power according to His own pleasure to dispose of men looked upon as lying before God to Whom all things are present in sin and death drawn on by maâ—s own deserving and yet for the glory of His grace resolving to save the elect so as His justice shall be satisfied for them in and by the second Person of the Trinity the co-eternall and co-essentiall Son of the Father 4. This covenant of redemption then may be thus described It is a bargain agreed upon between the Father and the Son designed Mediatour concerning the elect lying with the rest of manking in the state of sin and death procured by their own merit wisely and powerfully to be converted sanctified and saved for the Son of Gods satisfaction and obedience in our nature to be assumed by Him to be given in due time to the Father even unto the death of the crosse In this bargain or agreement the Scripture importeth clearly a selling and a buying of the elect Acts 20. 28. Feed the Church of God which He hath purchased by His own blood 1 Cor. 6. 20. ye are bought with a price and 1 Pet. 1. 18. The seller of the elect is God the buyer is God incarnat the persons bought are the Church of the elect the price is the blood of God to wit the blood of Christ who is God and man in one person This covenant of redemption is in effect one with the eternall decree of redemption wherein the salvation of the elect and the way how it shall be brought about is fixed in the purpose of God who worketh all things according to the counsell of His own Will as the Apostle sets it down Ephes. 1. unto the 15 verse And the decree of redemption is in effect a covenant one God in three persons agreeing in the decree that the second Person God the Son should be incarnat and give obedience and satisfaction to divine justice for the elect unto which piece of service the Son willingly submitting Himself the decree becometh a reall covenant indeed But for further satisfaction that there is such a covenant between the Father and the Son as we have said for redeeming of the elect Scripture giveth us evidence six wayes The first way is by expressions which import presuppose a formall covenant between the parties buying and selling the second way is by styles and titles given to Christ the Redeemer the third is by expressions relating to an eternall decree for execution and performance of the covenant of redemption the fourth is by representation of this covenant in the Leviticall types the fifth is by Christ the Redeemer now incarnat His ratification of the covenant and the sixth way is by holding forth to us the heads and articles agreed upon wherein the covenant consists The first poof AS to the expressions importing a formall covenant first Ephes. 1. 7. it is called a redemption or a buying of the elect out of sin and misery by blood shewing that no remission of sin could be granted by Justice without sheding of blood and Christ undertook to pay the price and hath payed it Again the inheritance which the elect have promised unto them is called a purchase importing that the disponer of the inheritance to the elect must have a sufficient price for it and that the Redeemer hath accepted the condition and laid down the price craved for it Ephes. 1. 14. and so bought back lost heaven and forfeited blessednesse to so many sinners who otherwayes for sin might justly have been excluded and debarred therefrom for ever A third expression is holden forth Acts 20. 28. wherein God disponer and God Redeemer are agreed that the elect shal go free for God the Redeemer's obedience unto the death who hath now bought them with His blood A fourth expression is in plain terms set down by Paul 1 Cor. 6. 20. Ye are bought with a price God the disponer selleth and God the Redeemer buyeth the elect to be His conquest both body and spirit And Peter more particularly expresseth the price of redemption agreed upon to be not gold or silver but the blood of the Mediatour Christ the innocent Lamb of God slain in typicall prefigurations from the beginning of the World and slain in reall performance in the fulnesse of time 1 Pet. 1. 18. 19. 20. 21. A fifth expression is that of our Lord Jesus in the institution of the Sacrament of His Supper Matth. 26. 28. This is my blood of the new Testament which is shed for many for remission of sins Here an agreement between the Redeemer and God disponer that these many which are the elect shall have remission of sins for the Redeemers ransom of blood payed for them The purchase of this ransom of blood He maketh over in the Covenant of grace and reconciliation to believers in Him and sealeth the bargain with them by the Sacrament of His Supper The second proof THe second evidence of this Covenant of Redemption past between God and God the Son Mediatour designed is from such titles and styles as are given to Christ in relation to the procureing of a Covenant of grace and reconciliation between God and us First He is called a Mediatour of the Covenant of reconciliation interceeding for procureing of it and that not by a simple intreaty but by giving Himself over to the Father calling for satisfaction to Justice that reconciliation might go on for paying a compensatory price sufficient to satisfie Justice for the elect 1 Tim. 2. 5. 6. There is one God and one Mediatour between God and man to wit God incarnat the man Christ Iesus who gave Himself a ransom for all to wit elect children to be testified in due time Another title is given to Him by Job Chap. 19. 24. Where He is called a Redeemer a near kinsman who before His incarnation had oblieged Himself to take on humane nature and to pay the price of Redemption represented by slain sacrifices for the elect His kinsmen A third title is held out in that He is called a Surety of a better Covenant Heb. 7. 22. Whereby is imported that God would not passe a Covenant of grace and reconciliation to men except He had a good Surety who would answer for the debt of the party reconciled and would undertake to make the reconciled stand to his Covenant And Christ undertook the Suretyship and so hath procured and established this Covenant of grace much better then the Covenant of works and better then the old Covenant of grace with Israel as they made use of it This necessarily imports a Covenant between Him and the Fathers Justice to whom He becometh surety for us for what is suretiship but a voluntary transferring of anothers debt upon the Surety oblieging to pay the debt for which he ingageth as Surety A fourth title given to Christ is that He is a reconciliation by way of permutation the atonement Rom. 5. 11. We have by Christ received the atonement that is
satisfying for their sin by the external sacrifice of some clean beast offered to God or by the washing of their body and their cloaths Such also is the covenant which now adayes many make with God cutting short with the old Pharisees the sense of the precepts of the Law by extending it no further then they may keep the same that so they may make their own inherent righteousness the longer conform unto their own clipped rule of righteousness and this they do by denying themselves to be guilty of original sin after baptism and by extenuating and diminishing many faults as but light and venial as they call them and by devising satisfactions for expiating the sins of the living by penances and pilgrimages and of the dead by their sufferings in their imaginary purgatory that so they may be justified by their works and sufferings Such also is their covenant who seek justification by deceased Saints merits hoping they may so have absolution from sin and obtain life eternal And all these sorts of covenants of mens framing we call bastard-covenants of works because God will not admit any other Covenant of works then that which requireth perfect personal obedience And therefore so many as seek to be justified by works do stand under the obligation of perfect personal obedience under pain of death and will be found not only utterly unable to do any good work but also to be without Christ and to be fallen from grace as the Apostle Gal. 5. 3 4. doth teach us Obj. Seing God doth abhor these bastard-covenants of works and doth well know that men are so far from performance of the due obedience of the Law that they are utterly unable before they be reconciled through faith in Christ to do so much as one acceptable work as the Psalmist teacheth Psal. 14. 1 2 3. Why doth the Lord exact perfect obedience unto the Law from sinners why doth he press so instantly the slaves of sin to perform the duties required in the true Covenant of works Ans. The Lord justly doth abhor and reject these bastard-covenants because they evacuat and make void both the Covenant of works and the Covenant of grace which is by faith in Christ and he doth press all men to perform perfect obedience to all the commands whereunto they are naturally obliged to the end that proud men conceity of their own natural abilities may find by experience that they are unable to perform the condition of the Covenant of works and may acknowledge the same and so dispair of righteousness by their works and be forced to flye to Christ and to the Covenant of grace through him that they may be fred from that covenant and being justified by faith in Christ may be enablâ—d to begin new obedience to the Law in the strength of Christs furniture For Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to every one that believeth Rom. 10. 4 And the Law entered that men might by the Law see and acknowledge that the offence did abound and then might perceive that the 〈…〉 â—â—grâ—ce by Christ did super-abound Rom. 〈…〉 and 1 Tim. 1. 5. The end of the command is 〈…〉 of a purâ— heart and a good conscience and faith unfamed This was the end of the promulgation of the Law in mount Sinai that a stiff-necked people trusting in their own abilities might be made sensible of their imperfection by the repetition of the Law And to this also God super-added the external yoke of the ceremonial Law which neither they nor their posterity were able to bear Acts 15. 10. that the people perceiving their manifold pollutions and guiltiness wherein they were daily involved by breaking of God's Law might in the sense of the burden lying on them and of their damnable estate under it flye to Christ the lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world as he was represented and offered to their sight in the sacrifices and burnt offerings Of this end of pressing the Law upon proud men we have an example Math. 19. 16 17 18 19 20 21 22. In the conference of Christ with the young conceity rich man who in the opinion of his own inherent righteousness and of his abilities was hudgly swelled as if he had already for time by-gone satisfied the the whole Law and that he was able and ready to do any good work which could be prescribed unto him for obtaining of eternal life whose proud conceit that Christ might humble and bring down he craveth nothing but that he would keep the commands And when the young man denyed that he had broken the Law he proveth him guilty of gross and vile Idolatry from this that he put a higher estimation on his riches than on remission of sin and did love them more then heaven and fellowship with God in eternal life In all this let it be considered that albeit mens confidence in their works doth displease God yet good works do not displease him but they are so far pleasant unto him that there is no morall motive which may serve to stir up in his people an endeavour to follow after good works which the Lord doth not make use of partly by setting before them the reward if they obey partly by setting punishments before theiâ— eyes if they obey not yea and the very observation of externall morall duties and obedience such as may be discharged by the unregenerat man albeit God in relation to Justification do esteem it polluted and vile yet he doth sometimes reward their externall works by giving them externall and temporall benefits for their encouragement for even Ahabs temporary humiliation the Lord so far accepted that there-upon He took occasion to delay to take vengeance upon him 1 Kings 21. 27 28 29. Likewise the Lord useth to recompence the civil justice of Pagans with a temporal reward yea and to reward the outward diligence of every man in every lawfull occupation with some answerable outward reward The very Pharisees who for the raising to themselves a fame and higher estimation for holinesse did take a great deal of pains in prayers in the streets and Mercat-places and other exercises of Religion wanted not an answerable reward veâ—ily saith Christ they have their reward Matth. 6. 2. And this course the Lord doth keep that he may encertain and foster the civil society of men among themselves and that His people looking on this bounty of God may be stirred up the more to bring forth the fruits of faith in hope of a mercifull promised better reward of grace in the life to come beside what they may have in this life CHAP. VI. Of the Covenant of Grace THe third and last covenant concerning mans eternall salvation is the covenant of Grace made between God and man through Christ the Mediatour Grace someâ—imes simply and absolutely taken is opposed to merit and in this sense every good thing which of Gods good pleasure is ordained or promised or actually bestowed on the
creature presuppose innocent is called Grace because it is impossible that a meer creature can properly merit any good thing of God because the creature neither hath nor can have that which it hath not received Rom. 11. 35. who hath first given to Him and it shall be recompenced to him again Sometime Grace is taken for every gift or good bestowed by God upon the ill deserver in which sense gists common to elect and reprobat are called by the name of Grace Rom. 1. 5. Ephes. 4. 7. Sometime Grace is taken in opposition to the pactioâ—all merit of works or to the reward due by debt covenanted as Rom. 4. 4. To him that worketh the reward is not reckoned of grace but of debt In which sense that which is given for works is not given of grace Rom. 11. 16. and in this sense we take Grace as it is opposed to the covenant of works for the condition of the covenant of works is the giving perfect obedience to the law But the condition of the covenant of grace is the receiving of Christ by faith unto righteousnesse and life offered in the Gospel without the works of the law which covenant may thus be described The covenant of grace is a contract between God and men procured by Christ upon these tearms that whosoever in the sense of their own sinfulnesse shall receive Christ Jesus offered in the Gospel for righteousnesse and life shall have Him and all the benefits purchased by Him according to the covenant of Redemption and that God will be his God and the God of his children This covenant of grace is founded upon the covenant of Redemption past between God and Christ wherein it was agreed that all the elect given unto Christ shall be reconciled in due time to God and that to this end this grace should be preached to bring about the reconciliation and therefore Christ is called the Mediatour of the new covenant Heb. 12. 22. Of Infants interest in this Covenant Quest. WHat interest have infants in this covenant Ans. The same which they had since the first expresse and formall making thereof with Abraham to whom God promised to be his God and the God of his children whose children all are who are in Christ Gal. 3. 27 28 29. For of the redeemed some come to age whom God having called by the preaching of the Gospel doth induce and effectually move to embrace solemnly the offered fellowship with God and his saints in Christ and to consecrat themselves and their children unto the service of God There are other redeemed ones who die in their infancy before they come to the use of reason to whose salvation God hath expresse respect in making his covenant with their parents that he will not have them excluded from the blessing when he calls their parents to him but in the common offer of grace and reconciliation by Christ he makes the promise jointly to the parents and the children for in one sentence and as it were with one breath He saith I will be thy God and thy seeds after thee Gen. 15. 17. whereof the Apostle maketh good use Acts 2. 39. declaring the promise to be made to the Jews and their children and to the called Gentiles and their children And upon this ground Paul and Silas timeously did offer consolation to the Jailour trembling and anxious what way he should be saved Acts 16. 31. saying Believe in Christ Iesus and thou shall be saved thou and thy house As for the maner how the Lord dealeth with the souls of infants in converting them the Scripture doth not speak for this lieth among the secrets of God which doth not concern us to search after Deut. 29. 29. It should be sufficient to us that God in covenanting with the parents promiseth to be the God of their children And according to this covenant the Lord complains of their staying and offering their children unto idols calling them His own sons and daughters Ezek. 16. 20. and upon this ground in the second command the Lord promiseth to shew mercy to the thousand generation of believing parents and 1 Cor. 7. 14. the Apostle doth call the children of one of the parents believing holy children because of their consecration unto God by the believing confederat parent and in regard of Gods right and interest in them as the children of His own family by covenant And Christ our Lord upon this ground doth call the children of confederat parents burgesses of heaven of such is the kingdom of heaven Matth. 19. 13 14. and because infants are dedicat to Christ to be taught and governed by Him in His own way and order they are called disciples Acts 15. 10. as the disputers for the circumcision of Christians children as well as of their parents after the law of Moses do make it manifest and in the institution of baptism our Lord gives the priviledge of the covenant unto every nation no lesse then to the Iews that by covenant whole nations might be drawn in and given up as disciples to His doctrine Matth. 28. 29. make all nations disciples by your doctrine baptizing them c. that the children with the parents might be partakers by baptism of the seal of the covenant for the righteousnesse of faith no lesse then the children of Israelites were by circumcision Of the means to draw on the making of this covenant OF these means we have spoken in the fourth article of the covenant of Redemption and need not to insist more about them then to name them The first mean to draw men into this blessed covenant and to keep them in it is the externall revelation of the will of God for teaching men how great their sin and misery is and how they may be reconciled and delivered by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and how they may testifie their thankfulnesse being reconciled for such a mercy which grounds of saving knowledge are fully and faithfully set down in holy Scripture and committed to His servants in the ministry who should in preaching of the Gospel inform and perswade men to repent and imbrace the grace of Christ and put on His sweet yoke of obedience upon them The second mean is after application of the Lords word to the hearers for convincing them of sin in them and righteousnesse in Christ and judgement to follow to wit of absolution of the believer and of condemnation of such as believe not To receive into the bond of this covenant of grace all that appear seriously to consecrat themselves and their children to the faith and obedience of the doctrine of our Lord Jesus Christ without determining whether they be regenerat for the present or not The third mean is the solemn sealing of this covenant for righteousnesse of faith and salvation through Christ by baptizing both the parents that accept the covenant and their children also and by exhortations promises and comminations and all other arguments which may more and more
of the Israelits who were ignorant of the deceitfulness of their own heart and of their inability to perform what they promised he saith ver 28 29. They have well said all that they have spoken Therefore unto the tying a man in this bond of the covenant this morall honesty is sufficient albeit to salvation it is not sufficient but in order thereto a mean of God's appointment Now that there is such a thing as we call morall integrity or honesty which differeth from the true Christians spiritual honesty or sincerity it is plain from these places of Scripture which speak of this integrity of heart in such persons as were not renewed because they intended no other thing then they pretended Thus Abimelech excuseth himself to God when he took away Sarah Abrahams wife from him thinking Sarah had been his sister and not his wife Gen 20. 6. In the integrity of my heart and innocency of my â—â—ads have I done this And this the Lord doth acknowledge to be true ver 17. So also the captains that came with their companies to David in Ziklag are said to have a perfect heart because they were morally honest and resolved as they professed uprightly to make David King and to help him in the war and not betray him 1 Chron. 12. 33. 38. Of the sundry wayes of mens framing of the covenant of Grace AS we told there was a covenant of works one truly so called of Gods institution and another false sort of covenant of works of mans framing So it is also in the mater of the covenant of Grace there is one truly so called and another sort false and counterfeit of mans framing That which is of Gods framing is the covenant that God makes with the Church for giving righteousness and life by faith in Jesus Christ that which we call a counterfeit covenant is the covenant which men frame unto themselves upon any other condition then faith Such was the counterfeit covenant of the false apostles who corrupted the Gospel-covenant among the Galatians whereof the Apostle Paul complaineth Gal. 1. 6 7. challenging them that they had forsaken God who called them to the grace of Christ and were turned over to another Gospel that is to another covenant of grace then the true one which is only one and not various but by the troublers of the Church was changed into another frame for the true covenant was perverted and corrupted by these who went about to joyn together Justification by works and Justification by grace through faith in Christ which two sorts of covenant are inconsistent and do mutually overthrow one another So also did the Pharisee Luke 18. 11 12. corrupt and pervert both the covenant of works and the covenant of grace he corrupted and perverted the covenant of works because he put up to God some external good works for the perfect obedience of the law and he perverted the covenant of grace because albeit he did acknowledge the grace of God and gave him thanks for giving him ability and power to do good works and for infusing habits of piety and justice in him yet he exalted himself and took the thanks and praise to himself who had made good use of these verâ—uous habits God I thank thee saith he that I am not like other men c. 2. Like unto this fault is the errour of many of whom some makes the act of faith brought forth by the power of natural free-will to be the condition of the covenant contrary to the doctrine of the Gospel which makes saith infused to be the gift of God renouncing its own righteousness and the merit of all works also and resting on Christ to be the condition For the sentence of the Apostle standeth firm and unmovable Rom. 11. 16. If it be by grace it is no more of works c. Other some make this the condition of the covenant that Christ should pay for mortal sins by his own temporal sufferings and so take away everlasting punishment but will have the sinner himself to pay for veniall sins by temporal sufferings partly in this life and partly in purgatory Other some dream of framing the covenant of grace thus if a man do all the good he is able and hath a will to serve God better then before they conceive that God must take the will for the perfect dead and so for good payment Which counterfeit conditions and other such like inventions of self-pleasing conceits are all of them nothing else but the adulterating both of the covenant of works and of the covenant of grace appointed of God by which inventions men deceive themselves to their own perdition Now that such perverting of the covenant of works and of grace are rife frequent among men experience may prove For before Christs coming this was the way of carnal Israelits Rom. 10. 3. and Rom. 9. 30. For they being ignorant of the righteousness of God went about to establish their own inherent righteousness and would not subject themselves to the righteousness of God And of the Galatians it is said chap. 5. 4. Christ is become of none effect unto you whosoever of you are justified by the Law ye are fallen from grace that is ye who seek righteousness or justification by worke have renounced so far as in you lyeth grace to be had by Christ and experience daily sheweth the same disposition in many professed Christians Quest. Are not then such corrupters of the covenant of grace loosed from their obligation wherein by their baptism they were tyed to seek righteousness by faith only Ans. No for albeit by so doing they prove themselves to be corrupters and falsifiers of their covenant to their own perdition if they repent not yet they stand obliged still before God to their covenant sealed in baptism For the covenant of God with man cannot be dissolved by mens treachery and without Gods consent not only because the covenant of God with men in regard of the perpetual equity thereof hath in it a perpetual obligation but also because the soveraign dominion of God hath the force of a law to oblige them whom God hath taken in among his people that being once his confederat subjects they should remain still his subjects For as circumcision was a seal of covenanted righteousness by faith So baptism is a seal of the same covenanted righteousness by faith whether the covenanters remain constant unto their covenant or not as we see in the Israelits who albeit they were polluted with idolatry in Egypt and albeit they proved rebellious in the wilderness and in the land of promise were found often guilty of breach of covenant yet still in the Scripture they are called God's people and the Lords interest and right in them stood fast and their right also unto the external priviledges of the citizens of God's kingdom remained fast also untill the time that for their open and obstinat rejecting of Christ the children of the kingdom were
