from the Spirit which shines in the renewed heart by an unspeakable light 1 Cor. 2. 12 and manifests unto it the things given unto it of God and so seals and witnesseth the truth and goodnesse of our particular interests in God and Christ according to the word of God 2. Another is from faith which doth testifie the interests of the soule in that happinesse which it finds revealed in the Word For that which faith beleeves by a direct act in the Word it may testifie of the same to the person by a refexive * By assurance act 3. A third is from Conscience which beholding the simplicity and godly sincerity of the heart testifies unto it against all opposition that this blessed frame is in the soule and this testimony being concordant with that of the word the soul is thereby greatly sustained forasmuch as this is knowne before viz. A sincere temper is happy and now Conscience clearing that temper the soule hereupon is much cheered 2. Our condition falls under a three-fold consideration A threefold estate 1. Sometimes under the accusations of Conscience Conscience doth speak and testifie but it is either that our hearts are totally base and sinfull and corrupt or that in such and such a particular it is not right it was not perfect but sinfull and degenerating 2. Sometimes under the excusations of Conscience where Conscience testifies and acquits and speaks peace either As in Paul loc cit As in David about Saul about the frame of the heart or rectitude of some particular action and course 3. Sometimes under a neutrall act or work of the Conscience i. The Conscience like Absolom to Ammon 2 Sam. 13. 22. speaks unto a person neither good nor bad It doth not accuse him nor doth it excuse him it doth not speak terror nor doth it speak peace it doth not charge any speciall guilt nor doth it give us a particular discharge of any Now this is the time of fears and doubts I will shew you why because 1. A negative state satisfies not a tender Christian It doth not satisfie a tender soule that God looks not like an enemy unlesse also he looks as a friend or that Conscience doth not check but that it should excuse It doth trouble us many times that in our exemptions from trouble wee yet find no Peace-speaker 2. It gives suspicion of a neutrall estate because Conscience seems to behave it selfe as a neutrall neither against us nor for us I call that a neutrall estate which is not eminently evill it hath some good in it and doth some good but is not so good as to be gracious therefore the civill estate is a neutrall it doth not rise to be so bad as the worst nor to be so good as the best people are Now this estate absolutely considered is bad it is an evill estate it is an estate in which if a man lives and dies and goes not beyond it he cannot be saved 3. It may breed an expectation of the worse testimony of Conscience for withdrawments are sometimes the forerunners of some bitter intentions It fell out ill with Saul when God withdrew himselfe from him So when Conscience withdraws perhaps my Conscience hath found matter against me and as it doth not now speak peace so perhaps shortly it may speak bitter things unto me 4 Nay Conscience is Gods Vice-gerent it is his Deputy and therefore in the silences and withdrawments of it wee look through and feare the disposition of God himself towards us because the servants do ordinarily expresse the conceits and inclinations and affections of their masters And this is certaine that we doe in an angry conscience behold Conscience is the looking-glasse alwayes an angry God and so in a cheerfull conscience a gracious God and so shall we in a silent conscience suspect a doubtfull God We doe ordinarily judge how God is towards us by what we find and feele Conscience to be towards us This is the glasse in which we see his favours or frowns These are the springs of Doubtings which I have enlarged in their opening unto you it is likely there may be more then these I could also deliver you more about the temporall estate but that is out of our scope and compasse now It now remains that I descend to the closing up of these springs to the cures and remedies of these Doubtings which is the last thing proposed CAP. V. The Cures and Remedies of Doubtings HEre lies our next and greatest work And therefore as Physitians in this part are more cautelous to administer things which are in their qualities most proper and in their measures most convenient so must we in the healings and closings of the spirituall distempers of the soule And therefore that this work may be happily performed I shall desiring Gods grace to assist and blesse prescribe unto you 1. The particular cures which Two sorts of cures Particular Generall shall answer all those particular springs of doubtings before mentioned Then 2. The generall Cures and Remedies which may extend to the help of all or most of our doubtings if time and leasure hold out The particular Cures 1. Naturall corruption was The first cure answering the first cause of doubtings the first spring of Doubtings and Mortification is the first help and remedy That is the Disease and this is the Cure I may say that of our faith which the Apostle speaks of our persons Rom. 8. 