senselesse and secure and doth please himself in his pollutions for whatsoever he may be the holy Ghost points him forth among the unregenerat as a dog or sow If such a man after a time shall repent and bewail his condition and set himself to the seeking of God in Christ and to draw grace out of Christ to mortifie his lusts we shall not pronounce or determine of his former estate whether he was before that time regenerat or not but for the present case of his repenting he is on the way to evidence his regeneration more clearly then before only let him take heed to humble himself in earnest before God and to repent more seriously that so he may confirm himself and go on in the course of faith and obedience of the Evangel strengthening his brethren as Peter was commanded to do by our Lord Luk. 22. 22. 3. But if corruption of nature do not break forth to defile the whole man but inwardly stirreth and striveeth to bring its old servant into bondage again unto which tentations albeit the afflicted do not succumbe yet he is shaken and staggers in his faith doubting of his state and of the sincerity of his conversion because he findeth the power of sin in him more vigorous then he had found it before the change of his old conversation We do not deny but this case is readily incident unto such as are lately converted from formality in religion and fair civil carriage before men to true repentance and inward holinesse beseeming Christians This case because it may have sundry causes doth require also sundry cures 4. First this case may befall a young convert who because he hath not as yet gotten the experience of his own weaknesse is somewhat puffed up in the conceit of his own strength and is more confident then he hath reason that the sincerity of his purpose shall bear down and overcome all his spiritual enemies so oft as they shall oppose his holy resolution In this case what wonder is it that the Lord by a new proof of the mans weaknesse let him see that it is not in him that willeth or in him that runneth but in God that hath mercy to the intent his pride may be broken down and that he being humbled in himself may learn not to trust any more to himself but to God to Christ who by his Spirit maketh his children to mortifie sin in themselves as the Apostle teacheth us Rom. 8. 13. saying if ye mortifie the deeds of the flesh by the Spirit ye shall live Therefore the afflicted in this case must beware to fret or murmure or entertain suspicions of Gods grace in himself but rather let him after experience of his own weaknesse humble himself and renew the exercise of repentance and resolve in the use of the means to lean to the strength of Christ who doth help his souldiers in their conflict against sin and Sathan either by giving them the victory quickly or else sustaining them in the conflict by his grace as he did the Apostle 2 Cor. 12. 7. to whom Christ did not grant the victory till he despairing of his own ability to stand out against the messenger of Sathan did humbly beg deliverance from the tentation and then he gave him assurance that the assistance of his grace should prove sufficient to sustain him in the conflict and to deliver him in due time Secondly this case may fall out by the meer malice of Sathan who doth set himself to vex the young and â—ender convert lately taken out of his dominion to the intent he may make him repent his coming out of Egypt if it be possible and by leading out against him a new army of temptations may move him to despair of the victory and so bring him back to the flesh pots and taking on again the yoke of bondage if he can 2. And here consideration must be had of Gods wise and holy permission who suffereth Sathan to put a young convert to so hard tryals that in the weaknesse of his own child he may make evident his great power in upholding his young souldier against the forest assaults of Sathan and his wisdom in breaking by this mean the strength of in-born corruption raging against the work of grace in his child In this case let the afflicted remember he is called to give a proof of his faith and sincerity that he may acquit himself manfully and not be afraid of the power of temptations but bear out stoutly resisting Sathan being confident of the victory and of tramping Sathan under his feet shortly yea pre-suppose with inward temptations external persecution be joyned let the Lords souldier follow the example of the godly Hebrews whom the Apostle doth exhort to prepare themselves after spoliation of their goods to meet with grievous affliction under hope to overcome Heb. 10. 32. 36. and 12. 4. 3. This case may fall out not so much from the growing power of corruption as from the growing light of grace discovering sin more clearly then before regeneration for he who before regeneration was lying dead in sin did not feel the weight of sin at all or was sensible only of grosse out-breakings but when the clearer light of the Law doth come opening up the dens and caves of natures corruption out of which come forth legions of sinfull motions and amongst these sundry monsters of unperceived wickednesse are discovered to the young convert what wonder he be afraid and cast in many doubts and suspicions For if even the Apostle Paul himself out of the sense of inherent sin and of the bonds thereof where-with he did find himself bound was compelled with tears to cry out Miserable man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death Rom. 7. 24. what wonder is it that a novice in Religion do tremble when he seeth and smelleth the dunghill and filthy stable of his own unclean heart In this case all the comforts which the Gospel doth furnish are to be ministred to the afflicted hope is to be fostered in him of victory over all those evils the wisdom of God is to be set forth before his eyes under this exercise wherein the Lord hath brought to light the latent corruption of nature of set purpose that he might yoke his young souldier in combat with it and give him the victory by the holy Ghost over not only those evils which do trouble him for the time but also all other sins and so promoveth the mortification and abolition of the whole body of corruption in him 4. The fourth cause is or may be this that the afflicted hath not such estimation of the imputed righteousnesse of Christ as is requisit but with the slighting of Christs satisfaction and righteousnesse purchased to the believer by Christ goeth about to establish his own righteousnesse whereupon the Lord discovereth his short-coming in sanctification which in this life is imperfect and should indeed be followed after carefully
