vaile or curtaine drawne over their hearts which is never taken away untill men turne to the Lord at which tune it is taken away as the Apostle most excellently discribes 2 Cor. 3. 14 15. 16. Rom. 12. 2. God must give them repentance before they can acknowledge the truth 2 Tim. 2. 25. Whence it is that naturall men are never a whit or very little troubled for their sinnes be they never so many and hainous Yea after long custom in sinne their hearts and consciences are so brawned and hardned yea so feared as with an hot Iron and cast into such a dead sleep by Satan that their consciences become meere Idol consciences even wanting a month to speake because it wants eyes to see Indeed as dumb Ministers in the world goe for good Ministers because quiet 〈◊〉 so ignorant and tongue-tyed consciences 〈◊〉 for good ones with men of the world though the time will come that men shall curse both those â—inisters and this peace of their consciences for 〈◊〉 them so quietly to Hell Because if each of these had done his office they could never have miscaried For forget thy good deeds and God will remember them remember thy evill deeds and he will forget them Sect. 18. Secondly It is the peculiar office of Gods spirit to convience of sinne As it is John 16 8. 1 Cor. 2. 10. 12. 15. 16. For as none can behold the Sun but by the benefit of the Sun So none can know God nor the things of God but by the revelation of God 1 Cor 12. 3 8. Mat. 16 17. Luke 21. 85. God is the Sun of our soules his word as a sun dyall in which may bee seene all the letters either by day or candle light but to know what a clocke it is and how the time passes the Sun must shine So without Gods spirit we cannotby the word know how it fares with our soules For whereas sin comes with conception and some morall principles by education grace comes only by inspiration as experience teaches It is said that Melancton having found the word most easily to prevaile with him doubted not but his preaching should doe wonders upon others but having tryed he sound and confess that old Adam was too strong for young Melancton whence he resolved upon another course viz. to add unto his preaching faithfull and servent prayer for them saying though our reasons cannot open their eyes yet God who brought light out of darkâ—nesse can doe it and therefore we pray unto him with the Prophet for his servant 2 Kings 6. 17 Lord open their eyes And certainly if arguments or the evidence and demonstration of reason drawne from the very word it selfe could convince the judgements and change the minds of our malicious adversaries ther needed no more to be spoken then hath been spoken in the former treatise and this to cure their Enmity Prejudice and Misprision towards Religion and the Religious Yea admit they but minded what hath now been said of this argument what could they have to object For iâ— the religious whem they tearme Puritanes are so far from justifying themselves that their thoughts are chiefly taken up with their owne wants and infirmities and that they account their vâ—r◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as filthyr â—ggs And that their 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 do indeed through ignorance and blâ—â—dues justâ—fie themselves and thinke they are pure and without sin whâ—n they are not in any degree purged from their filthinesse as hath been plentiâ—ully proved Let them acknowledge yea let all men uprightâ—y and imparâ—ially confesse that the reputed Puâ—itaâ—◠〈◊〉 no Puâ—iâ—ane but that their accuseâ—s who raiâ—e and cry out so against Puritanisme are every of them both notorious Puritans and the right heires aparant to him â—ho is the Father of lyes John 8. 44. For see how scandalous how slight how false and forged thiâ— their accusation is so are all the residue as I shall be able easily to evince For they are no more guilty of the things they are accused then Benjamin was oâ— Josephs Cup when it was put into his Sack But it is the spirit of God alone that can convince men both of their sinfullnesse and maliciousnesse For as meer sence is uncapable of the rules of reason so reason is no lesfe uncapable of the things that are supernaturall The true knowledge of the nature and state of the soule must come by his inspiration that gave the substance With the spirits helpe the meanes can never be too weake without it never strong enough Wherefore let us importune God the father who only hath the key of the heart for his holy spirit to become their teacher then shall their understandings be opened to discerne the truth cleerly as it fared with those Disciples Luke 24. 44. 45. and their hearts changed as St. Pauls was Acts 9. In the meane time let us pray for them as Christ for his murtherers Father forgive them for they know not whâ—â— they doe Luke 23. 