is mine will require the assistance and testimony too of that good Spirit when he helps the Soul to make his Syllogisme indeed the Soul shall be able to draw up his Conclusion according to his Premises He is called the Comforter and this his Office none can perform but himself if others help it is a he conveys himself by them Such is the work of Conversion from the first work of Illumination to the last all the things that come within the compass of a real Christian they do all depend upon the Spirit of God Men shall know it is not their great learning high parts c. that can do any thing belonging to a real Christian without the Spirit of God His work doth not depend upon the greatness of mens abilities God hath no need of them yea we find that as great parts hinder men from sound conversion that is a low thing fit for Mechanicks so where men have by the work of Gods Spirit attained to saving Grace their great parts have been great hinderances to their setling and comfort Many a poor sincere Christian whose natural abilities are but low shall be able to draw up the Conclusion and walk in the comfort of it that Christ is mine when other great heads though they have Grace shall not be able to reach it their excellent parts do but help them to be the more acute Disputants against themselves snarle and baffle themselves No flesh shall glory in his presence 1 Cor. 1.29 Hence we have known great Scholars able Divines have been glad to confer with and listen to the experiences of plain Christians in these cases Thus the eye hath need of the hand 1 Cor. 12.21 yea of the foot Seventhly Many Christians must have their setling and assurance come in their way which they have set down they chalk out Gods path for him they must have their comfort and evidence as such a Christian had it may be in an absolute promise without any condition expressed this was the only way of evidencing which some cried up and all assurances that came not this way were not valued this would take up some paper to handle that question which did so unbottom many serious Christians it would be too long to treat of it here but thus divers have lain looking for and listning after such a word set home by an impulse of the Spirit and all other wayes of evidencing are neglected to draw up a mans evidence by syllogizing taking first the word then applying that word to my heart and if my heart answers the word then conclude thus or so of my condition this was cryed down as being no sure or sound way of evidencing Hence many poor but sincere Christians were afraid and dare not go this way to work This hath made sad work I know where Lastly Some Ministers have preached it and their works published have declared it that Assurance is no saving Grace it is comfort but not grace and now there is no great danger though they do want assurance for they want not grace but want the comfort only of their grace in wanting assurance So they may do well in the conclusion though they want comfort at present it is want of saving grace not comfort which will ruine them This will occasion another Question Quest Whether a Christian upon self-examination or examination by others judicious and godly being convinced so much at least that he dares not deny but God hath wrought the good work of Faith in him ought not now to conclude Christ is mine and my sins are forgiven I speak of such a Christian who hath been examining himself by what hath gone before or by any other Book or Rules which are sound and unerring Some their Rules are false and most men judge by false Rules but I am speaking of a real Christian who is careful of his Rule and as careful in the applying of his heart to the Rule Amongst these in discourse we meet with some who manifest too much frowardness pettishness whom I much mislike and suspect others of a more humble meekened reverent frame of spirit willing to subject to any way of God and would conclude if they dare but they fear they should be too bold and thus out of fear are kept from their conclusion these are the Christians I aim at and observe the stress of the question lyes in the word ought it is not what they may do but what they ought to do making it a duty incumbent upon them and if that can be made good though that be yielded assurance is not grace yet they are not at liberty to turn off the conclusion as they please Answ Our Fathers who defined Faith by a particular perswasion and assurance c. had here a mighty advantage for their assurance is grace and those who had it not must want saving grace for they wanted faith without which no salvation and this I believe did put on many Christians that they dared not to deny the conclusion that Christ is mine forgiveness is mine because therein lay their work of saving faith and the contrary to it was unbelief the great Gospel damning sin Few Christians then and many now I believe knowing no other faith but this or unbelief but what is contrary to this Hence rose that Position which hath been so stifly maintained If a Christian should fall into a scandalous foul sin yet he must not let go his assurance of his interest in Christ of the love of God but that he ought to hold firm Very true if faith be the particular perswasion and assurance that Christ is mine then it ought to be so for every mans duty and so his duty is to believe he must not be an unbeliever though he hath fallen But what danger lyes in this Some rotten bold Hypocrite may be will say he holds his assurance at such a time but shew me that real sound Christian that ever did so till by sound repentance and laying hold upon the blood of Atonement with true faith he had recovered himself and made up his peace with God When thou art converted strengthen thy brethren said Christ to Peter Luke 22.32 rising from scandalous great falls is as it were another conversion or a now conversion a man shall meet with works now more terrible it may be than in his first conversion Neither David nor Peter knew such at the first conversion that they did in their rising from their scandalous falls But no more of this now Before I come to try whether we may determine affirmatively upon the Question I would take off an Objection and premise two or three things The Objection runs thus If assurance be no grace then I ought not to conclude according to the Question I am not bound to any thing but what is grace The Consequence and the Reason of it here given I deny Though assurance be not saving grace yet I may be bound and it may be my duty to conclude
strange but clear manner to that Soul doth so perswade the heart of Gods love and that it doth exceedingly ravish it for that time I doubt not of it But first They are but rare Christians who meet with these dainties Secondly This voice of Mr. Bolton's and so this way of assurance is without any Syllogismes The question is not which part the conclusion must follow Thirdly Satan sometimes is transformed into an Angel of light and as he can play his game in filling precious Souls with fears and darkness so he can no doubt help an unsound heart to ravishing comforts perswading them they are the Children of God One I knew who was under terrible lashes of Conscience upon a sin of theft Ministers and Christians came to visit him the Soar being opened by Confession the man was filled with such divine comforts expressed himself at that rate that they were amazed the Minister an able man and holy not being acquainted with such dainties though it were the last day of the week when he saw the man under these ravishments altered his course chose another Text to shew how the Spirit of God was able to raise a Soul as low as Hell even as high as Heaven in a short time they had there the Instance of it Yet the good Christians who lived in the family it was a Gentlemans family told me they could discern no work of Grace in this man afterwards So that here we have cause to look how to clear our selves from Enthusiasme And if the question be seriously put How shall I know this voice to be the voice of the Spirit of Christ If you say the Spirit cleared that when he spake it Will not the other say so of his Spirit Must we not come to examining of the work of Grace Faith Conversion for be sure the Spirit of God speaks only to such our Spirits must bear witness also and that Mr. Bolton addeth as a note to distinguish this voice of the Spirit from a delusion Ibid. p. 328. that this witness of the Spirit ever goeth along with the testimony of a renewed Conscience Rom. 8.16 and so followeth this under several heads to help resolve the Christian who is truly troubled about it and would not be mistaken about that testimony of the Spirit though he answered before with Ambrose The Holy Ghost doth never speak unto us but doth make us know that it is be which speaketh I doubt not of it but as the Sun clears it self so doth the Spirit when he speaks But yet a few words Our Spirits bear witness that our spirits may do so there must be a concourse of the Spirit of God with our spirits to help them do so 〈…〉 course of God as the first cause in all Acts qua Act 〈◊〉 a special gracious concourse in this Act for what 〈◊〉 the darkness corruption deceit confusion jealousie fears arising from hence our spirits though renewed will never be able to bear witness that we are the children of God as experience sufficiently declares but when the Spirit doth by his concourse help our spirits to bear witness this witness is formally the act of our spirits and so far we cannot call it special faith But the question is Whether besides this first witness which I believe is the highest that most Christians attain to is there another testimony of the Spirit distinct from this concourse of his with our spirits by which he enabled our spirits to witness which is the testimony of him purely as the first cause not making up the effect with the second cause as he did in the witnessing of our spirits This I perceive Mr. Bolton affirms for he calls that secret voice the testimony of the Spirit And faith he when our renewed Consciences have upon such and such grounds born witness c. then the Spirit of God as another witness secondeth and confirmeth this assurance by Divine Inspiration Though these dainties I could never taste yet I have met with some but very rarely that have Some have told more stories what comforts and assurances they have had by absolute promises brought to them and set home by the Spirit of God whom I regard not But one I have met with whom I much honoured one of the lower rank in the world no great head-piece though of good competent knowledge in practical things he lived up to his knowledge you might see Mr. Rogers seven Treatises practised to the life in him which as it made me much to value him so I did the more attend to this story he told me As to the testimony of his own spirit he had several times examining himself by the Word preached and read found that witness but one time being under affliction and could not sleep in the night he fell to examining of himself what should provoke the Lord to follow him with affliction as it seems he had done being but low in the world at best after examination he lights his candle goes to reading in his Bible having done puts out his Candle layed by his Bible and composed himself to rest if God would give him any sleep but faid he while I was thus trying to sleep there came from God a Text which he had not thought of Mal. 4.2 Vnto you that fear my Name shall the Sun of Righteousness arise with healing in his wings which was set home with that life and power with such expressions as these all is healed thy sins all pardoned God and thou reconciled no enmity now between God and thee c. that he was filled with such joy and comfort that he was not able to have born it if God had not drawn back He did not tell me of any voice he heard nor doth God need our ear but these expressions were as real and clear to him as if any man had spoken to him This was that which all his life after he lived chiefly upon though every morning at his first awakening this was his work to look to his evidence examine himself and so kept the testimony of his own spirit Thus lived and died a precious Saint Two things were observable in this man one was as to the witness that in it there was no attendance to the condition expressed in that Text for it is there To you who fear my Name That he did fear his Name that was certain but I asked him Did not the Spirit clear the Condition He told me there was no attendance to the Condition at that time but only here was assurance of healing by the Sun of Righteousness pardon love c. had not this man both before and after this proved the Condition and been a close walker with God to his last I should not so much have regarded his comforts from this Text. But a second thing I wonder at more and there he and I differed That which made him to regard this so much was that it was a Scripture he had not in his thoughts or
