is a Dependent God a Made God What is this but a Contradiction A Dependent God is as true as Corpus infinitum God may give his Creature a Command to be obeyed of which Command he gives no reason nay the Command appears contrary to reason and yet his Creature is bound to obey that Command God commands Abraham to offer his Son Gen. 22.2 Whether it was his Intention Decree that Abraham should offer his Son was none of his duty to enquire into a Reason for this Command he gives none What reason Abraham could find out for this Command I cannot tell It appeared quite contrary to the light of natural Reason and as contrary to the Promise of God made to Abraham as could be Yet the Soveraign Authority of God was reason enough for Abraham to yield obedience to the Command Audeciam enistimo de bono Divini praecepti disputare neque enim quia bonum est idcirco ausecultare debemus sed quia Deus praecepit Tertul. de Panitentia If then the same Soveraign Authority gives me a Proposition or Article call it what you will to be assented to believed the Soveraign Authority of this Prima Veritas to whom Truth is essential who cannot lye Tit. 1.2 is as sufficient a ground for me to assent unto it believe it though I am not able to demonstrate the truth of it by my reason And I do assent to and believe the truth of it because he speaks it as strongly as if I could make never so clear demonstration of it this is so far from implying a Contradiction that it is a plain moral Contradiction not to believe it Must the Soveraign Law-giver reveal nothing for us to assent to and believe but what we can grasp with our reason Hath he said he will not Our Reason saith this is sufficient reason Thus saith the Lord And our Reason thinks it very well becoming that thrice dreadful Majesty our Soveraign Absolute Lord and Law-giver who is truth and cannot possibly lye to give to his Creature Propositions to be believed barely upon his Authority Yet a little further That which is Supra Captum Rationis what exceeds their reason that it cannot reach and comprehend this they will not believe nor receive for an Article of Faith upon this ground eight or nine of the chief Articles of our Faith are rejected by these Ministers of Reason Hence Socinus saith Although the Scripture it self should speak any thing that fights with or opposeth Reason their Reason it must be it must not be believed that the Scripture intends or means as it speaketh but there is some other hidden sense in that Scripture though Socinus speaks more broadly Etiamsi Scriptura dicat tamen non esse credendum quod cum ratione pugnat Hence come those torturings of the Scripture those corrupt and vile glosses which they put upon plain Texts while they tell us the hidden sense that lyes in those Scriptures which do plainly oppose their corrupt Doctrines That any thing in the Scripture is contrary to or fights with sound Reason we deny No more of that now But to return to Schlichtingius with his followers I ever thought and I am sure it is true that Christian or Divine Faith Nititur Testimonio Divino qua est Divinum I mean that Christian Faith Quae locum habet in intellectu it leans stayes rests and grounds upon Divine Testimony So that Divine Faith relates to Divine Testimony it looks no further when I assent to or believe a Proposition a Testimony of God because I see a Reason if you will have any other Reason than the Authority and Veracity of God Faith ceaseth Did I not believe God to be truth it self so true as impossible he should lye I would not believe the Testimony of God barely because he speaketh it But these men destroy all Faith they will believe no further than they can see with the eye of their reason and demonstrate the truth by their reason but this is not Faith Divine Faith doth not lean rest or stay upon my Reason but barely upon the Testimony of God The assent which the understanding giveth to any Truth for the Authority of the witness or him that speaketh this * I say properly because sometimes to believe is taken largely any way to assent to a thing to be true as we say I will believe my eyes properly is Faith If I give assent upon other grounds it is not Faith It may be perceptio experientia vel scientia vel opinio according as are the grounds or reasons of my assent but not Faith These Rationists know that Testimonium is Argumentum inartificiale hence they call for artificial Arguments they must see things in Artificio rerum else they will not receive them But with their favour we look upon the Almighty to be so faithful and true a Witness that Omnia Testimonia Divina sunt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 omnique artificiali argumento certiora omnique exceptione majora So that to me this great Rationist speaks but absurdly If a Divine Proposition be not above the reach of his reason but his reason can comprehend it then he will believe it and receive it for an Article of his Faith otherwise he will not For now it is not the Testimony of God which he believes and his Authority and Veracity for which he believes but the strength of his own reason is the cause why be assents to such a Proposition and receives it not as an Article of Divine Faith but an Article of Socinians Reason Whence the Socinians must either expunge that Topick of Argumentum inartificiale which Reason will not suffer or confound artificial and inartificial Arguments making the Membra divisionis which ought to be contraria at least to be the same which is good Logick for Argumen tum is distributed into artificiale and inartificiale Not that we wholly deny the use of Reason in the Divine Mysteries we will allow Reason a judicium Discretivum but not judicium Docisivum this we give wholly to the Scriptures Scriptura judicat de veritate sententiarum Theologicarum Ratio judicat de veritate connexionum regulae consequentiarum pertinent ad rationem But the Socinians make humane Reason the Judge of all Theological Controversies to conclude this Head If then God in the holy Scriptures reveals and teacheth me that the Divine Essence is singular or but one yet reveals again that this Divine Essence is predicated of three Suppositae or distinct Subsistences Father Son and Holy Ghost How can this be saith humane Reason I cannot reach it this is supra captum Rationis meae what then Must I not therefore believe it when God reveals it because I cannot demonstrate the Truth by my Reason Let God be true and humane Reason a Lyar. Essentia Divina licet sit singularis refert tamen naturam universalis in eo quod sicut universale de pluribus
mystical Babylon he must be very censoreous who reads Bradwardin and Jansenius his August besides others who will not yield it But to return to those who deny preparatory works I pray what is the work of a Minister Is not it to labour to bring home Souls to Christ and being brought home to labour to build them up in Christ This is the sum of a Ministers work If you deny preparatory works you will deny half the work of a Minister For doth any Minister think he shall ever perswade people to come to Christ and receive him upon his own terms who were never throughly enlightened to see their miserable state they are in by sin and convinced that this is their state Will they ever come off from this term from which he calls them unless they feel the evil and burden of sin so as to cause fears and sorrows Will a man thus far wrought on if he can set up a trade of duties and felf-righteousness and find his life in these eyer come home to Christ He that thinks he can do his work soundly without these understands little of his work and less of any saving work upon his own heart But how little of this working do we find amongst Christians How few enlightened to see and convinced of their own finful and miserable state as it is How few under this sense and conviction through the fears and sorrows accompanying this conviction cry out what shall we do to be saved Such cryes such questions how rarely do Ministers hear from those who are called Christians As for self-righteousness and duties if men can but set up a form of worship keep from the gross sins of the times their conversation but moral nay now you must not question these mens Christianity none are sound or real Christians if these be not yet these are but course sieves the Hypocrite it may be can tell you he hath experienced these preparations we must sift him in a finer sieve so that by the unacquaintance of the greatest part of Christians with these works we shall find few are real Christians Obiect But did you not tell us before that God begins his work and layes his foundation in the Infancy of many How can they experience these preparatory works as your self before have argued Answ I recall nothing of what I said but in answer to your Objection I say First Such do shew this work of Grace in their childhood as they do