34. And so much concerning your first Misprision Now let us heare what else you stumble at Sect. 19. Question You have sufficiently satisfied me touching who are and who are not pure in their owne eyes But secondly they are grieviously accused â— rash judging and sensoriousnesse Answer I confesse it but the truth is not they buâ— their accusers are guilty of this crime also as it â—a red between Ioseph and his mistris Who grieviously complained of him when he had more reason to complaine of her For bring both to the tryall and you shall find that they are the only censurers who cry out so against censuring and that those who are condemned for judging rashly doe indeed but judge justly and warrantably according to the rule of Gods word Now that the accused are not guilty will appeare by many particulars as First they are so farre from judging men for appearances or motes or some suddaine eruptions that they neither doe nor dare judge any one wicked for this or that single act of grosse impiety For admit they seen man once drunke or heare him overlash with his tongue in a passion or find him convicted of some foule enormity they hold not this a suffi cient ground to conclude him a wicked man or an Hypocrite when the maine tenor and course of his life besides is a continued current of honesty and goodnesse No they know and are acquainted with the word and therefore are better taught then to be so uncharitable Well may they suspend their good opinion in case of some unexpected misdemeanor or for lesser evills either affected or often repeated but they know that every bad act does not denominate a sinner One act makes not an habit every vice is a sin but every sin is not a vice Once being overtaken with drinke makes not a drunkard nor one oath a swearer nor one falshood a lyar Yea a trip in the way sets a man somewhat the more forward if he doe not fall One act can no
more make a good heart unrighteous then a trade of sinne can stand with regeneration for as there are some acts where in the Hypocrite is like a Saint so there are some agâ—ine wherein the greatest Saint upon 〈◊〉 â—ay 〈◊〉 like an Hypocrite As whiâ—h 〈◊〉 the Saint have not once done that even after convâ—â—sion and regeneration whereof they are ashamed Yâ—a 〈◊〉 â—r a few sinfull acts were a 〈…〉 an Hypocrite what would become of all the 〈◊〉 evâ—n the best recorded in Scripture And therefore the wise charity of Christians like the mercy of Godâ— can distinguish betwixt siâ—nes of infirmity and the common practice oâ—siâ—ne and esteem men not by a transient act but by a permâ—nent condition knowing that the tenor or accustomed course of a mans life his whole conversation must either alow or condemne him before God not some suddaine â—rruptions For neither good nor bad at the last day shall â—e judged by every one of his actions but by all not according to his â—â—eps but according to his wayes Jer. 32. 19 Indeed as charitiâ— in them does not alow oâ— groundâ—eâ—se â—uspition so it doth not thrust out diâ—cretion They may not judge rashly but they ought to juâ—ge 〈◊〉 As they are not so oveâ—ly as to take motâ—s for beames so neither are they so partiall as to account beames motes least thereby they should foster iniquitie For to be vices friend is to be verâ—â—â—â—es enâ—mie and â—o â—â—stiâ—iâ— the wicked is as bad as to condemne the just Pro. 17. 15. Sect. 20. Therefore though they will not condemne a man for one single act or sâ—â—dain accident yet iâ— they see the mâ—in◠〈◊〉 and course of his life to bâ— wholely vicious and sinfull they will and may boldly censure him a wicked man As for example If we know a man to be a common Drunkard Isay 5. 22. Heb. 2. 15. Joel 1. 5. Or a conâ—inuall Sweater Psal 10 7. Jer. 23. 10. Exod. 20. 7. 〈◊〉 5. 12. Oâ—â—n 〈◊〉 companion of Haâ—loâ—s Pro. 7. 10. 1 Cor 6 â—5 Or aâ—â— â—â—câ—stomary Deceiver Pro. 1. 13. and 20. 17 and 2â— 6. Or a frequent Slanderer of his neighbâ—â—r Dâ—ut 27. 24. Psal 101. 5. Or an open Sabbath bâ—eâ—kâ—r for God hath given the Sabbath as a â—igâ—e between him and his in point of Sanctification Exod. 31. 13 to 18. So that he who cares not to prophaâ—e the Sabbath by that signe is knowne to be none of Gods people Againe If we heare a man boast of sinne and mischiâ—fe or defend it Psal 52. 1. If we perceive that a man makes no conscience of prayer reading the word c. in his famiâ—ie Psal 14 4. and 79. 6. Jer. 10. 25. If we find one to be of a reprobate judgement touching actions and persons estâ—eming good evill and evill good Pâ—o. 17 15. and â—9 27. Isay 5. 20. Or â—hâ—t 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hâ—â— brother â—or doing that which iâ— good as â—aiâ— did Abâ—ll 1 Johâ— 3. 12. Or to be an affected Scoffer at râ—ligion Gen. 21. 9. 10. 2 Sam. 6. 16 20. 21. 22. 23. Psal 1. 1. Or to lay ploâ—â— or consult 〈◊〉 others against thâ— godly Psal 83. 2 to 10 Mat. 26. 4. maâ—ke the 3 6. Or to be an accusâ—r of them Revel 12 10 Levit. 19. 16. Pro. 16. 28. If we heare one â—ejoyce at the secrâ—t infirmities of the godly or open scandals of Hypocrites Pâ—o. 11. 