faith and repentance to their sacrifices as types of Christ testifying their self-deniall confession of their guiltiness and their faith in Christ by presenting the sacrifice to the Priest to die in their stead so taken by the wisest by laying their hand upon the head of the same as it were so translating their guiltsness to it But most through their ignorance and error offered their sacrifices without respect to Christ though much mistaken by most who rested in outward works rested in the bare work done without saith repentance or renovation of their lives made God beholding to them for their pains and cost and in a word sought their justification therefrom as Papists in great part at least seek to be justified by works This I will not say but might be the meaning of that young man who came to Christ saying Good master what good thing shall I do that I may have eternall life Mat. 19.16 17. and Christ to convince him answers him accordingly If thou wilt enter into life keep the commandements And of those in John Joh. 6.28 What shall we doe that we might work the works of God yet these here did not so But we cannot conceive that these here yea or any truly touched in conscience for sin did any whit aim at or trust to any works or worth of their own No who being convinced of their guiltinesse and danger they are now and not till now convinced of their sin of crucifying Christ are afraid of his power and justice and seek nothing more then his favour and pardon only they know not how to obtain it conceiving it a thing not wholly impossible therefore finding and seeing no help in themselves either from any worthiness or goodness renounce themselves and seek direction from the Apostles wisedome or power of theirs they renouncing themselves in all these seek direction from the Apostles saying What shall we do as conceiving God would not deal with them as with stocks or save them unwillingly but by directing them to that way and course whereby they might attain to his favour not limiting God to the condition of works which thus they confesse in effect were none good in them seeing their ill deeds put them into this perplexity in all self-deniall but seeking pardon and life some other way unto which they should be directed being resolved to follow such directions given them by the Apostles of Christ who knew his will and mind though it were with the losse of all name credit with men wealth who are directed liberty yea temporall life it self and that they were injoyned any thing though never so hard harsh to the flesh or hazardous to faith and repentance Therefore as our Saviour directed those Jewes to saith in him saying to their demand Joh. 6.29 This is the work of God that ye beleeve on him whom he hath sent and John tells us This is his commandement 1 John 3.23 that we should beleeve on the Name of his Son Jesus Christ So Paul directed the jaylor and Peter here these Jewes to faith baptisme and repentance things to be done yet not barely at works but as leading to Christ though not barely to be rested in as works but as they lead to Christ being sanctified of God to that end and all of them implying self-deniall And it is Gods manner to bring men to despair in themselves before they can hope in him to throw away all their own works and righteousnesse as so many Idols and to say with Ephraim repenting Hos 14.8 What have I to do any more with Idols And with Paul Acts 9.6 who also at his conversion asked the like question Lord what wilt thou have me to do Phil. 3.7 8 9. What things were gain to me those I accounted losse for Christ for whom I have suffered the losse of all things and do count them but dung that I may win Christ and be found in him not having mine own righteousness which is of the Law Reasons why we must deny our selves in matter of salvation especially but that which is through the faith of Christ the righteousnesse which is of God by faith And good reason for it he seeks as our good so his own honour thereby And therefore injoynes us in our Ministery by which men are converted and saved to convince men to make them know and acknowledge all their abominations Ezek. 16.2 to beat them out of themselves to take them off their own bottoms and roots that so we may ingraffe them into Christ the true Vine 1. Gods glory even that of his free grace in a word by the Law to make them know their sin and impotencie that whether he save or passe them by yet every mouth might be stopped and all the world may become guilty before God Rom. 3.19 20. to 26. or subject to the judgement of God and that their justification may be acknowledged to be freely by grace and not at all of works And as God on his part will have it thus for his own glory even the glory of his own free grace Ephes 1.6 so it is fit that we as we desire or expect the salvation of our souls do seek it out of our selves and that for these two reasons 2. We are so to do because 1. All the causes of salvation are without us Acts 16. Ephes 2.8 First All the causes of salvation are without our selves 1. God the Father is the author of it 2. Christ the purchaser 3. The Holy Ghost the applier and perswader of the heart 4. The Word preached the outward means which God sends whither and to whom only he pleaseth And 5. Faith the instrument whereby we lay hold on salvation and on Christ yet it is the work of God Joh. 6.29 And his gift which we have not by nature or of our selves but by the mighty working of his power Eph. 1.18 19. 2. It is not in man to direct his steps neither is the way of man in himself Jer. 10.3 Our wits are uncapable of heavenly mysteries 1 Cor. 2.14 2. Because of our natural ignorance and impotency to save our selves Our wisedome foolishness 1 Cor. 1.19 20. Our reason enmity against God and his Law Rom. 8.7 Our own thoughts and purposes evill Gen. 8.21 Our knowledge and affections brutish Jer. 10.14 Psal 73.22 Our new birth is not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God Joh. 1.13 1 Pet. 1.23 24 25. For all flesh is grasse and all the grace thereof as the flower of the field c. So that we must be quite turned out of our selves and be born again Joh. 3.3 and become as little children Mat. 18.3 else we cannot see the Kingdom of God Our new birth is a new Creation and that is properly a motion from nothing or not-being to something or to a being Now Being is double Our new birth
nor the converted Gentiles that they might beleeve him Thus it is said Rom. 9.30 31 32. That the Gentiles which followed not after righteousnesse indeed were more openly prophane and had no seeming rithteousness of their own to stand upon have attained to righteousnesse even the righteousness which is of faith they would be beholding to God and Christ for it which the Jewes would not be for it is added But Israel which followed after the law of righteousness hath not attained to the law of righteousnesse These stood not upon any righteousness of their own either in whole or Wherefore Because they sought it not by faith which implies and includes self-deniall in their own righteousnesse but as it were by the works of the Law for they stumbled at that stumbling stone Christ on whom whosoever beleeveth shall not be ashamed v. 33. in part as the proud Jews did They opposed their own works and righteousness against his or at least sought to mighle the one with the other and so their own righteousness failing they had no benefit by the other for if our justification as well as Election on which it depends be not only by faith without the concurrence of our works or worthinesse Rom. 11.5 6. power or what else of ours in the act of justification and so meerly by grace it is not at all by grace And if it be by grace then it is no more of works How doth this concern us all well to consider of This concernes Papists to look to Papists especially and all such others as stand upon somewhat of their own in point of justification conversion or of election yea all such among our selves as are full in our selves Rev. 3.17 18. Oh how happy were it for us and all that are full in themselves if emptying our selves wholly of our selves and especially of all good conceit of our own righteousness holiness devotions prayers good works good meaning and not trusting to any of these things we did seek our acceptation with God only for the righteousness of Christ and not for any of these things as performed by us and accoringly in all things we do seek the justification as of our persons so of our actions and doings from Christ alone and from faith in him that by the white raiment of his righteousness we may get our selves clothed and that the shame of our nakedness do not appear Yea such as to whom holiness is ascribed in any kind It behoves us also in case men ascribe holiness to us by occasion of any thing wherein we are only instruments of God to renounce all and to give God the glory of his own works ever acknowledging our own meanness vileness and unworthiness and that by the example of Paul and Barnabas when they were taken for Gods Acts 14.11 c. 14 15. and of Peter and John who having restored one born lame to his feet stayed the peoples wonder saying Why look ye so earnestly on us as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk Acts 3.12 The like deniall of our selves is required in regard of all our Priviledges Page 313. To this head of things and gifts received I may refer that of priviledges so far as they are spirituall in regard of which we must account our selves nothing and deny our selves in them as Paul did Phil. 3.3 4 5 6 7 8. and as in effect hath been shewed already to which I refer So also all Confidences in the flesh or all those things especially wherein men with some shew of probability may seem to glory or to trust These all are renounced by Paul and confidences whilest he thus speaketh Phil. 3.4 5 6 7. Though I also might have confidence in the flesh If any other man thinketh that hee hath whereof he might trust in the flesh I more Then naming many particulars he renounceth all denies himself in them saying But what things were gain to me those I counted losse for Christ Yea doubtlesse I account all things but losse for the excellencie of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord c. But for such Confidences I refer also to what is lately delivered Page 313. And as for spirituall gifts and graces of God received No spirituall gift to be rested in but God is to be acknowledged I conclude that be they those named or for particularity and nature other and not the same yet they are not simply to be rested in and we are to denie our selves in them so far in and with respect to Gods glory as not in any wise to make our selves either the Author or end of them 1. The Author 1. Not the author Which we are taught of Paul who speaking of a main spirituall gift and saving even spirituall life he saith Gal. 2.20 I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the son of God who loved me and gave himself for me And speaking of ministerial gifts he saith 1 Cor. 15.10 By the grace of God I am what I am I laboured more abundantly then they all yet not I but the grace of God which was with me And elsewhere 2 Cor. 3.5 6. Not that we are sufficient of our selves to thinke any thing as of our selves but our sufficiency is of God who also hath made us able Ministers of the New Testament c. And though being forced to commend himself to those who should have commended him 2 Cor. 12.11 he say Innothing am I behind the very chiefest Apostles yet denying himself again he adds by way of correction Though I be nothing 2 The end of them all 2. For the end we must as in the aforesaid instance not preach our selves or to get gain and praise to our selves or to any other base and by end as to please men or to anger and afflict others Gal. 1.10 Phil. 1.15 16. but Christ Jesus the Lord and our selves your servants for Jesus sake Where the end of the Ministry to be intended by us is the glory of God in Christ 2 Cor. 4 5. and the spirituall good of men If any praise be given to us we must so far deny our selves as not to let it rest with us remembring the example of Herod eaten up of wormes for so doing but to send it up to God and Christ remembring that we are but men and earthen vessels in which this treasure is that the excellency of the power may be of God and v. 7. and not of us If otherwise by preaching we as too many do seek preferment riches honour and lordship or our own praise and applause from men we perhaps may gain that but that shall be all the reward which shall be given us Some Ministers preaching and seeking themselves have lost themselves and so our portion shall be only in this life but oftentimes we
