from all filthinesse both of flesh and spirit Rom. 8. 13. And so by the Spirit we come to mortifie the deeds of the flesh he that hath the strongest Faith hath the holyest life Sanctification ariseth from Justification let us then make war against our Lusts in the strength of Christ still seeking unto him for assisting grace for as we have said before in this Treatise strength to perform any duty to exercise any grace to subdue any Lust to resist any temptation to bear any affliction is derived only from Christ Quest What is or who is the object of Faith A. God the Father Son holy Ghost is the object of saving Faith no man was ever saved without this for no man ever called upon God but by the help of the holy Ghost 1 Cor. 12. 3. As no man can say that Jesus is the Christ so neither can any man say that God is God but by the holy Ghost neither did God ever hear any man that prayed unto him for salvation but for his Sons sake we are in order not in time to believe first in Christ by Christ in God 1 pet 1. 21. Who by him do believe in God We are commanded to believe in Christ 1 Joh 3. 23. and this is his commandement that we should believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ for Christ as Redeemer is the mediate not the ultimate object of Faith for we believe by Christ in God as before As Christ is the object of divine worship Asts 7. 59. And of saving hope Collo 1. 27. And of our greatest love 1 Cor. 16. 22. And of our absolute service Rom. 14. 9. 18. So he is the object of our divine Faith together with the Father and the Holy Ghost so John 14. 1. compared with Acts 20 21. as God in Trinity is the object of Faith so the Scripture seems to be the ground of Faith First the Lord presents us with a command to believe 1 Ioh. 3. 23. and a promise of Salvation to them that believe Mar. 16. 16. and it is the duty of all that do hear the Gospel to believe Mar. 1. 15. Iohn 3. 18. Iohn 15. 22. 16. 7. In the begetting or breeding of Faith in the heart is manifested both the inability of Man and the ability of God here appears the evil of the Spirit of corrupt nature and the good of the Spirit of Grace Sarah her conceiving of Isaac whose birth was a figure of Regeneration was a great work a miracle so Mary her conception of Christ by the power command and blessing of the holy Ghost was also a great work a miracle but for Christ to be formed in the Soul by believing is as great if not a greater work see Ephes 1. 19 20. Quest What incouragement and grounds are there to provoke or perswade us to believe Answ There are many I will instance only in a few which may be reduced to these two heads viz. 1. The benefits in doing it 2. The hurt or danger in neglecting it 1. The benefits that doe attend those that doe believe and they are these 1. By believing we honour God our Creator Christ our Redeemer and the holy Ghost our Sanctifier Iohn 3. 33 compared with Rom. 3. 34. 2. By believing we come to be established Isay 7. 9. 3. By believing we shall be kept in perfect peace Isay 26. 34. compared with Rom. 5. 1. 4. Whosoever believeth in him shall not be ashamed Rom 9. 33. 5. Our naked believing in God and cleaving to him in his free promises will carry down all our distempers at once and fill our Souls with joy and peace in believing 6. This is the way to have God take pleasure in us Psalm 147. 11. the Lord taketh pleasure in those that hope in his mercy Psalm 33. 18. the eyes of the Lord is upon them that fear him upon them that hope in his mercy 7. Our believing doth instate the Soul in the possession of Heaven whiles the body remains on â—arth Iohn 3. 36. 8. For our incouragement to believe consider Christ outbids all Merchants for thy Soul he out-bids the World Sin and Sathan they do not present pardon remission redemption salvation but Christ doth present these and many more such like choyse things 2. Let us consider the evil of Unbelief and the misery that doth attend it it is a dishonouring of God a denying of Christ it as much as in it lyeth makes void the great Counsel of God and purposes of his mercy viz. 1. We do what lyes in us make void Gods end in sending Christ his end was that we might believe and live for ever in blessednesse 2. We as much as in us lyes make void the death of Christ all his sufferings and bloodshed to be to no purpose 3. We make void what lyes in us the great counsel of God and all the thoughts of his wisedom in contriving such a way to advance his glory in the salvation of man 4. By continuing in a state of Unbelief we rob Christ of the reward and fruit of all his sufferings and death 5. We wrong God by our Unbelief we obscure his glory we limit his power we contemn his wisedom we give a lye to his truth we abuse his love we slight and reject all the Precious thoughts of his mercy and grace we proclaim the Devil a Conquerour and lift him up above Christ himself Iuâ—as did sin more by Unbelief and despairing than by his betraying of Christ as might be gathered from Scripture 6. We hasten damnation to our selves Iohn 3. 18 36 Were we in Adams created innocency then we need not to look after a Saviour but we are all fallen but we are broken but we are sold under sin but we are transgressors from the wombe but we are by nature the children of disobedience and wrath What shall I say more