13. for none doe so but Gods enemies as is plaine by 2 Sam. 12. 14. because our brothers fall is the Devils victory Againe If we heare one carp and fret against the word refusing to heare it John 6. 66. and 8. 47. 2 Cor. 2. 15. 16 Pro. 29 1. Or to withstand the preaching of it â— Tim. 3. 8. Acts 13. 10. Or lastly If we heare a Minister in his preaching to disgrace or revile the godly So making sad the hearts of the righteous Or to â—astifie the wicked so strâ—ngâ—hning them in their evill â—ouâ—ses by preaching unto them pâ—â—â—â— Eze. 13. 22 Pro 24 24. Vpon any of these grounds we may boldly censure him a wicked man and for the present in a damnable condition And this is warranted by the word of God for besides that they are sufficiently marked out and branded by the Holy Ghost for such in the places before quored The word else where gives two infallible ruâ—â—s whereby to know and judge of a wicked man The one is by his â—orkes the other by his words the which will be more dâ—monstrative if we take this received Axiom along with us as a ground whereon to build our insuing discourseâ— Namely that Every particular man is either in his sinnes unregenerate in the state of nature and so a wicked man or else he 〈…〉 the state of grace a beleever and so the child of God For there is not a mean betwixt them Every soule saith Chrysostome is either the spâ—use of Christ or the Aâ—â—ltâ—â—sse of the Divell We are either a branch spâ—â—â—g from Adams stock which drawes sap from that cursed â—oote of death or else we are transplanted into the vine Christ and dâ—aw our sap from him Now if we draw sap from this vine Christ its impossible but we should beare the fâ—uits of the spirit which are love ioy peace long suffering gentlenesse goodnesse faith meâ—kenessâ— temperance recknoed up by the Apostle Gal. 5. 22. 23. And so on the contrary if we draw sap from nature and bring forth the fruits and workes of the flesh which are manifest as Adultery uncleanesse Idolatry witch-craft hatred varience emulations wrath strife seditions herisies invyings murthers drunkâ—nnessâ— revilings and such like verse 19 20. 21 Its impossible but we should be the children of the Divell for he that committeth sinne saith our Saviour meaning constantly and greedily iâ— of the Divell 1 John 3 8. Which maketh him say to the Jowes Yee are of your father the Divell and the lusts of yâ—ur father yee will doe John 8. 44. And againe verse 34 39. Where the point is further amplified And to this St. Paul gives testimony Rom. 6. Saying Know yee not that to whom yee yeeld your selves servants to obey his servants yee are to whom yee obey whether of sinne unto death or of obedience unto righteousnesse verse 16. Whence it is that our Saviour warning us to beware of wicked men saith Yee shall know them by their fruits Mat. 7. 16. Do â—â—n gather grapes of thorns or sigs of thistles saith he Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evill fruit verse 17. 18. And in verse the 20. he tells us againe repeating the same words that by their fruits we shall know them Yea we may know them by their want of fruit we more then suspect want of sap in the root of a trâ—e if we find barrennes in the branches If either it have bad fruit or no fruit it is but a dead faith And the true method of grace is cease to doe evill
been provided he is now a convert For they well know and consider that the sinnes which went before our conversion can nothing prejudice us having repented For true repentance and faith in Christ wipes and washes away all the staine and guilt of them even out of the sight of God much more should it doe so out of the sight of men True they are the greatest of â—inners in their own â—pprehension or of sinners the chiefe as St. Paul stiles himselfe but others ought not so to judge of them For as holy Barnard expresseth it a sinner upon his repentance is a sinner and no sinner A sinner in his owne apprehension none in Gods account For which see a booke case or two Luke 15. 24. 32. 1 Tim. 1. 13. Acts 26. 10. 11. 12. Where we heare the Prodigals father speaking as sparingly and genâ—â—y and lovingly to him as is possible but not a word of his grosse demeanors while the repenting sinner himselfe thinkes he cannot have tearmes odious enough wherewithall to aggravate his offences And the selfe same difference of expression you have between what the Holy Ghost useth of St. Paul and what St. Paul useth of himselfe And surely those sinnes are not ours whereof wee have truely repented The skin that is once washed is as cleane from soyle as if it had never beene foule And indeed if the man be new why should the old names of his sinnes remaine and be cast in his teeth In a mans conversion Old things are passed away and all things are become new 2 Cor. 5. 