The Right Method for a Settled Peace of Conscience, Direction 29

The Right Method for a Settled Peace of Conscience · Direction 29

p. 403DIRECTION XXIX.

29. Be ſure you forget not to diſtinguiſh between Cauſes of Doubting of your ſincerity, and cauſes of meer Humiliation, Repentance and Amendment: And do not raiſe Doubtings and Fears, where God calleth you but to Humiliation, Amendment, and freſh recourſe to Chriſt.

THis Rule is of ſo great moment to your peace, that you will have daily uſe for it and can never maintain any true ſetled peace without the practice of it. What more common then for poor Chriſtians to pour out p. 404a multitude of complaints of their weakneſſes, and wants, and miſcarriages; and never conſider all the while that there may be cauſe of ſorrow in theſe, when yet there is no cauſe of doubting of their ſincerity. I have ſhewed before, that in groſs falls and great backſlidings, Doubtings will ariſe, and ſometime our fears and jealouſies may not be without cauſe; But it is not ordinary infirmities, nor every ſin which might have been avoided, that is juſt cauſe of Doubting. Nay your very Humiliation muſt no further be endeavored then it tends to your Recovery, and to the honouring of mercy: For it is poſſible that you may exceed in the meaſure of your Griefs. You muſt therefore firſt be reſolved wherein the Truth of ſaving Grace doth conſiſt, and then in all your failings and weakneſſes firſt know, whether they contradict ſincerity it ſelf and are ſuch as may give juſt cauſe to queſtion your ſincerity: If they be not (as the ordinary infirmities of Believers are not) then you may and muſt be humbled for them, but you may not Doubt of your Salvation for them. I told you before▪ by what marks you may diſcern your ſincerity, that is, wherein the nature of ſaving faith and holineſs doth conſiſt: Keep that in your eye: and as long as you finde that ſure and clear, let nothing p. 405make you doubt of your Right to Chriſt and Glory. But, alas, how people do contradict the will of God in this! when you have ſinned, God would have you bewail your folly and unkinde dealing, and fly to mercy through Chriſt: and this you will not do: But he would not have you torment your ſelf with fears of damnation, and queſtioning his Love: and yet this you will do. You may diſcern by this that Humiliation and Reformation are ſure of God, mans heart is ſo backward to it: and that vexations, doubts and fears in true Chriſtians that ſhould be comfortable, are not of God, mans nature is ſo prone to them (though the ungodly that ſhould fear and doubt are as backward to it.)

I think it will not be unſeaſonable here to lay down the particular Doubts that uſually trouble ſincere Believers, and ſee how far they may be juſt, and how far unjuſt and cauſeleſs; and moſt of them ſhall be from my own former experience; and ſuch as I have been moſt troubled with my ſelf, and the reſt ſuch as are incident to true Chriſtians, and too uſual with them

p. 406DOUBT. I.

I Have oft heard and read in the beſt Divines, that Grace is not born with us, and therefore Satan hath always poſſeſſion before Chriſt, and keeps that poſſeſſion in Peace, till Chriſt come and binde him and caſt him out; and that this is ſo great a work that it cannot chooſe but be obſerved, and for ever remembred by the ſoul where it is wrought; yea the ſeveral ſteps and paſſages of it may be all obſerved: firſt caſting down, and then lifting up: firſt wounding and killing, and then healing and reviving. But I have not obſerved the diſtinct parts and p…ſ…ges of this change in me, nay, I know of no ſuch ſudden obſervable change at all: I cannot remember that ever I was firſt killed, and then revived: Nor do I know by what Miniſter, nor at what Sermon, or other means that work which is upon me was wrought: No nor what day or monethmonth or year it was begun. I have ſlided inſenſibly into a Profeſſion of Religion, I know not how: And therefore I fear that I am not ſincere, and the work of true Regeneration was never yet wrought upon my ſoul.

p. 407ANSWER.

I will lay down the full anſwer to this in theſe Propoſitions. 1. It is true that Grace is not Natural to us, or conveyed by Generation. 2. Yet it is as true that Grace is given to our Children as well as to us. That it may be ſo, and is ſo with ſome, all will grant who believe that Infants may be, and are ſaved: And that it is ſo with the Infants of Believers, I have fully proved in my Book of Baptiſm: But mark what Grace I mean: The Grace of Remiſſion of original ſin the Children of all true Believers have at leaſt a high probability of, if not a full Certainty; their parent Accepting it for himſelf and them, and Dedicating them to Chriſt, and engaging them in his Covenant, ſo that he takes them for his People, and they take him for their Lord and Saviour. And for the Grace of inward Renewing of their Natures or Diſpoſitions, it is a ſecret to us, utterly unknown whether God uſe to do it in Infants or no. 3. Gods firſt-ordained way for the working of inward holineſs is by Parents Education of their Children, and not by the publick Miniſtry of the Word: of which more anon. 4. All godly Parents do acquaint p. 408their Children with the doctrine of Chriſt in their Infancy, as ſoon as they are capable of receiving it, and do afterwards inculcate it on them more and more. 5. Theſe Inſtructions of Parents are uſually ſeconded by the workings of the Spirit according to the capacity of the Child, opening their underſtandings to receive it, and making an impreſſion thereby upon the heart. 6. When theſe Inſtructions and the inward workings of the Spirit are juſt paſt the preparatory part, and above the higheſt ſtep of Common Grace, and have attained to ſpecial ſaving Grace, is ordinarily undiſcernible: & therefore as I have ſhewed already, in Gods uſual way of working Grace, men cannot know the juſt day or time when they began to be in the ſtate of Grace. And though men that have long lived in Prophaneſs, and are changed ſuddenly, may conjecture near at the time: yet thoſe that God hath been working on early in their youth, yea or afterwards by ſlow degrees, cannot know the time of their firſt receiving the Spirit. 8. The Memories of all men are ſo ſlippery and one thought ſo ſuddenly thruſt out by another, that many a thouſand ſouls forget thoſe particular workings which they have truly felt. 9. The Memories of Children are far weaker then of others: and therefore p. 409it is leſs probable that all the Spirits workings ſhould by them be remembred. 9. And the motions of Grace are ſo various, ſometimes ſtirring one Affection, and ſometimes another; ſometimes beginning with ſmaller motions, and then moving more ſtrongly and ſenſibly, that its uſual for later motions which are more deeply affecting, to make us overlook all the former, or take them for nothing. 10. God dealeth very variouſly with his Choſen in their Converſion, as to the accidentals and circumſtances of the work. Some he calleth not home till they have run a long race in the way of Rebellion, in open drunkenneſs, ſwearing, worldlineſs, and deriſion of holineſs: Theſe he uſually humbleth more deeply, and they can better obſerve the ſeveral ſteps of the Spirit in the work; (and yet not always neither) Others he ſo reſtraineth in their youth, that though they have not ſaving Grace, yet they are not guilty of any Groſs ſins, but have a liking to the people and ways of God: and yet he doth not ſavingly convert them till long after. It is much harder for theſe to diſcern the time or manner of their Converſion: yet uſually ſome conjectures they may make: And uſually their humiliation is not ſo deep. Others, as is ſaid, have the ſaving workings of the Spirit in their very Childhood, and p. 410theſe can leaſt of all diſcern the certain time or order. The ordinary way of Gods dealing with thoſe that are Children of Godly Parents, and have good Education, is, by giving them ſome liking of Godly perſons and ways, ſome Conſcience of ſin, ſome Repentance, and recourſe by prayer to God in Chriſt for mercy; yet youthful luſts and folly, and ill company, do uſually much ſtifle it; till at laſt by ſome Affliction, or Sermon, or Book, or good Company, God ſetteth home the work, and maketh them more Reſolute and victorious Chriſtians. Theſe perſons now can remember that they had convictions and ſtirrings of Conſcience when they were young, and the other fore-mentioned works: perhaps they can remember ſome more notable rowſings and awakenings long after, and perhaps they have had many ſuch fits and ſteps, and the work hath ſtood at this paſs for a long time, even many years together. But at which of all theſe Changes it was that the Soul began to be ſavingly ſincere, I think is next to an impoſſibility to diſcern. According to that experience which I have had of the ſtate of Chriſtians, I am forced to Judge that moſt of the Children of the Godly that ever are Renewed, are Renewed in their Childhood, or much towards it then done, and that among forty Chriſtians p. 411there is not one that can certainly name the month in which his ſoul firſt began to be ſincere; and among a thouſand Chriſtians, I think not one can name the hour. The Sermon which awakened them they may name, but not the hour when they firſt arrived at a ſaving ſincerity.

My advice therefore to all Chriſtians is this; Find Chriſt by his Spirit dwelling in your hearts, and then never trouble your ſelves, though you know not the time or manner of his entrance. Do you value Chriſt above the world? and Reſolve to chooſe him before the world? and perform theſe Reſolutions? Then need you not doubt but the Spirit of Jeſus is victorious in you.

DOUBT II.

BƲT I have oft read and heard, th…t a man cannot come to Chriſt till he feel the heavy burthen of ſin: It is the weary and heavy-laden that Chriſt calleth to him. He bindeth up onelyonly the broken-hearted: he is a Phyſician onelyonly to thoſe that feel themſelves ſick: he brings men to Heaven by the gates … Hell: They muſt be able to ſay, I am in a lo… Condition, and in a ſtate of damnation, and …f I ſhould dye this hour I muſt periſh for ever, before Chriſt will deliver them. God wi…l not p. 412throw away the blood of his Son on thoſe that feel not their abſolute neceſſity of it, and that they are undone without it. But it was never thus with me to this day.

ANSWER.