every one that thirsts come to these waters c. Isa. 55. And besides these promises which contain the condition of the covenant made to them who embrace the condition and do already believe such as is they that believe in me shall not perish but shall inherit eternall life there are also promises conditional serving to make men who profess faith in Christ to be reall and stedfast in the covenant wherein they are at least outwardly and solemnly entered such as Ioh. 15. 7 10. If ye abide in me and my words abide in you ye shall ask what ye will and it shall be done unto you and if ye keep my commands ye shall abide in my love c. And Ioh. 12. 26. If any man serve me him will my father honour and Ioh. 14. 21. he that loveth me shall be loved of my father and I will love him and manifest my self unto him Obj. Seing it is certain that the condition of the covenant of grace is not the doing of one or moe works but faith receiving Christ offered without respect to our works as any part of the condition and seing the condition of the covenant is not the having or exercising of such and such vertues but the receiving of Christ through faith unto righteousness and eternal life by the man who hath renounced all confidence in his own works how cometh it to pass that such conditionall promises are made to them that are indued with and do exercise such vertues Ans. Albeit the endeavour to work good works or the exercise of such and such vertues prescribed by Christ cannot be the condition of the covenant for then no man could close covenant with Christ till first he shall find these vertues in himself and have given proof of his constant exercise thereof yet such conditional promises are made use of after a man hath closed covenant with Christ by faith as conditions required in a true believer to evidence the sincerity of his faith And that because many make pretense of their faith in Christ and yet do turn the grace of God into wantonness and do no wayes set themselves to new obedience unto God law and are no wayes careful to bring forth fruits suitable to professed repentance but are indulgent to their vitious and fleshly lusts and in effect do renounce all endeavour to exercise good works in stead of renouncing a carnall confidence in good works Therefore God doth put the endeavour to exercise Christian vertues on all professed believers as a condition distinguishing a sincere believer from an hypocrit least any man should please himself because he is externally in the covenant of Grace while it may be as yet his faith is but a dead faith not working by love Against which sort of pretended believers Iames chap. 2. disputeth Such conditional promises are directed toward them that are outwardly already in covenant and do serve for these severall uses First that such as both profess faith in Christ and are endeavouring the duties required in such conditionall promises may acknowledge that they have obtained of the Lord grace for grace grace to believe and grace to bring forth the fruits of faith Secondly that the honest hearted may be encouraged te set upon these duties and may hope to be furnished for them out of the rich fountain of Christs grace Iohn 1. 16. Thirdly they serve to make such as believe in Christ when they feel the in-lake of any such commanded duty or the bitter root of any vice in themselves to humble themselves in the sense thereof aâ—d to flye more earnestly to Christ the Redeemer that first they may be covered with his righteousness and then from him receive the power of the holy Ghost to bring forth good fruits as he hath promised Ioh. 15. 5. If ye abide in me ye shall bring forth much fruit Fourthly they serve to make believers in Christ subject themselves to the order of the operation of the holy Ghost who giveth grace for grace and worketh one grace before another in his own order as the foresaid promises do import Fifthly they serve to stir up believers in Christ to the love and exercise of such and such vertues in the hope of the promised reward Sixthly they serve to move believers to joyn one vertue to another for certifying themselves of their own calling and election by their growth therein 2 Pet. 1. 3 4. 12. Last of all they serve to make these who are destitute and void of such qualifications and are careless to have them manifest to themselves and others that they are blind and cannot see a far off and that they have forgotten that they were in baptism ecclesiastically purged form their old sins 2 Pet. 1. 9. Obj. How can this offer of grace to all the hearers of the Gospel and the solemn making of a covenant with all that profess they do accept of the offer stand with the doctrine of election of some and reprobation of others or with the doctrine of Christs redeeming of the Elâ—ct only and not of all and every man Ans. The election of some and reprobation of others was made clear of old by Gods making offer of grace unto and covenanting with one nation only and not with any other Psa. 147. 19 20. He shewed his word unto Jacob his statutes and his judgments unto Israel he hath not dealt so with any nation anâ— as for his judgments they have not known them 2. And the offer of grace to all hearers of the Gospel and covenanting with all that profess to accept the offer do consist with the election of some only as well now as of old when God made a covenant externall and conditional with all Israel of whom the great part were not elected to life and of whom it is said albeit they were in number as the sand of the sea yet a remnant of them only were to be saved Isa. 10. 22. For by this course God was not frustrat of his purpose and fruit of his covenanting with the mixed multitude of Israelits for the Elect by faith obtained righteousness and life but the rest were blinded Rom. 11. 7. 3. This common offer of grace to all the hearers of the Gospel and the making of a morall covenant with all that do profess that they accept the offer may stand with the doctrine of Christs redeeming the Elect only no less now then of old when Christ did make offer of grace to them that were not his sheep Ioh. 10. 26. and did receive sundry in among his disciples in external covenant who did afterward forsake him Ioh. 6. 66. but yet he did save and doth save all his Elect sheep whom the father hath given unto him Joh. 10. 65. And however this doctrine soundeth harsh in the ears of many when they hear of any reprobat or not elected or when they hear that Christ did not lay down his life for all and every man but for the Elect only and proud men
any man the Lord hath given no certain mark as long as they live except that malicious and wilfull rejecting and opposing of known Christ Jesus to the intent that none should dare to exclude either themselves or others from repentance and hope of mercy so long as the day of Gods long-suffering and patience doth last This is collected from this that God doth not make mention of the reprobation of these misbelieving fathers while they are living but now long after they are dead and this mention making of them is in general only and not by nameing them particularly 17. Albeit in the dispensation of the covenant of grace for application of saving mercies the mater be so wisely carryed by God that both the decree and covenant of Redemption is keeped closs as to particular names and yet it is effectually made out in the applying of grace to individuall persons as the agreement is made between God and Christ Mediatour yet the covenant of Redemption is made this far clear that it did not passe for the conversion and salvation of all and every man by this evidence that not so much as the offer of the covenant of grace and reconciliation shall be made to all and every nation far lâ—sse to all and every singular person but that the people and nation of Israel and Iudah is chosen out of all people and nations in the world comprehending such others as should be called unto their society and the fellowship of the olive tree among them as Psal. 147. 19 20. holdeth forth And in this place the whole elect under the Gospel are taken up under the name of this one nation 18. That the decree of election of some may both be keeped up as to particular nomination and yet have certain execution and be performed the Lord taketh up all his confederats whether in the letter or spirit also under the same common name This is gathered from this that the misbelieving Israelits that perished in the desart with whom God made a covenant and they did break it are designed under the common name of fathers and are taken up in that covenant under the name of spouse Ier. 31. 32. and the elect posterity are taken up under the common name of the house of Israel and Iudah 19. Such as the covenanters are in regard of their inward estate such is the covenant wherein they really are or such is the covenant in relation to their persons Unto the reprobat who do change for their part the covenant of grace into the covenant of works the covenant of grace becometh in effect the covenant of works and is rendered void to them as the Apostle doth threaten the Galatians Gal. 5. 4. and as did befall the pharisaicall fathers who are here declared as instances but the covenant of grace unto the elect and true believers remains still the covenant of grace from which they do not fall nor can altogether fall as the comparison here between the fathers in the wildernesse and their elect posterity maketh evident 20. The Lord hath wisely joyned life with the means and way to life and death with the way to death and will not have that separated which he hath joyned This is collected from this that the fathers by not continuing in the covenant are despised and rejected of God and so perished but their elect posterity having the law of God in their hearts and cleaving constantly unto the Lord are saved 21. The Lord will have this doctrine taught where His word is preached concerning the election of some and reprobation of other some of Gods covenanting with some people and persons and not offering a covenant to other some of covenanting with some in the letter and with other some in the spirit also to this end and intent that men leaving the searching in particular of that which God hath keeped secret in the particular may follow commanded duties repent their sins and flee to Christ offered unto them and take up his yoke upon them and beware that they neither despair nor yet presume or turn the grace of God into wantonnesse This we gather from this that God sendeth forth Ieremiah to preach these things not only to the visible Church of the Jews going into exile and captivity but also to all who shall hear this doctrine from him to the end of the world And the Apostle repeating this doctrine for the use of the Christian Church of Jews and Gentiles doth confirm this CHAP. VIII Of the prudent application of divine covenants in general HAving spoken of these three divine covenants concerning mens salvation it follows now to speak of the application thereof first in generall and then more specially In the mater of application we must first look upon Gods effectuall applying and working in the hearers of these covenants such effects as he hath intended by these covenants to bring to passe Next we must look upon the means whereby he ordinarly doth convey and work his intended works in men And thirdly we must look upon the prudent way of use making of these means both by Pastors and people for peoples good 2. As to the first the Lords effectuall application is a reall and actuall bestowing the good of these covenants upon his own by way of powerfull working on their spirits Such as are 1. the giving the grace of understanding of the Scripture And 2. the belief of what is understood And 3. the application of the doctrine of the law concerning mens sin and misery to their own conscience And 4. the making them judge themselves according to the law And 5. the raising of sorrow in their hearts and fear of wrath And 6. the setting of their eye upon Christ for delivery from sin and death And 7. the makeing them perceive a possibility and probability that they may be saved And 8. to have an earnest desire after reconciliation with God in Christ And 9. the making of his own to cast themselves over on Christ and to believe on him And 10. the making them to consecrat themselves to God in Christ reconciling the world of meer grace to himself not imputing transgression to the reconciled through Christ And 11. the making them to wonder at the riches of the free grace of God who in a self-condemned sinner desirous to be reconciled with him requireth no personall dignity no good work which may commend him to God but only that he would receive and welcome Christ offered in the Gospel as the only necessary and sufficient remedy against all sin and misery requiring no other condition but that he flee from the curse of the law and the wrath to come unto Christ the Redeemer who offereth himself unto lost sinners in the preaching of the Gospel that through him the beleiver may be justified and sanctified and saved for ever And 12. after wondering raised in the hearts of his children the making them cleave closly to Christ and to strive against all temptations which
for removing of our guiltinesse and saving us from condemnation but also hath undertaken to the Father to write his law in our heart and at last to present us perfect without spot or blemish for which end he hath taken by appointment the threefold office of Prophet Priest and King Thirdly it imports that it is our duty to lay hold upon this rich gift and right intimat unto us judicially from God and whatsoever commanded duty we are to go about we do it in the name of Christ sucking by faith sap and vertue from him to bring forth good fruits holy and acceptable to God through him Because Christ the second person of the God-head incarnat is made unto us and judicially intimat from God to us our sanctification The fourth sentence is this Christ is made of God unto us redemption which importeth first that we who have fled from sin and wrath unto Christ and are justified by faith and begun to be sanctified are yoked in a warfare with our sinfull flesh the world and Sathan being subject to many miseries in this life and to death natural and the grave In which warfare we are not of our selves able to stand nor to deliver our selves from the miseries whereunto we are subject except by divine power we be supported brought thorow and saved Secondly it imports that Christ not only hath payed a satisfactory price for our redemption and is able to deliver us from all sin and misery against the power of whatsoever adversary but also that he hath undertaken the work and hath by compact with the Father obliged himself to deliver us powerfully from all sin and misery and to overcome to our behoove all our enemies and tread them underfoot and that he is judicially established in his kingly office and made over to us for our assurance by decreet intimat to us Thirdly it importeth our duty that by vertue of the right and gift of Christ God-man made over unto us by Gods decreet now intimat we should rely by faith on him as the pledge of perfecting our salvation throughly and fight out our battels against all adversar powers and all miseries in his strength rejoycing in his victory over all our enemies for God hath made him unto uâ— redemption CHAP. II. Wherein the regenerat mans doubt of his being in the state of grace by reason of his felt unworthinesse is answered THese premised considerations may serve for the more easie solution of doubts and particular cases wherein the regenerat man may be troubled about his being in the state of grace For which end it is needfull also by way of example to propound some usual questions in particular the answering whereof may serve to answer all questions which do arise from the like original For 1. Howsoever it be certain from Scripture that the regenerat shall noâ— peâ—ish and that their state in grace is unchangeable and that their perseverance in the faith is established by Christs undertaking to make them persevere according to the charge given unto him from the Fâ—ther Ioh. 6. 39 40. yet it iâ— true also that every regenerat man is noâ— clear about his regeneration and many regenerat persons have only a conjectural opinion that they are regenerat who are not come up as yet to an assurance and perswasion of their blessed estate And the number is not great of these who alwaies or any long time together do injoy that serenity and tranquility of conscience that they can confidently triumph and glory with the Apostle Rom. 5. 3 4. 5. because of desertions and tentations raising doubts in their conscience concerning their estate oft-times holy persons are disquieted With such persons while they are in that case a Pastor or a prudent friend must deal so as he would deal with the infirm and with them who think themselves not converted because the same remedies will serve to strengthen a weak believer and to draw a soul sensible of sin and under the pangs of the new birth unto faith in Christ. 2. But let us come more particularly to examine the doubts of some that are regenerat and their pretended reasons for their doubting Some are so sensible of their own unworthinesse that they question if themselves or any like unto themselves can be in the state of grace mean time their carriage is such a becometh a Christian blamelesse I Feel in 〈◊〉 saith ouâ— such strength of inward corruption as doth dâ—file every best action I go about I see what holinesse is required in thoâ—e that approach unto God that I do utterly loath my self as unworthy to be admitted into the fellowship of God or Christ the holy one of Israel yea saith another I think it no small presumption to draw near unto Christ or count my self among his Saints and followers This for a short time was the case of Isaiah when in a vision he saw the glory of Christ in the Temple and heard the Seraphims proclaim him thâ—ee holy Isa. 6. 5. Wo is me said he for I am undone because I am a man of unclean lips and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips for mine eyes have seen the King the Lord of hostes This also was the case of Peâ—er who in the sense of his own unworthinesse wakened up by the shining of the glory of Christs God-head in the miraculous tack of fishâ—s Luk. 5 8. falling down at Christs knees he cryeth depart from me O Lord for I am a sinfull man which is as much as if he had said I am utterly unworthy to be admitted unto fellowship with thy holy Mâ—jesty The like also was the case of the Publican in the parable Luk. 18. 13. out of which case after some wrestling of saâ—th he cometh forth toward God yet standing a far off nor daring to life up hiâ— eyes to heaven wherein is pointed out to us the sense of his unworthinesse hindering him to approach confidently to the throne of grace 3. For removing of this doubt five or six considerations may be represented to the party afflicted with this proviso that the sense of his unworthinesse be not discharged or diminished but wisely entertained in him rather for it is not to be presupposed that any man can esteem himself so unworthy and far from meriting any good at Gods hand as he is indeed But yet his doubt how he dare or may draw near unto Christ because of his felt unworthinesse may be solved 1. If he consider the nature and offer made of the covenant of grace whereby these that are sensible of their own unworthinesse are so far from being debarred from the covenant of grace that the covenant of grace doth not admit any person to be received into it but such only who do renounce all confidence in their own works and worthinesse and do flye unto the offer of the free grace of God in Christ for our Lord hath said Mat. 9. 13. I came not to call the righteous but
Lord may take the penitent in his fatherly embracements and comfort him abundantly Mean time till the sensible comfort be given unto him let him hold fast the promises made to them that flye unto Christ. CHAP. IV. Wherein is solved the doubt of the regenerat man raised by his suspicion whether he be elected or not IT cometh to passe sometimes that a sinner lamenting his sins and seeking liberation from sin and misery doth call in question whether he be regenerat because he hath a deep and fixed suspicion that he shall possibly be â—ound not among the Elect and by consequâ—nce be found a reprobat of whom if ye ask a reason why he saith so he can give no solid answer only he will tell you he can perceive no certain signs and evidences of his election yea that he findeth nothing in himself but that which may be found in reprobats and that he is affraid he be found one of that number and that this suspicion hath taken deep root in him that he cannot rid himself of this doubt and fear 2. This case we must confesse is very dangerous except it be timously cuâ—ed for here faith is taken as it were by the throat and the ground of hope is like to be razed The suspicion of Gods decree is dayly fostered and augmented and the afflicted person not only doubteth of Gods good-will to him but is tempted unto desperation By this means the command of God to believe the promises and consolations of the Gospel seem to him to be offered to him all in vain the hope of successe or profiting in the use of the means appointed by God is undermined so long as this suspicion is entertained yea all the exercises of religion become burthensome out of a fear he shall follow the exercise thereof to no purpose and so the duties of religion are oft-times left undone or cast off for a time if the tentation grow strong and continue with him without cure or comfort thus he standeth upon the border and precipice of some sort of desperation if his fear and suspicion be not removed in some measure 3. For cure of this case the Pastor or prudent friend as in all his conferences with the afflicted So here in speciall must seriously pray to God that he would blesse the means of information and consolation which he is about to use for the satisfying of the afflicted To this end therefore first let all the reasons whereby the afflicted pretendeth to make his reprobation probable be resumed and refuted as frivolous all of them And certainly they cannot but be found frivolous because God hath not given any certain evidence or sign of reprobation so long as a man is alive except that sin unto death the sin against the holy Ghost in a malicious refusing rejecting and hostile opposing of Jesus Christ wittingly and willingly for as to finall unbelief and impenitency no man can passe sentence upon any person that hath heard any thing of the Gospel so long as breath is in him for God can convert a soul to himself in the pangs of imminent death as he did the thief on the crosse All the evil which the afflicted can say of himself cannot prove him a reprobat the hight which his reckoning can rise unto to fortifie his own suspicion of himself is only to give appearance that he is 〈◊〉 regenerat mean time we preâ—uppone the afflicted person under this tentation to labour under the sense of manyfold sins which do furnish strength unto the tentation and to be hungry and thirsty for righteousnesse and to be desirous to draw near to God in Christ if he could be delivered of his suspicion of Gods purpose and affection towards him And therefore his christian friends are bound in charity to expound this his hunger for righteousnesse and thristy desire of reconciliation through Christ to be a begun work of gracious regeneration and so also a hopefull sign that he is elected Secondly after refutation of his pretended reasons for his suspicion and fear this suspicion must be set before him as a strong tentation of Sathan and a soul-murthering lie thrown as a fiery dart at him such as the Apostle Ephes. 6. maketh mention of of set purpose to beat the shield of faith out of his hand Wherefore he must be exhorted to resist the Tempter and that so much the more as Sathan out of envy and malice doth slander God and the begun work of grace in the man and all to vex the soul of him whom he cannot keep in his snare Thirdly the giving so much way to this wicked suggestion must be represented to the patient as an act of ignorance and folly yea an act of iniquity and injury unto God and to his own soul for what a madnesse is it to pry in upon the secret counsell of God and to neglect his revealed will set down in Scripture what presumption to intrude our selves upon his secret decrees and to cast behind our back his open commands given to us To refuse obedience to Gods ordinances given to us for our salvation except he shall firstâ—â—ll us what is his purpose about us in particular To open our ears to the false suggestions of the devil a lyar and murtherer from the beginning and stop ouâ— ears from hearing the voice of God speaking to us in Scripture Wherefore let the afflicted under this temptations take heed to what is said Deâ—t 29. 29. The secret things belong unto the Lord our God but these things that are revealed belong uâ—to us and our children for ever that we may do all the words of this Law Let the Lords Command be first obeyed and then the decree of God concerning the believer in him shall be timeously revealed for his promises are agreeable with his decrees and his promises are offered to us that thereby his decrees may be brought on unto a just and gracious execution Fourthly let the afflicted call to minde what benefits the Lord hath bestowed upon him from his infancy and in special that he hath offered and doth continue to offer Christ Jesus unto him if he will receive him for wisdom righteousnesse sanctification and redemption and upon this ground he is bound to give unto God a good construction in every sort of dispensation toward him and look upon God as his friend and father CHAP. V. Wherein the regenerat mans doubting of his regeneration because he findeth no power in himself to believe in Christ is answered SOmetime it cometh to passe that the renewed man after a long time standing in the stare of grace falleth in doubt about the work of grace in himself because when God doth change his dispensation toward him and bringeth him to tryal by trouble wherein he is found weaker then he expected he beginneth to suspect whether the former work of grace hath been found or not and his reason is because he findeth by experience often repeated that in straits and difficulties when he
his yoke upon them are troubled with doubtings whether they be of the number of true believers whether they have rightly come unto Christ whether they have been well accepted of him and for their doubting they can give no other reason save this I cannot be quiet nor rest in assurance that I am in the state of grace if they be interrogat what they think of the evident signs of their regeneration which have been and are to be seen in their conversation since they began in earnest to seek the face of God in Christ They will possibly not altogether deny Gods work in them but yet dare not lean weight upon these signs because they do find these signs also brought in question whether they have been or are kindly and sincere mean time they are about to do that which is acceptable to God in the course of their calling albeit with more heavinesse and lesse alacrity then bâ—cometh persons reconciled to God in Christ. 2. This disease will be found complicat and made up of moe mistakes and errors then one and therefore is to be the more narrowly considered because it is no small hinderance of a comfortable christian conversation which God doth allow on his children for in the party troubled with unquietnesse we presuppone Iâ— there is a serious sense of sin and purpose to do better 2. An unfained embracing of the covenant of grace and reconciliation in Christ Jâ—sus And 3. an honest though weak endeavour to bring forth the fruits of new obedience and yet notwithstanding the person is not quiet but walketh heavily and is discouraged by reason of his uncertainty whether he be in the state of grace or not yea he is cast down and disquieted because he is disquieted and cannot get a reasonable answer from his conscience when he asketh of it why are thou cast down and disquieted within me 3. The mistakes and errors whence this dissatisfaction and unquietnesse doth flow are many but we shall condescend upon eight or nine only The first error and cause of unquietnesse is or may be this that the party afflicted albeit he have the habits of saving grace in him and doth by Gods grace put forth these habits in actual exercise yet he doth not reflect upon nor turn his eye to observe the operations of Gods holy Spirit in himself nor the acts of saving grace which the holy Spirit hath made him put forth of which if he take not notice they are to him for the time as if they were not and so no wonder he be disquiet while he perceiveth not in himself that which might make him quiet For example when the sense of sin is raised up in a mans spirit by the holy Ghost if he do not observe that this is one of the operations of the holy Spirit convincing the world of sin or if he do not turn back his eye on this operation and upon his own act stirred up thereby to subscribe the sentence of the law against himself no wonder that he doubt of his conversion till he see the foot-steps of God the converter of him from the love and approbation of sin unto the hatred of it and when he is â—lâ—d to Christ the only Redeemer from sin and misery and hath laid hold on him according to the covenant of grace offered in him if he do not look back on this operation of God drawing him to Christ and upon his own act of coming unto Christ by the draught of Gods Spirit what wonder he do not reckon himself among believers albeit he be in Gods account one of that number And when the holy Spirit hath kindled in him not only a purpose of new obedience but also a begun endeavour to live holily justly and soberly if he do not observe and acknowledge these operations of Gods Spirit making him to bring forth these acts what wonder that this mistake and inconsideration do open a door to disquietnesse and doubting whether he be in the state of grace or not 4. For removing this cause of disquietnesse the afflicted person must beware that he passe not sentence of Gods dispensation towards him according to the tentations and suggestions of Sathan nor yet according to the opinion which his Pastor or friend may have of him judging somewhat uncharitably of him upon sinister suspicions neither let him stand to the suspicions of his own incredulous heart but let him consider what the Word of the Lord hath said of the person in whom these three graceâ— do concur to wit 1. the sense of sin and inability to help our selves 2. flying unto Christ for relief from sin and misery and 3. some measure of upright purpose and endeavour to serve God in new obedience for of such saith the Apostle Phil. 3. 3 We are the Circumcision or true Israelits who have no confidence in the flesh but rejoyce in Iesus Christ and worship God in the spirit Let him therefore esteem the discovery of his sinfull and wretched estate in himself to be the very fruit of the eye-salve and work of the Spirit bestowed on him by Christ and let him esteem his hearty consent given to the covenant of grace and reconciliation to be the undoubted act of saving faith For hearty consent to the offer of grace in Jesus Christ presuppones first that the person sees no standing for him by the law or covenant of works but is beaten from all confidence in himself and made to believe and subscribe the righteous sentence of the law against himself to the praise of Gods truth and justice Secondly it imports the mans believing the testimony which God hath given of Christ Jesus to wit that God hath made a gift of life eternall to the soul that hungereth and thristeth for righteousnesse and that this life is in his Son yea it imports the mans receiving and embracing of Christ offered in the Gospel Thirdly it importeth that the consenter to the covenant of grace as he hath renounced confidence in his own works So he hath given up himself to God to live by the grace of Jesus Christ unto eternall life Now if the afflicted shall reflect upon these two operations of the holy Ghost making him humble in the sense of sin heartily to receive Christ Jesus for his relief and withall do observe an unfained purpose and begun endeavour to live more holily and fruitfully by the grace and furniture of Christ howsoever he labour under many infirmities not only is he undoubtedly a new creature but also by observing the foresaid evidence thereof may conclude that God hath begun a good work of grace in him and so shall this first cause of disquietnesse be removed 5. Another cause of disquietnesse is or may be this if the afflicted after examination of the work of grace in himself being convinced of his blessed estate and confirmed by present sense of Gods love shed abroad in his heart do not hold fast his estimation of Gods work in himself longer