a notable defection from aiming at the measure felt in his first love at his conversion for we speak not here of daily distempers which the convert doth mark and mourn for and is about to have healed by bringing his wounds unto Christ to be cured in the exercise of faith and repentance daily The second is the not observing of this decay of love or the mans ignorance of his duty to entertain communion with Christ in the sense of his daily sins wants and wounds for the removing and curing whereof Christ is to be loved daily no lesse then at the man his first conversion The third is the mans being well pleased with this condition so long as his conversation is blamelesse whereof we have an instance in the condition of the Ephesians Rev. 2. whose labour in the work of the Lord zeal against hypocrits patience in troubles for Christs cause is commended by Christ. But he reproveth them first because they had left their first love and did not only come short of the measure of their first love but did not lay to heart this sin did not repent it or take course to have that measure recovered thou hast left or laid down thy first love that is 1. thou hast remitted and come short of that measure of love which formerly thou had 2. Thou hast not been displeased with thy self in this thy defection 3. Thou hast laid aside the care of recovering the measure of thy former love This condition is very dangerous as is manifest in the experience of the Galatians who falling from their first love did cast themselves open to superstitions and errours and in danger to be cut off from Christ by their defection from the faith of the Gospel once received The reasons for which we say this defection in love is dangerous are three the first is this the greatest measure of love to Christ and rejoycing in him is lesse then his excellency and merit at our hands doth deserve If therefore we shall slide from our duty in aiming to hold up this measure of love to him which we have once attained and cease to grow therein because his new mercies are daily letten forth upon us from day to day in effect we judge our first love hath been too too vehement and so Christ is lightly esteemed of as if he were not still to be loved withall our mind heart and strength The next reason is this when love to Christ to his Ordinances and sanctified ones beginneth to relent and cool incontinent the external exercises of religion and righteousnesse begin to fall short of this principle of love and to go on more and more slowly and so peece and peece to decay for as when a tree is smitten in the root it may retain for a time green leaves but after a time it withers and neither â—eareth ripe fruits nor leaves So also in the exercise of plety and righteousnesse if love toward God our Redeemer and delection in his service and obedience inwardly be diminished it may readily come to passe that the very outward works yea and the profession of duties due to Christ be taken away also and this is the judgment wherewith Christ doth threaten Ephesus I will come upon thee and remove thy candlestick out of his place except thou repent Rev. 2. 5. The third reason is because Christ who is altogether lovely and love it self the very Son of the Fathers love is a jealous God and cannot long indure not to be met with love from them to whom he hath manifested his love Therefore he doth make hast to correct this slighting of his love and to manifest his wrath against these that lye still well pleased with themselves under this condition I will come unto thee quickly saith he and remove thy candlestick Rev. 2. 5. 2. That the conscience of the true convert who is lying in this condition or is declining from his former measure of love may discharge its duty more easily and solidly it is needfull that the man being convinced of his fault first consider how reasonable it is that he should return to his first love or formerly felt measure of it for the forgivenesse of his manifold sins wherein he lay before his conversion for the translating of him from darknesse to the glorious light of Christs Kingdom should never be forgotten the proof which he hath gotten by his conversion that Christ hath loved him and given himself for him should be alwayes called to minde with hearty affection the great need of Christ wherein he standeth for renewed pardon of sins for furnishing him with his Spirit to mortifie the deeds of the flesh and to bring forth more ripe and abundant fruits of new obedience should bind him to abide and grow in his love Secondly let him consider how usefull and profitable unto us is fresh green and growing love unto him for love to him makes us frequently to think of him frequently with delight to speak of him to seek after more and more near-communion with him to have our conversation with him in heaven where he sits at the right hand of the Father and to live in heaven where our love is more then where we sojourn in this world Love makes us love what he loveth and hate what he hateth love sharpens our desires after God in Christ kindles and inlarges our affection toward him as the beginning of the 63. Psalm doth make evident And if the Lord shall seem to with-draw himself love makes the true convert follow hard after him Ps. 63. 