worship 3. Obedience What shall we doe FRom these words as formerly they have been laid open and explained we see 3. Observation Such as God will convert and save must be pliable to Gods wil as these here were That those of years and otherwise capable who are converted and saved are first made pliable to Gods will and ready to obey him in all things It was so here with these who upon their conviction were first made willing to be saved and that in Gods own way and then accordingly renouncing and denying themselves as is said in their own wisedome will worth and righteousness they seek direction from the Apostles of Christ what to do who yet neither sought justification from their works shewing themselves thereby willing and ready to do whatsoever they should be directed unto And though they ask saying What shall we do yet they seek not their justification from any works of theirs as hath been shewed neither do they thinke that they can be converted justified or saved nor neglected works and they in the mean time do nothing therefore shewing themselves ready to receive and to follow direction whereby they might be brought into favour with God and Christ and obtain pardon of their offences that especially of crucifying Christ and might so be saved from deserved wrath they cry out and say What shall we do God humbles men to make them thus pliable to him And this is one reason among many others formerly named why God will have his children cast down with Legall terrors wounded in conscience and pricked in heart when he means to convert and save them even to make them more pliable to his will and that not only at their first conversion though that here be chiefly of us to be considered but for ever after both before conversion Though this question be not here made after their justification but before it and for ever after and accordingly the answer resolution and direction given send them to profession of Christ by being baptized to repentance v. 38. and to faith Acts 16.30 31. which are works not legall but evangelicall yet we need not doubt but that they being once justified by faith in Christ would be and were ever after carefull and conscionable to adorn their Christian profession with good works both of piety towards God and charity towards man for after their through-conversion and faith they devoutly and charitably conversed together v. 41 42-45 46. we need not fear that men truly justified will neglect good works So that we might spare a labour here for either urging the necessity of good works after justification or for declaiming by vertue of this Text against carnall liberty and the abuse of the doctrine of free justification to neglect good works though the former here be chiefly intended This is the question here of men wounded in spirit driven into straits of conscience as being convicted of their sin and damned condition by reason of their sin not knowing either what to say to excuse or deny their sin or what to do to be saved to flee from wrath to come or to procure a pardon and in effect what to beleeve and in whom and therefore ready and willing to beleeve on the same Christ whom they had crucified to repent reform their old course of life to obey and do any thing which these holy men of God and Apostles of Christ should prescribe and direct them unto God in converts requires a willingness to yeeld and to obey him Thus God by his Prophet Isaiah calling the rebellious and hypocriticall Jewes to repentance Isai 1.16.18 19 20. to wash them and make them clean and that both with promises and threatnings speakes after this manner If ye be willing and obedient ye shall eat the good things of the land as formerly Though your sins be as scarlet they shall be white as snow But if ye refuse and rebell ye shall be devoured with the sword c. The like the Lord now requires of all such whom he will savingly convert Reason God saves no man against his will The reason is God saves no against his will or by forcing of his will It s true No man can come to Christ except the Father draw him Joh. 6.44 Yet this drawing is without compulsion The heart being pricked and so prepared for Christ by seeing a necessity of a Saviour and by being better conceited of Christ then formerly when it either knew him not at all or had a prejudice and mean conceit of him is made willing to embrace him and not only willingly but greedily to accept of him for a Saviour Therefore be first takes away the stoniness of mans heart One of Gods first and chiefest works in the conversion of a sinner is to take away that stoniness and hardness whether naturall only or also acquired which is in it and in stead thereof to give an heart of flesh in such are converted that is tender pliable and yeelding Ezek. 36.26 The heart naturally since sin entred resists and as much ar in it lieth withstands the work of grace but God before he convert any takes away all actuall resistance so that it stands no longer out against him and breaks the power of habituall resistance whereby he works it as a man would do soft waxe Otherwise they are unfit and unyeelding which yeelds to the disposition of him that works it and is apt to receive the impression of any thing that is applied to it Whereas an hard heart so remaining is like hard waxe unmolten unyeelding repelling and resisting all that is good or if otherwise as waxe it is so only to the Devill to his suggestions and to ill counsell and sin but to Godward and all goodness like hard and unmolten mettall or to a stone which will sooner break then receive any impression It is like the fallow-ground which being hard and clotty must first be subdued by the plough before it be fit to receive seed or to bring forth fruit or like an untamed heifer and an unruly colt which unbroken is unfit for the yoke or saddle In a word as one well faith God first makes us fit and then useth us to worke as a wheel must first be made round and then turned round Here it might be questioned and asked what work mans naturall will Quest What grace is needfull to a mans conversion assisted with a generall work of grace hath in his own conversion To which I answer It is not a common grace such as is afforded to reprobates in the Church as well as to the elect but a more speciall effectuall and determining grace from God which works upon the will and swayes it It is man indeed who willeth as it was Lazarus who did arise from the dead but it is God who maketh man not onely able to will but actually to will his own conversion Answ More then a common
armes did they thus go forth conquering whithersoever they came yea and subduing spirituall and infernall power 2 Thess 2. Their weapons were not carnall but spirituall yet mighty not of themselves but through God c 2 Cor. 10.4 5. Thus Christ came to be set up in his throne and thus in after times after that great defection foretold Antichrist began to be cast out in many Kingdomes by the preaching of Luther in whom God shewed his mighty power and of whom one writes thus saying Vir sine vi ferri vi verbi inermibus armis Vir sine re sine spe contudit orbis opes He was one who without sword or speare by the onely power and weapons of the word of God without strength wealth and hope in himself overcame and subdued the power and strength of the world Alexander was renowned admired because with so few he subdued so many but here are conquests more admirable then his whereby moe and greater enemies even the powers not of the world only but of hell are subdued and that by fewer and to outward seeming weaker means Vse 1 Vse 1. This power of God in his word by which he then did and doth still goe on triumphing It s for terrour to the opposers of the word as he will till he have brought the necks of all his enemies in subjection to him one way or other is to be admired and acknowledged and we thence assured that the Lord Christ and his cause and Gospel shall in his good time prevaile against all opposition of men devils and Antichrist and that it howsoever supprest sometimes yet shall not be wholly oppressed it is like fire Which to them will prove like fire which though kept under and halfe smothered down yet will worke it self free having a consuming power in it to devour all combustible matter which stands in its way The word cannot be restrained as the Arke detained by the Philistines wrought it self out and as the people of Israel in Egypt by strong hand delivered it self and made the enemies weary of it Which may be terrour to all enemies of the Gospel and of the sound preaching and Preachers yea and Professors of it And a fair caveat to all that they meddle not with such edge-tooles the word will prove a sharp sword to them as a mall hammer or as a burthensome stone to crush such as heave at it or are enemies to it or yet do resist it in themselves Vse 2 2. For Confutation we hence conclude To confute first the errour of Vniversall grace and of free-will in man to accept of grace And secondly of mans power to resist Gods grace that to the conversion of a sinner there is more required then the hearing of the same word or the same common-motives and in a word then common and universall grace there must a speciall and an effectuall power go along therewith but that is no power of mans free-will but of Gods free and powerfull grace which therefore would be begged so oft as we heare Gods word Secondly That where God will convert any indeed it is not in the power of man to resist finally But these being points of Controversie I list not to insist upon them Onely for them both Know that conversion of soules and faith is made the affect as of the word preached The power of God in working faith Ephes 1.13 20 so of the power of God the greatnesse of his power yea the exceeding greatnesse of his power yea of the might of his power even effectually and actually and therefore irresistibly working as it is there also said according to the working of his mighty power even the same power by which he raised Christ from the dead i. e. the power of the Godhead Therefore as a man conferres nothing of his own to his bodily raising to life The same by which Christ was raised from death or to his own creation so he hinders it not when God will raise him up as we see in Lazarus he rose not of himself neither could he hinder his own rising he arose not by his own power and yet it was he even Lazarus who did rise Even so is it in our spirituall resurrection from the death of sinne which is wrought by the power of Christs word Ephes 5.14 saying Awake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead And we do so but then it is Christ who by his word which is operative gives us light and life Yet we must know that man in his conversion though it be thus both infallibly and powerfully wrought Yet man is not compelled is not forced or compelled to it but according to Gods wisedom as well as power is first made willing so Gods works though powerfully yet sweetly he so draws us as that wer un willingly after him Which teacheth us to live to Gods glory This overthrowes the contrary errour of Jesuites Lutherans and Arminians and teacheth us to give the whole glory of our conversion to God from whose mercy and power it is to depend on him for a continuall supply and influence of his grace to live wholly to him whose creatures we are both by nature and grace c. 3Vse Of comfort and Encouragement 1 To Preachers having a refractory people 3. It is a point of comfort and encouragement and that both to Ministers and to people 1. Ministers are hence encouraged to preach the word with power and with authority as knowing whose Ministers they are and that they have their Commission from him whose is all power and who according to that power calls and sends them forth promising to be with them to the end of the world so though they meet with opposition in their Ministery Neither to be daunted or otherwise have a refractory people of hard hearts and necks to deal withall opposing deriding and mocking them so that through discouragements they be ready with Jeremiah Jer. 20.8.9 who so found it to resolve to give over preaching or at least such plain and home-teaching yet ought they not to be discouraged but at Christs bidding to cast in their net again Not to despair of them otherwise we disobey yea and distrust the power of our Master Christ whose word if with Jeremiah we offer to shut up we also finde it in our heart as a burning fire shut up in our bones which will make us weary with forbearing that we cannot hold In case then that with Peter wee fish all night and catch nothing yet at Christs bidding let us cast in againe as he did and we shall in his time catch and make a great draught Joh. 21.11 as Peter did of an hundred fifty three great fishes thereby was but foresignified to him this great conversion of so many thousand soules by his Ministery whereby Christs promise to him at his calling to the Apostleship was made good unto him I will make
