legal way to seek peace and healing of his wounds by his own righteousness and duties without the blood of Christ these things come not from the holy Spirit that first convinced the Soul of sin but from Satan and from the corruption of our own hearts that mix themselves and put in with these convictions and workings of the Spirit 3. All that are convinced of sin and have terrours yea it may be very great terrours of Conscience thereupon are not converted Cain and Judas had great terrours of Conscience and yet never were converted yet alas many in giving account of their conversion build too much upon this that at such a time they were much troubled for their sins when as trouble for sin is not a sufficient evidence of a sound conversion if it be onely for fear of Hell and damnation But if after sight of our sins and fear of the wrath of God we were brought to know Christ to prize Christ above all to rest our weary souls upon him yea upon him alone and were made willing in the day of his power to take his yoak upon us that as we live by him we might also live to him then the work the good work of special and saving grace is begun in us Praises to Jehovah for ever 3. There is some stop put to sin especially grosse sin by this common illumination and common convictions of the Spirit So that a Man being awed with the terrors of the law dare not run into that excesse of riot and prophanesse that he hath done but having some feeling of the bitterness of sin cannot commit it with that greediness that he hath done But begins to leave more open and gross sins and persorm duties of Religion and sets upon reforming of his Life and finds some kinde of joy and peace therein which yet we may not think comes from the comforter the Holy Ghost for he giveth no joy and peace to any but what flows from the beholding God's reconciled face in Christ or a reflexion upon the effects of his grace and presence with us leading us forth in wayes of holiness and obedience in his Name So that wee must diligently consider that although these common workings of the Spirit do lay some restraint upon Sin and put us upon good duties and reformation of Life yet wee must not rest here and say surely the bitterness of Death is past but careful must we be as for our Lives that now our Souls be rightly bottomed upon Christ that he may be our righteousness to justify us and the onely Fountaine of sanctification and holiness to us Many other things might be added under this head of common grace and preparatory workings of the spirit as that the Lord doth sometimes make great impressions upon men of the holiness of the Law of his justice if he should cast us into hell of the insufficiency of our owne righteousness to make our peace with him and that we must come to Christ if we would have life But we must not extend the preparatory workings of the Spirit to far as some do as if there were any saving work upon the soul before union with Christ That which I aime at here is to shew that in conversion ordinarily there is legal repentance before Evange lical sight and sense of sin before Christ be brought into the Soul but no speciall grace and saving work untill union with Christ and infusion of a new heart and spirit of these things this is the sum The Lord doth usually work common grace before he works speciall grace Some have these common workings of the Spirit and yet are never savingly converted In the elect these common workings of the Spirit are the preparing the way to speciall grace that the Lord intends to bestow upon them that is that the common illumination convictions and humbling for sin that the holy Ghost worketh in the elect before their conversion are in order to their conversion CHAP. III. Shewing what Special Grace and Saving Conversion is NOw to shew what Special Grace and Saving Conversion is First I shall give a short definition of it 'T is a work of the Spirit of God upon the soul whereby the habit the principle and seed of all grace is infused changing and sanctifying the heart to the bringing of us to trust wholly in Christ for salvation to repent of our Sins to love God and unfeignedly desire to walk before him in obedience and newness of Life according to his will Those who have this change wrought in them are passed from death to life shall undoubtedly be saved and inherit everlasting Life But to open the doctrine of conversion more fully and plainly to every ones capacity I know no better and surer way then to explain some of those expressions of the holy Scripture by which special grace and conversion is set forth to us First special grace and conversion is frequently especially in the new Testament called believing on Christ To as many as received him to them he gave power to become the Sons of God even to as many as believed on his name John 1.12 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting Life John 3.36 This is the word of God that ye believe on him whom he hath sent John 6.29 Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved Act. 16.31 With the heart Man believeth unto righteousness Rom. 10.10 By grace are ye saved through Faith Ephes 2.8 yea this grace of believing is spoken of in the Old Testament though not so clearly as in the new Look to me and be saved Isa 45.22 where by looking is meant believing and vers 24. surely shall one say in the Lord viz the Lord Jesus the Mediator have I righteousness and strength even to him shall men come 24 vers where by coming is meant believing Those that were saved under the Old Testament saw Christ's day of coming in the flesh affar off and were glad and put their trust in him having the same spirit of Faith in Christ that the Saints have now Well then it is clear that where there is a true believing on Christ there is true conversion Now therefore let us inquire when a man doth believe to the saving of his soul And there is a necessity to enquire into the true nature of Saving Faith because a Man may have some kind of Faith and yet never go to Heaven some are said for awhile to believe and afterwards to fall a-away Luke 8.13 Simon Magus is said to believe Act. 8.13 Which Scripture do shew that there is an assent to the Doctrine of the Gospel which is but a temporary Faith an historical Faith from common illumination and convictions Yea it is said the Devils believe and tremble James 2.3 The devils by the power of light and convictions are forced to believe that there is a God though yet they are Enemies to him and wish there were no God The truth is if a man do
think that this work of Regeneration is the matter of our Justification By Grace we are saved freely by Grace through the Redemption which is in Jesus Christ our Lord. The work of Conversion and the Graces of the Spirit wrought in us do only accompany Salvation as the Apostle speaketh Hebr. 6.9 are wrought in those that are saved and go along with them and accompany them to Heaven Yea those Graces for the substance leave them not when they have accompanied them thither but are persected here But the work of Conversion is called a saving work of the Spirit because it is wrought in all them and onely in them who are saved by the free grace of God in Christ Now my way will be clearer to proceed Secondly We have as we are in the state of Nature lost the Image of God consisting in spiritual knowledge holiness and righteousness Regeneration is wrought in those that are saved to deliver them from this part of their Misery Man was at first made upright made in the Image of God in respect of those spiritual and heavenly Endowments he was furnished with But it is otherwise with us by our Fall our Vnderstanding is darkned like Sampson our Eyes are put out That glimmering of light to know that there is a God and that some things are evil and some things good seems rather to be a new Gift of God and common Illumination of the Spirit since the Fall of Adam to be some curb and restraint to Sin in the World then any remainder of Gods Image which was upon us in our first Creation For the peace of Gods Church for the benefit of humane Society and such like reasons God bestows this common illumination and conviction upon men without which this World would be like Hell and men would be like Devils Marvel not at this saying that men would be so vile if it were not for this common illumination of the Spirit and common light that God giveth to the Sons of Men seeing the Nature of Man is wholly corrupted and the thoughts of his heart are evil and onely evil and that continually A dangerous mistake it is of the people commonly called Quakers that they make the heeding and attending to this common light to be Conversion which thing is to be found among many sober Heathens But it is not to be much wonder'd at in that People seeing they are generally very Ignorant even of the very Fundamentals of Religion 'T is true this common light is a great Gift of God to the World to keep up some Peace and Order and common honesty amongst men But the New Birth and true Conversion is a thing of a far higher Nature consisting in a more special Illumination of the Spirit to shew us our lost estate by Nature and to reveal Christ to us as an Object of Faith and it is such a work of the Spirit upon the Soul as doth enable us to believe on the Name of the Son of God to mourn for Sin to hate Sin and to walk in Obedience unto God not meerly from Convictions of Conscience and fear of the Wrath to come but from a delight to do the Will of God and a fixed Principle of Gospel ingenuity and gratitude to God for the exceeding riches of his Grace and kindness towards us through Christ Jesus But for a further discovery of the depravedness and corruption of our Nature whereby it may appear that there is such a need of a new Birth and Conversion let us consider things more particularly 1. As was touched before There is wonderful ignorance in men about Heavenly things It is an amazing thing if you enquire into people yea those that are grown to be Men and Women yea many that have gray hairs upon them how ignorant they are about Adams Fall Man's lost estate by Nature the Incarnation of Christ and redemption by him And if so many be so grosly ignorant amongst us where they have the Bible in their own Tongue and where they live under the Preaching of the Word and such helps to get Knowledge how ignorant and spiritually blind are we by Nature and without the means of light 2. There is a strange carelesness in man about his future and Eternal State looking only at these seen things which are temporal That except a man be awakened and roused up by Afflictions or Convictions of the Spirit men are in a profound and deep sleep and take no care what shall become of their Souls when they die and go hence But live without studying of the Scriptures without serious and constant praying to God without speaking of Heavenly matters at all as if they had not immortal Souls that must be happy or miserable for ever in another World And if one tell them of Heaven and Hell and that upon this moment depends Eternity they think a man is Brain-sick and Fantastical 3. There is a proneness yea a strong bent and inclination in man to all evil To Blaspheming of God to Murder to Theft to Covetousness to all kinds of Uncleanness to Drunkenness to Lying and though by education company employment terrors of Conscience fear of punishment from God or man respect to name and reputation in the World and by the temper and constitution of the Body this wicked bent of the heart may be much curbed and kept in yet there is in all by nature such an evil frame and disposition that there is no sin so black so horrible so hainous but man is prone to it 4. There is in man not only an Indisposition but Opposition of the heart to any thing that good is not onely to Gospel Grace and Holiness to believe in Christ to repent and to walking in the Spirit but even to Civility and Morality and those things which yet natural men many times do So that I take that common change that is in men from the grossest vices to some sobriety temperance and justice to proceed not from the power of corrupt nature but from a kind of common Grace and common Illumination of the Spirit which God distributeth to man as it pleases him to make him useful to humane Society If there be any need to enlarge upon this Subject to shew the Sinfulness and Corruption of man by Nature omitting many other ways of Sin let us but seriously consider the Sins of the Eye the Sins of the Tongue and the Sins of the Thoughts 1. The Sins of the Eye shew the wonderfull corruption that is within the heart of man Sin within in the heart sits looking out at those Windows of the eyes and there when it seeth a suitable Object how it lusts after it When we see beauty then we have wanton eyes when we see fine houses and riches we have covetous eyes or envious eyes when we view our own gifts and greatness and converse with those that are below us what scornful eyes and looks have we The eye is a curious piece of Gods workmanship all
the Angels in Heaven could not make such a piece 't is the most beautifull member of the Body and it is the light of the Body it is endowed with a marvellous power to discern and take in Objects the eye should be pure holy chast But it is full of Adultery Covetousness Pride and Envy Even Holy Job one in the State of Grace was fain to make a Covenant with his eyes and put a Law and restraint upon them It is strange what impressions are made upon the mind from the sight of the eye in a moment how the eye affecteth the heart and stirreth up the corruptions of it There may more corruption be stirred in the heart by one glance of the eye than we can get rid of many days it may be weeks Even those that are in the state of Grace have need to watch the outward senses of the Body The eye makes suddain and strong impressions on the mind Ah! what need is there to look to Christ for a chast eye a mortified eye a sanctified eye 2. The Sins of the Tongue shew the wonderful Corruption that is within in the heart of man The Tongue is a fire an unruly evil full of deadly poyson James 3.6 7 8. Full of cursing and bitterness Rom. 3.14 The Tongue and Speech is an excellent gift of God 't is mans glory above a Beast that he can express his mind by Speech but man maketh it his shame If all our passionate Speeches proud and boasting Speeches backbiting Speeches obscene and filthy Speeches lyes curses oaths indiscreet rash and idle words throughout our whole Lives should be written down what a strange Book would it be So much Sin is committed by the Tongue and such an unruly evil it is that David a man in the state of Grace and one that was eminent in Grace too prays earnestly to God to set a watch before his mouth and to keep the door of his lips 3. The Sins of the Thoughts do shew the wonderfull corruption that is within in the the heart of man There is nothing that may sooner convince us of our own vileness and make us cry out We are unclean We are unclean than a serious reflection upon our Thoughts O how many proud Thoughts wanton Thoughts envious Thoughts uncharitable Thoughts discontented Thoughts What a multitude of sinful Thoughts arise in the heart in a little time then what a numberless number is there in ones whole life that lives any considerable time in the World None but he that telleth the number of the Stars and calleth them all by their names is able to count the number of our vain and sinful thoughts and he knoweth all