8. Love makes â—old to encounter all difficulties and troubles which may meet 〈◊〉 in the course of following after him much water cannot quench love in Gods service love keeps a man 〈…〉 strong and stout against his enemies in 〈…〉 patient in profession sincere in pursuing duties 〈…〉 all conditions submissive and after evidencing of his affection with the Psalmist Ps. 116. 12. to â—ay with the same Psalmist What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits toward me Ps. 116. 12. Thirdly 〈…〉 convert who is begun to cool in his love to Christ 〈◊〉 to remembrance what a felicity he felt when he entertained love to Christ when the loving kindnesse of the Lord was better to him then his life and sin was more formidable then death when Gods Commandments were not grievous but the joy of his heart when Gods Word seasoned and sanctified his bitterest afflictions Fourthly let him consider at what a losse he is of many spiritual comforts whereof he hath deprived himself and in how many sins of omission at least he hath fallen since his declining from his first love and what miseries he hath drawn upon his own spirit at least if not also temporal chastisements joyned therewith and after comparison of his condition when his love was servent with his present condition since his fall from his sometime-measure of love let him humble himself before Christ and flye in unto his rich
object requireth a supernaturall power of the understanding and will to take it up and rightly conceive of it But of this supernaturall faculty the unrenewed man is destitute and in respect of spirituall discerning he is dead that he cannot discern spirituall things spiritually 4. As for the second proposition anent a mans regeneration the Lord that He may break the carnall confidence of the person whom He is to convert first sheweth him his duty by the doctrine of the law and covenant of works making him to see the same by the powerfull illumination of the holy Spirit and so taketh away all pretext of ignorance Secondly He sheweth him his guiltinesse and deserved damnation wherein he is involved and so taken away all conceit and imagination of his innocency Thirdly He doth convince him of his utter inability to satisfie the law or to deliver himself from the curse thereof either by way of action and obedience or by way of suffering and paying of the penalty of the violat law of God And so overturneth all confidence in himself or in his own works Whence followeth the elect mans desperation to be delivered by himself because he seeth himself a sinner and that all hope of justification by his own deeds or sufferings is cut off Now that this is the work of the holy Spirit is plain Ioh. 16. 8. When the comforter the spirit of truth shall come He shall convince the world of sin c. And in this condition sundry of Gods dear children for a time are keeped under the bonds of the law under the spirit of bondage and sad conviction 5. As for the third proposition the Lord after He hath laid the sin of His elect child who is to be converted to his charge by the doctrine of the law first openeth up a light unto him in the doctrine of the Gospel and lets him see that his absolution from sin and his salvation is possible and may be had by flying unto Christ the Redeemer Secondly the Lord drawing near hand the humbled self-condemned soul deals with him by way of morall swasion sweetly inviting him in the preaching of the Gospel to receive the Redeemer Christ Jesus the eternall Son of God manifested in the flesh that by receiving of Him as He is offered in the Evangel for remission of sin renovation of life and eternall salvation he may close the Covenant of grace and reconciliation with God Thirdly because the fall of Adam hath bereft man of all spirituall and supernaturall power till he be supernaturally quickned and converted by the omnipotent power of Gods grace Therefore the Lord sâ—peraddeth unto morall swasion effectuall operation and formeth in the soul a spirituall faculty and ability for doing what is pleasant unto God and tendeth to save himself according to the will of God This infusion of a new life sometime is called the forming of the new creature sometime regeneration sometime rising from the dead and vivification or quickning of the man sometime saving grace and the life of God and the seed of God having in it the principle of all saving graces and habits which are brought forth afterward to acts and exercise Mean time true it is that all men because of their inborn corruption have an inclination and bent disposition to resist the holy Ghost But when the Lord will actually convert the man He overcometh and taketh away actuall resistance and doth so break the power of naturall rebellion that it doth not for ever after reign in him for if God did not take away actuall resistance of the man in his conversion no conversion should certainly follow and God should be disappointed of His purpose to convert the man even when He hath put forth His almighty power to work conversion But God doth so wisely and powerfully stir up this new infused life of grace and setteth it so on work that the understanding and judgement like a counsellour and the Will like a commanding Emperour and the active power of the new infused faculty as an officer do all bestir themselves to bring forth supernaturall operations Whence it cometh to passe that the new creature beginneth to look kindly on Christ the Redeemer and to desire to be united unto Him and doth streatch forth it self to embrace Him heartily for obtaining in Him righteousnesse and salvation as He is offered in the Gospel And so he casts himself