intent is not the same to both which if it were it should not be frustrated and therefore as he intended the conversion of these here so the subversion of those other Acts 7.54 we need not fear to say it 1. in these and those other Jews It appears by the Apostle Rom. 11.8 The rest were blinded according as it is written God hath given them the spirit of * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 slumber or remorse eyes that they should not see and ears that they should not hear unto this day and as in Pharaoh who though he could say I have sinned upon Moses his reprehension of him yet he repented not God raised him up for another end 2. in Pharaoh and David Rom. 9.17 even for this same purpose have I raised thee up that I might shew my power in thee c. Yet look upon David who upon Nathans reproof whom God sent unto him repented So in Ahab and Jezebel the one humbled 3. in Ahab and Hezekiah and both raging against Elijah compared with Hezekiah touched pricked and pierced by Isaiah and truely humbled for his pride Rom. 9.15.18 God will have mercy on whom he will have mercy and whom he will he hardeneth The Spirit of God being promised as a Comforter and that is onely of the elect yet its first work is to convince them of sin Joh. 16.8 Therefore as in the resurrection of our bodies Simil. both the wicked and godly arise and that by Gods power but to different ends Joh. 5.29 and as God gives wealth to some as a blessing to others as a curse and snare so it is here A reprobate may be convinced of sin and judgement and see his damned condition 4. generally in the elect and reprobate but yet have no hope a childe of promise may also be lost in his own apprehension and acknowledgement yet in Gods intention shall be sought and saved Christ therefore came into the world to seek and save that which thus was lost and such an one shall undoubtedly be saved and fully converted Luke 19.10 he shall come to Christ In Gods intention this as a preparative act shall bring forth faith in the one but not in the other God means to follow home the work in the one not in the other God wounds the one as a loving Surgeon to cure him the other as a just Judge to kill him yet justly for his sin The one is pricked as with a needle which prepares the way for the threed to follow and so he comes to be sewed as it were and joyned at length by faith unto Christ the other is like the cloth pricked with the same needle but without threed he is left in the estate of slavish fear whilst the other is delivered from it by the Spirit 2 Cor. 3.17 which where it is given savingly gives liberty 2. The reprobate in their greatest fears of wrath 2. in themselves shew neither hatred of sin as sin as Pharaoh in his distresse Take away not this sin but this plague nor love and desire of goodnesse the heart remains hard still and seeks not to God It is not so with the other 3. The event is different 3. in the event The one breaks thorow these straits and is soundly converted the other sticks in the birth and is held still in bondage even in the midst of his jollity But more of such differences hereafter Hence another Question might be resolved How came these here to be converted when those otâ—â—r Acts 7 and the rest of these who heard Peter â—aving the very same outward means motives and arguments used to them yea and feeling the sting of the same reproof made by Steven were not converted This difference is not from themselves but from God Answ In one word I answer The difference is not made by man himself by any power of a mans own free-will but by God alone and by the power of his free grace Who maketh thee to differ c. See 1 Cor. 4.7 Conversion is a work as well of mercy and love in God as of his power or of any power else yea first of mercy then of power as we shall see afterwards If there be any congruity whether of time or any other circumstance or respect which may seem to sway the balance in one more then in the other whence is it but from Gods gracious ordering See Dr Prid. in Lect. 4. Arg. 1. as also effectual working with it But of this formerly The Point thus explained would be illustrated CHAP. VII SECT 2. The former Point illustrated 2. The Illustration of the Doctrine NOw for the Illustration of this Doctrine it would be confidered that before a man be converted unto God he must be turned quite out of himself he must first see himself what a vile miserable wretch he is in what need he stands of mercy Sense of sin and misery and self-conviction must go before thorow conversion shewed by allusions to Scripture And being naturally proud self-conceited secure and ignorant of himself he must be made and brought to know himself as he is his drowzie conscience must be awakened and rowzed by the shrill trumpet of the Law he must either set or have his sins set in order before him and be presented with that fearful spectacle of hell death and condemnation and so as one self-convict and self-condemned must receive the sentence of death in himself and see hell opening her mouth wide to receive him he must see his own miserable and withal helplesse condition yea before he be thorowly converted he must be not oâ—â—ly pricked in conscience and broken but bruised also and beat as it wâ—â— into powder as are spices by true Contrition yea molten by the fire not onely of the Law but also Gospel upon some apprehension and hope of mercy whereby he may be made pliable and frameable to Gods will his icy heart must be thawen These here not onely quaked to consider whom they had crucified even the Lord of glory but looking on him as the Messiah Christ and a Saviour they were not without hope of help and therefore not seeing any means of help in themselves they seek direction from without themselves what to do to be holpen not wholly despairing of all possibility of help and so they aske saying What shall we do And this is the true pricking Look into examples and by examples of Adam Gen. 3.8 9 10 15. Judg. 2.4 5. 1 Sam. 7.6 Israelites and 12.19 20. Did not Adam finde and see himself naked was not he ashamed of himself and of that which he had done Yea was he not afraid at the presence of the most holy God before he was comforted by the promise Did not the people of Israel being reproved by an Angel weep at Bochim and after at Mizpeh did they not draw water and pour it even tears of repentance out before
of his bondage under the law of sin O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death Rom. 7.24 apprehending his deliverance by Christ he adds I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. 3 His power wisdom Lastly the glory of Gods wisdom and power doth also thus shine out to the world by this his manner and method of dealing with converts and in making them new creatures We all do confesse that the works of creation especially the heavens do declare the glory though not the will of God How much more doth his glory appear in this work of effectual Redemption Psal 19.1 where by a like manner of proceeding his glory appears in greater brightnesse as in the creation There and here he works by contraries he in the creation made first a confused vast and grosse Chaos or rude lump where was nothing but darknesse and confusion yet out of that darknesse he brought light out of that confusion he brought order and this goodly frame and comely structure of Heaven and Earth do shew his wisedom power goodnesse beauty and glory beyond all expression Rom. 1.20 21. and he is glorified or should be in and by the right acknowledgement of these Oh how then doth his glory appear when in the new creation or conversion of a sinner he first casts all strong holds and high things into ruinous heapes into rubbish into a confused Chaos staining the pride of man laying him level with the ground what darknesse is in the minde what impotency in the will what confusion in the affections yea what feares and terrours is the confounded soul first brought into and yet such is the infinite power and wisdom of God he out of these ruines raiseth a goodly building even an house a Temple for himself to dwel in he brings light out of darknesse strength out of weaknesse order out of confusion joy out of sorrow and feares in a word heaven out of hell God in dealing roughly with such intends and prepares way for mercy Now for the conclusion of these proofs we hence may see how mans greatest good is wrought and Gods glory most manifested whilst God in the conversion of a sinner shewes himself terrible as there is just cause in us why he should indeed be so and so he is to impenitent sinners and yet intends nothing but love and mercy and by humility to exalt us to glory dealing with us as Joseph dealt at first with his brethren roughly imprisoned some charging all of them to be spies and threatning them and yet he even intended to discover himself in due time as a loving brother unto them Thus before God entred into covenant with his people to be their God Exod. 19. he shewed himself most terrible unto them by lightning fire thunder and black clouds Heb. 12.18 19. c. yea when the Spirit was sent down on the day of Pentecost Act. 2.2 6. there was a mighty rushing winde from heaven and shew of fire whereby they were confounded or troubled in minde and thereby the better prepared to hear that word which so wounded and pricked these converts in their heart And so was Elias prepared to hear the still voyce of God in which God made his will known to him by a strong winde rending the mountaines by an earth-quake as also the Jailor Acts 16. and by fire And so were the Israelites humbled terrified driven out of themselves by thunder and raine in time of harvest and prepared for repentance 1 Sam. 12.17 18 19 20. Let this suffice for the Demonstration of the aforesaid point of doctrine after which should follow the Application of it by way of Vse but to make further way for the same we will as we at first propounded speak of the Order degrees and steps by which God proceeds in perfecting this work of Conversion CHAP. IX Of the order of Conversion first as it depends on Gods Love Where ten Approaches of Gods grace to us 4 The Order steps and Degrees of Conversion and of faith THE work of mans Conversion is an effect both of Gods Love and of his power and so is to be considered of us but yet especially according to the latter respect which is more pertinent to my scope There is an order of Gods proceeding in each of these but first we may briefly consider that there is an order to be observed between these two First Love and then Power the one leading the way to the other The Conversion of a sinner faith and the meanes of both come to us first from the Love and then from the power of God And first as it depends on love in God not but that the power of God accompanieth his Love for Gods love is an effectuall and working love it is reall and operative in its time and the Love of God goeth along with his power even then when he seems to pull and rend us in pieces by his power his seeming rigour is mitigated and moderated by mercy and ever tends to and ends in the good and conversion of his elect This is taught us Jer. 31 3. I have loved thee with an everlasting Love therefore with loving kindnesse have I drawn thee So Joh. 6.37 and 44. All that the Father giveth me lo there is Gods free love shall come unto me c. there is expressed the power of his grace And no man can come to me except the Father which hath sent me draw him No man can come to Christ but by Gods free grace in love giving Christ as a surety John 3.16 and then by power applying him to our justification as our head Rom. 3.25 26. It skills not much in shewing the order degrees and steps by which Conversion is wrought whether I name it conversion faith yea or salvation seeing each includes or inferres the rest Ten divers degrees and approaches of Gods grace to us First then briefly for the Order of Gods work of Love by which we come to conversion faith to all other saving and sanctifying graces and to salvation 1 We must first begin with the consideration of Gods eternall decree of Election and Predestination To which purpose see and consider of these places of Scripture Ephes 1.3 4 5 c. Gods blessing us in time is according to his election of us in Christ before all time 1 Election Tit. 1. so 2. Thes 2.13 Matth. 11.25.26 hence faith is onely of Gods elect and onely such as are ordained to eternall life beleeve Acts 13.48 2 Next to this there is Gods sealing and ordaining of Christ the object authour and finisher of our faith 2 The sealing of Christ Heb. 12.1 from eternity also Joh. 6.27 1 Pet. 1.19 20 21. Where of Gods covenant with Christ and transaction with him 3 The publishing of the Promise 3 There is the publishing and promising of Christ made of old to our first parents after the fall