13. If yee Rom. 8. 13 through the Spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live The more our sinnes doe die in us the more our faith will live in us We are diseased men take us in our best condition Similies and you know the more any disease doth lose of its strength the more doth our health rise up and thrive and so we are as a garden which hath many plants and severall weeds the abating of these the rooting up and killing of these contributes the greater reliefe and strengthning to our plants The Apostle Heb. 10. 22. Heb. 10. 22 would have them to draw neare with a true heart in full assurance of Faith he would have them to cast out their doubtings in their approaches unto God he would have them to come with assurance with a full assurance to come so as verily to be perswaded of Gods acceptation of them not indifferently to come with May be I shall be accepted may be I shall not this is a doubtfull approaching But what doth he adjoyne to this exhortation Observe the next words Having your hearts sprinkled from an evill conscience d. As long as your hearts are evill as long as Conscience can charge you for entertained evill you will be wavering and doubtfull But if your hearts were sprinkled if the evill of sin were washed from them then you might come with a full assurance of faith i. Then faith might fully perswade you to come confidently unto God for
59 8. Imbecillity of judgement 64 Which 1. wants the strength of truth because it wants the apprehension of it 66 2. Is easily over-mastered with error ibid. 9. Ignorance of the doctrine of Justification 70 10. Disputation against the Promises 81 Three arguments confirming that to promote Doubtings 11. Suspension of divine favour 89 Foure Grounds for doubting in this 12. Crediting of Satans testimony 94 13. New risings of old sins 98 Now we question 1. Reality of pardon 99 2. Sincerity of repentance 100 14. Silence in conscience 102 Foure occasions to doubt by reason thereof 105. to 107 CAP. V. The cures of doubtings 109 1. Mortification a cure of inherent corruption 110 What kind of mortifying doth it 118 Specially of unbeliefe 121 Three deirections for that 124 2. Faith is to be perfected 125 Some rules for that 3. Keep down the life of sense 137 Some directions concerning this 138 4. Scope is to be given unto faith 146 Three considerations about this 147 5. What to doe concerning speciall sins after conversion 160 Three directions with encouragements if followed 6. The case of indisposition 177 The differences twixt a dull heart and a dead heart 178 All indisposition is not fundamentall 182 The bent of the heart may be right notwithstanding dulnesses 186 And a way of acceptance 190 7. Considerations and directions about supposed succeslesnesse in duties 194 8. Knowledge 1. Distinct 2. Distinguishing necessary 210 Derived conjectures are to be reduced to the prime truths 215 Foure things of which a weake Christian should be more fully informed 1. Of preparations to grace 222 2. Of the operations of grace 227 3. Of the degrees of grace 231 4. Of the fruits of grace 235 9. Concerning Justification Five singular comforts concerning pardon of sins in it 239 Other supports from the imputation of Christs righteousnesse 262 10. Two kinds of dispute against the Promises 269 Five helps about this 270 11. Search the causes of the suspension of Gods favour 286 The wayes of regaining Gods favour 290 Quest How a Christian may support himselfe in the interim 302 12. Satans testimony of our estates is illegall and not to be admitted 306 13. Severall times 312. and causes 316. and ends of reviving of old sins 320 Quest How to know whether is be Satans work or no. 333 14. How a silent conscience may be made to speak 343 How to support our selves under the silence of conscience 344 In the Additionall part 346 1. Ob. Sense of sinfull workings Sol. Five considerations about them 347. c. 2. Ob. Sense of wrath 353 Sol. Severall kinds of it 355 The way to cure it 358 3. Ob. A condemning conscience 359 Sol. Difference betwixt condemnation of the sinne and of the person 359 4. Ob. A fear of the sin against the holy Ghost 363 Sol. What that sin is not 364 What the ingredients of is are 367 A TREATISE OF DOVBTINGS FROM MATTH 14. 