not please God Now it is an act of injustice not to give unto God the praise of every good thing in a man especially when the man is found to be cast down in himself and to be thirsting in his soul for a more intimat communion with Christ as is presupposed in this case 3. The second cause is or may be this that the afflicted albeit he hath had oft times sweet and sensible consolation and confirmation of the promises of the Gospel and hath thereby been put out of doubt of his adoption for the time yet when new temptations do arise according to what was expedient for the exercise of his faith because the same sweetnesse is not felt but heavinesse for the while 1 Pet. 1. 6 7. he forgetteth the consolations he hath had or suffereth them to be called in question For removing whereof whensoever the afflicted is cut short in the point of sense or sensible consolation let him then strive to abound in the work of the Lord and not slacken his hand in the exercise of religion and of his lawfull calling and his indeavour to please God in all things for seing the covenant of grace imbraced is a firm and solid ground for â—aith to fix upon albeit full perswasion and victorious consolation were neither at all or but very rarely â—elt in this life the afflicted whom we have to speak to here hath no cause to stumble but reason to blesse God who hath in any measure at any time comforted him by the Gospel for that condition which the afflicted wisheth for is reserved unto us in heaven and promises such as are made to the meek and mercifull Mat. 5. which qualified promises they look upon as conditional excluding them as they conceive who do not find in themselves such qualifications and partly because they are not clear about their right to receive the offer of the Gospel because they want as they conceive fitnesse in themselves to receive the same and thus are they oft-times vexed with doubts whether they be in the state of grace or not 2. For lousing of this doubt sundry things are already said by the way in answering other doubtfull cases But because many do meet with this difficulty we shall speak a little more particularly to the case and first it is needfull that the afflicted be confirmed about that which is right in him that the thing which remaineth and is ready to die may be strengthened To this intent we commend the afflicted that being sensible of sin and feared for-wrath he hath fled unto Christ for refuge next we commend him that he hath begun to give new obedience to Gods Law and doth purpose to follow on as he shall be enabled and thirdly we commend him that albeit he cannot attain that near conjunction with Christ which he would yet he neither will nor dare forsake Christ not put himself out of the number of weak believers in Christ for he hath said in his heart with Peter Joh. 6. 68. To whom shall I go for Christ hath the words of eternal life Hitherto all is right and the afflicted must resolve to cleave close to this foundation because Christ hath said Ioh. 6. 37. These that come unto me I will in no case cast out 3. For his doubt arising from the nature of the promises absolute conditional and qualified looked upon by him as if they were conditional we answer â— That these qualified promises having some mark in them of true believers are not exclusive of these believers who find in themselves a defect of the qualification but they are inductive unto all believers to study the attaining of that qualification and are corroborative of these belivers who find in any sensible measure these qualifications For example promises made to the mercifull to the peace-makers to the upright in heart do not exclude these who find themselves short in these graces and yet are hungry and thristy for righteousnesse yet are poor and indigent of all good in themselves and daily beggers at the throne of grace for what they want Mat. 5. for these qualifications found in a weak believer are signes and effects of sound faith in them And we must grant that of these graces specified in these qualified promises some of them are more eminent in some of the Saints and other some of them more eminently seen and felt in other some of the Saints And in the same person one of these qualifications may sometime shine more clearly and at another time by some tentation or mistake be over-clouded and not shine so clearly as before yet the qualifications are comfortable to all them who find the same in themselves and are inductive to make every believer to aime to excell in these graces and so to confirm their own faith more and more as 2 Pet. 1. 4 5 6 7. we are exhorted Again these qualifications are signs of a believer already entered in the covenant of grace by faith in Christ and begun to bring forth good fruits but they are not the conditions of entering into the covenant for then none could enter in covenant till first these qualifications in exercise were sound in them and that were to dis-annull the covenant of grace and to set up a sort of covenant of works for there is not another condition of entering in the covenant but faith in Christ only whereby the humbled sinner renouncing all confidence in any good in himself or from himself doth betake himself wholly to the grace offered in Jesus Christ in whom perfect righteousnesse is to be found Now unto the man who shall believe in Christ all the promises of the Gospel are made upon this condition that he do believe in Jesus Christ which condition of presuppose the afflicted should have what he wisheth consolations alwayes running like a river where were place for trying exercising and training of him in his faith but let him work and wrastle on and among hands he shall have as much peace as may suffice a pilgrim 4. The third cause is or may be this that the afflicted hath grieved the Spirit of God either by ascribing his gracious operations to some other cause then grace or counting his consolations to be but flashes and like unto delusions or that the afflicted by corrupt communication or grosse offences hath provoked God to anger as befell David Psal. 51. For removing of this cause whether the sin of the afflicted hath been more or lesse provoking let him with David Ps. 51. renew the exercise of repentance and faith in Gods mercy who only can renew a right spirit in him or rather restore him to the formerly-felt consolation and joy of his Spirit and let him walk more warily hereafter that he provoke not to wrath so mercifull a father 5. The fourth cause is or may be this that the afflicted albeit he hath consented to the covenant of grace and hath embraced Christ Jesus offered in the Evangel yet he doth not
set to his seal to the truth of God without an hink or fear and suspicion of his right to apply the grace offered in which case so long as he doubts and doth not rest his sinfull soul on the Word of God offering grace to every soul sensible of sin who shall flye to Jesus Christ what wonder the holy Spirit doth with-hold the sealing of the mans faith For this is Gods order holden forth Ephes. 1. 13. that a sinner should first six his faith on Christ offered in the Gospel and after he hath believed not before he do believe wait for the sealing of the holy Spirit For removing this cause 1. let the afflicted acknowledge that his hesitation doubting and suspicion is justly chastised of God because he hath not firmly adhered to the covenant embraced by him and because he hath not given unto God the glory of his truth without a pawn and yet doth in effect quarrel and complain that he doth not find these consolations which are given and but rarely it may be even to the sound and strong in the faith 2. Let him for the confirmation of his faith hereafter consider well how strong and solid a foundation faith hath to lean unto even Gods promise and oath given unto all that do flye to Christ for refuge and relief from sin and misery Heb. â— 17 18. that the afflicted may with the Psalmist Ps. 56. 10. sing in God I will praise his Word 3. Let the afflicted study to be so fast glewed unto Christ in every condition and case he findeth himself and go about the exercise of repentance and faith and new obedience in his calling submitting himself to the will of God in every dispensation which direction if he shall aime to follow he shall not want the fruit of his faith and honest endeavour to please God for Psal. 97. 11. Light is sown for the righteous and joy for the upright in heart CHAP. XXI Wherein is solved the doubt of the true convert whether he be indeed converted because he cannot confidently apply to himself the promises of the Gospel THere are some true converts who albeit for fear of the wrath of God for their sins are already fled unto Christ and have hid themselves under the wings of the propitiatory in the shadow of the Almighty Mediator and are already begun in earnest to give new obedience to the law of God yet from time to time they fall in fear and trembling suspicion that all be not a sound work of grace in them and that partly because they cannot confidently apply to themselves the promises of the Gospel whether absolut such as are made to the Elect Ier. 31 31. or conditional such as are made to believers in Christ offered in the Gospel or qualified promises such as are made to the meek and mercifull Mat. 5. which qualified promises they look upon as conditional excluding them as they conceive who do not find in themselves such qualifications and partly because they are not clear about their right to receive the offer of the Gospel because they want as they conceive fitnesse in themselves to receive the same and thus are they oft-times vexed with doubts whether they be in the state of grace or not 2. For lousing of this doubt sundry things are already said by the way in answering other doubtfull cases But because many do meet with this difficulty we shall speak a little more particularly to the case and first it is needfull that the afflicted be confirmed about that which is right in him that the thing which remaineth and is ready to die may be strengthened To this intent we commend the afflicted that being sensible of sin and feared for-wrath he hath fled unto Christ for refuge next we commend him that he hath begun to give new obedience to Gods Law and doth purpose to follow on as he shall be enabled and thirdly we commend him that albeit he cannot attain that near conjunction with Christ which he would yet he neither will nor dare forsake Christ nor put himself out of the number of weak believers in Christ for he hath said in his heart with Peter Joh. 6. 68. To whom shall I go for Christ hath the words of eternal life Hitherto all is right and the afflicted must resolve to cleave close to this foundation because Christ hath said Ioh. 6. 37. These that come unto me I will in no case cast out 3. For his doubt arising from the nature of the promises absolute conditional and qualified looked upon by him as if they were conditional we answer 1. That these qualified promises having some mark in them of true believers are not exclusive of these believers who find in themselves a defect of the qualification but they are inductive unto all believers to study the attaining of that qualification and are corroborative of these believers who find in any sensible measure these qualifications For example promises made to the mercifull to the peace-makers to the upright in heart do not exclude these who find themselves short in these graces and yet are hungry and thirsty for righteousnesse yet are poor and indigent of all good in themselves and daily beggers at the throne of grace for what they want Mat. 5. for these qualifications sound in a weak believer are signes and effects of sound saith in them And we must grant that of these graces specified in these qualified promises some of them are more eminent in some of the Saints and other some of them more eminently seen and felt in other some of the Saints And in the same person one of these qualifications may sometime shine more clearly and at another time by some tentation or mistake be over-clouded and not shine so clearly as before yet the qualifications are comfortable to all them who find the same in themselves and are inductive to make every believer to aime to excell in these graces and so to confirm their own faith more and more as 2 Pet. 1. 4 5 6 7. we are exhorted Again these qualifications are signs of a believer already entered in the covenant of grace by faith in Christ and begun to bring forth good fruits but they are not the conditions of entering into the covenant for then none could enter in covenant till first these qualifications in exercise were sound in them and that were to dis-annull the covenant of grace and to set up a sort of covenant of works for there is not another condition of entering in the covenant but saith in Christ only whereby the humbled sinner renouncing all confidence in any good in himself or from himself doth betake himself wholly to the grace offered in Jesus Christ in whom perfect righteousnesse is to be found Now unto the man who shall believe in Christ all the promises of the Gospel are made upon this condition that he do believe in Jesus Christ which condition of faith in Christ when it is now performed and by the
free of grosse out-breakings This last sort deceive themselves also because they esteem their natural sorrow for such sins as are grosse and scandalous to be true repentance albeit they be not humbled for the fountain of these out-breakings to wit their in-born corruption of nature and filthy concupiscence and the daily out-breakings thereof to the polluting of their spirits whereof they do take litle or no notice Many also there are who deceive themselves esteeming the outward exercises of religion and some works in themselves commendable to be sufficient fruits and evidences of their faith in Christ and of their regeneration albeit they have not as yet fled to Christ sincerely neither ever put a right estimation upon the imputed righteousnesse of Christ. Such men when they should renounce all confidence in their own works and in the sense of their sinfulnesse flye unto the covenant of grace offered in Christ that in him they might have remission of sin and from him by faith draw strength and ability to bring forth good works they run a contrary course for in the confidence of their own strength they go about sundry duties toward men and exercises of religion toward God trusting in those works as if by works they were to be justified Therefore justly shall Christ say unto them depart from me ye workers of iniquity I never knew you Such were many of the Israelits who being ignorant of the righteousnesse of God went about to establish their own righteousnesse These things when one weak in faith doth consider no wonder he be troubled and be afraid lest he deceive himself and perish as others have done 3. This is a dangerous disease and so long as it is not cured it hinders much the tender beginnings of the new creature that it cannot come up to manly strength First therefore let the afflicted wisely examine the course of his by-gone life lest he either absolve or condemn himself rashly and let him beware lest he esteem the worse of the evidences of a new creature and the fruits of faith because these that look to be justified by their works can produce the like works Secondly let the afflicted call to mind whether in the beginning of the reâ—ormation of his life the Law as a Pedagoge did lead him unto Christ and whether since that time the law did daily put him on and force him to â—lye to Christ and to embrace Christ and his righteousnesse and hath made him to study obedience to the law out of love to God so much the more carefully as he perceived himself obliged thankfully to acknowledge grace granted in Christ to him for if any measure of the daily exercise of repentance if any measure of love to Christ and any measure of endeavour of new obedience be found after examination in the person afflicted out of doubt the ground is laid solidly of his salvation out of doubt he hath an evidence of the work of grace by the operation of the holy Spirit in himself 4. If in this examination the afflicted be not clear but the doubt doth yet stick because of the suspicion he hath of the felt deceitfulnesse of his own heart we offer unto him this counsell that he quickly humble himself before God and do ingenuously acknowledge the native perversenesse and deceitfulnesse of his heart and for that very reason let him embrace Christ the Redeemer in the armes of faith offering himself to every condemned sinner and let him thank God who hath deciphered unto him this deceitfulnesse of his heart and offered Christ unto him for the true remedy of this and every other sinfull malady And in the mean time let him put a difference between himself and an hypocrit in whom the deceit of the heart is neither acknowledged nor seen but fostered and defended for a close hypocrite after hearing of the doctrine of the deceitfulnesse of the heart will stand to the defending of his own sincerity and will take it hardly if any man labour to convince him of any measure of hypocrisie but a true convert or regenerat person will not deny but much hypocrisie may be found in him and albeit he be sorrowfull that this deceitfulnesse of heart hath had lodging in him and lurked too long yet is he willing and glad to have this evil more and more discovered unto him and heartily doth he deliver up this traitor to Christ to be mortified and abolished by his Spirit 5. But if the afflicted cannot be quiet and satisfied still fearing and suspecting he be found a man unrenewed and that for the running issue of this filthy boyl opened up to him by the sword of the Spirit let him beware that he passe not permptor sentence against himself that he do not conclude himself to be a man altogether in the bond of iniquity but let him suspend for a time the disputation and do that which is allowed unto every self-condemned man in the beginning of his conversion that is quickly let him flye unto Christ for remission of sin let him lay hold on that righteousnesse purchased by him and the more he feareth to find God a severe judge let him the more firmly lay hold on Jesus Christ the Mediator who justifieth the ungodly by faith this is the only solid way to persevere in faith to overcome Sathan to solve doubts to resist temptations and to cure the wound made by Sathans firy darts for unto that man who in the sense of his sins and ill deserving and inability to help himself doth flye unto Christ it shall never be said by Christ depart from me I never knew thee 6. Now when the person afflicted hath of new laid hold on Christ and guarded the fortresse of faith and repulsed the tempter who by all means and specially by quarreling and questioning the by-past work of grace in him had laboured to weaken and overturn his faith for by-gones and for the present also lest it should convalesce and grow stronger for time to come now I say let the afflicted after victory return to the dispute and to the examination of his state in grace of his faith in Christ and of his regeneration and he shall see all the begun saving graces which were darkened by temptations clearly appear and shall perceive the several steps and degrees of Gods grace toward him in former times more evidently then he could discern them in the hour of darknesse and temptation And so he shall return from this battel strongerin faith then he was before and more perswaded of the work of the holy Spirit in him then he was before the temptation CHAP. XXV Wherein is solved the doubt of the true converts conversion arising from his breach of the covenant of Grace as he conceiveth THere are some sincere converts who albeit they do not doubt but penitents flying to Christ are received in favour with God are justified from their sins and do obtain right unto all the priviledges of the Saints yet they doubt
and when he could not have the first place in his fathers blessing contented himself with what portion in the earth he could have beside Therefore let the afflicted labour to understand well the nature of the covenant of grace and the several articles thereof and let him consider that there is no advantage to be had by excluding of himself from that covenant but that if he will be saved in every condition he must draw near to Christ and lay hold on him for remission of sin and fresh furniture of grace for every duty for it is good alwayes to draw near to him because he will destroy all them that depart far from him Ps. 73. 27. CHAP. XXVI Wherein is solved the true converts dâ—ubt whether he be regenerat because he findeth himself not only far from the measure of holinesse which he observeth to have been in the Saints commended in Scripture but also short of the measure which some of his acquaintance have attained unto SOme true converts are who in the time wherein they are about to strengthen their saith by all means do fall in comparision of themselves with other converts in the mater of their faith love endeavour and attainment of an holy conversation and finding themselves very short of that measure which not only Saints commended in Scripture have attained unto but also short of what sundry of their acquaintance have gained and given proof of sudainly are overtaken with a sad suspicion that they may be found none of the number of true converts as for example when they read what David saith of himself in the Psalmes and namely in the hundred and nineteen Psalme they seem to themselves so unlike the copy he hath cast unto them so far short of that affection to the Word of God of that faith of that diligence of that sincerity of that patience of that fortitude in afflictions and delectation in God which the practice of this servant of God doth hold forth that they are ashamed to assume the name of a visible Saint or faithfull servant of God And for the same reason do forbear under this exercise to apply unto themselves the precious promises made to the faithfull servants of God in the Scripture What am I saith the afflicted that I should presume to intrude my self in the number of the Saints what am I that I should apply to my self what is promised to true converts and sincere servants of God Were I such a one as this person or that person is I might then for my consolation apply promises made unto such Saints but now I cannot apply their priviledges except for conviction of my conscience that I am justly for my unlikenesse unto them secluded from the promises made unto them and those that are like unto them 2. For lousing of this doubt we must acknowledge that the comparison of our selves with the rule of perfection holden forth in the Scripture is to be aimed at by all and the comparison of our selves with the eminent servants of God who have attained a great measure of growth in holinesse is very profitable if it be prudently managed For the first comparison teacheth us what we should endeavour to attain and the other teacheth us what may be by the grace of God attained unto even in this life Again both these comparisons do serve to humble us before God when we perceive our selves not only short of perfection which cannot be fully attained unto in this life but also short of these degrees which may be attained and have been attained by others in this life we cannot choose but think the more meanly of our selves and put down the sailes of self-estimation Thirdly this sort of comparison is profitable to make us more uprightly renounce all confidence in our own inherent righteousnesse and flye for refuge to the righteousnesse of Christ obedience and satisfaction imputed unto all that believe in him according as the example of the Apostle Paul who renounced all confidence in his priviledges performances sufferings and inherent righteousnesse counting them all but dung that he might win Christ and be found in him not having his own righteousnesse which is of the law but that which is through the faith of Christ the righteousnesse which is of God by faith Phil. 3. 8 9. 3. But this sort of comparison is dangerous and hurtfull when it tendeth to discouragment when it maketh us think little of the measure of Gods grace granted unto us when it makes us heartlesse in the course of obedience and hopelesse that we shall attain unto the measure whereunto the Saints have attained 4. Wherefore let the afflicted strengthen the thing which remaineth and is ready to die Rev. 3. 2. let him beware lest he quench the smoaking flax or break the bruised reed wherein he hath Christs help to look unto Isa. 42. 3. Again let the afflicted consider that there are divers degrees of saving faith divers degrees of the measure of sanctification and growth in grace for some are old men some young and strong men and some babes in Christ and that the same duties in the same measure are not to be expected from the tender and weak beginner which are required of the strong and experimented souldier 3. Let the afflicted remember that nothing is given nor promised nor done unto the Saints in Scripture or in latter ages for any merit or worthinesse in them but altogether of free grace and so much the more should this be remembred as this doubting of the afflicted arising from comparison of his condition with the measure of sanctification in others doth presuppone the contrary as if God did deal with his children according to the worthinesse of their persons and merit of their good works which is a false supposition for why doth the afflicted cast down his courage and weaken his faith and confidence in God but for this very cause that he counteth himself a much more unworthy man and of lesse merit before God then those Saints were or are with whom he hath compared himself 4. Let the afflicted by so much as he doth preceive himself more unworthy and more sinfull then those Saints with whom he hath compared himself thrust himself the more into the bosome of rich grace let him so much the more lay hold on the imputation of Christs righteousnesse and cover his nakednesse therewith and employ Christ by faith so much the more that out of his fulnesse he may receive grace for grace and be made able by his Spirit to bring forth more abundant fruits and come up nearer unto conformity with Christ and the examples of renouned Saints 5. Let the afflicted consider that we must live by rules set down in Scripture aiming sincerely at obedience of holy precepts albeit we have not yet come up unto the practice of the rule in that measure which others have attained unto CHAP. XXVII Wherein is solved the true converts doubt whether he be in the blessed state