Gen. 3.15 and that both on the behalf of the Jews to whom he was made known by promises sacrifices and types as we know and also of us Gentiles Isa 42.1 4 His Exhibiting of Christ to the world in the fulnesse of time 4 The Exhibition of Christ in person by incarnation Gal. 4.4 Joh. 3.16 when the two natures divine and humane were in the womb of the Virgin united into one Person the humane assumed into the unity of the person of the Son of God 5 As our surety by imputing our sin to him 5 Gods imputation of our sinnes to him as our surety who was therefore made under the Law Gal. 4.4 and our Champion to maintain our quarrel against Satan that braving Goliah and all other enemies as well as to discharge our debt with God which Imputation was yet of force to them who before his Incarnation believed on him the Messias to come as well as to us as those other effects of his love which follow 6 His making him a Sin offering also for us and a curse 6 As a Sacrifice for us Gal. 3.13 2 Cor. 5.21 whose death was an expiatory sacrifice he carrying as our sinnes so our griefs and sorrows Isa 53.3 and 12. Heb. 9.26 28. Herewithal we may consider the sufficiency of this his sacrifice yea the efficiency of it seeing he offered it by the eternal spirit Heb. 9.14 and his blood was the blood of God Acts 20.28 All sufficient 7 Gods acceptation of it 8 with his invitation of us to partake of it 7 Gods Acceptation of it as sufficient for all and efficient and effectuall for the elect Matth. 3.17 and 12.18 Ephes 5.2 the Kingdome of heaven being thus opened 8 His Invitation of us hereupon and Calling us by the preaching of the Gospell to faith and to Conversion which Gospell he freely according to his eternall love and purpose sends so to one place as at the same time not to another Act. 16.6 7. c. See for this his invitation 2 Cor. 5.19 20 21. Isa 55.1 2 3 c. 9 His acceptation of us by vertue of it 9 His Acceptation of us the elect who do believe by vertue of Christs Sacrifice and for his Sonnes sake in whom he hath made us accepted Eph. 1.6 or which is all one in effect his imputation of it to us and of all his benefits 1 Cor. 1.30 31. 2 Cor. 5.21 This implies Remission or the not imputing of our sins to us 2 Cor. 5.19 and then the imputation of his satisfaction righteousnesse and obedience All these are meere acts of Gods Love most free and depend on no condition in us unlesse you will say the last named which requires faith as a condition before the Love of his good pleasure become also the Love of his Complacency concerning which I list not contend 10 His reall Communication of saving grace to us 10 Lastly as depending on all the former there is Gods Communication of all grace unto us the grace of effectuall calling Conversion faith and other saving graces which is done by the power of his spirit Christ being a Saviour both by the merit of his death and efficacy of his grace and spirit whereby Christ comes to be formed in us Gal. 4.19 and we are made to partake of the divine nature 2 Pet. 1.3.4 But this belongs to his power Vse To shew us 1. the freenesse of his grace The Vse of what is said shall be briefly to take notice hence of the 1 freenesse 2 firmnesse 3 fountain of all grace in us call it Conversion Faith habituall and actuall holinesse or if you will of the whole work of our salvation 1 These are free gifts and benefits grace in us depends originally on Gods Grace that is his free love and favour to us being all of them effects of his Fatherly Love which in him is an act of his goodnesse not of Justice as if deserved or procured by any thing done or foreseen to be done by us 1 To humble us Which teacheth us 1 humility not to ascribe any grace to our selves any worthinesse any thing which might move God to elect us before others or in his eternal Predestination to prepare grace for us or to bestow it upon us in the temporall dispensation of it 2 To make us thankfull 2 Thankfulnesse in the acknowledgement of his free grace in our free love of him who first loved us and in a free consecration of our selves wholly to his honour and service But of these more fully * In notes on 1 Cor. 1.30.31 pag. 255. c. pag. 85. c. 2 The firmnesse of his grace to assure us of our perseverance else where 2 These benefits are firm also as depending on God and on his love not as yet to say power and not on us or on anything in us and so as the freenesse of his love prevents our pride so the firmnesse of it or fears of falling away assuring us of our finall perseverance in grace once truly received which flows to us from such a spring as never drieth up And so the Originall of all grace in us well considered prevents our errour c. 3 The fountain of all grace 3 We are hence taught and directed whither to go for true and saving grace for conversion faith and all other grace The Fountain of all is in heaven in Gods free love so that though we may and must use the meanes of grace the word preached and other ordinances of God yet we must not rest in them These are but streams leading to the fountain for our direction that we take not up with the means and being separate from the free grace of God in Christ they are but empty cisterns The word ministers sacraments may all say faith the grace of conversion perseverance c. are not in us One main reason why many misse of grace of faith other benefits is because they seek them from the meanes only from the minister his person or from themselves and their own indeavours in which they rest and with which they take up But we are hence directed to begin at Gods love to look first to God in Christ then to the meanes First to Gods love then to his power so to use the meanes as from Gods power in and by the means to expect a blessing yet first and withall to pray earnestly and to beg the blessing from God and from his free grace And thus of this work of Conversion as it is an effect of his love CHAP. X. SECT 1. Of the Order of Conversion as it is a work of Gods power and that in regard both of the persons and means working it as also of the work it self 2 Conversion is also an effect of Gods power BUt we are chiefly to consider this grace of conversion and so of faith as an effect and work of Gods power and effectuall grace in us
which is also on our behalf most needfull for as we are miserable and stand in need of mercy so also helplesse yea wholly impotent unable unfit yea unwilling as of our selves to convert or come to Christ Our need of Gods power in our conversion 1 Cor. 1.23 we must be drawn if we come at all our hard hearts must be changed prepared made willing that so Christ who to the Jews is a stumbling block and to the Gentiles foolishness may be made unto us which are called both Jews and Greeks the power of God and the wisdom of God There is a yoak on our necks which God onely can take off Hos 11.4 by drawing us with cords of a man even bands of love God must prepare us for faith and grace by removing all blocks which lie in our way and that prejudice which wee generally have of Christ and take from us the stony heart We are dead in sin and trespasses and no less power is required then that which raised Christ himself from death Joh. 6.44 Ephes 1.19 20. Rom. 8.11 We are under darkness yea under the power of Satan and to turn us from darkness to light Acts 26.18 and from the power of Satan to God requires the power of God Nay when we are turned 1 Pet. 1.3 4 5. we stand in need of the same power of God to keep us through faith unto salvation Conversion not wrought all at once Now this work of Gods power is manifested also by degrees and in a certain order whereby he brings those he loves from nothing to something from infidelity to faith 1 By driving them out of themselves and by self-denyall 2 By bringing them to true contrition and other further grace 3 And so by these and other preparatory works but by some preparatory works to through conversion and to true faith which faith and grace of conversion is not wrought all at once in one instant at least it appears not in any all at once nor is it wrought alike soon or late in all but as the Baptist was to prepare the way to Christ as to the onely City of Refuge by filling every valley and bringing low every mountain and hill so Gods messengers make way for his coming in the spirit savingly and powerfully by preparing the soul for Christ that is by pricking and wounding the conscience by casting down all high thoughts in men by humbling them first and then by raising them up by hope c. This work of power then would be traced from its highest originall also The order and steps of conversion which is double Know we then that the order and degrees by which the grace of conversion and of faith as it depends on power is wrought may be considered two ways 1. There is an order in regard of the persons and means working it 2. In regard of the work it self SECT 2. The persons and means used in Conversion 1. In regard of the persons and means working it It is originally from God 1 THis grace as all other grace is originally in from God and so comes to be wrought in us in a certain order by himself yet not always without means but in and by the use of his own Ordinances and by the Ministery of such persons as he pleaseth to imploy in the dispensation of his ordinances The summe is this 1 The Father 1. God the Father is first in order who is said to draw such as by him in love are given unto Christ to save John 6 37-44 Jerem. 31.3 Faith being therefore called the faith of the operation of God who raised Christ from the dead Vse Therefore not from us Coloss 2.12 It not being of our selves Ephes 2.8 or originally from us as if we first beleeving moved God to elect us We are his workmanship Ephes 2.20 2. Next is God the Son 2 Son Hebr. 12.2 Vse Christ saveth by power as well as merit who works Faith and Conversion also For whatsoever the Father doth the Son doth likewise Joh. 5.19 Christ is a Saviour not onely by his merit but by his power himself not we applying effectually what he hath merited else he were but an half Saviour 3 Holy Spirit 3. Now the Father and Christ shew their power by the holy Ghost or Spirit of them both which we know was in visible signes on this day of Pentecost given by the power of which these many here were converted and faith given to them it is therefore called the Spirit of faith 2 Cor. 4.15 and by it faith is given of God Vse Therefore it is a free work John 3.8 1 Cor. 12.9 Whence it is that all that hear the word of Faith do not beleeve the Spirit is a free worker herein like the winde blowing where it listeth And the whole work of conversion must from these authors and workers of it needs be acknowledged to be a work of such power as far transcends the power of nature Vse of all This work is 1. Divine and not of man John 1.13 and of mans supposed free-will as if a man from the birth or otherwise wanted a naturall and bodily hand or eye who could give it him but the God of nature So who can give faith which is the hand and eye of the soul but God onely And all these three Persons had their work in the conversion of these Jews Luke 24.49 Acts 1.4 5-8 It is therefore a sure work 2 Sure as depending on 1 the Fathers Love 2 Sons merit 3 Power of the holy Ghost Now the Spirit or the Father and Son by the Spirit all whose power is one works this grace of Conversion and applyeth grace and faith to the soul either more immediately or mediately by the word and Ministery of it The Spirit works conversion either Immediately as in elect infants dying 1. Immediately as in elect Infants dying in their infancy where though the chief work shewed on them be a work of mercy and of free imputation yet their natures are sanctified and changed by the infusion of an habituall principle of grace wrought by the Spirit without which they could not enter into heaven But of this formerly The like we say of such elect ones as are born deaf and dumb or By means by the word 2. The Spirit ordinarily works not but by means and begets faith and grace by the ministery and preaching of the word as here Act. 2.37 Rom. 10.17 Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God i.e. by the command ordination and appointment of God Isa 59.21 which therefore carryeth along with it his power and blessing so that though conversion may seem in Scripture or other wise to be ascribed to divers other things as 1. to the Sacraments Conversion is not wrought but by the word that of Baptism especially called the washing of the new birth 2 to voices from heaven 3. to