understand they believe not what they read if they believe they apply not what they read If they do understand believe apyly and experience all they read in several Books of our eminent Divines I speak not of all for some write so that they leave nothing for Christians to stumble at then the Christians in England are much richer in Grace than I took them to be and much stronger than as you I find them to be but if they understand believe and cannot experience what they read then they must needs meet with those troubles which others have done unless upon examining their works by the holy Scriptures they have found ease because they have found their works in those particulars which did cause their troubles not to agree with holy Writ To the Law and to the Testimony if they speak not according to this Word Isai 8.20 is a standing Rule and blessed he God we have this to judge by Of these Books some respect the Constitution of a Christian some the Conversation of a Christian constituted The first sort are those which have caused the most trouble some in the preparation of the Soul for Christ amongst which are the Works of the eminent Servants-of Christ Mr. Thomas Hooker and Mr. Thomas Shepherd Others in the work of Faith or the closing of the Soul with Christ amongst whom chiefly is the reverend Mr. Daniel Rogers As for that trouble which the holy men of God Mr. Perkins Mr. John Rogers of Dedham with our ancient Divines have caused through their description of Faith that begins to be removed in great part our late Divines having cleared out the work of Faith in that manner as it was not understood before but for the former I meet with none as yet that have spoken to them though their Works in those particulars have caused great troubles among Christians who through the high respects they bear to the persons of these men being holy and eminent have believed what they write must needs be the Truth of God in every particular I was something troubled at them my self at my first reading them but upon serious examining them I began to question the truth of those particulars and having a little acquaintance with Mr Shepherd I wrote to him about that particular of which I doubted and gave him two or three Arguments against it He was pleased to write to me at large his Letter deserves the Press and had seen it were it not for one passage in it his Answers to my Arguments did not satisfie what they are I shall give the Reader faithfully without leaving out adding or altering one word Preaching once abroad I closed up the Point in hand by applying it to what Mr. Shepherd had delivered to see how those two Doctrines agreed A Gentleman and a Scholar meeting me some time after gave me thanks for the close of my Sermon I asked him why he told me he had a Maid-servant who was very godly and reading of that particular in Mr. Shepherd's Book which I opposed she was so cast down and fell into such troubles that all the Christians that came to her could not quiet her spirit For Mr. Daniel Rogers I have met with several Persons who have felt enough of temptations about their Faith and could not be resolved that ever their Faith was trus because of that which he had written but two I took notice of especially One was a Minister of a gracious spirit and a faithful Labourer in the Lords Vineyard Mr. John Glascock of little Canfield in Essex who laboured much under temptations from this Doctrine of Mr. Rogers The other was a good Woman but under as great desertions as ever I saw one there was another Minister with me in the Room that came to visit her I observed the Womans discourse well and what answers she gave us I perceived at last though I did not know whether the Woman had ever seen the Book she was upon Mr. Daniel Rogers Divinity and so I told the other Minister this is Mr. Daniel Rogers Divinity yea said the Woman presently I read it this morning in his Book long it was before this good Woman got out of this darkness Another Person given much to reading of good Books and I hope made good use of them spake these words to me As for Mr. Daniel Rogers and Mr. Shepherd I am afraid to read their Books they have laid such blocks in my way By these experiences which I had found the Books of these worthy men being in the hands of many Christians I thought there might be many whom I knew not that had met with the same affticting thoughts from them which my self and others had done upon which grounds and partly being moved thereto long since by some godly Divines I have brought their works and with them my self to the tryal professing if they be right then must I go look for another work then ever yet I met withall in my own heart As to Mr. Daniel Rogers what he met with in the close of his life I was a little acquainted with it He was a man of great parts great grace and great infirmities My Father Ward would often say of him My Brother * Mr. Rich. Rogers Father to this married the Widow of Mr. John Ward that excellent Divine of whom Doctor Whitaker would say Give me John Ward for a Text. Rogers hath grace enough for two men and not half enough for himself A most woful temper or rather distemper in his constitution which hindered much the lustre of that grace which was-in him By one passage we may judge of his grace he dined one day at a Knights Table what company was there I knew not but he had not that liberty to be seasoning his meat with savoury and spiritual discourse as he was wont to do to sit at meals and not one word for God was to him strange The next day he comes to my house the man was sadly dejected in such a manner that those who fall into gross sins scarce know so much sorrow What is the matter said I This was the reason that he was a man of such a base dastardly Spirit that he could not speak for God I told him your Father would say in such companies if you cannot sow any good you do well if you can keep out evil Much ado I had to get up his Spirit Though he was a man of such grace yet in the last year of his life coming to my house he threw himself upon my bed in a great Agony with this expression to me Cousin I would change with the meanest Christian-in Wetherfield that hath but soundness of grace God did handle him strangely beat him about in such a manner that had it been another person I should have pitied him more than I could pity him who had troubled so many sincere Christians with his Doctrine and being one of such a Spirit that such poor Creatures as I am must not
the great gates no wider gate is opened for the rich Man then for Lazarus If this do not please you find a better way if you can but be assured the Almighty scorns your greatness as much as you can his straitness Hence since the work wrought is the same in all let not Christians so much perplex and trouble themselves because God wrought not so in them as he did in others or because they cannot tell how God wrought in them they cannot trace out his path for in his working there is much variety but look to that in which all must agree look to regeneration union with Christ that the work be done no matter how God did it Sixth Position To say of a man under Gods working that he is but under a preparatory work and no more is a difficult thing Who can say there is no more but preparation in such a person Mr. Shepherd makes his preparatory works to consist 1. In Conviction there he saith the light is clear real constant p. 32. 2. In Compunction fear sorrows separation from sin p. 65. 3. In Humiliation taken off from self-confidence c. p. 125. Is there a preparatory state in which the soul stands for a time not as yet in a converted state May not the Lord at the very first stroak convey an immortal seed of grace into the soul the light which is so clear constant and real as he saith may it not be as the Lightning which cometh out of the East and shineth even to the West Matth. 24.27 so this shines into the whole soul will and all affections be so bright and clear at the first darting in that the Spirit withall quickens the will We know grace at first lieth in a narrow compass a seed a Mustard-seed is but a small thing Seventh Position To work a man under preparatory works to be as good a Christian as he is when he is actually united to Christ seems very strange When Mr. Hooker preached those Sermons about the Souls preparation for Christ and Humiliation my Father-in-law Mr. Nath. Ward told him Mr. Hooker you make as good Christians before men are in Christ as ever they are after and wished would I were but as good a Christian now as you make men while they are but preparing for Christ But he told him the reason why he thought God let him thus preach because he saw he had not long to stand and so should do his work all at once Let but one observe well Mr. Shepherd's preparatory work and I think we shall find a Christian with a good measure of Grace in my Letter to him I said I thought it strange that such an Act of Grace or Obedience supposing it to be so which yet I do not till I see a Command for it should be performed by a person under a preparatory work to Christ then which I knew none greater could be performed by one who is in Christ for a man to be so subject to the Justice and Soveraignty of God that if he will deny him his love work no grace dispose of him to damnation he is yet quiet contented I knew no Act of self-denial in the Gospel like it yet this is under the preparatory work of humiliation To this he answers I do not think this is the highest measure of grace as you hint any further then as any peculiar work of the Spirit is high for upon a narrow enquiry it is far different from that readiness of Paul and Moses out of a principle of love to Christ to wish themselves anathematized for Israels sake which is a high pitch indeed To which I reply 1. As to the principle it is true there may be some difference formally the principle is not the same yet this is a principle of humble and gracious submission to the Justice and Soveraignty of God and that in such a point as there is not another like it Could I but get it in all other things I should think it an Act of Grace from God to give me such a frame though I be not content to be damned Secondly Whatever be the principle I am sure according to the sense which must be given of Paul and Moses by this holy man they and the prepared soul or preparing for Christ must all meet in the same end or place i. e. in Hell Thirdly But with humble respect to Mr. Shepherd are indeed the Acts of Paul and Moses supposing the sense of the words to be as he takes them such Acts of Grace as are required by God and we bound to imitate if they were Acts of grace performed in obedience to a Command then we are all bound to the same Of necessity then the sense of the words must first be made plain First If the book written Exod. 32.32 be understood of the Book of life i. e. of divine Predestination and if Anathema in Rom. 9.3 be taken in the proper sense and these must be so taken to make Mr. Shepherd's answer good then both these wishes are inconsistent with a man as man and with a Christian as Christian as I shall prove anon to talk of limiting Anathema the sense of it as some would because they saw what this included signifies nothing if you fall a limiting I will limit also Secondly To me it appears further it cannot be the sense because God in answer to Moses ver 33. tells him Whosoever hath sinned against me him will I blot out of my book What out of the book of Divine Predestination I am sure Mr. Shepherd nor those other Divines will admit blotting out of that book the 34. ver tells Moses he will visit their sin upon them and ver 35. he plagued the people Surely God spake in that sense which Moses did Cor. a Lapide indeed affirms upon the Text It is lawful for the salvation of many for a man to wish his own damnation As much as they are for the works of Supererogation I do not believe the Jesuit did ever heartily wish his own damnation upon this account yet if so these Jesuits are so crafty he makes his bargain so that he will get by it for saith he God will reward such a generous and liberal soul with heaps and increase of love grace and other gifts Yes God doth use to fill those who are blotted out of the book of eternal life and accursed from Christ with increase of Love and Grace Let him fry this Other Divines therefore do not understand the book of eternal life or Divine Predestination See Mr. Coryl on Job cap. 24. v. 20. but the Records of the Church or Records of the people of Israel The Jews were wont to number their families and take their names and God commanded a Record of the people of Israel to be written Thus we read David praying Psal 69.28 against his enemies Let them be blotted out of the book of the living and not be written with the righteous Would David pray to
healed of his blindness Acts 9.18 Paul's understanding had scales of darkness upon it whatever he thought of himself while a Pharisee Christ set up a light there the Commandment came sin revived and I died Rom. 7.9 Elies sons brought up under a godly father and Priests also so dealt in things appertaining to God yet sons of Belial they knew not God 1 Sam. 2.17 Who then should know him if the Priests who ministred before him did not know him though they had the Scripture-light yet they were dark in their understandings The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness to him no wonder then he doth not receive them if his dark understanding looks on them as foolishness neither can he know them and why not because they are spiritually discerned 1 Cor. 2.14 The Spirit of God then must have his work upon the understanding before a man can know the things of the Spirit The Tempter dealt with our understanding or intellectual part first Adam was not deceived but the woman being deceived was in the transgression 1 Tim. 2.14 Deceit belongs to the intellectual part Transgression follows deceit The sin was compleated in the will Licet error judicii electio voluntatis duo sunt entia in genere naturae unum tamenens sunt in genere moris Christ undoes the Devils work and begins where he began Adam was now as Sampson with his eyes put out Secondly God in Conversion or drawing to Christ works upon a rational Creature and works upon the soul as such He calls the will and affections off from the objects to which they are glewed to close with other objects A reason for that saith the will and a sufficient convincing reason too else you may call long enough before I will stir the will is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a rational appetite It is but Potentia caeca it must have one to lead and guide it therefore doth the Spirit set up this light in the understanding first While we are in our natural state we think we have reasons sufficient for what we do in following our lusts so that we wonder at others think strange if they run not the same excess of riot 1 Pet. 4.4 they seem to be irrational people else we would not think it strange the carnal heart thinks it hath all reason on its side God preserves the workings of all the faculties of the soul not the least violence offered to any one in Conversion the will shall have as good reason given it to close with Christ as ever it had to close with its lusts Hence we read so much of Teaching This deals with the understanding sets up a light there They shall be all taught of God John 6.45 the Father teacheth the Soul certain Lessons before it will come to Christ Hence Christ is made a Prophet and that not barely to reveal the Will of God as other Prophets did but teacheth effectually also That was the first office he executed when he declared himself to the world began his publick Ministry and that is the first office he executeth when he declareth himself to the Soul in Conversion teaching or enlightning the understanding This is that David so often prayes for Psal 119. v. 18. and in v. 102 gives that for the reason why he had not departed from the judgments of God for thou hast taught me It is Divine teaching which bringeth the Soul first unto obedience and holds it fast in obedience