of grace because he findeth himself frequently in an evil condition EXperience teacheth that sundry true converts because they feeling themselves oft-times in an ill condition do call in question their being in the blessed state of grace not considering that the condition of a man whether in the state of nature unrenewed or in the state of grace may be comparatively in better or worse condition and yet his state remain the same The multitude of the misbelieving Hebrews were in an evil condition at the one side of the red Sea when they repented their coming out of Egypt but in a better condition when they did sing praises unto God on the other side of the Sea and yet for their state some were yea most part still in nature unrenewed Moses and Aaron were in an evil condition when their passion offended God at the smiteing of the rock but when they did interceed with God for the people when wrath was kindled against the host they were in a better condition and both in the one time and in the other they were in the state of grace true Saints in Gods estimation This mistake of the weak in faith not putting difference between their present disposition and their state maketh them judge of themselves to be in the state of grace when their condition is good and to be in the state of nature unrenewed when they feel themselves in an evil condition when they observe their heart inlarged to run the way of Gods commandments then they esteem themselves truly regenerat and when they feel themselves sluggish in the work of the Lord dull in hearing the Word flow to believe what the Scripture speaketh when they esteem their ordinary service to be after a form of godlinesse without affection and power and what service they do to proceed from fear of wrath rather then from the new and right principles of a regenerat man then they question all the works of grace in themselves What shall I think saith the afflicted concerning my state in grace when I find my condition so frequently not only short of what it should be but also polluted with divers sorts of sins 2. For answer we must grant that the externall duties of religion may be discharged from fleshly and corrupt principles for many do perform commanded external duties that they may eshew the reproach of impiety or that they may insinuat themselves in the good estimation and favour of the godly or for some base earthly ends for which gross hypocrits do whatsoever they do in religion Like unto these are all self-deceiving hypocrits who go about to establish their own righteousnesse miskening that righteousnesse which is of God by faith as if God could be obliged to take their performance for a full satisfaction for their former sins and would look upon their works as meritorious of eternal life and therefore because men may deceive themselves 1. the afflicted shall do well to examine himself whether he hath renounced all confidence in the flesh or his own works Phil. 3. 8 9. and fled unto Christ for righteousnesse with some measure of honest endeavouring to worship and serve God in his spirit which if his conscience can witnesse unto him to be his way wherein he is walking then may he be assured that he is a true convert 2. And albeit it be true that the imperfections of the regenerat man do many times obscure his state in grace yet can they not extinguish the sponk of regeneration begun in him or prove the work of grace in him not to be at all 3. We grant that the condition of a true convert at sometimes may be so bad by reason of sinfull distemper and fleshly carriage that many unrenewed mens conversation shall be found far more commendable then the present condition and carriage of the renewed man in his sinfull condition In which case neither God nor his own conscience nor any that feareth God can speak any thing but wrath to him till he repent and turn to God for mercy in Christ yet the afflicted penitent convert lamenting his bad condition is in better case then any unrenewed man can be into for the very grief and perplexity which he findeth because his condition is so oft ill and sinfull proveth his good affection toward God and his earnest desire to walk before God unto all well-pleasing in all things and at all times 3. But if the afflicted shall insist and object that the fear of Gods wrath and judgments ordinarily is a main motive which setteth him on to do the duties and service which God requireth of him and not the love of God the felt in-lake whereof doth make him go on halting and heavy in the wayes of God We answer that albeit the fear of Gods wrath and judgments looked upon alone doth not prove regeneration yet it may well consist with regeneration because God doth not for nought joyn with his precepts fearfull threatenings of judgments against those who shall transgresse his commands that they may be as a spur in his childrens sides to presse them to their duties and as a bridle to curb and check their vitious inclination unto sin which lodgeth in all men by nature And this motive is evident in the experience of the Prophet Ps 119. 120. My flesh trembleth for fear of thee and I am afraid of thy judgments 2. It may be that the afflicted lately converted unto God be not free as yet from the spirit of bondage but be keeped in some measure under the bonds of servile fear God so disposing for the humbleing exercising and training of his child lately entered in his holy warfare in which condition his fear is commendable when it ariseth from the conscience of his sinfull short-coming in Gods service and of the prevailing of his corruption against the begun work of renovation Wherefore let the afflicted go about the discharge of commanded duties in his christian calling and particular station wherein God hath placed him in what condition soever he shall find himself 2. Let him compare his present condition which he doth count an ill condition with the by-gone better conditions whereof he hath had possibly experience frequently and when he calleth to mind the comforts he hath had and the inlargement of heart to run in the way of Gods commandment in hope of a change of his present condition to the better in hope of finding renewed blinks of the Lords countenance let him humbly wait on God in the use of the means appointed till the day-star arise in his heart praying with the Psalmist that God would quicken him according to his loving kindnesse 3. Let him cleave the more closely to the covenant of grace and the righteousnesse which is by faith in Jesus Christ withall giving thanks unto God for the grace bestowed on him for the giving unto him eye-salve to see his blindnesse nakednesse and misery and for making sin odious and grievous unto him in any measure
perfection which the Law doth require albeit he find not the fruits whensoever he would exact them albeit he find them not in that measure as he hath found them before For as trees are not to be esteemed dead or barren which bring forth fruits in due season albeit they bear not fruit in winter So faith is not to be esteemed dead which as occasion is offered bringeth forth the fruit at one time of mercy at another time of justice and equity at another time the evidence of zeal at another time of love and other vertues albeit when occasion or opportunity offereth not it doth not exercise such and such vertues yea albeit sometimes when occasion calleth for the evidencing of such and such gracious vertues the convert be somtime found in-laking or short of doing duty or guilty of doing contrary to duty faith must not be counted dead for all that Because it may come to passe that faith may be so wounded and fall sick and languish and fall in a swound that it cannot bring forth fruits till it be recovered of its sicknesse as we may see in Ionah David and Peter whose faith fainted but failed not altogether It is true they suspected they were cut off and gone when they were in hard exercise but after that they did look up to the mercy of God in Christ draw near unto him and did shew themselves alive in the Lord and to be in the state of grace Last of all we answer that the regrate of the humbled soul of its barrennesse and short-coming of bringing forth fruits as it would is no small evidence of life and sense in the inward man And of such a disposition it may be said as it is written Cant. 2. 13. The figtree putteth forth its green figs and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell For he that is fled to Christ and laments his barrennesse is a lover of doing good works and of bringing forth the fruits of the Gospel Quest. V. Q. BUt how can a man maintain his faith in Christ who after examination findeth no evidence at all of his conversion and that all his former life hath been spent in the unfruitfull course of corrupt nature and the mater is so indeed he hath lived after the course of this world a stranger to the life of God and grace Ans. Let such a mans examination and sentence of himself stand being according to the truth but this sentence of himself must not hinder him from believing in Christ or from flying to him for refuge for remission of sin for reconciliation and furniture of grace to bring forth better fruits then he hath brought forth before he hath proven against himself that in time bygone he hath noâ— been a regenerat man hath not been a believer in Christ but he hath not cut off himself from flying to Christ and believing in him for time to come for he must put diâ—ference between these two questions whether I have been of the number of sincere believers in Christ heretofore and whether I must now â—lye to Christ for time to come that I may be found hereaâ—ter and henceforth a true convert believing in Christ His former want of good fruits altogether doth prove him not to have been a believer in Christ for time by-past which is the first question and the same want of all good fruits heretofore doth answer the other question for his present duty and in time to come to wit that now except he will perish he must flye to Christ and believe in him In proving of this assertion that I have heretofore for such a space of time been a true convert I must bring forth the evidence of my faith by my works as the Apostle Iames appointeth shew me thy faith by thy works and I will shew thee my faith by my works But in proving this other assertion to wit I must now flye to Christ while the offer is made to me of reconciliation left I perish it will suffice to produce first my want of good fruits and next the commandment of the Gospel charging me to flye to Christ for refuge in time leâ—t I perish And so a man must maintain the way of believing in Christ Jesus for time to come whether he find he hath been a 〈◊〉 or a barren branch in time by-gone or not Quest. VI. Q. SEing the Apostle 2 Pet. 1. 10. commands us to make our calling and election sure by well-doing how can it be called carnal confidence which in part doth lean upon good works For seing assurance and certainty of our effectual calling is not attained unto but by reasoning from our good works that we are called effectually and are elected how do not our works support the assurance of faith concerning our calling and election and so may be leaned unto Ans. A man may make use of his good works for confirmation of his faith and yet not lean his confidence upon his works but upon the grace of God who hath called him of his free grace and made him imbrace the offer of his free grace and given unto him both to will and to do of his free grace and made him to be Gods workman-ship created of Gods free grace unto good works wherein he hath made him to walk Thus grace is by Gods word and working cleared up to the believer to rest upon without laying too much weight upon the mans work but if a man lay hold on Christ and his free grace only then when he observeth in himself such and such fruits of faith and looseth or slacketh his grips of Christ when he feels deadnesse and indisposition to good works justly we may call this a carnal confidence in his works for when he ought with Paul Rom. 7. 24 25. so much the more to flye in to Christ and his righteousnesse as he findeth the body of death powerfull in him and in-born sin strong to hinder his obedience he doth contrary wayes abate of his confidence languish and decay in his faith and look like a departer from Christ we must say he putteth carnal confidence in his own works Quest. VII Q. BUt seing it is impossible to perswade me of the truth and sincerity of saving faith in me except I do observe in me and can bring forth my good works to prove the reality of faith in me how is it possible that I should not lean weight on my good works seing the proof of my faith is by my works which proof if I have not I am at a stand I cannot prove my self to have been a true believer in Christ I cannot perswade my self that I have been and am a true believer in Christ Ans. 1. The observation of the fruits of faith in me is not the only proof of my believing in Christ for the very act of imbracing the offer of reconciliation made to me in the Gospel and flying unto Christ for a refuge when I am chased by the Law by the
object requireth a supernaturall power of the understanding and will to take it up and rightly conceive of it But of this supernaturall faculty the unrenewed man is destitute and in respect of spirituall discerning he is dead that he cannot discern spirituall things spiritually 4. As for the second proposition anent a mans regeneration the Lord that He may break the carnall confidence of the person whom He is to convert first sheweth him his duty by the doctrine of the law and covenant of works making him to see the same by the powerfull illumination of the holy Spirit and so taketh away all pretext of ignorance Secondly He sheweth him his guiltinesse and deserved damnation wherein he is involved and so taken away all conceit and imagination of his innocency Thirdly He doth convince him of his utter inability to satisfie the law or to deliver himself from the curse thereof either by way of action and obedience or by way of suffering and paying of the penalty of the violat law of God And so overturneth all confidence in himself or in his own works Whence followeth the elect mans desperation to be delivered by himself because he seeth himself a sinner and that all hope of justification by his own deeds or sufferings is cut off Now that this is the work of the holy Spirit is plain Ioh. 16. 8. When the comforter the spirit of truth shall come He shall convince the world of sin c. And in this condition sundry of Gods dear children for a time are keeped under the bonds of the law under the spirit of bondage and sad conviction 5. As for the third proposition the Lord after He hath laid the sin of His elect child who is to be converted to his charge by the doctrine of the law first openeth up a light unto him in the doctrine of the Gospel and lets him see that his absolution from sin and his salvation is possible and may be had by flying unto Christ the Redeemer Secondly the Lord drawing near hand the humbled self-condemned soul deals with him by way of morall swasion sweetly inviting him in the preaching of the Gospel to receive the Redeemer Christ Jesus the eternall Son of God manifested in the flesh that by receiving of Him as He is offered in the Evangel for remission of sin renovation of life and eternall salvation he may close the Covenant of grace and reconciliation with God Thirdly because the fall of Adam hath bereft man of all spirituall and supernaturall power till he be supernaturally quickned and converted by the omnipotent power of Gods grace Therefore the Lord sâ—peraddeth unto morall swasion effectuall operation and formeth in the soul a spirituall faculty and ability for doing what is pleasant unto God and tendeth to save himself according to the will of God This infusion of a new life sometime is called the forming of the new creature sometime regeneration sometime rising from the dead and vivification or quickning of the man sometime saving grace and the life of God and the seed of God having in it the principle of all saving graces and habits which are brought forth afterward to acts and exercise Mean time true it is that all men because of their inborn corruption have an inclination and bent disposition to resist the holy Ghost But when the Lord will actually convert the man He overcometh and taketh away actuall resistance and doth so break the power of naturall rebellion that it doth not for ever after reign in him for if God did not take away actuall resistance of the man in his conversion no conversion should certainly follow and God should be disappointed of His purpose to convert the man even when He hath put forth His almighty power to work conversion But God doth so wisely and powerfully stir up this new infused life of grace and setteth it so on work that the understanding and judgement like a counsellour and the Will like a commanding Emperour and the active power of the new infused faculty as an officer do all bestir themselves to bring forth supernaturall operations Whence it cometh to passe that the new creature beginneth to look kindly on Christ the Redeemer and to desire to be united unto Him and doth streatch forth it self to embrace Him heartily for obtaining in Him righteousnesse and salvation as He is offered in the Gospel And so he casts himself over on Christ with full purpose never to shed from Him but by faith to draw out of Him grace for grace till he be perfected And here the man that was meerly passive in his quickning and regeneration beginneth presently to be active in his conversion and following conversation for God giveth to him to will and to do of His good pleasure And he having obtained by Gods effectuall operation to will and to do doth formally will and do the good which is done 6. As to the fourth proposition when the power of God is put forth invincibly for the converting of a soul that invincible working is so far from destroying the naturall liberty of the will that it doth indeed preserve it and sets it right on the right object and doth perfect it For as when God openeth the eyes of a mans understanding that he doth behold the wonders of His law when hee removeth the naturall blindnesse of the mind and maketh a man see that the Gospel is the wisdom and power of God unto salvation which sometime he counted to bee meer foolishnesse he doth no wayes destroy the mans judgement or understanding but doth correct help heal and perfect it So when the holy Spirit doth powerfully and effectually move and turn the Will of the man to embrace the sweet and saving offers of Christs grace in the Gospel and maketh him deliberatly choose this blessed way of salvation and to renounce all confidence in his own or any others worth or works He doth not destroy but perfect the liberty of the Will and raiseth it up from death and its damnable inclination and maketh it most joyfully and most freely to make choice of this pearl of price and blesse it self in its choice for ever Therefore let no man complain of wrong done to mans free-will when God stops its way to hell wisely powerfully graciously and sweetly moveth it to choose the way of life But rather let men beware to take the glory of actuall conversion of men from God and either give it wholly to their idoll of free-will or make it sharer of the glory of regeneration with God which glory God will not give to another but reserve wholly to Himself for all men in the point and moment of regeneration are like unto Lazarus in the grave to whom God by commanding him to arise gave life and power to arise out of the grave where he lay dead and rotting 7. As to the fifth proposition We must distinguish the work of regeneration from the preparation and disposition of the man to be regenerat
is clear because the mercy of God the grace of God the good-will of God is put in Scripture for the only motive and impulsive cause of Redemption Ephes. 1. 7. 8. 9. In whom we have Redemption through his blood even the forgivenesse of sins according to the riches of his grace wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence having made known unto us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure which he had purposed in himself 3. The Scripture sheweth us that there is an innumerable multitude of redeemed persons and a sort of universality of them extended unto all nations and ages and states of men so that this hudge multitude for whose redemption Christs blood was shed Matth. 26. 29. is justly called by the name of a world an elect world Ioh. 3. 16. to be called out of that reprobat world for which Christ refuseth to interceed Ioh. 17. 9. the truth of this mater the redeemed do acknowledge in their worshiping Christ their Mediatour Rev. 5. 9. and they sang a new song saying Thou art worthy to take the book and to open the seals thereof for thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kinred and tongue and people and nation These are the all men whom God will have saved and doth save 1 Tim. 2. 4. these are the all men of whom the Apostle speaks 2 Pet. 3. 9. God is patient toward us to wit his elect not willing that any of us should perish but that we all should come to repentance And this the Apostle giveth for a reason of the Lords deferring his coming till all the elect should be brought in of whom many were not yet converted in the Apostles time and many were not yet born and if Christ should not delay his coming till they were born and brought in to reconciliation with God the number of the elect should be cut short 4. In no place of Scripture is it said that all and every man are elect or every man is given to Christ or every man is predestinat unto life in no place of Scripture is it said that Christ hath made paction with the Father for all and every man without exception But by the contrary it is sure from Scripture that Christ hath merited and procured salvation for all them for whom he entered himself Surety Their sins only were laid on Christ and in him condemned satisfied for and expiat Isa. 53. for these and in their place he offered himself to satisfie Justice for them he prayed them only he justifieth and glorifieth for the sentence of the Apostle 2 Cor. 5. 15. standeth firm in Christ all are dead to the law for whom and in whose room Christ did die And therefore for these his people the law is satisfied from these the curse is taken away to them heaven and all things necessary to salvation are purchased and shall infallibly in due time yea invincibly be applied Christ hath not sanctified consecrat and perfected all and every one Heb. 10. 14. only for his sheep predestinat he laid down his life Iohn 10. 15. 16. 26. he did not buy with his blood all and every one but his Church called out and severed from the world Acts 20. 28. he saveth not all and every man from their sins but his own people only to wit whom he hath bought with his blood to be his own Matth. 1. 21. whom he hath purchased to be his own peculiar whom he doth purifie and kindle with a servent desire to bring forth good works Tit. 2. 14. Such as Christ hath redeemed he loveth them infinitly and counted them dearer to him then his life But many shall be found to whom Christ shall say I never knew you to wit with approbation and affection Matth. 7. 23. They for whom Christ hath died shall sometime glory against all condemnation but so shall not every man be able to glory Rom. 8. 34. 35. Christ never purposed to lay down his life for those whom going to die he refuseth to pray for only for those who are given to him out of the world will he pray and die and rise and will raise them to eternall life Ioh. 17. 9. So far is it from Gods purpose and Christs to redeem all and every man that he hath not decreed to give every nation so much as the externall necessary means for conversion and salvation Psal. 147. 19. 20. He sheweth his word unto Iacob his statutes and his judgements unto Israel He hath not dealt so with any nation and as for his judgements they have not known them And for this wise and holy course of hiding the mystery of salvation from many even wise men in the world Christ Jesus glorifieth and thanketh the Father Matth. 11. 25. I thank thee O Father Lord of heaven and earth because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them to babes even so Father for so it seemed good in thy sight The second article AS to the second article of the Covenant of Redemption concerning the price of Redemption and the sitting of the Redeemer for accomplishing the work of Redemption God would not have silver or gold or any corruptible thing 1 Pet. 1. 18. He refuseth all ransome that can come from a meer man Psal. 49. 8. But He would have His own co-eternall and only begotten Son to become a man to take on the yoke of the law and to do all His will that He alone might redeem the elect who by nature are under the curse of the law He would have Him the second Adam to be obedient even to the death of the crosse that by His obedience many might be justified Rom. 5. 19. This is clearly confirmed by the Apostle Heb. 10. 5. 6. 7. 10. commenting upon the 7. and 8. verses of Psal. 40. In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure then said Christ coming into the world Lo I come in the volumne of the book it is written of Me to do thy will O God by the which will we are sanctified by the offering up of the blood of Iesus once for all 2. By Christs obedience we understand not only that which some call his active obedience nor that only which some call his passive obedience for his active and passive obedience are but two notions of one thing for his incarnation subjection to the law and the whole course of his life was a continued course of suffering and in all his suffering he was a free and voluntary agent fulfilling all which he had undertaken unto the Father for making out the promised price of Redemption and accomplishing what the Father had given him command to do His obedience even to the death of the crosse did begin in his emptying himself to take on our nature and the shape of a servant and did run on till his resurrection and ascension As for these his sufferings in