grow up observe them and you shall see such actings that will give good grounds to hope God hath begun the work of Grace Secondly Few if any of these living to years of understanding and hearing of these things but it hath been a trouble to them and made them question themselves whether they had Grace because they have not found them Thirdly None of them all who live to riper years but do experience all the preparatory works though in them I conceive the work doth loose that relation as preparatory because they had Grace infused into them in their infancy or childhood So that I will not contend about the word preparatory so the works be found Tell me that Real Christian let God have begun his work when he pleased that is not enlightened to see and convinced of his sinful and miserable state that hath not known fears and troubles because of it hath not been made willing that Christ should separate him and his sin that is not taken off from resting in his own duties reformations and doings They do all experience these let the Lord work them when and how he pleaseth But for others where the work begins in riper years there they are known more distinctly and properly preparatory though God hath his variety of working even amongst such also Hence preparatory works I did not at all oppose nay I maintained them only my scope was to help Christians who were in the dark as to their own work searing they were not sound and real Christians because they had not experienced those workings as others had Try those who are called Christians by the next thing we were upon their receiving of Christ when prepared for him see if the number of them be greater than we mention Receiving of Christ what is that Do you mean Faith Yes I do mean gospel-Gospel-faith in Christ nay then your Conclusion which you drew that the number of Real Christians was but small is very false For your preparations we cannot say much for them but for faith in Christ we can speak enough for it all the Ministers in England shall not make us believe but we have faith ay and it may be will swear by their faith they shall not Define faith which way you will they are for you If you will call it an Assent to what Truths soever God reveals c. in a laxe way they do assent to their Bible that it is the Word of God that all which is contained in it is the Mind and Will of God they did never doubt of it in all their lives and it may be will say it were no matter though he were hang'd that doth doubt of it but if you come more close to tell them what the ablest of the Popish party tell us is required to make that assent to the divine and supernatural Mysteries revealed to be Divine faith not only they but many others who make light of Dogmatical faith had need examine again whether their faith be divine De essentia Fidei Christianae est ut innitatur primae veritati revelanti tanquam rationi formali credendi De Auxiliis Disp 49. And adds presently Ad eliciendum talem acium necessario requiritur speciale auxilium praevenientis gratiae Gods general concourse will not serve the turn saith Alvarez both of these parts he proves partly from Aquinas and Austin In this point Alvarez to me appears very Orthodox and according to him I doubt not to affirm there is but little Dogmatical divine faith in Christendom though many Professors make a tush at it But if we grant they have this faith such as it is yet this is not enough to make saving faith then we are to seek still and that is proved by our Protestant Divines against the Papists If you say as our Fathers That faith is a particular perswasion that Christ with all his benefits are mine they have this faith also and so assured of it that let the Minister preach himself hoarse he shall never perswade them of the contrary but if we examine them upon what grounds our Fathers taught this perswasion was built there but few will answer If you say Faith is a receiving of Christ as he is offered in the Gospel and so resting upon him alone for salvation the latter part of this they understand and that is the faith which men of more knowledge than the common rout have taken up I remember a young Gentleman who had been catechized by his Mother a right Gallant he was
the fan of temptations they will find to be matter of worth Dogmatical Faith is with them but of little worth because the Dogmatical Faith of most is nothing worth Let their principles be searched into how little of that Faith will be found to be divine Faith Lay by these principles that we have been in possession of these Truths concerning Christ his Person his Offices his Redemption for sixteen hundred years this was our Grandfathers and Fathers Religion it is the Religion of our Nation all men are of this Faith our King Rulers our Ministers who teach us are all of this Faith I say lay by these principles which are too short to make a Divine Dogmatical Faith What other reasons of their Faith can the greatest part of those who are called Christians and do assent to these Truths give you How do men generally condemn the Jews I wish these men would read Mr. Jackson's third Chapter of Sect. 2. of Justifying Faith cry out upon them as the basest people under the Sun because they did not believe in Christ and receive his Testimony which in their esteem was the easiest thing and had they been living then they would have believed in him I do not excuse the Jews what they might have learned by observing the Prophets which few of them read and the works which he did John 22.24 he gave them sufficient ground for their faith But though I do not excuse the Jews who yet had a pretty hard work to believe in my opinion and I tremble at Gods Judgments yet thou that canst thus easily condemn the Jews shewest thy self to be a proud a foolish an ignorant Gentile If thou hast not learned this That Faith is the gift of God Ephes 2.8 Every Act of Faith if it be Divine Faith even this of assent to these Divine Truths concerning Christ It is given you to believe Philip. 1.29 even this very Act is given Temptations will learn men to interpret Texts Though the Jews had the Prophets and Christ his preaching and Miracles yet Christ tells us John 6.65 No man can come unto me except it were given him of my Father And in ver 44. he saith None come unless the Father draw him Object You will say this is meant of saving Faith Answ I deny it not but observe the next words They must be all taught of God men must hear and learn of the Father before they come ver 45. That teaching hearing learning which are before coming belong to the understanding and this I am sure is one effect of that teaching and learning that he causeth the understanding to give this assent Hence then Dogmatical Faith in those who come to Christ if Divine Faith is the Fathers gift That this Faith is not such a slight thing as men make of it let me shew it a little further First What was the way the Tempter took to overthrow our first Parents and us in them Observe it well you will find he struck at this Faith of Assent this Historical Faith Gen. 3.1 4. Yea hath God said ye shall not eat of every tree of the Garden He puts the question and tries their Faith whether they did believe that which God had said to be true he tells the woman ver 4. Ye shall not surely die Just cross to God this which was the hedge to keep them from the Tree he labours to pull down and he doth that by weakning their faith in giving assent to the Threat of God as being true having once done that he quickly attained his design The woman could assent to him though not to God Secondly What Faith was that in Peter for faith it was the Devil aimed at appears by Christs speech to him Luke 22.32 that Satan struck at Observe it and it was this Historical Faith Peter Matth. 16.16 had made a good confession of Christ Thou art Christ the Son of the living God So again John 6 69. Thinks Satan this Peter is a brisk fellow very forward in his conressions it I can but get leave of God to get him unto my san I will try what he is whether he will hold to this confession it may be he will not be of the same mind though he thus now confess and profess he will dye for him and with him When Peter followed his Master and stood amongst the Servants Matth 26.69 to the end now was the time of winnowing Peter Luke 22.31 and now is that faith of his to be tried for so saith Christ I have prayed thy faith fail not when the Servant told him thou wast with Jesus Mat. 26.72 he denied with an oath I do not know the man What not know him This is strange When Christ put the question to his Disciples Whom do men say that I the Son of man am Matth. 