to the Commandment I shall lay down my thoughts concerning this work of Illumination in several Positions First Position That illumination which is wrought in a soul converting or drawing to Christ is such as none but the Spirit of God can effect So thick is that Cataract which is grown over the eye of our understanding that none can couch it but God himself Christ was sent Isa 42.6 7. to be a light to the Gentiles so he illightens the medium and to open the eyes of the blind so he heals the organ he is the only Oculist he hath that eye-salve Rev. 3.17 which healeth the blindness of our understandings He must be taught of God he must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 John 6.45 whoever comes to Christ Cathedram in Caelo habet c. as B. Austin several times saith He hath his Chair in Heaven who teacheth the converting Soul those Lessons effectually which it must learn before it can come home to God Who teach like him said Elihu Job 36.22 none teach like him nor none beside him as to effectual and saving teaching Let a man be what he will as to his understanding hath he a head fit for a Jesuit he shall never learn the truth as it is in Jesus unless he be taught by him Ephes 4.21 The wise and the prudent man if but a natural a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 man and of wants this Teacher shall never be able to know things of eternal concernment to his own salvation Mat. 11.25 1 Cor. 2.14 It is a terrible Proverb but I believe too true Hell is paved with the souls of great Scholars and paled in with the bones of rich men The things of God are too low for great heads to exercise themselves about them and the soveraignty of God is so high that he will not give them eyes to see Deut. 29.4 But he blindeth their eyes and hardneth their hearts that they should not see with their eyes and understand with their hearts and bo converted John 12.40 Holy Austin * Do paccato meritis contra Pelag. l. 1. who was one of Gods Scholars knew so experimentally the necessity of this Teacher that he could say Let who will be the Teacher Man or Angel unless Christ who is the eternal Light doth irradiate the mind man will not feel or know the truth of what he hears And if he be the Teacher no matter what the Scholar be he will make him learn He maketh wise the simple Psal 19.7 Let simple be such B. Austin calls tardissimi ingenio this Teacher makes such simple ones wise to salvation yea sometimes not only such simple ones but those whom saith he the Greeks call Moriones we call them Fools and gives a notable instance of such a Fool * Aug. Tom. 7. Col. 669. Edi. Prab who with great folly would bear and put up all injuries offered to himself but if he heard any abuse or blaspheme the name of Christ he bare such a reverence to Christ that he would spare no such man but would throw stones at him Thus he reveals to babes even so Father so it seemed good in thy sight Matth. 11.25 26. Second Position That illumination which the Spirit works in the elect converting or calling to Christ differs * Whether I should say it differs essentially and so the whole work of grace in the sincere Convert differs essentially from what the Hypocrite hath and not only gradually I do not much
contend I had rather make sure my grace be saving let it differ how it will though I cannot satisfie my self in a meer gradual difference First For take the knowledge of a Geographer who writes of Countries which he never saw having never travelled beyond the smoak of his own Chimney the knowledge he hath of the Countries is true but is it like the knowledge of him who hath seen the Countries and travell'd in them If such a one writes of the River that goeth up to Sevil in Spain and tells me when you get over the Bar which lieth at the mouth of the River on the Star-board-side as you sail up there stands a Castle higher stands the Town of Saint Lucar higher another Castle and a Monastery by it higher the Chappel of Bonance and still on the Starboard-side this man saith true But doth he know these as I though I do not deserve the name of a Traveller do who have been in the Town in the Castle in the Chappel and seen them Thus let the Hypocrites who by hearing and reading or common works speak concerning sin Creatures God Christ Holiness Gospel-truths he will speak as sound truths concerning all these and seem to know them as well as the sound Convert But doth he see them as the sound Convert whom the Spirit enlightens and teacheth them as they are We see by the effect for one hath his heart and conversation framed according to the truth and the other walks as if all these truths were falshoods Doth the knowledge which I have by my eye seeing those places walking in them differ only gradually from the knowledge of him who learned it out of a Book Secondly The work of Conversion is called a new Creation Regeneration is Creation and Generation only a gradual matter Thirdly Degrees do draw out the positive into a longer thread but they draw out only that which was in the positive when the superlative hath drawn it out to the longest thread it is still but the positive extended the same essence that was in the positive is here in the superlative Draw the Hypocrite out as far as you will some make finer threads then other yet it is but Hypocrite still Fourthly If so then an Hypocrite differs from a Child of God one Modally for gradus sunt modi entis and no more Fifthly Then the Hypocrite and Child of God are both of the same kind for gradus non variant speciem yet the word makes but two sorts of men Dead and Alive Darkness and Light which differ more then any Degrees take them where you will Sixthly We will suppose a man loves the world four degrees he loves God but three degrees this man is naught his love to God gets another degree now he loves the world and God equally yet he is naught but then his love to God gets to five degrees he must rise by degrees if Grace as saving consisteth in such a degree now the man is a godly man for he loveth God more then the world Let this mans love rise to six or seven degrees as well it may Yet this we grant degrees of love may be lost too much experience proves this What abatements of love what coolings do many Christians meet with The seventh the sixth degree may be lost Rev. 2.4 Thou hast lost thy first love The first love that degree of love not love simply for doubtless by what the Lord testified of the Angel he had yet saving love Solomon lost degrees of love sadly and others also Now if the seventh and sixth degree may be lost why not the fifth degree what is there in the fifth degree to preserve it self more then the sixth or seventh I know not if degrees be all So it is a very easie matter to fall to the fourth degree again and loose all exceedingly from that light which any Hypocrite or unsound professour attains unto The first is spiritual practical and saving The other not so but may and doth stand with perishing To say there is no difference between the working of the Spirit upon the understanding of an elect Vessel and a Hypocrite till the elect answers the Call and so having union with Christ now the difference is made in the understanding this I cannot embrace To have a saving work in the will in order of nature before there be any in the understanding I think is not rational or to say there is no difference at all as to the understanding between a sound and unsound Convert but the difference is only in the will in that work which the Spirit putteth forth in the heart this is atheological and very absurd To think that the Hypocrite as to the light in his understanding and dictate of his practical judgment is as good and the same that a sound Convert is only this latter having saving grace infused into his will and the Spirit there dwelling acteth that grace and determineth the will of the sound Convert to follow the ultimate dictate of his practical judgment and not so in the Hypocrite and hence arise all the differences between them this I look on as an irrational figment I oppose not all but must maintain by what I seel as well as by what I read in Scripture that the will must be renewed the stony heart must be taken away and the Physical determination of the will sanctified by the Spirit of God but withall I affirm that there is saving light saving knowledge in the understanding of a sound Convert differing from an Hypocrite and I call it saving not only a posteriori because there are saving effects follow this in the will but I call it so a priori as it is the work of the Spirit of the Covenant in the understanding of the elect Vessel drawing into Covenant it is in its own nature as properly saving or accompanying of Salvation as any Grace in the will Certainly that Teacher John 6.45 makes his work as Teacher in all those whom he draws to Christ differ from what the Hypocrite hath Knowledge is a part of the Image of God according to which we are renewed Col. 3.10 then surely differs from an Hypocrites knowledge Is the Image of God renewed in the Hypocrite as to knowledge I believe it not The whole work of Conversion is sometimes set out by Conviction John 14. because Conversion in adult persons of whom we now speak is wrought in us secundum modum judicii then certainly there is some difference of the Spirits work in the intellectual part I know the Hypocrite as to the notional light and knowledge of Divine things may be equal with yea he may far excel a sound Convert he may be as quick-sighted as an Eagle as to the notional knowledge but as to the spiritual and saving knowledge as blind as a Beetle Conversion saith the Learned and Judicious Doctor Preston * New Covenant p. 277. is wrought not alwayes by making us know new things which we
that it cannot act upon the sulphurous part in the wood and must not the waterish moisture be first removed exhaled and then the fire acts upon and kindles the sulphurous part If you say But there is na fire as yet in the dry wood I answer The question was as to priority which Mr. Shepherd is speaking of And though you say there is no fire in the wood though dry so no Grace as yet in the prepared To this Mr. Shepherd will answer There are not indeed any habits of Grace infused into the Soul as yet but there is such an Act of Grace put forth by the Spirit to work the will up to this frame in the Elect preparing which he puts not forth in a Reproabte this severing from Sin in this time or under Compunction being made not by habitual grace but actual grace that is saith he the Spirit doth it immediately by an omnipotent Act by that which is called actual actuating p. 98 99. or moving Grace Pious and learned Rutherford giving the sense of the Orthodox concerning the efficacy of Grace Exercita Apologet. pro Divina gratia p. 436. and actual predetermination thus speaketh Quando nos docemus gratiam praedeterminantem ex vi sua intrinseca inclinare voluntatem ad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 consentire potius quam ad dissentire id tripliciter intelligitur 1. Quod gratia efficax impediat impetum motum obliquitatis irrectitudinis vitiosae quae libertati extrinseci adhaereat hunc sensum lubens admitto Nisi enim Deus actualem duritiem in actibus gratiae praepediat praeoccupat non video qumoodo Deus auferat cor lapideum Ezech. 36.26 2. Sensus hic est quod gratia praedeterminans vi sua intrinseca penetret quasi ad profunditatem vitalis inclinationis impetuositatis electivae atque it a primam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 impetum naturae in libertate cohibeat voluntatem inclinantem ad angulum ut sic loquar Borealem talis volitionis Dei praedeterminatio torqueat ad angulum australem hunc sensum falsissimè nobis affingunt adversarii 3. Quod Dei gratia praedeterminans non vi ita penetrans sed insidens impetuositati naturae ita indeclinabiliter flectat voluntatem ut modo admirando gratia fortiter voluntas vitaliter electivè conspirent in idem objectum numero codem tempore loco intensione voluntas sub illa Dei motione non in aliud tenderet objectum quam in illud idem in quod libere se inclinasset hoe dato quod per impossibile nulla fuisset in Deo praedeterminatio ita tamen ut gratia prime principaliten id objectum non aliud praedeterminet voluntas subordinate dependenter ex vi interna vitali imperiali electiva libertatis in illud idem objectum tenderet Hic etiam est verus sensus The first branch I conceive speaks much and the third also of what Mr. Shepherd intends by his Actual grace and opens so far as we can conceive how the Spirit doth it it seems to be the binding of the strong man Luke 11.22 But when all is said pro and con what if we say the work is very secret and hidden and what Zophar said to Job chap. 11.7 Canst thou by searching find out God Canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection may we not say the same in this case if we cannot find him out in other works can we find his works upon the spirits of men Let us make good that separation from sin is wrought that we willingly embrace Christ to that end then whether he doth it by actual or habitual grace under Compunction shall not need to trouble us I shall not make any use of this Head for I see Mr. Shepherd who hath done it before and that very ably his Works are in many peoples hands so that I shall spare the Reader that trouble This only I hint here is the second flaw in the Hypocrites work his will was never divorced from his beloved lusts while he was sick indeed then he might cry out of it as some have done calling Ale-houses Hell-houses but it was only while he was sick he that hath eat fat meat which hath corrupted in his Stomack and now causeth very sick vomiting bring him the fat meat while he is sick and vomiting he loaths the sight of it but when once he hath emptied himself and the humour carried off he falls to his meat heartily again So do many with their sweet lusts when Conscience hath made them sick setting home hell and the wrath of God for them which cause horrid fears and terrors within now if you offer him lust no he cannot at this time entertain it but when he hath vomited well emptied himself by his confessions and supposed repentance abstinence engagements promises to do better and hath now got over his sickness it is not long but he falls to his sweet morsels again Something like him of whom I heard in Spain and I think it was while I was there on Good Friday as they call it he having whipped himself that day as their manner is when they had done all comes into a house to put on his clothes now said he I have made quit for the old score he had done pennance and all the former sins were wiped off now he would begin to whore again Hypocrites unsound hearts have their Good Friday their whipping times and then they are free for their former trade Look to this then Christian whether the Divorce between thy Soul and Sin be truly made for here lies great danger but no more of this Head CHAP. V. Of the Spirits work in taking off the Soul from Self righteousness and Self confidence THe Sinner by this time seeth himself in a very ill case And what is next A Principle within him tells him I have sinned and I must mend a new leaf I must turn repent I must and spares not for Vows Promises Engagements Resolutions he is full of these if he can but repent mourn pray cast off his former practises and do better then he hopes God will be pleased and Conscience quiet That he can do something this way at this time he doth not much doubt it so that though he be bad he is not all bad he hath some good in him though he hath no money yet he hath hands and can work and as some that once had good means and lived well if they be fallen into decay yet if they can by working or other means get a living though a poor one they will not be beholding to others So it is with the Soul having had once a good stock in Adam though now fallen into decay yet if it can by working and labour find any living that peace and quietness come in it will not go out to another to find rest Thou hast found the life of thine hand Isai 57.10 which some