the thoughts that come into our minds every one of them As for good and holy Thoughts if God did not put them in and keep them in the heart how rarely should we have a thought of God of Death of Heaven and the way that leadeth unto Eternal Blessedness The Thoughts of Foolishness is sin though it never come into outward act there is Heart Adultery Heart Theft Heart Murder Heart Disobedience to Parents Heart Blasphemy against God Heart Pride He knoweth nothing almost of Religion that knoweth not that Thoughts may be Sin as well as outward acts and that abundance of sin may be committed in the heart that never appeareth in the Life After Conversion nothing usually humbles men more than the sinfulness of the Thoughts and the unsuitableness of the heart to God sinful thoughts were far more before God wrought upon them but as Believers grow more spiritual and holy the more they take notice of their Heart-sins and abhor themselves for them What should I more say to set forth the corruption of our Nature whole Volumes might be written of this Subject and yet the half no not the thousand part told us of it But it is briefly comprehended in those words of our Saviour Mark 7.21 22. For from within out of the heart of men proceed evil thoughts adultery fornication murders thefts covetousness wickedness deceit an evil eye blasphemy pride foolishness And in Jeremiah 17.9 The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked who can know it To treat fully therefore of the corruption of Man's Nature is one of the vastest Subjects that can be spoken of next to that of the Immensity and Infiniteness of God and his Grace in Christ but these few things are written of it that we might know the Plague of our own hearts as an Introduction to the following Discourse that we may see what need we have to believe on the Name of the Son of God that we may be pardoned and sanctified through him By what hath been already said we may see what a gross and dangerous mistake it is of those that think there is no other Conversion than being Baptized and taking upon us the outward profession of Christianity Now that any should speak thus and count all trouble of Conscience about our eternal estate and looking after a work of Grace upon our Souls to be Enthusiasm Melancholly and Mopishness shews their wonderful ignorance of the Scriptures and their utter unacquaintedness with the Grace of God in their own Souls When the holy Scripture speaks so much of a new heart and spirit of the taking away of the heart of stone and giving us an heart of flesh of writing Gods Laws in the heart of putting his fear into our hearts of circumcising our hearts and speaks of the necessity of being born again of believing on Christ of repentance and holiness without which no man shall see the Lord. To make all this to be onely our being baptized and making an outward profession of Religion shews men to be wholly strangers to the way that leadeth to eternal life And such men as they are utterly ignorant of the case and condition of Souls that are in spiritual trouble and fear of the wrath to come crying out What shall we do to be saved So they prescribe as strange remedies for their cure as to be merry to go into Company to play at Cards to go to Plays and such like when if they get rid of their trouble for sin by such means and be not brought to Christ who onely can give them rest their remedy is worse than their disease and they had better continue in their trouble of Spirit than find ease by such things COMMON WORKINGS of the SPIRIT CHAP II. That in the ordinary way of the Lord 's Converting of Souls God doth first work upon men in a more common way making a change upon men which yet fall short of a Saving Work THat there is a Common work of the Spirit upon men as well as a Special and saving work appears by many Scriptures Those Hearers and Professors that are compared to the Stony ground and heard the word with joy Matth. 13. have common motions and workings of the Spirit and so have such as are called the foolish Virgins that took
speech or wisdom of the Preacher that doth convert the Hearers All the Oratory in the World cannot convert a Soul Arguments Promises Threatnings and Intreaties set forth with the Tongues of Men and Angels if they were to assume humane shape and speak to Sinners about their everlasting concernments could not prevail to bring them from Sin to Christ except the Lord put forth his Almighty power 5. It is not from any power of Nature that before lay dormient and idle that now awaketh and yieldeth obedience to the Word that a Soul is converted For there is no such power of Nature 't is an idle speculation of those that think it is so for in conversion the Spirit of God is put into us and the fear of God and so consequently the Seed and Principle of Faith and Repentance and other Graces is put into our hearts where before it was not 2. Positively I answer That the efficacy power and vertue of the preaching of the Word when a Soul is converted by it is wholly from the Spirit of God When the Scripture saith That faith cometh by hearing 't is only as an outward means that God worketh by when it pleases him for bare hearing of the Gospel worketh Faith in no man for Faith is the gift of God Ephes 2.8 Philip. 1.29 The fruit of the Spirit Galat. 5.22 And when the Gospel is said to be the power of God unto salvation it is not to be understood as if the bare preaching of the Gospel did save and convert men but it is called the power of God unto salvation in opposition to the Law and the Covenant of works because it reveals and holds forth the way of Grace in Christ by which God saveth lost Sinners which the Law doth not How the Spirit of God doth work in and by the preaching of the Word for the conversion of Souls is a deep mystery And O that we may experimentally know that the Holy Ghost hath made use of the Word to convert our Souls though we cannot exactly conceive of the way and manner of his working thereby The workings of the Holy Ghost in Conversion are compared to the wind as for the freeness and powerfulness so for the mystery that is in them As the wind bloweth where it listeth and thou hearest the sound thereof but canst not tell whence it cometh and whither it goeth so is every one that is born of the Spirit John 3.8 But for further light into this Question let us observe these Scriptures following It is said The Lord opened the heart of Lydia that she attended to the things that were spoken by Paul Ministers do but call and knock at the doors of mens hearts 't is God that by a secret work of his Spirit openeth their hearts Acts 16.14 And it is said Acts 10.44 While Peter yet spake these words the Holy Ghost fell on all them that heard him Peters preaching and the Holy Ghosts falling upon them that heard him were two distinct things the one might have been without the other the one was the work of man the other was the work of God And that which is said 1 Thess 1.5 will make it yet far more evident For our Gospel came not unto you in word only but in power and in the Holy Ghost and in much assurance The Gospels coming to people in word and in the bare preaching of it is one thing and the Gospels coming to them in power and in the Holy Ghost is another to some the Gospel comes only in word they hear a sound of words and as they are rational men they may have a notional knowledge thereof but unto the Elect it comes with power and with the Holy Ghost even with such powerful workings of the Spirit as turns them from Sin to Christ Of these things this is the sum the preaching of the Word shews us the way of salvation it is the Spirit of God that by a secret and strong hand puts us into that way The preaching of the Word shews us our lost estate by Nature it is the Spirit that inwardly makes us sensible of it and affecteth our hearts with it The preaching of the Word shews us Gods Grace in Christ holds up Christ as the Brazen Serpent it is the Spirit that gives us an eye of faith to look to him that we may live The coming to the Ordinance to hear the Word is like the Woman in the Gospel touching the hem of Christs garment others touched him as well as she but there came a secret vertue from Christ to heal her of her Bloody Issue Many come to the preaching of the Word and to some of their Souls there cometh secret vertue from Christ that they find in themselves that now they are humbled for sin now they prize Christ now they cleave unto the Lord with a full purpose of heart to walk in his ways Praise the Lord for ever It was not the Minister it was not the bare preaching of the Word that could make this change but this was the day of the Lords power to thy Soul and vertue came secretly from our blessed Lord Jesus to thy Soul admire him and love him and cleave to him to carry thee on by the same power of his Spirit unto the end It may be many others in the same Sermon found no vertue come from Christ to their Souls it was a burden and tedious to them Admire free Grace and love the Lord Jesus for ever When we find good to our Souls by the preaching of the Word we must not look upon poor Ministers with admiration of them as if by their power and holiness we had such a change wrought in us but know that God hath made bare his own arm and glorified his own power and the exceeding riches of his grace in Christ Jesus to us-ward And this is one reason why God makes use many times of persons of meaner parts and small repute to be Instruments of converting more Souls than he doth of others that excel them that it may appear that the high and excellent power that converts the Soul is of God and not of man It is not fit that the Glory of God should be given to Ministers and Ordinances if we get any good to our Souls by them look upon them but as the Conduit-pipes and let all the Glory be given to him who is the Fountain of life for thine O Lord is the Kingdom and the Power and the Glory for ever CONVERSION Wrought by the POWER of GOD CHAP. V. Shewing that whatsoever Outward Means the Lord makes use of for the Conversion of Souls the Work is done by his own Almighty Power IT hath been shewn that the Lord in Converting Souls doth usually make use of Outward Means and especially the preaching of the Word Now let us enquire more fully how those that were spiritually dead come to be made alive and those that were darkness come to be made light in the Lord. Those
that think man hath such a principle and seed of Grace lying hid in his heart by nature which if it be drawn forth by perswasions and exhortations and man will make use thereof is sufficient to convert him do not enough consider how utterly corrupted every man is by the Fall of Adam and without any spiritual strength It is true men are reproved in the Scripture for loving darkness rather then light and because they will not come to Christ that they may have life But such Scriptures are so far from implying that we are able to change our own hearts wills and affections that they shew the to us invincible prejudice and opposition that is in our hearts to the Lord that we have neither power nor will to turn unto him such sayings of the holy Scripture do shew what need we have of the exceeding greatness of Gods power to work upon such not onely impotent but wilful and desperate Creatures as all are by nature There is indeed a certain kind of willing and running and striving in natural men upon great Convictions such as Balaam had when he said Let me die the death of the righteous and let my last end be like his But this one Consideration will be of much use to guide us in this question That when God commands men in his word to pray to repent and to believe in Christ the meaning is that they do these things from a principle of grace and spiritual life that God only can work in us and which we are to look to him for All the suddain flashes of seeming repentance and prizing of Christ that come not from a principle of grace infused by the Spirit of God into the heart but are the meer struglings of an awakened Conscience to get from under the wrath of God will bring no man to Heaven neither do these workings of the heart answer to those Commands of God to believe and to repent but are only a shew of those Graces they are something like Conversion but are not Conversion This which hath been said may be Illustrated from the Parable of the stony ground Matth. 13. to which they are compared that hear the word with joy and for a time believe and after fall away this was only some suddain flash from the natural workings of the heart upon the hearing of the word accompanied with some common convictions and common workings of the Spirit But the Text saith they had no root they had not the root and habit of grace in their Souls planted in them by the Holy Ghost from whence these things did proceed If any shall say How shall we know these sudden workings of the heart and flashes of seeming Conversion that arise but from natural Conscience awakened and startled with common convictions of the Spirit as in Balaam Herod Felix and such as are described in the Parable of the foolish Virgins from that believing repenting and those spiritual affections that flow from the habit and principle of grace put into the Soul by the Spirit of God I answer That the difference may be known by the permanency and continuance Such sudden flashes as were in Balaam are soon over and leave the heart unmortified unpurged But the principle of grace in the hearts of Believers is eternal and remains for ever where there is the root of grace in the heart though it be not always putting forth it self yet there is a fixed principle and desire in the heart to admire free grace to prize Christ and to cleave to Christ to mourn for sin and to walk with God though there is not always the same vigour and activity of grace in such yet there is a fixed bent and inclination and desire of the heart towards the Lord which no time can wear off which no temptations and opposition can wholly quench and extinguish But to come nearer to this Point to make it most manifest that Conversion is wrought by the meer grace and power of God 1. Many that have the greatest outward means of grace are never converted Though they have godly Parents which instruct them diligently and live under excellent preaching and have met with many startling Providences and great afflictions yet they are never brought home to God when as others that have carnal Parents that set them very bad examples and have been brought up in ignorant and profane places and families and have lived where there hath been very poor and dark preaching are sometimes converted this shews that Conversion is wrought by the meer grace and power of God It may be some godly Parents after many and many prayers for their Children and great care to instruct them in the ways of God have so little fruit of all that thev count it a great matter if their poor Children have a little Civility and common Morality it may be they have not that but are profane Esaus and rebellious Absoloms when as others that have had wicked Parents that prejudiced them what they could against Religion from their Infancy and when they began to look after Christ have opposed them with great rigour threatning to turn them out of doors and never own them or do any thing for them if they follow Religion yet they are turned to the Lord and cannot be beaten off from his ways this shews that it is the great and invincible power of God that worketh in them that believe 2. Some at the same time when the Lord began to convince them and convert them have been going on as desperately and resolutely in their sins as ever they were all their days As Paul was going to Damascus to make havock of the Saints being as himself after confessed mad and outragious against the Church of God yet then and in that Journey the Lord converted him Acts 9. was not this the meer grace and power of God Some have gone to hear godly Ministers on purpose to scoff at them or bring them into trouble and yet have been Converted at the hearing of them finding a marvellous working of the Spirit of God upon their hearts which was very strange to them and filled them with astonishment at the free grace and power of God Some ignorant and carnal people who at the beginning of a Sermon have slighted and despised it and the Preacher in their hearts and have been filled with indignation yet by and by before the Sermon hath been ended something hath been set home upon their hearts that hath convinced them of their miserable estate and brought them to Christ for help and salvation Some at the same time when they were converted have been more indisposed and unwilling to hear the word then at other times but were even as it were hurried and thrust upon the Ordinance that they knew not how and when they have come there have been more drowsie sleepy and unwilling to hear the word then they used to be when lo on a sudden the Lord awakens and startles their Consciences