YOU muſt diſtinguiſh carefully between Repentance as it is in the Mind and Will, and as it ſhews it ſelf in the Paſſion of Sorrow. All that have ſaving intereſt in Chriſt, have their Judgements and Wils ſo far changed, that they know they are great ſinners, and that there is no way to the obtaining of pardon and ſalvation but by Chriſt, and the free mercy of God in him; and thereupon they are convinced that if they remain without the Grace of Chriſt, they are undone for ever: Whereupon they underſtanding that Chriſt and Mercy is offered to them in the Goſpel, do heartily and thankfully accept the offer, and would not be without Chriſt, or change their Hopes of his Grace for all the world, and do reſolve to wait upon him for the further diſcovery of his Mercy and the workings of his Spirit, in a Conſtant and Conſcionable uſe of his Mea…s, and to be Ruled by him, to their power. Is it not thus with you? If it be▪ here is the Life and Subſtance of Repentance p. 413which conſiſteth in this change of the mind and heart: and you have no Cauſe to Doubt of the truth of it, for want of more deep and paſſionate humiliation. 2. I have told you before how uncertain and unconſtant the Paſſionate effects of Grace are, and how unfit to Judge by, and given you ſeveral Reaſons of it. Yet I doubt not but ſome work upon the Affections there is, as well as on the Will and Underſtanding: but with ſo great diverſity of manner and degrees, that it is not ſafe judging by it onelyonly or chiefly: Is there no degree of Sorrow or Trouble that hath touched your heart for your ſin or Miſery? If your Affections were no wh… ſtir'd, you would hardly be moved to Act… on; to uſe means, or avoyd iniquity, much leſs would you ſo oft complain as you do. 3. If God prevented thoſe hainous ſins in the time of your unregeneracy, which thoſe uſually are guilty of who are called to ſo deep a degree of ſorrow, you ſhould rather be thankful that your wound was not deeper, then troubled that the Cure coſt you not dearer. Look well whether the Cure be wrought in the change of your heart and life from the world to God by Chriſt, and then you need not be troubled that it was wrought ſo eaſily. 4. Were you not acquainted with the evil of ſin, and danger and miſery of p. 414ſinners in your very Childhood? and alſo of the neceſſity of a Saviour, and that Chriſt dyed to ſave all ſinners that will believe and Repent? and hath not this faſtned on your heart, and been working in you by Degrees ever ſince? If it be ſo, then you cannot expect that you ſhould have ſuch deep terrours as thoſe that never hear of ſin and Chriſt till the news come upon them ſuddenly in the ripeneſs of their ſin. There is a great deal of difference betwixt the Converſion of a Jew or any other Infidel, who is brought on the ſudden to know the doctrine of Sin, Miſery, and Salvation by Chriſt; and the Convertion of a Profeſſour of the Chriſtian Religi… ▪ who hath known this doctrine in ſome ſort from his Childhood, and who hath a ſound Religion, though he be not ſound in his Religion, and ſo needs not a Converſion to a ſound faith, but onelyonly to a ſoundneſs in the faith. The ſuddenneſs of the News muſt needs make thoſe Violent Commotions and Changes in the one, which cannot ordinarily be expected in the other, who is acquainted ſo early with the truth, and by ſuch degrees. 5. But ſuppoſe you heard nothing of Sin and Miſery, and a Redeemer in your Childhood, or at leaſt underſtood it not (which yet is unlikely) yet let me ask you this: Did not that Preacher, or that Book, or whatever p. 415other Means God uſed for your Converſion, reveal to you Miſery and Mercy both together? Did not you hear and believe that Chriſt dyed for ſin, as ſoon as you underſtood your Sin and Miſery? Sure I am that the Scripture reveals both together: and ſo doth every ſound Preacher, and every ſound Writer (notwithſtanding that the ſlanderous Antinomians do ſhameleſly proclaim that we preach not Chriſt, but the Law.) This being ſo, you may eaſily apprehend that it muſt needs abate very much of the Terrour, which would elſe have been unavoydable. If you had read or heard that you were a ſinner, and the Child of Hell and of Gods … ▪ and that there was no Remedy (which is … a Preaching of the Law, as we muſt not uſe to any in the world, nor any ſince the firſt promiſe to Adam muſt receive;) Yea or if you had heard Nothing of a Saviour for a year, or a day, or an hour after you had heard that you were an Heir of Hell; and ſo the Remedy had been but Concealed from you, though not denied (which ordinarily muſt not be done) then you might in all likelyhood have found ſome more terrours of ſoul that hour. But when you heard that your ſin was pardonable as ſoon as you heard that you were a ſinner, and heard that your Miſery had a ſufficient Remedy provided, if p. 416you would accept it, or at leaſt that it was not Remedileſs, and this as ſoon as you heard of that miſery, what wonder is it if this exceedingly abate your fears and troubles! Suppoſe two men go to viſit two ſeveral Neighbours that have the Plague, and One of them ſaith, It is the Plague that is on you; you are but a Dead man: The other ſaith to the other ſick perſon, It is the Plague that you have; but here is our Phyſician at the next door that hath a Receipt that will cure it as Infallibly and as eaſily as if it were but the prick of a pin; he hath cured thouſands and never fail'd one that took his Receipt: but if you will not ſend to him, and truſt him, and take his Re…e…t there is no hopes of you. Tell me now whether the firſt of theſe ſick perſons be not like to be more troubled then the other? and whether it will not remove almoſt all the fears and troubles of the latter to hear of a Certain Remedy as ſoon as he heareth of the diſeaſe? though ſome trouble he muſt needs have to think that he hath a diſeaſe in it ſelf ſo deſperate or loathſome. Nay, let me tell you, ſo the Cure be but well done, the leſs Terrours and deſpairing fears you were put upon, the more Credit is it to your Phyſician and his Apothecary, Chriſt and the Preacher or Inſtrument that did the work: and therefore you ſhould rather praiſe your Phyſician, then queſtion the Cure.

p. 417DOUBT III.

BƲT it is common with all the world to conſent to the Religion that they are bred up in, and ſomewhat affected with it, and to make Conſcience of obeying the precepts of it: ſo do the Jews in theirs: the Mahometans in theirs: And I fear it is no other work on my ſoul but the meer force of Education, that maketh me Religious, and that I had never that great Renewing work of the Spirit upon my ſoul; and ſo that all my Religion is but meer Opinion, or Notions in my Brain.

ANSWER.

1. ALL the Religions in the world, beſides the Chriſtian Religion, have either much errour and wickedneſs mixt with ſome Truth of God, or they contain ſome leſſer parcel of that Truth alone (as the Jews) OnelyOnly the Chriſtian Religion hath that whole Truth which is ſaving. Now ſo much of Gods Truth as there is in any of theſe Religions, ſo much it may work Good effects upon their ſouls; as the knowledge of the Godhead, and that God is Holy, Good, Juſt, Merciful, and that he ſheweth them much undeſerved Mercy in his daily p. 418providences, &c. But mark theſe two things, 1. That all perſons of falſe Religions do more eaſily and greedily embrace the falſe part of their Religion then the true; and thoſe they are zealous for, and practice with all their might, becauſe their natural corruption doth befriend it, and is as combuſtible fewel for the fire of Hell to catch in: but that Truth of God which is mixt with their Error, if it be practical, they fight againſt it, and abhor it while they hold it, becauſe it croſſeth their luſts: inſomuch that it is uſually but ſome few of the more convinced and civil that God in providence maketh the main Inſtruments of continuing thoſe Truths of his in that part of the wicked world: For we finde that even among Pagans the Prophaner and more ſenſual ſort did deride the better ſort, as our prophane Chriſtians do the godly whom they called Puritans. 2. Note, that the Truth of God which in theſe falſe Religions is ſtill acknowledged, is ſo ſmall a part and ſo oppreſſed by Errors, that it is not ſufficient to their ſalvation (that is, to give them any ſound Hope) nor is it ſufficient to make ſuch clear and deep and powerful Impreſſions in their mindes as may make them Holy or truly Heavenly, or may overcome in them the Intereſt of the world and the fleſh.

p. 419This being ſo, you may ſee great reaſon, why a Turk or a Heathen may be zealous for his Religion without Gods Spirit, or any true Sanctification, when yet you cannot be ſo truly zealous for yours without it. Indeed the ſpeculative part of our Religion, ſeparated from the Practical, or from the hard and ſelf denying part of the Practical, many a wicked man may be zealous for: as to maintain the Godhead, or that God is merciful, &c. or to maintain againſt the Jews that Jeſus is the Chriſt, or againſt the Turks that he is the only Redeemer and Teacher of the Church, or againſt the Papiſts that all the Chriſtians in the world are Chriſts Church as well as the Romans; and againſt the Socinians and Arrians, that Chriſt is God, &c. But this is but a ſmal part of our Religion: nor doth this, or any heatheniſh Zeal, ſanctifie the heart, or truly mortifie the fleſh, or overcome the world. They may contemn Life and caſt it away for their Pride and Vain-glory: but not for the hopes of a holy and bleſſed Life with God. This is but the prevalency of one corruption againſt another, or rather of vice againſt nature. There is a common Grace of God that goeth along with common Truths, and according to the meaſure of their obedience to the Truth, ſuch was the change it wrought; which was p. 420done by common Truths, and common Grace together, but not by their falſe mixtures at all. But God hath annexed his ſpecial Grace only to the ſpecial Truths of the Goſpel or Chriſtian-Religion. If therefore God do by common Grace work a great change on a Heathen by the means of common Truths, and do by his ſpecial Grace work a greater and ſpecial change on you, by the means of the ſpecial truths of the Goſpel, have you any reaſon hereupon to ſuſpect your condition? or ſhould you not rather both admire that providence and common Grace which is manifeſted without the Church, and humbly, rejoycingly and thankfully embrace that ſpecial ſaving Grace which is manifeſted to your ſelf above them?

2. And for that which you ſpeak of Education, you have as much cauſe to doubt of your converſion, becauſe it was wrought by publike preaching, as becauſe it was wrought by Education. For 1. Both are by the Goſpel: For it is the Goſpel that your Parents taught you, as well as which the Preacher teacheth you. 2 I have ſhewed you, that if Parents did not ſhamefully neglect their duties, the Word Publikely preached would not be the ordinary inſtrument of Regeneration to the Children of true Chriſtians, but would onelyonly build them up, and direct them p. 421in the faith, and in obedience. The proof is very plain: If we ſhould ſpeak nothing of the Intereſt of our Infants in the Covenant-Grace upon the Conditional force of their Parents faith, nor of their Baptiſm: yet Deut. 6. & Eph. 6. and oft in the Proverbs you may finde that it is Gods ſtrict Command that Parents ſhould teach Gods word to their Children, and bring them up in the Nurture and Admonition of the Lord; yea with a prediction or half promiſe, that if we train up a childe in the way he ſhould go, when he is old he ſhall not depart from it, Prov. 22.6. Now its certain that God will uſually bleſs that which he appointeth to be the uſual means, if it be rightly uſed: For he hath appointed no means to be uſed in vain.