over on Christ with full purpose never to shed from Him but by faith to draw out of Him grace for grace till he be perfected And here the man that was meerly passive in his quickning and regeneration beginneth presently to be active in his conversion and following conversation for God giveth to him to will and to do of His good pleasure And he having obtained by Gods effectuall operation to will and to do doth formally will and do the good which is done 6. As to the fourth proposition when the power of God is put forth invincibly for the converting of a soul that invincible working is so far from destroying the naturall liberty of the will that it doth indeed preserve it and sets it right on the right object and doth perfect it For as when God openeth the eyes of a mans understanding that he doth behold the wonders of His law when hee removeth the naturall blindnesse of the mind and maketh a man see that the Gospel is the wisdom and power of God unto salvation which sometime he counted to bee meer foolishnesse he doth no wayes destroy the mans judgement or understanding but doth correct help heal and perfect it So when the holy Spirit doth powerfully and effectually move and turn the Will of the man to embrace the sweet and saving offers of Christs grace in the Gospel and maketh him deliberatly choose this blessed way of salvation and to renounce all confidence in his own or any others worth or works He doth not destroy but perfect the liberty of the Will and raiseth it up from death and its damnable inclination and maketh it most joyfully and most freely to make choice of this pearl of price and blesse it self in its choice for ever Therefore let no man complain of wrong done to mans free-will when God stops its way to hell wisely powerfully graciously and sweetly moveth it to choose the way of life But rather let men beware to take the glory of actuall conversion of men from God and either give it wholly to their idoll of free-will or make it sharer of the glory of regeneration with God which glory God will not give to another but reserve wholly to Himself for all men in the point and moment of regeneration are like unto Lazarus in the grave to whom God by commanding him to arise gave life and power to arise out of the grave where he lay dead and rotting 7. As to the fifth proposition We must distinguish the work of regeneration from the preparation and disposition of the man to be regenerat
might weaken their faith and to rejoyce in believing and to be zealous for the Lords glory and carefull to bring forth more and more fruits of faith and love and working such other gracious works of his Spirit in his children as may more and more mortifie sin in them and perfect the image of God in his new creature This divine magisteriall and effectuall application of reall blessings belongeth to God only and is the end of all ministeriall application which is of the externall means appointed of God to be made use of by men the blessing whereof must be left to God to bestow on whom how and in what measure and in what time it pleaseth him as the Apostle doth shew unto us 1 Cor. 3. 6. I have planted and Apollos hath watered but God giveth the increase 3. The externall means which do serve unto the foresaid divine operations are 1. The doctrine of life and salvation set down in the Scripture to be heard and read by all men and meditat upon with prayer for a blessing And 2. sent ministers to whom God hath committed the word of reconciliation by whose ministery disciples may be made unto Christ out of all nations And 3. the administration of the Sacrament whereby they with their children are baptized and gathered together in severall Churches and put under the government of such Church-officers as his Testament hath appointed And 4. these Churches joyned together in the most edifying way of mutuall communion and strengthening one another in true doctrine pure worship and discipline which Gods providence doth make way for that the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus may continue and grow in the world and all his ordinances may be exercised publickly and privatly to the best advantage of the Church for perfecting of the Saints for the work of the ministery and for the edifying of the body of Christ as the Apostle requireth Ephes. 4. 12 13 14. 4. In the use of these external means and specially in the application of these three covenants prudence is required both in Pâ—stors and people to which intent and purpose these following considerations may serve 1. The remedy of every sicâ—ness of the conscience must be grounded on the doctrine of salvation set down in Scripture which doctrine 〈…〉 be known and believed by the porty 〈◊〉 before he can receive benefit thereby And 〈…〉 a prudent application of wholsom and saving doctrine may be made of necessity the party diseased must be acquâ—â—ared with the doctrine to be applyed unto him before he can make use thereof to his advantage for experience teacheth us how hardly gross ignorants can be convinced of sin add how hardly such can be comforted when their conscience is wakened with the terrours of God because they neither know from the Word of God the cause of the terrour and anxiety wherein they are nor can they be capable of the remedy of their evill except they first be catechised in the heads of saving doctrine hâ—ld forth in the Law and Gospel which instruction can hardly be given or received in a short time and howsoever a prudent Pastor must make use of time as it is offered yet when death is near to the party to be instructed how little is it that can be expected to be done 2. The order of applying saving doctrine doth not begin at the application either of the covenant of Redemption or at the covenant of Grace but he that will follow a right order must begin at the law and covenant of