of their eternal conditions accounting it a piece of Christian humility and holy modesty so to do yea thinking such a frame to be a great preservative from sin and a spur to quicken them to more diligence in Gods ways then if the assurance of the love of God were shed abroad in their hearts by the Holy Ghost do erre not considering so fully the nature of Gospel Grace and a lively hope of salvation that it doth strengthen and enlarge the Soul in holiness and obedience by urging new and further motives to our walking with God and fruitfulness before him It is the duty of all to try their spiritual estates and not to rest satisfied in some probability of the truth and power of grace in them but to give diligence to the attaining of a full assurance thereof Wherefore are we called upon so often in the Scripture to prove our own works to examine our selves whether we be in the faith or no to give diligence to make our calling and election sure if it be not that those that are not yet converted may find it out that they may not deceive themselves but now look after union with Christ which yet they have not and that those that are converted indeed may be assured of it and so rejoyce and give praise and be stirred up to walk worthy in all things of the vocation wherewith they are called If a man be not yet truly converted unto God it is better for him to know how his condition is though for the present it fill his Soul with much anxiety and fear of the wrath to come then that he should go on quietly and presumptuously to Hell If we be foolish Virgins without the Oyle of grace in our vessels 't is better to know it now whilst Oyl may be got then not to know it till time is past and the door is shut Many are greatly offended when they are put upon trying their spiritual estates they say such preaching troubles their consciences they are loath to see in what a miserable condition they are but if the Lord delight in them to make them his people they will bless God that ever they sate under such an awakening Ministry by which the Lord brought them to see they were in the broad way that leadeth to destruction and brought them out of it unto Christ Now then in answer to this great Question How may a man know that he is truly converted and in the state of grace 1. It may be known by discerning the work of grace upon the Heart 2. It may be known by the more immediate testimony of the spirit 1. Conversion may be known by discerning the work of grace upon the heart If a man think himself something when he is nothing he deceiveth himself Gal. 6.3 Well then how shall such a man be undeceived v. 4. Let every man prove his own work so shall he have rejoycing in himself alone and not in another That is let him try whether the Lord hath began the good work of grace in him let him prove and examine himself whether he hath true faith true repentance true love to God true love to the brethren so shall he have rejoycing in himself alone discerning that God hath wrought in him those things that accompany salvation and not rejoyce meerly in the good opinion of others who though they be gracious and spiritual may easily be deceived in judging of the spiritual estate of others being not so suspicious of others as they are of themselves and know not the secret passages between God and their Souls as they know things between God and themselves Many Scriptures might be brought to shew that we are to take this course in judging of our spiritual estates Hereby we know that we know him if we keep his Commandments 1 John 2.3 Hereby know we that we are in him v. 4. We know that we are passed from death to life because we love the brethren 1 John 3.14 Those that deny inherent grace in those that are converted or would not have them to try their spiritual estates thereby are much mistaken Let those who would know whether they be yet converted set themselves as in the presence of the Lord and examine themselves whether the Lord hath made them sensible of the danger and evil that there is in sin whether the Lord hath taken them off from trusting in their own righteousness and strength whether the Lord hath revealed Christ to them as Mediator and fixed their hearts to put their whole trust in him Whether the Lord hath wrought in them godly sorrow for sin and put a new bent of holiness upon their hearts to desire and endeavour to walk so as to please God He that would have these things more fully opened let him remember or look back to the Third Chapter where I have shewn more largely what Conversion and Special Grace is and to let him examine himself accordingly But that I may through the grace of Christ be further helpful to those who would try their spiritual estates to find out what God hath done for their Souls let these things be observed 1. That the work of grace is not always alike visible and discernable in a Child of God neither to himself nor others with whom he hath to do Through bodily distempers through viclent temptations through sore falls into sin and great dissertions and hidings of Gods face from none of which a Child of God is wholly exempted in this life it may come to pass that a true Saint may be very hard put to it to discern the work of grace in himself yea very much fear that he hath no true grace and walk in darkness and trouble of spirit thereupon With some it is thus a great while God orders it thus amongst other holy ends of his by such examples of troubled Consciences to put others upon more tryal of their spiritual estates to draw forth our pity and compassion to such as are in these spiritual distresses and to make us more thankful for the light of Gods spirit to discern the work of grace in ourselves which these poor sorrowful ones cannot attain unto and to shew us that which I am now upon that grace being so little in the best is sometimes scarce discernable especially when the body is sickyl and distempered and there is some special hour and power of darkness upon us By the way I am afraid that sometimes godly Ministers unawares may deliver somethings that may much puzzle poor Christians about trying the work of grace upon their hearts and bring them into great darkness and trouble of spirit However that which I shall take notice of may be a Caution to such as shall read these things that they do not so I have observed that Ministers do sometimes speak so unwarily of the signs of this grace and the other that those signs which they lay down are signs only of the high actings of that grace and
are not to be brought in as tryals whether a person hath the truth of that grace which may be and yet not those high actings of it I affect plainness and not obscurity therefore I would try to make out my observation better suppose a Minister is preaching about the nature of Faith and shall make this a sign to the people to try their Faith by if they can believe at all times that God will bring about every particular thing for them which their eyes are towards him for and which he hath promised without hesitation wavering and considering and poring upon those things that stand in the way of the mercy and for this quote Abrahams Example that when he had the promise of a Son in his old Age he considered not his own body nor yet the deadness of Sarahs womb Rom. 4. 18. 19. whereas it is said there that he being not weak in faith but strong in faith was enabled to do so That such things must be brought in as examples of what believers should do and of what believers are sometimes enabled through the grace of God to do even to act faith very highly and strongly and not to prove that he is not a true believer that doth not alwayes thus And so if this be laid down as a tryal of Faith that one that hath true faith will not be daunted in the times of the greatest peril nor use sinful waies to bring himself out of trouble and quote for this the Heroick courage of the three Children before Nebuchadnezzar Daniel 3. and Davids encouraging himself in the Name of the Lord when Ziklag was taken and the people spake of stoning him 1 Sam. 30.6 How may this puzle poor souls and make them reflect upon themselves as if they had no true faith because it may be they have found many fears in time of danger and used some sinful shifting in time of trouble Yea and did not those men who were so Famous in their gennerations Falter much in their Faith and courage sometimes as Abraham when he twice denyed Sarah to be his Wife as wee see in Geneses and Peter when he denyed Christ and yet still the habit of Faith remained with them and David though all that time before mentioned he was bold in his God yet all other times how fearful was he and that presently after God had emminently appeared for him 1 Sam. 27.1 and then he was sore afraid of Achish King of Gath and changed his behaviour and feigned himself mad and scrabled at the doors of the gate c. all to get out off the danger he was in Therefore careful must we be when we set before others tryals of the grace of God in them that we do not take Scriptures that speak of the saints of old when they acted grace highly and urge this upon people that if they do not alwaies so they have not the truth of grace in them Indeed such examples of the Saints should be insisted on to shew others what they should do in like cases but not to make them tryals of the truth of their grace so as that they should conclude they have not the truth of grace except they are in every thing at all times assisted and influenced by the spirit of God as they were sometimes Abraham David and Peter sometimes acted above themselves through the strong help of assisting grace and sometimes acted as much below themselves thorough the power of temptations and the remainder of corruption that was in them and so it is with other Saints He therefore that will not lay a stumbling block before the weak in speaking of these things must carefully distinguish between what a true Saint is in his principles desire and bent of his heart in which he is holy and gracious for the Law of God is in his heart and what he is or may be in some particular acts in which he may discover many fallings We must distinguish between what a Saint should be and would be and what he is and attaineth to in this life we must destingnish between what a Saint is sometimes when he is strongly influenced and assisted by the holy Ghost and what he is at other times when the Lord leaves him in part for his humilation and that he may see what is in his heart We must distinguish between what a true Saint is in his maine course so he walketh with God and what he is at sometimes when as Paul himself saith the evil which he would not do and that which he hates that he doth The life of grace in the hearts of believers is a great mystery the flesh opposeth the spirit and the spirit the flesh in them the flesh and corruption in them cannot precipitate them to evil as it would because of the spirit and grace of God that opposeth it and the grace and new Nature that is in a Saint cannot do the good that it would because of the flesh that opposeth it All that I aim at is that as Ministers doctrine should be quick and powerful to convince ignorant and presumptuous Sinners that they are in the way to destruction so they should be careful at the same time that they do not quench the smoaking flax nor break the bruised Reed puzling and making sad any righteous ones whom God would not have made sad remembring that it is one end of the Ministry of the Gospel that we should be helpers of their joy and so much for this digression Grace is not alwaies alike visible in true believers as hath been shewn sometimes the Saints walk in the Sun-shine and sometimes in the dark therefore it is needful that we should be often trying our spiritual estates and sometimes set special times apart for self examination if happily we may find that God hath called us into the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord. 2. In trying our spiritual estates by sings of the work of grace upon our hearts it is best or dinarily to try our selves about the main things wherein the work of grace doth principally consist as to try whether we have true faith in Christ true repentance true love to God and the like or else through our weakness we are apt to be confounded by a multitude of signs this way is safe enough for where there is only grace in truth there is all at least in the root and habit 3. In trying and examining the work of grace upon our hearts we must pray for the light of the spirit to shew us those graces that he hath wrought in us otherwise it will be hard to discern them The Holy Ghost can put a Insture and shine upon our graces and when the Conscience is in great distress can say be not afraid Christ is here see thou believest in him thou fearest God and lovest him in sincerity When a believer is examining the work of grace upon the heart sometimes the holy spirit is pleased to put Grace into fresh