be suffered for sin by the sinner is the curse-everlasting of soul and body seing a meer creature cannot for ever satisfie for his rebellion how long soever we presuppose his duration under suffering And for obedience by way of doing perfectly what the Law doth crave it is utterly impossible because we are carnal sold under sin and cannot satisfie the Law and because we cannot satisfie the Law the Law becometh weak and unable to justifie and save us Rom. 8. 3. How the Covenant of works may be called the Covenant of nature ALbeit the Law written by nature in mens heart differeth from the Covenant for performance of the Law as hath been shown before yet the Covenant of works made with Adam before he fell tying him to keep that Law may be called the Covenant of nature First because the Covenant of works is grounded upon the Law of nature and doth exact nothing of man save that which God might require of him according to the Law of nature Secondly because when the Covenant of works was made with Adam it was made with all his natural posterity which was to spring of him by natural generation and so the obligation thereof did pass upon all his natural posterity by the Law of nature which maketh the child begotten to bear the image of the begetters Thirdly that the Covenant of works may justly be called the Covenant of nature appeareth by the force of the conscience being wakened from its sleepy security for it challengeth for sin according to that Covenant and pronounceth the sentence of God's wrath against the sinner For the conscience doth acknowledge the Judgment of God that they which commit such things are worthy of death Rom. 1. 32. Fourthly because the conscience naturally inclineth a man to seek justification by his own works if it can any way find pretence for it as we may see in the Pharisee who in his speech to God doth judge himself a holy man because he is not amongst the worst of men and hath many good works above others to reckon forth and lay before God Luk. 18. 11. Fifthly the inclination of mans heart to expect a reward of every good work he doth whether it be in some part reall or only apparently such testifieth so much Iudg. 17. 13. Micah so reasoneth Now know I the Lord will do me good seing I have a Levit to my Priest And how miserably the conscience may be deluded in this case when men do dote upon their own well-deserving appeareth in Leah for Gen. 30. 18. Leah saith God hath given me my hire because I have given my maiden to my husband Sixthly this point is also made manifest by the natural ignorance of righteousness by faith and affectation to be justified by works which the Apostle finds fault-with in the Israelits Rom. 9. 31. They sought righteousness not by faith but as it were by works And Rom. 10. 3. being ignorant of the righteousness of God and going about to establish their own righteousness to wit righteousness by works according to the tenour of the Covenant of works they did not submit themselves to the righteousness of God Seventhly the same course followed by Papists and other erroneous teachers testifieth the natural inclination of men to seek righteousness by works according to the tenour of the Covenant of works and not by faith in Christ Jesus that righteousness may come by grace only And so are some mens hearts glued to this error that they do transform justification by faith in justification by one work in stead of all as if the work of faith were the mans righteousness and not Christ him-himself laid hold on by faith Not considering that to the man that renounceth all confidence in any work of his own and flieth to Christ by faith Christ is made of God unto that man wisdom and righteousness 1 Cor. 1. 30. Last of all this natural inclination even of the regenerat to seek righteousness by works doth prove the Covenant of works to be naturally ingraft in all mens hearts as appeareth in the Galatians who being instructed in the doctrine of justification by faith in Christ without the works of the Law did easily upon a tentation offered look back with likeing to the way of Justification by works for which the Apostle reproveth them Gal. 4. 21. Tell me saith he ye that desire to be under the Law or Covenant of works and ver 9. But now after ye have known God or rather are known of God how turn ye again to weak and beggarly elements whereunto you desire again to be in bondage Obj. But the Galatians as it seemeth did not reject Justification by faith but did joyn with it Justification by the works of the Law thinking that the safest way was to joyn both together Ans. The inconsistency of these two wayes of Justification the Apostle sheweth Rom. 11. 6. For Justification by grace is no more by works otherwise grace is no more of grace and what Justification is by works is no more of grace otherwise work is no more works And therefore the Apostle makes the joyning of these two wayes of Justification to be nothing else but a plain seeking of Justification by the Covenant of works which cutteth a man off from any benefit by Christ Gal. 5. 2. and whosoever seeketh to be justified by the Lawâ— or Covenant of works is fallen from grace ver 4. For further clearing this matter we may distinguish two sorts of the Covenant of works The one is true genuine and of God's institution which God made with all men in Adam for perfect obedience unto God's Law out of mans own natural abilities There is another counterfeit bastard covenant of works of mans own devising which a sinner lying in his sins unable to do what the Law commands or to suffer what the Law being broken binds upon him of his own head devileth upon other conditions then God hath set and will have God to take his devised covenant in stead of perfect obedience to the Law that so he may be justified Such was the covenant which the carnal Israelits made with God in the wilderness and which their posterity did follow turning the Covenant of grace whereunto God was calling them into a covenant of works of their own framing For the grace which was offered to them in Christ under the vail of levitical types figures and ceremonies they turned into an external service of performance only of bare and dead ceremonies and into a ministry of the letter and death for they did not take up Christ to be the end of the Law for righteousness to every one that believes in him but did think that both the moral and ceremonial Law was given unto them of God to the intent that they should do the external works of the moral Law so far as they could and when they transgressed the moral Law they should fly to the ceremonial Law and make amends for their faults by
seek of God the gift of faith or else be destitute of all excuse if they shall not do what they conceive and professe themselves able to do Thirdly it is equitable to crave faith from them who are able to promise morally the obedience of faith and are able to use the externall means leading unto true faith for the Lord Himself followed this way in his covenanting with the Israelites Exod. 19. where the Lord propounds the condition of the covenant and promiseth to be their God if they should hearken to His voice vers 5. 6. the people did accept the condition and undertook to perform it vers 7. 8. and upon these tearms the covenant was made with them morally in an externall way which did bind the obligation fast upon them Fourthly by preaching of the covenant of grace God doth ordinarly bestow grace and grace for grace on the redeemed in a time acceptable and in craving the condition the Lord giveth grace to accept the condition and to perform it and this course is very sutable to Gods soveraignty or supremacy sutable to His wisdom and his justice and sutable to the freedom of his grace for it becometh the absolute supremacy of God and the liberty of His most holy will to send the Gospel only to whom He will it becometh his wisdom where ever He doth send the Gospel to make offer of grace indifferently to all the hearers whether elect or reprobat that all may be tryed whether they please to receive the offer or not It becometh his justice to withhold grace from such as refuse the offer of it and it becometh his wisdom mercy grace truth and justice both to exact from the elect for whom Christ did satisfie the performance of the condition of the covenant and in the mean time by the offer of grace to make them sayingly to believe using the command of believing in Christ for a fit mean to beget faith hence it is that saving faith is given only to the elect which faith therefore is called the faith of the elect Tit. 1. 1. Hence it is that the elect are called heirs of the promises Gal. 3. 29. and children of the pâ—omise Heb. 6. 17. partly because they are the children promised to be broughin to Christ Isa. 53. 10. partly because by the promiâ—ses they are regenerat to a new life and by believing in Christ they obtain righteousnesse and eternall life for 1. Pet. 1. 23. they are called begotten again not of corruptible seed but of the incorruptible seed of the word of God Quest. If it be asked since faith is so necessary what is the object of faith Ans. We answer the truth of God revealed in Scripture or God speaking in Scripture and promising eternall life upon conditions holden forth in these promises among these promises some pertain to the covenant of works such as Gal. 3. 12. do this and live and Matth. 19. 17. If thou wilt enter into life keep the commandments and sundry other particular promises of blessings both spirituall and temporall annexed unto the promulgation of the Law which promises do serve to encourage them to make good their undertaking if they be able as they conceive they are and to humble them when they shall find by experience that neither threatning nor promises can make them to fulfill that law Beside the promises annexed to the covenant of works there are other promises which pertain to the covenant of reconciliation and tend to the making men embrace the covenant of grace and to continue therein such as these which are propounded in the Gospel for giving unto the believer all the sure mercies of David and the benefits purchased by Christ. And of this sort some are more generall some more speciall some of them belong to this life some of them to the life to come for true godlynesse comprehending faith and the fruits of it hath the promises both of this life and of the life to come of all these promises the foundation and fountain is the covenant of Redemption whereof we have spoken Chap. 4. wherein Christ promiseth to the Father to do his will and the Father promiseth to Christ as Mediatour and head of the Church in favours of the redeemed that he shall see his seed and be satisfied and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand upon this covenant of Redemption all the promises made to the Church do depend whether they be absolute promises whether conditional promises whether qualified promises which are like unto conditionall Absolute promises we call for example such as do promise absolutely the taking away the heart of stone and the conversion of the Elect and their perseverance and salvation Ier. 31. 31 32. c. and 32. ver 40. Such are the promises of gathering edifying propagating and perpetuating of the Christian Church to the worlds end as Math. 16. 18. Upon this rock I will build my Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it Which sort of promises do serve to move men to come and embrace Christ and after men have fled to Christ in whom all the promises are Yea and Amen the believer may make application and comfortable use of all the precious promises of righteousness and eternal life set forth in the Gospel Conditionall promises are such as make offer of Christ and reconciliation to the hearers of the Gospel upon this condition that in the sense of sin and fear of wrath they â—lye to Christ as the only and sufficient remedy of sin and misery Qualified promises like unto conditionall are these that have in them some qualification of the person who is already a believer and do seem to make that qualification or designation of the believer to be a condition of the blessing promised therein which promises if they be well considered do pre-suppone the qualified person to whom the promise is made to be both a believer and also to be evidently endued with the named quality as for example Math. 5. Blessed are the mercifull the peace-maker the meek the mourners the poor the sufferer of persecution for the Gospel or for Christ c. which vertues if the person be not a believer in Christ do as yet signifie nothing in him nor do not intitle the man to this Gospel-blessedness and being the designations of believers they give the persons endued therewith encouragment to go on and encrease in that grace and all other graces that they may thereby more and more give evidence of their being reall believers Such also are the promises which are made to the confident waiters on God rejoycers in God lovers and fearers of God c. In which promises grace for grace to be derived out of the fulness of Christ is promised to the believer Some promises design fit persons to enter in covenant and do invite them to come to Christ Such as are come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy loaden Math. 11. 28. And Ho!
faith in Christ bestowed on himself now in experience hath flowed from that fountain of Gods love and free grace through Christ. Except this order be keeped a man cannot warrantably and with confidence and comfort make application of these covenants Hence it followeth that it is a preposterous and perilous course which some do follow and presse others to follow that presently upon the hearing of the Gospel every man should believe that Christ hath died for him for Christ calleth no man warrandeth no man to come to him except he first do acknowledge his sins and himself to be worthy of wrath condemnation and hell for his sins and to be utterly unable to save himself by any mean save by Christ for Luke 5. 32. Christ saith I came not to call the righteous but sinners unto repentance Neither doth Christ require of any man to believe himself to be of the number of Christs sheep for whom he laid down his life except he come by faith as a lost sinner to him and submit himself to his doctrine and discipline and pastorall care over him for Ioh. 17. 9. Christ saith I pray not for the world but for these thou hast given me out of the world and no man shall know that himself is given of the Father to Christ till first he come in the order foresaid unto Christ and when he is come to Christ resolveth to abide with him then may he say the Father hath given me to Christ and drawn me to Christ for this is the mark which Christ giveth Ioh. 6. 37. All that the Father hath given unto me shall come to me And again vers 44. No man cometh unto me except the Father draw him 3. There is an order alâ—o to be observed in the application of the graces offered in the Gospel for in the Evangel first Christ himself is offered as the only and sufficient remedy against sin and misery and next unto the person that receiveth Christ heartily all Christs benefits are promised to come to him by Christ and are to be found in and through Christ such as are Justification Adoption the indwelling of the holy Ghost love joy peace gentlenesse bounty fidelity meekness temperance and other Christian graces Gal 5. 22. for no man hath right unto Christs benefits before he be a believer in Christ. But so soon as a man in the foresaid order is fled unto Christ and hath laid hold on him by faith straight way a door and entresse is opened unto him unto the rich treasure of grace and right is given to him unto all the benefits of Christ for all the promises are yea and amen not before a man come to Christ not to a man without Christ but they are all yea and a men in Christ. 4. Therefore they wrong both God and their own selves who when they come unto the throne of grace do prescribe unto God another order of working then he hath set down in his word craving in the first place consolation and sensible peace in their conscience felt in their hearts and that God would work some such saving graces in their heart which the reprobat cannot counterfit which directions if God will take off their hand and bestow his graces on them sensibly as they prescribe unto him then they will stand oblieged to continue in the faith of Christ but if they find not their directions obeyed and their petitions in their order granted then with grief of heart they begin to complain and to pretend that they dare not approach unto God or Christ so long as these petitions are not first granted and felt to be granted This temptation doth invert and overturn the order of Goâ—s calling for Christ doth not call unto him well-doers or these that do found their faith upon their own good behaviour and lean to their own works which they desire to find in themselves before they fasten faith on Christ but Christ doth call sinners in their own sense and acknowledgment who renounce all confidence in their own works past present or to come He calleth such as are lost in their own sense and do feel themselves utterly unable so much as to think a good thought of themselves that they may be cloathed with the imputed righteousnesse of Christ and indued with the spirit of sanctification by him and Christs will is that they who believe in him abide in him and suck by faith out of him as the branches do suck sap out of the tree grace to bring forth fruits more and more abundantly for this is the order which Christ doth prescribe unto his disciples Ioh. 15. 5. He that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruit for without me ye can do nothing Whosoever therefore will not believe in Christ or do think it is not lawfull to approach unto him till first they find in themselves amendment of life and evident fruits of saving faith they do in effect change the condition of the covenant of grace and do suspend their faith in Christ till they find works to build upon when it were their duty the more they feel their barrennesse so much the more straitly to lay hold on Christ and hold him fast and ply him with earnest supplications to make good his promise to them who do abide in him Ioh. 15. 5. 5. It is necessary to presse every man who doth believe his justification by faith that he be carefull to observe the morall law or ten commands as the perpetuall and unchangeable rule of good works prescribed of God for Christ came not to destroy the law but to fulfill it Matth. 5. 17. He hath indeed unto believers in him dissolved the covenant of the law not only by his doctrine teaching them that by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified in the sight of God because by the law is the knowledge of sin gotten but no absolution from sin Rom. 3. 20. But also by absolving every believer in him that walketh not after the flesh but after the spirit from all condemnation Rom. 8. 1â— Mean while he hath not broken the yoke of obedience of the law from off the believer as he hath broken off the yoke of the covenant of works but by the contrair he prescribes to them who come unto him for remission of sin that they take on his yoke upon them and bring forth works of new obedience Matth. 11. 29. and this is the order which the Apostle doth prescribe Tit. 3. 8. This is a faithfull saying and these things I will thou affirm constantly that they which have believed in God might be carefull to maintain good works these things are good and profitable unto men 6. The moral precepts of the law are so to be pressed that the hearers whether un-converted or converted may by them whether in some measure obeyed or disobeyed be driven to Christ that the law may ever in some sort be a pedagogue unto Christ for before conversion
and of the duty required of them that are delivered by Christ. The second is a false religion or damnable errour in judgment about the maters of salvation and Gods worship In which errour so long as a sinner doth lye he cannot be humbled for the damnable course he is in or put question about his way The third is dissembled unbelief and atheism covered over with gross hypocrisie which under hand doth reject the rule of examination The fourth is the brutish stupidity of the cauterized conscience The fifth is a vain pretense of fear to examine themselves least it drive them to desperation The sixth is a lazy delaying of examination from day to day The seventh is immoderat care for things of this life 4. Concerning all these impediments hindering self-examination these three things are observable in general 1. albeit all or some of these evils may fall upon the reprobat yet are they not their proper maladies for some of the elect before their regeneration may lye for a time under one or moe of these evils Wherefore the Pastor hoping the best of all because he knoweth not the marks of reprobation must deal with all his hearers to guard them against all these evils that the elect whom God will bless with the faith and obedience of his commands may be saved Secondly we must distinguish between a voluntary examination of the conscience whereunto the godly do in their best condition set themselves daily and a forced examination and wakning up of the conscience whether the sinner will or not This sort of examination may come either by preaching of the Word an example whereof we have in â—elix the Governour who at the hearing Pauls discourse of vertues and vices fell a trembling Act. 24. 25. Or this wakening of the conscience may come by affliction whereof we have an example of Ioseph's brethren whose consciences did lye sleeping securely under the guilt of distressing their brother Ioseph but by affliction at length were wakened Gen. 42. 21. The Pastors part here is not only to exhort men to a voluntair examination of themselves but also by the sword of the spirit must labour to open the apostums of proud sinners discovering unto them as occasion serveth their wickedness and denouncing the wrath of God against them if possibly the Lord shall give them repentance as he did to the hearers of Peter Act. 2. 37. Thirdly let not a Preacher be too sollicit and anxious about the success of his labours when he hath to do with obstinat sinners whose consciences cannot be wakened neither by challenges nor threatnings nor exhortations But after he hath used means publickly and privately let him commit the mater unto God who will have mercy on whom he will have mercy and whom he will he hardeneth It may suffice him that all Christs sheep will at length hear his voice Only let not the Pastor despair utterly of any man but even toward those that are excommunicat let him follow such a course as may reduce them unto repentance as the Apostle giveth direction 2 Thess. 3 14 15. For removing of the first impediment of self-examination BUt that we may speak more particularly of the cure of these seven evil diseases for removing of the first impediment to wit gross ignorance it is not needfull to say much of catechetick instruction seing in all Churches it is presupposed there is some form of a Catechise wherein the rudiments of saving knowledge are set down by way of question and answer for the use of children and of the ruder sort come to years Only we offer to those that intend the holy ministery this overture for disposing and preparing people for a more easie up-taking of some formed Catechise Because most part of formed Catechises are somewhat larger then they can be read at one time or being read can be explicat any other way then by parcels so many questions and answers at one time and so many at another time which how hardly it can be all explicat to the whole congregation in a long time experience may bear witness therefore it may serve to good purpose if so many of the ruder and ignorant sort as may well be gathered together into one place at one time the Pastor should profess before them all that he purposeth to hold forth unto them a short sum of saving doctrine in six or seven heads of doctrine so that in the space of an hour or thereby before they dissolve their meeting they may if they be attentive and willing to learn have some measure of found light and understanding of the grounds of true religion After which preface used let him so shortly or plainly as he is able speak something first of the creation of the world by God the Father God the Son and God the holy Ghost the only one true God in three persons and something also of the creation of Adam and Eve our first parents according to Gods Image in wisdom holiness and happiness and something of the covenant of works made between God and them including their posterity the summe of which covenant is this Do this and live but if thou sin thou shalt die Secondly let him speak somewhat of the breach of the covenant of works by our first parents in whose loynes we are all made guilty of death according to the tenor of that covenant Thirdly let him speak of the remedy provided in the counsell of God before time but revealed timously after the fall of our first parents to wit the covenant of Redemption between God and God the Son designed Mediatour Christ Jesus our Lord the sum whereof is Gen. 3. 15. the seed of the woman shall tread down the head of the serpent c. That is to say it is agreed in the counsell of God that the second person shall be born of a woman and suffer for the sins of the elect and destroy sin and death the works of the devil Fourthly let him speak of the covenant of grace and reconciliation between God and believers in Christ the summe whereof is this whosoever do acknowledge their sin and flye to Jesus Christ for relief from sin and wrath shall not perish but have eternall life Fifthly let him speak of the two seals of this covenant to wit Baptisme and the Lords Supper whereby the covenant with the benefits held out therein to all believers is sealed Sixthly let him speak of the necessity of amendment of life and bringing forth of good works for glorifying God and probation of the sincerity of their â—aith Last of all let him speak of the day of Judgment when Christ shall come in the clouds and perfect to all his elect and believers in him all his promises of righteousness and eternal life and cast all the wicked and unreconciled into the fire of hell The same course may be taken with ruder ignorants in private whose conscience is wakened with terrour After that about the space of an hour
sort of men the Lord doth speak Deut. 29. 18 19. shewing that he makes his covenant with his people lest there should be among you saith he a root that beareth gall and wormwood And it come to pass when he heareth the words of this curse that he bless himself in his heart saying I shall have peace though I walk in the imagination of my own heart to add drunkenness to thirst It is possible few shall be found so impudent as that they dar in expresse termes professe this their mis-belief of Gods justice yet they are not a few who foster this error in their heart who having as it were made a Covenant with death and hell are far from fearing to perish in their sins In this sort are all they to be ranked who conceive that all the threatnings in the Scripture are given forth to the intent that men being bridled by terrors might compose themselves to a more humane and social life among others who lest they should seem Atheists in word do cry up Gods mercy bounty and love to man so as they make small reckoning of the Lords truth and justice even as if the justice of God in punishing rebels could not consist with his mercy to the penitent or as if the end of creating man could not be obtained if obstinat sinners be destroyed 2. The main cause of such error is an obstinat purpose to walk after the counsel and imagination of their own heart and because they cannot quiet their conscience in following their own wayes except in promising to themselves impunity in their sinning they presume confidently to go on in their own wayes against all threatenings and so do blow their consciences blind Such profane presumption although it deserveth to be beaten with a rod rather then to be reasoned with yet let the Pastor deal with the presumer as he ought to do with other desperat like sinners and in the first place let him propose for remedy of this evil what the Lord doth speak against such a person Deut. 29. 20. The Lord will not spare him but then the anger of the Lord and his jealousie shall smoak against that man and all the curses that are written in this book shall lye upon him and the Lord shall blot out his name from under heaven And as he findeth this work upon him So let him deal with him 2. Some are near of kindred to such persons who do not reject all threatenings yet do think in their heart that none are in danger except grosse flagitious and notorious sinners but as to themselves they conceive because they are not the worst of men they are without the reach of divine justice especially if their conversation be according to humane laws so regulated as they have the reputation of honest neighbours With such men Christ dealeth Luk. 13. 1 2 5. when word came concerning the Galileans whose blood Pilaâ— mixed with their sacrifices Christ saith to them Suppose ye that these Galileans were sinners above all Galileans because they suffered these things I tell you nay but except ye repent you shall all likewise perish This is the remedy prescribed by Christ to such men 3. Some there are who hope to be absolved before God and do absolve themselves in their own conscience by their good works and obedience done to the law Of this sort was Paul before his conversion who till the time that the spiritual light of the law brake in upon his mind and killed the conceit of his own inherent righteousnesse was no mean man in his own eyes Rom. 7. 9. Such was the rich young man in the Gospel who said to Christ that he had keeped all the commands from his youth up till Christ did prove him a covetous Idolater who put a higher price on his riches then upon Christ and the kingdom of heaven Such were the Pharisees who by their obedience to the law such as it was doubted nothing to absolve themselves and that God should absolve them also But that the met-yaird should be no longer then their cloath or the law of further extent then their imagined possible practice they admitted no metonymie or figurative speech in the law whereby under one branch of a duty commanded all duties of that kind are comprehended and all faults contrary to the duty are forbidden As for example they counted not the sixth command to be violat except the man did take away his neighbours life nor the seventh command broken except by grosse adultery and violation of the marriage-bed nor the eighth command transgressed except another mans goods were openly or privately taken away whose mistake Christ doth correct Matth. chap. 5. and 6. 2. Such men as those are far from repentance far from humbling themselves before God and seeking remission of sin through Christ for they are ignorant of the righteousnesse of the Gospel by faith in Jesus Christ and of the way of coming to ability for doing any acceptable work by faith in Christ and therefore they go about to establish their own righteousnesse Rom. 10. 3. and 9. 31. 32. The false ground which they do lay for their own absolution is this they think to be justified by their works against which ground the Apostle hath pronounced condemnatory sentence Rom. 3. 20. By the deeds of the law shall no flesh be justified in Gods sight for by the law is the knowledge of sin 3. With this sort we may joyn these who not only come short of the obedience due to the law but also are in conscience convicted of many transgressions of the Lords law yet they conceive that God will not exact of them or of any man who is about to obey his law more then the man can in the common infirmity of flesh overtake and do perswade themselves that God will be satisfied with all them in whom is a willingnesse to obey the law their false ground which they lay is this that God will accept a mans will for the deed And to this purpose they do abuse the Scriptures Isa. 1. 19 If you be willing and obedient you shall eat the good things of the land And 2 Cor. 8. 12. If there be first a willing mind it is accepted according to that a man hath and not according to that he hath not 4. But here is their error whereupon they purchase from their conscience mis-informed an unwarrantable absolution first they lay down for a ground that they must be justified by works 2. Because they know they do come and shall come short in obedience they turn the condition of the covenant of works into other terms then God hath appointed and make the will of a man to obey the law so far as he is able to be the condition of the covenant which God disclaimeth 3. They deceive themselves in this that what is spoken to converted believers in Jesus Christ already justified by faith aiming at new obedience they do apply to themselves lying under the curse
