you have a tender heart that is deeply affected with every known sinne c. O sir will such a person often-times say I find no such things in me and if there were I fear it is all in hypocrisie Friend you do well in fearing hypocrisie but you do not well in not owning what God hath wrought in you for fear of hypocrisie Indeed it is not good to boast of the good that is in us when wee have temptations from the approbation of others to glory in it neither is it good to deny what is in us when we have a call thereunto by those who are sent by God to examine our estate which they can never do nor can they know how to deal with us if we deal not plainly in confessing what we know and find in our selves And it falls out too often that such denyalls as I said before are the fruit of unthankfulnesse which oftentimes causeth us to overlook and in a kind of comparative way to deny what we have received because we have not as much as we would have As it falls out in the covetous men of the world and there is a sinful spiritual covetousnesse too that are ever complaining they have no money no bread to put in their mouths c. whereas indeed they mean they have not so much as they would have This is an unthankful denyal of Gods providence towards them in bestowing on them what they have And thou maist judg the like of thy self in this case Saint Paul was of another temper Rom. 7. he makes many sad complaints of himself I am carnal sold under sin in me there dwelleth no good thing how to perform that that is good I find not when I would do good evil is present with me I see a Law in my members warring against the Law of my mind c. O wretched man that I am c. yet still he mixeth acknowledgments of the grace that he hath received I am carnal saith he sold under sin yet saith he I blesse God my judgment goes with the Law I think it holy just and good whence though I am over-byassed many times unto evil yet I allow it not I would do better then I do and I hate the evil that I am captived unto In me there dwelleth no good thing but mark the Epanorthosis or correction of himself as if he had spoken a word too large What said I there is no good dwelling in me let me not be mistaken I mean in my flesh for so much the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ver 18. will bear for though I have no power to do yet I have some good in my spiritual part I can will that that is good and that will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is alwayes at hand I have good wishes and desires in readinesse upon all occasions I do not the good that I ought to do yet I would do it I delight in the Law of God in the inward man Sin lawes it and lords it in my members but I have another Law in my mind so that with my mind i. e. in my judgment and resolved bent of will I serve the Law of God and there is a special Emphasis in that Pronoune my self that followes ver 25. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I my selfe serve the Law of God that is even I though I complain so against my self yet must needs say so much for my self to the praise of God I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Here is an excellent example for thee that sittest in darknesse and art ever complaining against and defying thy self do not deny the grace of God that is not so much a denyal of thy self as Gods goodnesse and the Spirit of Grace If thou witnesse against the Spirit dost thou think the Spirit will witnesse for thee Thou denyest the Spirit the very medium by which he would testifie to thy good condition Take notice also of the peevishnesse of thy spirit Thou hast long wooed Christ to accept of thee and be married to thee and Christ hath sent thee Love-tokens by his Spirit to assure thee that he owns himself to be thy busband Now Christ expects the duties of a wife from thee now thou questionest whether thou art married or no and not only questionest but peremptorily denyest all his Love-tokens or at least extenuatest them and settest light by them Think what a sin this is No wonder now if the Spirit that Messenger that brought them take offence at such dealing and refuse to testifie to thee who art resolved to question his testimony bee it never so cleare 4. An unwarrantable thrusting off those Promises and comfortable truths which God in the Ministry of the Word or otherwise brings home to our condition and snatching greedily at all the terrible places of Scripture and denunciations of wrath as our portion I have knowne those that have thrust away with both hands all that might make for their comfort as that that belongs not to them O the cursed pride of our hearts When will men leave prescribing to the infinite wise God When people please themselves in their sins then they will hear no Minister except he sing a cursed requiem to their spirits preach pleasing things and cry Peace peace And when the soul is under trouble for sin then God must denounce judgments in every Sermon speak to them in thunders and lightning from Mount Sinai answer them cut of the whirlewind or else they will not hear him Believe it no soul receiveth good by the Word but that soul that thinks every Word of the Lord good and labours as it is proper to its condition to apply it Satan in times of unregeneracy hath an Art to make the Word unfruitful by causing a mans heart to stand loose from the Law to rub off the eating corroding plaister and say This concernes such an one and such an one but not me And after our conversion he keeps the Word from fastning comfort to the soul and assuring the heart by a like Artifice True these are comfortable truths and concern such and such but not me This was the Psalmists case in desertion and is thine in the present darknesse My sore ran in the night my soul refused to be comforted Psal 77. 2. Indeed friends if you refuse to receive comfort when the Spirit offers it no wonder if when you would have it the Spirit refuse to offer it None of Gods offers are refused by the creature gratis God will stand upon other termes when we come to his shop after wee have once refused a good bargain once offered 5 A groundlesse surmising of an irrecoverablenesse in our condition from such and such threatnings of Scripture as concerne us not This followes from the former When a soul is willing to hear all Thunder and Cannon shot from the Word ordinarily the divel hath two or three places of Scripture from whence he playes thick upon the soul Those are two places in the
againe to an assured soul would not be a sure and infallible Testimony contrary to the truth of the preceding Doctrine When a man is found in two contrary tales we know not which of them we may believe A man could never this supposed have solid comfort from the Testimony of the Spirit seeing he knowes not how soon hee may recant it and testifie the quite contrary CHAP. XXXV The causes of Legal Terrours in Saints Quest WHat then is the cause of those Legal terrours which after Conversion and Assurance many times surprize the hearts of Gods people Answ The main and principal cause is Satan who combining with our own suspitious and distrustful or melancholy spirits or by divine permission or lastly by taking the work of Gods Spirit out of his hand brings us into this darknesse Psal 143. 3. The enemy hath persecuted my soul he hath made me to dwell in darknesse like those that have been long dead I have long ago buried all my comforts and they are almost quite out of remembrance And the great cause of all this is the enemy of my soul called the enemy by a special Emphasis because the most deadly malicious enemy the Saints have He sowes all manner of Tares of corruptions tentations doubts in Gods field the hearts of Saints Now this he doth as but now I hinted 1 Partly by combining with our owne suspicious hearts and increasing jealousies when there is no cause of sadnesse as many times he doth The heart that knowes its own wickednesse and deceitfulnesse many times rejects sound and solid joy in the Holy Ghost as a delusion meerly upon suspicion and warinesse occasioned by its former experienced liablenesse to self-deception Now here Satan strikes in and increaseth the jealousie that the heart hath of it self As a malicious tale-bearer that finds suspicions ready to break out ever and anon between friends is at hand perpetually to blow the coals and hinting to them both severally such and such presumptions of each other till at last he have weakned all mutual confidence and made an irreparable breach between them Fie fie saith the old Serpent wilt thou believe these comforts and joyes are real and from the Holy Ghost Dost thou know thy owne heart no better Dost thou not remember how it spake peace to thee heretofore and all the Ministers in the Countrey could not perswade thee that thy condition was not safe then and since dost thou not remember how when thou wentest to examine and search thy self it hid sins by pretences and excuses and Apologies And why should it not deceive thee now as well as then Now here many times the soul gives up and yeilds to Satans suggestions and damns all its comforts for meer fantasies and dreams and all its Assurance for an imposture Nay it may be if the soul plead the marks and tokens of the Spirits concurrence in that Testimony then Satan begins to take the matter upon himselfe Alas saith he and dost thou not know that Satan can turne himself into an Angel of Light and by 2 Cor. 11. 14. consequence easily cheat a credulous heart into a belief that his delusions are the testimonies of the Spirit of God c. Sic not us Ulysses Art thou so unacquainted with that subtil enemy that thou canst take every fair pretence of his for Gospel and adventure thy soul upon it 2 Partly by combining with a meer melancholy distemper Melancholy is musing and thoughtful 'T is a temper of body which is the Divels Anvil whereon he hammereth all manner of temptations all manner of deadly weapons to wound the soul He hath a mighty power upon the fantasie and can suggest things to it as he pleaseth The phantasie or imagination is the Looking-glass of the soul in which all things by reflection are first discovered to it Now 't is easie for Satan to represent in this glass what bugbear shapes he pleaseth to affright the soul withal by a kind of fixed entertainment of the thoughts with such objects of terror and affrightment to make such strong impressions upon the whole soul abused by meer phantasies as no reasonings or perswasions whatsoever can remove That strange affection of the phantasie which some say perswaded Nebuchadnezzar that he was a real beast Dan. 4. and the frequent parallels to this in Wierus de praestigiis Virg. Eclog. 8. humane Writings render such an Interpretation not incredible many times is the infirmity of good souls that dwell as was said of Galba's wit in the bodies of the most Ingenium Galbae malè habitat dreggy part of living earth of a melancholy constitution So that 't is no wonder if Satan acting the phantasie many times the soul really be perswaded into horrid apprehensions of its owne condition And to strengthen the belief of the soul in such delusions he can present strange spectra images and representations of terrour to the very outward senses by which such inward apprehensions are oftentimes fortified and increased He doth like a cunning Fisher mud the water that his nets may be lesse discerned And thence in such cases persons under such a condition are 1 Many times to believe others more then themselves as suspecting such delusions of their own fancies 2 To labour after means of removing bodily distempers that the soul may be more it self being lesse clogged with a distempered body the body in such a case is the souls prison 3 To admit of lawful avocations from the continued meditation of such subjects as by their fixing on the fantasie are hard to be removed The very humor of melancholy is a dull heavy humour that must be stirred as much by exercise as Physick And so must the fantasies that it begets be cured by avocations 3 Partly by the permission and allowance of God God giving the soul over in some cases into his hands as he did Job once to do with him what he will only sparing his Job 2. 6. life for some notorious affronts offered to his Spirit and abuses of his favour to some bold intrenchments upon his Majesty and Authority or some other like cause And in such a case God withdrawing it is no hard matter for Satan to improve such a sensible defect and decay of influence to infer a souls utter rejection by God The truth is we live much by sense as well as fantasie not only in humane affairs but even in Divine And when faith is at low water as ordinarily it is upon Gods with-drawings then is sense most predominant Now the Divel can make strange conclusions appear undeniable in such cases if you will allow him to argue from what you feel Dost not perceive will he say to the soul that God casts out all thy prayers regards not the voice of thy groanings how he will not be perswaded to give thee one smile though thou wooe him never so much And wilt thou contrary to all sense and experience still believe that he