actings whereby it is more easily discerned as for example when a Believer is examining whether he hath true Faith in Christ the Holy Ghost doth sometimes put that grace into act at that very time and then he can say Lord I believe I see faith at this very time working in my heart and so for other graces as repentance love to God and the like When it is thus a poor believer goes thorough the work of self examination with great satisfaction and delight and if it be not always so yet let a Believer pray and search into his heart and wait upon the Lord If he hide his face yet wait upon him for a good hour when he will come unto us and comfort us 4. The stronger the habit of grace in the heart is and the more frequent and constant the actings of grace are the more easily may we come to the knowledg and assurance of the work of grace in us If faith were stronger in the habit and more frequent in the act we might have more assurance that we have the truth of that grace and usually it is so that such have most assurance the like may be said of repentance love to God and other graces Happy is it when a man can truly say shall I question the truth of my faith in Christ when through the grace of God who hath wrought my heart to this self same thing I find a strong bent upon my heart to cleave to Christ as my Mediatour for ever I am continually looking to him he is precious to me the Meditation of him is sweet to my soul I have counted do count and will for ever count all things but dung in comparison of him shall I question the truth of my repentance when I find that I have continual sorrow in my heart for my sins and sighs and cry continually to be delivered from all my corruptions I say happy is that man whose grace is so strong and in such continual motion and action such a man can more easily discern the truth of it let us pray and wait for this 5. Believers must not be taken up wholly in trying of themselves whether they are in the state of grace or no but press forwards in putting forth New acts of Faith New acts of repentance New acts of love to Christ and New acts of mortification of Sin That we may grow up into him in all grace who is our head even Christ Yea sometimes former grace received may be many ways so obscured yea weakned that there is no other way to recover the vigour and comfort of grace but for the Soul to believe in Christ repent and turn to God as if it were but now to begin to follow Christ Secondly Conversion and the work of grace upon the heart is sometimes manifested to us by the more immediate testimony of the spirit If the holy Ghost do indeed perswade and assure our hearts that we are in the love and favour of God then we are effectually called for though God loveth those whom he hath chosen from everlasting and the giving of Christ to die for them and his drawing them to Christ is from that free love and good pleasure of his will towards them yet until a person be converted the holy Ghost doth not assure him that God hath ordained him to eternal life Those whom God hath foreknown he hath predestinated from eternity to the adoption of Children by Jesus Christ but till they be actually sons and daughters which is not till their conversion and believing in Christ John 1.12 The Lord doth not send his spirit into their hearts to enable them to cry Abba Father The Lord indeed sendeth his spirit into the hearts of the Elect to convert them and work faith in them for without the spirit it could never be done but it is an after work for the spirit to come into our hearts enabling us to cry Abba Father assuring us that we are the Children of God Rom. 8.16 And shedding abroad and pouring in the love of God to us in particular into our hearts Rom. 5 5. We must not think that the holy Ghost at first dash doth assure a person that God hath ordained him in particular to eternal life before he insufe the habit of grace and spiritual Life into him but first the holy Ghost having convinced the soul of sin and convinced the Soul of righteousness to justify to be in Christ and in him alone doth enable the soul to apply Christ and come unto him and afterwards as it pleases him doth manifest to the soul the truth of his faith and his pardon through Christ The Holy Ghost works as a Sanctifyer before he workes as a Comforter the Holy Ghost workes faith in the heart before he fill with joy and peace which is onely in believing in Christ and discerning the fruits of our Vnion with him The manner how the Holy Ghost doth assure us that we are the Children of God is a great mystery When the Holy Ghost clears to us the work of grace upon our hearts this is one way that he doth witness to us that we are the Children of God But sometimes he doth it more immediately that when the believer hath not been at that time trying his spiritual estate or it may be is in great heaviness through manifold inward temptations and outward dangers and afflictions suddenly the Holy Ghost makes him to triumph in Christ and rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory Indeed this way of the spirits witnessing to the soul though it is most refreshing and ravishing yet it is not so ordinary as the other and it is more transient and quickly passing away and is rather a cordial for some sowning fit or some Antidote to strengthen the heart in some great appraoching service or tryal then the common food of the Saints in this life If any shall say how do Believers know the voice and witness of the spirit speaking peace and joy by Jesus Christ to their souls from a delusion I answer 1. By a certain spiritual instinct which no man knows but him that hath it by this they know the voice of the spirit from the voice of a stranger 2. By the signs that follow this voice and Witness of the spirit raising our hearts to look to Christ the Mediatour As he from whom all our springs are admiring the love of the father in giving him to be the propitiation for our sins loathing of our selves for our iniquities and stronger desires to walk in universal obedience to the Lord. But now because some seem to examine themselves little concerning the work of grace upon their hearts but in giving a reason of the hope they have that they are passed from death to life speak not of their faith repentance and other graces but say that they had such and such a word given in as for example I have loved thee with an everlasting love or I have blotted out as a
thick Cloud thy transgressions and will remember thy sins no more Fear not I am with thee be not dismayed for I am thy God be of good cheare thy sins are forgiven thee or the like This question may be moved hereupon Quest When a man hath some promise or word of grace come into his thoughts so as to make impression upon his heart and quiet him as to his feare of the wrath of God how shall he know that this is spoken by the spirit to witness to him that he is the Child of God or whether it be a delusion Answ 1 That the holy Ghost doth sometimes comfort the hearts of believers by some promise or word of grace mentioned in the Scripture is not to be questioned As the Holy Ghost in convincing men of sin and their last estate by nature doth often make use of some places of Scripture as for example the wages of sin is death the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all unrighteousness of men and setles home the commandments of the Law with the curse anexed to the breach of them in particular to the soul as if the Lord did speak from heaven to that particular person I have said in my Law thou shalt have no other Gods before me But thou hast made riches thy God thy belly thy God thy Name and esteem amongst men thy God therefore thou art cursed I have said in my Law thou shalt not take my Name in vain but thou hast done it I have said thou shalt keep my sabbath Holy but thou hast not regarded it and so thou hast broaken this commandment and the other I have said cursed is every one that continueth not in every thing that is written in the book of the Law to do it therefore thou art under the curse and what wilt thou do As the holy Ghost I say doth often set home such Scriptures to convince men os sin and shew them their need of Christ so doth the Holy Ghost many times make use of other Scriptures that hold forth Gods free grace in Christ both at first to work faith and draw the soul to Christ and afterwards to fill the heart with joy and peace in believing Thefore it is a sign of a prophane heart and destitute of the knowledge of conversion and of the comforts of the holy Ghost to make a mock and jeare of Scriptures and promises given into and set home upon the spirits of men 2. Sometimes promises and words of grace are given into the soul to work grace at that time and not to witness that grace was wrought before for we ordinarily receive the spirit to work grace at first in us by hearing in the preaching of the word or else darted more immediately from God into our souls some promise or declaration of Gods grace in Christ and if that be all our mistake that at such a time when we thought the Holy Ghost set home such or such a promise and word of grace upon our hearts to assure us that we were the Children of God that he did it at that time to work the first special grace in us and unite us unto Christ so that that was the time of our first receiving Christ If this I say be all the mistake it is not dangerous 3. Lastly it must be granted that all that have a promise or word of grace come into their minds yea though it take some impression on them and quiet their thoughts and affect them with a kind of joy for the present have not these words given in by the spirit of God either to work saving grace in them at that time or to bear witness to them that they are in the state of grace for such as are compared in the Scripture to the stony ground do sometimes hear the word with joy and consequently have it come into their thoughts with some flashes of joy and those that fall away do tast of the heavenly gift and after a sort are made partakers of the Holy Ghost Heb. 6. In some of his common motions and impressions upon their hearts as hath been opened more largely before so that for a conclusion of this matter If there be not a work of grace wrought in the heart even an abiding work as well as promises words of grace that transiently and suddenly pass thorough the thoughts we may be fearfully mistaken about our spiritual estates But if we can find such faith in Christ such repentance and such love to God wrought in us as have before been spoken of the more promises and words of grace are cast into our thoughts the better for they strengthen true believers in holiness and communion with God and are as so many love-tokens send them from Jesus Christ by the spirit till they come to him in heaven Hypocrites and notional professours turn such promises and words of grace into wantonness and into a snare to their own souls but true believers get real good by them and lay up these sayings in their hearts and cleave the more unto the Lord in faith and holiness Thus I have endeavoured to shew how we may know we are in the state of grace let me speak a word or two to those that are converted and have had it cleared up to their souls that it is so 10. Praise the Lord for the exceeding riches of his grace Be content yea rejoyce and be thankful whatever sad loss of outward trouble and affliction lye upon you grace hath abounded towards you the Lord hath not dealt so with many others as he hath dealt with you look round about you and see what multitudes lye in wickedness in grosse ignorance and prophaness and live without God in the world what if you be poor in the World you are heirs of Gods Kingdom what if you have not health of body as others have you shall soone leave this ruinous earthly Tabernacle and be with Christ in Paradise and he will also raise up this poor frail body and make it like to his glorious body at the last day what if near relations Father and Mother should forsake you the Lord hath taken you up into his everlasting Armes where he will hold you for ever what though the world hate you and curse you the eternal God hath loved you and blessed you in Christ Rejoycing in the Lord and praising him cont inually are comely for those that are converted and pardoned in Christ O sing and give Praise 2 After God hath once given you a comfortable assurance of your conversion do not call all in question upon every fit of deadness and darkness that comes upon your Spirits Be humbled for the least sin but say not upon every spiritual fall that if there had been truth of grace you had never done thus for after conversion there remaineth in this life flesh and corruption that is not wholy taken away till death Then indeed the house of the Old Man will quite fall and all these
OF THE CONVERSION OF SINNERS TO God in Christ The 1. Necessity 2. Nature 3. Means 4. Signs of it WITH A concluding SPEECH to the VNCONVERTED By MARTIN FYNCH a Servant of Christ in the Work of the Gospel Except a man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God John 3.3 Repent therefore and be converted that your sins may be blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord Acts 3.19 Then will I teach transgressors thy ways and sinners shall be turned unto thee Psalm 51.13 LONDON Printed for Henry Mortlock at the Sign of the Phoenix in S. Paul's Church-yard 1680. TO THE INHABITANTS OF Great GRIMSBY IN THE COUNTY of LINCOLN Salvation in Christ Jesus our LORD IT is said of Paul when he was at Athens his spirit was stirred when he saw the City wholy given to Idolatry Act. 17.17 The Servants of Christ are to have their Spirits stirred with a Holy Zeal for God and with bowels of compassion to the Souls of men when they see People wholy given to ignorance and prophaness That is a good stirring of our Spirits and from the Holy Spirit of God to endeavour to turn men from darkness unto light and from the power of Satan unto God Charity to the Souls of Men is the highest Charity those that know the terrour of the Lord and what a fearful thing it is to fall into the bands of the living God should be very earnest to perswade men to flee from the wrath to come if by any means they may be instruments in Christs hand to save some This small Treatise written in your Town and much for your sakes I dedicate unto you as a Testimony of my love to your souls I write not unto you about controversies and about lesser things my design is higher that is to shew the necessity of the New Birth and the Nature thereof If Persons be truly converted from Sin to Christ though they may erre and mistake in somethings about the manner of the outward worship of God in this World God will sooner or later reveal it unto them or however Pardon it to them through his grace in Christ so that those mistakes shall not hinder their Salvation But if persons be never so right in the outward way of their profession and worship and yet be strangers to a work of grace and conversion upon their hearts they cannot enter into the Kingdom of God There are two sorts of Persons especially with whom I have to do in this Treatise First those that think that the practise of some formalities and outward things will bring them to Heaven without a work of grace and conversion upon their Souls If men think that the being of this or that Church and being of this or that way of outward profession of Religion will bring them to everlasting Life whilst in the mean time they are grossly ignorant of the things of God of loose and licentious lives or unacquainted with a Sanctifying change wrought by the Spirit of God upon their Souls let them consider what is written in this Book to undeceive them and shew them what of necessity must be done or else they are undone for ever The second sort that I deal with in this Treatise are those who though they are for devotion strictness of Life and a change of mens Spirits and ways yet carry it no further then a kind of Civility Moral vertues and reformation of life produced by a meer awe of a Deity and fear of Hell without the true knowledge of Christ and faith in him In true Conversion there is a coming to Christ a receiving of Christ a being Sanctified by Faith in him Christ is little known as the justifier and Sanctifier too of lost and sinful man Christ is made use of by many but as upon the by and for fashion-sake both in the matter of justification and in the business of conversion therefore it is the design of this Treatise to lead men to a more distinct knowledg of Christ and that they may se how God blesseth us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly things in him I have not adorned this discourse after the manner of some I Study to set forth the things of God to the meanest capacity I wish what I have written were yet more plain and easier to be understood Now that the God of all grace would bless what I have written to the furtherance of your salvation and to the everlasting good of others who shall peruse it is the prayer of Your Servant in Christ MARTIN FYNCH THE CONTENTS Chap. I. OF the Necessity of Conversion Chap. II. That in the ordinary way of the Lords converting of Souls God doth first work upon men in a more common way making a change upon men which yet falls short of saving work Chap. III. Sheweth what Special Grace and saving Conversion is Chap. IV. Sheweth what outward means God is pleased to make use of in the Conversion of Souls Chap. V. Sheweth that whatsoever outward means the Lord makes use of for the Conversion of Souls the work is done by his own Almighty Power Chap. VI. Sheweth that God converts men at several Ages some in youth some in their latter time as it pleaseth him Chap. VII Sheweth how we may know that we are Converted and passed from death to Life Chap. VIII Is a concluding Speech to the unconverted THE NECESSITY OF Conversion CHAP. I. Of the Necessity of Conversion BEfore I open the Nature of Conversion it is requisite that I should speak something of the Necessity thereof This Proposition therefore I lay down That every Man by Nature is so Degenerated from God so utterly corrupted and tainted by Sin so prone to all Evil so opposite to God and all that is spiritually good that except he be Converted and Changed he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God There is a twofold Misery come upon us by our Fall in Adam First The loss of the Favour of God Secondly The loss of the Image of God in Holiness and Righteousness First We have lost the Favour of God by Sin so that as we are by Nature the Children of wrath Ephes 2.3 God is angry with us Psal 7.11 We are under the Curse of his holy Law Galat. 