31. O thou of little faith Wherefore didst thou doubt THese words containe in them the summe of a Christian in this life which is this That he is truly but yet weakly good Christ here seeth in Peter though a Disciple a defective faith and then a defect of faith Faith he saw in him yet it was defective It was little faith There was truth but there was not such actuall strength in it as might or should be And besides this he espies in him a defect of faith not for the habit of it but for the act of it Wherefore didst thou doubt Which words are a conviction that he did doubt and likewise a correction Wherefore Wherefore didst thou doubt q. d. Thou didst doubt but thou didst ill so to doubt There are many excellent points which might be observed from the Text I will name some and insist onely on one of them Thus then 1. A true Beleever may be but a weak Beleever Thou of little faith 2. Christ takes notice even of a weak Beleever O thou of little faith 3. Though Christ likes beleeving yet he dislikes doubting Wherefore didst thou doubt 4. A person may be truly â—eleeving who neverthelesse is â—ometimes doubting In the â—â—me person here you see a comâ—endation of the one and a â—ondemnation of the other â—hich suppose necessarily a preâ—ence of both This being the Subject on which I purpose to treat for the â—enefit of weak Christians I â—hall declare five things concerâ—ing it Namely 1. The nature of Doubtings 2. The kinds and diversities of them 3. Their possible consistence with true faith 4. Their grounds springs and occasions 5. Their cures and remedies CAP. I. The nature of Doubtings TO understand this you Four qualities in the soule Joh. 12. 48 Heb. 12. 25 must know that in the worst part of the soul there are severall qualities viz. 1. Infidelity which strictly and amongst those which professe the Gospel is a positive rejecting of heavenly truths with their secret goodnesse herein men forsake their owne mercies by plain dissents and sleightings of the good word of grace as is evident in the Pharisees Luk. 7. 30. who rejected the counsell of God c. 2. Despaire which is a manifest dissent not so much in respect of the thing or object for this is assented unto as true in respect of it selfe viz. That God is mercifull and Christ did die for sinners but in respect of the person or subject wherein the soule gives up it self as lost as without the compasse and As Jer. 2. 25. There is no hope no. hopefulnesse of the divine proclamation It is perswaded that there is no possibility for it to recover the shore and therefore sinks in the depths My meaning is That such a soule Esa 38. 18 They that goe down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth This holds not onely in the pit of the grave but also in the pit of despaire though it sees that in God and that in Christ which can save and doth save others yet cuts off it self as not at all capable of any interest in the mercie of God or bloud of Christ and so eternally falls under its owne weight as is evident in Judas and Cain Now Despaire so farre as it makes assent unto Truths it is opposed unto Infidelity and so farre as it dissents from speciall goodnesse in them it is opposed to Faith and so farre as it concludes impossibility of that good unto it selfe it is opposed to Hope 3. Fearfull opinions which are positive assents unto Truths yet raised upon such probable inducements onely that the soule is left with a suspition that the contrary may be true They are like a man upon a Simile weak plank in a great river there he sits and there he fears because he knows not certainly how long he shall sit there 4. Doubtings which are the suspensions or inhibitions the holdings up of the soule from any determinate inclinations one way or other they are the pawsings of the mind
and may be saved Therefore know that inequality of holy operation doth not spring from nullity or falsnesse of Grace but sometimes from the variety of particular Inequality of holy operation whence occasions sometimes from the variety of particular ends sometimes from the variety of particular assistance Every Christian hath not alike 1. Forcible occasion to exercise his faith and patience Nor 2. doth God intend every Christian for some singular ends and services to which hee fits others by the greater improvement and use of their graces 3. Neither hath every man at all times an equall gale or breath of spirituall assistance to enlighten him to excite and affect and draw him I might also adde 4. Neither doth every Christian stir up the gifts and graces in him hee doth not wiâ—ely on all occasions and motions improve his stock Neither 5. hath every man alike temper constitution which conduceth much to the actions of the soule 6. Neither doth every calling admit unto every Christian those spaces and leasures and remissions or vacations which some have to set on their heavenly frame and course It is with true Christians as with true men Every man Simile hath a soule and faculty from that soule and actions issuing out of those faculties yet every man is not equall in the expressive wayes of nature So is it with Christians all have truth of grace alike but the exercise of it is different and personall 3. As the actions so the degrees of Grace are different Compare Christian with Christian it is as if you should compare Branches one branch and limbe of a tree with another where though all be set in one common root yet their particular measures are more and lesse Or as if one did compare the Stars together where though all be interested in the heavenly Stars orbes yet they differ among themselves in respect Sheepe of magnitude and light Ye are the body of Christ Members saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 12. 