are the Heads be they more or less by which the Spirit doth usually drive the Soul out of it self Some Christians experience some of these some more of them some fewer no matter how many of them or how few if the Spirit useth any of them they shall do the work he intends For the effects of this work of the Spirit what follows upon it I shall briefly touch them but make no use of it for the reason I gave in my former Head First The good opinions man had of himself are now confuted the high thoughts of himself are taken down he seeth now his money is but brass not so good How highly did Paul value his priviledges his Pharisaical righteousness before Christ came to this work What a low esteem had he of them all after this work that now we are upon Phil. 3.7 8 9. thus it is with all true Converts had the man any opinions in doctrien proud and high they were never so confuted as now did he cry up the great Diana of Liberum arbitrium as most do and we grant it to be Liberum when the Son hath made it free now he calls it Servum arbitrium as Luther did Jansen Augustin tom 2. l. 3. c. 5. p. 182. and blessed Austin long before him as Jansenius in his excellent Work doth manifest in several places and saith he knows not what that new Writer means he doth not name him who saith Nomen servi arbitrii was never heard of in the Catholick Church for fifteen hundred years when as he makes it clear by his quotations out of Austin that he had called it so several times Conses l. 8. c. 5. Blessed Austin vvas not the man alone vvho complain'd of his Ferrea Voluntas here are others vvith him vvho feel it as vvell as that blessed Saint did Had the man slight thoughts of imputed righteousness did he jeer at it as some have done and do still his thoughts are changed he is now convinced of such a necessity of a perfect righteousness that now imputed righteousness is the most precious Doctrine of the Gospel the very life blood of a Christian the Spirit hath so disputed with him in this work of self-emptying that now all the Arguments in the Jesuits Colledge he scorns them he hath sound it felt it Lord if thy free Grace do not save me my free will I am fure will damn me Surely in the Lord not in my self have I righteousness and strength in him only must I glory Isai 45.24 25. Secondly The second effect is this by this work of the Spirit there is made a further and fuller conviction of a mans misery God drives the nail home to the head he was convinced of a miserable state before but now it is confirmed with a witness for though by the former conviction he saw himself to be bad yet not so bad it may be but he might have some good he thought he could do something to help himself set some good works against his bad ones but now he seeth he was mistaken he is convinced with Paul In me that is in my flesh dwells no good thing Rom. 7. He doth not say there dwells but a little good but no good he did not think he had been so wicked so vile void of any thing that good is though he had read The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked Jer. 17.9 yet he did not believe the Text to be true till his own heart became a Comment upon Gods Text and proved it Thirdly Now those Qualifications mentioned in the Gospel Luke 19.10 weary and heavy laden Mat. 11.28 are known experimentally others can prate of them but this Soul feels them Laden he is with the burden of his guilt and woful wicked heart a burden too heavy for him Psal 38.4 The man labours also under this would fain get rid of his load but he finds all is labour in vain no ease no rest comes but undone he is not withstanding all the duties he hath done or can do now he is lost though in his first conviction he saw he had gone astray from God and was going to hell yet he thought he could find the way home to God again by the compass of his own good duties repentance and reformation the new and living way he knew not nor thought there was any need of it but now he seeth he is bewildred quite lost when he hath walked a great while he seeth the Lake of hell fire before him still a way to hell he can find but no way to God Satan that Lion roars Conscience that affrights him in this Wilderness where he is wandring and what an afflicted condition that is lost Souls experience Fourthly Now is the Soul ready to listen to any one who shall direct him to get out of this misery in which he feels he is involved now the news of a Saviour is welcome the voice of the Gospel is pleasant now propound the terms say what you will only save me from my sin and misery and I shall willingly accept of a Christ the Soul now is rightly prepared for Christ It is a practise in some Towns so long as the poor in the Parish have any thing of their own in their houses which is money-worth except a bed or some such thing they will not take them into their Collection but let them make money of what they have and maintain themselves with that or make it over to them they must be poor indeed before they come into their Collection It is a truth I am sure here so long as the Soul hath any thing money-worth that it thinks is worth as Paul did Phil. 3 as it will not come to Christ so in this differs from many who are willing enough to burden Towns though they have something of their own so neither will Christ take them into his Collection or rather relief for he collects nothing he hath fulness enough to relieve all the poor of his Flock but poor they shall be before he will take them So long as the Prodigal could common with the Hogs fill his belly with husks he would not go home he was first brought to the starving point So it is with Souls if they can fill themselves or find any sustenance from their husky duty they will not go home through pride or shame but when brought to starving stay now Christ born in Bethlehem or house of bread And is that living bread becomes precious Thus John hath done his work that is To make ready a people prepared for the Lord Luke 1.17 Here we find this Soul thus far it is come it is prepared for the Lord. No saith holy Hooker and Shepherd there is something else required to a true preparation For Mr. Hooker though I had heard of his Doctrine yet I had not read his Book before I had read Mr. Shepherd and had seriously considered him I see both the Father-in-law Mr. Hooker
God in Christ to deal with Secondly We observe as these were external bodily and temporary judgments so the people were actually under them they were not under the threats of the judgments but the judgments themselves So Levit. 26.41 expresseth it plainly when they were in the Land of their enemies If then their uncircumcised hearts were humbled and they accept of the punishment What punishment This their scattering amongst their enemies So in the Lamentations and Micah Make this agree with our question the Soul must be actually given up to its lusts and actually damned Thirdly They were such evils that though they were actually under them yet they might have union with God and live in communion with him though strangers in an enemies Land yet not strangers to God Thus we read of precious Saints in captivity Daniel c. So The Lord is my portion saith my soul Lam. 3.24 My God will hear me Micah 7.7 God would be a Sanctuary to them Ezek. 11.16 though scattered among Heathen promise He will not cast them away nor abhor them Levit. 26.44 Fourthly These evils were means in the hand of God to bring them home to God when they tasted the fruit of their rebellion it helped to bring them to repentance in a strange Land they learned acquaintance with God when they were strangers to him in their own Land thus Ephraim found it or shall find it Jer. 31.18 19 20. Thus God promiseth Isai 27.9 Fifthly They were such evils as they had gracious promises of deliverance from them and they have been in part when the two Tribes and a few of the ten Tribes with them returned and shall be to the life fulfilled when the time of their ingrafting comes Rom. 11.15 24 26. When the Lord shall set his hand Again the second time To recover the remnant of his people Isai 11.11 When Judah and Israel shall be joyned one to another in one stock Ezek. 37.16 17. Sixthly It is very true many of those Saints did humble themselves and accept of that punishment Daniel 9. Ezra 9.13 Nehem. 9.33 And as they so have many of the people of God either attained or laboured to attain a humble submissive quiet spirit under such evils as these Texts speak of not quarrelling or murmuring if they do they repent of it are ashamed they can sometimes kiss the rod put their mouths in the dust profess it is mercy they are living men that God may deal worse with them yet not in Hell causeth blessing of God in all conditions But I pray apply these Texts and these things to our question in hand where the judgments are internal eternal where can be no union nor communion with God no means to bring home the Soul to God from which no deliverance when actually under them as they were of whom those Texts speak whence I see not how these Texts prove the thing in hand Now I come to his Reasons though one clear Scripture had been more then all his Reasons First Else the Lord should not advance the riches of his Grace the advancement of Grace cannot be without the humiliation of the Creature Answ Cannot the Lord advance his Grace unless the Soul now enlightened convinced broken with fears and sorrows emptied of it self apprehending nothing but hell and damnation in it self having neither money to give nor hands to work and finding nothing to fly to but the riches of Mercy and freeness of Grace with the Redemption of Jesus Christ which now the Soul prizes at a high rate cannot the Lord I say advance his Grace now unless this Soul be contented to have no Grace no Love of God but be damned for ever Hath the Lord said so then I shall believe it To what end was all that work of the Spirit was it not to make the Soul quite undone in it self that it might see nothing but Grace and Christ can save it Let us call to thousands and ten thousands of Saints who never heard of this Doctrine till these two Worthies preached it Let us call to those who reading it are much troubled and cannot yield to it as true that God requires it what do you feel within you Is it not Grace the free rich Grace of God glorious in your thoughts Do you not cry out Grace Grace as those Zech. 4.7 Are not the riches of his Grace and Redemption of his Christ the Jachin and Boaz of thy Soul the pillars that bear it up as they did Solomon's Porch 1 Kings 7.21 which if taken away all thy hopes and comforts come tumbling down as the house upon the Philistines heads when Sampson took away the pillars of it Speak O you troubled wounded Christians whose hearts have sunk at the reading of this Doctrine do you not advance and labour every day to advance and think you can never advance enough this freeness of his Grace with the Righteousness and Redemption of his dear Christ Are not these wonderful in your eyes Blessed be God we have our senses our feeling our experience of these things yet we cannot tell how to be content without Gods Love to be given to our lusts and damned eternally Doth not God advance his Grace when we feel we cannot live but are miserable undone damned worse then Toads without it We can never advance the riches of his Grace enough we do acknowledge therefore we desire to see our own vileness more and more daily that we may more speak the praises of this rich Grace If God doth not advance the riches of his Grace in this way I have mentioned I wish he had told us how God doth it though we are poor weaklings and fall short of that measure of Grace he had yet we shall set our sense and feeling against his lines unless he had brought us a word from God that he cannot advance his Grace unless his Creature after all his preparations of it be content quiet well apayed satisfied words Mr. Hooker several times uses without his Love Grace given up to lusts and damned we shall not believe it His second Reason Else the Lord should not be Lord and dispose of his own Grace but a sinful Creature will have the disposal of it Answ I deny the Consequence Unless I be content quiet well satisfied without the Lords Grace he is not Lord of his own Grace Doth Gods being Soveraign of his Grace depend upon my being content without it But I answer secondly That there is such a Truth that the Lord is Soveraign of his own Grace that he will have mercy ou whom he will have mercy we must acknowledge and tremble at it though we know many men cannot digest it but to teach that Soveraignty in this place to a Soul under this work brought now up to the great sense of the want and high prizing of it I think it immethodical To preach it I say in the calling of the Soul home to Christ under the work of Conversion which is our question