3.10 The Law curseth us for Original Sin the Law curseth us for Actual Sins The Law pronounceth the Sinner to be vile and abominable to God to be such a One as his Soul hath no pleasure in but will bring into Judgment and punish according to all the Evil that he hath done to provoke the Eyes of his Glory Now from this part of our Misery we are recovered by the Grace of Justification which is an act of Gods free Grace whereby he forgives a poor Sinner for Christs sake all Trespasses and imputeth the perfect and glorious righteousness of Christ as our Mediator and Surety to make him pure clean and without spot in his sight This great
believe the Doctrine of Religion so as that he maketh no question of the truth thereof he doth well and he ought to be thankful for this common light and help of the spirit for all men have not this Faith of Assent to the truth of Christian Religion Yea at some special seasons of temptation a Child of God may be much troubled about some main points of the Gospel but the God of all Grace will after they have seen their own weakness a while and been greatly humbled established them and settle them again But I say that a meer Assent to the truth of Religion is not enough to prove a man to be converted for that may be without the true love and liking of Religion in the heart That believing in Christ which is peculiar to those that are saved may be thus described It is a principle infused by the Spirit of God into the heart whereby a poor sinner inlightned to see the truth of Christian Religion and convinced of his lost and miserable estate by sin and taken off from all hope and confidence in himself doth trust and rely upon Jesus Christ our great high Priest and Mediatour to be pardoned and accepted and be made an Heir of Eternal life through him The nature of this Grace may be further understood by considering how it is set forth by various expressions in the Scripture 1. 'T is called a trusting in Christ or a hoping in Christ Ephes 1.12 13. That we should be to the praise of his glory who first trusted in Christ In whom ye also trusted after that ye heard the word of truth Now this Expression holds forth thus much to us That when a poor Sinner is convinced of his miserable estate by sin if the Lord have a gracious purpose to him he will take him off from trusting in any thing in himself to justifie him in Gods sight and reveal the Lord Jesus Christ to him the onely Redeemer and mighty to save and so enable the poor Sinner to trust in him and lay the whole weight and stress of his Soul upon him 2. Believing in Christ is called a flieing for refuge to lay hold upon the hope that is set before us in the Gospel Heb. 6.18 When the Soul is said to flee for refuge it is an illusion to the City of refuge under the Law to which the Man-slayer was to flee from the Avenger of blood and it is to shew that when the Lord converts a Sinner he maketh him see the danger he is in he maketh him cry out O the Avenger of blood O the wrath of God is fit to overtake me How shall I escape What shall I do The Lord fills a poor Sinner with fear and solicitousness about his condition as the Man-slayer under the Law was about the saving of his life from the Avenger of blood If the Lord take delight in us to make us his people he will convince us of sin and make us see that the Curse of the Law is pursuing of us to take vengeance on us for our sins and make us cry out for a City of refuge and will shew us that all other things are but refuges of lies and that the Lord Jesus is the onely City of refuge and safety for a poor Sinner to flee unto he is the strong City the salvation that is in him will be as Walls and Bulwarks about a poor guilty Sinner for ever that gets into him Till Sinners be sensible of sin and see in what an evil case and condition they are the vengeance of eternal fire being ready to seize upon them they regard not a City of refuge what care they for Jesus Christ let others look after him and take him that see their need of him they apprehend no danger in their present condition they see no need of an Ark for the saving of their Souls they see no deluge of wrath coming till it may be 't is too late and then they cry out an Ark an Ark a Christ a Christ when their day of Grace is past They see no need of a City of refuge they think they are safe and well enough what should they sear till it may be the time is past and the Gate of the City of refuge shut against them then O who shall bring us into the strong City Who will bring us into the City of refuge O a Christ a Christ to save me or else I am now even now sinking into the bottomless Pit But as many as are ordained to eternal life shall believe on the Name of the Son of God to them he shall be precious they shall make him their strong City their hiding place their Tower of defence and City of refuge There is another Expression in this place to set forth the work of believing and the Nature of it when the Apostle shews that the design of the Soul in its coming to Christ is to lay hold upon the hope that is set before us in him namely the hope of pardon salvation and eternal life The Lord shews a poor Sinner that as much as he hath broker the Law yet there is One that came to seek and to save lost sinners and that there is hope set before miserable sinners in the Gospel and so Christ is called our hope 1 Timâ— 1.1 the Object and Ground of Hope He it whom there is hope for poor sinners Now then the laying hold of this hope is believing on Christ Many never knew what it was to fear and tremble and see what a storm their sins had raised that they were in danger to be cast away for ever nor ever yet knew what it was to Iay hold on the hope that iâ— through Christ to be as the Anchor foâ— their Souls both sure and stedfast to holâ— them and keep them from eternal ship wracks By the way if any shall say in these Expressions about believing here is no mention of the Souls submitting to Christs Lordship consenting to be ruled and governed by him renouncing the dominion of sin I answer that Frame of spirit that Principle is wrought in all that do truly believe but there is so much spoken in the Scripture of Faith under these notions of trusting on Corist fleeing for refuge to him and laying hold on the hope that is set before us in him for such reasons as these following 1. Because although when a Soul is converted he takes Christ as a Sanctifier as well as a Saviour and is affected with the filth of sin as well as the guilt of sin yet the principal thing that the Soul is affected withall the first is What shall I do to be saved As the Jaylor cried out Acts 16.13 This is not yet so fully his great question What shall I do to be sanctified But O how shall I be saved from Hell and eternal damnation that I may not have the wrath of God abide upon me for ever and so the poor sinner is directed to spy out
that in Christ that answereth to this great difficulty to save it from wrath and in the receiving and applying Christ as a Saviour and propitiation for our sins the Soul is also secretly and powerfully wrought upon to desire heartily to be turned from sin and to live to Christ for evermore 2. Because although where true Faith is there is a principle of new Obedience also yet Faith as 't is said to justify doth onely apprehend and receive Christ as our perfect righteousness and attonement with God and is to be carefully distinguished from new Obedience which in that respect is but the effect and concomitant thereof 3. Because this is a great a very great work of the Spirit greater then most think to bring a poor convinced sinner to venture his soul and eternall condition upon the Mediation and righteousness of Jesus Christ Not but they that know him may well put their trust in him who is able to save to the uttermost all that come to God by him but for a poor Sinner that seeth what a holy and righteous Law he hath broken what a great and holy God he hath offended what great and sore punishment he hath deserved and which is infflicted upon the generality of his fellow sinners to all eternity when these things are realized to a Man as they are to those that are brought to Christ and that he is also convinced that he hath no righteousness of his own to make satisfaction to the justice of God and to give unto God a ransom that he should be delivered from going down to the pit For this Man thus enlightned awakened and convinced to put his trust in the righteousness of another one whom he never saw when he manifested himself in the flesh and suffred for sin the just for the unjust for a poor sinner to reject all other confidences pitched on by the Sons of men and to flee onely to this City of refuge and his heart to trust fasely there is an eminent work of the Spirit And so it will appeare when God shall be glorified in his Saints and be admired in all them that do believe not onely for giving such a sure object of Faith as Jesus Christ is but for drawing poor sinners to him 'T is an any easy thing for ignorant un-convinced sinners to say they have Faith and say they believe on Christ but no Man can come to Christ and truly believe on his Name except he heare and learn of the Father and be drawn by an Almighty Power unto him 4. Believing in Christ is called in the Scripture Our coming to Christ But I said unto you that ye also have seen me and believe not all that the Father giveth me shall come to me Joh. 6.36 37. If any man thirst let him come unto mee and drink Joh. 3.7 Ye will not come unto me that ye may have life Joh. 5.40 By this coming is not meant a local coming but a spiritual unto Christ He that truly cometh to Christ doth come indeed from the power and filth of Sin to put himself under the government and obedience of the Lord Jesus but that which is principally held forth by this coming unto Christ is the coming unto him as a Saviour from the guilt of sin to be washed and made white in his blood and be pardoned and justified through him 5. B lieving in Christ is called in the Scripture our receiving of Christ to as many as received him to them gave he power to become the Sons of God even to as many as believed on his Name John 1.12 Now although every one that truely believeth receiveth Christ in all his Offices as a King to rule him as a Priest to save him and as a Prophet to teach him yet when believing is set out by receiving Christ it is meant especially of our receiving and embracing him as a Saviour who is in a peculiar manner received into and dwells in our hearts by faith Ephes 3.17 If any desire that I should speak a little more to open the Nature of saving Faith and so to distinguish it from a common notional and historical Faith it may be done by shewing the special properties thereof 1. 'T is a knowing Faith 't is accompanied with so much light and knowledge as is necessary to let Christ into the Soul knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but by the Faith of Jesus Christ We have believed on him that we might be justified by the Faith of him saith the Apostle Galat. 2.16 So that except there be some knowledge of the greatness and holiness of God with whom we have to do some knowledge of our Fall in Adam some knowledge of Christ the Mediatour our estate cannot be good for how shall we believe on him of whom we have no knowledge I speak not here of degrees of knowledge as if every one that truly believeth in Christ had a great measure thereof but that there must be some competent knowledge This doth distinguish true Faith from that ignorant Faith that many have who while they think they believe on Christ know nothing of their lost estate by Nature and of the Person and Mediation of the Son of God for if men do not know Christ in some measure neither do they believe on him But here let me be understood not to speak of Infants nor of Ideots or deaf and dumb persons born so whose Ignorance is invincible as to any outward means to bring them to the knowledge of Christ through their natural incapacity of receiving information by the Scriptures and Ministery of the Word we are not to have such hard thoughts of their condition as if none such could be saved for doubtless some of them are saved and even by the blood of Christ as well as others and have the seed and habit of Faith and Repentance and the habit of spiritual knowledge infused into them also by the Holy Ghost though in a way altogether undiscernable to us And what should hinder or why should it be thought incredible that God who quickneth all things and infuses a rational soul into Infants in the Womb and hath given a rational soul to Idcots however the actings of it are obstructed by some defects of the Organs of the Body I say what should hinder but that God can and doth when it pleaseth him infuse spiritual life and the habit of all grace into Infants and Ideots But for persons that are growne up to years and have the exercise of reason it is the way of God if he please to convert them so to enlighten them as to exercise their thoughts about the matters of Salvation and to give them a sight of their Sins and make known sensibly unto them that Jesus Christ is the only way of help and salvation for them So that though there may be knowledge without Faith yet in grown persons and those that have the exercise of reason there cannot be Faith