I hope therefore by this time you ſee, that inſtead of being troubled that the work was done on your ſoul by the means of Education, 1. You had more Reaſon to be troubled if it had been done firſt by the publike Preaching of the word: For it ſhould grieve you at the heart to think, 1. That you lived in an unregenerate ſtate ſo long, and ſpent your childehood in vanity and ſin, and thought not ſeriouſly on God and your ſalvation, for ſo many years together. 2. And that you or your Parents ſin ſhould provoke God ſo long to withdraw his Spirit & deny you his Grace. p. 4222. You may ſee alſo what unconceiveable thanks you owe to God, who made Education the means of your early change. 1. In that he prevented ſo many and grievous ſins which elſe you would have been guilty of (And you may read in Davids and Manaſſes caſe, that even pardoned ſins have oft-times very ſad effects left behinde them.) 2. That you have enjoyed Gods Spirit and Love ſo much longer then elſe you would have done. 3. That iniquity took not ſo deep rooting in you, as by cuſtom it would have done. 4. That the Devil cannot Glory of that ſervice which you did him, as elſe he might: and that the Church is not ſo much the worſe, as elſe it might have been by the miſchief you would have done; and that you need not all your days look back with ſo much trouble, as elſe you muſt, upon the effects of your ill doing; nor with Paul, to think of one Stephen, yea many Saints in whoſe blood you firſt embrued your hands, and to cry out, I was born out of due time: I am not worthy to be called a Chriſtian, becauſe I perſecuted the Church of God: I was mad againſt them, and perſecuted them into ſeveral Cities: I was ſometime fooliſh, diſobedient, ſerving divers luſts and pleaſures. Would you rather that God had permitted you to do this? 5. And me thinks it ſhould be a comfort to you, that your own p. 423Father was the Inſtrument of your ſpiritual Good: that he that was the means of your Generation, was the means of your Regeneration: both becauſe it will be a double comfort to your Parents, and becauſe it will endear and engage you to them in a double bond. For my part, I know not what God did ſecretly in my heart before I had the uſe of memory and reaſon, but the firſt good that ever I felt on my ſoul, was from the Counſels and teachings of my own father in my childehood; and I take it now for a double mercy, being gladder that he was the Inſtrument to do me Good, then if it had been the beſt Preacher in the world: How foul an overſight is it then, that you ſhould be troubled at one of the choiceſt mercies of your life, yea that your life was capable of, and for which you owe to God ſuch abundant thanks!

DOUBT. IV.

BƲt my great fear is, that the life of Grace is not yet within me, becauſe I am ſo void of ſpiritual ſenſe and feeling: Me thinks I am in ſpiritual things as Dead as a block, and my heart as hard as a Rock or the nether Mill-ſtone: Grace is a principle of new Life, p. 424and Life is a principle of ſenſe and motion: it cauſeth vigour and Activity; ſuch ſhould I have in Duty if I had the Life of Grace. But I feel the great curſe of a dead heart within me: God ſeems to withdraw his quickening Spirit, and to forſake me; and to give me up to the hardneſs of my heart. If I were in Covenant with him, I ſhould feel the bleſſing of the Covenant within me; The hard heart would be taken out of my body, and a heart of fleſh, a ſoft heart would be given to me: But I cannot weep one tear for my ſins. I can think on the blood of Chriſt, and of my bloody ſins that cauſed it, and all will not wring one tear from mine eyes: And therefore I fear that my ſoul is yet deſtitute of the life of Grace.

ANSWER.

1. A Soft heart conſiſteth in two things, 1. That the Will be perſwadable, tractable and yielding to God, and plyable to his will: 2. That the Affections or Paſſions be ſomewhat moved herewithal about ſpiritual things. Some degree more or leſs of the latter, doth concur with the former; but I have told you that it is the former wherein the heart and life of Grace doth lie and that the latter is very various, and uncertain to try p. 425by. Many do much overlook the Scripture-meaning of the word Hard-heartedneſs. Mark it up and down concerning the Iſraelites who are ſo oft charged by Moſes, David, Iſaiah, Jeremiah, and other Prophets, to be hardhearted, or to harden their hearts, or ſtiffen their necks; and you will finde that the moſt uſual meaning of the Holy Ghoſt is this; They were an intractable, diſobedient, obſtinate people: or as the Greek word in the New Teſtament ſignifieth, which we often tranſlate Ʋnbelieving, they were an Ʋnperſwadable people: no ſaying would ſerve them. They ſet light by Gods Commands, Promiſes, and ſevereſt Threatnings, and Judgements themſelves: nothing would move them to forſake their ſins and obey the voyce of God. You ſhall finde that hardneſs of heart is ſeldom put for want of tears, or a melting weeping diſpoſition; and never at all for the want of ſuch tears, where the will is tractable and obedient. I pray you examine your ſelf then according to this Rule. God offereth his Love in Chriſt, and Chriſt with all his benefits to you: Are you willing to Accept them? He commandeth you to worſhip him, and uſe his ordinances, and Love his people, and others, and to forſake your known Iniquities, ſo far that they may not have dominion over you: Are you Willing p. 426to this? He commandeth you to take him for your God, and Chriſt for your Redeemer, and ſtick to him for better and worſe, and never forſake him. Are you willing to do this? If you have a ſtiff Rebellious heart, and will not Accept of Chriſt and Grace, and will rather let go Chriſt then the world, and will not be perſwaded from your known iniquities, but are loth to leave them, and love not to be reformed, and will not ſet upon thoſe duties, as you are able, which God requireth, and you are fully convinced of, then are you Hard-hearted in the Scripture ſenſe. But if you are glad to have Chriſt with all your heart upon the terms that he is offered to you in the Goſpel, and you do walk-daily in the way of duty as you can, and are willing to Pray, and willing to hear and wait on God in his Ordinances, and willing to have all Gods Graces formed within you, and willing to let go your profitableſt and ſweeteſt ſins, and it is your daily deſires, O that I could ſeek God, and do his will more faithfully, zealouſly and pleaſingly then I do! O that I were rid of this body of ſin! theſe carnal, corrupt and worldly inclinations, and that I were as holy as the beſt of Gods Saints on earth! And if when it comes to practiſe, whether you ſhould obey or no, though ſome unwillingneſs to duty and p. 427willingneſs to ſin be in you, you are offended at it, and the greater bent of your Will is for God, and it is but the leſſer which is towards ſin, and therefore the world and fleſh do not lead you captive, and you live not wilfully in avoidable ſins, nor at all in groſs ſin: I ſay, if it be thus with you, then you have the Bleſſing of a ſoft heart, a heart of fleſh, a new heart; for it is a Willing obedient tractable heart, oppoſed to obſtinacy in ſin, which Scripture calleth a ſoft heart. And then for the Paſſionate part, which conſiſteth in lively feelings of ſin, miſery, mercy, &c. and in weeping for ſin, I ſhall ſay but this; 1. Many an unſanctified perſon hath very much of it, which yet are deſperately Hard-hearted ſinners. It dependeth far more on the temper of the body, then of the Grace in the ſoul: Women uſually can weep eaſily (and yet not all) and children, and old men. Some complexions encline to it, and others not: Many can weep at a Paſſion-Sermon, or any moving duty, and yet will not be perſwaded to obedience: theſe are hard-hearted ſinners for all their tears. 2. Many a tender godly perſon cannot weep for ſin; partly through the temper of their minds▪ which are more judicious and ſolid, and leſs paſſionate, but moſtly from the temper of their bodies, which diſpoſe them not p. 428that way. 3. Deepeſt ſorrows ſeldom cauſe tears, but deep thoughts of heart: as greateſt joys ſeldom cauſe laughter, but inward pleaſure. I'le tell you how you ſhall know whoſe heart is truly ſorrowful for ſin and tender: He that would be at the greateſt coſt or pains to be rid of ſin, or that he had not ſinned. You cannot weep for ſin: but you would give all that you have to be rid of ſin; you could wiſh when you diſhonoured God by ſin, that you had ſpent that time in ſuffering rather; and if it were to do again on the ſame terms and inducements, you would not do it: Nay, you would live a beggar condtendedly, ſo you might fully pleaſe God, and never ſin againſt him, and are content to pinch your fleſh and deny your worldly intereſt for the time to come, rather then wilfully diſobey. This is a truly tender heart. On the other ſide, another can weep to think of his ſin; and yet if you ſhould ask him, what wouldſt thou give, or what wouldſt thou ſuffer, ſo thou hadſt not ſinned? or that thou mighteſt ſin no more? Alas, very little: For the next time that he is put to it, he will rather venture on the ſin, then venture on a little loſs, or danger, or diſgrace in the world, or deny his craving fleſh its pleaſures. This is a hard-hearted ſinner. The more you would part with to be p. 429rid of ſin, or the greater coſt you would be at for that end, the more Repentance have you, and true tenderneſs of heart. Alas, if men ſhould go to Heaven according to their weeping, what abundance of children and women would be there for one man! I'le ſpeak truly my own Caſe. This doubt lay heavy many a year on my own ſoul: when yet I would have given all that I had to be rid of ſin; but I could not weep a tear for it. Nor could I weep for the death of my deareſt friends, when yet I would have bought their lives, had it been Gods will, at a dearer rate then many that could weep for them ten times as much. And now ſince my nature is decayed, and my body languiſheth in conſuming weakneſs, and my head more moiſtned, and my veins filled with flegmatick watry blood, now I can weep: and yet I find never the more tender-heartedneſs in my ſelf then before. And yet to this day ſo much remains of my old diſpoſition, that I could wring all the money out of my purſe eaſier then one tear out of my eyes, to ſave a friend, or reſcue them from evil: when I ſee divers that can weep for a dead friend, that would have been at no great coſt to ſave their lives. 5. Beſides, as Dr. Sibs ſaith, There is oft ſorrow for ſin in us, when p. 430it doth not appear: It wanteth but ſome quickening word to ſet it afoot. It is the nature of Grief to break out into tears moſt, when ſorrow hath ſome vent, either when we uſe ſome expoſtulating aggravating terms with our ſelves, or when we are opening our hearts and caſe to a friend: then ſorrow will often ſhew it ſelf, that did not before. 6. Yet do I not deny but that our want of Tears and tender Affections and heart-meltings, are our ſins: For my part, I ſee exceeding Cauſe to bewail it greatly in my ſelf, that my ſoul is not raiſed to a higher pitch of tender ſenſibility of all ſpiritual things, then it is: and I doubt not but it ſhould be the matter of our daily confeſſion and complaint to God, that our hearts are ſo dull and little affected with his ſacred Truths, and our own ſins: But this is the ſcope of all my Speech, Why do not you diſtinguiſh between. Matter of Sorrow and Matter of Doubting? No queſtion but you ſhould lament your dulneſs and ſtupidity, and uſe all Gods means for the quickening of your Affections, and to get the moſt lively frame of ſoul: but muſt it cauſe you to doubt of your ſincerity when you cannot obtain this? Then will you never have a ſetled Peace or Aſſurance for many days together, for ought I know. I would ask you but this: Whether you are willing or unwilling p. 431of all that hardneſs, inſenſibleneſs, and dulneſs which you complain of? If you are willing of it, what makes you complain of it? If you are unwilling, it ſeems your will is ſo far ſound; and it is the Will that is the ſeat of the Life of Grace which we muſt try by: And was not Pauls Caſe the ſame with yours? Rom. 7.19. when he ſaith, The Good which I Would do, I do not? and; When I Would do Good, Evil is preſent with me. I know Paul ſpeaks not of groſs ſins, but ordinary Infirmities: and I have told you before, that the Livelineſs and Senſibility of the Paſſions or Affections, is a thing that the Will, though ſanctified, cannot fully command or excite at its pleaſure. A ſanctified man cannot Grieve or Weep for ſin when he will, or ſo much as he will: he cannot Love, Joy, be Zealous, &c. when he will: He may be truly Willing, and not Able: And is not this your Caſe? And doth not Paul make it the Caſe of all Chriſtians? Gal. 5.17. The fleſh luſteth, againſt the ſpirit, and the ſpirit againſt the fleſh, and theſe are contrary one to the other, ſo that we cannot do the things that we would. Take my Counſel therefore in this, if you love not ſelf-deceiving and diſquietneſs. Search whether you can ſay unfeignedly, I would with all my heart have Chriſt and his quickening and ſantifying Spirit p. 432and his ſoftning Grace, to bring my hard heart to Tenderneſs, and my dull and blockiſh ſoul to a lively frame! O that I could attain it! And if you can truly ſay thus, Bleſs God that hath given you ſaving ſincerity: And then let all the reſt of your Dulneſs, and Deadneſs, and Hard-heartedneſs be matter of daily ſorrow to you, and ſpare not, ſo it be in Moderation, but let it be no matter of Doubting. Confeſs it, complain of it, pray againſt it, and ſtrive againſt it: but do not deny Gods Graces in you for it.