impatience and quarrelling Jonah and Jeremiah could quarrel Jer. 15.18 and 20.14 15. for things of less concernment then damnation denial of Grace and Love of God these were not their questions If they so impatient no wonder though these be though none should be 2. Though impatience and quarrelling for want of Christ the Love of God and Grace be not good yet if we examine such a person well we may find a work of Faith even by this impatience for doth not this impatience arise because the will hath chosen and love hath set it self upon a desirable object which because the Soul cannot obtain as it desires it grows impatient being crossed in that which it chuseth and loveth Thus Christ compleat Christ the Love of God Grace Holiness are the desirable Objects of this Soul and because this Soul cannot enjoy them as it would therefore it quarrels and grows impatient because it is crossed in its choice and love But is not there a work of Faith where the will hath thus chosen Christ c Yea it seems the choice of the will and love are acted to a good degree for we do not grow impatient for being crossed in our object but when the will and affections run out much after the object So that though here be an infirmity yet it is such an one as we may gather Grace from it Treatise of Affections p. 151. I remember Mr. Fenner speaking of Zeal saith it is the impatient part of the Affections and speaking against luke-warmness under that Head saith he Thou mayest pray to God for Grace to heal thee of thy deadness but though he do not heal thee thou canst bear it but if thy affections were so far hereto as to be zealous they would be impatient thou couldest never endure it There is a difference between this and what Mr. Shepherd hath taught us Thus sure it will be for any part of redemption which the Soul is set upon with zeal to experience impatience will beapt to move if the will be long crossed How often have we Parents born with our Children in sickness and pain though they have been impatient and froward Alas the Child is sick full of pain And what is our sweet God What is our patience to his but especially when this impatience is because the Soul cannot enjoy his Christ Love Image and Holiness to walk with him 3. Grant it that this quarrelling and impatience against God in denying of Christ his Love and Grace be sinful and ought not to be as the poor Soul will not justifie quarrelling yet if it doth overtake the Soul will Mr. Shepherd conclude as it seems he doth with Mr. Hooker that the Soul is not rightly prepared for Christ that sound Faith cannot be infused till it be content to be disposed of to Hell if Gods will be so though all the forementioned preparatory works be found and the will brought to accept the terms of Christ For persons that God works upon when adult where these are not found viz. Conviction of sin and sense of the evil of sin self-emptiness a lost condition willingness that Christ should separate between its soul and sin allowing the rules I have given before I will say that person is not rightly prepared for Christ for where there is no conviction of sin no fears and sorrows under the sense of the evil of sin where no willingness that Christ should separate between the Soul and sin where men have righteousness and abilities of their own I am sure that man will never take Christ upon Christs terms but will they say though all these be and the heart be willing to take him upon his terms as blessed be God many thousands have felt it and do find it though they have found impatiencies and quarrellings being denied too often break out yet they are not rightly prepared but their work is false erroneous unsound because they find quarrellings and impatience I would not be the man that should preach such doctrine I would throw away my Pen before I would write it before I would condemn so many thousands of the generation of sound Believers To expunge Job Jonah Jeremiah out of the number of Saints for their quarrelling and impatience against God I dare not nor other Saints for these or other infirmities supposing they be but infirmities yet I see Mr. Hooker hath cut off all from Faith and true preparation for Christ because men have not attained to a higher pitch then non-quarrelling Before I come to the Anasceuastick part let me set down how the Soul under this sense of this misery and sin the sight of the hell he seeth in himself carries it self First It looks on it self without a Christ and love of God through him as the most miserable Creature on the earth O that I could out change with a Toad that I were but in a state so good as that is real groans no Rhetorical strains Secondly It pleads for nothing with God from it self it can tell God of nothing but sin and misery a sink of abomination that it finds in it self Mr. Shepherd both in his Book and Letter to me is oft up with this the Soul seeth it self worthy of no mercy if that had been all Mr. Shepherd and Mr. Hooker meant their Books would never have troubled me nor others as to the point of preparation Merit is a Monster in the Armes of Mercy how much more will this Soul say who seeth nothing but a hell in it self Worthiness of Mercy is a contradiction worthiness in us destroyes the being of mercy Thirdly Though it cannot bear the least spark of wrath yet it cannot but judge and condemn it self and justifie God what he might do with it if he will deal with it according to justice under a Covenant of works while it is about thus to do sometimes his joynts tremble and coldness a quivering comes over the heart afraid to speak out his words in self-condemning for fear God should take his words out of his mouth and condemn him accordingly out of his own mouth Fourthly He magnifies God for his patience that he did not take him long since in his way of sinning cut him off and send him to that place where no mercy is known but God had been just This patience of God affects his heart Fifthly He stands and wonders at that mercy how God can possibly love such a one blot out all his guilt justifie him that is the strangest word and translate him from being the Devils nasty sty to make him a habitation for his holy Spirit These things are found but to come to such a positive habitual frame of Contentation to have no love of God no Grace but to be given up to lusts and damned if God will have it so I dare not own it Only here that I may leave nothing to trouble any tender Christian when I say these things are found my meaning is not that they are found in all before
Let us see if the case be parallel First To drink that dreadful bitter Cup was the design and intent of God in sending of his Son and the intent of Christ in coming Thus John 12.27 when his Soul was so troubled that he could not tell what to say but this Father save me from this hour he adds John 18.11 But for this cause came I unto this hour he should loose the end of his coming And is this the intent the design of God to send all men into the world to damn them if he please Secondly Christ undertook this work freely he was at his own choice whether he would or not He gave himself Gal. 1.4 T it 2.14 For this cause I came John 12.27 Is the case so with us Thirdly He was able to undertake it he did go through with it drunk up his Cup the dregs of it blessed be his Name left nothing in it for his poor people to drink of it Hence Luke 22.15 With desire have I desired this Passover his last when he should be made our Passover that was next Is it so with us Fourthly True Christ did pray to be delivered from it when he came to smell the Cup it was so horrid that the human nature flew back as if he had repented of his undertaking but Christ was not bound to pray that prayer there was no duty in it obedience to a Command which is my Argument but only the human nature amazed astonished at the dread of what he was now going upon would have saved it self it did discover the reallity of his humane nature but no sin in it whence I leave it to any judicious Reader whether there be any thing in this Answer to take off my Argument Seventh Arg. Lastly I will not draw my Argument into form but this I would say blessed Lord what mean these worthy men do we find the sons of men to be so eagerly set after thy Love after thy Grace are men so disquieted without thy Love and thy Grace that we must now go teach them that they must be quietly contented and satisfied if they suppose thou wilt never give them thy Grace How long may thy poor Ministers preach and mourn at last that they cannot get one perswade not one in a year to care for thy Love to regard thy Grace Instead of quarrelling with thee because thou wilt not give them thy Love and Grace they quarrel with us because we stir them up to seek it and threaten them from thee because they neglect it So that certainly of all doctrines this doctrine might have been spared Mr. Shepherd p. 97. speaking against some saith Are we troubled with too many wounded Consciences in these times that we are so solicitous of coining new principles of peace The same say I are we troubled with too many disquieted Souls for the Love of God and the manifestation of his Grace that we must invent a new way how to quiet them not new principles of peace but new principles of trouble heart-stabbing principles to be content without Gods Love Grace to be content to abide the state of damnation to tell the Devil that if God will give me up to my lusts and damn me yet so he hath the honour of his Power and Justice I am content Blessed be God for revealing his gracious name his Christ his Gospel Covenant Promises Seals we can find better principles for disquieted Souls out of these than this new one which I never read in any other Author but these So much for these worthy men as to this point whose persons as I knew so their eminent graces and Ministerial abilities I do most highly honour it being my greatest trouble in this that I must oppose those whom I do so much honour But Truth and the Lambs of Christ must be regarded Amicus Socrates Amicus Plato c. CHAP. VI. Of Faith in Christ How the Spirit draws the Soul to him THe awakened Sinner by this time is loosened and made willing to turn from that term from which he is called The next thing is to consider the term to which he is called to which he must turn Repentance towards God and Faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ Acts 20.21 was the sum of Paul's preaching to the Ephesians God the proper Object of Repentance Christ of Faith Christ then is the mediate Object of Faith in effectual Calling God the ultimate Christ I mean as Mediatour as Christ God in our flesh for as God he is the ultimate Who by him do believe in God 1 Pet. 1.21 The heart of the Sinner thus prepared as I have opened he is now enquiring if there be any way to get out of that state of sin and misery emptiness of all good and wants which he feels himself in the news of a Redeemer is welcome Is there such a one Yes What is he Is he able to do the work May one rest and confide in him Yes he is a Saviour and a great one Isai 19.20 Mighty to save Isai 63.1 May he be had Yes for he calls you What are the terms upon which he may be had They are but equal good such as when you come to understand them you would not have them changed A Redeemer must be that the Soul is convinced of there is no coming to God a consuming Fire a just Judge a holy God whose Law I have trampled under foot and that Law curseth me to Hell but I must have one to undertake for me besides I feel such a hell of filthiness within me such rebellion in my heart that if I be left alone I am undone Price and Power must be or I must perish As then in that term from which the Soul was called the Spirit let in Light which discovered the evil of that state Conviction accompanied that light and fears and sorrows followed that Conviction thus the affections with will did avert fly from and turn from that evil but how to help it self it could not tell feeling nothing but sin weakness and emptiness no righteousness no ability in it self So now in this term Christ and God to whom the Soul is called the Spirit enlightens the Soul to see the Son Every one that seeth the Son John 6.40 to understand him in his Person Offices work of Redemption it shews him the adequate fulness in God in Christ to answer its desires and will the loss of whatever the Soul stuck at which hindered it from turning from that term from which it was called the Spirit convinceth the Soul of the truth of all this goodness discovered it convinceth the man also that there is a fair probability of his enjoying this Christ yea convinceth him it is his duty to come to him and now he will add a worse sin to all the former if he obey not the Command and Call of God This sutable and adequate goodness being thus discovered and the will renewed now the will and affections move strongly