16.13 and when ver 15. he put it to his Disciples to answer the question were not you the forward man that answered for all who he was And at another time John 6.69 did you not say We believe and are sure that thou art that Christ the Son c. it seems you did know and were sure who he was and what not so much as know the man now If your faith were not so strong to maintain your confession of him before these but it flabs must you lye so abominably to say you do not know him and bind it with an Oath and Curse So that Peter is far from assenting to that truth which before he confessed Thirdly What Faith was it the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrews did so fear lest the Hebrews should fall from it Observe it well and you will find it to be this Historical Faith concerning Christ his Person his Offices his Sacrifice that he was the body the substance of all the ceremonial legal shadows which doctrine they had assentted to but under temptations were in danger to fall from it and so all persecutions in the Church did arise from their Dogmatical faith persecutions did all endeavour to evercome that Faith in all ages and persecutions of the Church If Dogmatical saith once fall saving Faith cannot shand therefore Satan struck so at this Faith in the Hebrews and all the Churches Hence again those whisperings of temptations not in times of persecutions but at other times Titubabit sides si vacillat Scripturarum Divinarum Authoritas Aug. de Christ doct l. 1. c. 37. Are those Scriptures you read the Word of God Are you sure of it Is there a God Are you sure of it Christians at first startle to meet with such motions these are horrid things indeed at the first on-set it may be Satan draws of not follows too hard afterward comes again and follows his motions a little more at last not only from Satan but from the unbelief and atheisine of our own hearts the Soul comes to be so pestered with them that they make him almost distracted and now he that before made a tush at Dogmatical faith
and real in his offer he doth not mock her her judgment approves of him as one fit to make a good Husband Then her will consents and takes him When the publick Minister as it ought to be and was in Commonwealths well governed and Churches comes to marry them his question is Wilt thou have this man c. She answers I will Then he ties the marriage knot Here is union they twain now are become one flesh he hath taken her and she hath taken him into marriage covenant and union She now being united to him rests upon him trusts to him goes to his purse for whatever she wants she lives upon him this is communion in his goods Thus it is in the spiritual Marriage the poor awakened sinner hears that Christ offers himself unto it if it be one who never heard of Christ as Jaylour and those Christians converted from Heathenisme then Paul must speak to him the Word of the Lord Acts 16.32 If others have heard the Name of Christ have general notions of him while they read the Gospel or hear it preached the Spirit joyns with it as it did with Paul and teacheth the Soul the knowledge of Christ that the Soul seeth Christ and knows him so as it never knew him before though it knew some of the same notions The Spirit teacheth the goodness of Christ this the Soul needs the same Spirit assureth the Soul of the truth of what he teacheth and draws the understanding to assent to all this Doctrine as true But if the question be Is Christ reall and true in his offer to such a vile wretch as I am He assureth the Soul from the Offer Call Command and Promise of Christ that he is true and doth not mock it Assent is given here also The Judgment approves of Christ exceedingly no good to him I am happy for ever in having him now the Soul having thus heard and learned of the Father John 6.45 both the excellency goodness and truth in all now the Will comes off freely take him ay with all my heat The door is opened to Christ who stood knocking Rev. 3.20 He hath opened the heart of Lydia Acts 16.14 The will thus taking him and giving up it self to him as thus offered union is made Christ and the Believer are become one mystically upon this follows communion the married believing Soul rests upon him trusts to him for all its wants till Christ hath brought the Soul to his Fathers house and to himself in glory This is Faith Christian and saving Faith that which will carry thee through if thou hast it and improvest it daily spending upon Christ his Stock who hath never the less do you and all Believers spend what you can Whether thou hast attained as yet to that assurance that this Christ and all his benefits are thine If thou hast a stormy and dark Voyage and canst not see the Sun many sad fears I know thou mayest have and sorrows enough yet this faith will carry thee safe to Heaven at last It is by grounded assurance that thou art comforted but it is by this faith thou art saved Which that I may make good let me prove that this saith which I have described is Gospel or saving faith And before I come to that let me speak to one Question which will help to the clearer proof of what I have affirmed if that be removed Quest Whether the essence of saving Faith doth lye in a particular perswasion and assurance that Christ with all his redemption is mine that I shall have life and salvation by his means Or assurance of Gods favour to me in particular and forgiveness of my sins Thus we have been catechized thus we read in eminent holy men master-builders against whom though we may argue for Truths sake and for the support of thousands of true believers yet for their abilities holiness Gospel simplicity spiritualness I fear few of us shall ever reach them their memory is precious Definitions give the essence or else they tell you nothing The question lies in that particular perswasion assurance that Christ is mine that my sins are forgiven as our ancient Divines have affirmed our later Divines have spoken exceeding well to it yet give me leave upon the Reasons I before mentioned to cast in my Mite That the essence of saving Faith doth not lye in that particular perswasion or assurance that Christ is mine and my sins forgiven I thus prove First Argument That is not the essence of saving Faith which Gospel-Ministers cannot press all men to but they must press most to believe a Lye But to press all men to particular perswasion or assurance that Christ is theirs forgiveness theirs is to press most men to believe a lye Ergo Particular perswasion or assurance that Christ is mine forgiveness mine is not the essence of saving Faith The Major is plain Gospel-Ministers who preach the Gospel of Truth and him who is the Way and Truth and cannot lye Tit. 1. must not preach that or press people to believe that which if they do believe as they are pressed they must most of them believe a lye this were horrible Now Gospel-Ministers are to press all men who hear the Gospel to believe in Jesus Christ This is the Commandment of God For this they are threatened if they do not believe in him with the wrath of God Christ is offered to all whosoever believe in him The Texts I have given before Object Ministers are to press all men prepared to belive in Christ Answ First But what if not prepared Is it not therefore their duty If it be not their duty then I confess all men must not be pressed to believe in him but then I hope unbelies in them is no sin because faith is not their duty because not prepared So unbelief in Christ shall condemn only those who were prepared for Christ but did not believe in him Mr. Shepherd gives this as the fourth general Reason of mans ruine Sincere Convert p. 266. false Faith Of this I doubt not false faith in Christ is the cause of the destruction of many Christians but for those words of this reverend Author We cannot rap off mens fingers from catching hold on Christ before they are fit for him need a little examining for some poor Christians will soon apply this to themselves Catching hold of Christ is meant faith this is plain from the thing it self and the Head he is upon Some men should have their fingers rapped off from catching hold on Christ but Ministers cannot do it What is the reason their fingers should be rapped off Not the error in their catching hold but because they are not fit for Christ then it seems they ought not to catch hold on Christ it is not their duty for if it be then their fingers must not be rapped off but guided and helped in laying hold Secondly Till they be fit But what is that fitness Is it not preparedness And when