works under the yoke whereof we are all born by nature children of wrath And if a man apply that covenant and law to his heart and subscribe his own dittey and deserved condemnation then may he turn up his soul to Christ Jesus the Redeemer and flye to him for refuge and accept the offer which he makes in his Gospel of a new covenant of grace for pardoning of sin and reconciling unto God in himself the person who is fled unto him and for sanctifying and saving of him which covenant when a chased soul doth consent unto and layeth hold on Christ offered for relief from sin wrath death and hell then may he ascend by faith unto the covenant of Redemption and apply to himself with Gods allowance all the saving graces purchased by Christ by that covenant to all that flye unto him and believe in him 3. This order of making use of these three covenants many do not follow but they begin at the covenant of Redemption and will either be satisfied about this whether they be elected or not given to Christ to be redeemed or not which is a secret and not to be inquired into save in Gods order as we have shown or else they will not enter upon the use-making of these means which God hath appointed to bring a man to repentance and faith in Christ. This is a tentation of Sathan which if they yield unto it shall lead them either to resolute profanity with Cain or to anxious desperation with Iudas 4. There are some also who make leap-year of the covenant of works and do take no notice of their own naturall sinfulness or wrath due to them and lying on them by nature but neglecting this order do start a race and run to a presumptuous avouching of their faith in Christ and will thrust in themselves in the number of the elect given before the world was unto Christ to be redeemed and saved pretending their believing of the Gospel when they have not believed the doctrine of the law and so do turn the grace of God into lasciviousness and wantonness and go about the satisfying and fulfilling of their own lusts Wherefore it is necessary that every man who seeketh to be saved and hath resolved to follow Gods way to attain unto salvation do begin first at the covenant of works and examine himself according to the rule of the morall law how he hath behaved himself in obedience unto the first and second table and having sound a dittey great enough that he judge himself and passe sentence on himself as guilty and worthy of everlasting wrath for his sins Secondly when he is convinced of sin and deserved wrath and of his own utter impotency to deliver himself then let him flee to Christ and lay hold on the grace offered in the Gospel applying the same to his burthened conscience according to the tennor of the covenant of grace fully revealed in the Gospel And thirdly when he hath in earnest consented unto the covenant of grace and reconciliation and hath laid hold on Christ with unfaigned faith seeking in him remission of sin and renovation of life being resolved by the grace of Christ to use the means appointed of him for that end Now it is time and not till now to look up unto the covenant of Redemption and there to read his own name as it were written in the book of life and to acknowledge that the measure of repentance and
professors of the christian Religion and seeming zealous worshipers crying Lord Lord may deceive themselves and misse heaven but also Preachers of the Gospel yea and Prophets yea and men indued with the gift of doing miracles and casting out of devils in Christs name not a few shall be disclaimed by Christ and condemned by him in the day of judgment If it be asked what can be their mistake and the cause of Christs rejecting of them we answer Such men deceive themselves 1. because both they and beholders also think them holier then they who are inferiour in place and gifts unto them 2. They compare themselves with those they live among and not with the law of God 3. They put not due difference between common gifts and saving graces 4. They consider not that to whom much is given much will be required of them and therefore after tryal they will be found pust up with the estimation of gifts induements imployment and successe which they have had as if these were the undoubted evidences of their regeneration and of Gods special love towards them they will be found men void of repentance and far from humble walking in the sense of their natural habitual and actual sins they will be found void of all fear of wrath which might drive them in the acknowledgment of their blindnesse poverty and misery unto Christ the Redeemer and justifier of sinners and they will be found void of all care of and endeavour after new obedience conceiving that the exercise of their gifts and successe in their imployments are sufficient holinesse and evidence of the holy Ghosts dwelling in them and working by them for otherwayes Christ will never disclaim them who have fled to him in the sense of their sin and haunted him as their refuge in the fear of deserved wrath and studied by faith in him to be furnished to bring forth the fruits of the Spirit which he hath promised to them that abide in him It is one thing to be justified before God another thing to be reputed righteous by men and esteemed so by a mans own self it is one thing to be indued with the knowledge of divine mysteries another thing saveingly to believe them and have them written in their heart it is one thing to teach others the way of salvation whereby the hearers may be saved another thing to apply saving doctrine to themselves and make right use of it it is one thing to cleanse the outer side of the plater and reform the mans outward carriage another thing to be inwardly renewed it is one thing to teach repentance and mortification of lusts another thing by he Spirit of Christ ro mortifie in-bred pride and the love of the world vain glory and other carnal lusts The course which Paul followed is the only safe way though he was a man most laborious in the work of the Lord yet he lived most sensible of his natural corruption and the body of death he did not trust in his holy life but in Jesus Christ Rom. 7. 