prejudice against the truths herein contained I beseech you for Christs sake let none of you turn them into matter of dispute if in any thing I differ from any of your judgments For I know it is an usual policy of Satan to make use of differences in opinions though never so small and trivial as impregnable fortifications against the power of truth when it proceeds from persons from whom we differ I pray remember that although the matter here treated of according to Christians various experiences may beget different apprehensions in some things yet the main substance of these Treatises is of common and that necessary use to all Let us not lose that we agree in as to the benefit and use of it whiles we strive for an unprofitable victory in that wherein we differ I have for the most part avoided of purpose peremptory decisions in doubtful points and all unsavoury reflections to my best judgment altogether I hope you will all make use of that wherein all Saints agree and not trouble others with that wherein you disagree The Lord grant you may and then I know my present labor will not totally be lost If but one poor soul be converted supported comforted hereby it will be too great a reward for my slender pains However because we must cast out the net to catch as many fishes as we can though we must be contented with how few soever God shall think fit to bring into it I have thought fit to make way to your acceptance by this Preface and having so done commend it and you and this Piece of mine to Gods blessing and intreat you to do the like in your most solemn Prayers for The unworthy Authour your Servant in the Gospel SIMON FORD Decem. 13. 1654. To the READER THe Subject of this Treatise being the Spirit of Bondage and the Spirit of Adoption will I fear meet with some disgusts at least not savingly relish with every palaâ—e in these times wherein people are so strongly addicted to a pleasurable Religion desiring as well an easie way to bring them to Christ without those terrors and disquiets of conscience which usually accompany the new birth as a pleasing continuance in their Regenerate estate in Christ without those renewings of repentance and that course of strict obedience the Gospel calls for Now to those who do not carry in their brests any prejudicacy of opinion touching the Points laid down in this Treatise but desire earnestly the clearing of every saving Truth I shall not need to say any thing the holy Spirit of God is promised to guide them into the knowledge of all necessary Truths who desire in sincerity to be experimentally acquainted with them But those who are likely to be offended with Doctrines of this nature let me encourage to the serious study of this Book As the Subject of it is spiritual so it is handled not only with much solidity of Judgment and acutenesse of Learning but also with much â—piritualnesse as in which the reverend Author doth not only present the truâ—hs of Christ in a way of Speculation for the delight of the mind but also suits them to the hearts of people in a way of Practice for the benefit of the soul which is certainly the most excellent and most profitable way of opening Scripture for as it is the saving Duty of people to practise what they know whereupon that which Epictetus makes one of the first principles of Philosophy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the making use of Rules and Precepts in the course of life the same our blessed Saviour and the Apostle S. James make one of the first Principles of Religion If ye know these things happy are ye if ye do them and not they who are hearers only but doers of the Word shall be blessed in their deed So it is the incumbent work of Ministers in all they deliver either in the Pulpit or by the Presse for the winning of people unto Christ or building them up in the faith not to keep in high Notions or Speculations of Truths but to endeavor to bring them to be practicable without which all Teachings and Discourses will be but vaine and unprofitable What Austin notes of the three great Philosophers that Socrates excelled in Philosophia activa and Pythagoras in Contemplativa but that Plato utramque jungendo Philosophiam perfecisse laudatur The same I must say of Divines they do most excel in handling the Doctrines of the Gospel who make it their work to joyn the Practical and the Speculative together How far this life bloud runs in the veynes of this Treatise wil be easily discerned by the eye of every one that shall please to take the pains to read it They who do not before hand stomack the Matter and Subject of it will not I perswade my self be offended with the manner of handling it The elaborate pains the Authour hath taken in this Work wherein are many great and precious Truths asserted many knotty points which have not a little puzled the spirits of tender Christians cleared up to their comfort material Questions satisfactorily answered and the spiritual condition laid open very fully in reference to the state of Bondage before Conversion and the state of Adoption after it and all this and very much more in a solid way both of Scholastical and Practical Divinity deserve much encouragement from the people of God for whose Souls sake He hath thus travelled But there is not any thing of greater provocation to faithful Ministers of the Word to take paines both by Preaching and Writing then the diligence of People in Hearing and Reading As I shall therefore commend this Work to the serious perusal of all into whose hands Gods Providence may cast it so in reference to the study of it I License it for the Presse as that which may tend exceedingly to the improvement of Graces the comfort of afflicted consciences the inlightning of the ignorant in points of so necessary concernment the conviction of folly in those who presume of their being in Christ before they have had any sense of their sinful and miserable condition by nature and many wayes to the great advantage of all who have not yet attained to a right understanding of these Mysteries of Salvation THO. TEMPLE To the READER THe Author of this Treatise hath learnt to deny himself that he might study and exalt Jesus Christ He is none of that Graecian strain whom the Orator smartly censured of old Do illis eruditionem do Doctrinam fidem Religionem nunquam isti coluerunt For he hath been at Athens and learnt Christ there as Dionysius the Areopagite did Act. 17. 34. He could not content himself with such a Revelation as flesh and bloud doth impart to carnal Gospellers Mat. 16. 17. and therefore he hath begged the Testimony Revelation and Demonstration of the Spirit 1 Cor. 2. 4. Ephes 1. 17. that he might have the Spirit of God for a Witnesse
quatenus in eaÌ„ Deus nebiscum operum respectu paciscitur I mâ—et withal in this Argument affirming divers things concerning the condition of the Jewes under the Law for which he is deservedly taxed by Peter Martyr As that The Jews received not the Spirit That what is here called the Spirit of Bondage was their Law so termed because it was a Spiritual Law That the Adoption attributed to them Rom 9. was a meere titular honour That they called not God Fatherin prayer c. And Oecuminius and Osoâ—ius follow him But surely if these holy men understand these things concerning the believing Jews they undertake to affirm that concerning them which besides the expresse Testimony of divers Scriptures against it such as Ps 51 11 12 Pro. 1 23. Ps 89 26. Is 63. 16. c. excludes them al out of heaven therefore I in charity conceive that they rather understand the body of the Jewish Church concerning whom these things may with a moderate candid interpretatioÌ„ be allowed to be spoken with respect to the major part who though professed believers yet were real unbelievers Calvin and the modern writers though they follow these Ancients in the inâ—erpretation of this place concerning the Jewes and their Law yet moderate the language they use If the Law saith he Calvin be looked upon in it self it cannot but binde men under bondage and fear of death seeing it promiseth no good but under conditions and pronounceth a curse of death upon every one that doth not keep them Gal. 3. 10. And therefore saith he the Apostle here speaks of the Law barely as a Covenant of works and so considered And Si lex in se consideretur nihil quà m miserae scrviâ—uti addictoâ— mortis quoque borrore constringere homines potest quia nihil boni promittit nisi sub conditione mortem quoque edicit in omnes transgressores Calv. in locum Aâ—d non habuerunt sporitum laetitiae libertatis à lege sed ad evangelium confugerunt Idâ—m Instit Gratia adoptionis erat obscuriùs adumbrata paucioribus concessa Gualth in locum the Jews received no spirit of Jâ—y and liberty from the Law But what of that they had was from thâ— Gospel intermixed therewith And Gualther explains it farther thus He speaks not of a distinction between the persons of the godly under both Testaments but of the different ministery of both The grace of adoption was them more obscurely shadowed out and granted to a few onely in comparison with the times of Gospel ministration Thus they But by the leave of so many learned and godly men I shall take liberty in part to follow a different Interpretation For this reasâ—n Because the Apostle here speaks not of the Spirit of Bondage and Adoption as received by the Jews but by Gentile RomaÌ„s who were never under that pedagogy and yet they were under this Spirit of Bondage once as well as now under the Spirit of Adoption Yet shall I not scruple to take so much of their interpretation as concernes the nature of the work wrought which fills the conscience with horrour of death as Calvin before speaks But whereas he takes the Spirit here spoken of only for the Instrumental causâ— the Law I cannot go with him there but interpret it concerning the efficient cause or at least the instrumental cause as it is in the hand of the efficient the Law in the hands of the Spirit But it may still be a question what Spirit it is that useth the Law in this work Augustine before mentioned interprets it of the evil spirit the Devil under whom men in the time of their unregeneracie are in bondage sutably to the Apostles other expression Eph. 2. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the spirit that works in the children of disobedience This Spirit indeed is a Spirit of bondage keeping soules in the basest slavery taking them prisoners like Turkish gally-slaves and chaining them to his oars that they may do his will 2 Tim. 2. 26. But sure this wicked spirit is not here meant for in the Apostles phrase the spirit of bondage is said to be a received spirit Now the power of Satan in the hearts of unregenerate men is by reason of original corruption connatural to them and so cannot-properly be said to be received Besides the same word being used in relation to this Spirit which is affirmed concerning the Spirit of Adoption seeing the receiving of the latter is to be understood by way of gift and peculiar grace from God I think the former must be interpreted so too Now the domineering power of Satan is no gift received from God from whom comes down none but good and perfect gifts Ja. 1. 17. This Spirit therefore that works the bondage and thereby the fear we speak of we De uno eodemqâ—… Spiritu loquens diversaâ—i effect a tribuit Gualth in locum have found out at last to be a Spirit received as a gift of grace from God and that can be no other then the Holy Spirit of God He it is that creates trouble in the hearts of Gods Elect in order to conversion as well as peace after it And as he is called afterwards a Spirit of Adoption because he is the efficient cause of the enjoyment and sense of that priviledge so here the Spirit of Bondage because by the Law he reduceth the souls of Gods Elect in order to regeneration under bondage and fear 2. This then being the Spirit from whose efficiency ariseth this effect the effect must be such as is sutable to the cause The holy Spirit of God cannot be supposed to bring any soul into an unholy bondage And therefore the condition of servitude here spoken of is not such a servitude as we before mentioned a bondage or servitude under the command of sinne but a bondage or servitude under the guilt of sinne not a bondage to sin but a bondage for sin and a bondage that is the beginning of liberty from sin That bondage is a voluntary bondage a bondage which men are no way sensible of nay they are so farre from being sensible of it unto fear as the Apostle here speaks that they count it the greatest liberty and lie under it in the greatest security But this bondage is naturally involuntary such as a mans heart is by nature irreconcileably averse to and is therefore wrought in the conscience by the mighty convictions of the Spirit of God over-powring it by an irresistible and effectual illumination and binding it with the chaines and fetters of that light under a deep and serious conviction of the sinfulnesse and misery of its own condition It is in a word when a soul lies under the arrest of the Spirit arming the Law to seize upon it and dragg it before the Judgment seat of God in the Conscience to receive its sentence according to its desert a sentence of death within it selfe in the same Apostles expression though in another sense