And here let me mind you of one thing; That it is a very ill diſtemper of ſpirit when a man can mourn for nothing, but what Cauſeth him to Doubt of his ſalvation: It is a great Corruption, if when your Doubts are Reſolved, and you are perſwaded of your ſalvation▪ if then you ceaſe all your humiliation and ſorrow for your ſin: For you muſt ſorrow that you have in you ſuch a body of Death, and that which is ſo diſpleaſing to God, and are able to pleaſe and enjoy him no more, though you were never ſo Certain of the pardon of ſin and of ſalvation.

7. Laſtly, let me ask you one Queſtion more: What is the reaſon that you are ſo troubled for want of Tears for your ſin▪ Take heed leſt there lie ſome Corruption in this trouble that you do not diſcern. If it p. 433be onelyonly becauſe your deadneſs and dulneſs is your ſin, and you would fain have your ſoul in that frame, in which it may be fitteſt to pleaſe God and enjoy him: then I commend and encourage you in your trouble. But take heed leſt you ſhould have any conceit of a Meritoriouſneſs in your Tears; for that would be a more dangerous ſin then your want of Tears. And if it be for want of a ſign of Grace, and becauſe a dry eye is a ſign of an unregenerate ſoul; I have told you, It is not ſo, except where it onelyonly ſeconds an impenitent heart, and comes from, or accompanieth and unrenewed Will, and a prevailing unwillingneſs to turn to God by Chriſt. Shew me, if you can, where the Scripture ſaith, He that cannot Weep for ſin, ſhall not be Saved, or hath no true Grace? Is not your complaint in this the very ſame that the eminenteſt Chriſtians have uſed in all times? That moſt Bleſſed, holy man, Mr. Bradford, who ſacrificed his life in the flames againſt Romiſh abominations, was wont to ſubſcribe his Spiritual Letters (endited by the breath of the Spirit of God) thus: The most miſerable Hard-hearted ſinner, John Bradford.

p. 434DOUBT V.

O But I am not willing to Good; and therefore I fear that even my will it ſelf is yet unchanged: I have ſuch a backwardneſs and undiſpoſedneſs to Duty, eſpecially ſecret Prayer, Meditation, and ſelf-examination, and reproving and exhorting ſinners, that I am fain to force my ſelf to it againſt my will. It is no Delight the find in theſe Duties that brings me to them, but onelyonly I uſe violence with my ſelf, and am fain to pull my ſelf down on my knees, becauſe I know it is a Duty, and I cannot be ſaved without it: but I am no ſooner on my knees, but I have a motion to riſe, or be ſhort, and am weary of it, and find no great miſs of duty when I do omit it.

ANSWER.

1. THis ſhews that your ſoul is ſick when your meat goes ſo much againſt your ſtomack that you are fain to force it down: And ſickneſs may well cauſe you to complain to God and man. But what's this to Deadneſs! The Dead cannot force down their meat, nor digeſt it at all. It ſeems by this p. 435that you are ſanctified but in a low Degree, and your Corruption remains in ſome ſtrength; and let that be your ſorrow, and the overcoming of it be your greateſt care and buſineſs: But ſhould you therefore ſay that you are unſanctified? It ſeems that you have ſtill the fleſh luſting againſt the ſpirit, that you cannot do the Good you would: when you would pray with Delight and unweariedneſs, the fleſh draws back, and the Devil is hindering you. And is it not ſo in too great a meaſure with the beſt on earth? Remember what Chriſt ſaid to his own Apoſtles, when they ſhould have done him one of their laſt Services, as to the attendance of his body on earth, and ſhould have comforted him in his Agony, they are all aſleep: Again and again he comes to them, and findeth them aſleep: Chriſt is Praying and ſweating blood, and they are ſtill ſleeping, though he warned them to watch and Pray that they enter not into Temptation. But what doth God ſay to them for it? Why he uſeth this ſame Diſtinction between Humiliation for ſin, and Doubting of ſincerity and ſalvation, and he helps them to the former, and helps them againſt the latter; Could ye not watch with me one hour? ſaith he. There he convinceth them of the ſin, that they may be humbled for it. The ſpirit indeed is willing, p. 436but the fleſh is weak, ſaith he. There he utterly reſiſteth their Doubtings, or preventeth them; ſhewing them wherein ſincere Grace conſiſteth, even in the ſpirits willingneſs; and telling them that they had that Grace; and then telling them whence came their ſin, even from the weakneſs of the fleſh.

2. I have ſhewed you, that as every mans Will is but partly ſanctified (as to the Degree of holineſs) and ſo far as it is imperfect, it will be unwilling; ſo that there is ſomething in the Duties of ſecret Prayer, Meditation and Reproof, which makes moſt men more backward to them then other duties. The laſt doth ſo croſs our fleſhly Intereſts; and the two former are ſo ſpiritual, and require ſo pure and ſpiritual a ſoul, and ſet a man ſo immediatly before the living God, as if we were ſpeaking to him face to face, and have nothing of external pomp to draw us, that it is no wonder, if while there is fleſh within us, we are backward to them! eſpecially while we are ſo unacquainted with God, and while ſtrangeneſs and conſciouſneſs of ſin doth make us draw back: Beſides that the Devil will more buſily hinder us here then anywhere.

3. The Queſtion therefore is not whether you have an unwillingneſs & backwardneſs to p. 437Good? for ſo have all: Nor yet whether you have any cold uneffect…al wiſhes? for ſo have the ungodly: Bu… whether your Willingneſs be not more then your unwillingneſs? And in that, 1. It muſt not be in every ſingle act of duty; for a godly man may be actually more unwilling to a duty at this particular time, then willing; and thereupon may omit it: but it muſt be about your Habitual Willingneſs, manifeſted in ordinary actual Willingneſs. 2. You muſt not exclude any of thoſe Motives which God hath given you to make you willing to Duty: He hath Commanded it; and his Authority ſhould move you: He hath Threatned you; and therefore Fear ſhould move you: Or elſe he would never have Threatned. He hath made Promiſes of Reward, and therefore the Hope of that ſhould move. And therefore you may perceive here what a dangerous miſtake it is to think that we have no Grace, except our Willingneſs to Duty be without Gods Motives, from a meer Love to the Duty it ſelf, or to its effect. Nay, it is a dangerous Antinomian miſtake to imagine that it is our duty to be Willing to Good without theſe Motives of God; I ſay, To take it ſo much as for our Duty to exclude Gods Motives, though we ſhould not judge of our Grace by it. For it is but an p. 438Accuſation of Chriſt (and his Law) who hath ordained theſe Motives of Puniſhment and Reward, to be his Inſtruments to move the ſoul to duty. Let me therefore put the right Queſtion to you; Whether all Gods Motives laid together and conſidered, the ordinary prevailing part of your Will be not rather for Duty then againſt it? This you will know by your practice. For if the prevailing part be againſt Duty, you will not do it: If it be for Duty, you will ordinarily perform it, though you cannot do it ſo well as you would. And then you may ſee that your backwardneſs and remaining unwillingneſs muſt ſtill be matter of Humiliation and reſiſtance to you, but not matter of Doubting. Nay thank God that enableth you to pull down your ſelf on your knees when you are unwilling: For what is that but the prevailing of your willingneſs againſt your unwillingneſs? Should your unwillingneſs once prevail, you would turn your back upon the moſt acknowledged Duties.

p. 439DOUBT. VI.

BƲt I am afraid that it is onelyonly ſlaviſh fear of Hell, and not the Love of God, that cauſeth me to obey: and if it were not for this fear, I doubt whether I ſhould not quite give over all. And perfect Love caſteth out fear.

ANSWER.

I Have anſwered this already. Love will not be perfect in this life. In the life to come it will caſt out all fear of damnation: and all fear that drives the ſoul from God, and all fear of men (which is meant in Rev. 21.8. where the fearful and unbelievers are condemned; that is, thoſe that fear men more then God) And that 1 John 4.17, 18. ſpeaketh of a Tormenting Fear, which is it that I am perſwading you from, and conſiſteth in Terrors of ſoul upon an apprehenſion that God will condemn you; But it ſpeaketh not of a filial fear, nor of a fear leſt we ſhould by forſaking God, or by yielding to Temptation, loſe the Crown of Life, and ſo periſh: as long as this is not a tormenting p. 440fear, but a cautelous, preſerving, preventing fear. Beſides the Text plainly ſaith, It is that we may have boldneſs in the day of judgement, that Love caſteth out this fear: And at that day of Judgement, Love will have more fully overcome it. It is a great miſtake to think that Filial Fear is onelyonly the fear of temporal chaſtiſement, and that all fear of Hell is ſlaviſh. Even Filial Fear is a Fear of Hell: But with this difference. A ſon (if he know himſelf to be a Son) hath ſuch a perſwaſion of his Fathers Love to him, that he knows he will not caſt him off, except he ſhould be ſo vile as to renounce his Father; which he is moderately fearful or careful leſt by Temptation he ſhould be drawn to do, but not diſtruſtfully fearful, as knowing the helps and mercies of his Father. But a ſlaviſh Fear is, when a man having no apprehenſions of Gods love▪ or willingneſs to ſhew him mercy, doth look that God ſhould deal with him as a ſlave, and deſtroy him when ever he doth amiſs. It is this ſlaviſh Tormenting fear which I ſpend all this writing againſt. But yet a great deal even of this ſlaviſh fear may be in thoſe ſons, that know not themſelves to be ſons.