Unbelief is the greatest sin in the world because it is a sin against the greatest love Iohn 3. 16. compared with Rom. 5. 8. it is a sin against the only remedy the sentence of the Law may be repealed by the Gospel but the sin against Gospel remedy there is no repeal of it is a sin that makes void and vain all the covenant of grace turning all the sweetnesse thereof into bitternesse and all the truth of it into a lye 1 John 5. 10. Therefore God is more severe against Unbelief than any sinne because Unbelief is most severeto God God hath no greater Enemiâ—s in the world than Unbelievers 7. Let us consider that a man without Faith is like a naked man in a storm or like an unaâ—med man in a Battel like a ship unanchored and unballanced in a storm he is like a Sea without Banks a world without a Sun or a ship without a Pilot he is under the command of all his passions and enemies c. Qu. In what way are we to conceive of God when we pray to him Answ We are not to conceive of him under any shape or resemblance Deut. 4. 12 15. we are not to think that the Godhead can be resembled to any thing Acts 17. 27 29. compared together for unless we should equal God to any thing how can he be likened to it Isay 40. 18. 25. Who can by searching find out the Almighty to perfection Iob 11. 7 8 12. We are to conceive of him as one not to be fully conceived by us and so pray to him with such apprehensions of him yet we are to believe that he is and that he is a rewaâ—der of those that seek him Heb. 11. 6. namely that he to whom we pray is such a God which seeth and knoweth all the secrets of our hearts and all our thoughts that he is present with us where-ever we are comprehendeth us though we cannot comprehend him he is most holy most wise most mighty who is ready to do for us above what we are able to ask or think Ephe. 3 18 19 20. This is to conceive of him in the glorious and precious dimensions of his love so shall we comprehend with all Saints the heighth and breadth length and depth and know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge in this sence may we see him that is invisible Heb. 11. 27. For the true God is invisible as appears by these Scriptures Coll. 1. 15. 1 Tim. 1. 17. Tim. 6 16. The divine essence is not visible to bodily eyes in this life the essence simply considered cannot be seen by the Soul in this Life Exod. 33. 20. In the life to come though it be seen apprehensively so far as the spirits of just men made perfect are capable yet not comprehensively and fully Job 1. 1. 7 8 9 10. Q. How or in what order are we to direct our prayers to the Trinity in Unity and Unity in Trinity namely to Father Son and Holy Ghost A. In our Prayers we ought not to fix our eyâ— or minds so upon one in the Trinity as not thereby to be led to the other the Father being in the Son and the Son in the Father and the holy Ghost in them both Iohn 14. 10. we cannot look at one but we must eye the other they that look on Christ as their Mediator must see and eye the Father as giving of him so to be yea and at the holy Ghost as one with the Father sent and consented to his designment to that office as the Lord Christ himself sayeth Isay 48. 16. and now the Lord God and his spirit hath sent me c. we cannot look aright to the Father but we must look to him through the Son neither can we look upon the Son but by the Spirit It is true that in order we are first to direct our Prayers to God the Father yet not as first or chief in honour above the other two for even the Son who albeit as man and as Mediator he be inferiour to the Father Iohn 14. 28. yet as God as the Son of God he is equal with him Iohn 5. 18. Phill. 2. 6. and the Son is to be honored as equal with the same honor as the father Iohn 5 23. Albeit as was said the holy Ghost be not excluded but included so are we to pray unto God through Christ by the help of the holy Ghost Iohn 16. 23. we are to ask the Father in the name of the Son by the help and assistance of the holy Ghost Rom. 8. 26. Again we are baptized in the name of the Father Son and holy Ghost and therefore we are to pray unto and worship Father Son and holy Ghost we are to believe in the Father Son and holy Ghost and therefore we are to pray to the Father Son and holy Ghost so that in all external worship of God one in the Trinity being named the other are understood and are not to be excluded Q. How can there be three and yet but one God Answ God is one in essence one Jehovah one God and no more and therefore God calleth himself I am Exod. 3. 