saving conversion of the soul to God that they are perfectly delivered from it for ever after 'T is a business that is to bee gone through but oâ—câ— and when it is once over there is no fear of its returning upon a man again I mean not that the soul may not come under bondage and fear and terrour again if I should the experiences of most of the Saints of God would confute me in this particular But here lyes the comfort No after shakings to such a soul are the Spirit of Bondage as Ishal shew more hereafter in the third Thesis or Proposition of the second part concerning the Spirit of Adoption And so they come not upon a man with Authority from God but arrest a man barely upon a counterfeit warrant and a man is not bound to submit to them Those cavils which arise afterward in such a soul are not the definitive sentence of a Judg concerning a man but the importune and vexing and litigious allegations of an Adversary Satan is a common Barreter and he makes it his trade to find out flaws in the evidences of Gods Saints and when he hath found or pretends to have found any he makes a great cry of a little wool as we say and like a clamorous and malicious accuser heightens every molehil to a mountain and concludes heavily against a man But what is all this to a mans quiet and peaceable possession if the spirit of God have discharged him the Court And such a one after his Gaol delivery from the spirit of bondage is for ever so discharged CHAP. XX Advice in seven particulars to such persons as are under this Spirit HEnce also properly grows this Caution to convinced sinners Take heed if this be the Spirits way and method of conversion how you render these works ineffectual and fruitlesse to your souls and so obstruct the Spirits saving design upon your selves This may be done many wayes I have instanced in some of them upon the former point which I shall not repeat To those add 1. A man may obstruct his own conversion in this work by a carelesse and sloathful intermission of those meanes which may keep his convictions fresh and lively and his conscience tender Souls under this work should strike as we say whiles the iron is hot And if the edg be dull he must lay on the more strength Eccles 10. 10. must improve publick Ordinances by private meditation prayer conference Fire will as well be put out by neglecting to supply it with fewel as by casting on water The Spirit may be starved as well as quenched The sluggard that after ploughing doth not follow it with the mattock and harrow will have as bad an harvest as he that sowes and never plowes at all The sluggaâ—d when he is called will divers times answer faire and make promises to rise and sometimes offers fair to perform them but when you cease calling his endeavors cease he finds his bed sweet and for want of throwing off the cloaths or starting out of bed by and by sinks into his rest again and takes the other nap Prov. 6. 10. So is it oftentimes with a sinner the Spirit cals and conscience calls and he ever and anon cryes I rise and sometimes starts up as if he would get out indeed but through sloath he is loath to be at the paines to pursue his good resolutions doth not follow them by constant and fervent prayer holy conference strict search into his heart and wayes and so loseth his beginnings by degrees insensibly and becomes as secure a sinner as ever God when he gives grace will be sought to Ezek. 36. 37. Yet will I be inquired of for this and Prov. 2. 3 4. If thou list up thy voice for understanding 2. He may do it by keeping needlesse society with wicked erroneous or vain and unprofitable company The former sorts scoff out and the latter toy out the seriousnesse of spirit that attends a convinced conscience Thence is the Apostles caution to them who upon that prick in the heart advise with him for the cure of that dangerous wound Save your selves saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from this crooked generation Acts 2. 49. and this he did very earnestly the Spirit sets it out by two words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he did charge or adjure and intreat and that with many words as knowing it to be a businesse of very great importance in what company such young beginners lighted Think you hear that Question put to you which the Angels put to the women Luke 24. 5. Why seek ye the living among the dead Truly beloved the unhappy lot of many a coming soul falls among profane friends and they as I shewed before by all means possible endeavour to drowne those little sparks others longing after ease and comfort and not daring to turn the stream of soul troubles in such a way among those friends to whom they chuse to bemoan themselves oftentimes light upon some of unsound Principles and they draw them from publick Ordinances and private duties the only ordinary means of effectual conversion it may be prejudice them against those Truths that affected them and thereby they not being plyed with those softning meanes quickly return to their former hardnesse and impenitency onely they colour it under a new name and profession of Saintship Now for prevention of this â—vil there is no greater caution in any thing to be observed by persons in that condition then to avoyd the company of hereticks as the most pernicious generation that they can converse withall And as for vain and frothy and unprofitable company though they be not in the same way hurtfull with those before mentioned yet are they great hinderances to this worke and hinder the real conversion of many a convinced sinner whiles they dispose the soul to a vain sleight and frothy temper a temper which is so far from being disposed aright for a businesse of such spiritual importance that it is not fit to manage a serious temporal imployment And good reason for there is in all such laughter a kind of madnesse Eccles 2. 2. For as the conceptions of fools and madmen are fickle and fleeting one fancy putting out the other as one wave another in water whence comes the rambling and incoherent discourse which ordinarily discovers distractednesse of mind so doth joy and lightnesse of heart especially if it be occasioned by vain and impertinent objects dilate and spread the spirit so as makes it incapable of being confined to any one thing though never so serious but the soul in such a condition dissolves and evaporates into smoak and as is said of the Heathens in another sense Rom. 1. 21. becomes vain in its imaginations How often doth the Apostle caution us aginst vain janglings and vain bablings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 discourses in which there is nothing but flash and vapour 1
Tim. 1. 6. 6. 20. 2 Tim. 2. 16. As knowing their inconsistency with Christian seriousnesse 3. By timorous despondency and cowardize of spirit Thus many a soul that hath begun well in this way hath met with a serious conviction in a Sermon and been contented to follow it upon hope its work would soon be over and thereupon hath set upon a serious search of his ways and prayed and confessed and mourned for sinne and for all this can see no progresse at all that he makes either in holinesse or peace multitudes of lusts strive still and it may be he now feels them stirring more then ever before as a waking man feels every flea that bites him but a sleeping man though he have many about him yet feels them not and multitudes of temptations assault him which he could not foresee And now saith he I perceive I am entering into a melancholy profession and I see no end of it and thus 't will be with me so long as I hearken to conscience and suffer every sinne to trouble me thus I expected peace and comfort in this way but I see now there is no hopes of it whiles I am so nice and scrupulous and therefore I will give my selfe scope and elbowroome and not lose my present contents which I can enjoy at my pleasure to wait for others which I despair of ever being able to attain And then he concludes desperately thus I have ceased from my wicked ways and prayed and sought the face of God and waited upon Sermons c. yet can I get no peace no answer of satisfaction to my soul God stops his ears to the voice of my roaring and I am out of all hopes of ever attaining a sound peace in my conscience heaven is everlastingly shut and hell open to my soul wherefore it is the best way in mine eys to give my heart content whiles I may and to take the present time and drive away these melancholy thoughts with sanguine refreshments and recreating pleasures to eat and drink seeing to morrow I must dye Thus the Devil that was cast out in the heat of first conviction returns again this way and not only stops conversion at present but barrs the heart ever after against all scruples tending that way Such a thought as this had like to have undone Israel in the desert Exod. 16. vers 3. 4. By a secret hanging and bankering of heart after some sinne under soul troubles and the Spirit of bondage A man may be angry with one sinne and grievously tormented with the guilt of it whiles he carries a more favourable respect to another As a father that hath many children that he is displeased withal may fall out with one that hath offended him grievously and wish he had never begotten him and yet loves secretly another child who hath not so grievously offended him and then it falls out that the child that there is not so much spleen against recovers his favour and makes way thereby for the reducing of his affections to his brother that lies under more heavie displeasure Or rather as a politique Prince that being vexed with the clamours of the people will sacrifice some favourites to save the rest One sinne may undo such a man as Ananias Acts 5. Magus Acts 8. Sometimes he loves that sin still which he is fallen out with and wisheth he had never had to do with and exclaims against it and against himselfe for entertaining it and that by degrees wins his favour again as a rogue and an whore sometimes fall out so grievously that they call one another all the fowlest names that can be and utter all bitter expressions possible against each other yea wish heartily they had never seen the faces of each other and yet within a few hours can be reconciled again and be as great together as ever they were So Pharaoh when he promised Moses fairest under the rod yet still kept in his heart a desire and resolution to keepe Israel in bondage So the Elders of Israel that enquired diligently in appearance after the Lord yet set up their Idols in their heart still Ezek. 14. 3. This a man may do and yet at present not discern it He may by consequence though not directly will the same sin he is troubled for i. e. Whiles he wils the temptations to it or wisheth he were free to it and could get leave of his conscience to live in it securely and without disturbance perhaps he may have trouble for covetousnesse and unlawful gains and he seems very much bent against it yet perhaps he hath some gainful way which he hath before perswaded his conscience to allow him suppose that of moderate Vsury or the like which he allowes himself in that brings all back againe 5. By secret hypocrisie of heart which hinders a man from discovering the bottom of his Wound There is this natural evil in the heart of most men though they be as vile as any yet they are loath to own their evils at least with all their aggravations indeed they are vile creatures but yet they are not so bad as people think them they have done evil indeed but they were drawn in by others they had a good end in what they did they have not made a trade of it c. Such hypocritical concealments as these must needs hinder the deepness of conviction in themselves and occasion a mis-application of the remedy by those who are the ordinary Physicians of souls in such cases As if a Patient deal deceitfully with a Physician and discover not the bottom and root of his Disease as far as he can no wonder if he miscarry seeing the Physicians medicines are intended to meet with no distemper but that which is discovered and so far only as it is so Besides 't is possible in some soul-troubles the hypocrisie may be more grosse in more notorious sinners who intend to make no other use of it then barely to right themselves by a forged repentance and contrition in the eyes of those whom they have scandalized These both appear notoriously in the case of Saul when Samuel had charged home upon him his disobedience in sparing Agag first he playes the hypocrite more secretly in excusing the sin I have sinned saith he in transgressing the Commandment of the Lord but I feared the people And when that cover will not do the deed then he confesseth it more largely that he had sinned he was convinced of it his excuse would not hold water But why did Saul confesse so much See 1 Sam. 15. 30. Yet honour me saith he before the â—…ers of my people and before Israel if he should not have come off freely in his acknowledgment Samuel would not have been gained to have owned him before the people He playes the hypocrite more notoriously in his confession then he did before in his excuses Thence sound converts so often complaine of a fear of hypocrisie even in their complainings 6