But ſuppoſe you were out of all fear of Damnation! do not belye your own heart, and tell me, Had you not rather be Holy p. 441then Unholy? pleaſing to God, then diſpleaſing? and would not the Hope of Salvation draw you from ſin to duty, without the fear of Damnation in Hell? But you will ſay, That is ſtill Mercenary, and as bad as ſlaviſh fears. I anſwer, Not ſo, This Hope of Salvation, is the Hope of enjoying God, and living in perfect Pleaſingneſs to him, and pleaſure in him in Glory; And the Deſire of this is a Deſire of Love: It is Love to God that makes you Deſire him, and Hope to enjoy him.

Laſtly I ſay again, Take heed of ſeparating what God hath joyned. If God, by putting in your nature the ſeveral Paſſions of Hope, Fear▪ Love &c. and by putting a Holineſs into theſe Paſſions, by ſanctifying Grace, and by putting both Promiſes and dreadful Threatnings into his word; I ſay, if God by all theſe means hath given you ſeveral motives to obedience, take heed of ſeparating them: Do not once ask your heart ſuch a queſtion, Whether it would obey if there were no Threatning, and ſ no …ear. Nor on the otherſide, do not let Fear do all, without Love. Doubtleſs the more Love conſtraineth to duty, the better it is: and you ſhould endeavour with all your might that you might feel more of the force of Love in your duties: But do you not mark how you p. 442cheriſh that Corruption that you complain of? Your Doubts and Tormenting Fears are the things that Love ſhould caſt out. Why then do you entertain them? If you ſay, I cannot help it: why then do you cheriſh them? and own them? and plead and diſpute for them? and ſay you do well to Doubt, and you have Cauſe? Will this ever caſt out Tormenting Fears? Do you not know that the way to caſt them out, is not to maintain them by diſtruſtful thoughts or words, but to ſee their ſinfulneſs, and abhor them, and to get more high thoughts of the Lovingkindneſs of God, and the tender mercies of the Redeemer, and the unſpeakable Love that he hath manifeſted in his ſufferings for you, that ſo the Love of God may be more advanced and powerful in your ſoul▪ and may be able to caſt out your Tormenting Fears. Why do you not do this inſtead of Doubting? If Tormenting Fears and Doubtings be a ſin, why do you not make Conſcience of them? and bewail it that you have been ſo guilty of them? Will you therefore Doubt becauſe you have ſlaviſh fears? Why that is to Doubt becauſe you Doubt; and to Fear becauſe you Fear; and ſo to ſin ſtill becauſe you have ſinned. Conſider well of the folly of this courſe.

p. 443DOUBT VII.

BƲT I am not able to Believe: and without Faith there is no pleaſing God, nor hope of ſalvation. I fear Ʋnbelief will be my ruine.

ANSWER.

1. I Have anſwered this Doubt fully before. It is grounded on a Miſtake of the Nature of true Faith. You think that Faith is the Believing that you are in Gods favour, and that you are Juſtified: but properly this is no Faith at all, but onelyonly Aſſurance, which is ſometimes a fruit of Faith, and ſometimes never in this life obtained by a Believer. Faith conſiſteth of two parts; 1. Aſſent to the Truth of the Word. 2. Acceptance of Chriſt as he is offered; Which immediatly produceth a Truſting on Chriſt for ſalvation, and a Conſent to be Governed by him, and Reſolution to obey him; which in the fulleſt ſenſe are alſo acts of Faith. Now do not you Believe the truth of the Goſpel? And do you not Accept of Chriſt as he is offered therein? If you are truly willing to have p. 444Chriſt as he is offered, I dare ſay you are a true Believer. If you be not willing, for ſhame never complain. Men uſe rather to ſpeak againſt thoſe that they are unwilling of, then complain of their abſence, and that they cannot enjoy them.

2. However, ſeeing you complain of unbelief, in the Name of God do not cheriſh it, and plead for it, and by your own cogitations fetch in daily matter to feed it: but do more in deteſtation of it, as well as complain.

DOUBT VIII.

BƲt I am a ſtranger to the witneſs of the ſpirit, and the Joy of the Holy Ghoſt, and Communion with God, and therefore how can I be a true Believer?

ANSWER.

1. FEeding your Doubts and Perplexities, and arguing for them, is not a means to get the Teſtimony and Joy of the Spirit: but rather ſtudying with all Saints to know the Love of Chriſt which paſſeth knowledge, to comprehend the height, and bredth, and p. 445length, and depth of his Love: and ſeeking to underſtand the things that are given you of God. Acknowledge Gods general Love to Mankind, both in his Gracious Nature, and Common Providences, and Redemption by Chriſt, and deny not his Special Mercies to your ſelf, but dwell in the ſtudy of the Riches of Grace, and that's the way to come to the Joy of the Holy Ghoſt. 2. I have told you before what the witneſs of the Spirit is, and what is the ordinary miſtake herein. If you have the Graces and holy operations of the Spirit, you have the witneſs of the Spirit, whether you know it or not. 3. If by your own doubtings you have deprived your ſelf of the Joy of the Holy Ghoſt, bewail it, and do ſo no more; but do not therefore ſay you have not the Holy Ghoſt. For the Holy Ghoſt often works Regeneration and Holineſs, before he works any ſenſible Joys. 4. You have ſome hope of ſalvation by Chriſt left in you: You be not yet in utter deſpair: And is it no Comfort to you to think that you have yet any Hope? and are not quite paſt all Remedy? It may be your ſorrows may ſo cloud it that you take no notice of it: but I know you cannot have the leaſt Hope without ſome anſwerable Comfort. And may not that Comfort …e truly the Joy of the Holy Ghoſt? 5. And for Communion with p. 446God, let me ask you: Have you no recourſe to him by Prayer in your ſtraits? Do you not wait at his mouth for the Law and direction of your life? Have you received no holy deſires, or other Graces from him? Nay, are you ſure that you are not a member of Chriſt, who is one with him? How can you then ſay, that you have no Communion with him? Can there be Communication of Prayer, and Obedience from you? yea your own ſelf delivered up to Chriſt? and a Communication of any life of Grace from God, by Chriſt and the Spirit? and all this without Communion? It cannot be. Many a ſoul hath moſt near Communion with Chriſt that knows it not.

DOUBT IX.

I Have not the ſpirit of prayer: When I ſhould pour out my ſoul to God, I have neither bold acceſs, nor matter of Prayer nor Words.

ANSWER.

DO you know what the ſpirit of Prayer is? It containeth, 1. Deſires of the p. 447ſoul after the things we want, eſpecially Chriſt and his Graces. 2. An addreſſing our ſelves to God with theſe Deſires, that we may have help and relief from him. Have not you both theſe? Do you not Deſire Chriſt and Grace, Juſtification and Sanctification? Do you not look to God as him who alone is able to ſupply your wants, and bids you ask that you may receive? Do you utterly deſpair of help, and to ſeek to none? Or do you make your addreſſes by Prayer to any but God? But perhaps you look at words, and matter to dilate upon, that you may be able to hold out in a long ſpeech to God, and you think that is the effect of the ſpirit of Prayer. But where do you find that in Gods Word? I confeſs that in many, and moſt, the ſpirit which helpeth to Deſires, doth alſo help to ſome kind of expreſſions: Becauſe if a man be of able natural parts, and have a tongue to expreſs his own mind, the promoting of holy Deſires will help men to expreſſions. For a full ſoul is hardly hindred from venting it ſelf: And experience teacheth us, that the ſpirits enflaming the heart with holy Affections, doth very much furniſh both the Invention and Expreſſion. But this is but accidental and uncertain: For thoſe that are either men of unready tongues, or that are ſo ill bred among the p. 448rude vulgar, that they want fit expreſſions of their own minds, or that are of over-baſhful diſpoſitions, or eſpecially that are of ſmall knowledge, and of little and ſhort acquaintance with thoſe that ſhould teach them to pray by their examples, or that have been but of ſhort ſtanding in the School of Chriſt, ſuch a man may have the ſpirit of Prayer many a year, and never be able in full expreſſions of his own to make known his wants to God: no, nor in good and tolerable ſenſe and language, before others to ſpeak to God, from his own Invention. A man may know all thoſe Articles of the Faith that are of flat neceſſity to Salvation, and yet not be able to find matter or words for the opening of his heart to God at length. I would adviſe ſuch, to frequent the Company of thoſe that can teach and help them in Prayer, and neglect not to uſe the ſmalleſt parts they have, eſpecially in ſecret between God and their own ſouls, where they need not ſo much as in publick to be regardful of expreſſions: and in the mean time to learn a Prayer from ſome Book, that may fitlieſt expreſs their neceſſities; or to uſe the Book it ſelf in Prayer. If they diſtruſt their memories: not reſol…ing to ſtick he… and make it a means of ind…l…i… …eir la…i…eſs and negligence, much leſs to reproach and deride p. 449thoſe that expreſs their deſires to God from the preſent ſenſe of their own wants (as ſome wickedly do deride ſuch:) but to uſe this lawful help till they are able to do better without it then with it, and then to lay it by, and not before. The Holy Ghoſt is ſaid, Rom. 8.16. to help our Infirmities in Prayer: but how? 1. By teaching us what to pray for: not always what matter or words to enlarge our ſelves by; but what neceſſary Graces to pray for. 2. By giving us Sighs and Groans unexpreſſible: which is far from giving Copious expreſſions: For Groans and Sighs be not words: and if they be Groans that we cannot expreſs, it would rather ſeem to intimate a want of expreſſion, then a conſtant abounding therein, where the ſpirit doth aſſiſt: Though indeed the meaning is, that the Groans are ſo deep, that they are paſt the expreſſion of our words: All our ſpeech cannot expreſs that deep ſenſe that is in our hearts. For the Underſtanding hath the advantage of the Affections herein: All the thoughts of the mind may be expreſſed to others; but the Feelings and fervent Paſſions of the ſoul can be but very defectively expreſſed.

Laſtly, All have not the ſpirit of Prayer in like meaſure: nor all that have it in a great meaſure at one time, can find it ſo at p. 450pleaſure. Deſires riſe and fall, and theſe earneſt Groans be not in every Prayer where the Holy Ghoſt doth aſſiſt. I believe there is never a Prayer that ever a Believer did put up to God for things lawful and uſeful, but it was put up by the help of the ſpirit. For the weakeſt Prayer hath ſome degree of good Deſire in it, and addreſſes to God with an endeavour to expreſs them: and theſe can come from none but onelyonly from the ſpirit: Meer words without deſires are no more Prayer, then a ſuit of apparel hang'd on a ſtake is a man. You may have the ſpirit of Prayer, and yet have it in a very weak degree.