1 Cor. 12 27 27. and members in particular this was a glorious and gracious condition But then ver 29. Are all Apostles are all Prophets are all teachers are all workers of miracles doe all speake with tongues Nay Eph. 4. 11. He gave some Apostles Eph. 4. 11. and some Prophets and some Euangelists and some Pastors and Teachers Now as this holds firme enough in various degrees of singular gifts for edification so likewise it is as evident in those speciall graces for sanctification As gifts for edification so graces for sanctification are different For Are all in the fold of Christ sheep There are some lambes Peter is commanded to feed both Ergo there are both Are all in the garden of Christ Cedars There are some tender Vines Are all in the houshold of Christ strong men There are some young there are some babes in Christ too So Heb. 5. 13. and 1 Joh. 2. 12 13. 1 Joh. 2. 12 13. I write unto you little children because your sinnes are forgiven you and because you have knowne the Father You see little children there as well as young men and fathers and these children though children though little children though very tender Christians yet they know the Father and they had pardon of sin Brethren how exceedingly doe we disturbe our selves with doubtings here Many people through a weaknesse I say no more of judgement doe fall out with their estate and condition molest and afflict their hearts close up all against themselves suspect and foolishly reason and argue the nullity of a gracious condition from the imperfections which they observe in their graces from their behindments in faith and zeale and sorrow c. Ah ignorant people who are truly industrious after the great measures of Grace and will not yet quiet their feares and still their Note doubtings with this 1. That such earnest pantings and inquietations and unsatisfiablenesses cannot but spring from truth of grace 2. Then that where grace is in truth though in the lowest measure there the soule hath interest in Christ in all the Promises in God in heaven in all Remember this He who hath least in grace hath not that which he would have and hee who hath most in grace hath not that which he should have and he who hath any truth of grace hath enough to change his heart and save his soule I would beleeve in that fulnesse of assurance and reliance as thou dost and if I cannot I will yet yet beleeve as well as I can He who said O woman great is thy faith said also to another not so strong Thy faith hath saved thee No man misseth of heaven for want of measure but of truth Our consolation lies much in the comparative degree but our salvation is in the positive Much grace will yeeld unto us here our heaven and any grace if true will yeeld us heaven hereafter 4. The separable fruits of true grace are different not only if you compare one Christian with another but if you compare the same Christian with himselfe in divers times and occurrences 1. If you compare Christian with Christian in respect of comfortables it is night with one when it is day with another One goes on heavily oppressed walking in darknesse that is the Prophets phrase Esay 50. 10. He hath not that Esa 50. 10 Light sensible light of divine favour Thou hidst thy face said David and I was troubled Psal 30. Psal 30. 7. 7. He hath not that sensible joy or testimony of his gracious Joy condition Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation Psal 51. 12. 51. 12. How many mourners are there in Zion Many who lament the absence of favour of joy of peace Yet some others there are who doe beleeve and doe rejoyce in beleeving They see As Simâ—on As Paul Christ in their armes they know whom they have beleeved and rejoyce with joy unspeakable and 2 Tim. 1. 12 1 Pet. 1. 8. glorious 1 Pet. 1. 8. 2. If you compare the same Christian with himselfe For it is with our day of grace as in many doubts For the cure and remedy of which be pleased to consider of some particular Propositions which I will lay downe to unfold the businesse and comforts of Justification unto beleeving penitents for to these onely I addresse my speech 1. In Justification our debts are charged upon Christ they goe upon his accounts You know that in sin there is the vicious and staining quality of it and then there is the resulting guilt of it which is the obligation of a sinner over to the judgement seat of God to answer for sin Now this guilt in which lies our debt this is charged upon Christ Therefore saith the Apostle God was in Christ 2 Cor. 5. 19 reconciling the world to himself not imputing their trespasses unto them And hath made him to be sinne for us who knew no sinneâ— You know in Law the