Spiritual pride may undo a convinced soul It may make a man take that for the end which is but the way nay but the first step in the way Trouble of conscience for sin is a rare thing in the world and where it is wrought in the soul to any large measure especially it puts a great difference between man and man this difference a soul may apprehend too soon so as to be puffed up with the experience of such a work on his spirit Suppose of a crew of profane persons the conscience of one may bee troubled for his lewd courses and this trouble sticks close and drives him from his loose companions and to resolve upon a new course of life Now is Satan apt to strike in and blow up the heart with the thoughts of this work and the man by comparing himself with what he was and what his Associates still are is apt to think Sure now I am in a good condition for I have been troubled for my sins and forsaken my former wayes and therefore I am savingly converted and therefore I have ground to take comfort and apply Promises to my selfe and entertain no more doubts of my condition Here let me at least allude to Matth 12. 43 44 45. The unclean spirit may in some notorious lust or other be cast out and he is rest lesse till he have again recovered his possession and therefore waiteth a time till it be swept and garnished till a barren profession of Religion be taken up and pride make such persons carry it high this furnisheth a lodging for the Divel then he returnes but in another disguise such an unclean dirty spirit must never think to be harboured again in a garnished house therefore he may perhaps wipe his shooes at the door and under a pretence of holinesse or light may get a firmer possession An erroneous Divel in such a proud heart may get possession when a scandalous Divel cannot though afterwards he open the door to more scandalous and unclean then himself Neither doth such a frame of spirit only give advantage to Satan but it also puts a man into a condition incapable of further grace from God seeing he every where annexeth the Promises of grace to those whom he hath throughly humbled Psal 25. 9. Isai 4. 6 He giveth grace to the humble 7. Indiscreet handling by godly Ministers and friends As many a child that comes to the birth is spoiled by the indiscretion of the Midwife Now here are two miscarriages to be avoided A birth may be endangered by over-slacking or overhastning 1 An over-rigorous exacting of such and such 1. preparatory measures in all as in some or 2. such measures of preparation to grace as cannot be attained unto before grace 3. and of such dispositions to the least measure of grace as presuppose growth in grace So when I find a soul humbled and broken under the guilt of sin and the work by all likelihood is serious but failing in some formalities of what is ordinary and usual in others for here I must not think to fit every foot with one shooe if I should hide the Gospel which only converts as to the formal act of conversion from such a soul till I see conviction of sin bring a sinner to attempt self destruction c. because it brings some so far or till it shew it selfe in a floud of tears as in others or till it heighten his troubles into a kind of distraction as in others here I go besides the rule on this side Or should I require in that sorrow for sin a freedome from all self-respect a single aiming at Gods glory absolutely divided from a mans own good should I require that those breakings of heart which I discerne be derived from meer love to God and Christ c. tempers which must needs attend the discovery and enjoyment of Christ and that not only in truth and reality but in sense and evidence and such as all persons who are arrived to a great measure of the Spirit of Adoption do not find or at least very weakly in themselves here I should not only be indiscreet in expecting and requiring that from the Law which is not to be found but in the Gospel but occasion the damping and cooling if not utter quenching those blessed affections through despair of ever causing the stream to ascend so high and so furnish Satan and mans cowardly sloathful heart with matter enâ—ugh of temptation to Apostacy This is a great evil to detain a soul long in the passage from death to life Hos 13. 13. 2 An over hasty and inconsiderate application of comfort before the soul give evidence that it is truly and soundly humbled And this is overhastening the birth which occasions many distortions weaknesses and defects in the person so born into the new world and divers times exposeth the soul to eternal undoing seeing there are very few if any over early and abortive children but are still-born Here is to be considered that all Promises that concerne the Application of Comfort to us are conditional and we are not to administer it but only to capable Subjects So as I have shewed before Christ tyes his yoak and rest together and feeling and removing the weight of sin are in the same place conjoyned Mat. 11. 28 29 30. And the comfortable indwelling of the presence of God in any soul is conditioned with an humble contrite and trembling frame of spirit Isai 66. 2 And blessed are the Mourners for they shall be comforted Mat. 5. 4. Now certainly ere God will speak he will not onely find shewes of these tempers but realities and therefore a Minister who is Gods Deputy in dealing with such persons should labour to come neer him herein for how can Ministers keep to their commission if they loose where God binds 'T is true they are not bound to an infallibility of concluding that such a work is true but only to judg by the effects but when they have sufficient evidence to sway their judgement concerning the real conversion of any soul then to speak comfort is a duty Isai 40. 1. till then 't is a sin The way then how to deal with such persons is this We must search whether the trouble be real or counterfeit sleight or deep fowl or clean inflamed or not and accordingly either widen the wound more to make it capable of admitting a Tent or apply a lenitive plaister to allay the fire of it or a drawing one to fetch out the corruption or lastly an healing to close the Orifice And indeed whiles the trouble is meerly legal and from a Spirit of Bondage the main care and skil of a Minister or friend as to such a one ought to be to find out the mean between these two extremes the heightning the trouble so as to render the soul too superstitiously fearful to close with Christ and lightning or asswaging it so as to undo the soul by a lusory and unsound
dyed in Egypt How often have we longed for quails for our lust bin discontented at Gods allowance and thought all we had even precious manna gracious meltings for sin a tender fear of offending God an holy importunity in following after God c. nothing if we were not presently assured of his love and kissed with the kisses of his mouth Think how much of unbeliefe impatience pride peevishnesse unthankfulnesse despaire hard thoughts against God wearinesse of his service unjust censures against your selves blasphemous murtherous thoughts c. hath God past by and in all these provocations kept you from falling off from your present convictions and the benefit of them and held you in his hand and conducted you through the wild and roaring wildernesse till he hath brought you to Canaan 4. The multitude of those who perish under convictions and notwithstanding them nay perish the deeper for them When a man considers that the same troubles of spirit which drove Judas to the Gallowes and Cain to despair and to many thousands under the means of grace become barely means of hardening the heart and increasing their condemnation prove to him the throws of a new birth the rough passage to a Kingdom of liberty and glory the straight doore to a pallace of spiritual peace and comfort Distinguishing mercy is engaging mercy And distinguishing mercy is greatest when to the persons distinguished every thing is common but that very distinction As if in a common guilt some are pardoned whiles others dye and in a common disease some perish and others are preserved so here in common soul troubles one man despairs and sends himself to hell the sooner another presumes and fends himself thither the surer c. Others are effectually converted and eternally saved Oh what a deep engagement to thankfulnesse is this 4. Pitifulnesse and tendernesse to other persons in that condition Our own experience may tell us what grievous burthens soul troubles are and how much need there is that those that are with young should be gently led Our Saviour was pleased to submit to temptation for that very reason that he might be a mercifull high Priest able to succour them that are tempted Heb. 2. 18. But I have spoken to this also before CHAP. XXII Several considerations to humble such as have gone through this work ineffectually II. HEnce also let all those be exhorted that have been under these troubles of spirit and have gotten over them without any real work of conversion or saving grace attained by them to 1. Labour seriously to bewail the inefficacy of such hopefull means for their good O friends 't is a sad thing to come out of any trouble muâ—h more such a trouble as this is and get nothing by it What a complaint do the Church make in relation to their temporal afflictions Isay 26. 17 18. We have been with child we have been in pain we have brrught forth wind c. That that comforts a woman in her throws is the hope of a child and this is that that makes her forget it when it is over John 16. 21. But if a woman fall into grievous pains and all proves but a Tympany or an abortive conception or a monster this will not quit the cost of such throws and therefore when shee thinkss on this time she bewails it ever after Much more should such an affection as this possesse a man when he considers how near he was to the Kingdom of God as Christ saith to the Scribe Mar. 12. 34. To perish within sight of the harbour and so to come within a stride of the goale and misse it O how vexing a thought should this be 'T were well if it were so with most men in this World whiles they have time to repaire their losses Hereafter 't will be a trouble to eternity irremediable and that irremediablenesse will be the greatest part of the trouble Here to help this work may be considered that hereby 1. The Spirit of God is disappointed quenched resisted 'T is Gods Spirit that hath contested with thy proud obstinate rebellious heart and 't is that Spirit whom thou hast so often repulsed That Spirit is a free spirit and is not bound to move any more Psal 51. 't is a Spirit of grace and if he move not Zach. 12. 10. thou canst never recover again and when he hath been so repulsed how canst thou expect his farther attempts God doth justly resolve many times concerning such persons as Gen. 6. 3. That his spirit shall strive no more 2. Your hearts are hardened Believe this for a certain truth that the more the heart is melted and softened if it grow hard again it grows the harder for it Thence 't is it may be for I am not certain the sin against the Holy Ghost is there meant that the Apostle saith it is impossible to renew such to repentance when they fall away Heb. 6. 6. impossible that is as to the strength and power of ordinary means that work on other men and if God convert such an one it is by an act of his absolute power besides the ordinary regulated way of his proceedings So is the word taken Mat. 19. 26. that that is impossible with men i. e. which is beyond the reach of men to conceive how it can be done is possible to God Now for such a man to be converted is impossible to men not only in that he hath no power in nature to effect it for so is every mans conversion impossible but in that a man cannot rationally judge him capable of benefit by any of the ordinary supernatural means of conversion The Word of God and whatever other means of conversion will grow so familiar with such a man that all that was affecting in them will through acquaintance grow contemptible and sinnes which at first view and in a mans first convictions appeared fearful and terrible having once or twice affrighted the soul and done no more will afterwards lose their monstrousnesse by a frequent fruitlesse view of them nay hell it selfe as bug hears to children after they begin to find that there is nothing in them but the name will appear but an old wives fable and its fire but a painted flame such as scares more then it hurts and so no wonder if all these restraints removed such an one 's latter end be worse then the beginning 2 Pet. 2. ult Sins before softenings are like weeds in a ground which before plowing and harrowing wee hope to root out thereby but afterwards they are like invincible weeds that no plough or harrow will tear up and therefore such ground is nigh unto cursing 3. Conscience is checked and discouraged That tendernesse which before possessed it upon every sinne is in a great measure lost and whereas it before passed a right censure concerning thy estate now it is grown partial and flattering For there is no man can get out of soul troubles without the leave of his