understand they believe not what they read if they believe they apply not what they read If they do understand believe apyly and experience all they read in several Books of our eminent Divines I speak not of all for some write so that they leave nothing for Christians to stumble at then the Christians in England are much richer in Grace than I took them to be and much stronger than as you I find them to be but if they understand believe and cannot experience what they read then they must needs meet with those troubles which others have done unless upon examining their works by the holy Scriptures they have found ease because they have found their works in those particulars which did cause their troubles not to agree with holy Writ To the Law and to the Testimony if they speak not according to this Word Isai 8.20 is a standing Rule and blessed he God we have this to judge by Of these Books some respect the Constitution of a Christian some the Conversation of a Christian constituted The first sort are those which have caused the most trouble some in the preparation of the Soul for Christ amongst which are the Works of the eminent Servants-of Christ Mr. Thomas Hooker and Mr. Thomas Shepherd Others in the work of Faith or the closing of the Soul with Christ amongst whom chiefly is the reverend Mr. Daniel Rogers As for that trouble which the holy men of God Mr. Perkins Mr. John Rogers of Dedham with our ancient Divines have caused through their description of Faith that begins to be removed in great part our late Divines having cleared out the work of Faith in that manner as it was not understood before but for the former I meet with none as yet that have spoken to them though their Works in those particulars have caused great troubles among Christians who through the high respects they bear to the persons of these men being holy and eminent have believed what they write must needs be the Truth of God in every particular I was something troubled at them my self at my first reading them but upon serious examining them I began to question the truth of those particulars and having a little acquaintance with Mr Shepherd I wrote to him about that particular of which I doubted and gave him two or three Arguments against it He was pleased to write to me at large his Letter deserves the Press and had seen it were it not for one passage in it his Answers to my Arguments did not satisfie what they are I shall give the Reader faithfully without leaving out adding or altering one word Preaching once abroad I closed up the Point in hand by applying it to what Mr. Shepherd had delivered to see how those two Doctrines agreed A Gentleman and a Scholar meeting me some time after gave me thanks for the close of my Sermon I asked him why he told me he had a Maid-servant who was very godly and reading of that particular in Mr. Shepherd's Book which I opposed she was so cast down and fell into such troubles that all the Christians that came to her could not quiet her spirit For Mr. Daniel Rogers I have met with several Persons who have felt enough of temptations about their Faith and could not be resolved that ever their Faith was trus because of that which he had written but two I took notice of especially One was a Minister of a gracious spirit and a faithful Labourer in the Lords Vineyard Mr. John Glascock of little Canfield in Essex who laboured much under temptations from this Doctrine of Mr. Rogers The other was a good Woman but under as great desertions as ever I saw one there was another Minister with me in the Room that came to visit her I observed the Womans discourse well and what answers she gave us I perceived at last though I did not know whether the Woman had ever seen the Book she was upon Mr. Daniel Rogers Divinity and so I told the other Minister this is Mr. Daniel Rogers Divinity yea said the Woman presently I read it this morning in his Book long it was before this good Woman got out of this darkness Another Person given much to reading of good Books and I hope made good use of them spake these words to me As for Mr. Daniel Rogers and Mr. Shepherd I am afraid to read their Books they have laid such blocks in my way By these experiences which I had found the Books of these worthy men being in the hands of many Christians I thought there might be many whom I knew not that had met with the same affticting thoughts from them which my self and others had done upon which grounds and partly being moved thereto long since by some godly Divines I have brought their works and with them my self to the tryal professing if they be right then must I go look for another work then ever yet I met withall in my own heart As to Mr. Daniel Rogers what he met with in the close of his life I was a little acquainted with it He was a man of great parts great grace and great infirmities My Father Ward would often say of him My Brother * Mr. Rich. Rogers Father to this married the Widow of Mr. John Ward that excellent Divine of whom Doctor Whitaker would say Give me John Ward for a Text. Rogers hath grace enough for two men and not half enough for himself A most woful temper or rather distemper in his constitution which hindered much the lustre of that grace which was-in him By one passage we may judge of his grace he dined one day at a Knights Table what company was there I knew not but he had not that liberty to be seasoning his meat with savoury and spiritual discourse as he was wont to do to sit at meals and not one word for God was to him strange The next day he comes to my house the man was sadly dejected in such a manner that those who fall into gross sins scarce know so much sorrow What is the matter said I This was the reason that he was a man of such a base dastardly Spirit that he could not speak for God I told him your Father would say in such companies if you cannot sow any good you do well if you can keep out evil Much ado I had to get up his Spirit Though he was a man of such grace yet in the last year of his life coming to my house he threw himself upon my bed in a great Agony with this expression to me Cousin I would change with the meanest Christian-in Wetherfield that hath but soundness of grace God did handle him strangely beat him about in such a manner that had it been another person I should have pitied him more than I could pity him who had troubled so many sincere Christians with his Doctrine and being one of such a Spirit that such poor Creatures as I am must not
the Word Admon ad Gentes p. 11. saith He the Word appeared to men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Peddagog l. 1. p. 113. He only is both God and man In another place speaking of God and the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They are both One Strom. l. 7. p. 702 703. that is to say God But in another place he insisteth largely upon this shewing the Divinity as well as the Humanity of Christ Origen against Celsus l. 1. Celsus saith Origen thinks there is no other Divinity in the Humane Body which Christ carried about than in Homer 's Fictitious Fables we affirm he doth consist of the Humane together with the Divine Nature In another Book against Celsus l. 2. In that we do sharply accuse the Jews that they did not believe their own Prophets who in many places did testifie that he is God God and Father of all Several other places I have noted in Origen Tertullian De Carne Christi acknowledgeth Christ hath two Substances And again in the same Book against Marcion he asserts the Divine and Humane Nature of Christ In his Book concerning the Trinity and his Book against Praxeas he clearly holds forth that Christ was God and man Cyprian thus Jesus Christ God and our Lord De bono Potientis though the Son of God did not despise to take the flesh of man Though immortal suffered himself to be made mortal In his second Book against the Jews he brings several Scriptures to prove Christ to be God and man Arnobius Contra Gentes I have observed in five places maintaining the same Doctrine of the Divinity and Humanity of Christ His eighth Book I do not reckon because it is supposed not to be his Lactantius in many Chapters of his fourth Took De Vera Sapientia doth manifest his faith plain enough that Christ is both God and man These Authors I have who all lived before Athanasius if they say that Christ was inferiour to his Father or was subject to him did receive from him c. Who deny this And doth not the Soripture say the same considering the Humane Nature of Christ the Offices he undertook the state of a Servant which he underwent we ean easily tell how to understand these things and yet believe he was true God as the Scriptures have declared and these Ancient Writers have believed These things considered make me believe the Truth of what Athanasius reports Contra Arian disput 1. That in the Council of Nice all the Bishops as many as were there present when they heard Arrius Doctrine concerning Christ they stopped their ears and all of them with a common suffrage condemned that Heresie and Anathematized it saying it was strange to and diverse from the Faith of the Church So it appears by the Quotations I have given out of the Ancient Writers from the Apostles dayes whence Athanasius and that Council were not the first that broached the Doctrine which we maintain as Orthodox but they maintained the same Doctrine which the Prophets and Apostles as Bradwardin offers to justifie had taught But I