pleasures for evermore Psal 16.11 Flesh bids ease and liberty from trouble Christ bids Peace in Conscience peace in Heaven pardon in bosome John 14.27 and 16 33. Flesh bids riches Christ bids unsearchable riches Ephes 3.8 Flesh bids the love and favour of great Persons Christ bids the love of his Father and his love John 14.21 To conclude to beat Flesh quite out saith God I give thee my self I give thee my Christ whatever Flesh bids make the best it is but temporary what I bid is eternal 2 Cor. 4 last The Soul being under the work of the Spirit is enlightened to see all these things in their reallity and enabled to understand the glory and good of them and thus the Lord carries away the will in triumph he hath out-bidden the Flesh the blessed Angels they rejoyce at this work Luke 15.10 There is joy in the presence of the Angels of God over one sinner that repenteth But what hast thou gotten sweet Saviour that thou art so pleased in thy victory Psal 110.3 What I have got thy will A huge booty Lord not worth the taking up nor worth the ten thousand part of what thou hast offered to win it thou hast but pulled trouble upon thy self in getting it now thou hast a sinful wretched guilty peevish froward polluted wretch to pardon to cleanse to take care of one that will try thy patience small reason why thou shouldst triumph in thy winnings Be it so yet my Father hath the glory of his Grace and Mercy I have the glory of my Love and Redemption I see of the travel of my soul and I am satisfied Isai 53.11 To eternity then let thy Fathers Grace and Mercy be adored thy Love and Redemption admired Thus it is Christs out bidding of Flesh and the Creature which strikes the main stroke in the answering of the Call And now the will being renewed and the Spirit present in this work to make clear to the will the will comes off most sweetly freely never acted more freely with more sweetness than now though still there lye a corrupt old Adam that is cross to this but at this time it is so overpowred with Grace that it appeareth not in the actings of it and the dominion of it is for ever broken Jansenius moves this Question Jansen Aug. tom 3. l. 4. c. 1. Caelestis quaedam ineffabilu servitus c. Quid fit medicinale Christi Adjutorium secundum Substantiam Or thus Wherein lyeth the efficacy of that which the Schools call gratia efficax What is it that makes it so He answers in blessed Austin's words Victrix delectatio an overcoming a conquering delight or thus in his own words It is nothing else but a certain heavenly and unspeakable sweetness or spiritual delight by which the will is prevented and bowed to will and do whatever the Lord commands it to will and do He spends eleven Chapters in proving that this conquering delight and heavenly sweetness which the Lord lets in to the Soul is that which makes Grace to be efficacious in Conversion and in overcoming any temptation he that reads his Chapters will find how experimentally he writes Now if by this conquering delight and heavenly sweetness he understands the joy the rest the sweetness the Soul finds in possessing the Object which it loves and desires as when God shines upon the Soul and gives it to know his Love this is rarely found in the first Conversion now though in the Gospel-Converts it was known to commend the Gospel in the first preaching of it to fit them for sufferings for it The Apostles being to travel up and down could not abide fixed with them to help them but yet a conquering an out-bidding Good having a pleasing sweetness attends it the Lord doth present to the will which draws the will sweetly after it and makes Calling to be effectual and without it there can be no sound Conversion by this the Soul seeth a reason to move to this term unto which it is called for all that pretended good which held the Soul fast in the term from which it was called is all answered out bid and conquered This Victrix delectatio B. Austin makes so much mention of because he had found it in his own experience how the Lord took him off by it when he was under that great Conflict how he should part with his lusts Christ threw them out Confess l 90.12 and camest in thy self more sweet than all pleasure then saith he of a sudden how sweet was it for me to want the sweetness of those trifles and those which before I feared to loose it was now my joy to let them go Thus Stella interpreting those words Luke 14.23 Compel them to come in speaks most excellently How doth the Lord compel men to come in Two wayes saith he First By shewing to the will such good that the will cannot but desire it Secondly By removing and hiding all evil and whereas the object of the will is good God can represent to the will so much good that the will cannot but love that good which it seeth and this is no compulsion of the will Quia voluntas naturaliter fertur in bonum Thus we have the two last things which I opened as required to a true receiving of Christ proved and here let me only leave this word to many Christians who when they read of such a mighty power that God puts forth in the day of Conversion or of Faith closing with Christ Psal 110.3 Ephes 1.19 c. they apprehend God puts forth some strong Act whereby he bends or bows their wills and makes them by mighty power of his as it were by force to come up to his terms in offering of Christ and they have not felt such a force or powe but have found their hearts so willing to accept him upon those terms and blessing God for ever may they but have him for their Jesus and God for their God it is the best bargainn that ever they made hence not feeling such a power as they imagined their faith is not found Now this is a gross mistake yea though God wrought upon thee when thou wert adult and hadst played the Rebel against him before in thy life following thy vile lusts when God hath been preparing of thee before and thy will renewed whether mediately by working on the understanding first in order of nature though in order of time together or whether immediately I dispute not though I incline to the first thy heart comes up most freely and sweetly to thy closing with Christ as if there were no power at all put forth upon the will by God because by out-bidding of all thy lusts and setting before thy hungry will such a Gospel-Feast as I mentioned before and helping of thy understanding clearly to see it and taste it though he doth still concur with the will it comes off as freely as ever it did in making of a bargain in
had read at that time for said he had I been meditating upon it before and so had comfort from the Text I should not have regarded it so much that was the emphasis that it was a Scripture he had not thought of Whence according to him the greatest assurance is when the Spirit sets home a Promise to a man which Promise was not in a mans mind he was not meditating upon it for if he had been in meditation upon it he should not so regard it This Divinity I told him I dare not preach for I doubt not but if the Spirit will please to witness healing pardon love peace by a Promise that I was meditating upon it is as sound sure and good as if he doth it by a Promise I did not think of Hence we see experiences of eminent Christians must not be in every point our rule for in my discourse with him he alwayes set the Accent there and so that if it had not been a Text not thought of he should not have so much minded it at least not so much But sure his great comforts he would have minded Well then that this was the testimony of the Spirit I doubt not it was clear to him by the Sun that then did shine into his heart Here was no syllogisme First May we not say his assent to this testimony was special faith I conceive we may grant it The testimony came with such light and self-conviction that he could not deny but it was the testimony of the Spirit immediately Now if I be convinced clearly it is his immediate testimony I am bound to assent to his testimony which is here Divine special faith Secondly But this I hope is not the assurance and particular perswasion which holy Perkins and holy Rogers mean If so the number of true believers will be but few indeed I have known many and do now know many whom I question not but they are sound believers but never knew what this kind of testimony meant yet have and do know what the testimony of their own renewed spirits mean Hence quaere whether that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 8.16 be not ordinarily to be meant of that concourse of the Spirit with the Spirits of believers which while they are clouded and darkened in their self-examining and know not what to make of themselves the good Spirit scattereth those mists and helps the believer to see the work of faith and the frame of grace which he hath wrought in it and thus helps the Soul to witness and is a witness with it For if it be meant only of the Spirits witness as Mr. Bolton describeth it and this good Christian found it that witness I find very rare amongst those with whom I have conversed To have comforts by promises applied now and then I deny not but this was in an eminent way Thirdly Nor do I think this was the irradiation which learned Ward intended because as I said here was no Syllogisme which he is upon Nor I think is this that our Divines mean by their special faith in opposition to the Papists for they will yield that a man may have the assurance of his pardoned estate and being in grace by a certainty of faith if God will please to give him that assurance by a special revelation De Justific l. 3. c. 3. As Bellarmin yields and quotes abundance of his Authors agreeing to the same Opinion What to call this but a special revelation I cannot tell for here was no ratiocination on his part but now composing to rest and laying by those thoughts in came the Spirit of God after this manner immediately bearing down all doubts before him and assuring him he was pardoned and in favour with God But as to assurance if all the Papists will yield what Gregory de Valentin tom 2. disp 8. q. 4. p. 1. doth I would never quarrel with them about it Eighth Argument That cannot be the essence of saving Faith which leaveth a true Belieuer sinking under the sense of his sin and misery without support But this particular perswasion and assurance Christ is mine c. affirmed to be saving faith leaves a true Believer under the sense of sin and misery without support Ergo It is not the essence of saving faith For the minor first Here is a Christian and one whom if you examine as we have opened the work of faith can give some good answer to it this Christian is under the sense of his own vileness guilt and wretchedness ready to sink I pray how will you support him Thus though thou art guilty vile abominable yet there is enough in Christ to heal thee pardon thee redeem thee and reconcile thee to God yea saith the Soul I doubt not of it but how shall I get him How by faith that is the way the Gospel tells us Ay but saith this Soul I cannot believe What no Do you know what faith is A particular perswasion and assurance that Christ is mine and that my sins are pardoned c. Ah saith the Soul if this be faith I am damn'd indeed Without are unbelievers Revel 21.8 I must be without indeed for I am sure I am an unbeliever now A perswasion Christ is mine that my sins are forgiven I cannot reach such perswasion or assurance had I this faith there were an end of my troubles but now you tell him what faith is and if no faith no Christ and to be sure he hath no faith if this be the faith which uniteth to Christ so you do but plunge him deeper into despair while you go about to support him yet that he is a true believer the notes which these worthy men give of one are found in him The major is clear True believers have right to comfort and support they ought to be supported Strengthen the weak hands confirm the feeble knees Isai 35.3 but miserable Physitians will they prove that go about to heal their wounds with this plaister More Arguments might be added but these I hope are sufficient to prove that the definitions of our fore-fathers which they gave of faith was not clear And so Christians may be eased as to that point not cutting off themselves from true faith because they have not attained to that particular perswasion and assurance that Christ is theirs Having removed this now I shall prove that to be saving faith which I have opened As for the other contest between the Papists and us about the general assent to Divine truths c. though as I said to have that assent to be Divine faith is another manner of thing than many Christians take it to be yet as that was never my own doubt nor of others with whom I converse whether that alone would make up saving faith being easily convinced of the contrary therefore I leave it Faith in Christ then is the receiving of Christ as he is offered in the Gospel and so resting upon him alone for life and salvation How
lust to thy special creature-idol see is Christ Lord there hast received him King to subdue and cast out that special lust of thine be it the sin of thy constitution or the sin that attends thy calling be the lust what it will the Peccatum in deliciis the Benjamin of thy Soul in which the life of the old man is bound up I could part with all but this Is it an ambitious a vain-glorious lust Is it an unclean lust Is it a covetous worldly lust Is it a bibbing a potting lust or any other Try here Christian for here have many Professours been wofully deceived they have received Jesus Christ the Lord yea in general but as in Grammar when a general Rule hath been laid presently comes in the Excipe's so in these Professours Christ is received King and Lord Excipe except in this particular lust this particular idol-creature upon which the heart is set As in London though such a one was Lord Mayor of London yet there were some particular priviledged places in London if I be not mistaken exempted from his jurisdiction as to Arrests that his Sergeants could not execute his Authority for arresting men in such a place Thus it is with some yea too many Christians they will call him Jesus Christ our Lord thus they receive him but yet have their particular places they have their special lusts and idols which must not come under his arrests nor subject to his Authority but Christ will never own it that he was received as Lord though Men may say to him Lord Lord Matth. 