conscience Now conscience in some persons is silenced by main force in others disheartened by a sleighting carriage in others bribed by a forme of godlinesse and so it is brought to give way to a delusive and undoing peace and either to flatter a man in the way to hel or not to give him a plain information of his condition Now it is a very dangerous thing to quiet conscience with any thing in the World but the bloud of Jesus When an unsprinkled Heb. 10. 22. conscience is at peace this is a dangerous and undoing peace Conscience is the soules faithful watchman and will if it bee not blind when it 's let alone in its duty give faithfull intelligence of its danger in time that it may be avoided Now when conscience is discouraged herein and prevailed withal to speak nothing but pleasing things how soon and how suddenly will such persons souls be surprized and ruined before they are aware of it A thousand times better to have a roaring conscience then a sleeping conscience and a sullen conscience that will never speak a good word to a man then a fawning conscience that wil never although there be never so great cause speak a bad one Hereby doth Satan secure a soul against saving conversion for the future See Acts 28. 27. and God sayes Amen to it Isai 6 9. John 12. 40. 4 Possibly hereby thou maist be brought farther then all this Thou hast not only laid all tongues within door but thou wilt begin to silence the cocks without door also that thou mayest sleep securely for the future Gods faithful Embassadors that speak too loud and home to thy spiritual condition must be enjoyned or flattered or scared into a deep silence as to all such points as may trouble thee lest conscience newly laid to rest should startle again This was in another case the frame of Ahab he was resolved upon his war and then all the Court-Chaplains are taught their Lesson that they must all prophesie good success to the Kings design and Micaiah because he will not say as they do hath much ado to get a hearing 1 Kiâ—gs 22 and when he is heard gets an imprisonment for delivering his Message So it is with men in this case when they are resolved to be at peace with their defiled consciences upon any termes they wilfully turne their backs upon such Ministers as say not what they will have them and if it were in their power would use them no better then Ahab used Micaiah and Herod John the Baptist And now I have mentioned Herod me thinks I see him just such a man as I am now discoursing of a man convinced and very likely to become a convert one that heard John gladly a great while and sure he was much wrought on that could please himself in so austere and sowre a Preacher as John was but when he had prevailed with conscience to wink at his sinful pleasure with Herodias then because John made so much noise of the businesse that both the King and his Minion were afraid he would make that tell-tale awake and look abroad againe and stare them in the face the Preacher must be laid in prison and his head must be cut off to keep his tongue quiet Now when a man hath brought himself to such a passe as to all ordinary and likely meanes of conversion he is desperate 5. Possibly thou maist grow into a grosse neglect of duties and Ordinances An un-grounded peace often carries men to this for as it was gotten without these meanes so it is maintained without them And the soul thus set at liberty is afraid of coming within the reach of those meanes that may reduce it back again to its old condition And therefore seeing these are the meanes to work conversion a soul prejudiced against these is in a most unlikely way of ever being savingly wrought upon The man that under this delusion being even upon this very account prejudiced against them because whiles he was under them he could never be quiet and since he hath left them all things are in peace whence it appears that he is resolved though it cost him his salvation not to break if possibly he can prevent it his corrupt and unwarrantable security and peace He is asleep and not willing to be disturbed though he be on the top of a Mâ—st Prov 23. 34. 6 After all this it is a thousand to one if thou do not become a more desperate enemy to and Persecuter of the wayes of God then any other and so by degrees fall into the unpardonable sin Convinced men come neer the Kingdom of God and then their hopes are high from God and all this while they flatter him with their lips and are much in prayer and hearing c. until by their desperate Apostacies from these beginnings they have the sentence of condemnâ—tion in their own hearts which they bear about with them still though not alwayes with the same raging and raving clamours and this consciousnesse of being cast off by God and utterly deserted by the spirit of grace turnes all their love into hatred and no men in the world prove more bloudy Persecuters then they Truly Beloved it is not for nothing that we find troubled consciences that are made graciously tender to complain so often of their own hearts that they are afraid they have sinned the sin against the Holy Ghost for though every Apostacy from a mans convictions be not that sin yet every Apostacy from strong and deep workings of the Spirit of Bondage is a great step towards it And although it be sure that no man hath committed that sin who can mourn upon supposition that he hath committed it yet it is no lesse sure that many who have been before great Mourners under the sense of other sins may fall into it and be rendred uncapable of ever mourning for sin any more but in Hell CHAP. XXIII Such are exhorted to endeavour to recover those lost impressions A Question discussed hereupon and Objections answered 2. A Second Duty incumbent upon such persons is to labour to reduce again those lost impressions of the Spirit of Bondage I confesse it is a very hard matter to recover a spirit of conviction and compunction again when it is once lost yet it may be had the soul being first made deeply sensible as was before required of the evil and danger of checking and losing it and following God in all his Ordinances conscienciously for its recovery But truly 't is a very rare thing without very extraordinary Grace for such impressions to be at least effectually renewed As in dangerous relapses nature having made many attempts to cast out her enemy and failing is ordinarily so wearyed out that it is an extreme difficult thing to apply any Physick strong enough to conquer the disease and yet not too strong for nature to manage and therefore it requires the more labor with our hearts to effect Object
fight for it Satan and Numb 13. 23 a mans corrupt heart are apt to discourage a soul under Bondage from hence What profit Job 21. 14 Lam. 3. 8. is there in serving God c. Thou prayest and he casteth out thy prayer thou hearest and art in trouble still Now God props up his people against such temptations by such Promises to all and performances to most of his Saints Reas 5 God doth it to wean his people from this world Now Lord lettest thou thy servant depart in peace for mine eyes have seen thy salvation sayes Simeon when he had seen Christ in the flesh Luke 2. 29. And when a soul after long troubles of spirit recovers the assurance of Gods love O what poor things are all the treasures of the world to him Lord saith David lift up the light of thy countenance upon me and then take corn and wine and oyl who will Psal 4. 6. And then let the eyes of wicked men be even ready to strut out with sat and let them have all that they can wish yet saith he in another place I will not change portion with them for the Lord is the strength of my heart c. Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel and bring me to glory Psal 73. 25 26 27 28 A man that is called to be a Favourite to a King will quickly grow into a dis-esteem of his shop and retaile Trade his sheepfold or cow-stal Take no care for your stuff saith Joseph for all the fat of the Land of Egypt is yours Gen. 45. 20. So saith God to an assured soul Take no care for these earthly things thou hast in heaven a richer and more enduring substance Reas 6. Because God delights to hear from his Saints often Not only as a Master from a Servant nor as a rich man from a beggar nor as a Conqueror from a Captive but as a Father from a child as a husband from a Spouse Cant. 2. 14. The voyce of a Spouse of Christ in the cleft of the Rock i. e. relying on him upon assurance of his love is sweet Joseph could not abide long under the mis-apprehensions his brethren had of him My Lord and Thy servants Joseph thought were strange Titles to that of Brother hee longed to hear them call him by a name of relation so saith God Hosea 2. 16. to an afflicted Church CHAP. VI. A Question concerning the mediate and immediate Testimony of the Spirit HOw doth the Spirit testifie our Adoption For although divers godly Divines are of a different judgement in the point of immediate evidence yet I cannot be perswaded but that there is something in the work of the Spirits testimony which may deserve to be so expressed Ans Two wayes 1 Immediately 2 Mediately I. Immediately wherein the Spirit acts as in illumination and infusion of good motions into us by his secret influence upon the heart quieting and calming all those waves of distrust and diffidence concerning its condition by his own immediate power without the present application of any Scripture grounds to convince a mans reason that his testimony is true I shall parallel it with the motions of the Spirit thus As the Spirit many times excites a man to such or such a duty by laying his hand immediately upon the heart and therewithal a kind of secret force and power inclining the heart to obey those motions and as it many times opens the heart to such and such spiritual impressions by a physical injection of holy motions into it and warming the heart to receive them so in this case when a poor soul sits in darknesse and sees no light sometimes upon a sudden a light from heaven compasseth it about and it is it knowes not how in a moment as it were taken up into the third heaven its fears are banished by a soft whisper from the Spirit of God in the heart Thy sins are forgiven thee and this is in such a way that though the spirit of a man really believes it and is immediately calmed by it yet it cannot tell how it comes to passe And so it is sometimes in overcoming temptations a soule some other times is enabled to knock them to the ground by a scriptum est as Christ did Matth. 4. but sometimes it is stirred up to decline them and abhorre them by a secret rising of the spirit against them and to club them downe by meere force setting the bent of the will and affections against them without any present direct recourse of the soule to the written word And of this kinde is that worke of the Spirit stirring up in us sighes and groans in prayer that cannot bee uttered whereas at other times it furnisheth us with abundant matter of prayer from the promises and other straines of Scripture useful thereunto And thus as I said in conveying the evidences of Gods love the Spirit can and surely oftentimes doth alter the whole frame of a mans Spirit by a secret irradiation of comfort a man cannot tell how for as there is a kind of spiritual instinct in the soul by which it doth the things that are pleasing to God after conversion though many times it knowes not the principles upon which it acts so is there a secret and spiritual faculty in the divine nature that is infused unto us by which when the Spirit speakes peace to the soule it closeth with it without any reasoning or recourse to evidences as at other times As saith a learned man there is in the eye lumen innatum Rutherf on Jo. 12. p. 100. and in the eare aer internus a certaine imbred light to make the eye see lights and colours without and a sound and air in the eare within to make it discerne the sounds that are without so is there grace a new nature and habitual instinct of heaven to discerne the consolation of Gods spirit immediately testifying that wee are the sons of God There are some secret and unexpressible lineaments of the Fathers countenance in this child that the renewed soul at first blush knowes and ownes it But for the understanding of this you must observe with mee these few particulars for explication of this secret of experimentall godlinesse 1. That although the Spirit may testifie this immediately without any expresse and formall application of a word yet he never testifies but according to the word i. e. to subjects capable thereof and in such wayes as they are discovered to be capable by the word so that the Lords speaking peace to the soul being in the Scripture bound up to persons under certain qualifications the Spirit never speaks peace but where those qualities are real though not alwaies visible in the soule As for example if a man that feels not sin a burden heavyer then all the world that throwes away all duties of religion never prayes reads heares meditates nay goes on in some sinful way without remorse be filled with joy and peace and assurance