have done with this hoping that God will stir up those to whom he hath given abilities and have time for studies to appear against these Doctrines so destructive to the Christian Religion and tending so much to the perdition of mens Souls As to this Treatise I know it is that Subject upon which several men of better heads and hearts than mine have already written But that which is the main thing in it and without which I had no thoughts of ever setting Pen to paper I have not met with any man that hath spoken to it yet the consequence is so great that the soundness or unsoundness of our Conversion depends upon it Whether that which I have written be fatisfactory to the judicious Reader I must leave it being willing to be taught if I have erred If the Reader be offended at the language being so plain I shall not be much troubled at that it hath been ever my unhappiness to prefer an Apodictick Syllogisme before a Jingling Paranomasie my business is with those who are troubled about their Spiritual state whether it be sound or false and Silken language sutes not those who are cloathed in Sackcloth I am much encouraged as to this Point by the stile in which the Holy Spirit guided his Servants to write also by observing whom they were that God hath made the greatest use of in his Church as to bringing home Souls to Christ neither Mr. Richard nor Mr. John Rogers were John Chrysostom yet God honoured none more in these parts of England with Conversion of Souls than these men Gallant language never did Gods work that I have observed what is it indeed as to a mans Judgment or Conscience I write as I love to read when I read Divinity Books I look for Divinity and solid Reason not for Language that man to whom sound Divinity will not be acceptable unless it be cloathed with embroidered language had best make sure that his heart be sound these are not the Readers for whom I intend my Discourse being such I believe as never were acquainted with the works or troubled with those temptations of which it treats Some Quotations there are out of Latine Authors which I have not translated into English supposing they would not be understood by most though they were translated If God shall please to make my labours helpful to thy spiritual estate let God have the praise and let him have thy Prayers who is One of the meanest of Christs Servants GILES FIRMIN ERRATA By reason of the Authors remote distance from the Press many faults have escaped which the most material are here taken notice of and the Courteous Reader is desired to correct them as any other here not specified INtroduction Page 1. line 12. read them p. 2. l. 1. r. allude Treatise Page 2 line 29. read praeparationibus p. 5. l. 10. dele all p. 9. margent r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 13. l. 15. r. signal p. 16. l. 5. r. to p. 18. l 7. r. Mechanicks p. 19. l. 4. r. make p. 23. l. 11. dele first p. 27. l. 11 dele his p. 30. l. 28. r. so p. 30 l. 31. r. Sculls p. 31 l. 10. r. as p. 32. l. 25. r. only p. 34. l. 13. r Joh. 16. p. 45 l. 8. r. Parson p. 58. l 33. r. his p 91. l. 25. r. extrinsece p. 98. l. 27. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 99. l. 28 r. as p. 100. l. 24. r. own p. 108. l. 23. r. it p. 109. l. 9. r. it p. 115. l. 4. r. stick p. 116. l. 9. dele it p. 133. l. 19. r. volitum p. 142. l. 10. dele after p. 156. l. 27. dele laid l. 28. r. Egyptians were p. 158 l. 21. r. King I ult r. attribute p. 162 marg r. ignorance p. 162 l 36. dele not do p. 166. l. 26 r declaring assent
a Wife so comely that few Women like her He answered Yea were she not my Wife I could love her It seems had she been his Whore he could love her he thought none like her but because she was his Wife hedged in by God now he did not care for her I do not say what a heart had he but good Lord what hearts have we Let God deal exceeding well with us better then that our corrupt hearts chuse yet if God hath by his holy Will tyed us up to that which is better and a mans own reason yield it to be better Sin takes occasion by the Law and works all manner of Concupiscence Rom. 7.8 that is best which is cross to God So true is that which that Divine Poet Herbert hath sung concerning this very Sin If God had laid all common certainly Man would have been the Incloser but since now God hath impal'd us on the contrary Man breaks the fence and every ground will plow O what were man might he himself misplace Sure to be cross he would shift feet and face Still we see God and we part only upon inordinacy So we may go on in any other Sin Profit Gain Riches are great things in mens eyes and doth God deny these likewise to his people It may be you will say few of these Precisians Puritans Fanaticks as now called thrive in the world we must not look for Riches amongst them in the way they take And what I pray do profit and riches follow all those who are strangers to God and follow after the world that make Mammon their God Do we not see the contrary How many of those who have kept close to God hath the Lord blessed and given them power to get wealth Deut. 8.18 when others have sunk and come to nothing If a mean condition be the common portion of his people yet a little that a righteous man hath is better then the riches of many wicked Psal 37.16 Sure I am The blessing of the Lord it maketh rich and be addeth no sorrow with it Prov. 10.22 This is your Bible you say which we little regard we will believe our senses for all your Bible and you may believe your senses if you please and see if you do not feel the truth of what our Bible saith There was one in London a Broaker who was resolved for Gain and had it seems a secret and sinful way in his Trade to attain his end Coming under the ministry of one with whom I was acquainted and who told me the story it seems the Word met with him and set Conscience upon his back which made the man so troubled that he could not tell what to do to let go this secret way of gain he could not yield to that to follow it he could not with quiet his Conscience did so gall him he comes to the Minister oft-times and talks with him fain would he have found a way to conjure down his Conscience that he might have gone on quietly but could not for a long time he would follow the Minister sometimes in the street with these words Good Sir let me alone but one half year and then I will give up this course Friend said the Minister I meddle not with thee I speak not to thee But it seems the man found that true that it was not the blessing of God made him rich and he found sorrow with his Riches and so have many hundreds more while others have found Profit and Riches coming in with the enjoyment of God with them So that still God withholdeth no good thing from them that walk uprightly Psal 84 11. Fourthly May not a man be as well without these lusts as with them I appeal to any mans experience even thy self who makest this Objection let the corruption be what it will If a man be intemperate following his pot and companions one day the next day he keeps sober sollows his Calling is he not as well this day when sober as yesterday when intemperate Doth he not see intemperance may be spared without any dammage or hinderance to a mans content Take any other lust is not the chast person as well as he that is unclean Is not a man when meek as well as when he is passionate and froward Doth not experience teach us there is no need of these lusts How often have Christians and those that do not fall into sins to blemish their Profession been angry with themselves yea almost stampt with vexing must I cross the Will of so great and glorious a Majesty offend so sweet a Saviour trouble my peace hinder my comforts for that which I can as well spare as the dirt of my shooes have no more need of it and yet this body of death how it clogs me Fifthly We will grant it that thy lust or idol which thou so lovest doth give delight to thy corrupt heart but is the good so great that it countervails the evil that attends it We say and that truly a man may buy gold too dear so may men buy pleasures and profits too dear How quickly are the pleasures of sin over pass away in the act some of the strongest of them Pleasures of sin for a season Heb. 11.25 but the evil that attends sin hath the word Never attending it The Worm never dies Should a Prince give a Subject leave to fill himself with what pleasures his heart could desire his mind invent and enjoy them to the height the longest day in Summer but at night he must go lie in an Oven fiery hot would any man chuse the pleasures of one day upon this condition A plain similitude but illustrates the thing in hand If thou shouldest live the longest measure of time that any man hath done and spend all that time in nothing but pleasures which no man ever did but met with some crosses afflictions or sickness but at the evening of this life must take up thy lodging in the everlasting burnings and devouring fire Isa 33.14 were those pleasures answerable to these everlasting burnings An English Merchant that lived at Dantzick now with God told us this story and it was true A friend of his a Merchant also upon what grounds I know not went to a Covent and dined with some Fryars his entertainment was very noble after he had dined and seen all the Merchant fell to commending their pleasant lives Yea said one of the Friars to him we live gallantly indeed had we any body to go to hell for us when we die Were the evils that follow sin no other then what some feel even in this life and for many their lusts have brought them upon them yet he were a fool who would give up himself to the pleasures of any lust to lie under such evils at last What wants poverty and misery have some come to who had once good Estates but spent them in serving their lusts What torments do many feel in their bodies by the French