7.21 where such limitations are put to his government there are no such priviledged places granted by him though such a faith as receive him in general and yield to his Lordship in many things may ferve for an outward profession yet it will not serve for salvation here then Christian fearch the Apostle hath told us what is that Trinity which our carnal hearts worship 1 John 2.16 Lust of the flesh sensual pleasures lust of the eyes covetousness riches pride of life ambition honours here may we find the special lust and idol which every unsound believer exempts from the Lordship of Christ for pride in apparel this seems to be too low for one to make an idol of but any thing the vile heart will set up One woman and Wife to a Minister whom I knew well in the day when her Conscience was awakened went to her Press or Trunk where her clothes lay and took them up These were my gods said she which I set up the womans vanity ran out that way I fear she is not alone as to the sin it were well if she had more with her that are sensible of and humbled under that sin Quest How shall I find out my particular special lusts andidol how may I come to know it Answ This is none of my Text nor will I be guilty of that for which I so much blame others were I to handle that subject I would fet down wayes how you may find it out if you do not know it already which is something strange for that person that keeps a narrow watch over his heart not to observe and know which way his corrupt heart runs out yet I have learned that such a thing is possible if the corruption be a spiritual lust and if there be something else that much takes up the heart I knew one an eminent Christian a man as in years so in grace learning and abilities much my superiour a man yet of a clung penurious having close spirit Cousin german to a worldly covetous lust the bones of it stuck out so that people did generally observe it I spake of it to an eminent Minister and asked him if he did not observe it Observe it said he yes 't is plain enough to observe yet this man for secret duties with God for spiritual heavenly converse in company such a one as few like him his spirit battered and kept under strangely One time walking with a very serious Christian much his inferiour a mean man in the world he asked him and desired him to deal faithfully with him what corruption he did discern in him which might cause the Lord thus to hide the light of his Countenance from him and tell him plainly of it this argues the uprightness of the man the man being much his inferiour but wise and very godly giving him his due respect asked him Sir do you not take notice of such a corruption and instanced in that which I mentioned and handsomly informed him of it He made this reply Truly I never took notice of it nor observed it by my self If you would then know it and do not do as this good man did get some inward judicious Friend to deal plainly with thee a Christian Friend may observe that by thee of which thou doest not take notice thy self This is all I will say to it in this place I will not meddle with more than the subject I am upon leads me to Quest Is it not possible there may be a corruption in my heart which at this time I do not think of nor feel working which may afterwards appear and prove my strong masterly special corruption And if so I know not when my faith is sound nor whether I have received Christ for my King Answ It is possible and hath been found so by woful experience especially where the work began betimes when Christians come to such years to such employments to such states and conditions in publick places to such conditions of life in all which changes are made there rises up new corruptions which had not the opportunity to shew themselves before and make heavy work in the hearts of poor Christians When a man hath been wurried with one corruption which hath cost him much sorrow and pains thinks he if I can but get over this I hope my journey will be pretty comfortable I do not observe any other lust that hath so much power but I think I can more easily grapple with Well that corruption is taken down he is in a great measure quiet from that which cost him so much trouble but in the room of that there rises another O Lord saith the Soul this is worse this is stronger than that and now the Soul knows not what to think but concludes its state is his which Christ mentions Luke 11.25 c. Where the unclean spirit being cast out the house swept and garnished he taketh to him seven other spirits more wicked than himself thus it is with me thinks the man A sad Text and too true of some who are swept and garnished with idols of self-righteousness and formality of worship set up in them who prove more desperate enemies to Gospel-faith sound Believers and real power of godliness than are many drunkards and unclean persons but as to the sound Beleiver who apprehends this to be his condition from a new upstart lust that crawls out now the
are bound that they must thus perform it give your Texts of Scripture We that were present thought that Scriptures might be easily produced and did so but upon serious examining of them we were convinced they were not clear enough to bind the practise as a duty incumbent upon Christians as the question was propounded yet for my part as he said it hath been is and shall be still my practise withall I called to mind that my own Father during the time I lived with him unless it were on the Lords day did not perform the duty what he did after I cannot well tell but yet he was a man who kept his secret communion with God had a heart for God and tongue for God as sometimes being a Gown-man in a Corporation he had occasion to appear for God while he lived in the world was above the world when he came to leave the world he would several times send up short prayers to his Father When wilt thou send thy Servant to fetch me home With a smiling countenance he entertained Death having some fore-tastes of what he was going to possess by that expression of his I shall have as much glory as ever I can bear When he was dead his Minister who wrote to us the news of his death said this of him He lived much desired he died much mourned for Yet this my godly Father would scarcely be esteemed for a serious Christian by some for not performing that duty according to the question though I suppose a year or two before his death he did take it up but then I was far distant from him This is that which I aim at in this example that when we urge duties upon Christians so to be performed and upon the performance of them after the manner we set down or non performance we will conclude them sound or unsound serious or slight Christians let us be sure to give clear Texts that prove God commanding the duty in that manner as we lay it down and urge Christians to the performance of it I grant Meditation is a duty that all Christians adult are bound unto yea so much a duty that I know not how a person adult can be a Christian without it I know not how a Christian can order his conversation without meditation how he can examine himself without meditation how he can improve the Sermons he hears and Books he reads without some meditation but the question is for such meditation set down after such a mode viz. That every day as duly as we pray so we set apart an hour or half hour for the duty of meditation and more especially in meditating of the Joyes of Heaven and making it for that time our whole work and intermix other matters with it no more than we would do with prayer This I see is the meditation strongly urged upon Christians a duty very hard I am sure and if our salvation lye upon this being performed after this manner as this learned and reverend Author hath set down then most Christians that I meet with forty to one and those whom I esteem good Christians must never come at Heaven but must to that dark place If I should humbly desire a Text or two from holy Writ to prove that is the meditation that God requires of Christians if the reverend Author will answer me it is a ridiculous question as he hath said in another case I must be silent For the object of this meditation the Joyes of Heaven it must be supposed as they must have a Title to Heaven so they must know and be assured of their Title to Heaven there must be no dark Cloud between them and Heaven but all clear who thus can daily have their meditations fixed upon Heavens joyes for one hour or half an hour together without any other thoughts intermixing themselves of this number I believe there are not half the Christians in England Heavens Joyes Good Lord say many poor Christians we meditate more upon Hells sorrows than Heavens joyes while we lye under the sense of our guilt and damned estate and though we pray and follow after God we think yet we can hear no good word from God we can apprehend nothing but anger no peace this sinks our hearts Others they have so much to do with the Hell of corruption they feel in their hearts and the daily conflicts they have with their lusts rising from thence which doth so press them down with sinking discouragements the seventh year and seventh again have not been a year of release to them that the Joyes of Heaven little affect them What tell you me of Heaven saith this person tell me of redemption applyed let me know Christ and him crucified experimentally let me feel and find a hard heart softened a proud heart humbled a filthy heart cleansed a froward heart meekened a slight heart awed with the reverence of God an hypocritical heart made upright a dead heart quickened a heart enslaved to and bewitched with the Creature set above the Creature let me feel my Bible the things we talk of written upon the fleshy tables of my heart this would be joy a heaven to me This would secure me in two things First That there is a Heaven which the Atheistical thoughts of my heart sometimes would question Secondly That I have a title to it Ministers may teach Christians what objects they should meditate upon but the thoughts of Christians will run there where they are most pinched Other Christians if they be not held down with the former yet they may be so oppressed with sad thoughts arising from debts debasements unequal yoak-fellow long sickness and pains with poverty attending it may be several Children about them and a grumbling Husband because the Wife doth not work to maintain them some from cold and hunger that these are like the Israelites when Moses told them comfortable things from God Exod. 6. from the 6. to the 9. ver but in ver 9. They hearkened not to him through anguish of spirit But oh say some this is their want of Grace want of Faith meditation of the joyes of Heaven Very well said and I hope you are one that have been in the same condition owed more than you were worth had a Family to maintain the Creditors called and you were one very careful that the Gospel should receive no dishonour by you you are one that have been aloft and now are low you are one who have been under long pains and sickness with poor Children about you a grumbling Husband and when you rose out of your sick bed had two or three small sticks to make a fire to warm you had nothing but a little oatmeal and water or some such mean thing to nourish you it may be your sick stomack did desire such a thing but had nothing to get it you have known what it is to have an unequal yoak-fellow that daily follows you with unhandsome carriages and you under
all these have born up bravely by your faith above sinking and afflicting thoughts and solaced your Soul with the joyes of Heaven if it be so magnifie mercy and yet pity those who would walk with God uprightly and do for the main but have not yet attained to that measure you have but if you have not been under these conditions and experienced what the temptations are if you will teach them their duty how they should walk do it but yet let it be with compassion the poor body will complain we live an Animal as well as a rational and spiritual life and though I know God can send in that which shall lift up a Soul above all discouragements under these conditions yet that all Christians under these conditions have such influences of grace and comfort from God alwayes abiding by them to do it though sometimes a glimpse they meet with I do not find it Secondly As to the fixing of the thoughts upon such an object so as no other thoughts intermix themselves more than they should in prayer I have nothing to say against it if this be the duty that we must separate so much time for these thoughts or meditations only What others find of intermixing of thoughts in prayer I know not but this I know who hath cause to be ashamed and humbled for such intermixings had we not a High-Priest to bear the iniquities of our holy things I know it would go ill with some body When the mind of a man is like a Spannel that runs before his Master one while he keeps before him in the path presently he is hunting on the other side the hedge then into the path he comes again and runs a while by and by gone again thus the mind one while attends the business it is about presently it slips aside to other matters then in again but to hold it firm fixed in the work alwayes in the path this some body finds hard But when we come only to thinking meditating who will fix this Quicksilver The Bird hops off one bough to another stayes long on none this vanity and inconstancy is a wretched distemper and this makes the duty of meditation so hard If the heart be laden with sorrows or filled with fears it can fix the mind upon the Objects which cause these fears or sorrows if it be enlarged with joy delight it will fix on the Object that causeth it so if love and desire be greatly drawn forth after an Object it will fix the mind upon the Object Voluntas imperat intellectui quoad exercitium actus Impellit intellectum ad considerationem But the affections must be much enlarged else they will not fix the mind Hence many Christians I do not mean such as bear the name only but real and serious Christians if I have any skill to judge by the inward acquaintance I have with them and observation of their conversation have complained much and said they find this to be such a hard duty when they set themselves apart only to think and meditate that they cannot perform it after that manner which Divines write not out of a corrupt spirit and enmity to the duty for they are very willing with it and try to do it but cannot fix their minds and make them hold to the thing they propound but for secret prayer there they make up what they cannot in meditation And in truth the prayers of many Christians what are they but their spiritual meditations expressed in words to God But if other thoughts should come in are they as sinful as in prayer wherein we deal with God immediately in Divine worship Thirdly For the time allotted for this duty one hour or half an hour To hold the mind fixed one hour or half an hour together without any other thoughts intermixed about Heavens Joyes or iudeed about any other Grace what say poor Christians to this Hath the blessed God revealed this to be his will hath he set down the time how long Christians must meditate What if a Christian cannot hold his mind fixed a quarter of an hour what if not half a quarter doth he break any Command or Rule of God form editation I know very well the Scripture speaks of meditating in the Word day and night but the meaning of that Text I hope is not according to this duty of meditation which is urged in this manner Many poor Christians who cannot meditate of Heavens Joyes or other Graces half an hour nor quarter without thoughts intermixing do yet labour to meditate in the Word both day an night Psal 1.2 that is endeavour to have their conversation framed according to the Word both day and night I honour much that holy man whose name I have forgot but he was Minister either in Wales or near Wales the same man it was as I remember whose conversion was so observable two Livings he had before his conversion but discharged not his duty to one being at a Fair and buying something at a Pedlers Stall he rends off a leaf of Mr. Perkins Catechism to put the thing into which he bought and reading a line or two in it God set home something out of it which did the work presently he parts with his best Living kept the least and proves a faithful Labourer in Gods Vineyard This holy man was observed by those who lived in the house with him to keep Fasts alone and they observed this was his manner sometimes to walk then fall down upon his knees to prayer and was not at prayer but a very short time may be five or six minutes then walk again and pray again a few minutes and thus spent his day in meditation and prayer This man I much honour that could do thus and so I do those who can meditate if two hours or ten hours but to set down times how long men should meditate I know no ground for that First I conceive under favour meditation is then rightly performed when the affections are wrought up unto a sutableness with the object I am meditating upon Would I meditate upon the vanity of the Creature to which I see my self enslaved too much if I can by meditation come to see the vanity of it by the Spirit of God assisting me that I find my affections are more loosened from is get more above it and take up more in God I conceive meditation hath in its measure attained its end If it be any lust or sin that I would see the evil of it if the Spirit helps me in meditation to see the evil of it so that I fear it I tremble at it my will turns away from it and begs grace and strength against it a heart to hate it meditation hath its end If my Object be God Christ Grace Holiness and I would see the good of these if the Spirit assisting me I come so to see the good of these that my will chuseth love desire run out after these with an unsatisfied spirit