Yet ſtill I would encourage you to bewail your defect herein as your ſin, and ſeek earneſtly the ſupply of your wants: But what's that to the queſtioning or denying your ſincerity, or right to ſalvation?

DOUBT X.

I Have no Gifts to make me uſeful to my ſelf or others. When I ſhould profit by the Word, I cannot Remember it: When I ſhould Reprove a Sinner, or Inſtruct the Ignorant, I have not words: If I were called to give an account of my Faith, I have not words to expreſs that p. 451which as in my mind: And what Grace can here be then?

ANSWER:

THis needs no long Anſwer. Lament and amend thoſe ſins by which you have been diſabled. But know, that theſe Gifts depend more on Nature, Art, Induſtry and Common Grace, then upon ſpecial ſaving Grace. Many a bad man is excellent in all theſe, and many a one that is truly godly is defective. Where hath God laid our ſalvation upon the ſtrength of our Memories, the Readineſs of our Tongues, or meaſure of the like Gifts? That were almoſt as if he ſhould have made a Law, that all ſhall be ſaved that have found Complexions, and healthful and youthful bodies; and all be damned that are ſickly, aged, weak, children, and moſt women.

p. 452DOUBT. XI.

O But I have been a grievous ſinner, before I came home, and have fallen foully ſince, and I am utterly unworthy of Mercy! Will the Lord ever ſave ſuch an unworthy wretch as I? Will he ever give his Mercy and the blood of his Son, to one that hath ſo abuſed it?

ANSWER.

1. THe Queſtion is not, with God, what you have been, but what you are? God takes men as they then are, and not as they were. 2. It is a dangerous thing to object the greatneſs of your Guilt againſt Gods mercy and Chriſts Merits! Do you think Chriſts ſatisfaction is not ſufficient? or that he dyed for ſmall ſins and not for great? Do you not know that he hath made ſatisfaction for all, and will pardon all, and hath given out the pardon of all in his Covenant, and that to all men, on Condition they will Accept Chriſt to pardon and heal them in his own way? Hath God made it his great deſign in the work of mans Redemption, p. 453to make his Love and Mercy as Honorable and wonderful, as he did his Power in the work of Creation? and wil you after all this oppoſe the greatneſs of your ſins againſt the greatneſs of this Mercy and Satisfaction? why, you may as wel think your ſelf to be ſuch a one that God could not or did not Make you, as to think your ſins ſo great that Chriſt could not or did not ſatisfie for them, or will not pardon them, if you Repent and Believe in him. 3. And for Worthineſs, I pray you obſerve: There is a twofold Worthineſs & Righteouſneſs. There is a Legal Worthineſs and Righteouſneſs, which conſiſteth in a perfect obedience, which is the performance of the Conditions of the Law of Pure Nature and Works. This no man hath but Chriſt: and if you look after this Righteouſneſs or Worthineſs in your ſelf, then do you depart from Chriſt, and make him to have dyed and ſatisfied in vain; you are a Jew and not a Chriſtian, and are one of thoſe that Paul ſo much diſputeth againſt, that would be Juſtified by the Law. Nay you muſt not to much as once imagine that all your own Works can be any part of this Legal Righteouſneſs or Worthineſs to you. Only Chriſts Satisfaction and Merit is in ſtead of this our Legal Righteouſneſs and Worthineſs. God never gave Chriſt and Mercy to any but the unworthy in this p. 454ſenſe: If you know not your ſelf to be unworthy and unrighteous in the ſenſe of the Law of Works, you cannot know what Chriſts Righteouſneſs is. Did Chriſt come to ſave any but ſinners, and ſuch as were loſt? what need you a Saviour, if you were not Condemned? and how come you to be condemned if you were not unrighteous and unworthy. But then 2. there is an Evangelical perſonal Worthineſs and Righteouſneſs, which is the Condition on which God beſtows Chriſts Righteouſneſs upon us: and this all have that will be ſaved by Chriſt. But what is that? Why it hath two parts: 1. The Condition and Worthineſs required to your Union with Chriſt and pardon of all your ſins paſt, and your Adoption and Juſtification; it is no more but your hearty thankful Acceptance of the Gift that is freely Given you of God by his Covenant-grant, that is, Chriſt and Life in him, 1 John 5.10, 11, 12. There is no worthineſs required in you before Faith as a Condition on which God will give you Faith: but onelyonly certain means you are appointed to uſe for the obtaining it: And Faith it ſelf is but the Acceptance of a free Gift. God requireth you not to bring any other Worthineſs or Price in your hands; but that you conſent unfeignedly to have Chriſt as he is offered, and to the ends and uſes that he p. 455is offered: that is, as one that hath ſatisfied for you by his blood and merits, to put away your ſins, and as one that muſt illuminate and Teach you, Sanctifie and Guide and Govern you by his Word and Spirit; and as King and Judge will fully and finally Juſtifie you at the day of Judgement, and give you the Crown of Glory. Chriſt on his part 1. Hath merited your pardon by his ſatisfaction, and not properly by his ſanctifying you: 2. And ſanctifieth you by his Spirit, and Ruleth you by his Laws, and not directly by his bloodſhed: 3. And he will juſtifie you at Judgement as King and Judge, and not as Satisfier or Sanctifier: But the Condition on your part of obtaining Intereſt in Chriſt and his benefits, is that our Faith which accepteth him in all theſe reſpects (both as King, Prieſt and Teacher) and to all theſe ends conjunctly. But then 2. The Condition and Worthyneſs required to the Continuation and Conſummat on of your Pardon, Juſtification, and right to Glory, is both the Continuance of your faith, and your ſincere obedience, even your keeping the Baptiſmal Covenant that you made with Chriſt by your Parents, and the Covenant which you in your own perſon made with him in your firſt true Believing. Theſe indeed are called Worthineſs and Righteouſneſs p. 456frequently in the Goſpel: but it is no worthineſs conſiſting in any ſuch works which make the Reward to be of Debt, and not of Grace (of which Paul ſpeaks) but onelyonly in faith, and ſuch Goſpel works as James ſpeaks of which make the Reward to be wholly of Grace and not of Debt.

Now if you ſay you are unworthy in this Evangelical ſenſe, then you muſt mean (if you know what you ſay) that you are an Infidel or Unbeliever, or an Impenitent obſtinate Rebel that would not have Chriſt to reign over him: For the Goſpel calleth none Unworthy (as non-performers of its Conditions) but only theſe. But I hope you dare not charge your ſelf with ſuch Infidelity and wilful Rebellion.

DOUBT XII.

THough God hath kept me from Groſs ſins, yet I finde ſuch a ſearedneſs of Conſcience, and ſo little averſneſs from ſin in my minde i… that I fear that I ſhould Commit it if I lay under Temptations: and alſo that I ſhould not hold out in Tryal if I were called to ſuffer Death or any grievous Calamity. And that obedience which endureth meerly for want of a Temptation, is no true Obedience.

p. 457ANSWER.

1. I Have fully anſwered this before. If you can overcome the temptations of Proſperity, you have no cauſe to doubt diſtruſtfully whether you ſhall overcome the temptations of Adverſity: And if God give you Grace to avoid Temptations to ſin, and fly occaſions as much as you can, and to overcome them, where you cannot avoid them; you have little reaſon to diſtruſt his preſervation of you, and your ſtedfaſtneſs thereby, if you ſhould be caſt upon greater Temptations Indeed if you feel not ſuch a Belief of the evil and danger of ſinning, as to poſſeſs you with ſome ſenſible hatred of it, you have need to look to your heart for the ſtrengthening of that Belief and Hatred: and fear your heart with a godly preſerving Jealouſie; but not with tormenting, diſquieting doubts. Whatever your Paſſionate Hatred be, if you have a ſettled well-grounded Reſolution, to walk in obedience to the death, you may confidently & comfortably truſt him for your preſervation, who gave you thoſe reſolutions.

2. And the laſt ſentence of this Doubt, had need of great Caution, before you conclude it a certain Truth. Its true, that the Obedience which by an ordinary Temptation, p. 458ſuch as men may expect, would be overthrown, is not well grounded and rooted before it is overthrown. But its a great Doubt whether there be not Degrees of Temptation Poſsible, which would overcome the Reſolution and Grace of the moſt Holy, having ſuch aſſiſtance as the Spirit uſually giveth Believers in Temptation? And whether ſome Temptations which overcome not a ſtrong Chriſtian, would not overcome a weak one, who yet hath true Grace? I conclude nothing of theſe Doubts. But I would not have you trouble your ſelf upon confident concluſions on ſo doubtful Grounds. This I am certain of, 1. That the ſtrongeſt Chriſtian ſhould take heed of Temptations, and not truſt to the ſtrength of his Graces, nor preſume on Gods preſervation while he wilfully caſteth himſelf in the mouth of dangers; nor to be encouraged hereunto upon any perſwaſion of an Impoſſibility of his falling away. O the falls, the fearful falls that I have known (alas, how often) the eminenteſt men for Godlineſs that ever I knew, to be Guilty of, by caſting themſelves upon Temptations. I confeſs I will never be confident of that mans perſeverance, were he the beſt that I know on earth, who caſteth himſelf upon violent Temptations, eſpe… … …mptations of Senſuality, Proſperity, p. 459and Seducement. 2. I know God hath taught us daily to watch and pray, that we enter not into Temptation; and to pray, Lead us not into Temptation, but deliver us from evil. (I never underſtood the neceſſity of that Petition feelingly, till I ſaw the examples of theſe ſeven or eight years laſt paſt.) This being ſo, you muſt look that your perſeverance ſhould be by being preſerved from Temptation; and muſt rather examine, Whether you have that Grace which will enable you to avoyd Temptations, then whether you have Grace enough to overcome them, if you ruſh into them. But if God unavoydably caſt you upon them, keep up your Watch and Prayer, and you have no Cauſe to trouble your ſelf with diſtruſtful fears.

DOUBT XIII.

I Am afraid leſt I have committed the unpardonable ſin againſt the Holy Ghoſt: and then there is no hope of my ſalvation.

p. 460ANSWER.