visions and dreams 4. to the constancy of the martyrs sufferings 5. to Miracles 6. to Afflictions yet these all are to be considered onely either as Preparatives to conversion and furtherances of the work of the word and Ministery and not barely or as seals and confirmations of the truth of Gods promises made known and propounded in and by the Word 1 By the Sacraments 1. For the Sacraments they for their efficacy especially come in the order of nature after faith to confirm and strengthen the same the Sacraments seal and assure onely that which the word promiseth and that is Christ upon the condition of faith and repentance and so he is promised and truly offered in the Word and Sacraments both to good and bad Men grown professe faith and repentance before they be admitted to Baptism and so beleeving are baptized Mark 16.16 Infants within the Covenant promise so much by their sureties which if coming to yeers they perform not then they receive Christ onely sacramentally specially not by Baptism and retain onely the external sanctification of Baptism a subsequent faith is required of them when they shal be capable without which they have no internall effects of sanctification by the Spirit The change made in the soul is not by water or by the bare work wrought in Baptism but by Faith and that is the effect of the word Christ is the substance life and vigour of all Sacraments whom therefore no unbeleever doth receive now Christ and his Spirit are not divided he is not received without his Spirit nor but by his Spirit given by the word which is the ministration of the Spirit Vse Not to trust to Baptism or Profession without faith So that Baptism works not of it self without the Word and Spirit which for Vse doth teach us not to ascribe too much to outward Baptism or Profession without true faith and the effects of the word on our souls and in our lives so that we may say of Baptism as was said of Circumcision Rom. 2 25-28 29. It verily profiteth if wee keep the Law else it becomes no Baptism true Baptism is that of the heart in the spirit 2. Some are said to be converted by voices from heaven 2. Not by voyces Aug. Confes l. 8. c. 12. as S. Austin tels us of himself that by a voice from heaven saying to him take up and read he being by Gods providence directed to the place in Rom. 13.13 14. Not in chambering and wantonnesse c. was throughly converted as his friend Alipius by reading the next words Rom. 14.1 as formerly hath been mentioned And wee know for certain that S. Paul Act. 9. was by the voice of Christ from heaven converted But Saint Austin was not ignorant of Gods word which hee had then by him and was not unacquainted with his will Therefore being formerly a wanton and having much strife within himself and shewing a lothnesse to leave his pleasant sin this voice prepared him to yeeld more reverence and obedience to the word known which in effect though read by him yet being thus by divine providence directed to this passage and it by this means specially applyed to him and his present occasion the perfecting of his conversion formerly begun was thus effected by the power of the Word Vse Not to depend on immediate teaching from heaven or Hell Yet as wee now are not to depend on this manner of immediate direction from heaven so if it did not confirm to us the doctrine of the Scriptures neither it nor any doctrine brought us by voyce from Heaven or Hel would prove effectuall to work faith or to convert But though such voyces should teach us the same truths which the Scripture doth wee are not to depend thereon See Luke 16.27 28 29 30 31. The like wee say for Saint Paul's conversion hee knew what doctrine hee persecuted but beleeved it not till now howsoever it was Christs voice and word which changed him and his conversion was further perfected by the preaching of Ananias to him 3. Not by visions and dreams 3 Some mens eares are opened and their instruction sealed in a dream in a vision of the night c. and so are withdrawn from their purpose yet it is the word of the messenger an interpreter one of a thousand which makes all effectuall see Job 33.15 16 17 c. with 23 24 c. 4 Some have been converted by seeing the constancy of innocent Christians in their sufferings 4 Not by seeing the constancy of Martyrs Euseb l. 4. c. 8. and their rejoicing to suffer for Christ as Justin the martyr witnesseth of himself in his Apology to Antoninus But this was onely an occasion sanctified of God to him and others both then and of later times to sift enquire into that truth which they knew not before by vertue of which when by the teachers thereof they were acquainted with it they were converted as Lactantius also sheweth so that we are hence taught not to judge of truth simply by mens sufferings for no true conversion wil alwayes follow thereupon but of their sufferings by the cause and truth for which they suffer 5 Not by miracles 5 So Christ wrought many Miracles upon the sight of which many believed on him but what did they believe the word taught by him which formerly they did not rellish Miracles were not without the word they onely made way for it The word by the Spirit did truly and effectually convert them when once they were convinced by the miracle that it was the very word of God the miracles onely occasioned their convesion 6 Afflictions often are the occasion of mens conversion 6 Not simply by afflictions Anno 496. See Doctour King on Jon. lect 40. as well as miracles so Clodoveus a French King upon a great discomfiture was converted to be a Christian but he was first instructed by his Lady Crotildis and moved to embrace the Christian faith The like we see in King Manasseh 2 Chro. 33.11.12.13 Then he knew that the Lord was God he knew him before for the Lord spake to Manasseh and to his people but they would not hearken as verse 10. onely afflictions brought him to acknowledge God and to be convinced that it was hee whom hee had to deal withall and to hearken to his word and obey it by repentance So David before he was afflicted went astray but now saith hee have I kept thy word Psal 119. Hee knew Gods word before but now hee kept it This wee see in divers others on whom Gods word hath not its powerfull work in humbling them till some grievous crosse losse sicknesse or danger come to second the word and to occasion a more serious consideration and use-making of it all which work in and by the power of the word In all the forenamed instances Conversion is from the power of the Word and from other things onely
is of the Hand in and by works but because they explain themselves dangerously in these and because a reprobate may have them all as well as their converts for all three were in Judas I leave them The order noted which some others observe Others much better make the order this by reducing the whole work to these six heads 1. This trouble of minde and conscience upon sight of sin and misery 2. Consultation hereupon what in such case to do 3. To be broken-hearted humble and contrite 4. Secret desire of forgivenesse with confession of sin and hope 5. Forsaking of all and highly prizing the pearl of the Gospel 6. Application of Christ and his promise Thus that worthy Divine old Mr. Rogers See also who list Mr. John Rogers of Faith Seven Treatises Treat 1. Chap. 4. Treat of the Christians Apparelling by Christ part 3. Sect. 73. on 1 Cor. 1.30 pag. 117 c. Chap. 2. I have also my self endeavoured to shew how faith is wrought and from thence discovered many mens false faith Onely now I will briefly note thus much Before the grace of Conversion and Faith be fully wrought the Spirit works orderly by the word assisted as is said sometimes by Miracles Afflictions c. so that there is first a work of the Law then of the Gospel not but that the Gospel hath also some work on the soul like unto that of the Law which therefore so far I refer to the work of the Law if not of Moses There is a double orderly work of Gods power both of the Law and Gospel 1. By the precept Mark 11.15 yet of Christ The Law then yea and so the Gospel hath a work 1. In and by the Precepts of it as when it saith Thou shalt have no other gods besides Mee and so in the other Commandments Yea so also the Gospel Repent ye and beleeve the Gospel and so it works on the understanding 2. In the Sanction of it 2 By the Sanction Gal. 3.10 Deut. 27.26 whereby it is established and a curse annexed to the breakers of it Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the Law to do them So faith the Gospel Except ye repent ye shall all perish And Hee that beleeveth not the Son Luke 13.5 shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him Joh. 3.3 6. And thus it works on the Conscience By both which works men are brought under the spirit of bondage brought to self conviction and beat out of themselves despairing wholly of themselves or of any help or succour from their own wisdome righteousnesse holinesse power The distinct works of the Law The distinct and 〈◊〉 works of the 〈…〉 1 Revealing of sin 2 Increase of sin and orderly proceeding of it I take to be this whereby it makes way for the mercy of the â—â—â—â—â—el This it doth 1 by revealing sin which formerly lay hid Rom. 3.20 2 By increasing sin not but that the law is holy but this it doth accidentally through our corruption for the commandment once coming to the conscience and shewing its spiritual nature sin which lying in the heart as well as in the outward man was thought to be dead reviveth Rom. 7.9 and taking occasion by the commandment Vers 11. deceiveth us and thereby slayeth us and worketh in us all manner of lust when the commandment cometh sin aboundeth and appeareth to be sin yea out of measure sinfull This the law doth in and by the precepts of it 3 Causing of wrath 3 By causing wrath that is by revealing foreshowing and threatning of wrath convincing the soul thereof and shewing God to be truly angry Rom. 1.18 that his wrath is revealed from heaven against all ungodlinesse and unrighteousness of men and against theirs in particular 4 Horrour and fear 4 Hereupon follows horrour and amazement through fear of this wrath and of the Justice of God The soul is at a stand the hammer of the Law hath given it such a blow that it is dazzeled confounded and knows neither what to think of it self nor what to do as it was with Saul posting to Damascus yea it with Belshazzar see 's the vengeance written and the hand-writing of condemnation against it self apprehending nothing but some fearful and sudden wrath ready to befall it so that it begins to quake and tremble as he did in the midst of his jollitie in an expectation of some fiery indignation his life even that of his soul hanging in doubt before him fearing day and night as having no assurance of it and having nothing in his eye but his sin the cause of his fear and damnation and death as the wages and fruit of his sin which seeing God hath him in chase he knowes not how soon or suddainly it may befall him And this is that spirit of fear 2 Tim. 1.7 Rom. 8.15 and of bondage spoken of in scripture Heb. 2.14 5 Sorrow and griefe 5. Now with this or upon this apprehension of cause of fear there goeth or followeth sorrow wounding pricking of heart stinging of conscience and present feeling of hell torments lesse or more For what is painfull when it is present is not without pain in the certain expectation of it as on the contrary a man may and the true Christian doth even under affliction rejoyce in hope of glory so these I speake of do sorrow and feel sensible grief in the fear of hell the soul is wounded pierced and stabbed as with the point of a sword hell is already begun in the conscience which saith I have thus and so sinned against a just God and damnation is my portion and thus the curse of the Law particularly seizeth upon the soul 6. Self-despair 6. This is accompanied with self-Judging and through a sight of its own inability to help it self with self-despair also whereby the soul lies plunged as a bull in the net and by striving is more intangled seeing its own help-lesse and so hope-lesse condition lying in bondage under the fear of death and of eternall wrath Now this as the three former is as from the Sanction of the Law and curse annexed and denounced to the breach of it so especially it flowes from the conclusion of that practicall syllogisme spoken of which conscience makes where is both self-judging an act of conscience and affections sutable stirred up in the will and soul 7. Consultation and a driving of a man out of himself 7 Now this desperate condition of the soul makes it it may be but alwayes with those whom God will convert look about to see as it were if any help or meanes of help be neer and causeth a consultation and an inquiry after them if possibly there may be cure as in these here in Saul or Paul and in the Jaylour and this I make also a work of the Law and of natural conscience the law being