where weaknesse adheres to the judgment Now the remedy of this spring consists in these particulars 1. Get a distinct knowledge of Fundamentals It is the emptinesse of our minds that we be preposterous in our searches Many a Christian loseth himselfe in a sea of opinions before he hath squared himselfe with the first grounds of Religion Remember this that the first truths doe support and maintaine the rest as the corner-stone the rest of the building and are as the originall Will which decides many scruples in Law Hence is it Simile that some men doubt about speciall conclusions because they are ignorant of the generall principles which were they distinctly knowne the falsity of any conclusion would easily become evident unto them Men usually dispute first and know last As if a Simile Souldier would range an Army before he hath learned to handle his weapons How ordinary is it to heare disputes Ergo saith Paul Rom. 14. 1. Him that is weak in the faith receive you but not to doubtfull disputations of Originall sin of Predestination of Redemption of Faith and Justification of Assurance and Obedience of the degrees of grace and duty of the direct and absolute way of life c. I say it is ordinary to heare some arguing of these who yet are ignorant of the nature of these But Pauls method was to lay Heb. 6. 1. down his foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith towards God which if Paul thought fit to teach I think fit for us to learne That Ship rowls least which is well bottomed and that house shakes least which is well founded and that Christian True knowledg is as the day wherin wee walk more sted fastly and ignorance like the night in which we are full of feares and often stumble doubts least who is well grounded in the maine points of Religion For besides this that Primitive truths give an aime to all truths so likewise they uncase all errors and heresies and opinions and arguments which come to pervert the mind another way And surely when the mind obtaines an evidence by one truth for another and by truth also of errour contrary unto it it is in the least hazard of doubting for as much as doubtings ordinarily arise from some error or mis-apprehension in the minde 2. Get a distinguishing knowledge of Fundamentals from Accessories Every part of the house is not the corner-stone or the pillars A man Simile may take away much and yet the house may stand If you take away the painting and musick or some seelings and annexed posts yet the house may stand So may a Christians salvation though he know not many accessory truths nay although hee mistake about them nay although he deny them if this denyall be not accompanied with a proud perversnesse but arise onely from inevidence and inability There are three things about which it were good for Christians to have a distinguishing knowledge viz. 1. Fundamentalls 2. Consequents 3. Indifferents Fundamentals I call those Three things Truths which take up the work and way of salvation as the doctrine of sinne and of Christ and faith and repentance c. for these are such things without the knowledge of which no man can be saved Consequents I call those illations or inferences which doe flow from the primitive truths either virtute rei in the nature of the thing just as a streame â—lowes from the fountaine or virtute intellectus in the judgement of the person as the conclusion is made by such or such a mans conjecturall opinion to flow from such a principle or such a Text. Indifferents I call those actions which in themselves are neither holy nor evill neither is a man by any expresse Yet actioÌ„s in themselves indifferent in respect of circumstances may be offensive sinfull See Rom. 14. 14 15 c. command from God specificativè injoyned them or specificativè prohibited them Which things considered absolutely if a man doth use them he shall not be saved if he doth not he shall not be damned They doe no more constitute a Christian then a garment doth a man which whether he doth weare it yea or no yet still he is a man Now this distinguishing knowledge doth exceedingly assoyle the doubting heart which doth oft times shake and rowle about the lawfulnes of indifferents c. 3. Reduce all conjectures and consequent truths unto the first truth It is the counsell of the Apostle 1 Thes 5. 21. Prove all things And the Prophet Esaiah To the Law and to the testimony Esa 8. 