come Christ will not force a Match take the Soul come to that degree of preparation I have mentioned and now with all its Soul it would get a Christ if it could come to him ay with all my heart draw and I come I will help draw you Thou knowest how thou hast played the rebel against God now you feel the smart of it 't is true now you would have Christ the Love of God Grace these things would cure and ease you but I must tell you God is Soveraign of his own Grace gives it where he pleaseth and if he will have the glory of his Power and Justice upon you and deny you Christ Grace Love and damn you you must be content quiet satisfied and willing to be at his disposal as to this point O how sweetly doth this Cord draw to Christ it may prove a Cord indeed but not to draw the Soul to Christ for there is not the least spiritual Logick in it to draw the Souls to Christ but to help to hang it however reverend Mr. Hooker thinks it is the only way to save from the halter let those that will try it blessed be God for the Cords of the Gospel of which I am sure this is none Is this the way to beget good thoughts in the Soul of God and Christ that must be one way if ever we intend to draw to Christ This is wooing with a witness to tell the Soul this story Sixth Argument That condition which clasheth with the Duties God requires of his Creature that condition is not requisite in preparation But that condition in the question clasheth with the Duties God requires being actually put it keeps them from performing their duty Ergo That condition is not requisite The Major is plain enough People must not be kept from doing that which is their duty at all times God calls me to Christ it is my duty to go to him God offers Christ to me it is my duty to receive him God commands me to believe in him the highest disobedience that can be not to obey He threatens me with his wrath if I do not believe I must be damned then if I do not believe in him God promiseth me if I believe in him I shall have his Love his Grace be saved My duty is to believe his Truth and faithfulness in my Baptisme God sealed his Promise and his Covenant it is my duty to make use of it to look to my condition under that Covenant and believe Gods truth goodness faithfulness in it In all these my duty is to believe God was real that he did not offer call command promise seal one thing and mean another God did not mock me nor dare I mock him On the other side Mr. Shepherd and Mr. Hooker tell me it is my duty to be content satisfied without Christ for if I must be content to be without Gods Love Grace and be damned then I must be content without Christ if God will have it so But say I Gods will appears contrary he tells me my duty plainly in all those Heads There is an imagination a supposition set against as plain duties as any in the Bible Some thing of this Argument I wrote to Mr. Shepherd his answer to it is this I do not think that any man in humiliation for sin is to be carelesly content and quiet nor did I so understand Mr. Shepherd that God should dispose of him how he will as caring for nothing but humbly and meekly quiet and content he should as unworthy of any thing had worthiness been the thing we should soon agree which latter may well stand with earnest seeking after Gods Love and Gods threatning the Soul if he do not as Christ that was content to drink the Cup yet earnestly prayed against it and this answers another scruple viz. that if a Christian must be so far humbled as not to resist God when he comes to do him good nor yet to quarrel in case it thinks the Lord may cast it off then how can this stand say you with Gods Command who bids us seek his favour or with his threatning if we do not This is all the answer of this reverend man I omit not one syllable In which I desire the Reader to observe that for the word quarrel it was his putting in not mine for I did never intend to justifie that a Creature should quarrel with his Creatour though we read of those in the Scripture that did so in the day of their temptations but this was their infirmity This as I have shewn was another question and I have spoken to this before Also he may observe that I have not mistaken the sense of the question disputing against careless content For then I would not have called such a Soul a damned Saint if such a thing be attainable Yet a strange Riddle if the thing be attainable in this Soul under that preparation we have mentioned and the question speaks of that the highest Act of quiet subjection to the Justice of God which no rational Creature can imagine the like can be performed by one where there is no Grace as yet So that there is nothing added in Mr. Shepherd's answer to my Argument but only this A man may earnestly seek for the favour of God and yet at that time be quietly content to be denied if his pleasure be to deny it this he proves from Christs earnest prayer against the Cup yet content c. This is all I have to reply to Now to this Answer I reply It is very true that a man may pray earnestly for favour from God or favour of God taken in a large sense and yet at the same time may and I will add ought at the same time labour for a quiet meek contented frame if God will deny it but this hits not my Argument I argued thus Here is a Command of God lyes upon me my duty is to answer it Here is a threatning of damnation if I do not perform my duty yet at the same time here is a duty lyes upon me to be quietly content without the duty which I am commanded and threatned if I obey not one duty clasheth against the other As Grace is my duty I must have it or damned It is your duty saith Mr. Shepherd to be quietly content though God will never give you Grace at the same time It is my duty to seek my union with God and his Love he is my summum bonum if I have him not I am damned It is your duty to be quietly content without your summum bonum without God without his Love if he will have it so So it is my duty to believe in Christ else I am damned if I obey not It is your duty to be quietly content without Faith and Christ if God will not give him to you saith Mr. Shepherd So that I cannot see where the strength of my Argument is touched at all For his proof from Christ
which thou wert sure to gain a thousand pound without any such sensible reluctancy and resistance at that time That thou wilt find rebellion and reluctancy enough afterwards against the wayes of Christ and holiness I deny not and too much enough to make thee groan yet still thy will holds the same towards Christ who destroyes the dominion of that rebellion though he doth not remove the trouble of that rebellion As for that mighty power which the Gospel speaks of in those who did believe let others judge as they please yet for my part I do not think it is meant only of that power which God puts forth upon the will but upon the understanding also in causing that Faith of assent which so many Christians make light of for to have the Jews who had been trained up above a thousand years that Church under Moses Discipline all those things commanded by God and they bound to observe them to have so many Scriptures speak as if that Administration should be for ever and to see Christ in the flesh so low in his state of Humiliation crucified c. for these to lay by all the ceremonial worship to entertain this low despised person to look on him in whom they could see no beauty why they should desire him Isai 53.2 not only as man but God in our flesh the Jews understood him right John 10.33 and Matth. 