Hebrews 6. 4 5 6. and 10. 26 27 28 29. And one in the second of Peter 2. 20 21. In the ambiguity of some dark phrases in those Texts of Scripture doth Satan perplex the soul and this is a strong hold that he will not presently surrender Thus he perswades them that every neglect of duty every vain thought or wicked action after illumination and the work of conviction utterly and totally excludeth them from repentance or pardon and therefore it is in vain to endeavour their comfort who have sinned against the Holy Ghost that should comfort them and that unpardonably and irrecoverably I have spoken to this already in the second point and shall again hereafter And therfore it shall suffice at present to warn you of this rub which Satan laies in the way of your peace and to intreat you to take no heed to it when it is obtruded to barre you from laying hold of the promises of mercy and pardon which are proclaimed unto you For take this for a certain rule God never intends any terrours of Scripture as bugbears to affright any sinner from Christ who earnestly desires him the severest scorpions of the Law are intended only to drive us to Christ Gal. 3. 24. much lesse doth he intend that any of them should conclude any soul under an apprehended impossibility of pardon for then he would be chargeable with all those desperate conclusions which men usually draw from such premises But he always encourageth the greatest sinners to beleeve and supposing that to take comfort from the boundlesnesse of his mercy in pardoning all maner of sinnes Isay 55. 7. and 1. 18. How frequently doth he for their sakes display his bowels of tender mercies as if he foresaw that the greatest difficulty of his work would lie in perswading them of those CHAP. XII Certain other Hinderances removed A Sixth Hinderance is 6. Keeping Satans counsel Many a soul bears sad burthens in this kind oftentimes because he is ashamed to utter what it is that troubles him As many a man bears a Disease in some part which he is loath to discover and will not be knowne of it till there be no remedy but he must dye of it This is Satans policy to represent the soul before conversion as beautiful in all the ornaments of civility and good nature as we say and formality as is possible But after conversion when the soul pants after Assurance of Gods love then to shew it its own face in as black a glasse as hell or its Landskip an accusing terrifying conscience can afford And therefore he enlargeth ordinary infirmities into monstrous Apostacies and sins against the Holy Ghost and if the soul be satisfied that its sins are not of that dye because it never entertained a thought of malice and envy against God or his wayes which is required to that sin Then he will inject fearful suggestions into the mind horribilia de Deo c. horrid thoughts of God Christ Religion Scriptures c. And then he acts as a wicked Whore when he hath laid these brats of his at a Saints door then he pursues him as the father of them for maintenance solicites Reason to defend them or at least to dispute them and if a soul throw them out as fast as he casts them in then he makes it his next businesse to perswade it to keep his counsel in these thoughts and temptations for saith he what will godly people think of thee if thou shouldst discover such things as these No one that fears God would ever come nigh thee any more So concerning thoughts of self-murder temptations to fearful and horrid pollutions c. If he cannot fasten them upon the heart he will labour at least to prevail for our secrecy in them And then he knowes he can make great advantages of those concealments As a loose companion when he hath tempted an honest woman to uncleannesse and cannot prevail his next designe is to perswade her to keep his attempt close and to allow him her company still which if he can do he will afterwards as being one that regards not his owne reputation blast her as if she were really guilty of the Fact and endeavor to make her concealment of his temptations and continued converse with him the Argument to prove her so So if Satan can prevail so far he will quickly perswade a soul that he hath consented to what he hath concealed and so lay all that load of desperate conclusions which would follow from the sins themselves upon the suspicion of them And therefore as a woman that is honest and wise will discover such sollicitations to an husband or near friend and desire them to watch over her lest she be overcome by importunity to an act she so much abhors and if need be will reveal them more publickly by way of Caution for her fuller Vindication So in this case it is the best way to deal with Satan Let no such thought arise but away first to God and then to a godly Minister or a godly friend and unbosom thy selfe for hereby thou shalt be able to call witnesse against Satan upon every occasion and take away the advantage from him of suggesting many desperate thoughts to thee which if he have so much footing as thy bare silence he will inject with a great deal of vehemency On the other side he will quickly be discouraged from tempting if what he speaks in secret were published upon the house tops 7 Secret tempting of God and dependance upon such means and such men for peace and limiting God to such and such a time and resolving not to wait on God beyond that time or not to expect it from any other meanes It may bee slighted means and an unexpected time shall bring thee that comfort which thou hast in vain looked for from more likely instruments and more probable seasons Truly friends God will have peace as well as grace to be every way free and unconfined Say not such a Minister indeed is an honest man and preacheth well but I shall never profit by him if ever I have comfort it must be from such or such a mouth Say not if God answer me not in such an ordinance or such a duty I am hopelesse c. It oftentimes falls out here as it doth in dangerous diseases among great personages They perswade themselves that such or such a plain honest Physician whom they vouchsafe to consult with in ordinary cases is able to do them no good in their present distempers he is not studied or hath not experience enough and therefore they must advise with such or such a Court Doctor of eminent practise and then they think they cannot misse of a cure But many times it so happens that after they have spent their strength and estate on fees and bills and are come down into the Country to dye a plain countrey Physician and a little Kitchin-physick hath restored them Truly friends 't is
yet you are sure of a glorious and happy condition hereafter This you have ver 17. And therefore that the present sufferings which you undergo are no way worthy to be laid in the ballance to abate the least dram of your joy ver 18. for you are heirs not younger children or servants to be put off with gifts as Abraham did the rest of his children besides Isaak but heirs to the estate and what is that estate Heirs of God of all that God hath and is and you partake of the same inheritance with Christ himself co-heirs with Christ 2 That in the greatest dejections deadness and decayes upon your spirits you are sure you shall have assistance enough to keep the intercourse between God and your souls alive verse 26 27. It may be Soul thou art in a strange stupidity of spirit that thou knowest not what to desire the Spirit shal teach thee what to pray for But though 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bears or lifts against as a partaker of the same burthen thou know what would do thee good thou canst not ask it the Spirit shall help thy infirmities But it may be thou canst not speak a word when thou goest to seek God yet the Spirit shall help thee to groan But will God understand those groans Yes for he that searcheth the heart knowes the mind of the Spirit 3 That you shall receive benefit to your selves from the saddest of Providences ver 28. All things shall work together for good All things Ordinances Providences Prosperity Adversity sinnes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 work together They are at work it is their bussnesse All the businesse of the Creatures being servants to God is for the good of his children and they work together for their good Things never so different in their natures and operations conspire for their good as several contrary ingredients in the same Medicine â—ee Ver. 31 correcting each other and one doing what the other cannot 4 That you shall want nothing that you had not better want then have ver 32. He spared not his Son Had he exercised that severity on an Angel it had been much But he spared not his Son not a Son by Adoption but a Son by Nature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But delivered him up for us all Delivered to whom to Herod and Pilate and Judas and Satan to what to the curse and wrath of God to the death of the Crosse for us in our stead And how shall he not with us give us all things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 How shall he not gratifie us with a free grant of all our desires A Saint assured of Gods love hath all the treasures of heaven and earth at command He is assured if God or creatures can supply him he shall never want any good thing Psal 23. 1. Psal 84 11. 5. That whatever your own misgiving heart tells you or Satan maliciously suggests you can never by all the power of earth or Hell be deprived of any of these priviledges nor lose them by your own sinful miscariages Sinnes cannot deprive you For this would destroy the satisfaction of Christ either Christ suffered for all the sinnes of Gods elect or for some only if for some only then none can be saved of all Gods elect seeing he cannot satisfie for that himselfe which Christ hath not satisfied for If for all then none of them can be condemned Sin may trouble them sadden their Spirits as it ought hide Gods face but it cannot condemn them The Apostle challenges sin and Divel and all in that case v. 34. And all creatures in the following verse 2. Plead it at all times 1. Before God In all those things which you come to God for you must plead Title If you come to God for any good thing you must plead some engagement upon him and the ground of your plea must be either a general or a special promise 'T is true general promises are a good plea when a man hath no other But God loves and 't is much for the comfort of Saints that we urge him upon special bonds Therefore the Saints are bid to say Father and our Father 2 Against Satan and his suggestions 1 Sinful 'T is a good Argument against temptations to sin How shal I that have had such tokens and tastes of Gods special love do this great wickedness and sin against such a God Gen. 39. 9. And if God makes it an aggravation of sin as he doth 1 King 11. 9 why may not we make it an Argument against sin 2 Troublesome When Satan molests the soul with fears and doubts of thy condition have recourse to thy Evidences Tell him thou wilt plead against him before God as a common Barretor for molesting thee in so clear a Title 3 Against the unbelief upon thy own heart This David keeps up withal Psal 73. 26. I confesse saith he I am at an utter losse both without and within yet God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever Psalm 42. ult and 43. he checks his heart in sadnesse upon this account Why art thou cast down c. Trust still in God who is the light of my countenance and my God CHAP. XXXI An exhortation to recover the lost evidence of the Spirit And some advice how to do it in two particulars HEnce be exhorted thirdly to labour to recover it if lost Qu. How shall I do that A. 1. Sit not down quietly rest not in that condition If a man have lost the evidences of his land he will look over all his boxes and chests and romage every corner as we say and will not leave till he hath found them again Thus in the place before quoted did the Holy man Ps 77. My spirit made diligent search The Saints of God in the Scripture could never sit still under such a dark condition It was death to them Psalm 13. 3. and 143. 3 4 7. And no wonder for the darkening of their evidences is a suspension of all influences As during the darknesse of the night or the eclipse of the sun by that interception of light there is a suspension of that quickening influence which the sun hath in things below All graces will wither when God thus hides his face all Duties will be dead and barren all comforts clouded and imbittered as I before also shewed you A woman that loves an husband is reassured of his affection to her cannot endure long absence from him If ever you have been ravished with the love of God you cannot bear his absence long Here I do not advise you to an impatient Caution restlessenesse under that condition No that is too often the fault of Saints But I caution you against a sloathfull resting in such a condition I must be contented with it as it is Gods pleasure but I must not be contented with it as it is occasioned by my default To know this you must 2. Enquire where and how