qualifications or to derogate from free grace or to hold men to a legal faith c. And the main Doctrine repeated Such an order as this there is in the work of Conversion which I name not to bind the Lord to an order or to an uniform dealing with all converts some whereof he humbles more some lesse and accordingly comforts some sooner then others in some he works all these in a shorter time it may be at one Sermon whereas others are long held under the spirit of bondage before they come to hope or to any assurance some stick longer in the birth then others neither do I intend to tye every convert to give a strict account of all these particulars or of the severall degrees and steps by which he hath been brought along But my chief aim in naming these in this order is to shew and declare and withall to make good the former point of Doctrine which is that such as God will convert and save must first be pricked in heart that Conversion and faith is not wrought in an instant without some preparatory works going before and that in the generall God first humbles before he comforts there is constantly this Order first sight of sinne sense of wrath wounding pricking self-despair and then and not before or not without the other hope of mercy joy comfort true conversion faith assurance 5 The application and use of the said Doctrine perseverance and salvation So that now at length this main doctrine being explaned illustrated Demonstrated and both reasons of it given and the manner order steps and degrees of Conversion shewed It remains that it be applied and made use of CHAP. XI Containing an use preparative to the rest or of triall 1Vse of triall of our estate 1 THe first Vse shall be preparatory to the rest and it is for Triall and by way of Query I ask thee then whosoever whether thou ever hast been savingly or at all pricked in in conscience or wounded in spirt for thy sins thou mayest try thy self and know the state and condition of thy soul by that which hath been taught and proved at least negatively so that not finding such things and such effects of the word of God and particularly of the legal part of it wrought in thee thou hast just cause to suspect thy faith yea undoubtedly to conclude that as yet thou art no true Convert nor in state of grace and that thou hast not Christ as wanting faith for when all such effects of the Law are wrought in thee thou hast yet much to do but if these things be not done then art thou farre off from grace and if so in that state before thou be so humbled thou diest thou art for ever undone Now whereas these works are the effects of the Law and word 1 preached Foure Interrogatories put to each conscience whereby sinne both against the Law and Gospel is made known and discovered 2 Applyed whereby sinners are convinced and made guilty 3. Pressed upon them and followed home with curses and denunciations of wrath c. whereby 1 in the conscience follows self-judging and self-condemnation 2 In the Affections horrour sorrow shame self-despair Yea and 3 it may be hereupon in the understanding consultation what to do I ask first dost thou know thy self and thy wayes to be sinfull and vile Dost thou now see that evill by thy self which formerly thou knewest not 1 Concerning our knowledge Doth thine uncleannesse evill concupiscence covetousnesse appeare to thee no longer tricks of youth naturall desires good thrift and husbandy and thine excesse and abuse of Gods good creatures in and for company of others no longer good fellowship and neighbourhood and sociablenesse and so in other particulars where thou hast called evil good and good evil by condemning in thy self others and the good wayes of God of too much precisenesse humour folly and madnesse but do the aforesaid vices now shew themselves to thee in the glasse of the Law and word preached to be what indeed they are horrible sins of dishonour done to God provocations of the eyes of his glory pernicious to thy soul c. and hast thou another judgement then formerly of the good wayes of God and of his people This is a good beginning and signe that God intends further good unto thee and throughly to convert thee But if thou art not touched with a sight or sense of thy evill estate and wayes if yet through thy ignorance thou be alive in thine own conceit I must tell thee thou art dead in sinnes and in thy naturall and lost estate and so continuing shalt die in thy sinnes and perish for ever 2 Concerning the judging of our selves Revel 3.17 2 Hast thou yet never been made by the word and Law to judge thy self thine estate and wayes Hast thou never been made guilty self-convinced self condemned to be under wrath or at least to be most worthy of wrath I must tell thee thou must then be judged of God and that eternally Hast thou not been sensible of thine estate under darknesse under Gods wrath under the curse and damnation and so hast thou not been weary of thy naturall estate and condition I say then thou hast cause to fear eternal darknesse wrath and damnation Dost thou think thy self in good estate and wast thou never convinced or sensible of worser condition then thou art in Suspect thy self all is not well with thee He that dreams of a conversion or state of grace and of a fulnesse without some sense of his former estate shall when he a wakes prove hungry empty of grace deceived in and by a false birth yea and hardened to his destruction Judge then thy self in time that thou be not for ever judged of the Lord I exhort thee to take heed of security to arraigne thy self at thine own bar and to suffer the word to judge try yea and to condemn thee Try by it not onely thy cursed estate by nature and thy grosser sinnes but thy omissions yea thy best actions thy vertues and righteousnesse thy services and sacrifices in which thou restest and seemest to trust 3 Concerning our sorrow 3 Let me ask thee hast thou never yet sorrowed when thou hast heard and been wounded for thy sinne nor trembled at the voice Habbak 3.16 I must say and tell thee the more is behind and for the present thou art far from true joy know that sorrow must be in the evening before there be joy in the morning thou must sow in tears before reap in joy 4 Concerning our consultation Lastly hast thou never as yet either questioned thine estate or come so farre as to consult about the bettering of it and to come out of thine old and naturall condition I say do both the one and the other in time and know now till I tell thee more fully of it hereafter on this Text that God fills those mens heads with care
dog whose mouth you had stopped will awaken against you and fly in your faces and then be your greatest terrour when you most stand in need of comfort and to have conscience your friend 3 Or howsoever you shall be given up to Desperation and therein to perish for ever as we see in Judas who repenting of his sin meerely out of horrour not hatred of it 3 or to utter desperation and neglecting in hope to seek to Christ and to shew true sorrow for his treachery against him was in Gods justice given up to desperation to be tormented by Satan in this life till he grew weary of it as is seen in Judas and to hasten his own eternall torments with him in hel Even thus little pricks or bruises neglected prove not only extremely painfull but often deathfull and rods are turned into scorpions How was it with Francis Spira whose lamentable story is so well known who smothering a good while such checks of conscience and Francis Spira as being hearkened unto would have kept peace in his conscience was given up to be lashed in his naked soul for a long while by so many strokes of conscience as with so many iron rods and at length for all that could be done or said vnto him to dye most miserably and without comfort God by such remarkable examples though they fall out rarely in such noted manner yet by the terrour of them would and doth warn all men not to neglect conscience or to whist and smother the reproofs and checks of it that so more securely and with lesse controll they may still enjoy their lusts their sinfull gains pleasures offices honours liberty favour with men and what else they are wedded to more sorrow for such things whilst stings of conscience are followed home with godly and repentant sorrow with self deniall in them will much sooner bring a man to sound ease and solid rest then the injoying of them with a false peace by silencing deading and dulling of conscience But now supposing thou art an elect child of God who art so wounded which that thou art yea in the elect there will follow thou canst not know till thou be made truly sorrowfull and be throughly converted and attain to true faith yet though thy first prickings of conscience be such as shall prove saving to thee yet I say if thou follow not home this work of humiliation and sorrow once begun these things will follow either 1 an easie return to sinne and the best thou canst expect will be either an easy return to former sinnes so sleightly sorrowed for and an often relapsing into the same sins as we see in Abraham twice denying Sarah to be his wife and may see it much more in others not onely the wicked as is said as in Ahab Judas Felix c. but even the elect of God or 2 a questioning the truth of conversion or an uncomfortable walking all thy life time with a continuall questioning the truth of thy conversion and so nothing but deadnesse and doubting or it may be or 3 a new beginning again a coming back again under the bondage of the Law as having the whole work to begin after a dead and unfound profession for many years whereby thou hast deceived thy self or 4 crosses from God further to humble them or lastly great crosses and afflictions sent from God to humble thee yet more and more as why not in Jobs cases who by afflictions was made to remember and possesse the sins of his youth perhaps not so truly sorrowed for at the first You see then that there is no resting or taking up with every light or little pang of conscience A reproof of such as 1 seek comfort and lay hold on pardon too soon many by seeking or snatching at comfort too soon do altogether misse of it they will believe the promise of pardon ere they be prepared sufficiently for it they take too great and wide a stride at once seeing there are many steps between such sleight terrours wrought by the Law and true faith to believe the pardon of sin Others after some apprehension of wrath shaking it off 2 Shake off all former sense of sin and punishment do think it basenesse to suffer themselves to be so much disquieted as sometimes they have been and hereupon most desperately harden themselves against the word and resolve to outstare the Ministers of it they will no longer be such children as they have been they will do as they have done let Jeremy if he were among them or all the Ministers in the world say against them what they will or can But for men of this stamp I must leave them seeing by this their obstinacy and hardning of themselves which is a fearfuull case they shew that God hath left them to their own gracelesse hearts in his greatest displeasure to run on headlong without fear to their own eternall destruction as not meaning and yet who knows the mind and mercies of the Lord to give them repentance that he might save them God may do much for such and in meere mercy by his mighty power soften and reclaim them but neither may they presume thereon nor dare I promise it I therefore turn mee to such as have some sense of sin and are or shall be touched with some gripings and stings of conscience though for the present it be onely in apprehension of judgement to these I would speak a word of Exhortation and of Direction SECT 5. The former Exhortation further followed The exhortation further followed that our sorrow may be to repentance TO you then I say seeing the word hath taken hold on you and wounded you See that your sorrow be to purpose that is indeed to repentance and to salvation and that it be according to God or after a godly manner that it work and bring forth carefulnese 1 Cor. 7.8 9 10 11. and other such fruits as godly sorrow wrought in the Corinthians upon Paul's reproof of them and such as this here in my Text wrought in these Jews by Peter's conviction of them the first fruit whereof was carefulness what shall wee do upon which question they were directed to repent verse 38. they were first pricked in heart yet had not repented that was after prescribed to them as a salve and as the end of their pricking So that wee see the one of these is but a beginning a preparative and the way to the other men may be wounded heavie laden and burdened with their sin and yet not converted not as yet come and brought to Christ Matth. 11.28 Men must be first sinners in their own sense that done they are called to repentance The weight of sin may lie on one and he as yet not truly or not sufficiently humbled See then yee be humbled enough And that we be humbled enough Num. 16.14 Most come short in this great work