9.3 and had not Christ been God he would have rejected it with abhorrency as being a horrible sin as bad as the Jews made it for one to make himself God who was not so to renouce their own righteousness and venture their souls only upon him For the Gentiles Ephesians c. who had alwayes been nursed up under dumb Idols but their forefathers Religion upon the preaching of a plain fellow Paul and other Apostles to believe on the true God renouncing their false gods and not only so but which is much more to believe on one Jesus Christ a despised crucified person one whom they never saw to believe him to be God-man to fly to his righteousness and blood venture their immortal souls and salvation upon him So to believe these Truths to assent to them which were the ground why they left Idols Lusts and embraced Christ and holiness in spight of persecutions though the Jews and Gentiles did see miracles which did help to confirm the Doctrine of Christ yet I must say it was a mighty power of God to make them assent to and believe these Truths being so supernatural some so much above though not contrary to reason and also cross to flesh and blood Though I will not contend about the question whether the power of God were more in making their understandings to assent I speak of those who were sound believers not others to those Truths or their wills to consent and embrace the goodness held out in those true Propositions Yet I will affirm it was a mighty power of God and well might it be said It is given you not only to believe but to suffer for those Truths which you do believe and assent unto Phil. 1 29. Neither was this the mighty power of God only then but it is now also and some have felt it under temptations though most make nothing it because it hath been a Religion owned above sixteen hundred years our Fathers Religion and all the Nations hereabouts of the same profession all which are poor grounds to make up Divine faith The first news I had of this temptation was when above twenty years since being about the Mediterranean and lay in danger of Turks who then were exceeding strong and busie In case I should be taken by the Turks what have you for your Religion to make you give assent to your Gospel The Turks and those who profess the Mahometan doctrine are far more numerous than Christians are have been in possession of it a thousand years and much of this stuffe was suggested whence I saw presently and have since many times learned by experience that those grounds upon which most Christians go will signifie little to bear up a man in day of temptations and still I must and will say to work up a Soul to such an assent as is Divine faith in a day of temptation especially there is required a great power of God It is true God doth not let many of his weak as to Intellectuals I mean people be tried here yet the Truth is real although God spares you and do not slight it If then after this discourse you ask me What is saving Faith in Christ I shall answer It is that Grace whereby we receive Christ as he is offered to us in the Gospel and so resting upon him Salvation By receiving I intend that Act of the Will which I mentioned in the fourth Head yet including the other in the understanding I shall open it by a plain Similitude presently As he is offered c. he that receives him not as he is offered doth not receive the Christ that God in the Gospel offers but a Christ of his own making I said it was the Person of Christ cloathed with all his Offices or compleat Redemption This reception makes the union Having thus received him now rest upon him for salvation by salvation is understood all the benefits of Christ which are salvation begun prepare and make fit for salvation to be compleated in glory thus we rest upon him for pardon justification peace holiness mortifying of corruptions support against all temptations grace to perform duties and perseverance in all these There are abundance rest upon Christ or trust to him for salvation therefore I said so resting How is that As you received him How did you receive him As God offered him This must be looked to else your resting upon Christ is but in vain But this so resting takes in communion To open this by a plain Similitude of marriage Such a person first offers himself to a Virgin seeks her good will and consent to take him for her Husband the person being not well known to her she tells him Sir you are but a stranger to me though I have heard of your name yet I have no such knowledge of you as to give answer to so weighty a question give me time to enquire after you that I may know whom I marry if I should give consent This is but reasonable saith he and bids her do so She sets her wisest and most faithful friends on work to enquire after him for his estate temper conversation c. The business is what good she is like to have in taking him if those whom she intrusted being wise and faithful bring in full and clear testimony that the man is for person temper education estate and conversation such a one as she may be happy in now she hath knowledge of him now she assents to the truth of what her friends report to her being wise and faithful and assured that he is true
is de fide we know it by revelation we have Gods testimony for it But I believe this minor proposition how do you know that It must be by a mans retiring into himself and there taking a view of his own heart examining what God hath done there how he hath drawn the Soul to Christ which I know the mind of man illuminated sanctified this Spirit of man the candle of the Lord searching all the inward parts of the belly Prov. 20.27 with the Spirit of God helping of it against all those darkning Objections which Satan and his own timerous heart raiseth may experience find out and that certainly and so draw up this conclusion therefore Christ is mine my sins are forgiven the conclusion is certain that Soul is not deceived there may be a firm assent given to this conclusion If so then saith learned Ward De fide justific cap. 33. Rectissime dicitur assensus-fidei specialis cui nec subest aliquando nec subesse potest falsum non minus quam fidei Catholicae Here I shrink certainty I acknowledge not a wavering conjecture but to have it special Divine faith and to be as certain as this proposition That he that believeth in Christ is justified or pardoned of which I am sure it is true non potest subesse falsum this is hard to yield to The minor is certain with the certainty of experience or experimental knowledge he saith experience and faith are different things How then is the conclusion certain with the certainty of Divine Faith The conclusion must follow the weaker part and I think my experience is weaker than Gods testimony then let the conclusion follow my experience and so be certain with the certainty of experience and if so then be sure the particular perswasion and assurance Christ is mine cannot be the essence of saving faith For there is no faith at all in that conclusion However make the best of it it is but mixed I find that learned Author twice asserting that divine propositions p. 33. 205. de fi de being more obscure and less evident they are therefore the weaker eo nomine deteriores because of the Inevidentia in this Divine proposition He that believeth in Christ the Mediatour his sins are forgiven therefore there is a Debilitas a weakness in this proposition whence if the Syllogisme be formed He that believeth in Christ Mediatour his sins are forgiven But I believe in Christ Mediatour which I know by experience Therefore my sins are pardoned Here the conclusion must follow the more ineyident and so the weaker part which is the Major Pace tanti viri here we must dissent I would not have it said that ullo nomine a Divine proposition should be deterior than other Scientifical propositions That stout Champion Bradwardin arguing against some Philosophers who presumed they could know God fully and deriding of Christians because they believed something concerning God which they knew not how to demonstrate by way of humane reason after he had proved that God was infinitely more not known than known he bids the Philosophers cease deriding Christians for believing some things divinely revealed concerning God and his works which they knew not how to demonstrate De causa Dei p. 29. but knew how to defend them from their contradictory demonstrations then saith he ought not this to satisfie any Christian yea or profane man for a Demonstration Deus dicit Jehovah saith it is a Demonstration sufficient in Bradwardin's esteem and certainly if it be as impossible for God or the Prima Vâ—â—â—â—â—â— to be untrue or false as for fire to be cold or Sun 〈…〉 dark then if he saith it there is as much strength in that proposition to command assent from our understandings as in any proposition of which you can make demonstration by any humane reason 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Dialog can Triph. p. 224. Justin Martyr saith the Prophets did not compose their Writings by demonstration but were Witnesses worthy to be believed of truth far above all demonstration then certainly a Divine proposition cannot be the weaker part of a Syllogism which the conclusion must follow Again why doth