24 25. he so made use of faith in Christ as he did not neglect the means of mortification of his sinfull nature 1 Cor. 9. 27. I keep under my body and bring it under subjection lest that by any means when I have preached to others I my self should be a cast-away The fifth and last sort of self-deceivers by absolving of themselves without the Lords allowance or approbation are temporizers who for their temporary believing temporary repenting temporary motions of their affections and temporary amendment of their maners do seem to themselves and others also true believers This sort however it be in sundry cases coincident with one or moe of the former four self-absolvers yet because our Lord in the parable of the sower of seed Matth. 13. 21. and Luke 4. 17 doth put a difference between the stony ground and the other sorts of ground we shall give it a room by it self specially because it may have the own proper considerations Temporizers then we call such as upon temporary motives from temporary principles for temporary ends do imbrace the Word of the Lord readily but slightly and do as readily and lightly passe from it upon temporary motives in special when persecution arileth for the Word Mark 4. 16. when they have heard the Word immediatly they receive it with gladness and afterward when affliction or persecution arises for the Words sake immediatly they are offended Lightly they take up truth delivered and lightly do they passe from it again they have no root in themselves or solid believing of the truth for the truths cause but what pleaseth others pleaseth them and what displeaseth others doth displease them in the maters of religion the way of God set down in Scripture when they hear it they can say nothing against it yea they think it good to hear the Gospel and the largenesse of Gods grace and because it sheweth unto them a possibility of their salvation they receive it with a sort of natural gladnesse which sort of believing doth endure for a time to wit so long as the way of others among whom they live and the laws of the country and prosperity and good estimation with others goeth along with the profession of the truth received but when the wind of another doctrine bloweth and doth carry with it power to trouble and persecute them who will not receive it by and by they are offended and renounce the truth controverted because it draweth trouble with the profession of it for such persons suppose that gain ease and applause are very godlinesse It is true sometime the true believer may be surprised with a sudain tentation to renounce the profession of truth in some point for fear of death as Peters example doth shew us but true faith recovereth strength and ariseth after a fall and endureth persecution for that truth as temporary belief doth not but faileth altogether And the temporizers repentance failleth also because it ariseth from natural principles and is for natural motives and ends Such was the repentance of Saul in weeping and justifying David for sparing his life 1 Sam. 27. 21. Such was the repentance of the carnal Israelits Psal. 78. 36. and the humiliation of Ahab and such is their amendment of life all nothing but temporary and which doth not continue as Hosea chap. 6. 4. sheweth O Ephraim what shall I do unto thee O Judah what shall I do unto thee for thy goodnesse is like the morning cloud and like the early dew that passeth soon away Neither is it any wonder that unrenewed men may attain to something like unto faith and repentance and outward amendment of maners if we consider that humane writings find so much credit with men as not to be called in question but believed to be true for experience testifieth that their affections are moved sometime with delight and sometime with indignation and pity not only when they read Histories but also when
SOme true converts are found who having for a time injoyed pâ—eace of conscience have called their conversion in question by occasion of hearing or reading some sermon of some zealous Preacher pressing the marks of true and sincere conversion and making self-denyall and loving of God for himself the main marks of conversion and without circumspect and wise difference put by him betwixt legall perfection and evangelical sincerity pressing self-denyal and the loving of God abstractly further then any Saint doth attain unto in this life Whereupon some tender souls do fall in question with themselves whether they be among the true and sincere converts because they know that our Lord requireth self-denyall in every person who will follow him and doth condemn them all for unbelievers who seek glory of men and not the glory which is of God And because the Preacher possibly hath made the loving of God for his benefits to be too too mercenary and hath pressed without respect to benefits that God must be loved for himself therefore the weak convert beginneth to be troubled as if he were not a true convert at all saying what shall I think of my self and of my following of Christ seing I feel so little of self-denyall in me seing I have loved Christ for my own good and many a time in my best actions I have sought the commendation of men in my heart and I have been ill pleased when I did not obtain it 2. For solving of this doubt we grant that every man who will follow Christ is bound to deny himself And true it is there is nothing more difficile then to forsake our own carnall wisdom and estimation of our own worth works and abilities how small â—oever Neither is there any more dangerous evil then in