But should not a people seek unto their God for the living to the dead c. Isa 8.19 20. Some will direct thee to such Ministers of Antichrist as would heal a wounded conscience with Reasons 7 To the Ministers of Antichrist and not by the Word and promises thereof who turn rather tormentors then Physicians taking often as a worthy Divine observes advantage of the bruisedness of mens spirits to relieve them with false peace for their own worldly ends D. Sibs Bruised reed p 202. inasmuch as a wounded spirit will part with any thing who counsel for themselves and for their own gain Herein are they like some cruel Surgeons who delight to make long cures to serve themselves upon the misery of others 8 Not to Libertines Familists and Antinomians Lastly some take an easier course which is not the curing but the searing of the conscience These are our Familists Libertines and Antinomians if you please so call them who will tell you if your conscience be troubled for any sin though otherwise gross especially after your supposed Conversion or that Christ is once come to you that your sin is onely an act of the outward man who do not cure but sear the conscience and therefore ought not to trouble your conscience yea they will tell you that to be troubled for sin again is to bring your selves back under the spirit of bondage Conscience of sin is but slavery whereas not to know See Calvin's Tract contra Libertinos or as their phrase is to unknow sin that is not to take such notice of sin as to be troubled in conscience for it upon conceit of displeasing God thereby and of incurring his disfavour is to be like unto Adam in his innocency who then knew onely good and not evill By all means say they you must take heed of being cast down for any failings Their Objections against us Yea they tell us It is vain babling when men are cast down to raise them by duties and flat daubing to build men on doings though duties died in the blood of Christ But contrariwise we build not men on duties but on Gods free and gracious promises answered which promises being yet made upon conditions the conditions must not be excluded they are indeed required of us as duties How we cure how we teach duties but not performed by any strength of our own and so they being rightly performed are blessings and gifts of Gods free grace and consequently meet to assure us but merit nothing they are to be done because commanded but not to be rested in or trusted to as any way meritorious Not so as to rest or trust in them duty must be done but when we have done it we must and do say We are unprofitable servants we have done that by Gods blessing and powerfull grace which was our duty to do Luke 17.10 So that we see duty is commended where merit is condemned But tell me Doth not Peter here raise men cast down and asking what they shall do by duties when ver 38 and 39 he bids them repent and be baptized and elsewhere Acts 16.31 beleeve And is there not a renewed act of repentance and of faith flying to our Baptism and to the Covenant there sealed after particular failings required Are not men called on to repent and do their first works Rev. 2.5 But to what end not to rest in them we abhor that but to help us to Christ and as assurance of our election but onely to fit and prepare us to come to Christ and to establish our own hearts seeing we cannot do any of these things but by the effectuall grace of God and to make our calling and election sure to our selves see 2 Pet. 1.5 6. c. with v. 10. for so after doubts and dejections we are raised comforted and assured of the constancy of Gods love and grace to us in Christ so also Hebr. 12.12 13 14. I am sure the Apostle Paul both requires this casting down for failings 1 Cor. 5.2 blaming the want of it and commends such as in whom it is 2 Cor. 7.7 8 9 10 11. Take we heed therefore that we seek not to vain helps as Hos 5.13 and in case of trouble of conscience that we fall not into the hands of such Physicians of no value as who in stead of curing will kill us but happy is he that findes such a wise faithful able and godly Physician for his soul that can direct him how to secure his estate to answer Satans objections and scruples of conscience to assure him of his adoption he hath found a jewell for such a one is one of a thousand Job 33. SECT 3. Containing two moe Vses Vse 2 A Second Use of what hath been said is to discover the paucity of such as are truly wrought upon by Gods word Discovering that few are pricked in conscience foâ— sin and thereby wounded in their spirits for sin we must needs conclude so much for most Congregations because there is so little recourse to the spirituall Physician so few doubts and cases of conscience propounded to him The Divine's house as once was said of the Lawyers house should be Oraculum Civitatis as the Oracle of the City and we plainly see it that the Lawyers house or chamber is frequented yea thronged in a Term or Session-time especially when the Divines house by all is passed by there is so little resorting to good Ministers for counsell an argument men are more careful and more sensible of their outward estate titles goods then of the estate of their souls they question and find the one questioned much more by men then the other by Satan or their own doubting consciences but flocking to Lawyers to secure their estates They desire to know the worst in their estates titles to lands and claims and must yea will what-ever it cost know of their Lawyer what to do to secure themselves and estates when like care is wholly neglected for their souls though inwardly they have many doubtings and gripings of conscience How also is the Physician for the body sought to and to Physicians of the body and the Surgeon in case of a distempered body a wound a broken and dis-joynted bone Yea as is said in case of some trouble of minde how shall we finde or to places of sport c. it may be Play-houses gaming-rooms at home or abroad drinking-houses and the like filled and all to put away melancholy when the Divine is wholly passed by Nay do not many wish the Minister if faithfull and godly far enough off them in such case do they not or would they not think themselves happy So far are they from being troubled in conscience that they are ready to cry out they cannot be quiet for their Minister Onely troubled that such faithfull Ministers are so neer them and in case any such godly
is to be the more magnified by us Now the way by which God gives an issue God only gives the issue by giving repentance c. as in David is by repentance faith confession of sin prayer self-condemning and self-deniall punishment of offendors judging our selves and others with reformation of things amisse as we see here in these Iewes and in the Jaylor so also in David who through his pride and folly in the needless numbring of his people 2 Sam. 24.14 17 18. was brought into a great strait I am said he in a great strait he knew not what to doe what to chuse yet he finds a good issue by his casting himself upon God and his mercy by his confession of sin 1 Chron. 21.13.16 17. and prayer for himself and his people joyned with fasting and sackcloth by rearing an Altar and offering of sacrifice as the Prophet Gad directed him See this also in Joshua who through the sin of Achan in Joshua with the whole host of Israel is brought into marvellous straits whilest the men of Ai prevailed against them Josh 7.6 7 8 9. Alas O Lord God what shall I say when Israel turneth their backs before their enemies c. What shall I say either to thee O Lord whom doubtlesse we have offended though as yet I know not wherein Or to this people to whom I ever promised good success and victory in thy name or to the enemies whose mouthes I cannot stop from blasphemies or to my self in answer to mine own doubts concerning thy truth and promises Yet God gives him an issue also Get thee up for he with his clothes rent with the Elders of Israel was faln upon his face before the Ark of the Lord untill the eventide wherefore liest thou upon thy face Israel hath sinned I will not be with you any more except ye destroy the accursed from among you c. This done God was appeased But now where in such straits and convictions of conscience men doe not betake themselves to such like courses of repentance Impenitent persons exclude themselves from mercy faith prayer c. but thinke to wrastle it out by their own strength or other meanes they shut the door of mercy against themselves and cast themselves into straits inextricable and such as wherein they perish as the forenamed Cain who in such straits built him a city unto which but not unto the Lord he betook him for safety and as Iudas who in like case sought to the High Priests but not to Christ for mercie and in others especially at the last day when sinners shall be speechlesse and seeing Christ in glory and as their judge shall not know either what to say or do or whether to flee from his presence Nay even in this life when evill men will not flee to God by repentance confession faith and not repenting amendment c. and so serve his providence and make way for his mercy they not only put themselves they put God willing to save them into straits as not knowing what to do unto them but be it spoken with reverence God himself to some stand so that he being loth they should perish knowes not what more to say or do unto them in mercy especially and so as may stand with his glory who will not save men in their sins unless he should utterly destroy them So God to Ephraim and Judah O Ephraim what shall I do unto thee O Judah what shall I doe unto thee for your goodness is as a morning cloud Hos 6.4 and as the early dew it goeth away And may not inlike manner the Lord complain of our unto wardness unfruitfulness and iniquity saying What could have bin done or what can I do more to my vineyard with his honour and holinesse What can I do more with my honor to you who so long have abused my mercy not feared my threats made light account of my word smothered checks of conscience out-wrastled a while to the stifling of the spirit your fears doubts and inward anguish by your own meanes unlesse I should utterly destroy you seeing you by self-deniall and going out of your selves wholly will not seek your helpe and salvation from me And assuredly dear brethren seeing your sin hath brought you into such a distressed condition as that all the world cannot help you if God in mercy help you not unlesse damn them and that again by your presumption and bold trusting to your selves and security and self-confidence you bar up Gods mercy and his power against your selves I say know it assuredly that mercy it self shall never save you till or unlesse you in sence of your hellish and slavish condition under the power of sin and wrath and acknowledgement of your own inability and by an absolute deniall of your selves do seek help and salvation out of your selves in God only according to the direction of his word and faithfull Ministers and dispensers of it and from the power of his saving grace So did these here And so I return to the Observation propounded Those whom God will save must by self-deniall seek salvation out of themselves SECT 2. Why we are to deny our selves and all goodness in our selves in the matter of Salvation YOu perhaps will say did these here in the Text so Or did the Jaylor so when he asked What must I do to be saved Quest Did these Iewes seek salvation out of themselves It seems they are all for doing and works and that they sought though the way of salvation from others yet the cause of it in themselves and in their own doings What shall we do I will not deny but that generally men seek their own good by their own doings when they so speak of doing they of themselves by nature know no other way and are ignorant of Jesus Christ and his righteousnes and so seek righteousness not by faith but as it were by the works of the Law Rom. 9.32 as did the Jews whilst they stumbled at Christ For so according to that condition at the first even in nature intire did the Covenant run Men not knowing Christ commonly and naturally seek their own good from their own doings but more expresly afterwards when the Morall Law was given to the Jewes Do this and thou shalt live Which condition yet was in the true intent of it for conviction and to shew man his unrighteousnesse and impotency and so to prepare him for Christ when he should be made known unto him unto whom accordingly even in the time of the Law men had recourse in the promise and by their legall sacrifices all of them types of Christ and from the first condition of works which yet was for conviction and to prepare them for Christ so that being in their consciences convinced of their sins and of their just desert of death they betook themselves those I mean who understood what they did by