this learned man say that Divine propositions de fide are more obscure I mean ex hypothesi that it be yielded that it is a Divine Proposition as this proposition which he propounds He that believes in Christ the Mediatour his sins are forgiven What obscurity is there in this proposition more than in the next But I believe in Christ the Mediatour Is the obscurity as to the proposition whether this be an Article divinely revealed Then the minor is but in vain I would never trouble my self to know whether I believe in this Christ Mediatour or not But is that yielded it is an Article of Divine faith Is the obscurity in the word believe Then the minor must be as obscure Is it in the object of this faith Christ the Mediatour That is a Mystery indeed his person and his work but still the minor will be as obscure for the minor Proposition assumes the Tertium argumentum out of major Proposition and disposeth it with the subject of the question and if it be obscure there it must be so here In the next words cannot be the obscurity But this I am sure of in the minor that I believe there may be obscurity rising from a person where though there be light yet there is also much darkness but in God there is light and no darkness not so much as the shadow of a lye Again whereas the learned Author saith Propositions de fide are more certain than Scientifical propositions If they be more certain then my assent unto such Propositions must needs be more certain If the question then be to which of these Propositions He that believes in Christ the Mediatour his sins are pardoned I believe in Christ the Mediatour Can I give the most certain assent To the first surely being a Proposition de fide then that must be the stronger of the premises and the minor is the weaker which the conclusion must follow The learned Author saith that the minor I believe in Christ must be de fide because it cannot be known quoad modum without the irradiation of the holy Spirit which irradiation for so I think he puts infallibiliter certa vera in the ablative case to agree with irradiatione is infallibly certain and true Here we have something that is obscure What is this irradiation of the Spirit Reverend Mr. Bolton mentions several cases and times Gener. Direct p. 326. in which the Spirit doth suggest and iustifie to a sanctified conscience with a secret still heart-ravishing voice thus or in like manner thou art a Child of God thy sins are pardoned thou art one of them that shall be saved That it is with a voice alwayes he doth not say but that the Spirit doth so break in upon a Soul in a secret
something lurking that I do not yet see some secret hppocrisie lyeth yet undiscovered he that is known to be a lyar who will trust him or believe him though at this time he doth speak truth My heart is known to be a lyar God hath said so Jer. 17.9 and I have found his Word true how then can I chuse but fear there may be something at bottom that as yet I know not Thus you shall have Christians stand when you have so pent them up that they cannot but yield to you yet say they I fear I fear and that is all you shall get from them but to draw up the Conclusion no by no means they cannot do that Thirdly Though the Soul doth assent to the minor Proposition yet his assent unto it is not so strong and firm to force the Conclusion that Christ is his or that he is a believer as his Assent to the minor Proposition in the state of unregeneracy was to force this Conclusion that he was miserable and in that state must perish or that Christ was none of his Frame the Argument thus He that is an enemy to God and God to him under sin under unbelief a child of wrath he is in a miserable perishing state But I am an enemy to God and God to me I am under sin under unbelief a child of wrath Therefore I am in a miserable and perishing condition Here the Premises and the Assent to these Premises is so strong that the Conclusion is forced so as no resisting The Major is so plain that there is no opposing it The Minor where the pinch lies in concluding our good estate here in our proving our miserable state is as strong as the Major for the same word of God tells us it is the condition of us all by nature Col. 1.21 Ephes 2.16 2 Cor. 5.19 20. Rom. 8.7 and 11.32 Gal. 3.22 Ephes 2.3 Rom. 3.23 Whence the Assent I give to the Minor is not only from the sense of sin and enmity which I feel in my self which Assent is yet stronger for I am sure here cannot subesse falsum but besides this I Assent to it by a Divine faith because by necessary consequence from these Scriptures it follows That if all men are so by nature then though my name be not in the text yet I am sure I am included in the text But in drawing up my Conclusion for my saved state the Minor Proposition upon which the stress lies I cannot assent to it by a Divine faith as I did to the other because it is not contained in any Text that I do believe and may be forced out of the Text by necessary consequence Again to say I am as sensible of sincerity of saving grace as I am sensible of sin therefore I can as truly assent to the Minor from what I feel that I have sound faith as I did assent from my feeling that I had and have sin this the heart will shrink at and is afraid to speak so boldly though it may be truth that he is sensible of Grace Thirdly When a Christian by close examination is pent up to give answer yea or nay whether he have not so received Christ or such a work of faith is wrought in him as you by opening it and questioning of him would perswade him Arguments pro and con being weighed the Arguments for the Affirmative that such a work is wrought prove the heavier and cast the scale in the judgment of his own Reason and Conscience which he must not bely which doth witness and his own feeling testifies this in him But then here are two things 1. Though the Soul doth assent to the Affirmative yet he seeth much lye in the other Scale for the Negative which makes his assent that it is not so strong 2. He doth answer to what is in him according to his feeling or spiritual sense what work is actually there and if he denies his own feeling then Conscience will tell him he lyes and it is a vile thing to deny the work of God which he feels But this Proposition Christ is mine pardon is mine is not a work in him it is not felt by spiritual sense and experience as the other is and therefore he less minds that as being in no such great danger of denying a work of God in him or having Conscience tell him he lyes in denying what he feels and cannot but experience is wrought in him Fourthly The Christian upon tryal and examination answers to the question as he considers the work of faith in its causes or essence a priori and so commonly when you examine is it not thus you open the nature and essence of faith to him and he viewing of his own heart tells you if I know any thing of my own heart I have thus received I do thus cleave to Christ rest and roul my Soul upon him for all benefits of communion and execution of all his Offices but for the experiencing of these in my heart I cannot I have looked and longed to find Christ ruling like a King in me and acting like a Prophet in me and so as a Priest for me Now the want of these experiences shake his assent which he gave before while he considers faith in the causes Certainly saith the Soul if I had rightly received him did I truly cleave and trust to him I should experience the vertues of his Offices as well as the woman found vertue flowing from him when she touched the hem of his garment Matth. 9.20 Now if the want of these make him almost to eat his words the assent he gave before though still the Soul would hold that for saith the man were I to begin the work now again that a new I were to believe in Christ I could not tell how I should receive him adhere to him roul upon him otherwise than I do and have done already note this Christian and hold it so that it will not wholly let it go but hold it yet if the want can so shatter his assent to the minor Proposition to be sure the want of these experiences will trouble him so that he dare not assent to the Conclusion A man must have experience of Christ before he can say Christ is mine Fifthly Suppose saith the poor Christian I should draw up the Conclusion and say Christ is mine my sins are pardoned and if this should not be true where am I then hath not this been the case of many a hypocrite and unsound believer have not they thus said and thus believed and after all prove rotten and may it not be my case as well as theirs for they appeared to have more than I have these examples make the real Christian to tremble he dare not speak or think such high things for fear his fall should be more dreadful How Satan can work in all these I do not mention I will not multiply Heads Sixthly To draw up this Conclusion Christ is mine forgiveness