the discharge of Christian duties to seek or accept our own glory and the applause of men for he that in this point doth foster his natural corruption certainly doth not in so far favour these things which are Gods but serveth his own flesh Therefore because the reliques of this and all other sin do remain in the regenerat the Lord by variety of exercises setteth his children daily to learn this lesson over and over for mortifying their corrupt lusts It is their duty therefore when any spark of this evil of self-seeking doth appear to cast themselves down humbly at Christs feet and confesse the sin lest some spark of wrath break forth upon them from the Lord. For the end of this exercise yea and the reason of the Lords not removing fully in-dwelling sin is to humble us and send us to Christ least if he should otherwayes deal with us we should grow proud and not make such use as becometh us of Gods free grace and Christs righteousnesse imputed to the believer mean time we must not yield to Sathans tentation coloured with pretense of Scripture as if Christ had discharged us to seek any good from him to our selves or to love him for the good which he hath purchased to us and which he from time to time bestoweth on us for when Christ requireth of us to deny our selves he requireth indeed the renounciation of our own carnall and corrupt lusts and confidence in our own wisdom worth and works But he doth not require of us to renounce the sanctified love of our own well-being or the seeking our sanctification consolation and salvation in him alone for the love of God and of his glory is the main end of all our desires and the seeking that God would glorifie his own grace and truth in his promises to us by sanctifying comforting and saving us is a subordinat mean unto Gods glory yea the more we seek our righteousnesse consolation and salvation in God through Christ the more we glorifie God and do say in substance of God that he is the fountain of all felicity and that he is good and faithfull to grant all good things to such as believe in him and do seek grace for grace from him 3. It is true that we should love God above all things and love him more then our selves and love him though he should slay us but it is true also that the more we love him for any cause the more we esteem of him the more we magnifie and glorifie him and what is love to and seeking of God but the acknowledgement of our own emptinesse and his all-sufficiency and what is our seeking communion with him but a refounding of our selves into the fountain whence we have our being that he may be glorified in our being and fully well-being And so our spiritual love of God for himself and for the goodnesse which is let forth in doing good to us is not mercenary love but is the acknowledgement of his perfections and of his grace to us to whom he will be our God in Christ even all in all to us in him As for seeking of mens applause whensoever whether upon receiving of any benefit or discharge of any duty the corrupt lust of vain glory doth mix it self which cannot but obscure and hinder the shining of his glory which should be aimed at in all things by us incontinent upon the first motion of this our sinfull corruption perceived let out sin be humbly acknowledged and confessed unto God the searcher of the heart and let supplication in our spirit be made unto him to pardon our sin and mortifie the bitter root of this and all other evils in us CHAP. XIX Wherein is solved the doubt of the true convert whether he be indeed converted arising from this that he knoweth no child of God so hardly exercised as he is SOme converts are who by the light of the Law of God are brought to the acknowledgment of their sin and misery and by the doctrine of the Gospel are brought to seek their relief in Christ and have taken on his yoke and submitted themselves to his discipline and yet fall in question whether they be converted because they do find such inequality in their conversation and such changes in their condition and variety of tentations as they can find no example of the like in Scripture and where it pleaseth them to be free with their Pastor or confident Christian friend do fall out in questions if ever they have read in Scripture any like unto them in such and such particulars as they please to condescend upon and if their Pastor or Christian friend shall give them some example in the Scripture of Gods children so exercised they are ready to find such differences between the case of the godly in Scripture and their case as they cannot receive satisfaction And if possibly it be told them that their caâ—e is not singular but such as hath befallen sundry of their Christian acquaintance in this present age yet they cannot receive satisfaction for all this but still do insist that their case is not like to any of the godly Whereupon they foster the suspicion of their not
Whereupon when they reflect they are so far from humbling themselves and making right use thereof that their indignation at themselves and their fretting is increased so much the more as the cause of their impatiency was so small as common reason found in heathens hath overcome and therefore should have been more easily digested by Christians This mis-carriage useth oft-times to be past-by without any fruit further then to acknowledge their infirmity 2. But the true cure of this evil is in discovery and removal of the causes thereof which are three 1. Carnal confidence of the convert in his own strength as able to overcome lesser troubles 2. Neglect of duty toward God in his rencounter with smaller provocations of passion for men in great troubles and weighty crosses use to flye unto God by prayer to help them to bear the same but when they meet with lesser crosses they oppose their own strength unto them and puts not up the mater to God and so their infirmity is manifested 3. Gods wise correcting his child for miskening of him in lightest maters 3. Therefore let the convert afflicted in this case acknowledge his failing and be humbled at the sight of his passionat infirmity and blesse God for bearing down by his rod carnal self-confidence 2. Let him learn of David Ps. 141. 