20. It was a good speech of S. Austine to Manicheus contesting with him for audience Heare me Hear me said Manicheus Nay saith S. Augustine Necego te nec tu me sed ambo audiamus Apostolum dicentem Peccatum non cognovi c. Beloved we may see what weak creatures we are when truths fall downe amongst us and when we sit in the Tribunall alas what distractions what severall stamps doe our severall opinions set on them what distinctions limitations qualifications We will be sure every one of us to handle the question so that it shall be so far true as may stand with our owne delights profits aimes and ends We do many times for personall respects discourse and determine of truths But now reduce them to the first truths how do our empty and contrary opinions and fancies clatter and shiver to dust they fall downe before the word of God as Dagon did before the Arke of God for the Scriptures are the touch-stone which will easily decide counterfeit glosses and errors from genuine and proper truths Genuine truths are like the young Eagles that can with open eyes behold the light of the Sun and erroneous glosses and opinions are like sore eyes which cannot behold the Sun without twinckling and watering and closing And note by the way that if the truth be the truth of God it doth tend to these three things viz. 1. The glory of his rich grace Eph. 1. 12. 2. Setling of peace in the conscience Rom. 5. 1. 3. Mortifying of sinne Titus 2. 12. 4. Establish the minde in declared truths Beware saith the Apostle Peter seeing yee know these things lest ye being led away with the error of the wicked fall away from your owne stedfastnesse It is not unknowne that some like Pedlars wander up and downe and make a living by their errors subtill people and crafty to their owne confusion who have only a strength of parts to glosse over sins and errors and to weaken the strength of truths and wayes to heaven Most rendring children of Satan for they cease not to pervert the right wayes of the Lord. And yet so artificially do they vent their wares so neatly do they Act. 13. 10. set them out with the applause of reason and carnall licentiousnesse that many weak headed Christians swallow up their baits drink up their cups lick in their tumultuous and after are
Jesus Christ Whence two things arise to keep doubtings and feares off viz. 1. That though our holinesse be weak yet Christs is strong that righteousnesse which justifies is full When And so it must be or else wee could not truly be reputed just we look upon our selves Ah Lord think we How shall we appeare before God! How will he accept of us Such poor such weak such sinfull hollow people I answer Christs righteousnesse is full his coat was seamlesse ours is made up and strangely cut but his righteousnesse is compleat and He is made unto us righteousnesse yea and that of God 1 Cor. 1. 30. God hath set him out to be our righteousnesse and he justifies us by it 2. Though our services be weak yet we are justified by Christs righteousnesse Aaron was to beare the iniquity of the holy offerings Exo. 28. 38. Their holy offerings had some unholy mixtures but Aaron was to beare them i. he was to take the iniquities away from them and to make the offerings accepted Christ is this Aaron who by his righteousnesse covers all the blemishes makes up all the weaknesses in holy duties Therefore my brethren in all our approaches to God wee should not doubt It is the Apostles own argument Heb. 10. 21. Having such an High-priest over the house of God 22. Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith And ver 23. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering c. It is as if the Apostle had said If men did know what a Christ they have what a full righteousnesse there is in him what he doth with it how he justifies their persons and justifies their services pleads for them beautifies them ingratiates them with the Father they would not doubt so much as they doe they would be better perswaded of God when they come and pray unto him I remember the Apostle hath an excellent phrase in Heb. 9. 24. that Christ doth appeare for us It is a Metaphor from a Lawyer If a man hath a case he goes to his Lawyer and reports all to him desires him to undertake the whole businesse and upon the committing of the Case to him he appeares for his Plaintiffe opens the Case pleads for him before the Judge and the Cause is carryed So is it with Christ he appears for us i. When a poore sinner a weak beleever comes to him and opens his condition his wants his infirmities Christ undertakes for him he pleads for him he ever lives to make intercession he moves his Father in his behalfe brings out his righteousnesse his bloud and merits and what he did and suffered for him c. And thus doth Christ for every particular service duty and prayer for him who beleeves on him The tenth cause of doubtings was disputation against the Promises O saith the troubled and fearfull soule all these promises which you produce and apply to my condition they are nothing to me they belong not to me There is indeed goodnesse and truth a wonderfull worth in them and they suit with my condition exactly but I may not lay hold on them I should but presume to take the bread which belongs to children but not to dogs not to such a sinner as I am Good Christian doe but track thine owne spirit or the spirit of any distressed in conscience thou shalt find this to be the last hold usually