less sensible Because God permitts this darkness in designe for some special ends of his owne Now the person a man puts on upon designe commonly he useth to over-act even beyond what he would if he were reall So although when God was really an enemy as before conversion he carryed himselfe by secret supports and encouragements of the soul as one that was not utterly irreconcileable yet when he meerely intends to appeare so he carries himselfe so strangely that the soul really believes he is in earnest and intends its ruine irrecoverably Lam. 3. 5. 7 8 9. The church aggravates her sad condition from extraordinary appearances of Gods dealing with her God in such a case leaves the soul alone like a sparrow on the house Psal 102. 7. And woe to him that is alone Eccles 4. 40. 4 And thus fourthly The grounds of the horrid troubles that Gods Saints fall into after assurance may be and are occasionally from the Spirit of God though immediately and by way of an efficient cause they are not from that spirit Thus the Spirit led Christ into the wildernesse Mat. 4. 1. 1 By an active suggesting to the soul such considerations as may start a soul-trouble As when it makes a fresh disâ—overy of New committed sinnes and stirs up the soule to renew repentance for them Such motions may be the occasion of farther enquiries into a mans own heart and so of questions concerning his estate And thus by degrees they may grow into as palpable Legal Terrours as any ever the soul groaned under 2 By withdrawing that assistance from the soul which should maintain the soul in peace and joy of the Holy Ghost When the Sun hides behind a cloud or is under an Eclipse it must needs be dark If the Father let goe the little childs hand in a dark and dangerous place he will surely fall And thus is the Spirit the negative cause if I may so express my self of the saddest bondage that comes on the people of God after Assurance 5 But Lastly the Spirit to be sure doth never cause and work a feare of bondage in the soul after Assurance as it did before and that may be seen in these differences 1. Before there was a time when he convinced the sinner of a state of sin and enmity to God After it never doth tel a man so any more 2. Before there was a time when he convinced the soul of a state of wrath and condemnation arising from that enmity but having once effectually converted and assured the soul of reconciliation he never presents hell and wrath any more to the soul as its portion 3. Besides He sometimes presented every act of sinne as unpardoned Now he never doth so any more in that sense wherein he did so formerly That is that I may not be mistaken He never presents Gods vindictive or avenging Justice unto the soul as unsatisfied for such a sin though he may present Gods fatherly Justice as displeased at it 4. Before hee sometime presented every suffering of this life to the soul as a part of the curse of the Law and the earnest-penny of Hell Now he never leads the soul to the view of sufferings under that notion but only as fatherly corrections and chastisements by which God endeavours to quicken the soul into a speedy return unto him by renewed repentance and humiliation CHAP. XXXIV The proof of the Thesis from 1. Scripture 2. Reason THe truth of this point is abundantly cleer Proof from the Scripture and Reason For Scripture Take notice of the names by which the Spirit is set out to us in the Word 1 He is called the Comforter John 14. 16. And this in his peculiar Office to the Saints Now he would fail in the discharge of it if ever he should bring Gods adopted children into bondage againe Therefore when our Saviour promiseth the Comforter he also engageth that he shall abide with the Saints John 14 16. 'T is true their comforts are many times fleeting comforts But the Spirit of God is not to be blamed for that Ordinarily 't is their own fault and oftentimes Satans temptations eclipse the comforts and refreshments of the Spirit to the soule Though their comforts be fleeting the Comforter is not To debase himself from being the Comforter to the Divels imployment the Accuser of the Brethren is dishonourable to the Holy Spirit 2 Besides he is called our Seal and how long doth he continue so unto the day of redemption Eph. 4. 30. Hee will not to day scale an evidence of heaven to the soul and tomorrow seal its Mittimus to hell 3 Moreover he is called our Earnest and can we think that God will give us an earnest of heaven one day and revoke it again the next or ever deny the bargain which that Earnest secures unto us An honest man will not do so far be it from God to do what common honesty will keep man from Rom. 11. 29. 4 He is the Spirit of Adoption testifying to us that we are the children of God ver 16. of the chapter in hand And can it be imagined that he will ever tell a child of God that he is become a child of the Divel There is no lesse Reason For Reas 1. I have shewed before that The Spirit and the Word never crosse each others Testimony Now the Word never pronounceth bondage to any one that hath received the Witnesse of the Spirit nay not to any one that hath the least grace of the Spirit The Word every where speaks comfort to such Isa 40. 1 2. Rom. 8. 1 34. Reas 2. That which is the badge of a false Prophet and which God dislikes in such cannot without blasphemy be attributed to the holy Spirit of God But to make the heart of the righteous sad is a badge and sin of false Prophets Ezek 13. 22. Reas 3. That ought not to be supposed to be wrought by Gods Spirit which as often as it is on our spirits is our sin and infirmity but to doubt of the saving love of God after enjoyment of the manifestation and feeling of it is our sin and infirmity Psal 77. 20. And therefore the Spirit cannot be the Author thereof because the Holy Spirit cannot be the Author of sin Reas 4. That which hinders the most proper and peculiar work of the Spirit of Adoption cannot be the work of the Spirit except we suppose the Spirit so indiscreet as to counteract himself But if the Holy Spirit ever become a Spirit of bondage to the soule after tastes of Gods love communicated thereunto the Spirit would be guilty of counter-acting its most proper and peculiar work which as the next Doctrine from the last words of the Text shews you is to embolden and enliven the heart in Prayer For how can he call God Father with confidence to whom the Spirit witnesseth that God is an enemy Reas 5. The Spirits Testimony if it could ever become a Spirit of Bondage
A man that hath but confused notions of a thing is not able to make a clear and distinct relation of it Sometimes we cannot pray because we know not what to ask Rom. 8. 26. We know not what to ask because we know not distinctly what ails us troubled we are but we cannot tell why As a man divers times in distemper of body let a Physician come to him ask him how he doth he will tell him Sick Sir very sick But ask him where the seat of his distemper most lyes he cannot tel he is very ill and that is all that he can say Thus many a man is troubled in mind indistinctly and confusedly Now such a man cannot but be shut up in prayer The head is clouded and that cloudeth the heart And as in a mist a man sees Objects at a distance that fright him but because he sees them in a mist he can give no distinct intelligence of them So here And oftentimes melancholy of body concurs to hinder by darkning the judgment and distracting the fancy 3 Study Gods Promises and let them dwell in you plentifully And especially such Promises as most concerne your condition so discovered When David hath a Promise he never wants a Prayer How often Psalm 119. doth he urge God upon his Word ver 25 28 58 116 169. The Word is the quiver of all those holy Arrowes by which a straitned soul shoots intelligence to Heaven Prayer is nothing but the Eccho of a Promise I will ease thee saith Christ Matth. 11. 28. O ease me saith the soul Wait and God shall strengthen thy heart saith the Word Psal 27. ult Strengthen my heart saith the soul My grace is sufficient for thee saith the Lord 2 Cor. 12. 9 Let thy grace be sufficient for me saith the soul of a praying Christian Get a Promise and thou hâ—st a great deal of cloath for prayer it lacks but cutting out 4. Stir up the grace of God that is in thee 1 By Meditation Meditation is the bellowes that sets grace a flaming Meditate upon the forementioned Subjects thy owne present condition Gods love and Promises add to them thy frequent past experiences the nature use necessity of maintaining intelligence with God in thy condition the nature use ends of an afflicted estate the Duties that God expects from thee in it and many more subjects of this or a like nature And thou wilt find it with thee as with David Psalm 39. 3. My heart was hot I mused the fire kindled then I spake with my tongue He was dumb before but the heart growes so full now it must needs out or 't will break for want of vent Set before thee as matters of Meditation the chapters and places of Scripture that have been penn'd by the Saints in thy condition 2 By frequent essayes Thou canst not pray How often hast thou tryed It may be once or twice and then grown weary Try again man and again and again till thou canst Some never work well till they are warm Obj. But I can say nothing Answ Then go and complain Lord I would pray but I can say nothing Then look out a Promise and turn it into a Prayer and if thou canst do no more rise again and anon fall to it again Thus children learn to spell read and write What if thou go three four twenty times together and be able to say but a few words those stil the same Christ did so in his Agony In such a case if thou hast a good form by thee of another mans I know not why at least the viewing if not use of it may not quicken the Spirit of Prayer in thee Câ—uâ—ches may help us when we are lame that hinder us when we are sound 3 If thou caust get a godly experienced friend to pray with thee discover thy case to him as well as thou canst and let him spread it before the Lord and labor thou to joyne with him Iron sharpneth iron so doth the face of a man his friend In such holy communion one prayer begets another Two lying together grow both warm Or get such friends to pray for thee 1 Cor. 1. 11. Paul acknowledgeth a great deal of help from the Corinthians prayers A diligent use of these means and frequent application of thy self to the use of them wil by degrees recover thy lost acquaintance with God again FINIS The Contents THe first Treatise concerning the Spirit of Bondage layes down these two Theses 1. That the convictions concussions and terrours which bring a sinner before conversion under a spiritual bondage to the sad apprehensions of the curse and wrath of God due to him by the Law because of the guilt of sinne are ordinarily the works of Gods blessed Spirit 2. That In order to the conversion of sinners it is the ordinary and usual way of the Holy Spirit of God to become thus a Spirit of Bondage before he becomes a Spirit of Adoption To the first of these way is made by a preface containing a brief explication and vindication of the meaning of the Apostle Paul Rom. 8. 15. where he makes mention of this Spirit of Bondage wherein I state this Question Quest What the Spirit of Bondage is in the Apostles sense and the fear that proceeds from it Chap. 1. The Thesis cleared 1. By shewing how this work as it is managed by the Spirit of God differs from a like work of Satan And in the close thereof 2. By enquiring whether this work always ends in conversion Chap. 2. A few words are added to prove it Chap. 3. Practical Corollaries from the Premises 1. By way of support Chap. 4. 2. By way of Caution in several branches 0 1. Not to harden the heart against the Spirits soft voyce 2. Not to mis-apprehend our own case under bondage 3. Not to judge others in that case 4. Not to break the Spirits bonds but by his leave whether it be 1. By profane or vain diversions and avocations of our hearts from being serious and through therein Chap. 5. 2. Or by over-greedy grasping after peace and comfort ere we are prepared for it Whence ariseth A Practical Question concerning the measures of humiliation necessarily required to conversion and comfort and concerning fitnesse of the soul for comfort Chap. 6. The 3. 4 5 6. Corolaries Viz. By way of exhortation By way of conviction of the true use of the ministry of the Law By way of plea for the frequent seeming peevishness of poor souls refusing comfort By way of humiliation to such as herein have formerly it may be frequently stifled convictions and fears c. 7. The second Thesis explained 1. By enquiring into the nature of the work of the Spirit of Bondage where conviction is described ch 8. 2. By assigning the means of this work ch 9. Evidence given of the Spirits usual working this way c. 10. Qu. Vpon what designes the Spirit most commonly workes in this method Discovered in twelve