against God but the hurt and mischief of it is to our own souls and upon both these accounts we are to repent of it but it is not godly sorrow that we have for our sins except we have a respect to God grieving that we have violated his Laws and so offended his Blessed Majesty as well as that we have wronged our own Souls and destroyed our selves without he prevent it by shewing us mercy in Christ So that it is in the heart of a true Penitent to sigh out such lamentations as these O most glorious God against thee against thee have I sinned against thee my Creator from whom I have my being against thee the pure and holy Majesty holy holy holy against thee who art the Lord God gracious long suffering and abundant in mercy O thou infinite goodness O thou Father of mercies against thee have I sinned I have transgressed I have rebelled and I whither shall I cause my shame to go I cannot put it away from mee for to mee belongeth shame and confusion of Face because I have sinned against thee I cannot stand before thee because of my sins but through the blood of Jesus Lord I cannot abase my self enough before thee nor be vile enough in my own eyes I see a little of thee what a blessed and glorious Majesty thou art whom I have offended and I see a little of my self that behold I am vile wherefore I abhor my self in dust and ashes O that thou would'st make my head as waters and mine eyes as a Fountain of tears to weep day and night for my sins O that thou wouldst smite and speak to this Rock of my heart that the waters of godly sorrow might gush out O that thy Spirit might work more upon me this way to give me a more broken and contrite Spirit for sin I do not desire thou shouldst speak any more to my Soul from Mount Sinai with those Thunderings and Lightenings and that terrible voice out of the fire and darkness and tempests presenting thy wrath to mee for the breach of thy holy Law but now thou hast brought my poor weary fainting soul to Jesus the Mediator and to the blood of sprinkling speak to me from the mercy seat speak comfortably to me melt and soften my heart with the sight of thy grace in Christ and let my soul be filled with that Sorrow for Sin that is accompanied with the sense of pardon in Christ which sorrow is most genuine filial free and acceptable unto thee 3. True repentance is accompanied with the hatred of sin David a true penitent hated every false way Psal 119.128 Paul in his Lamentations for the remainders of corruption in him saith that which I hate That do I Rom. 7.15 a true Penitent not onely mournes for sin committed but hates it abhors it from his New Nature he hath an everlasting Anripathy against Sin that if the Principle of grace in him was not hindred in its actings by Sin that dwelleth in him a true Penitent would shew himself another manner of person then he doth we must not think that after true repentance a man sinneth no more for there is no man that liveth here below and Sinneth not neither must wee think that such a one may not possibly fall into the same Sin againe Indeed for gross Sins ordinarily God keeps his people from them from the time of their first conversion and if he leave them to falll into them at any time as he did Noah David and Peter after particular repentance for them and recovery out of them it is a rare and unusual thing for them to fall into them again but as for vain thoughts distractions in holy duties and passions and such Sins as do suddenly Surprise and overtake us as at unawares no doubt after true repentance a godly Man may fall into them again and again to the great grief of his Soul yea after much repentance particularly for those things and many Prayers and supplications to God for power and strength against them so that not once or twice but often and every day the best Saints have need with Paul to cry out O wretched Man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death Notwithstanding all this remainder of corruption that the best Saints upon earth will confess there is yet in them as Paul himself complained though ignorant and proud Pharisees that know not themselves and the plague of their owne hearts think themselves to be perfect yet I say this truth abideth firme that a true penitent hateth Sin it is besides his intention it is against the general purpose of his heart it is contrary to his new nature and 't is the grief of his Soul when he Sinneth against God he so hateth sin that he will never be at peace with it but opposeth it and looks to Heaven it self for aid against the enemy 4. True repentance is an abiding thing upon the heart not that a true Penitent is always acting the grace of Repentance but though it may cease sometimes in the act yet it never ceases in the habit that is there is always in such an habitual frame upon the heart to live low before God and walk humbly with him A natural man may sometimes in great afflictions and in terrours of Conscience mourn for sin but 't is a forced thing he would get it off from his spirit and it leaves not an habitual humiliation upon him but that filial evangelical sorrow that a Believer hath for sin is a frame of spirit that he likes and loves and cherisheth and would have more of for which is a great mystery to a natural man that kind of sorrow for sin that a man in the state of grace hath may be accompanied with the greatest sense and assurance of pardon in Christ and so be a very sweet and pleasing and desirable frame of spirit At the same time a poor soul may rejoyce in Gods pardoning grace in Christ and mourn for sin too and a poor broken-hearted Believer finds this sorrow to be better and sweeter then all the laughter and merriment of the men of the World 3. Special Grace and Conversion is frequently called in the Scripture the Fear of God Job's character is that he was a man that feared God Job 1.1 Obadiah's That he feared the Lord greatly 1 Kings 18.3 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter Fear God and keep his Commandments for this is the whole duty of man Eccles 12.13 Praise our God all ye his servants and ye that fear him Rev. 19.5 The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him Psalm 147.11 And it is one great promise of God in the New Covenant to put his fear into our hearts Jerem. 32.40 So that where there is a right fear of God there is true conversion But because there is a common awe of a Deity in most men a certain slavish servile fear of God searing him only as a Male
in some sort to persecute one another in this imperfect state yet O Lord thou knowest that my heart is not set against any of them for that which I judge to be good in them but do love and honour them for it And though my love is most exercised and drawn out to those Saints whom I am most acquainted with and to whom I am nearest joyned in the fellowship of the Gospel there being more occasion and opportunity for the drawing out of my love to them yet thou knowest there is love in my heart to all Saints and there is not that man living that makes profession of thy Name though differing from me in opinion and violent against me of whom I should not rejoyce to have thoughts of meeting him in Heaven But if men be Despisers of those that are good hate them and speak evil of them falsly for Christs sake though they may flatter themselves and think they love God yet they do not They that scoff at the Godly and their hearts rise against them for their grace and holiness though they will say they love God or else it were pity they should live they are utterly deceived for indeed they are Haters of God and Goodness Many other signs of love to God might here be mentioned as grieving when God is dishonoured longing for the coming of his Kingdom that his Name and Truth and Glory may be more manifested in the World and desiring to bring all that we can to love him and obey him Likewise many other expressions by which Conversion is set forth in the Scripture might be opened but these things that have been spoken may suffice to shew wherein Conversion lieth if God give men hearts to examine their spiritual estate which shall read these things CHAP. IV. Of the Outward Means that God is pleased to make use of in the conversion of Souls THat God doth make use of outward means in the bringing of Souls home to himself is evident both from Scripture and Experience which is not because God cannot do the work without Outward Means for in Elect Infants and sometimes in others God worketh Grace without them but it is meerly from the pleasure of his will what way he will take to convert a soul and whatsoever the outward means be the inward spiritual and effectual means of Conversion is the Almighty Power of God as I intend to set forth in the next Chapter But to give some account of this matter concerning the outward means that the Lord makes use of for the conversion of souls 1. Sometimes the Lord hath made use of great and sore afflictions to awaken men convince them of their sins and so to bring them to Christ And if they be bound in Fetters and be holden in Cords of affliction then he sheweth them their work and their transgressions that they have exceeded he openeth their ear to Discipline Job 36.8 9. Job 33.19 20 21 22 23 24. As one who being sick and restless some nights it pleased God to put in with the affliction and set this upon his heart that if it were so grievous to him to pass away a few Nights though he was in his own House and amongst his dear Relations because he had pain and sickness upon his body how miserable should he be if he should bear the torments of Hell for ever and so the Lord brought him to look after an interest in Christ that he might be delivered from the wrath to come The Lord sometimes makes use of shame in the World poverty imprisonment yea the sentence of death to be the means of bringing men to a sight of their sins and to look after Christ 2. Sometimes the holy and convincing lives of the Saints have been blessed of God to put ignorant and wicked men upon enquiring after Religion saying within themselves Surely there is an excellency in the ways of God surely in those ways must I find blessedness and peace and not in these ways of debauchery and profaneness And so the Lord lets in light into their souls and the Apostle Peter exhorts godly Wives to carry themselves with that holiness and circumspection that their carnal husbands who it may be are so obstinate and profane that they will scarce hear the faithful preaching of the word may without that means be won by their heavenly conversation 1 Pet. 3.1 3. We read of many that in the Primitive times when such great multitudes laid down their lives for the Name of the Lord Jesus by beholding their patience and joyfulness in their sufferings were convinced of the truth and excellency of Christian Religion and were converted unto God 4. Some observing how earnestly godly Ministers or others have wrastled with God in Prayer for their conversion have been awakened by it and God hath put it into their hearts to think with themselves that if the salvation of their Souls be so much set by in the eyes of others how much more should the salvation of their Souls be regarded by themselves and upon such thoughts the Lord hath begun the good work in them 5. The hearing of the great horrour of Conscience that others are in for sin and talking with them about the cause of their trouble hath been blessed of God to the conversion of some This hath convinced some that were almost Atheists that there is a God and that it is a fearful thing to lie under the sense of his wrath this hath put them upon looking into their owne estate and so brought them to Christ and so they have found that it was better to heare the shrieks and cryes and groans of those that were heavy laden with the sense of their sins then to hear the jollity merriment and songs of fools and spiritual Mad-Men who go laughing to Hell 6. The Instructions of Parents and Masters have been oftentimes blessed of God to the conversion of their Children and servants Godly Parents as their Children grow up should desire to be instruments of bringing their Children to Heaven as well as they were instruments to bring them into this World And some Children bless God that they had praying Fathers and praying Mothers and such as taught them the fear of the Lord. Some servants bless God that ever they came to live in Praying Families and where they were instructed in the wayes of God God sometimes brings to remembrance the instructions of Parents and Masters to do their Children and servants good when they are at rest in the dust even those instructions which when they were first given took no impression upon them That the good seed which they had sowne and could not see any effect of the Lord watereth it by his Spirit when they are dead and gone then to their Children remember the words which were spoken unto them and they come with new life and Power upon their hearts To these many more might be added but let me come to speak of that which is the most ordinary way
by the Ministry of the Word as if he himself had spoken immediately from Heaven to them by name and so the Lord hath made that unlikely time the time of love and the Day of his power to their Souls Sometimes when Ministers have been straightned in their affections and expressions in Preaching more then they have used to be that they have gone on heavily in the work and haver reflected upon their service with much humiliation to their own Spirits yet God hath sometimes done much by such weak means and converted some effectually at that time that there hath been more good done at that time then at many other times so far as comes to their knowledge when they have been much assisted in the work God knows how his faithful Servants would preach and set forth his truth and he is pleased to enlarge things by the inward light of his Spirit upon the minds of the hearers sometimes above what they did sufficiently clear to them All these Observations run into this that God worketh all in all he is the Author and Finisher of our Faith and that Ministers can do no good nor People that hear them receive any good but as it is given from above and when he will work nothing shall let it not the ignorant indisposedness and prejudice of the hearers nor the defects and weakness of his Servants that speak in his Name 3. Some of the worst natural tempers not onely of the weakest parts but of most froward and cross Spirits are wrought upon by the grace of God and men of ripe wits and of more affable and courteous natures are never converted unto God Those differences among men that arise from their constitutions of body whether it be for the better or the worse alter not the case God hath mercy on whom he will have mercy God can convert those who are of the worst natural tempers and without he infuse grace those who are of the sweetest natural dispositions will never turn unto the Lord yea the composedness of their natural temper may turn much to their prejudice making them think they are in a good estate because they do not break out into such passions and intemperances that others are very Subject to although they know nothing of any New birth and sanctifying work of the spirit upon their souls 4. Some very dissolute and prophane persons are converted and many others that are free from such gross vice are never born again Publicans and Harlots and such as the theif upon the Cross are sometimes brought to a sight of their sins and to repent and believe in Christ when others that never were so vile go on quietly resting in their formality and morality and never see their need of Christ and a work of grace upon their hearts and so perish for ever When God doth convert men that have been notorious Sinners filled with all unrighteousness drunkards swearers scoffers at Religion and old in sin too habituated and accustomed to all kind of evil he proclames unto us that the power of converting souls is of God and not of man It is true it doth require the exceeding greatness of Gods power to convince a proud Pharisee that trusteth in himself that he is righteous and despiseth the righteousness of Christ that he is in the gall of bitterness and bonds of iniquity and to bring him as a poor lost and undone Sinner to seek for life from Christ and in some respects such have greater difficulties to be carried thorough to Christ then others yet in regard that some of the other sort are so outragious in sin and almost down right Atheists that make a mock and jear of all religion and regard of God and the world to come if the Lord please to convert such as sometimes he doth the exceeding greatness of Gods power shines forth most eminently therein When the passages of mens Conversion shall be known in the world to come it will be matter of everlasting wonderment and astonishment to Angels and men for then it will appear that God is to be admired for his free grace and the exceeding greatness of his power to all that believe Lastly that I may stand no longer upon this Point let us consider a few places of Scripture more that beyond all contradiction to establish this truth that conversion is wrought in the soul of man by the power of God alone It is said the exceeding greatness of his power worketh towards them that believe and that according to his mighty power which wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead Ephes 1.19 20. He that hath wrought us to the self same thing is God 2 Corin. 