17. A new life and a new course should not be disgraced nor discouraged with the odious rehearsals of a mans old sinnes Neither does the mercy of our God measure us by what we were but by what he hath new made us Otherwise it would be wide with the best for should the eye of God looke bâ—cke to our former estates he should see Abraham an Idolater Paul a Persecutor Manasses a Nigromancer Mary Magdalen a Curtizan and the best vile enough to be ashamed of himselfe Now if God have remitted why should we retaine why should not we pardon where he doth And yet how common is it with our malicious enemies when they can find nothing else to lay to our charge to cast in our teeth our former failin gs resembling the Prodigalls elder brother Luke 15. 28. 29 30. whose evill eye envyous tongus churlish and malicious â—arriage paints them out to the life Though no great matter for if the world condemâ—e us and God doe acquit us sinne may grieve and trouble us but the Divell himselfe shall never hur t us Sect. 24. And so you have the reputed Puritans practice in point of judging and sensoriousnesse with the rules they observe therein and the same proved to be just and warrantable from the word Now see how rash and partiall their malicious enemies and accusers are in judging of them and how diametrially opposite they are to the wise judgement of Christians As bring them to the tryall who censure the religious to be the only censurers It will plainly appeare that they observe not any one of these rules from Gods word for 1. First in stead of judging men according to to their constant and common practice If they but heare of a professor of religion for otherwise they havâ— no quarrell against him that through humane frailty or some strong temptation does overshoot himselfe or is overcomâ— in a fault at unawares they are so far from restoring such an one in the spirit of meeknesse or considering it may â—rove their owne or any other mans case which is the Apostles caveat Gal. 6. 1. That for this one bare single act they will most unjustly and uncharitably judge him to bee an Hypocrite and a Dissembler Yea damn him to the very pit of Hell An assertion that deserves the rod for to things impossible the law compelleth no man Saâ—es my Lord Cooke in his reports But surely they expect we should cease to be men so â—oone as we become â—eligious And that if Christ have once chosen us to be his servants and given us his spirit and grace we should thenceforth bee of a pure and unmixt natuâ—e For were they of a right judgement they would at least know that this Hagar or in mate sinne though shee have many a How will not be â—uâ—ned quite out of dores And that it is so bred in the bone that it will never out of the flesh till our bones be ready with Josephs bones to be carried hence For in many things wee sinne all saith St. James James 3. 2. Yea in all things we all let fall many sinnes as our owne hearts out of minutely experience can tell us For though I dare not say that this or that action is sinne Yet I dare say there is sinne in the action bee it what it will For though wee are perfectly justified by the righteousnes of Christ and haâ—e all graces in their measure wrought in us in the very act of our owne conversion yet our understandings are but in part inlightned our wills and affections but in part sanctified by the spirit Neither is it for us to expect a full stature iâ— the Cradle of our conversion For as nature so grace rises by many degrees to perfection I grant there is a perfection of parts and a perfecâ—â—on of degrees and that the grace that is infused into us at the first is perfect in regard of the parts As a Child is a perfect man in all the parts of a man but not perfect in regard of degrees or in the quantity of every part for we grow up in grace as a Child does in stature untill wee attaine to glory which is grace perfected God deales in spirituall proceedings as in naturall ad extreama per medium to extreames by the meane Non nascimur senes we are not borne old men but first Infants then striplings after that men Yea the Infant in the Mothers wombe first liveth as Aristotle will have it the life of a Plant then of a sensitive creature and then last of all of a man And did not hee who was God from eternity and might have beene perfect man in an instant by many degrees rise to perfection both of his manhood and the execution of his mediatorship to â—each us the necessity of leasure in spiâ—ituall proceedings Grace in its growth is like the change of a mans haire from black to gray or the growth of a Tree which is not wrought in a moneth or a yeare but in many yeares we not perceiving how It is not with the Trees of righteousnesse as it was with the Trees of Paradice which were created all perfect and full of fruitâ— the first day But as in nature there is first a seede then a Plant then a Tree then fruit as a mighty Oake riseth of a small Akorne so in grace Wee are conceived of immortall seede borne of the spirit bring forth the