IT ſeems you know not what the ſin againſt the Holy Ghoſt is; It is this, When a man is convinced that Chriſt and his Diſciples did really work thoſe glorious Miracles which are recorded in the Goſpel, and yet will not Believe that Chriſt is the Son of God, and his Doctrine true, though ſealed with all thoſe Miracles and other holy and wonderful works of the Spirit, but do Blaſphemouſly maintain that they were done by the Power of the Devil. This is the ſin againſt the Holy Ghoſt: And dare you ſay that you are guilty of this? If you be, then you do not Believe that Chriſt is the Son of God, and the Meſſiah, and his Goſpel true. And then you will ſure oppoſe him, and maintain that he was a Deceiver, and that the Devil was the Author of all the Miraculous and Gracious workings of his Spirit. Then you will never fear his diſpleaſure, nor call him ſeriouſly either Lord or Saviour! nor tender him any ſervice, any more then you do to Mahomet. None but Infidels do commit the Blaſphemy againſt the Holy Ghoſt: Nor but few of them. Unbelief is eminently called [Sin] in the Goſpel: p. 461and that [ Ʋnbelief] which is maintained by Blaſpheming the Glorious Works of the Holy Ghoſt, which Chriſt and his Diſciples through many years time did perform for a Teſtimony to his Truth, that is called ſingularly [The ſin againſt the Holy Ghoſt!] You may meet with other Deſcriptions of this ſin, which may occaſion your terrour: but I am fully perſwaded that this is the plain Truth.

DOUBT XIV.

BƲT I greatly fear leſt the time of Grace be paſt: and leſt I have out ſit the day of mercy, and now mercy hath wholly forſaken me. For I have oft heard Miniſters tell me from the Word: Now is the Accepted time: Now is the day of your viſitation: To day, while it is called to day, harden not your hearts, leſt God ſwear in his wrath that you ſhall not enter into his Reſt. But I have ſtood out long after. I have reſiſted and quenched the Spirit, and now it is I fear departed from me.

p. 462ANSWER.

HEre is ſufficient matter for Humiliation: but the Doubting ariſeth meerly from Ignorance: The day of Grace may in two reſpects be ſaid to be over: The firſt (and moſt properly ſo called) is, When God will not Accept of a ſinner, though he ſhould Repent and Return. This is never in this life for certain. And he that imagineth any ſuch thing, as that it is too late while his ſoul is in his body, to Repent and Accept of Chriſt and Mercy, is meerly ignorant of the Tenour and ſenſe of the Goſpel: For the New Law of Grace doth limit no time on earth for Gods Accepting of a Returning ſinner. True Faith and Repentance do as ſurely ſave at the laſt hour of the day, as at the firſt. God hath ſaid, that whoſoever Believeth in Chriſt, ſhall not periſh, but have everlaſting life. He hath no where excepted late Believers or Repenters: Shew any ſuch Exception if you can.

2. The ſecond ſenſe in which it may be ſaid that the day of Grace is over, is this: When a man hath ſo long reſiſted the Spirit, that God hath given him over to wilful obſtinate Refuſals of Mercy, and of Chriſts Government, p. 463reſolving that he will never give him the prevailing Grace of his Spirit. Where note, 1. That this ſame man might ſtill have Grace as ſoon as any other, if he were but Willing to Accept Chriſt, and Grace in him. 2. That no man can know of himſelf or any other, that God hath thus finally forſaken him: For God hath given us no ſign to know it by; (at leaſt who ſin not againſt the Holy Ghoſt.) God hath not told us his ſecret intents concerning ſuch. 4. Yet ſome men have far greater cauſe to fear it then others; eſpecially thoſe men, who under the moſt ſearching lively Sermons, do continue ſecure and wilful in known wickedneſs; either hating godlineſs and godly perſons, and all that do Reprove them, or at leaſt being … pified, that they feel no more then a Poſt the force of Gods terrours, or the ſweetneſs of his promiſes; but make a jeſt of ſinning, and think the life of godlineſs a needleſs thing. Eſpecially if they grow old in this courſe, I confeſs ſuch have great Cauſe to fear leſt they are quite forſaken of God: For very few ſuch are ever recovered. 5. And therefore it may well be ſaid to all men, To day if you will hear his voyce harden not your hearts, &c. and, This is the Acceptable time: this is the day of ſalvation; both as this life is called, The day of ſalvation; and becauſe p. 464no man is certain to live another day, that he may Repent; nor yet to have Grace to Repent, if he Live. 6. But what's all this to you that do Repent? Can you have Cauſe to fear that your day of Grace is over, that have Received Grace? Why, that is as fooliſh a thing, as if a man ſhould come to the Market, and buy Corn, and when he hath done, go home lamenting that the Market was paſt before he came? Or as a man ſhould come and hear the Sermon, and when he hath done, lament that the Sermon was done before he came. If your day of Grace be paſt, tell me, (and do not wrong God) Where had you the Grace of Repentance? How came you by that Grace of holy Deſ…res? Who made you Willing to have Chriſt for your Lord and Saviour? So that you had rather have him, and Gods favour, and a Holy heart and life, then all the glory of the World? How came you to deſire that you were ſuch a one as God would have you to be? and to deſire that all your ſins were dead, and might never live in you more? and that you were able to Love God, and Delight in him, and pleaſe him even in perfection? and that you are ſo troubled that you cannot do it? Are theſe ſigns that your day of Grace is over? Doth Gods Spirit breath out Groans after Chriſt and Grace, within you? p. 465and yet is the day of Grace over? Nay, what if you had no Grace? Do you not hear God daily offering you Chriſt and Grace? doth he not intreat and Beſeech you to be Reconciled unto him (2 Cor. 5.19, 20.) and would he not compel you to come in? (Mat. 22.) Do you not feel ſome unquietneſs in your ſinful Condition? and ſome motions and ſtrivings at your heart to get out of it? Certainly (though you ſhould be one that hath yet no Grace to ſalvation) yet theſe continued offers of Grace, and ſtrivings of the Spirit of Chriſt with your heart, do ſhew that God hath not quite forſaken you; and that your day of Grace and Viſitation is not paſt.

DOUBT XV.

BƲt I have ſinned ſince my Profeſſion, and that even againſt my Knowledge and Conſcience: I have had Temptations to ſin, and I have conſidered of the Evil and Danger, and yet in the very ſobereſt deliberations, I have Reſolved to ſin. And how can ſuch a one have any true Grace: or be ſaved?

p. 466ANSWER.

1. IF you had not true Grace, God is ſtill offering it, and ready to work it. 2. Where do you finde in Scripture that none who have true Grace, do ſin knowingly or Deliberately? Perhaps you will ſay in Heb. 10.24. If we ſin willfully after the knowledge of the Truth, there Remaineth no more ſacrifice for ſin, but a fearful looking for of Judgement, and fire which ſhall devour the adverſaries. Anſ. But you muſt know that it is not every wilful ſin which is there mentioned; but, as even now I told you, Ʋnbelief is peculiarly called Sin in the New Teſtament: And the true meaning of the Text is, If we utterly renounce Chriſt by Infidelity, as not being the true Meſſiah, after we have known his Truth, then &c. Indeed, none ſin more againſt knowledge then the Godly when they do ſin: For they know more, for the moſt part, then others do. And Paſſion and Senſuality (the remnant of it which yet remaineth) will be working ſtrongly in your very Deliberations againſt ſin, and either perverting the Judgement to doubt whether it be a ſin, or whether p. 467there be any ſuch danger in it? or whether it be not a very little ſin? Or elſe blinding it, that it cannot ſee the Arguments againſt the ſin in their full vigor: Or at leaſt, prepoſſeſſing the Heart and Delight, and ſo hindring our Reaſons againſt ſin, from going down to the Heart and working on the Will, and ſo from Commanding the Actions of the Body. This may befal a godly man And moreover, God may withdraw his Grace, as he did from Peter and David in their ſin: and then our Conſiderations will work but faintly, and ſenſuality and ſinful Paſſion will work effectually. It is ſcarce Poſsible, I think, that ſuch a man as David could be ſo long about ſo horrid a ſin, and after contrive the murther of Ʋriah▪ and all this without deliberation, or any reaſonings in himſelf to the contrary.

3. The truth is, though this be to good cauſe for any Repenting ſinner to doubt of Salvation, yet it is a very grievous aggravation of ſin, to commit it againſt Knowledge and Conſcience, and upon conſideration. And therefore I adviſe all that Love their Peace or Salvation to take heed of it. For as they will finde that no ſin doth deep…ier wound the Conſcience, and plunge the ſinner into fearful perplexities; which oft times hang on him very long; ſo the oftner ſuch page missing p. 368duplicate page p. 369duplicate page p. 370duplicate page p. 371duplicate page p. 372duplicate page p. 373duplicate page p. 474Zeal and Paſſion. But let me tell you, that you may grow in theſe, and not grow in the body of your Graces. Doubtleſs Satan himſelf may do much to kindle your Zeal, if he do but ſee it voyd of ſound Knowledge, (as he did in Iames and Iohn when they would have called for Fire from Heaven, but knew not what ſpirit they were of.) For the doleful Caſe of Chriſts Churches in this age hath put quite beyond diſpute, that none do the Devils work more effectually, nor oppoſe the Kingdom of Chriſt more deſperately, then they that have the hotteſt Zeal with the weakeſt Judgements: And as Fire is moſt excellent and neceſſary in the Chimney, but in the thatch it is worſe then the vileſt dung; ſo is Zeal moſt excellent when guided by ſound Judgement; but more deſtructive then prophane ſenſuality when it is let looſe and miſguided.

On the other ſide, you may decay much in feeling and fervour of Affections, and yet Grow in Grace, if you do but grow in the Underſtanding and the Will. And indeed this is the Common Growth which Chriſtians have in their Age: Examine therefore whether you have this or no. Do you not underſtand the things of the Spirit better then you formerly did? Do you not value God, Chriſt, Glory and Grace at higher rates then p. 475formerly? Are you not more fully Reſolved to ſtick to Chriſt to the death then formerly you have been? I do not think but it would be a harder work for Satan to draw you from Chriſt to the fleſh then heretofore. When the tree hath done growing in viſible greatneſs, it groweth in rootedneſs. The fruit grows firſt in bulk and quantity, and then in mellow ſweetneſs. Are not you leſs Cenſorious, and more Peaceable then heretofore? I tell you, that is a more noble growth then a great deal of auſtere and bitter, youthful, cenſorious, dividing Zeal of many will prove. Mark moſt aged experienced Chriſtians, that walk uprightly, and you will find that they quite outſtrip the younger, 1. In experience, knowledge, prudence and foundneſs of Judgement. 2. In well-ſetled Reſolutions for Chriſt, his Truth and Cauſe. 3. In a Love of Peace, eſpecially in the Church, and a hatred of diſſentions, perverſe contendings and diviſions. If you can ſhew this growth, ſay not that you do not grow.