themselves wholly in their names and respect with men in their offices and liberties ashamed to make open profession of him as Nicodemus a Pharisee Joh. 3.2 who in himself approving well of Christ and his doctrine yet loth to be known to favour one who was so much hated and accounted a ring-leader to a faction came stealing to Christ by night least others should perceive it and discover him Joseph of Arimathea John 19.38 39. Such an one was Joseph of Arimathea a while who is said to be a Disciple of Christ but for fear of the Jewes Yea what shall 〈◊〉 say of Peter who so confidently bragged what he would do whilest he trusted to himself and to the strength of his own resolution Matth. 26.44 Though all men shall be offended because of thee I yet will never be offended yet left to himself a while how was he ashamed to confesse and acknowledge Christ in his sufferings Peter and how did he thrice deny him even with an oath saying I know not the man Peter had not yet so fully denied himself as afterwards when he boldly confessed Christ before the High Priests to the manifest hazard of his life It s also said many chief Rulers John 12.42 43. that among the chief rulers many beleeved on Christ but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him lest they should be put out of the Synagogue for they loved the praise of men more then the praise of God And how is it in our daies when many are ashamed of the afflictions of Gods people for the Gospels sake many among our selves who are ashamed of profession in the power of it and to make any other then an outward bare cold and dead profession themselves lest they should go under the common reproachfull titles and termes of the world and be thought to be Puritanicall seditious factious and enemies to Caesar The truth is shame which belongs only unto sin is now cast upon profession of godlinesse Thus the Officers sent to take Christ but justifying his doctrine as also Nicodemus speaking but a word for Christ are reproached for so doing Are ye also deceived and art thou also of Galilee Joh. 7.46 47 c. and 52. Yea the man who was born blind and healed by Christ asking the Pharisees who so strictly examined him saying Jo◠9.27 28. Will ye also be his Disciples was reviled and that not without scorn disdain and contempt of Christ Thou are his Disciple but we are Moses Disciples 2. Faith which excludes all works and confidence in our selves 2. Faith and belief on Christ of necessity presupposeth self-deniall and a renouncing of the condition of works or of whatsoever worth excellency or righteousnesse is in a mans self And therefore till we renounce our own righteousness and all we doe as filthy clouts and as losse we cannot beleeve on Christ Yea such as renounce their own righteousness and confesse their sin with Cain but yet despair of help do it out of stoutness and through want of self-deniall as hath been shewed formerly They have not worth or strength enough of their own and they will not go to God for it so men that a respect their credit with men cannot beleeve Joh. 5.44 3. Repentance 3. Repentance what is it but a disclaiming with sorrow of lll our former courses and waies and a renouncing of all such usts as we have formerly delighted in which is sorrow for former lusts and so a denying of our elves in our vain delights and carnall pleasures in our unlawull waies of gain in our pride ambition c What keeps men in their sins without repentance but unwillingness and lothness to deny themselves in their former lusts and a casting them off which will plead hard I mean the sinful self in man what will ye leave us for ever shall we never be merry agai◠will leud queanes or companions say It will be here as when Ezra reformed strange marriages exhorting the people to separate themselves from the people of the land and from the strange wives Ezra 10.9 10 11. which they also did confessing their sins and amending This could not be done heartily and truly without much self-deniall Self humbling requires much self-deniall Micah 6.6 c. 4. But these Jewes here so seriously asking 4. New-obedience what they should do plainly shew how willing and resolved they were to obey God and his Apostles and how ready to deny themselves that they might obey him in doing and suffering whether by doing or suffering But this could not be done without much deniall of themselves active duties as to beleeve obey the Gospel and the like are contrary to corrupted nature which requires much self-deniall as above nature so far as it remains intire which cannot be performed till a man cross his corruptions and deny himself in them in his ease delights gain c. much more must he deny himself in things to be suffered and passive duties which are not only against corrupt nature but against nature intire which also must stoup and be denied 5. Self deniall it self if it be not in all things and with respect to God 5. These here whilest they ask this question stand upon nothing in themselves and deny themselves fully and in all things without any reservations or respects to themselves Many men seem to deny themselves in some things as in their oathes stealing whores ease and some comforts of this life as some civill formalist superstitious and meriting Papist who spares not his own body Some men seek themselves whilest in some things they seem to deny themselves All self-respects in duties even of mortification to be denied but macerates it with whippings fastings or pilgrimages and yet all this is done in self-respects in the one because to do otherwise will not stand with his honour and credit among men who it may be also will stoup to suffer scorn and nicknames for Christ and his profession which he finds to be more advantageous to him some other way in the other is an opinion of merit and hope to escape the pains of Purgatory howsoever all this is both from and for themselves who required these things at their hands And what God appoints not is not done to him Such deniall of a mans self stands in need of true Self-deniall which is in true converts absolute universall and without reservations to our selves and self-respects SECT 4. Containing a more generall Exhortation to Self-deniall and shewing in what things we are first simply and absolutely to deny our selves Generally we are to denie our selves in all things here 1. For what things we must denie our selves They are four LEt us then be exhorted to deny our selves generally in all things And here let us know what those things are which we should chiefly if not only respect and seek after and what we are to deny our selves in 1. The former
occasionally And that it may further appear that Gods power goes along with the Word preached and heard wee will briefly shew this first In the persons who preach and hear secondly in the work of the Ministry it self and in the order thereof The power of which is further shewed 1 In the persons of Preachers who by the power of God are 1. Called 1. There is a power goes along in the very calling and sending of Ministers their calling and abilities are from Gods power When Christ called Peter and Andrew James and John from their fishing trade Matth. 4.18 19 20 21 22. was there not a secret power drawing them to leave both ship and father Zebedee and to follow him but especially in calling Matthew from that gainfull trade the receit of custome Matth. 9.9 who forth with arose and followed him so in calling of Paul to be an Apostle and after when the holy Ghost said Separate me Barnabas and Saul c. Acts 13.2 Men may not arise from their ordinary callings and thrust themselves into the ministery unlesse God more immediately and extraordinarily do call them as Christ did these named where to his authority he adds inward power to obey Men may not then thrust in themselves into the Ministery as of themselves that power and authority belongs to God and Christ to call them 2. Inabled with gifts 2. Men even the best are of themselves insufficient to these things and unable to discharge such a weighty duty what through bodily what especially through spirituall defects and inabilities but yet God enables such as he calleth and makes them able Ministers 2 Cor. 3.5 6. Vse c. who therefore are taught not to trust to their own gifts studies and endeavours men so doing fail most of all as might by instances be shewed 3. Made willing and encouraged 3. Men often are unwilling by reason of the greatnesse and danger of the task to undergo or undertake such a great difficult and hazardous work as we see in a like work how unwilling upon this ground of inability Moses was to obey Gods call but see Exod. 3.11 12. and 4.10 11 12. Jeremy was foretold of such things but strengthened and encouraged against them see Jer. 1.6 7 8 9 19. And when he was by discouragements ready to give over Gods spirit quickned and set him to his work again Jer. 20.2 From this power it is that godly Ministers do so constantly holdout and still preach for all their discouragements and that they dare oppose and reprove even great ones for their sins as John did Herod who if either they resist the word or hate and persecute their reprovers for their faithfullnesse they so doing do resist the power and spirit of God in them and the ordinance of God There is a wisedom and spirit by which these speak which the ungodly though learned otherwise are not able to resist Acts 6.10 In a word when Christ sent his Apostles to preach to the Gentiles saying go teach all nations and it is premised Mat. 28.18 19 All power is given unto me in Heaven and in Earth which was spoken for their encouragement who had a mighty work in hand the Conquest of nations to Christ and were to meet with the wisdom and power of the world to withstand them 20. This promise is extended to us even unto the end of the world 2 For hearers 2. Of hearers whose 1 Hearing or willingnesse to hear is a work of power first It is a work of power that men come to hear being called It is God that humbles them and gives them an heart to do his will in obeying even the commandment of godly Magistrates therein as 2 Chron. 30.11 12. That some being called by the bell or otherwise come to church to hear Gods word especially as Gods word and as in obedience to him with desire of profit as verse 8. when others having the same call refuse go to cards drinking walking abroad or to a Masse in a word refuse to come It is not from any power of mans will but from the spirit of God moving the heart of the one effectually and leaving the other to their own hardnesse who as Popish and profane Recusants now being by Moses the godly Magistrate called on refuse obstinately saying we will not come up which Numb 16.12 Vse by the way 1 shews The justness of Gods judgements on all such Recusants being given over to their hearts lusts and 2 teacheth all such to acknowledge his power and mercy to them whose hearts tell them they come to the hearing of his word in obedience and with desire to profit thereby 2 When men thus lend their presence 2. So their attending yet it is God onely who by his Spirit opens their hearts 1 to attend as he did Lydia's Acts 16.14 So that it is a signe when men do not attend to the word which they hear that corruption and Satan is strong 2Vnderstanding of the word 2 To understand the Scriptures which otherwise they could not though delivered to them by the mouth of Christ himself Those to whom he expounded in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself stood in need that he should also by his power open their understandings that they might understand the Scriptures Vse See Luke 24.27 with 45. So that men must not so much trust to their own piercing wits and understandings in their giving the sense of the Scripture or expounding the mysteries of Religion especially those deep points of Predestination and Election 2 This power is shewed in the effect of the Ministery 2. And so we come to see Gods power in and by the Ministery who by his Spirit goes on with his own work and makes it powerfull to conversion as 1 Cor. 3.5 6 7. 2 Cor. 3.3 whosoever be the Planter yet it is God who by his Spirit gives the blessing and increase Whatsoever be the pen yet it is God who by his Spirit writes with it It is Gods ordination yea and power by which hearing faith and obedience cometh Rom. 1.16 10.17 All which should teach us 1 to magnifie the ministry of the word even in the mouth of weake man if otherwise faithfull as Gods power to salvation And 2 to see and try our selves whether it be so powerfull in us or yet have such a powerfull and saving worke in us as it hath in many others SECT 3. The order of the work of Conversion and first of the Law 2. The order of Conversion in regard of the work it self The popish order disallowed ANd thus we come more particularly and neerer to the work it self and to shew in what order God by his word doth work conversion and beget faith in us Schoolmen and Papists make three degrees of penance or of repentence 1 Compunction 2 Confession 3 Satisfaction the first is of the Heart the second is of the Mouth the third