of unbeliefe namely a reasoning against Gods Promises the which reasoning is sometimes through meere tendernesse of spirit as when the soule hath arguments to it selfe of that force to represent a present incapacity of any good which God hath promised and till they be removed it dares not lay hold on the Promises but if they could be satisfied then it is drawne in to beleeve But sometimes there is a reasoning against the Promises through wilfulnesse of spirit as when all the arguments of a doubting sinner are so clearly resolved and answered by the expresse words of God that the person cannot gainsay it yet the person rather bends still against the Promises then labours to honour God in them by beleeving This later reasoning is an irrationall way and unworthy of our abetting I should think such a Christians doubtings to arise rather from a fixed and heavy melancholy then any other speciall cause Neverthelesse somewhat to help the other Christian who argues reasoneth against the Promises meerly out of tendernesse and feare of his right and title I would commend a few things to his consideration 1. No spirituall good is furthered nor evill weakned by keeping the soule and Gods Promises asunder Tell me seriously Is not all our help for sould and body in the full and whole latitude of it couched in Gods Promises Are they not our wells of salvation and breasts of consolation our sun and shield and what vessell hath a poore sinner to draw with out of those wells what mouth hath he to milk out those breasts but faith It is faith which knits the Promises and our conditions together it is faith which makes them to meet each other And till the Promises meet in their vertue and influence with this condition of thy soule thou shalt never be helped or bettered by them Till the plaister and the wound doe meet it will never be an helping nor healing plaister Thou shalt be utieras as thou wast and the Promise shall be ubi erat where it was it shall never do thee good till thou dost apply it 2. It is beleeving which must cleare our title O saith the Christian if I knew that the Promises belonged unto me I would then beleeve I answer First this is a preposterous course and utterly impossible as if there could be any well-grounded perswasion of our interest before we have any such interest No but personall perswasion is a consequent worke it cannot be the antecedent or leading work You must buy the lands before you can be perswaded that they are yours But secondly if ever you would cleare your title to the Promises you must then beleeve for it is faith which doth intitle you and gives you interest and propriety As the Apostle spake of a great good After ye beleeved ye were sealed with the holy spirit of promise Ephes 1. 13. that I say in this case I fever you would be perswaded that God seales his Promises unto you then doe you first put your seal unto the Promises Beleeve and then thou shalt see the good of them to be thy good 3. The ground of a Christians beleeving Gods Promises must not be in him who is to apply them but onely in him who makes them O! this is it which gravels and labyrinths and still distresseth us that we set up the grounds of faith in our selves and not in God We are loth to acknowledg that the sole ground of beleeving is to be found only in that God who promiseth It is said of Abraham when God promised him a child in
Conscience condemns thy person I confesse thou hast no reason to beleeve mercy for thy selfe If thy conscience tels thee to the face of God thou art in a foule sinfull course and hast been called upon by the voice of the Word and its voice to come out of it and thou dost not leave it nay art resolved to pursue it and to insist on it now God is greater then thy conscience and will assuredly condemne thee 2. If conscience condemns thy actions onely then thou mayest notwithstanding that condemnation beleeve on mercy My meaning is this Though the conscience by its discerming light represents unto thee much sinfulnesse in thy nature and former course and though it doth condemne these to be vile and most fit to be crucified abhorred and forsaken this condemnation hinders not the right of beleeving Nay no man indeed should beleeve unlesse his conscience doth condemne sin in him not onely shew him his sinnes but assure him that they are evill and unworthy his love nay most worthy of his detestation and mortification 2. Secondly you must distinguish of times when conscience doth condemne a man there are two times of a Christian 1. Some are open and free He is himselfe and besides that he heares both parties as well what is for himselfe as what is against himselfe yea and weighs matters in controversie in the right ballance of Gods Sanctuary not in Satans ballance of cunning suggestions Will conscience condemne thy person at such a time and under such circumstances Nay will not the Word of God acquit thee at such a time against all feares for