5.5 Hence it is a very proper expression that wee commonly use when we speak of mens conversion to say they were wrought upon at such a time for indeed except God had wrought them by the exceeding greatness of his power to this self same thing they had never turned from Sin to Christ A new heart also will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you I will take away the heart of stone and give you an heart of flesh Ezek. 36.26 27. In Conversion the habit of grace is secretly infused into the heart as life into a dead man the soul is passive at first hence it is said of God in reference unto this work Jam. 1.18 That of his own will begat he us of his own will that shews it is of his own meer grace and when it is said he begat us that shews that it is of his own power and that the Soul is first passive in the work When a Soul is converted it doth repent and doth act saith on Christ and is active in a way of Grace but first the Lord begets us spiritually and in uses spiritual life We must not imagine that the soul never acts at all first or last and that there are no created habits of grace but first the Lord infuses the habit of Grace wherein the Soul is passive and the Soul being changed and sanctifyed thereby through the help and influence of the spirit exciting and assisting that New spiritual Life put into us we are enabled to put forth acts of Faith Repentance and other Graces First the Lord puts spiritual Life into us and then in him through his concurrence and secret assistance we move and act spiritually and graciously The summe of all is this God first giveth repentance and then we repent God first giveth faith and then we believe All those Scriptures were it is said that God giveth repentance and giveth Faith and worketh in us to will and to do might all be insisted on for further confirmation of this truth That conversion is wrought by the power of God alone Likewise all those Scriptures that set forth the weakness of the Saints even after they are in the state of grace how they yet cry out to be delivered from the body of death what need they
by filling their heart on a sudden with the blessed Motions of his Spirit whereby the snare is broken and they escape that the remembrance thereof is enough to keep them humble all their dayes Besides if it have not been so with such that they have not been almost in such evils almost perswaded and enticed to such gross sins yet there is the Sin of our natures and the sins of daily infirmity distractions in holy duties vaine thoughts sinful passions idle words and the like for which we have cause to lie in the dust before God Thirdly Those that are converted young do many times attain to a higher degree of grace before they die then others who are converted in their latter time especially those that are converted young and live long afterwards before they finish their course such have longer time to grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and sasiour Jesus Christ Yet that none that were converted young may be high-minded but feare let it be considered that it is not alwayes thus but some of these through great temptations and falls into sin are but weak in grace all their days and some that were converted many years after them do get the start of them in grace are more awful of God more weaned from the world and more fruitful in their course And greatly are some humbled when they count the number of the years since God first wrought upon them and think with themselves how little communion they have with God how little mortification to the world how little service they have done for God and then look upon others that have been converted many years after them and see to what a greater measure of grace they have attained Though they do not envy the goodness of God to such but rejoyce therein and give thanks unto his Name for his grace bestowed on them yet they reflect upon themselves as those who have quenched and grieved the holy Spirit of God for which he is not pleased they think to influence and quicken and comfort them as he doth others that have been more obedient and so their souls are greatly abased before the Lord. Of these things which have been spoken of conversion in youth this is the summe That it is in it self a great priviledge and yet nevertheless such as are converted young had need to watch and pray be very humble and diligent least they fall into temptations and snares and go on very slowly and heavily in the wayes of God Likewise from what hath been said it doth appeare that how ever wee may be advantaged in some circumstances and priviledges above others as in being in Christ before them and the like yet without great supplies of grace from above we shall not make a proficiency according to such advantages Before I leave this head it may be profitable to speak some thing more by way of caution and counsel to those that are converted young 1. Have a care of errours of Judgement Youth is usually raw and ignorant you may have strong and good affections but it may be weak judgments go not out of novelty to hear unsound Preachers give your selves to Prayer and to the reading of the Word attend upon the Faithful Preaching of the word by the Ministers of Christ. 2. Be much in proving your own selves whether you have a sound work of grace upon your hearts the end of it usually to them that are sincere is a suller assurance that they are passed from Death to Life 3. Flie youthfull lusts as Paul exhorted Timothy 2 Epist 2.22 one that was converted young and was yet but a young man when the Apostle wrote thus unto him flee pride flee all kinds of uncleaness flee unlawful recreations flee bad company and the like Have a care that through ignorance you do not commit some sins in your youth that may wound your consciences much in age In riper years you may see some things to be sin which you would not have done in your youth if you had known so much then Therefore study the Scriptures well and beg of God to shew you what sins youth useth to fall into knows it not then but it may be afterward to the great wounding of Conscience Intreat the Lord that while you are yet young men or Women you may cleanse your way and take heed thereunto according to his word 4. Often bless the name of the Lord for revealing himself to you so soon in your young and tender years Wonder at the Lords free grace that he should convert you at all and labour to be much affected with the time when he did it in the morning of your lives so soon so early 5. Whatsoever difficulties temptations and afflictions you go thorough in the course of your pilgrimage let your hearts trust safely in the Lord that his grace shall be sufficient for you He will never leave you nor forsake you so that you may boldly say the Lord is your helper what ever sad lots of affliction are upon you and that all things shall work together for your good If God hath been the God and Guide of your youth he will be the God of your riper years and though in your latter time you may have great decaies of body and can do him little service yet he will be tender of you and care for you and do you good to gray hairs and in gray hairs he will bear you and he will carry you in his everlasting Arms to Heaven You may have many a Thorne in the flesh many humbling temptations least you should be lifted up but be not dismayed for the Lord is your God and he will strengthen you he will help you he will uphold you with the right hand of his righteousness 6. Admire him that is of power to keep you and hath kept you and will keep you in the state of grace unto the end remember the former dayes when you were first illuminated what difficulties the Lord carried you through how he made you able by the power of his grace to break off from evil company and from your sinful courses and it may be to endure a great fight of afflictions from carnal Parents and Relations and acquaintance and though you were young youthfull and very unconstant yet by the power of God you were not afraid of any amazement and could not be turned aside from following the Lord. Some that are converted young are sometimes strengthned with such might by the Spirit of God that though they have carnal Parents and Relations that oppose them in the wayes of God they carry it with that Patience humbleness of mind and yet with that magnanimity and courage that is to be wondered at even while they are young and but Children they may go through such difficulties with a holy rejoycing as would be hard for them to go through afterwards without very much assisting grace from God Remember therefore and forget not the kindness of
the Lord to you in your youth and how he hath yet maintained the work of grace in you keeping grace alive through so long a tract of time as some of you have walked with God who were converted young And though your hearts and lives are not so with God as you would have it and that you have not yet so far attained as to be perfect but still groan and sigh being burdened with your corruptions and temptations yet thank and praise the Lord that hath taught you from your youth up and that hitherto he hath kept you in that great and terrible wilderness you have gone thorough and that his spirit and his feare is yet you 7. Have a care of abating in your first love and zeal and sincerity and diligence in following the Lord. Let the spiritual dew of your youth be alwaies upon you that you may be alwaies green and flourishing in grace that as your dayes so may your spiritual strength be Give not the men of the World occasion to say that your forwardness in religion in your youth was because you wanted wit then but that now you are grown wiser you follow the World as hard as others take liberty in your conversation as others do and give over preciseness and strict walking but let them see that now your judgments are bettered with age and much experience you still chuse rather to suffer affliction with the People of God then to enjoy the pleasures of sin that are but for a season Lastly it is very requisite for those that are converted young and are but yet young to read the Scriptures diligently concerning the duties that God requireth of men in those Relations that his Providence hath put them into or shall put them into in the world Study well the duties of Servants and Masters Children and Parents Wives and Husbands and other Relations As the best Saints are apt to miscarry much in their duties in the Relations they stand in so especially those that are young for want of knowledge of what God requires in his Word in those Relations Therefore art thou called being very young study upon those duties that the Scripture requires towards thy Parents if they be yet alive and make great conscience of them Art thou called being a Servant or intended to be so shortly read over those Scriptures that speak of the duties of Servants again and again pray over those Scriptures often that God would make thee obedient diligent and faithful in that Relation as his Word requires Art thou called and art soon to marry or art newly married study those Scriptures that concern that estate and so for Masters and Parents and the like The holy Scriptures are able to teach you your duties in all these things that you may be throughly surnished with directions from them Let no young people despise this counsel for through their not giving attendance to the Reading study of the Scripture in these things they many times offend God much and whatsoever grace they have the beauty and lustre of it is exceedingly darkned before the eyes of men We hear of such a young person that is much affected with the word and prayes much speaks of good things and prizes Christ but when we inquire how doth he carry it to his Parents or his Master or to his Yoak-fellow it is oftentimes a grief of mind to the Godly-wise and makes them they know not what to think there is so great failing in those duties Now I am speaking of the Lords converting some very young Note this that sometimes young people and especially those that have good education live in godly Families and under the faithful preaching of the word are much convinced and set upon prayer and others rejoyce and hope that it will be a through work and yet all this comes to nothing they soon lose all sense of those things and grow more vile in their practises then they were before And others of them to please their Relations that are godly after they have lost the power of those common convictions they have had will seem to be religious still for a while but when their godly Parents are dead or they come to leave good Families and be for themselves then they will shew what they are indeed Some are notable Hypocrites very young and having good parts and finding that the profession of Religion makes them acceptable to some upon whom they have dependance will make a fair shew to deceive others but let them know that they deceive themselves most in the end when they come to have their portion with the Hypocrites where there is weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth I have dwelt long enough upon this first Head to shew that God doth convert some in youth yea very young and have given cautions and counsel unto such Now to proceed Secondly God doth convert some in their riper years in the midst of their days or in old age as it pleaseth him Abraham in the Old Testament and Nicodemus in the New are recorded as persons converted in their riper years and latter time but whereas some say shew any other instances besides them of persons converted in their latter time I will say that we know not the precise age of the three thousand that were converted Acts 2. nor of those Acts 4.5 nor of those Multitudes that were added to the Lord Acts 5.14 nor of Cornelius his friends Acts 10. upon whom the Holy Ghost fell neither do we know the precise age of Lydia the Jaylor and many others that are mentioned by name in the Scripture whether they were young or old when they were converted nor is it necessary for us to know it It is sufficient for us to know that whosoever cometh unto Christ he will in no wise cast out whether he be young or old Those holy men that shew what an unsuitable time old age is to have then the work to do to make our calling and election sure when we can scarce see to read the Scriptures can scarce hear the word of life that is preached to them and their Memories and parts extreamly decayed must not be understood as if God could not convert such or never did it but to shew that the repentance of such is very often feigned and counterfeit and to warn young people that they do not count upon old-age conversion to the neglecting of remembring their Creatour in the days of their youth It is a great truth that they say that God should not be put off to take the dregs of our lives and to take the Devils leavings for he deserveth the beginning of our strength the best of our days and all our days to serve him but better late then never better come into the Vineyard at the eleventh hour then not at all There have been remarkable conversions of old men recorded by worthy men O that there were more both young and old brought home to Christ I know none that