14. all besides himself are but created results of God bits of dependances upon him 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 lesse than nothing as vanity Isay 40. 15 17. This one God in essence saith Mr. Thomas Cobbert in his Treatise of Prayer pag. 542 to which I assent viz. is in personal properties three subsistences really distinct yet we are not so to let our thoughts feed themselves in musing upon the blessed persons as distinct in personal properties but with an apprehension of theÌ„ as one in essence one Jehovah one God and no more the property of begetting is applyed to God the Father and not to the Son or the holy Ghost he to whom the Scripture giveth the property of the only begotten Son of God he is Jehovah God the Son and no other and so he to whom the Scripture applyeth the property of proceeding he and only he is God the holy Ghost the Scripture applying to none other that property of proceeding or being as it were breathed forth from the Father therfore is called his Spirit NuÌ„ 8. 11. from the Son therfore is called the Sons Spirit Gal. 49. yet the holy Scriptures never mention but one Jehovah even when it mentions him in personal distinction three yet essentially but one 1 John 5. 7. There be three that bear record in Heaven the Father the Word and the holy Ghost and these three are one the Dvine essence subsisting in three relative properties Father Son and holy Ghost The personal property of the Father is to beget Ps 2. 7. The personal property of the Son is to be begotten John 1. 14 18. The personal property of the holy Ghost is to proceed from the Father and the Son John 14. 26. 15. 26. What shall Isay more As God for the helping of us to understand his essence is pleased to take unto himself certain names and attributes by the help of which we may the better understand his essence so also is he pleased to take unto himself certain names appellations to help us to the better understanding of his subsistance c. yet there is but only one living true God who is infinite in being perfection a most pure Spirit invisibly without body parts or passions immutable eternal incomprehensible working all things according to the counsel of his own will he is the alone Fountain of all beings of whom through whom and to whom are all things in his sight all things are made manifest his knowledge is infinite infallible and independent he is most holy in all his Counsels in all his Works in all his Commands c. But if any demand farther How can there be three and yet but one God I answer great is the mystery the Son in the Father and the Father in the Son and the Spirit of truth which is by the Father and the Son John 14. 11. John 15. 26. 14. 26. So that in this mystery a Christian is to believe what reason cannot comprehend the Father sent forth his Son the Son sent forth the holy Ghost yet Father Son and holy Ghost was never separated one from another Take a candle burning and there is substance light and heat and yet not three candles but one candle Look upon the good man of a House and you shall find that he is a Husband to his Wife a Father to his Children a Master to his Servants and yet not three men but one man so in the unity of the God head there be three of one substance power and eternity God the Father God the Son and God the holy Ghost the Father is of none neither begotten nor proceeding the Son is eternally begotten of the Father the holy Ghost eternally proceeding from the Father and the Son c. FINIS
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
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
according to ordinary dispensation to look at all living under the gospel to be capable of believing and in the judgement of charity for ought we know elected and it is the duty of every one to whom the object of faith is propounded to believe and it is the duty of every believer to believe that he is elected Again God together with the object of faith tenders us means so farr sufficient to the begetting of faith as leaveth us without excuse we love our unbelief and resist this means of believing John 1. 11. He came to his own and they received him not John 5. 40. And you will not come to me that ye might have life If we look on God with a legal eye so the least sinner is uncapable but if wee look at him with an evangelical eye so the greatest sinner is capable of mercy Abraham becometh a father and Sarah a mother by overcoming such temptations as arose from his dead body and the deadness of her womb Again let us consider though the decree be absolute yet the dispensation of the decree in the gospel is conditional Whosoever believeth shall be saved John 3. 16. compared with Rev. 3. 