The Gales of Grace, Tract · Chapter 11
CHAP. XI. The fourth and last Doctrine obſeruable in the ſecond part of the Text.
Sect. 1. Doctr. 8. There are diuerſitie of degrees in the feeling of ſeueral Chriſtians.NOw followeth the fourth poſition (as the laſt from the middle of the verſe) to bee diſcourſed vponupon. Which ſtandeth thus; That there is not the like feeling of grace in all Christians. There is as good a ground for this point from the Text, as for the former. It is with the feeling of Grace in the heart, as it is with the hearing of the ſound of the winde. Some heare not the winde ſo loude as others, though it bloweth equally alike when both doe heare it: ſo ſome feele not the worke of grace in the ſame meaſure that others doe, though the ſame ſpirit breatheth vponupon both. I will trouble you with no more Scriptures for this, then with that of Saint Paul 1. Cor. 12.4. There are diuerſitie of gifts, but the ſame ſpirit: and if diuerſitie of gifts, why not diuerſitie of feelings according to the meaſure of thoſe gifts. And there is very good reaſon for it. For firſt, There ſhall not be the ſame fruition Reaſon 1.of happineſſe in the kingdome of Glory. I know that there ſhall bee enioyment of the ſame felicitie: but there ſhall not be the ſame enioyment of that felicity, in regard of the degrees of it; According to that of the Apoſtle 1. Cor. 15.41. One ſtarre differeth from another in glory. Now if there be differing degrees in the taſte of Gods fauor among the Saints triumphant in the kingdome of glorie; I ſee nothing againſt it, but that it is ſo, and may bee ſo, amongſt the Saints militant vponupon the face of the earth in the kingdome of grace.
Secondly, all are not of the ſame age Reaſon 2.in Chriſt; but they ſtand in a three-fold difference: Some are Infants and new borne Babes in in Chriſt, as Peter calls thema1 Pet. 2 3.; or little Children, as Iohn calls themb1. Ioh. 2.1.18.. Some are of a middle growth, or yoong men, as the ſamec1. Ioh. 2.13. Apoſtle ſtileth them. And others againe are ſtrong Chriſtians, olde men in pietie, or Fathers in Chriſt, as hee entitleth themd1. Ioh. 2.13.14. Now theſe ſeuerall ages hauehave their ſeuerall feelings, new Chriſtians in one meaſure, middle aged in another, Fathers in another. And amongſt eueryevery one of theſe kindes, one hath his feeling in one degree, and another in another, according to the meaſure which the Lord hath allotted for him, & according to that capabilitie which he hath giuen them ſeuerally.
Reaſon 3.Thirdly, the Lord will hauehave it thus, that Chriſtians may ſee themſelues to ſtand in neede of helpe from one another; which they would not take notice of, if there were an equalitie of gifts, and equall feeling anſwerable thereunto.
Sect. 2. Vſe 1.By this then in the firſt place we may ſee what anſwer may be made, what ſatisfaction may bee giuen to thoſe Chriſtians, who call their eſtate in doubt, and make a queſtion, Whether euer they had ſound grace beſtowed vponupon them, becauſe they neuer had the ſame feeling wrought in them, which they heare to hauehave beene in others that are of the ſame profeſſion, age, and ſtanding with themſelues; queſtioning, Whether euer their repentance was ſound, becauſe their humiliation was neuer ſo deep as theirs; Whether euer their faith was ſound, becauſe they hauehave not attained vntounto the ſame ſtedfaſtneſſe of perſwaſion in Gods louelove, that ſtrength againſt doubting, and that meaſure of ſpirituall ioy in the holy Ghoſt, that their brethren hauehave attained vntounto. To whom this is that which I will ſay (for their reſolution) As there are diuerſitie of degrees in the gifts of the Spirit, ſo there are differences in the meaſure of feeling that accompany thoſe gifts: and therefore they may hauehave grace, thogh they cannot remember that euer they hauehave matched ſuch and ſuch (whom they page missing ſuſpicion, whether euer it were true, becauſe it hath not equalled thy brothers feeling, that is but a copartner with thee of