two states and conditions of men after this life but the two places to one of which all go at death Let none out of curosity enquire where Hell is ' tis-sufficient that the Scripture tells us that there is a Hell and tells us what will bring us thither that we may avoid it and that Christ onely can deliver us from it that we may make sure of our interest in him 2. Consider the misery of Hell Though there be a Hell yet if it were a tollerable good place and condition though far inferiour to Heaven it was not to be so much feared but O let us consider the misery of Hell I might insist upon that which is commonly called the punishment of loss that is what the damned are deprived of and what sad reflections they may make upon that account being not onely deprived of all the creature comforts which once they enjoyed in this world which the Saints in Heaven cannot reflect upon as any loss to them because God is there all in all and better then all to them but they are seperated from God from any hope of his favour and enjoyment of him shut out of the place where he shews the riches of his glorious Kingdom and the honour of his excellent majesty to the Angels and Saints not for a time onely but for ever Shut out of the company of the Holy Angels and Saints Surely these things gall the spirits of the damned If Esau wept so bitterly for that he had lost the birthright and lost an earthly Fathers blessing how bitterly may the damned weep that they have lost Heaven and the blessing of the Father of Spirits What better reflections the damned make upon their fall in Adam which now so little affects the generality of men and their great loss thereby we cannot conceive now nor how it will vex and fret them to think some of them what means of grace they enjoyed in the powerful preaching of the Word and good council of Parents Masters and Friends but that they have lost all those advantages for Heaven which once they had and made light of But let me speak something of that possitive misery or punishment of sense that the damned undergo 1. They are miserable for their place 2. They are miserable for their company 3. They are miserable for the wrath of God which They beare this is the worst of all 1. They are miserable for their place I shall not stand much upon this but surely Hell is a doleful place therefore compared to Tophet Isa 30.33 To a bottomless pit Rev. 9.2 Vtter darkness Mat. 22.13 Heaven is called Paradise Luke 23.43 Hell a Prison 1 Pet. 3.19 But I but touch this for the truth is as the enjoyment of God in Heaven is the Heaven of Heaven the best of Heaven and not meerely the splendour and glory of the place though it is a glorious place so it is the bearing of the wrath of God in Hell that is the Hell of Hell the worst of Hell though it is also a doleful and miserable place 2. They are miserable for their company Now men are fit to go out of their wits if the Devil appear to them what will they do how will they be eternally scared and â—â—igted when they know they are amongst a throng of them shut up with them in the same eternal Prison That Devils and damned Men and Women shall he together in the same place of torment is cleare from the sentence of condemnation at the last day depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels Mat. 25.41 As those of the Children of men that are saved shall be in the same Heaven with the elect Angels and their company will be a great refresh ng to them so those that are damned shall be in the same Hell with the faln Angels the Devils and their company will be a great terrour to them And as much as prophane men delight in in one anothers company now it will be very grievous to them in Hell To hear one anothers howlings weeping wayling groanings and bitter Lamantatioas will surely be very terrible and especially the company of those that have been partners in sin fellow-drunkards fellow-thiefs fellow-persecutors fellow-wantons will be very grievous O how they will curse one another and course the days that ever they saw one another 3. They are miserable for the wrath of God that abideth on them It is not meerly the place nor the company that makes them miserable but the sting of Hell is the mediate sense and feeling of the wrath of God in an unsportable manner this is their paenal Hell which is worse than their local Hell As God lets out his love and makes great impressions thereof upon the spirits of the Saints in Heaven so he lets out his wrath and makes great impressions thereof upon the damned in Hell The damned are said in the Scripture to be punished tormented beaten with stripes burnt with unquenchable fire all to shew how the wrath of God lies very hard upon them It is true there are degrees of torments in Hell more and fewer stripes a great difference there is no doubt of the sufferings of the damned some receive greater damnation and beare more wrath then others 't is according as men have sinned more or less in this world I speak of those that perish that they are punnished more or less in Hell But surely those that have fewest stripes and the coolest places in Hell have a sad portion If people do verily believe that there is a Hell yet few believe the extremity of misery that is suffered there I remembre a poor Woman that suffered death for being a Witch told me that after she had made a contract with the Devil she began to be much afraid of Hell as a miserable place and condition whereupon the Devil told her that Hell was not so bad a place as people thought that he was the prince of the aire that people lived very well in his dominions and that she for her part should be an hostess and keep a fair Inn there It was to this purpose what this poor ignorant Woman told me The Devil hath scarce the face to tell his followers that there is no Hell but rather that it is a tollerable good place and not bad as some zealous preachers would make them believe At another time I heard a prophane man when he was told of Hell fire say I hope there are some ponds of cold water there to where I may go and cole my self when I am heated and scorched with the flames thus fools now make a mock of sin and a mock of Hell too till they came to it and then they will be past their jesting Hell torments put the greatest wits and the most sanguine tempters past their Joaks and meriment Many go laughing and merry to Hell but when they come once there they laugh no more for there is nothing but
sins which if it had been laid upon us would have been eternal but he overwrastled it made satisfaction put away sin by the sacrifice of himself made peace and obtained eternal redemption for us whereof he hath given assurance unto all men in that after he had the iniquities of all his people laid and charged upon him yet he rose again the third day is gone unto the Father and is set down at the right hand of the Majesty in the Heavens By one offering upon the Cross he did the work he being an infinite Person God as well as Man his short suffering was of an infinit value He dieth no more there is no need at all of it in referance unto those for whom he made his soul an offering for sins he hath done the work fully to whom be glory for ever This is the Summ and substance of the Gospel Now if any hearing of the danger they are in of the wrath of God for their sins and sensible of the Rebellion and perversness of their hearts and wayes against God would have a Saviour and a sanctifier that it may go well with them for ever this is he Jesus the Son of God He is not here now upon earth to be seen with bodily eyes he is gone into Heaven and is on the right hand of God Look up to him there with an eye of Faith put your trust in him he is able to save to the uttermost all that come to God by him Get the knowledge of him out of the word search the Scriptures for they testify of him they tell you what he is what he hath done and what he hath suffered to bring us to God Think of him continually prize him set your hearts on him if you flight him you will find there is no other Saviour no other Mediatour no other advocate with the Father If the work be yet to be done even now whilst thou readest these things look to him close with him give up thy self to him to be saved and Sanctified by him fall in love with him you will never repent of your choice Poor soul what saist thou to a Pardon for all thy sins what saist to peace with God what saist thou to eternal life Come to Christ and thou shalt have all these and a New Heart and spirit to walk in holiness and obedience before God too O doth the Lord affect thy heart for he doth this great work that thou art taken with Christ and art a thirst for this water of life then take it freely as excellent and precious as the Lord Jesus is he bestowes himself freely upon poor sinners the best qualification you can have for receiving Christ is to see your need of him and that you are altogether unworthy of him do you see your sins now the multitude of them the hainousness of them let not your sins drive you from Christ but drive you to Christ Come poor sinners come to Christ his blood cleanseth from all sin his righteousness is able to cover all your unrighteousness Come to Christ but with a true Heart to give him all the glory of your salvation and to desire now to have him reign over you and fear not he is mighty to save Jesus is the Lord of glory consider his God-head in your looking to him to take away your sins Never any Patient came to this Phisitian and missed of cure come with all the spiritual Vlcers running Sores and Bloody Issues of sin touch the hem of his Garment by Faith as the Woman in the Gospel did and you shall see there is vertue enough in Christ to make you whole The Devil labours to make men confident and presumptuous when they are going on greedily in sin but when they are convinced of their lost estate and are looking after Christ then he endeavours to puzle them with many doubts and suspitions as if they were past cure and it were too late now to lock after Christ Ah poor souls do not you see that the hand of Sathan is in all this When you went on in ignorance and prophaness he would not endure you should hear when Ministers preached of damnation and now that you are convinced and stopt in your vile courses and are thinking how you may make peace with God now the Devil cannot endure you should hear of Salvation in Christ the Son of God least you should come unto him that you may have life Thus I have set before them that are not yet converted life and death pardon of sin peace with God and eternal life if the Lord giveth them hearts to repent and close with Christ The Wrath of God and eternal destruction If they still go on in their ignorance prophaness and slighting of Jesus Christ If any that read these things shall say in their hearts they shall have peace and shall do well enough whatsoever some zealous preachers say though they cast Gods law behind their backs and never look after a work of Grace and conversion upon their souls the anger of the Lord and his Jealousy shall smoake against those persons and burn against them for ever But if they shall now tremble at the word of the Lord and lay hold upon the offer of Christ believing on his name and submitting unto him their sins shall be forgiven them for his names sake and they shall be the heir of eternal life through him for though the wages of sin is death even eternal death yet the gift the free gift of God is life even eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord to whom be glory for ever Amen FINIS Books Printed for and Sold by Henry Mortlock at the Phaenix in S. Pauls Church-Yard and at the White Hart in Westminster-Hall THe Saints Ebenezer and Pillar of hope in God when they have none left in the Creature Or the godly-mans Crutch or Staff in times of sadning disappointments sinking discouragements shaking dissolations wherein is shewed the Transcendent Excellency of God his Peoples help and hope with the unparalell'd hapiness of the Saints in their confidence in him over-balancing the Worldlings carnall dependance both as to sweetness and safety by F. English A word in season or 3 great dutys of Christians in the worst of times viz abiding in Christ Thirsting after his instruction and submission to his providence to which is added by way of appendix the advice of some Ministers to their people for the receiving the power and practice of godliness in their familys Oct. The freeness of the grace and love of God to believers discover'd in reference to First Their service and suffering Secondly their consolations Thirdly their salvation and eternal glory together with the Excelency of the fear of God The goodness and pleasantness of brotherly Love the wisdom of hearing the voice of the Rod repentance the only way to prevent Judgments delivered in several Sermons by William Bridg sometimes Preacher of the Word at Yarmouth Death unstung in 8 Sermons Preached at the Funeral of Tho. Moseley an Apothecary who died July 1669 With a brief Narrative of his Life and Death Also the manner of Gods dealings with him before and after his Conversion drawn up by his own Hand and Published by James Janeway Oct. A Fathers Testament Written long since for the benefit of the Particular Relations of the Author Phineas Fletcher sometimes Minister of the Gospel at Hillgay in Norfolk The voice of one crying in a Wilderness or the business of a Christian both Antecedaneous to Concomitant of and consequent upon a Sore and heavy Visitation represented in several Sermons First Preached to his own Family lying under such Visitation and now made publick as a thank offering to the Lord his healer by S. S. a servant of God in the Gospel of his Son FINIS