and covenant of works for it is true indeed when God is dealing with those that are already justified by faith in Jesus and have renounced all confidence in their own works and fled unto Christ and have taken on his yoke the Lord doth take in good part the first fruits of the new creature and doth much esteem the tender fruits of the spirit as the places cited Isa. 1. and 2 Cor. 8. do shew But when the Lord hath to do with the proud natural man the unrenewed man the man that is not humbled for violation of the covenant of works he dealeth with him according to the rigour of the law according to the condition of the covenant of works pronouncing his curse against that man for every sin till the sinner be humbled and slye to Christ. 5. With the former we may joyn all these who believe they may wash away their sins partly by bearing such afflictions as are laid on them by God in this life partly by their tears prayers fastings pilgrimages penances and scourging of themselves and partly by their almes-deeds and other good works do believe they shall make amends for all their misdeeds and what they cannot perfect in this life for the mater of good works they will take assignation to the supererogation and superfluity of the merits of Saints made over unto them by the Pope And what for the mater of suffering is not endured in this life they will take upon them to endure in an imaginary purgatory and place of hell after this life and so poor souls they think they may absolve themselves at least from the sentence of everlasting condemnation by such poor shifts as those But the truth is so long as they rely upon their own sufferings and satisfactions they deny both the necessity and the worth of Christs sufferings and so long as they have confidence in their own works or works of other men they reject and disclaim the covenant of grace and yet behold how proud they prove themselves to be Isa. 58. 3. when they plead with God saying wherefore have we fasted and thou seest not wherefore have we afflicted our soul and thou takest no knowledge 6. Last of all unto the former sort we joyn these who please themselves in the composition of righteousness by works and righteousnesse by faith thinking to save themselves under the shelter of the one righteousnesse or of the other however God shall deal with them Such were the Seducers and seduced amongst the Galatians for refuting of whole errour the Apostle as it were travelled in birth till he brought them to take up the right frame of Christs way of salvation 7. The cause of all such mens deceiving of themselves in a false absolution of their conscience is their ignorance both of the righteousnesse of the law and of the righteousness by faith for such as think their sins are so few and light or their lives so innocent or their good works they have done so weighty and their purpose to do yet moe good works to be so holy or their pains taken in religion so considerable or their sufferings resolved upon so great and thereupon do absolve themselves consider not that the law or covenant of works doth require perfect personal obedience to all Gods law under the pain of Gods curse growing in Items as the law is oftener transgressed till they flye in to the perfect ransom of Christs obedience And as for the righteousnesse of faith in Jesus they consider not that his righteousnesse will not be bestowed upon any who do not renounce all confidence in their own or others works and betake themselves altogether to the only grace of Christ they consider not that if the worth of any work be relyed upon the bargain of free grace is spoiled and clear marred for if it he by works it is no more of grace and if it be of grace it is no more of works for these two are so opposit one to another in the mater of mans election and justification that they can no more consist together as causes pâ—ocuring or moving God then contradictory sentences can be both true as Paul teacheth Rom. 11. 6. 3 A third sort of self-deceivers and unwarranted self-â—bâ—olvers we reckon all persons poysoned with deadly herefies who being drawn away from the doctrine of Christ set down in the holy Scriptures turn after some false christ and false religion of mens or their own devising giving unto their Idol what worship what service what employment what power they please and making their own conditions of peace with God as they think good some denying the eternity of the Godhead of the true Christ some the reality of his assumed humane nature some evacuating so far as they can his three offices and the fruit of his execution thereof all of them promising to themselves salvation in another then in the true Christ described to us in Scripture who is Creator up-holder and Governour of all things very coeternal God with the Father and holy Spirit in the fulness of time made man ever-living Prophet Priest and King to his Church both before his incarnation and constantly since the way the truth and the life made of God unto true believers in him wisdom righteousnesse sanctification and redemption who walk among the golden candle-sticks and searches the wayes and hearts of every man as he holdeth forth himself in these Epistles unto the seven Churches of Asia Revel chap. 2. and 3. Of this danger of mistaking the true Christ and embracing a false in his room he himself doth carefully fore-warn his Disciples Math. 24. 4 5 24 25 26 Take heed that no man deceive you for many shall come in my name saying I am Christ and shall deceive many The proper remedy of this evil is this let every one that hath an ear hear what the spirit speaketh to the Churches not only in these seven Epistles but also in all the rest of the holy Scriptures which are the expressions of the holy Spirit but if any man receive not the truth in love set down by the Lords Spirit in the Scripture his punishment is set down by the Apostle 2 Thess 2. 11. and for this cause to wit because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved God shall send them strong delusion that they should believe a lye that they all might be damned who believed not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousnesse 1. The fourth sort of absolvers of themselves without Gods warrand are these who pretend unto true religion and deny the power of it of whom some are couvinced of their duty to repent their sins and to forsake their lusts and to endeavour a reformation of their life and this they do promise to themselves and purpose seriously to do as they think only they cannot presently and at once break off the course they are upon but do hope by little and little to come forward
and at length that they shall wholly give themselves to religious exercises and a holy life mean time they conceive they may come in among the true converts and young beginners albeit they come not up the length which they intend but are unde the power of some beloved lusts which they cannot rid themselves of but do hope they shall betime overcome them Such men do miserably mistake the mater first in that they think their purpose of repentance and a new life bred in them by conviction of their duty to be the very grace of regeneration and begun sanctification Secondly they conceive that the lusts which do reign in themselves are common to them and all other regenerat persons of whom few or none think they want their own grosse faults Thirdly they conceive they can repent more seriously when they please and will repent after a whiles following of their beloved lusts as if repentance were not a saving grace of the holy Spirit whom they do daily provoke by their vilenesse but a work in the power of every mans free-will being once convinced of his sin Fourthly they do not consider that by the delay of repenting and turning from all sin unto God their heart is daily more and more in Gods Judgment hardened and God provoked to punish their voluntary impenitence with judicial hardness of heart that they shall never repent Such men our Lord compareth to the disobedient Son who promised to his Father he would go work in his vineyard and went not Math. 21. 30. Such men are they who know the well of the Lord but do it not and therefore worthy of double punishment Math 12. 47. The â—â—medy of this evil Christ giveth Luk. 13. 24 25 26. Strive to enter at the strait gate for many â— say unto you will seek to enter in and shall not be able Mâ—n know not how soon God may shut the door therefore men had need while it is to day not to harden their hearts psal 95. 8. 2. Other some are who being of a civil life professe and do perswade themselves that they indeed do repent and believe in Christ and by faith in him do certainly expect salvation freely of his grace If you pose any such men whether they do indeed believe in Christ they shall presently answer that they firmly do believe in him and that they never doubted but he is their sweet Saviour who died for them If you press them to speak in earnest from their heart they shall presently be ill pleased with the question and ask what cause of suspecting the sincerity of their faith and repentance can be justly alledged or what cause hath any man to suspect them or doubt of Gods favour toward them in Christ In whom should we believe say they if not in Christ Is there any other Saviour of sinners beside him If a man please to try the truth of their faith by their repentance they shall forthwith affirm that they repent day and night and have just cause so to do for in many things we sin all and why then should we not alwayes repent If they be asked of their love to God and their neighbour they shall answer after the same maner Such men are these of whom Christ speaketh that they will confidently come to him and call him Lord Lord and yet be found no wayes carefull to do the Lords will but servants to their own lusts 3. Such men do deceive themselves first by framing to themselves such carnal notions of faith and repentance and of the love of God and of saving hope and other spiritual graces as in their phantasie they conceive they do practise which conceptions are not grounded upon the Word of God Secondly they esteem the assent of their mind unto the truth commending these duties unto men as good as the performance of them and they do take the sentence of their conscience concerning the equity of such duties for the sentence of their conscience bearing witnesse of their practice and obedience of these duties and while their conscience saith why should not I do so they take that for as good as if it had said I do so but saving graces go deeper then civil carriage and to commend the duties of repentance and faith in Christ is not enough except they be put in practice also in daily sorrow for sin and hatred of it and flying to Christ daily to be washen and more and more sanctified 4. Some there are who when they have heard that a man is justified by faith in Christ only without the works of the law do imagine a faith which needeth not to bring forth any good works at all and so they take off the justified man from all necessity of following good works as far as they take off good works from being the cause of justification and do open a door to themselves to live after their own will in the lusts of their flesh conceiving that they who believe in Christ are fred not only from the covenant of the law but also from the command of the law against whom our Lord doth speak and doth cut off such libertines and turners of the grace of God into wantonnesse from the kingdom of heaven Math. 5. 17 18 19. And the Apostle to guard against this self-deceit Heb. 12. 14. commandeth to follow holiness without which no man shall see the Lord. 5. Some there are who pretending to esteem well of the offer of the Gospel and of the duty of following the means of making them partaker of the marriage-supper do yet think themselves excusable when they have much ado in their worldly callings albeit they prefer the care of their family and provision for their things out-ward unto the main work of their entertaining communion with God yea they conceive that God will allow them in so doing as Christ doth insinuat in the parable of the ghuests invited to the feast answering the invitation with I pray have me excused Luke 14. 18 19. This is a rise evil in great personages rich persons and such as are much imploved in earthly affairs such men deceive themselves first in laying down this ground with themselves that their earthly affairs the necessity whereof doth first and most sensibly appear must in the first room be cared-for and that the one thing necessar may be followed after as their civil and earthly affairs may permit Secondly they reckon gain to be godliness 1 Tim. 6. 5. for they cannot be perswaded when gain may be had that God requireth of any man to slip the occasion or to put his worldly goods in hazard by defending or following maters of religion Thirdly they think themselves so wise as they can well enough serve two Masters God and covetousnesse albeit when it cometh to the proof they will be found to serve not God but their own lusts This error our Lord refuteth and giveth warning to beware of it Matth. 6. 24. And Luke 21. 34. Take heed
the Son of God but his holy heart could not admit such a temptation And the Apostle Eph. 6. 11 12. c. doth warn the Saints that our adversary Sathan useth to throw firy darts at all the children of God which firy and poysonable darts the regenerat man should not meddle with nor finger them but by the shield of faith with all speed quench and extinguish them But when a probable reason is joyned with the temptation and the temptation doth appear to be very reasonable and when there is a fear that the tentation shall be yielded unto except the scruple be removed then let the temptation be examined and brought to the form of a reason or sylogism that the strength of it being tryed to be null it may be rejected or let the temptation be communicated to a prudent friend or Pastor who may discover the sophistry of the temptation for if the temptation shall be slighted and not discussed albeit it lye quiet for a time yet it will return again and raise more trouble and vexation to the conscience then it did before 11. In answering of doubts and temptations tending to weaken faith it is needfull to observe and â—shew an usual stratagem of Sathan whereby he doth multiply and heap together a number of doubts and after he hath suggested one doubt presently doth suggest on the back of that another and after that another whereby he marreth the answering of the first doubt which from the Word of God either immediatly or by some faithfull Friend or Minister is offered for solution thereof by this mean Sathan endeavours that the mind of the afflicted person may at one time both be turned off from taking notice of the answer offered and be taken up wholly with the consideration of the new suggested doubt So that the answer to the new doubt hath no place because the afflicted party doth not take heed thereto In this case both the party afflicted and the party offering consolation must hold to the first doubt and not suffer any other new doubt to have place till a satisfactory answer be given to the first doubt and after that let every objection moved by the party afflicted be answered one after another in order 12. Seing every doubt whereby the regenerat person is troubled doth tend either to weaken faith in Christ or to hinder the bringing forth of the fruits of faith let no answer to any doubt of this kind be esteemed sufficient except it lead the afflicted person unto Christ teaching him to humble himself before God and being brought low in his own eyes to lay hold by faith on Jesus Christ the only Redeemer and relief from sin and misery and after laying hold on the Physician to request for the remedy of that evil which hath moved and given strength to the doubt for Christ is the end both of the Law and of every spiritual exercise for the enjoining of such and such moral duties whereby un-skillfull Physicians use to over-charge diseased consciences commanding the afflicted party in the first place to go about such and such duties and the exercise of such and such vertues as may remove the evil which gave ground to the doubt can never avail the diseased person except he be led first unto Christ for remission of sin and acceptation of his person that in him power to do these duties may be obtained and by his Spirit moral precepts may be quickened for if these precepts be pressed upon the diseased without Christ they can do no more but detain the afflicted in self confidence and make him hope in vain that he may or can by his own work over-come the evil felt in him or that he can by himself attain to that good which he conceiveth necessar for loosing of his doubt but let him go to Christ for remission of sin and then for strength to go about the duty 13. Because almost in all cases of conscience which pertain to the state of the regenerat man some grace or Christian vertue is pitched upon and called in question whether it be in him or not heed must be taken that evangelick graces vertues or actions be not weighed in the ballance of the moral Law and covenant of Works wherein nothing hath weight which cometh short of absolute perfection of personal obedience for in the strict judgment of God and the conscience according to the law of Works no meer man nor any action of man can stand Ps. 130. 3. for there are so many imperfections and blemishes in the Saints and their best works being compared with the perfect rule of righteousnesse by the Law that whatsoever lustre or appearance of good may be in a work it is blecked and made to hide it's face before the Law but let the tender buds of new obedience and fruits of faith be examined by the grace of the Gospel which judgeth of the begun obedience of the believer in Christ according to the sincerity and uprightnesse of the man aiming at conformity to the Law how short soever he come of his aim and of the spiritual perfection of the Law and it will be taken for new obedience It is true the Evangel requireth that a man fled to Christ for justification and reconciled to God by faith in Christ should set himself to work the works prescribed in the moral Law for the glory of God and should aim at the exact obedience of all the Commands yet the Gospel doth not reject a good work for the defects imperfections and blemishes thereof but accepteth and taketh in good part the first fruits and buds of new obedience and doth foster the tender and small beginnings that they may grow and encrease And the reason is because the Gospel doth not teach us to seek the justification of our persons before God by works but by faith in Christ and then teacheth us to seek the justification of our faith before men in our own and others conscience by the sincere endeavour of new obedience And therefore 14. While we are about the cure of the wounds of the conscience and strengthening of faith we must on the one hand take heed left we foster presumption and hinder either the exercise of repentance or doing diligence in following duties for Christian graces do not impede but help and strengthen one another if they be real and kindly because they must flow from the same fountain of the spirit of sanctification and do run toward the same end which is the glory of God and on the other hand we must take heed lest we presse the exercise of repentance as it were out of our own strength or the practice of duties so as we hinder the exercise of faith in Christ who is that exalted Prince to give repentance and is the author and finisher of faith Let us so cry up the imputed righteousnesse of Christ that we neglect not to presse the regenerat man freely justified by grace to bring forth the fruits of
faith and to follow hard after the growth of sanctification without which no man shall see the face of God and let us so extoll the covenant of Grace and freedom of the believer from the covenant of Works that we neglect not to keep up the authority of the moral Law and the commands thereof as the perpetual rule of new obedience the use whereof is very profitable in the whole course of a Christian life to hold forth the duty of believers in Christ and to shew unto them by their short-coming in duties the poyson and power of corruption remaining in the Saints and to make them sensible of the necessity of flying daily to that imputed righteousnesse by faith in Christ and of drawing strength from Christ to bring forth more aboundant fruits whereby Christ shall be more and more precious in our eyes and be acknowledged absolutely necessar for our justification sanctification and salvation 15. When question is made concerning Christian vertues and operations of the holy Spirit in us the order of Gods working held forth to us in Scripture is carefully to be marked by us which is that sense of sin should go before faith in Christ for the Law is a pedagogue to Christ for he came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance Matth. 9. 13. And faith in Christ goeth before the fruits of faith and the fruits of faith before the sensible approbation of them and approbation of the fruits by Scripture goeth before the sensible fealing of the believer and the quieting of the conscience in its approbation of what the Scripture approveth for after we have believed we come to be sealed Ephes. 1. 13. Now for the not observing this order many real Christians do make unto themselves a very un-comfortable life for albeit they be convinced of sin and humbled in the sense of their own inability to help themselves and are fled to Christ for pardon and help and do lead a life blamelesse yet do they unhappily suspend the acknowledging of the work of faith bestowed upon them and do disquiet themselves so as they cannot rest on Christ but do quarrel the reality of their faith till they shall feel and perceive with approbation of their conscience such and such fruits of faith in themselves and that in such a measure as they have fore-imagined to be the necessar evidences of faith yea and they refuse to account themselves persons justified because they cannot perceive such mature fruits in themselves as they conceive must not only be but be acknowledged also to be in the justified person before he can lay hold on justification Such persons do in effect invert the order which they should observe for when it were their part to flye unto Christ the only Mediator because they come short of new obedience and because they are loaden with sin that in him they might have God reconciled to them and by his Spirit pouring in of his grace in their souls to make them more holy they take another and contrary course by suspending their faith upon their works and do exact of themselves works before faith and so do weaken their own faith and hinder it to bring forth such fruits as they do require It is reason indeed to prove our faith by our works and it is just that such a faith be accounted dead which is not accompanied with the purpose and endeavour to live holily justly and soberly But it is against all reason and equity to condemn weak faith accompanied with the purpose of a new life as if it were no faith because it hath not as yet brought forth so fair and fully ripe fruits as the weak believer would It were their wisdom when they perceive such impotency to do what is good and such strength of the body of death in them to flye unto the Redeemer so much the more and in him to seek remission of sin and strength to bring forth good fruits and to be sucking juice and sap out of him as the true Vine for if we come to him and abide in him we shall bring forth much fruit Iob. 15. 4 5. For faith in Christ in order of nature goeth before good works for only they who come to Christ and abide in him do bring forth aboundant fruit and not they who upon the apprehension of their want of fruits do loose or slacken their grip of faith and upon discouragment are ready to depart from the living God 16. The like wisdom is required in dealing with the consciences of men concerning the preparatory dispositions of such as may confidently come unto Christ to be justified sanctified and saved for albeit it be true that all that come to Christ ought to come in the sense of their sin and acknowledgment of wrath and death deserved for their sins ought to come with contrition of heart with godly sorrow for their sins and a humble renunciation of all confidence in themselves yet must not such persons as do not satisfie themselves in the measure or sincerity of such preparatory dispositions in themselves be keeped back or debarred from coming to Christ because they not only want as they conceive both the humiliation and sorrow of heart for sin and fear of wrath required in such as have accesse unto Christ but also do perceive in themselves such blindnesse of mind and vanity thereof such stupidity of conscience and stubbornesse of a proud heart as is not fit as they conceive to be received by Christ or fit to be comforted by him such persons I say are not to be forthwith debarred from coming to the throne of grace for oft-times sincerity of conviction compunction and humiliation is to be found in such as are displeased with their own short-coming in such preparatory dispositions more then in many others who make a fairer shew and profession of their godly sorrow and humiliation and are well pleased with themselves in that respect We must be wary also while we require sorrow and humiliation and other like preparatory dispositions in them who may come unto Christ least we secretly import and insinuat a sort of merit to be in such dispositions so as if he that doth not perceive himself thus qualified could expect no good at Christs hands except he have in his hand such preparatory dispositions as if it were a price of purchasing adresse to Christ. But let us hold this fast that the more poor and empty a man be in his own eyes he ought to draw the more near unto the riches of grace in Christ because in him only are to be found all the treasures of every saving grace and preparatory dispositions for receiving thereof he is that exalted Prince who giveth repentance unto Israel Act. 5. 31. he is the author and finisher of faith unto whom all they who in the sense of their want of repentance and faith do sigh in themselves ought and safely may come that they may have from him a more ample