the ſame grace? I doe not deny but that it is good for thee to be iealous of thine owne condition (and I would to God the hypocrite would but fall to make ſuch queſtions) but yet take heede (thou that art a right Saint) that thou doeſt not grudge at Gods wiſedome in diſpenſing his gifts of this nature: if hee hath giuen thee any meaſure of humiliation, and conſolation at all, it is his great mercy, if it be in truth. And whether it be in truth thou ſhalt eaſily finde by theſe particulars. Firſt, for thy humiliation (whether the Lawe hath beene thy Scholemaiſter, or the Goſpel thy Tutor, to bring thee hereunto, foreRom. 2.4 Gal. 3.24 both hauehave an hand in leading to repentance): if that hath beene true, firſt, thou haſt had a ſight of ſin, as it is ſin; ſecondly, thou haſt ſeene thy ſelfe a condemned perſon for ſinne; thirdly, thou haſt grieued for it; fourthly, thou haſt growne to diſlike it, and doeſt daily more & more; and fiftly thou forſakeſt it. Againe, for thy faith, if that be true, then firſt thou haſt ſeen no other name whereby thou canſt bee ſaued, but the name of Ieſus. Secondly, thou haſt diſclaimed, and renounced thine own righteouſneſſe. Thirdly, thou haſt longed after Chriſt. Fourthly, thou haſt either found him to thy ſpirituall comfort, or elſe thou haſt a reſolution that thou wilt not be ſatisfied vntill thou haſt found him, and doſt ſee thy ſinnes pardoned in him; And thou longeſt with all thy heart for that ſame ioy of Gods choſen, ſo much, and ſo often ſpoken of in the Scripture. If then thou haſt theſe things in thee, in neuer ſo weake a meaſure, know thou that thy caſe is good, thogh thou haſt not attayned vntounto the ſame heighth and depth of them that other ſeruants of God hauehave, perhappes no elder in reſpect of the new birth then thy ſelfe too. Thou doubteſt of thy humiliation: thou ſayeſt, Why peraduenture by the vertue of education and example, thou haſt beene trayned vp well page missing is lacking one way, eyther in thy humiliation, or of faith, the Lord hath made good another way. Take that which thine is, and bee thankefull; knowing and perſwading thy ſelf, that thou ſhalt not miſſe of one inch of that meaſure of feeling which he hath layd out for thee.A Cautiō This hauehave I ſpoken, not with an intent to fleſh any hypocrite, or other perſon, that is frozen in the dregs of ſecuritie; (for if any doe ſo abuſe it, the offence is taken, not giuen); neyther to ſing a Song of fleſhly eaſe to the Chriſtian himſelfe, to make him ſlack his diligence in making his calling and election ſure; but onelyonly to giuegive ſatisfaction vntounto his wauering heart, when hee ſhall doubt of the truth of his ſpirituall feeling when he compareth it with the feeling of others, whoſe meaſure in this thing is greater then his owne.
Sect. 3. Vſe 2.In the next place, this ſerues to condemne the vncharitableneſſe of ſome in the Church of Chriſt, which call into ſuſpicion the ſoundneſſe of their fellow brethren, becauſe (hauing bin as long trained vp in the Schoole of Chriſt as themſelues) they hauehave not attayned vntounto the ſame meaſure of feeling that themſelues hauehave. Which Chriſtians, if they would well aduiſe themſelues by this doctrine, may plainly ſee, that they paſſe their bounds, & cenſure more tartly then they warrantably may. For if the winde, when it bloweth, is not heard by all alike that doe heare it; why wilt thou meaſure another mans hearing by thine owne eare, another mans graces by thine owne feeling? Is there not diuerſitie of gifts, and are there not different degrees in feeling? If thou bee a Chriſtian, thou dareſt not deny it. If then that grace or thoſe graces which thou haſt, be wrought in thy brother (whether the meaſure of his feeling bee the ſame with thine, yea, or no) take heed that thou doeſt not entertayne ſuch hard & vncharitable conceits of him. If the fruits of the Spirit ſpeake for him, doe not thou ſpeake againſt him, though the ſenſe which doth accompany the worke of mortification, and