3. not to trust in his own strength in any thing but depend on God for setting a watch before his mouth and keeping the door of his lips and mainly for keeping his heart from inclining to any evil thing 3. Let him make more use both of Christs open fountain for washing away sin and uncleannesse and of his assistance to mortifie the deeds of corrupt nature by his Spirit for otherwayes the convert may look to be oftener foyled in this kind and oftener to be corrected for not watching over his passions CHAP. XXV Concerning the converts mistaking his case for want of such a submission unto Gods exercising of him as be would have SOme true converts sometime esteem themselves guilty of rebellion against God because they cannot submit themselves in bodily or spiritual chastisements unto Gods dispensation as they would The pretended reasons of their hard sentence against themselves are three 1. because they find in themselves fretting and murmuring against the Lords dealing with them 2. They find themselves far from humbling themselves under the mighty hand of God 3. Because they find in themselves still unquietnesse after they set themselves to submit which endeavour to submit they conceive should have brought forth quietnesse of mind if it had been real and sincere submission indeed And these thoughtâ— when they have weight make way for many suggestions of Sathan and do draw on more and more unquietnesse and guiltinesse withall For remedy whereof 1. let it be considered that in this exercise a difference must be put between Gods part the flesh or corrupt natures part the new creatures part and Sathans part As for Gods part by his chastisements and exercising of his child he brings to light the perversenesse of corrupt nature in his child to humble him and drive him to Christ. The part of flesh or corrupt nature is alwayes to strive against the work of grace and the new creature and it cannot be submissive unto God Gal. 5. 7. but must be mortified Rom. 8. 7. The part of the new creature is not to consent to the fretting and murmuring of the flesh but to oppose it to yield unto Gods dispensation and to be grieved for the power of corrupt nature and therefore not the new creature but corrupt nature should be condemned Sathans part is still to take advantage of every hard exercise and to suggest wrong thoughts of God and his work in the child of God Secondly let a difference be made between the conâ—lict of corrupt nature against the work of grace and the victory of the corrupt nature for corrupt nature may fight and not prevail but be keeped from reigning in a man how much soever it rage Thirdly let a difference be made between the victory of corrupt nature in some conflicts and its victory in the war for corrupt nature may prevail in sundry conflicts and yet loss its labour in the close of the war wherein grace is made perfectly victorious through Christ in hope whereof the child of God must renew the combat against nature and not faint Fourthly let a difference be put between submission of mind and quietnesse in mind Submission may be sincere when pain of body maketh the convert to cry when affliction maketh him a man of sorrow and grief yea when corrupt nature doth fret and murmur provided that the convert control and condemn his corrupt nature and suffer it not to break forth in words of impatiency but prayeth to God to help him to bear the burthen and endure his exercise with patience Fifthly let a difference be put between the sinfulnesse of corrupt nature and the trouble which doth stir it up and the sorrow which the convert hath in the observation of both for the sin is the work of the flesh and Sathan the trouble and affliction is the work of God the sorrow for sin felt is the work of Gods Spirit also and the sorrow for pain loss shame or any sort of trouble is moderat and sanctified when the convert offereth himself willing to endure it so long as God shall be pleased to continue it Last of all let it be considered that a wrestled-for submission pleaseeth God no lesse then a victorious submission doth please the convert because in wrestling against corrupt nature the convert testifâ—eth his will to please God his glorifying of Gods wisdom justice power and love how ever the Lord deal with him After which wrestling the Lord doth give submission victorious and quietnesse with it CHAP. XXVI Concerning the converts mistaking of his condition because of tentations GOds children oft-times are not only heavy and grieved because of tentations which the Apostle 1 Pet. 1. 6. presupposeth to be ordinary and in some respects needfull but also fall in a mistaking of their condition as if it were altogether evil and displeasant unto God because they perceive themselves many wayes polluted in their conflict with them Which pollutions albeit they cannot be denyed to be pollutions and should not be excused or extenuat yet should not darken or obscure the grace of God in a convert striving against tentations and lamenting his pollutions contracted by occasion of them 2. These tentations that they may be the more clearly discovered we shall divide them in three sorts 1. some of them are directly from God in a wise and holy manner for tryall and exercise of faith hope charity and other graces and do not in any way tempt men to sin 2. Some are from the flesh and the world alluring or inducing men to sin which two we joyn together because concupiscence or the flesh or corrupt nature joyneth it self with the world and