this doubt let us remember that it is pre-supposed and found by experience that some that are afflicted with this doubt and suspicion do not cease to follow duties howbeit heartlesly do live blamelesse in an evil world and so are not idle nor unfruitfull only this doth trouble them that they find not the peace of conscience which they did expect they misse joy in God consolation in their prayers patience in affections chearfulness and alacrity in following their calling they do not find sensible approbation of their work from God as they did promise to themselves and did expect Hence flow their tears lamentations and complaints of themselves and suspicions of the reality and sincerity of their faith and all without just cause for as in bodily sicknesses sometime moe maladies then one are complicat and to each of them respect must be had for perfecting the cure So in this case moe practical errors do concur and each of them must be deciphered and removed We shall condescend upon four The first practicall error of the afflicted is the suspending of his faith upon a tacite condition that such and such effects be produced and that Gods sensible approbation of his diligence and works be felt as if there were no warrantable act of faith for laying hold on Christ except after a certain time and tryal taken whether it shall produce such or such fruits or not And here three deceits do concur The first is a faith with a secret reservation if such fruits follow is by suggestion of the tempter thrust in in the place of absolute believing without reservation and in effect is a trying of God in stead of trusting in him for through temptation the afflicted tacitly craveth a condition to be performed by God that when God performeth the prescribed condition then the mans faith after that may rest upon him other wayes not for when a sinner cometh to Christ he should speak to this sense O Lord my God seing it hath pleased thee to reveal thy self to me a blind impotent sinner running toward hell and hast offered thy self to me for a Saviour in whom I may have wisdom righteousnesse sanctification and redemption Behold O Lord I heartily receive the grace offered I imbrace thy Word and thy Self offered to me in thy Word and do give up my self wholly to thy government that thou may repair in me the lost Image of God and powerfully carry me on unto salvation Instead of saying thus and closing absolutely the bargain with God in Christ reconciling the world to himself the tempter would have the poor afflicted man to speak as it were to this sense O Lord the condition whereupon thou dost offer to be my God and Saviour doth please me well but because I fear I may deceive my self in performing that condition I require another condition of thee that thou wouldst first let me see the fruits of faith in me which if I shall find within sometime hence then will I count my self a believer and will rest on thee but if I find not such fruits as may evidence true faith in me I must pronounce my saith either no faith or a dead faith which hath a name of faith but neither power nor life in it For faith without works is dead as Iames saith ch 2. 26. Now what is this else in effect then to make a new condition in the covenant of Grace and to promise upon this condition to believe on Christ if God shall do as the sinner giveth him direction that is if God shall make him bring forth the fruits of faith first when it became him absolutely to imbrace Christ that he might both be forgiven of sin and enabled to bring forth fruits of faith Another fault is here also which is this the afflicted person doth require mature fruits from a weak faith from a faith that is not setled and fixed but suspended on a condition which is no lesse unreasonable then if a foolish Gardner should require fruits of a young tree lately planted yea before the roots of it were well setled in the ground yea and would not let it stand in his garden except it should first bring forth fruits whereby it might evidence it self worthy of pains taking on it A third fault is this that the afflicted in this case doth pre-suppose that true faith is posterior to the fruits of true faith both in nature and time for if he will not believe in Christ till after he perceive and feel in himself the fruits of faith upon this ground he can never believe till he first find the fruits of faith in himself which is nothing else in effect then to imagine that the effect must go before its cause Unto this threefold self-deceit we offer this one remedy in general that the afflicted person in the foresaid case humble himself before God in the sense of his barrennesse and so much the more as he findeth small or no fruits in himself let him flye to Christ and fasten himself the more on his imputed righteousnesse and cleave unto him by faith without delay that he may draw vertue and furniture from him to bring forth good fruits for this is the only way to make him bring forth fruits in abundance as Christ doth teach us Ioh. 15. 5. He that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruit for without me ye can do nothing He and he only can make a good tree of an evil imp and cause it bring forth fruits answerable to the nature of the true vine wherein it is ingrafted And seing Christ in the Canticle ch 2. 13. doth make no small account of the green figs and tender grapes let not the afflicted despise the day of small things 4. The second practical error in the afflicteds foresaid case is this the afflicted person hath imagined in himself that such and such fruits would presently follow upon his receiving the offer of Christ as that he should forthwith be skillfull in the knowledge of the mysteries of salvation able to pray eloquently made chearfull in singing songs of praise unto God ready and expedit to every good work and that he should feel constantly an un-interrupted peace in his conscience and joy in the holy Ghost but after that by experience he hath found that he cannot so much as enter upon any good work without a fight with Sathan and with his own corrupt nature and other impediments and withall he doth feel the peace of his conscience and the joy of the holy Ghost with-drawn hereupon he begins to suspect the whole work of Gods grace in himself and that he remaineth in the state of nature unrenewed 5. For removing of this error let the afflicted know that the hopes which he hath conceived at the hearing of the Gospel shall not be disappointed albeit according to his childish fore-conception they come not to passe for in a time due and acceptable God shall perform all his promises
and bring the believer fled unto him on upon his way till he put him in full possession of fredom from all sin and misery But yet this felicity is brought about not all at once but peece and peece and not without conflict with the enemies of our salvation and not without use of the meanes appointed of God Wherefore let the afflicted be exhorted to take courage unto him as becometh a souldier of Christ and let him go on in the wayes of the Lord in hope and patience being assured that whatsoever God hath promised he will surely perform in that maner measure order and time and by his own appointed means as he hath set down in his holy Scriptures 6. The third practical error of the afflicted in the foresaid case is that he doth not judge rightly of his own faith nor of the fruits thereof for of his own faith he judgeth no otherwayes than of the faith of another man whileas there is a diverse way to judge of my own faith then of another mans faith for because I cannot reach to the internal acts of the soul of another man therefore I must judge only by the outward effects according to the rule that Iames giveth chap. 2. ver 10. Shew me thy faith without thy works and I will shew thee my faith by my works Yet of my own faith I may judge not only by the external effects of it which in the first closing with Christ are not yet observable possibly but also by the internal act of faith which the holy Spirit who knows the heart doth reveal unto me by making me not only heartily to embrace Christ offered in the Gospel and love him but also can make me reflect and turn back mine eye upon his own gift and grace in me according to that of the Apostle 1 Cor. 2. 12. we have received the Spirit of God that we might know the things freely given to us of God Again the afflicted doth not judge rightly of his own fruits of faith according as the truth is and as the Lord in his Word doth judge he should distinguish between the sincerity of the work and the perfection of it a work may be done uprightly and yet be imperfect he should distinguish what is Gods part in the work from that which is wrong and corrupt flowing from the remainder of sin in him These things he doth confound and doth so fix his eyes upon the defects and imperfection of his work that he seeth nothing but what is wrong when it is his duty both to observe what is wrong that he may be humbled and cast away all confidence in his work and to observe also what is good and right in his work proceeding from the grace of God in him and so praise and thank God for it in Christ who will not quench the smoaking flax Isa. 42. 3. 7. For remedy therefore of this error let the afflicted first look upon the acts of his faith both internal and external both on the elicit acts of faith and the imperat acts as they are called in the Schools and let him judge of both according to what is right and equitable that whatsoever be the measure of new obedience it may be differenced from the mixture of infirmity defects or corruption And let him not judge of his work according to the suggestions and calumnies of Sathan who alwayes condemneth so far as he can what is good in Gods children or if he cannot condemn it doth labour to have it abused Secondly let the afflicted observe the due order both in doing his duties and in judging thereof for of necessity he must first put forth an act of faith and love on Christ before he can passe judgment on it and let him first do the work commanded to the believer and then passe sentence that he may be strengthened to do moe duties and so to present them to God to be washen accepted and amended in his following service Thirdly let him carefully look unto the end which he should propose to himself in judging of his acts of faith and obedience for the end of judging our selves and our works should be to confirm our faith in Christ when we find any thing done according to the rule and to â—lye to Christ for pardon and grace if we conceive all is wrong after we have examined maters 6. The fourth practical error is that the afflicted first suffereth his faith to be wounded and weakened by Sathans tentation and then to be drawn forth to the field to give a proof of the strength of his faith in some difficile duty before the wound of faith be bound up or healed for it is a great disadvantage to enter the lists with Sathan about the fruits of faith whether they be sincere or not when faith is wounded yea fainteth and is brought in question whether it be true faith or not Now this is a special stratageme and wile of Sathan by whatsoever mean he can to hurt the faith of Gods children that he may by that marr communion-keeping with God and cut off if he can the conduit whereby the power of Christ is conveyed to the believer for making him give acceptable obedience unto God And certainly it is no lesse difficile when faith is wrested and for a time out of joynt to set about acceptable service then it is to make a man to set upon his work when his armes are out of joynt Therefore for remedy of this error let the afflicted so soon as he findeth his â—aith wounded incontinent set himself down before God humbly and acknowledge his foolishnesse want of watching unworthinesse and inability either to know how he hath grieved Gods Spirit and made open a door for the Tempter to fall in upon him or to repent the sins which he knoweth might have provoked God so to exercise him and next let him look unto God in Christ reconcileing the world to himself and lay hold on the hornes of the altar on the throne of grace for strengthening his faith that he may find help for the present need and thereafter also to walk more wisely for this is the counsell which Christ doth give to the corrupt Church of Sardis Revel 3. 2. Strengthen the thing which remaineth and is ready to die Thus may the afflicted recover strength of faith and ability to resist Sathan and furniture for bringing forth unquestionable fruits of faith CHAP. VIII Wherein the regenerat mans doubt whether he be in the state of grace arising from his unquietnesse of spirit is answered THis case is incident to many dear children of God and may befall Champions in time of sad affliction as we see in the Prophet Ps. 42. 11. and 43. 5. why art thou cast down O my soul and why art thou disquieted within me But even in time of outward prosperity or when no great affliction bodily lyeth on many who in the sense of their sinfulnesse have fled to Jesus Christ and have taken
or hesitation of the heart in as far as it is not purged from the relicts of incredulity and backwarddesse unto godlinesse on the other hand or because he puts no difference between the effects of renewing grace and the effects of in-dwelling sin in himself both of them putting forth their power in the self same actions for if this difference shall not be observed and sentence so given as that which is in the renewed man be absolved and commended and that which flowes from indwelling sin be disallowed and condemned without prejudice to any good which shall be found in the renewed man it is impossible that the conscience can be quiet or that any good action of the Saints can be approven by reason of sin in us for the evil which we would not shall be found in us as is clear in the Apostles censure of himself Rom. 7. 15. to 20. 10. For removing this fourth cause of disquietnesse let the afflicted learn so to observe the inlakes and sinfull imperfections and pollutions of his best works as he observe also that which is good in his actions that of the good he may make thankfull confession unto God and pray for the increase thereof and of the inlakes and pollutions of his works he may make confession also and be humbled for them and flye to the unsported righteousness of Christ and to the founta in opened up in his house for sin and uncleannesse Zech. 13. 1. This wisdom is taught us in the example of the father of the child possessed with a dumb and deaf spirit crying out and saying with tears Lord I believe help thou my unbelief Mark 9. 24. he maintains the begun work of faith in himself and confesseth the evil he found in himself and flyeth by prayer to Christ to help him 11. The fifth cause of disquieâ—nesse is or may be this if the true convert suspenâ— the absolution of his own faith and fruits thereof from being hypocritical and counterfeit untill he find himself freed from disquietnesse and do injoy peace and tranquillity of mind which he doth apprehend should alwayes accompany sound sincere and unfained faith and on this ground he esteemeth that faith only to be true faith which hath overcome all doubtings and now being victorious bringeth peace and quietnesse with it and that faith which is tossed or troubled with doubtings he thinketh may justly be suspected of unsoundnesse as if tentation to doubting were a sufficient reason to make a question of the sincerity of believing or as if it were a sufficient reason for a man to call his faith in question whether it be true faith or not because Sathan calleth it in question for if this were a sufficient reason to question a work or act of grace in a man no work of grace nor no point of true religion should be holden for sound and true because Sathan never ceaseth to calumâ—iat and quarrel the truth both of Gods Word and working for he was so malicious and impudent as to question Christ If thou be the Son of God Mat. 4. 3. 12. For removing of this cause of disquietnesse let the afflicted consider first that the assaults of the enemy do neither diminish the worth nor the estimation of faith for faith fighting is no lesse solid and sound in the time of battel then it is after victory standing victorious 2. Let him consider that we are called to a warfare not only against flesh and blood but also against principalities and powers and spiritual wickednesses Ephes. 6. and that we may not promise to our selves freedom or exemption from Sathans throwing fiery darts at us â—o long as we live as the Apostle doth warn us Ephes. 5. Let him consider thirdly that objections and questions moved against the converts faith are rather a token of the sincerity thereof then a reason for bringing it in question for the Pirat Sathan can discern well enough between an empty vessel and a ship loadened with precious wares and useth to set upon the rich ship that he may spoil it if he can of that most precious faith and not trouble himself to molest a secure presumptuous person lest he should waken him by such means out of his dream and chase him unto God But as for a man that is already fled from him and turned to God by faith in Christ he will not fail to follow the chase that if he cannot bring him back yet he may vex him and dog him at the heels till his entry in heaven Fourthly let him consider that the Lord useth to suffer Sathan to trouble the believer with suggestions to waken his faith of set purpose to teach the believer to fight his battels and by frequent exercises to be purified more and more like gold or silver put oft-times in the furnace yea and that the wrestler may be made valiant in fight Heb. 11. 34. whereupon the afflicted must be exhorted not only to take courage and to despise the malice of the adversary but also to rejoyce when he doth meet with manifold tentations as we are charged Iam. 1. 2. because of the fruit following by Gods blessing on such exercise And to this end let him put on the whole armour of God that when he hath resisted and overcome one tentation he may stand and resist another Ephes. 6. 13. The sixth cause of disquietnesse is or may be this if the true convert do not distinguish but confound the peace he hath with God and the peace he hath in his conscience if he do not distinguish but confound peace with God and rest from assaults of the 〈◊〉 if he do not distinguish but confound peace of mind and peace of conscience if he do not distinguish and put a due difference between these sorts of peace he cannot choose but be disquieted by suspâ—â—ting his peace with God because he hath not rest nor peace from Sathans assaults he cannot eshew disquietnesse when he conceives that his peace with God is dissolved when trouble ariseth in his own conscience And no wonder he be disquieted when he apprehendeth every perturbation of his mind to be a breach of peace with God or with his own conscience 14. For removing of this cause of disquietnesse the afflicted must consider first that peace with God doth follow immediatly upon an humbled sinners flying to Christ and embracing the offer of reconciliation with God in Christ when in the mean time the conscience possibly may be going on pursuing the convert with challenges for all sort of sin and guiltinesse for he that is fled to Christ by faith is justified and being justified by faith he hath peace with God granted decreed pronounced in his favours and registrat in the Court-book of the Evangel albeit possibly the absolved convert hath not drawn forth the extract of the decreet nor considered it when he hath read it nor applied the same to himself according as the general sentence giveth him warrand Therefore the humbled sinner fled
unto Christ and engaged heartily to his service must not take heed so much to what his sickly and not clearly informed conscience doth say as to what God who is greater then the conscience and giveth order and rule to the conscience doth say to such a poor soul fled unto Christ. Secondly let him consider that his peace is not â—arred with God by Sathans warring against him for peace with God standeth well with warr against all spiritual enemies and therefore the lesse rest he hath from Sathans trouble and molestation let him be the more confident of his peace with God whose battels he is fighting against Sathan Thirdly let him consider that perturbation of mind doth neither hinder peace with God nor peace of conscience for the mind and thoughts of a man for many reasons may be troubled and disquieted when peace with God and peace of conscience are setled and established for when the mind is troubled and tempted to anxiety the Apostle sheweth how to remove the perturbation of the mind and setle the peace of conscience also Phil. 4. 6 7. Be carefull saith he or anxious for nothing but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanks giving let your requests be made manifest to God and the peace of God which passes all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Iesus And in his own experience he lets us see the difference of perturbation of mind from peace with God and the conscience also 2 Cor. 7. 5 6. When we were come into Macedonia our flesh had no rest but we were troubled on every side without were fightings within were fears neverthelesse God that comforteth these that are cast down comforted us in the coming of Titus So also 2 Cor. 2. 12 13 14. 15. The seventh cause of disquietnesse is or may be this if the true convert be either ignorant or forgetfull of the way of obtaining maintaining repairing and recovering the true peace of God in himself and of the change of Gods dispensation toward his children which is common through many tribulations God doth bring his own to heaven Sometime he shews them his countenance in a comfortable providence sometime he hides his face but doth not change his love toward them Psal. 30. 7. Thou hidest thy face saith David and I was troubled but here was his wisdom he went the straight way to recover his peace I cryed to thee O Lord and unto the Lord made I my supplication and his mourning was turned into dauncing Psal. 30. 7 8. to the end But many weak converts are not so wise who by their inconfiderat courses do cast themselves in fears jealousies and suspicions both of Gods love to them and of their own interest in him when they misse felt consolations they fall to quarrel their right And if they resolve to have their condition helped they prescribe their own time way and measure and nothing can satisfie them till they recover possession of lost sense with the Spouse Cant. 2. 5. Stay me with stagons comfort me with aples saith she for I am sick of love It is true sometime God doth coudescend to their passionat put suit of comfort but their not believing in the mean time and their hasting to have their condition altered before patience hath wrought the perfect work is not to be commended or approven 16. For removing this cause of disquietnesse let the afflicted consider first that the Lord neither sheweth his loving countenance to the weak disciple nor hideth it from him but out of love he neither corrrecteth nor comforteâ—h him but out of love I am the Lord and change not saith he sensible 3. 6. Therefore you sons of Jacob are not consuâ—â—â—d If he give consolation sensibly it is to confirm their weak saith by 〈◊〉 experience of the fruit of believing in him and if he withdraw his consolation it is that he may excercise their faith and train them to belâ—â—ve his Word without a sensible pawn for it And therefore for removing this cause of disquietnesse by all 〈◊〉 let the afflicted beware to mis-construst the Lords dâ—aling but let him strive against all suggestions of Sathan or 〈◊〉 own misbelieving heart and entertain friendly 〈◊〉 of God for a true friend or father when they give them beter will take it for no small 〈…〉 or fatherly affection to 〈…〉 Physicians and 〈…〉 from their Patients 〈…〉 potions when they 〈◊〉 and carve and 〈…〉 they are exponed to aim at the 〈…〉 much more should every man whatsoever dispensation of God he meet with give a good costruction of his working Secondly let him consider that the Lord hath his own way and order of working first he discovereth sin and misery and weaknesse in the creature and after that he discovereth his grace mercy and power in Christ to relieve first he humbleth and then listeth up first he woundeth and then he healeth first he smiteth and then bindeth up first he bringeth down to death and then restoretâ—â—unto life Hâ—s 6. 1. and Ps. 9. 3. and therefore let the afflicted be hâ—mbled under the sense of apprehended caâ—ses of hiâ— disquietnesse and seek of God the restoring of whaâ— is lost or wanting and the healing of the wound inâ—â—â—ted in due order Now Gods order is this he will fiâ— have the Law magnified and his Justice acknowleâ—ed by all afflicted sinners even by them who are in thâ—tate of Grace and are not under the covenant or cuse of the Law to whom notwithstanding the Law musâ—till be a pedagogue to lead them to Christ and wâ—n the Lords Justice is acknowledged and all fretting â—d murmuring against his dealing stopped then comeâ— in the next place the discovery of grace in Christâ— for since the fall of Adam God hath alwayes been iâ— Christ going about to reconcile the world to himself not imputing their transgressions to them 2 Cor. 5. 19. And when God hath drawn the sinner by faith to the Mediator Christ God incarnat then there is a matrimonial contract made betwixt God in Christ reconciled and the believer and an union between Christ and the believer in a judicial maner and so the believer is made to have a right unto Christs person according to that of the Spouse Cant. 2. 16. My beloved is mine and I am his And by this means also the believer is made to have right unto Christs purchase and benefits and to communion with him and his Saints as the Apostle teacheth us Rom. 32. He that spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all how shall he not with him also freely give us all things And after right given to the believer in due time the Lord giveth and reneweth the earnest-penny of the inheritance Ephes. 1. 13. In whom also ye were sealed with that holy spirit of promise who really reneweth the believer and giveth him peace joy consolation strength and other gifts of grace with an ebbing and flowing thereof in the sense and feeling of
SOme true converts are found who having for a time injoyed pâ—eace of conscience have called their conversion in question by occasion of hearing or reading some sermon of some zealous Preacher pressing the marks of true and sincere conversion and making self-denyall and loving of God for himself the main marks of conversion and without circumspect and wise difference put by him betwixt legall perfection and evangelical sincerity pressing self-denyal and the loving of God abstractly further then any Saint doth attain unto in this life Whereupon some tender souls do fall in question with themselves whether they be among the true and sincere converts because they know that our Lord requireth self-denyall in every person who will follow him and doth condemn them all for unbelievers who seek glory of men and not the glory which is of God And because the Preacher possibly hath made the loving of God for his benefits to be too too mercenary and hath pressed without respect to benefits that God must be loved for himself therefore the weak convert beginneth to be troubled as if he were not a true convert at all saying what shall I think of my self and of my following of Christ seing I feel so little of self-denyall in me seing I have loved Christ for my own good and many a time in my best actions I have sought the commendation of men in my heart and I have been ill pleased when I did not obtain it 2. For solving of this doubt we grant that every man who will follow Christ is bound to deny himself And true it is there is nothing more difficile then to forsake our own carnall wisdom and estimation of our own worth works and abilities how small â—oever Neither is there any more dangerous evil then in the discharge of Christian duties to seek or accept our own glory and the applause of men for he that in this point doth foster his natural corruption certainly doth not in so far favour these things which are Gods but serveth his own flesh Therefore because the reliques of this and all other sin do remain in the regenerat the Lord by variety of exercises setteth his children daily to learn this lesson over and over for mortifying their corrupt lusts It is their duty therefore when any spark of this evil of self-seeking doth appear to cast themselves down humbly at Christs feet and confesse the sin lest some spark of wrath break forth upon them from the Lord. For the end of this exercise yea and the reason of the Lords not removing fully in-dwelling sin is to humble us and send us to Christ least if he should otherwayes deal with us we should grow proud and not make such use as becometh us of Gods free grace and Christs righteousnesse imputed to the believer mean time we must not yield to Sathans tentation coloured with pretense of Scripture as if Christ had discharged us to seek any good from him to our selves or to love him for the good which he hath purchased to us and which he from time to time bestoweth on us for when Christ requireth of us to deny our selves he requireth indeed the renounciation of our own carnall and corrupt lusts and confidence in our own wisdom worth and works But he doth not require of us to renounce the sanctified love of our own well-being or the seeking our sanctification consolation and salvation in him alone for the love of God and of his glory is the main end of all our desires and the seeking that God would glorifie his own grace and truth in his promises to us by sanctifying comforting and saving us is a subordinat mean unto Gods glory yea the more we seek our righteousnesse consolation and salvation in God through Christ the more we glorifie God and do say in substance of God that he is the fountain of all felicity and that he is good and faithfull to grant all good things to such as believe in him and do seek grace for grace from him 3. It is true that we should love God above all things and love him more then our selves and love him though he should slay us but it is true also that the more we love him for any cause the more we esteem of him the more we magnifie and glorifie him and what is love to and seeking of God but the acknowledgement of our own emptinesse and his all-sufficiency and what is our seeking communion with him but a refounding of our selves into the fountain whence we have our being that he may be glorified in our being and fully well-being And so our spiritual love of God for himself and for the goodnesse which is let forth in doing good to us is not mercenary love but is the acknowledgement of his perfections and of his grace to us to whom he will be our God in Christ even all in all to us in him As for seeking of mens applause whensoever whether upon receiving of any benefit or discharge of any duty the corrupt lust of vain glory doth mix it self which cannot but obscure and hinder the shining of his glory which should be aimed at in all things by us incontinent upon the first motion of this our sinfull corruption perceived let out sin be humbly acknowledged and confessed unto God the searcher of the heart and let supplication in our spirit be made unto him to pardon our sin and mortifie the bitter root of this and all other evils in us CHAP. XIX Wherein is solved the doubt of the true convert whether he be indeed converted arising from this that he knoweth no child of God so hardly exercised as he is SOme converts are who by the light of the Law of God are brought to the acknowledgment of their sin and misery and by the doctrine of the Gospel are brought to seek their relief in Christ and have taken on his yoke and submitted themselves to his discipline and yet fall in question whether they be converted because they do find such inequality in their conversation and such changes in their condition and variety of tentations as they can find no example of the like in Scripture and where it pleaseth them to be free with their Pastor or confident Christian friend do fall out in questions if ever they have read in Scripture any like unto them in such and such particulars as they please to condescend upon and if their Pastor or Christian friend shall give them some example in the Scripture of Gods children so exercised they are ready to find such differences between the case of the godly in Scripture and their case as they cannot receive satisfaction And if possibly it be told them that their caâ—e is not singular but such as hath befallen sundry of their Christian acquaintance in this present age yet they cannot receive satisfaction for all this but still do insist that their case is not like to any of the godly Whereupon they foster the suspicion of their not