the substance and reality of a pious condition 2. Some are clouded darkned either with melancholy or afflictions or temptations wherein the Christian seeth his face through a false glasse just as a Title is made by a deceitfull cunning Lawyer not according to truth not all of it but some of it What is past heretofore for action and affection or what hath falne out not in the course of life since a mans conversion but onely in case of surprisall and captivity Now perhaps conscience may condemne thee but this is an illegall sentence it is a corrupted judgement and is reversible God will not judge of thee as Conscience in such a case doth Nay he will repeale it and disanull it 4. A fourth cause of doubtings is a feare lest a man hath sinned that great sin against the holy Ghost And the main inducement to credit this is a sinning against cleare knowledge which is one ingredient in that sinne Now this is my condition saith a troubled soul I have not onely sinned but sinned against light shining in the Ministery and working on my conscience therefore I may rather conclude then question it Mercy belongs not to me To help a conscience thus Sol. inthralled I would wish that such a person would 1. Be informed 2. Be directed 1. The Information which I would commend in this case is fourefold First that the sinne against the holy Ghost is not any sin which a man commits through ignorance Whatsoever the sinne or sinnes have beene whereof the party stands guilty whether against the Law or against the Gospel suppose it be one or many hainous sinnes yet if the person be in a state of blindnesse and ignorance if there is a nescience of the fact if hee knowes not what he doth this ignorance priviledgeth the sinnings thus far that therefore they are not the sin against the holy Ghost Secondly the sin against the holy Ghost is not any sinne against the Gospel which is elicited and acted through a mis-beliefe or mis-perswasion If the sinne be a sleighting of Euangelicall doctrines nay a persecuting of them and of the professors of them yet if these acts of opposition depend totally on error in the judgment on a judgement mis-perswaded i. rather beleeving them not to be truths rather thinking those wayes to be false wayes I say this mis-beliefe preserves such sinnings yet from being sins against the holy 1 Tim. 1. 13. Ghost because the sinne against the holy Ghost supposeth light even to conviction and approbation See Heb. 6. 4. 5. Thirdly the sin against the holy Ghost is not every sinning against knowledge These are not reciprocall propositions every sin against the holy Ghost is against knowledg and every sinne against knowledge is the sin against the holy Ghost The former is true but the latter is not for many a converted man sinneth against knowledge who yet never sinneth the sin against the holy Ghost In two cases a man sinning against knowledge doth not yet sin that sin against the holy Ghost One is the case of a strong and violent temptation Another is the case of a sudden and turbulent passion It is the same with Peters case against his knowledg denying and forswearing his Master If Paul before his conversion had had Peters knowledge he had sinned this sin against the holy Ghost And if Peter in his denyall had had Pauls malice joyned with his knowledge he had also sinned that sinne but the mis-beliefe of the one before his conversion and the infirmity of the other after it preserved from this sinne Error mis-led the one and sudden feare surprised the other Fourthly there are three horrible sinnings which doe attend that sinne against the holy Ghost and the Scripture which wee were best exceeding warily to follow in resolving this case expresly delivers them 1. One is totall Apostasie from the truths of Jesus Christ knowne and tasted The truths of Christ must 1. be knowne and apprehended 2. knowne and tasted they must be approved 3. And then the person falls from these 4. Nay his fal is not particular which is incident to the best it is a totall fall not a falling in the way but a falling from the way of truth Heb. 6. 4. If they were once inlightned and tasted c. If ver 6. they shall fall away 2. A second is a malicious oppugnation of that truth which was once knowne and tasted and from which now the person is falne called Heb. 6. 6. A crueifying of the Sonne of God afresh And Heb. 10. 26. A And despiting the spirit of Grace wilfull sinning after that we have received the knowledge of the truth And it was evident in the Pharisees who saw and knew the light but hated and persecuted it unto the death 3. A third is finall impenitencie Whosoever sinnes the sin against the holy Ghost he neither doth repent nor can repent He is so justly and for ever forsaken of God and given up to a reprobate sense and a seared conscience that he cannot repent though perhaps he may see his course to be evill yet it is impossible saith the Apostle in Heb. 6. 6. to renew him to repentance FINIS