20. Again who dare say that God hath decreed that he should not believe This decree is a secret thing and secret things belong to God and revealed things to us a man may know he is elected when he hath made his calling and election sure but no man can say he is reprobated till he is given up to a reprobate sense We read in many places of Scripture that it is the duty of every one to believe and we finde in many other places of Scripture that God is the author of faith which is wrought in our hearts by his mighty power so that without him we cannot believe Q. Now why doth the most just and righteous God command all to believe and promise salvation to them that doe believe and threaten damnation to all that doe not believe seeing it is not in mans power to believe Ans For these Five Reasons 1. That he might by means of those promises and threats work us unto that which by nature we are averse unto 2 Cor. 5. 11. 20. Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord we perswade men we are ambassadors for Christ as though God did beseech you by us c. 2. That the sons and daughters of men might appear mâ—re inexcusabâ—e when neither promises nor threatmings will move them to imbrace free mercy Acts 13 46. 51. and Acts 18. 6. 3. That the grace of God might as well appear in giving us power to believe as in giving Christ and in him forgiveness of sins to be believed Rom. 9. 16. Rom. 11. 5. 6. 4. That we might apply ourselves unto God in the use of means appointed by him for the working of faith in us Isa 55. 3. John 6. 27. 5. That we might search and by searching find in the covenant of grace matter of free conveyance of power to believe whatsoever is required to be believed Rom. 10. 17. John 5. 39 Rom. 4. 16. Qu. 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 An God doth give to every man some talent or talents which if people did improve should be increased and the party much advantaged c. the same Lord doth give to some natural talents as wisdom wealth aâ—t c. and to others spiritual talents or gifts as to pray prophesie in erpret c. and God may justly condemn men for not improving what he gives them we read that the heathen that had but the very light of nature Rom 1. and 2. chapters their walking not up to that left them without excuse but withall consider that not to minde the light within him so as to improve that and all other talents given him is enough to damn him yet the improvement thereof is not sufficient to save him the Law that every man hath broken must have a perfect personal perpetual universal obedience or else it leaves us under the curse and all our improvements cannot purchase the pardon of one sin If the stung Israelites had made a medicin of the best herbs in the wilderness and a plaister of all the soverein ingredients in the whole world and applied it with mountains of prayers and seas of tears yet this would not have helped them if withall they did not look upon the brazen serpent and all because that was Gods way of healing c. So now Gods way of saving is not by or for the improvement of light but by the obedience of Christ for us and his righteousness imputed to us and therefore in Scripture we read that our salvation is attributed all to grace Titus 3. 7 Rom. 3. 24. Rom. 4. 5. Isa 43. 23 24 25. All our best and choicest performances are but gilded sins we can doe nothing which is truly really and substantially good no not so much as think a good thought 2 Cor. 3. 5. Neither are we able to understand as we ought 1. Cor. 2. 14. Neither able to will any thing that is good Philip. 2. 13. Neither able to begin a good work Philip. 1. 6. Neither able to perfect it when it is begun Isa 26. 12. Rom. 7. 18. So that in all our improvements there is still imperfection something polluted so that our most Spiritual duties are not wound up to command they are all tainted with disproportion to rule and be-leopard with spots so that it is in vain to expect a bed or rest in the barâ—en wilderness of our own performances Isa 28. 20. This bed is shorter than that a man can stretch himself on it and the covering is narrower than that a man can wrap himself in it Isa 50. 11. Behold all ye that kindle a fire walk in the light of your fire and in the sparkâ— that ye have kindled this shall ye have of my hand ye shall lie down in sorrow Our own righteousnes is called a monstrous rag a rag therfore cannot cover us monstrous and therefore if it should cover us it would but cover filth with filth Isa 30. 1. They cover but not with the covering of my spirit that they might add sin to sin that is the sin of their own righteousness to the sin of their unrighteousness they cover a blot with a blot add sin to sin dung to dung Q But how doth it more particularly appear that our acceptation salvation and glorification c. is purely clearly and only of grace and nothing but grace Ans Election is the election of grace and according to the good pleasure of his will Eph. 1. 5. Vocation is also of grace 2 Tim. 1. 9. Who hath saved us and called us with an holy calling not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace given us in Christ c. Regeneration is