if he find this sicknesse from day to day cleaving fast unto him he falleth in discouragement and in question with himself whether it be better to break off at least in secret such ragged worship or to go on to offer the sacrifice of a fool unto God for so he doth esteem of his devotion thus leavened with vaiging and vanity of his mind In this case the convert doth not only mis-regard what is right in his devotion or divine service but also by fretting discouragement and mis-behaviour of his spirit is ready to augment his sinfull condition and to provoke the Lord to be wroth with him indeed 2. For remedy of this evil let the convert judge wisely of his condition that he charge not himself with guiltinesse more then he ought to do and that he may take a right course to be free of guiltinesse and healed of this sicknesse where guiltinesse is found And to this end 1. let him put difference between vaiging of mind with interruption of worship and the natural course of his phantasie and understanding which may consist with the continued acts of worship for as the eyes of a man running to some place cannot choose but see every visible thing in his way and yet runneth on without staying till he come to the place he aimeth at So the phantasie and understanding cannot choose but take up and discern whatsoever is offered unto them in time of prayer from the outward senses or from the memory and yet make no interruption of prayer such is the natural agility of a mans mind and therefore this natural course of imagination or phantasie must not be charged as guiltinesse upon the worshiper who followeth on the work of worship notwithstanding 2. Sundry suggestions may be cast into the converts mind by Sathan to marr his worship which must be charged on Sathan chiefly and the worshiper not alway made guilty thereby 3. When the worship indeed is interrupted and the mind falleth off from the work of devotion or divine service and entereth upon discourses about vain vile or impertinent maters let the convert not only acknowledge guiltinesse here but also examine if this his vaiging of mind in prayer and divine service be not also a chastisement from God for his not acknowledging of God in his affairs and and for loosing reins to his mind to roave all the day which justly meeteth him at night in his devotion as a rod on his back for his voluntar vaiging from God in his former walking 3. These considerations being premised and the sins which have drawn on this evil being discovered and the power of indwelling-sin perceived and the power of Sathans temptations noticed and the Lords chastiseing rod justified and his own culpable infirmity acknowledged 1. Let him humble himself and flye to the rich grace of God offered in Christ and lay stronger hold on the satisfaction made by Christ imputed to all believers in him that guiltinesse may be by free pardon removed 2. Let him pray for more assistance of the holy Spirit in all the exercises of religion and expect a gracious granting thereof in Gods wise dispensation of the measure of his grace in the use of holy Ordinances 3. Let his heart be in the fear of the Lord all the day long making him lift up his eyes from time to time to God in the midst of his lawfull affairs how mean so ever 4. Let him gather his thoughts before every religious exercise by way of preparation lest he take the name of the Lord in vain by rash and unreverent rushing in upon divine Service 5. Let him thank the Lord for granting him grace to see his sinfull vaiging of mind and to be displeased with it and to confesse it 6. Let him be comforted in the Lord who gathereth the ragged and scattered honest desires of supplicants and taketh away the iniquity of the service of his clients as our high Priest bearing in his appearing for us as it were on his fore-head Holiness unto the Lord. CHAP. XXII Concerning the converts discour agment for felt want of ability to do the duties commanded whereunto his renewed will is very bent SUndry true converts finding a will to do that which is good but not finding power how to perform that which is good do fall in disquietnesse and discouragement when they should go and seek to make good use of their infirmity and go to Christ for remeed as the Apostle did Rom. 7. 18. The cause of this evil is the relicts of corrupt natural inclination to seek to be justified by works and to have in our hand ability to do the good which we would do for albeit the convert be forced to seek reconciliation with God by remission of sins in his conversion yet in his course toward heaven and salvation he desireth to have a store-house and treasure of strength in himself to be made use of as he willeth For it seemeth to him in his carnal wisdom a poor shift to be in every good action put to beg supply from Christ by prayer and to stand waiting on in a dependance on Christ till furniture come from heaven unto him Which furniture of strength because our Lord doth suspend to give till his infirm and humble child hold up his heart as an empty vessel to receive influence from him according to his wise pleasure the inconsider at convert doth trouble himself and falleth in a distemper 2. This case is not altogether evil as the convert doth take it but this much is right that he looks upon the Law as holy spiritual and good that he desireth earnestly to obey it and that he loaths himself for his felt unconformity unto it Yet this is wrong in him that he doth not humble himself but is cast down and discouraged that he doth not make Christ his sanctifications as well as his righteousnesse that he doth not consider of the furniture to be brought unto him from heaven by faith in Christ and that this grace is nearer and more ready to serve his turn then if it were in his own hand 3. Therefore let him renounce more and more all confidence in his own righteousnesse with the Apostle Phil. 3. 8 9. let him thank God in Christ in whom an out-gate is to be found in all difficulties Rom. 7. 25 let him trust Christ for supply in all service in whom if a man abide he shall bring forth much fruit and without whom he can do nothing Ioh. 15. 5. For if he depend on Christ in his emptinesse and weaknesse he shall find by experience that when he is weakest then is he strongest CHAP. XXIII Concerning the converts imprudent censure of himself for felt ingratitude SOme converts sometime do passe rash sentence against themselves for ingratitude namely when after receiving some notable benefit for which they had made earnest supplication to God and for which before the receiving of the benefit they had oblieged themselves by vow to a
to invocat his holy name for the right use-making of his affliction The ninth question is how remission of sin may be said to be granted in respect of sins to come IT is commonly said that the convert in his justification hath the remission of sins by-gone and sins to come whereupon the question is moved how this can stand with daily renewed remission of daily sins on the one hand daily renewed remission seemeth not necessary first because we believe that remission of all sin is the priviledge of all believers in Christ and the abridgement of the special articles of faith set down in the Apostles Creed as it is called holdeth this forth 2. Because it is certain that Christ in his death did compleat the payment of the price of redemption from all sin as 1 Ioh. 1. 7. The blood of Iesus Christ cleanseth us from all sins 3. We are said to be not under the law but under grace and so fred from the curse of the law 4. Because if daily remission of sin be necessar to be granted then it presuppones that both original sin and every actual sin flowing forth from it daily must be taken notice of reckoned for and repented of daily which is impossible On the other hand the convert seeth that every transgression of and disconformity to the law is sin and the Apostle 1 Ioh. 1. 8. speaking of himself and other converts saith If we say we have no sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us And Christ hath taught us as oft as we pray for our daily bread to pray also for the remission of sins The question is how the doubt of the convert may be cleared 2. For answer We must grant to the convert that original sin remaineth in the believer and is not only an exceeding sin as the Apostle calleth it Rom. 7. 13. but also is the fountain of all actual sins which doth pollute the conscience and sometimes also the outward man 2. We must grant also that there cannot be an actual and properly called remission of sins which are not yet committed for no man is guilty of that fault wherewith he cannot be charged for such a remission were a dispensation and licence to sin such as the Pope granteth to his slaves to gratifie them in allowing their vile lusts for inriching himself with the price of that iniquity 3. If such an actual remission of sins were given in justification the once justified person could never become a daily debtor by his daily transgressions contrary to the declaration of Christ in one of the articles of the Lords prayer 3. For solving the doubt then we must distinguish the significations and acceptions of remission of sin For 1. it is taken for remission purchased by Christ by virtue of the covenant of Redemption in favours of the elect but not applied unto the elect before the mans conversion Heb. 10. 12 13 14. But this man after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever sat down on the right hand of God from henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his foot-stool For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified 2. It is taken for remission promised by Christ to all that shall believe in him to be bestowed on them so soon as they shall turn to him Act. 26. 18. Thirdly it is taken for the sentence of absolution judicially applyed and adjudged to the actual believer Eph. 1. 7. In whom we have redemption through his blood the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his grace 4. For the actual remission of all sins past before his conversion Rom. 3. 25. Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past through the forbearance of God 5. For a constant right to daily remission of sin and accesse to the fountain opened up in the house of David that is to all the children of the houshold of faith in Christ Zech. 13. 1. In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness 4. So then the convert hath first the actual remission of all sins preceeding his conversion and withall his state changed from being a child of Sathan to be a child of God Secondly he hath right unto daily remission of sins as they fall out after conversion for Christ speaking of the remission had in the time of conversion calleth it a washing of the whole man Joh. 13. 10 He that is washen needeth not to wash save his feet but is wholly clean to wit for the state of his person accepted in Christ and for the application of his right unto daily remission Christ teacheth all his disciples daily to pray for it which Christ calleth the washing of the believers feet Joh. 13. 10. 5. For answer to the objections made against the necessity of daily renewed remission of sin let it be remembred that the article of our Creed is so far from making daily remission of sin not necessar that of necessity it must be extended not only to the remission of sins past before conversion but also to the right made unto us for daily remission of the sins which run daily from the relicts of corrupt nature not fully mortified for otherwayes the believer could not have quiet consolation in the daily exercise of renewed repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. 2. As to the second objection concerning the perfect purchase made by Christ of remission by-past and to come It doth prove indeed that there is no other sacrifice for sin nor price of redemption from sin save that which was compleated on the crosse but it doth not prove that we must only once make application of this purchase for Christ keepeth the full purchase in his own hand and doth let forth the application thereof as we stand in need in his own order and by degrees till he perfect us in sanctification and glorification also 6. As for the third objection we must not think that when we are loosed from the Law as a covenant of Works we are loosed also from the commands of the Law for the covenant of Works prescribed in the Law is posterior both in order of nature and time to the natural writing of the Law in mans heart Rom. 2. 15. And therefore when the covenant of the law of Works is taken off the authority of the Law to direct and command all moral duties doth remain and can no more be dissolved then the obligation of the reasonable creature to be obedient to the Creator can be abolished and therefore when the believer falleth in a transgression he meriteth death and destruction as the wages of sin But Christ our Advocat who liveth for ever to make intercession for us holds off the execution of deserved wrath and giveth to the believer the grace of renewed repentance
strive against all impediments and God will help us to fight will give the victory and reward it for our encouragment to set upon our duty As for the other case of setting on the duty and missing of furniture to discharge it let us consider that God in this dispensation is teaching us that both the discharge of any duty and the successe thereof do not depend upon him that willeth or on him that runneth but upon God that sheweth mercy yea he teacheth us by experience that to will and to do are two distinct gifts the one whereof sometime he will give and not the other and sometime he will give both that we may learn not to limit the Lord in any case but really acknowledge that every good gift it from him that we may aim at our duty and depend on him for the blessing The fourteenth question is how to solve the doubt of the convert in another like comparison of his disposition and Gods dispensation SOme converts out of their own experience may say I being in a sad condition of heart have sundry times diligently used all means to be comforted and have wondered within my self that my pains have produced no hoped-for effect but the heart hath lyen dead like the child of the Shunamit when Gehasi laid the staff of Elisha upon him At another time I have been surprized unexpectedly with inlargement of heart with liberty of speech in prayer with peace and joy in the holy Ghost to the no small confirmation of my faith and what to think of this divers dispensation I cannot tell 2. For answer the doubt may be satisfied by observation of the Lords grace and wisdom toward his child in the first case he giveth grace to use the means and suspendeth the sensible fruits thereof to teach us 1. that he hath indeed tyed us to the use of all appointed meatis but left himself free to give the fruits thereof in what time and in what measure he pleaseth 2. He teacheth us that whatsoever benefit he doth bestow upon us in the use of the means he doth bestow them not for the using of the means but by the using of the means 3. He teacheth us that there is no inherent vertue nor effectual power in the means but that the means are the way wherein we must walk that we may find the blessing from God in using the means and not put confidence in them 4. He teacheth us whatsoever mean or instrument is made use of we should with Paul planting and Apollo watering give the glory of the increase fruit and successe unto God alone 3. As to the other case wherein the Lord doth prevent his childs using of means and giveth an answer ere he call thereby he teacheth us the same lesson to wit that what blessing God doth give he doth it freely of grace and not for works 2. He teacheth us that what blessing we expect in the use of the means he will give it not when we would nor in what measure we would but as he sees it fittest for our good and his own glory that so we should neither be frustrat of the fruit of the means using nor yet conceive the fruit thereof as a deserved reward of works but as a gift of meer grace The fifteenth question shall be about the measure of mortification or sanctification whether it be growing or decaying OFt-times true converts fall in this doubt not indeed when they are in a sensible and comfortable condition for then they seem to themselves to be growing in holinesse neither fall they in this doubt when their condition is sensibly evil as when the power of in-born sin either breaketh forth in action externally or defileth their spirit at least for then they seem to themselves to be decaying But this doubt ariseth when they are going on in their ordinary way of a blamelesse conversation without any observable change of their spiritual condition to the better or to the worse Then is it that they seem to themselves in a dubious condition and cannot say whether mortification of corrupt nature or sanctification be on the growing hand or not 2. For answer to this doubt about the measure of holinesse 1. it is not safe curiously to inquire what measure of holinesse a man hath attained for as it is not good to eat much honey So for men to search out their own glory it is not glory Prov. 25. 27. Secondly it is hard to determine the question for God useth to hide from his children especially the younger sort these operations of the holy Spirit which may in any sort weaken their endeavour in piety or softer pride in them but he discovers unto them their sinfulnesse and the imperfections of their obedience that he may set forward their repentance and laying hold on Christ righteousnesse Thirdly there is such an instability of any good condition wherein any convert may be so great variety of tentations such a vicissitude of victory of the flesh and of the spirit in their daily conflict that hardly can any man satisfie himself in the solution of this question for he who thought himself dead to the lusts of the flesh and to riches and honour may shortly find himself overtaken in the net and fall soully in the mire and be found carnal Therefore let him that stands take heed least he fall let him watch and pray least he be overcome in tentation let him study to observe the wickednesse of nature and imperfections of his best works that the righteousnesse of Christ may be in greater estimation in our eyes and we may grow in faith and love toward God drawing vertue from Christ and furniture to every good work This is the way to grow in holinesse indeed and not to be proud for any thing in us or done by us and this is the way wherein the Apostle did constantly walk Phil. 3. 14 15. 16. The sixteenth question is what the convert shall think or do in hard afflictions VVHen the convert doth fall in long-some bodily diseases and sad afflictions by unexpected and long-lasting adversity when Sathan is permitted to vex him with sore tentations when God doth hide his face for a long time from him when he exposeth him unto the cruel persecution of worldly men he cannot choose but fall in many doubts and perplexities for when God doth immediatly afflict him he readily suspecteth that God is angry at him if he louse reines unto Sathan to sift him and vex him if he answer not his supplications comfort him not readily what wonder multitude of thoughts arise in his heart The question is in this case what shall the convert think or do 2. For answer It is true the Lord useth oft-times in his deep wisdom and unchangeable love to his children to exercise them as is said and Sathan will not fail to whisper in their ear that God doth not love them in which case if the convert do not stand fast in the faith
from the body of this death and while he searcheth how it cometh to passe that such a body of death lodgeth in the children of God and so powerfull relicts of sin remain in the justified man he cannot satisfie himself considering that God doth hate sin and maketh the new creature hate it also which God could easily take away in a moment in the day of the converts reconciliation and justification 2. For answer to this question if a reason of Gods permission of the relicts of sin to remain in the Saints all the dayes of their life be asked after a reason superiour to the most holy will of God to permit it can none be given nor should it be sought after But to quiet our minds in this case these following considerations may suffice 1. it is the will of the Lord our God our wise and loving Physician to renew and restore his image in his children piece and piece till it be brought to perfection in all the lineaments parts and degrees thereof and to heal our sinfull sicknesses and infirmities not in an instant but by little and little as he seeth fit this way of bringing his work to perfection by degrees he keeped in the creation of the world which he did not perfect in a moment but in six dayes So also the seed that is casten in the ground every year he doth not bring forth to maturity for mens use in lesse time then some moneths He doth not form infants in the womb and bring them up to their appointed stature and strength in lesse time then a number of years And for the relicts of sin how odious and loathsome soever they are in themselves yet he can in his deep wisdom make use thereof in a most holy way for the good of penitent converts for as it was fitting that a difference should be put between the militant Church on earth and the triumphant in heaven So it is the Lords wise will to exercise his militant children in conflicting against sin and misery in this life that the next life and triumph over sin death and hell may be the sweeter when it cometh and more desired till it come 2. Secondly as the Lord after sub-duing of the Canaanites did not forthwith cast them altogether out of the holy land but suffered a multitude of them to live for the exercise of the Israelites with warfare and for teaching his people by their own experience that the victory which they had obtained over the Canaanites was not purchased by their sword or bow but was given unto them from the Lord of hostes who led forth their armies and prospered them So doth he not abolish the relicts of sin in his Saints in this life after their conversion that they may know that the victory which they have received over the devil the world and the flesh in their conversion is not to be ascribed to the power of their own free-will but unto God only For if the renewed convert cannot over-come the relicts of the broken forces of his spiritual adversaries within him which his renewed will would most earnestly expell how can he give the glory of his victory over the devil and the world in his conversion unto the power of his corrupt and unrenewed free-will 3. Thirdly it is required of all that come unto Christ that they deny themselves take up their crosse daily and follow him and to make them so do strong motives are daily furnished from the feeling of the relicts of sin in our selves for how can a renewed convert look upon his own ignorance errors folly and vanity of his mind perversenesse of his will impotency to good and propension unto all sin and not loath himself and so be forced to flye to Christ the Redeemer for relief 4. The remainder of sin being an adversary to all vertues doth furnish work to all the habits infused by God for the daily exercise thereof according as inborn sin doth put forth it self to the hinderance of faith love hope patience temperance c. but in special it serves to bear down pride and to foster humility for this doth the experience of the Apostle shew 2 Cor. 12. 7. Least I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelation there was given to me a thorn in the flesh 5. Nothing doth more manifest the infirmity of the strongest souldiers of Christ then the power of inborn sin brought forth in the conflict against the new creature No sharper spur to prayer and imploring of Gods help then the felt power of the remainder of sin this also doth the experience of the Apostle teach us 2 Cor. 12. 8. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice that it might depart from me 6. How much the endurance of this conflict with the remainder of sin doth serve to manifest the greatnesse of the Lords power and largenesse of his grace towards his weak souldiers whom he upholdeth and comforteth in this conflict the answer which the Lord giveth to the Apostles prayer maketh manifest 2 Cor. 12. 9. And he said unto me my grace is sufficient for thee for my strength is made perfect in weaknesse 7. We are slow to believe dull to apprehend and learn that which the Word of God tells us of the uglinesse of the body of sin the perverse wickednesse of corrupt nature the filthinesse of the flesh the wiles and deceitfulnesse of the old man and the enmity of our corrupt nature against God Therefore in and by the frequent and renewed conflicts now with one lust then with another we are forced by experience to learn the lesson more and more solidly and believe the truth of the Lords Word speaking of sin that is in us and to ingage our selves to prosecute the mortification of sin unto the death 8. The renewed experience of the power of sin in our flesh should make us so much the more vigilant against it and daily to put on the whole armour of God Because we must fight not only with the flesh but also with principalities powers and spiritual wickednesse which take advantage of the sin that naturally dwelleth in us Ephes. 6. 11. 12. Put on the whole armour of God for we wrestle not with flesh and blood to wit only 9. The conscience of the remainder of sin dwelling in us serveth to move us to pity and to have compassion on the children of Adam and meekly to restore our weak brethren who are overtaken in any offence as the Apostle doth teach us Tit. 3. 2. Shewing all meeknesse to all men For we our selves also were sometime foolish disobedient deceived c. Gal. 6. 1. Brethren if a man be overtaken in a fault ye which are spiritual restore such an one in the spirit of meeknesse considering thy self lest thou also be tempted 10. Last of all the permission of the reliques or sin to remain in true converts all the dayes of their life doth serve to decide the great controversie between