an hard matter to get out of this subject because I know there is nothing in this Gospel-surfeited age which damns more souls then a presumptuous and heady confidence of ignorant and besotted men that run away with a few shredds and odd ends of Gospell and build a general perswasion upon them that they are the persons to whom they belong and yet they never had any such work wrought upon them as may give any judicious Minister or Christian any grounds of hope that they are within a thousand leagues of the borders of the Kingdome of God CHAP. XVIII Some support to souls under this Spirit and satisfaction in a double case of Conscience HEnce also we may draw support to persons that are in this condition 'T is some comfort to a patient that he is in a way of recovery though he be not assured that he shall recover yet when he apprehends such symptomes upon himselfe as usually go before recovery in others how much are his spirits refreshed with this 'T is the comfort of a Traveller when he knows he is in the way to his journies end after long wandring in a wildernesse whereby he is encouraged to proceed though perhaps it be a very difficult passage rocky dirty uncomfortable every way in it self though his horse be dull or set hard in his pace the weather bad yet saith he I am in the way to my journies end and I may if I carefully observe directions attain it at last and this hope puts spirits into him whenever the difficulties that I have spoken of discourage him Now who ever thou art that art in a like condition though the way which the Spirit of bondage conducts thee in be attended with many difficulties discouragements yet cheer up thou art in an hopefull way to thy journeys end 'T is the way in which thou mayst arrive at the joyful liberty of the Spirit of Adoption Q. But I am before told that I may yet misse of the end and what comfort then can therebe in such a way wherein I may miscarry after I have gone through abundance of difficulties A. I answer True thou mayst yet there is much comfort or support rather Fr 1. Though thou mayst fall yet thou mayst not In thy former condition it was not so with thee The way thou wast in there was nothing in it but certain destruction that way led directly without all peradventure to the chambers of death Prov. 7. 2. 7. thou wast without hope Eph. 2. 12. Now this valley of Achor or trouble is the opening of a door of hope unto thee Hos 2. 15. 2. Thou art under the conduct of one whose discovery if thou wilt follow thou art assured not to fall away 'T is thy own fault if thou do so The Spirit that hath led thee so farre is an unerriug guide a faithfull conductor never any one miscarried that once came into this way but for neglect of his counsell and turning aside into by ways of his own Prov. 1. 32. 'T is the turning away of the simple that destroys them See also v. 33. 3. This fear is a good prognostick of thy successe therein A man that is suspicious asks many questions of all he meets and takes notice of their directions and thereby is preserved from mistakes Certainly fear of erring is a great preservative against it As on the otherside there is no more fearfull symptome of a dangerous Apostacy then self-confidenc◠This had like to have undon Peter no wonder therefore if the Apostle Paul direct those that labour for salvation Mat. 26 33. to do it with fear and trembling Phil. 2. 12. And Solomon pronounceth a blessing on him that feareth always This fear is one great security against evil Prov. 14. 16. The wise Prov. 28. 14. man feareth and departs from evil 4. If thou continue in this self suspecting fear and follow God in the use of all his own ordinances if thou shouldest miscarry at last it would be a singular case Gods usual dealing with persons under such a work is otherwise I dare say very few if any that pursue their convictions so ever miscarry 5. There are some conjectural symptomes of a saving conviction whiles one is under it Qu. But what are those A. I answer over and above that fear before spoken of which indeed if it drive not from but rather spur on to duty is the better as I but now shewed likewise there may be a probable judgment made to another and possibly to thy selfe of the issue from these following notes I. If the sinnes a man is convinced of be not only actual but also and principally 1. Original when he sees not onely his actions damnable but his nature even before he had a being condemned when he complains not only or principally of such particular sins but alike or more feelingly complains under the body of death that he is possest withall For this man is most likely to be seriously converted from sinne who doth not onely aym at the branches or shrowds but lays the Axe of repentance at the very root To another who is convinced onely of the evill of one or two master sinnes though they may make a stir in the conscience for a while and that may drive the man to a wall so that he sees he must kill them or they will kill him and thereupon the man reformes and is taken notice of for a renewed man sinne will come in at a posterne door as fast as he drives it out at the great gate nay all his labour will be no other then Hercules his was about the many heads of Hydra as the Poets fancy they multiplying upon him as fast as he cuts them off It being proper to sinne when dealt with single crescere per damnum to gain by losing and grow by being cut down One particular sinne may destroy another For There is scarce a lust in a man but as it is contrary to grace so is it opposite to some other lust so that what Covetousness loseth commonly Prodigality gains and so vice versâ But if Original sin by such convictions be assaulted such a man goes a compendious way to a through Conversion he begins at the right end Indeed conviction of some actual sin usually begins this work but leaves it never it till it strike Original too 2. Not only open and scandalous but secret and of those especially Spiritual sins Many a man may be grieviously terrified under the guilt of such or such a notorious sin and forsake it and yet may not be really converted shame of the world disadvantage in point of estate or possibly the downright blowes of a powerful Ministry will not let him enjoy that quietly But when a mans conviction is deepest for undiscerned sins secret inward sins spiritual sins such as formality hypocrisie hardnesse of heart c. this is a good signe this conviction is likely to end in effectual conversion Because the grief and
sorrow occasioned by these sins bears a more immediate relation to the holinesse of God who only is offended by them they being such as none else can take cognizance of II. If a man under soul troubles be full free ingenuous and impartial in his confessions of sin and in his censures concerning himself I love in such a case to hear a soul say the worst of it self that can be when it sayes it sensibly and cordially as in such soul troubles it hath little stomack to complement or dissemble Oh what a vile wretch am I I am perswaded thousands of my betters are in hell Did you ever know any one guilty of my sins with my aggravations Thus was Paul in his conversion for to that time his confession refers 1 Tim. 1. 15. convinced that he was the chief of sinners Now among all aggravations of sin if you lay the comparison the most ingenuous are such as are drawne from abundant mercies large and liberal means frequent convictions infinite patience c. A soul that chargeth it self home here seems to have some touches of a more then ordinary spirit There is a Promise to this condition as a threatning to the contrary Proverbs 28. 13. III. If a man justifie God and the Law by which he stands condemned For herein is a very great measure of humiliation evidenced and hereby is God mightily honoured And certainly then is our design for happinesse most likely to be successefully carryed on when it involves Gods honour with it This heart is throughly broken when it will not resist God so much as in a thought although he go to hell for ever Another that is not so kindly wrought upon Rom. 7. 12. Psal â—1 â— may possibly confesse that with his lips but yet secretly the heart rising against God and the Law for tying up man so close and inflicting eternal wrath upon temporary sins and in stead of being troubled for sin is secretly troubled that there is a Law against it IV. If the trouble be trouble of mind i. e. be settled fixed rooted in the judgment and reason as well as in the passions and affections And so it be not easily to be removed or diverted by worldly avocations Ordinarily when God strikes home he doth not onely make men cry and roar as children nay dogs will do but grieve as men do upon some extraordinary losse when they apprehend it so as that they do not only mourne but judg they must do so and therefore all other things must yeild to that affection such a mourning was that of Isaiah in another case Isaiah 22. 4. a resolved mourning Look away from me I will weep bitterly labor not to comfort me c. V. If which is a notable prognostick of a good issue to conscience troubles a mans greatest trouble be for that he is selfish in his troubles that his grief for sin is so much of kin to his own desire of salvation and fear of hell and punishment O saith such a soul indeed I grieve and am troubled but in all this I am but a base selfish creature if it were not for fear of hell and desire to go to heaven I should sin all my dayes and never be troubled It doth not affect me that God is dishonoured by my sins that they are contrary to the purity of his holy nature and this selfishness in my trouble is my greatest trouble Said I that this frame prognosticates a good issue to the bondage of the spirit That is too little it immediately foreruns if not accompanies a good a renewed heart For this evidently shewes some love to God or at least some earnest pressing on towards it and for my part let me find a soul in such a frame I shall tell him his salvation is near and his warfare well nigh accomplished This reflex trouble if I may so call it or superfoetation of the spirit of Bondage declares something in this work more then ordinary To be troubled first for sin and then for the sin of those troubles declares that a man pants and longs after a perfect holiness as well as happiness and that is a blessed condition VI. And lastly If such a soul be shy and fearful of taking sanctuary in promising and resolving For this is a good sign that he will not split upon the rock of self-Justification and that at present he is so throughly humbled that he dares not arrogate to himself one thred in the whole web of his salvation that he throughly knowes the evil and plague of his own deceitful heart Seldom any great Promisers under the work of Convicton are sure pay-masters CHAP. XIX Past experiences improved for the comfort of those that are gone through this work TO those that have been under and have happily gone through this work of the Spirit of Bondage consolation in two or three branches 1 In that they may now stand on the farther bank of the River on the farther shoar of the tempestuous sea and sing Songs of Deliverance as Moses and Israel did Exod. 15. Forsan haec clim meminisse juvabit Sayes the General in a storm to his fainting followers With what delight do old men tell over the adventures and hazardous services of their youth to their young ones Those things that are most hard and unpleasant to undertake are most sweet and refreshing to remember when we have gone through them That that kept David mourning that he had little heart to sing as we say whilst he was under it becomes a great part of his Songs of praise when he is gone through it See Psal 40. 116. c. 2 Hereby they may ground themselves very firmly in the assurance of their effectual calling and conversion to God Indeed if this evidence from the manner and method of our conversion because of the earlinesse of the work as it may fall out or by reason of the speediness of our passage through it cannot be easily discerned it is sufficient for our comfort if God enable us to see the fruits and effects of grace such as hatred of sin love of holinesse and of every thing that promotes it for its sake a precious esteem of all Gods Saints because they are such c. but the evidence that is drawn from bâ—th is most full and satisfactory As when a mans Title to Land is questioned 't is true it is sufficient to be able to prove that his evidenceâ— are true but that will be more cleared if he can alledg that they were sealed at such a time in such company upon such and such considerations circumstances of an action being so many partial witnesses to the reality of it I have heard that a promise though proved is no sufficient ground for a suit in Law except the grounds and terms on which it was made appear also 3. Hereby they are assured if the work have been deep and through not only sleight and superficial if it have been attended with a