till I enjoy these or if I cannot come to the enjoyment yet my affections and will pursue those I think meditation hath its end In meditation I see the object as it is I affect as I see and follow as I see and affect in my endeavours allowing here various degrees both in the sight and affections yet so as the prevalency is on Gods side I conceive this person hath in his measure performed this duty Now let this meditation be performed how it will let it be in what length or shortness of time what is that to the essence of the duty If a man can thus meditate as he sits in his house amongst others if as he walks in the streets about his other occaons if as he is at his work in his calling if as he walks in the fields or rides or in bed so the end of meditation be attained though he doth not separate himself only for meditation as for prayer if this meditation for the time be not a quarter of an hour or half quarter but often in a day as those who are plagued with their hearts followed with temptations all the day long are put upon these meditations frequently will not this meditation answer the Scripture-meditation unless we separate our selves one hour or half an hour to meditate and that upon the Joyes of Heaven If not let us hear a Scripture-reason to prove it For those who are able to contemplate and solace themselves with the Joyes of Heaven if it be ten hours together I only say they are the happier men and have great cause to bless God for such a mercy given to them But when I come to impose duties as meditation c. upon Christians to be performed by them in such a manner and for such a time and their soundness or unsoundness seriousness or slightness is determined according to their performance or non-performance according to that manner which I set down surely I had need bring clear Scripture proof to warrant what I impose and not speak or write that which shall perplex many sincere Christians and make them call all their work into question because they come not up to what I deliver Of the same opinion concerning meditation was that judicious and able Divine Mr. Nathaniel Rogers of whom I made mention in my Epistle to the Reader a man of solid judgment a close walker with God and awed with the reverent fear of God who could not be perswaded to publish any thing being troubled with an Haemoptysis or spitting of blood he thought it would kill him if he should go about such a work this excellency he had in his work that as he was very sound clear and searching so he was ever very tender and careful that he spake nothing which should perplex or trouble a poor sincere Christian Having handled a Christians daily walk with God which he did to the life and which deserved the Press as well as any practical piece of Divinity that is printed I observed he omitted that Head of meditation which I waited for I asked him in private why he did not preach upon it as others had done and that in such a manner as now we are speaking of as if meditation were not rightly performed unless men did separate themselves unto this duty daily as they do to prayer besides that meditation which they had as I instanced before To which he answered It is true men had printed so but he could not prove it out of the Word and he did not love to impose that upon the people of God which he could not find God himself to impose That meditation was a duty was not the question and so instanced how and when Christians might meditate but the question was as to such a way and manner of performing the duty which some Divines had set down putting the stress in the performance of it after such a way and manner binding all Christians to that as if the duty were not performed unless so performed this he could not prove therefore would not preach it but omitted it Secondly I conceive the fixedness of the thoughts in meditation to hold long upon such or such a Subject which we would meditate upon depend First Upon the tempers and constitutions of men Some are of a temper inclining to Melancholy which temper renders men more fixed in what they fasten upon in meditation be it what it will If the humour be predominant it fixeth men too much Others are of a more volatile hot constitution which temper cannot fix as the other can Secondly It depends upon the strength of the Invention For a man to dilate upon a Subject in meditation as he must if he holds long and fixed it cannot be if his Invention be weak Hence that worthy Divine who makes the Abridgment of Mr. Rogers seven Treatises upon that Chapter of Meditation as I remember for I have not the Book though once I saw it teacheth men how to help themselves in meditation by carrying the Subject they meditate upon through Ramus Topicks Hence for men of vast parts large inventions and of a more fixed melancholy temper to be longer in meditation than others is no wonder Hence also many Christians who cannot separate themselves to meditate an hour or half hour yet can tell how to improve the Sermons they hear because in preaching the Ministers invention hath helped their inventions giving them Light Arguments Motives c. which move upon their wills and affections and help them to pray and follow God to teach them to profit I say many Christians can do thus But what shall we say to many plain hearted Christians who go with a sincere frame to hear Gods Word and profit by it set themselves to observe and lay up for themselves but sometimes through the imprudence of the Ministers lading the hearers heads with many heads what with darkness being not clear in what they deliver what through want of method or tediousness in preaching many poor Christians can bring away nothing they hear something which they think they will lay up then they hear more and that they would lay up and thus while they are greedy to catch and lay up the Word while they lay up one thing they loose another and in conclusion loose all their weak memories being not able to retain what they hear and would lay up but while they catch at much and would lay up much they loose all then they complain of their unprofitableness and dulness none so bad as they How can they meditate upon that which they do not remember Yet divers of these good Christians it was not their giving way to sleepiness so much or want of attention but weakness of understanding and memory that hindered Thirdly It depends upon the strength of habitual Grace received and the influences which that habitual Grace hath from the Spirit of Grace Men who have received great Grace and whom the Lord doth influence daily with second
Grace those who are exempted from those woful sinking troubles and temptations which others labour under those who have benign kind Aspects from God these may hold longer and delight more in meditation than those whose Grace received is but little and influence of second Grace but little every day lye groaning and oppressed under vile temptations or corruptions can see but little if any thing of Gods favour towards them For some men God kills the fatted Calf Luke 15. puts on the Robe the Ring they have their Musick when other Christians may say as once a good Christian did though not in a murmuring way as the elder Brother the Lord was never pleased to give them one Kid to rejoyce How heartily have we seen poor people at the door feeding upon the Scraps which these within at the Feast have left upon their Trenchers How thankful would some poor Christians be might they but enjoy the scraps of other Christians that is such things as they neither ask God nor thank God for yet though they have begged them ten years and ten twice told could not prevail with God for such favours These may meditate indeed but what do they meditate Thy heart shall meditate terror Isai 33.18 They do so they meditate terrors sorrows despondencies Alas little do we know what others go through and it is impossible we should know unless we were in their conditions and felt what they do So that the question is not whether a man be poor or rich a servant or free as if they who are rich and free might as well hold their minds fixed long in the meditation of the Joyes of Heaven as they can spare time better than the poor or the servant to hear a Sermon What God enioyns what he commands that must be pressed there is no speaking of that but what we enjoyn what Rules we give Christians and urge them to the observance of them as being-much conducing to the leading of a holy life and conversation if Christians can reach them I humbly conceive much prudence had need be used here lest we deal like some imprudent School-master that hath a Boy who is willing to be a Scholar his Master sets him a long and hard Lesson which if the Boy can learn it will prove the Boyes part to be good that is true but if the Boy be not able to learn it sets him down with discouragement if not take off his mind from being a Scholar It is but a profane spirit which thinks the holiness the conversation which God requires in his Word is only fit for Ministers that have nothing else to do but sit in their Studies mind their Books and contemplate Yet again if all sincere hearted Christians most of which for their natural parts and grace are but ordinary and in comparison of some but weak involved also in family cares perplexed with other cares which unavoidably attend some mens employments tired with the troubles and labours of their particular Callings tormented with the thoughts of debts and how to keep clear with all men which things those who sit only at their studies and can chuse their company where they please when they have a mind to go abroad cannot understand nor any others but those who are actually in such conditions If all these Christians I say can put in practise all those Rules which some men of eminent parts and grace have charged upon Christians as helps to attain that which God hath commanded and enjoyned then I say there are better Christians in England than I was aware of or do ordinarily meet with yet I meet with many whom I cannot but judge that they are sincere hearted Christians and will to Heaven To argue thus I can observe all these Rules therefore other Christians may observe them all will not follow in practical Divinity I had much rather be tied to Gods Book than to some good mens Books whether ancient or modern especially in some particular cases of practise in which I doubt not to say that some while they go about to take men off from sin they do but lay a snare for the Devil to make use of to bring men into sin When Esau bad Jacob put on that Jacob his Wives Children and Flocks must go Esau's pace Gen. 33.12 13 14. Jacob answers him My Lord knoweth the Children are tender and the Flocks and Herds with young are with me and if men should over-drive them one day all the Flock would dye c. Certainly in driving the Lords Flock there is wisdom to be used there are Children and those who are with young in his Flock and to over-drive these if it doth not produce their death yet it will cause great discouragement He that leadeth Joseph like a Flock Psal 80.1 leadeth his people as Jacob led his Flock Isai 40.11 He shall gather the Lambs with his arm and carry them in his bosom and shall gently lead those that are with young The sum is this saith Calvin on the Text God in governing his people will be mild gentle placid merciful that those who are weak he will not urge them beyond the measure of their strength With whom Forerius agreeth Gently lead them that are with young as Jacob did his Flock saith he he will not drive them too fast nor make them take great journeys The words commend to us the care the prudence and love in Christ our Lord and I shall ever wish saith Forerius that the Ministers of Christ would manifest the same When they would have the Disciples of Christ put upon hard duties Matth. 9.14 Christ auswers them ver 17. Men do not put new wine into old bottles The meaning is saith that solid and learned Mr. An. Burges No Minister that is wise will suddenly press high and more sublime duties to those that are yet weak Spirit Refin 2. part 187. and through custom and education are not fit to receive such strong meat but they must be prepared by degrees With whom agree Doctor Sibbs Mr. Burroughs Cornelius a Lapide and others There are many new Creatures who are old bottles not able I fear to hold that new Wine which some pour into them they are but children weak yet crying after Christ and are so all their dayes they are with young travelling and bringing forth as those under terrors are * Dr. Goodwin Child Light p. 224. in the pangs of a loaded Conscience as it were in Fits of breeding or in the travail under some affliction †Dr. Reynolds Ps 110. p. 226. they are loaded pressed and oppressed unfit to walk or go through sinking temptations and bitter afflictions In the little Flock of Christ many will be found of this number who will sit down discouraged if they cannot go that pace their Shepherds drive them I had some other things in my thoughts which concerned this sort of Christians supposing while I did read the works of men eminent for grace and parts with which