3. But ſuppoſe you do not grow? ſhould you therefore deny the ſincerity of your Grace? I would not perſwade any ſoul that they grow, when they do not. But if you do not, be humbled for it, and endeavour it for the future. Make it your deſire and daily buſineſs, and ſpare not. Lye not ſtill complaining, p. 476but rouſe up your ſoul, and ſee what's amiſs, and ſet upon neglected duties, and remove thoſe Corruptions that hinder your Growth: Converſe with Growing Chriſtians, and under quickening means: Endeavour the Good of other mens ſouls as well as your own: and then you'l find that growth, which will ſilence this Doubt, and do much more for you then that.

DOUBT XVII.

I Am troubled with ſuch Blaſpemous thoughts and Temptations to Ʋnbelief, even againſt God, and Chriſt, and Scripture, and the Life to come, that I doubt I have no faith.

ANSWER.

TO be Tempted is no ſign of Graceleſneſs, but to yield to the Temptation: nor every yielding neither; but to be overcome of the Temptation! Moſt Melancholy people, eſpecially that have any knowledge in Religion, are frequently haunted with Blaſphemous Temptations. I have oft wondred that the Devil ſhould have ſuch a power and advantage in the predominancy p. 477of that diſtemper. Scarce one perſon of ten, who ever was with me in deep Melancholy, either for the Cure of body or mind, but hath been haunted with theſe Blaſphemous thoughts; and that ſo impetuouſly and violently ſet on and followed, that it might appear to be from the Devil; yea even many that never ſeemed Godly, or to mind any ſuch thing before. I confeſs it hath been a ſtrengthening to my own faith, to ſee the Devil ſuch an Enemy to the Chriſtian faith, yea to the Godhead it ſelf.

But perhaps you will ſay, It is not meer Temptation from Satan that I complain of; but it takes too much with my ſinful heart: I am ready to doubt oft-times whether there be a God, or whether his Providence determine of the things here below? or whether Scripture be true, or the Soul immortal? &c.

Anſw. This is a very great ſin, and you ought to bewail and abhorr it, and in the Name of God make not light of it, but look to it betime: But yet let me tell you, that ſome degree of this Blaſphemy and Infidelity may remain with the trueſt ſaving Faith. The beſt may ſay, Lord I believe, help thou mine unbelief. But I will tell you my Judgement; When your unbelief is ſuch as to be a ſign of a Graceleſs ſoul in the ſtate of damnation: If your Doubtings of the p. 478Truth of Scripture and the Life to come, be ſo great that you will not let go the pleaſures and profits of ſin, and part with all, if God call you to it, in Hope of that Glory promiſed, and to eſcape the Judgement threatned, becauſe you look upon the things of the life to come but as uncertain things; then is your Belief no ſaving Belief; but your unbelief is prevalent. But if, for all your ſtaggerings, you ſee ſo much probabil…ty of the Truth of Scripture and the Life to come, that you are reſolved to venture (and part with, if called to it) all worldly Hopes and Happineſs for the Hope of that promiſed Glory, and to make it the chiefeſt buſineſs of your life to attain it, and do deny your ſelf the pleaſures of ſin for that end; this is a true ſaving Faith, as is evident by its Victory; notwithſtanding all the Infidelity, Atheiſm and Blaſphemy that is mixt with it.

But again, let me adviſe you to take heed of this hainous ſin, and bewail and deteſt the very leaſt degree of it. It is dangerous when the Devil ſtrikes at the very root and heart & foundation of all your religion. There is more ſinfulneſs and danger in this then in many other ſins. And therefore let it never be motioned to your ſoul without abhorrence. Two ways the Devil hath to move it. The one is by his immediate inward ſuggeſtions: theſe are bad enough. The other is by p. 479his Accurſed Inſtruments: and this is a far more dangerous way: whether it be by books, or by the words of men: And yet if it be by notorious wicked men or fools, the Temptation is the leſs: but when it is by men of cunning wit, and ſmooth tongues, and hypocritical lives (for far be that wickedneſs from me, as to call them Godly, or wiſe or honeſt) then it is the greateſt ſnare that the Devil hath to lay. O juſt and Dreadful God! did I think one day that thoſe that I was then praying with, and rejoycing with, and that went up with me to the houſe of God in familiarity, would this day be blaſphemers of thy ſacred Name? and deny the Lord that bought them? and deride thy holy word as a fable? and give up themſelves to the preſent pleaſures of ſin, becauſe they Believe not thy promiſed Glory! Righteous and Merciful God! that haſt preſerved the humble from this Condemnation! and haſt permitted only the Proud and Senſual Profeſſors to fall into it! and haſt given them over to Helliſh Converſations according to the nature of their Helliſh opinions! that they might be rather a terror to others then a ſnare! I call their Doctrine and Practice Helliſh, from its Original, becauſe it comes from the Father of Lyes: but not that there is any ſuch opinion or practice in Hell. He p. 480that tempts others to Deny the Godhead, the Chriſtian faith, the Scripture, the Life to come, doth no whit doubt of any one of them himſelf, but believes and Trembles. O fearful blindneſs of the profeſſors of Religion, that wil hear, if not receive theſe Blaſphemies from the mouth of an Apoſtate Profeſſor, which they would abhor if it came immediately from the Devil himſelf. With what ſad complaints and trembling do poor ſinners cry out (and not without Cauſe) O I am haunted with ſuch Blaſpemous temptations, that I am afraid leſt God ſhould ſuddenly deſtroy me, that ever ſuch thoughts ſhould come into my heart: But if an Inſtrument of the Devil come and plead againſt the Scripture or the Life to come, or Chriſt himſelf, they will hear him with leſs deteſtation. The Devil knows that familiarity will cauſe us to take that from a man, which we would abhor from the Devil himſelf immediately. I intend not to give you now a particular preſervative againſt each of theſe Temptations: Only let me tell you, that this is the direct way to Infidelity, Apoſtacy, and the ſin againſt the Holy Ghoſt: and if by any Seducers the Devil do overcome you herein, you are loſt for ever, and there will be no more ſacrifice for your ſin, but a fearful expectation of judgment, and that fire which ſhal devour the adverſaries of Chriſt.

p. 481DOUBT XVIII.

I Have ſo great fears of Death, and unwillingneſs to be with God, that I am afraid I have no Grace: for if I had Pauls ſpirit, I ſhould be able to ſay with him, I deſire to depart and to be with Chriſt: Whereas now no news would be to me more unwelcome.

ANSWER.

THere is a loathneſs to Dye that comes from a Deſire to do God more ſervice; and another that comes from an Apprehenſion of unreadineſs, when we would fain have more Aſſurance of Salvation firſt: or would be fitter to meet our Lord. Blame not a man to be ſomewhat backward, that knows it muſt go with him for ever in Heaven or Hell according as he is found at death. But theſe two be not ſo much a loathneſs to Dye, as a loathneſs to Dye now, at this time. 3. There is alſo in all men living, Good and bad, a natural abhorrence and fear of death. God hath put this into mans nature (even in I… nocency) to be his great means of Governing the World. No man would live in ord… p. 482or be kept in obedience, but for this. He that cares not for his own Life, is Maſter of anothers. Grace doth not root out this abhorrency of Death, no more then it unmanneth us: OnelyOnly it reſtrains it from exceſs, and ſo far overcometh the violence of the Paſsion, by the apprehenſions of a better life beyond death, that a Believer may the more quietly and willingly ſubmit to it. Paul himſelf deſireth not Death, but the Life which followeth it; He deſireth to depart, and to be with Chriſt: that is, He had rather be in Heaven then on earth, and therefore he is contented to ſubmit to the penal ſharp paſſage. God doth not command you to Deſire death it ſelf; nor forbid you fearing it as an evil to nature and a puniſhment of ſin: Only he requireth you to Deſire the Bleſſedneſs to be enjoyed after Death, and that ſo earneſtly as may make Death it ſelf the eaſier to you. Thank God, if the fear of death be ſomewhat abated in you, though it be not ſweetned. Men may pretend what they pleaſe, but nature will abhor death as long as its nature, and as long as man is man: elſe temporal death had been no puniſhment to Adam, if his Innocent nature had not abhor'd it▪ it was an evil to it. Tell me but this: If Death did not ſtand in your way to Heaven, but that you could travel to Heaven p. 483as eaſily as to London, would not you rather go thither, and be with Chriſt, then ſtay in ſin and vanity here on earth, ſo be it you were certain to be with Chriſt? If you can ſay Yea to this, then it is apparent that your loathneſs to dye is either from the uncertainty of your ſalvation, or from the natural averſeneſs to a diſſolution, or both; and not from an unwillingneſs to be with Chriſt, or a preferring the vanities of this world before the Bleſſedneſs of that to come. Laſtly, it may be God may lay that affliction on you, or uſe ſome other neceſſary means with you, yet before you dye, that may make you willinger then now you are.

DOUBT XIX.

GOd layeth upon me ſuch heavy Afflictions, that I cannot believe he Loves me: He writteth bitter things againſt me, and taketh me for his enemy: I am afflicted in my health, in my name, in my children, and neareſt friends, and in my ſtate: I live in continual poverty, or pinching diſtreſs of one kinde or other: yea my very ſoul is filled with his terorrs, and night and day is his hand heavy upon me.

p. 484ANSWER.

I Have ſaid enough to this before: Nor do I think it needful to ſay any more, when the Holy Ghoſt hath ſaid ſo much: but only to deſire you to read what he hath written in Heb. 12. and Job throughout: and Pſal. 37. and 73. and divers others. The next doubt is contrary.

DOUBT. XX.

I Read in Scripture that through many tribulations we muſt enter into heaven; and that all that will live Godly in Chriſt Jeſus muſt ſuffer perſecution: and that he that taketh not up his Croſs, and ſo followeth Chriſt, cannot be his Diſciple: and that if we are not corrected, we are baſtards, and not ſons: But I never had any Affliction from God, but have lived in conſtant proſperity to this day. Chriſt ſaith, Wo to you, when all men ſpeak well of you:: but all men for ought I know ſpeak well of me: and therefore I doubt of my ſincerity.

p. 485ANSWER.

I Would not have mentioned this Doubt, but that I was ſo fooliſh as to be troubled with it my ſelf: and perhaps ſome others may be as fooliſh as I: though I think but few in theſe times; our great friends have Done ſo much to Reſolve them more effectually then words could have done. 1. Some of thoſe Texts ſpeak onelyonly of mans duty of bearing perſecution and tribulation, when God lays it on us, rather then of the Event, that it ſhall certainly come. 2. Yet I think it ordinarily certain and to be expected as to the Event: Doubtleſs Tribulation is Gods common road to Heaven: Every ignorant perſon is ſo well ware of this, that they delude themſelves in their ſufferings, ſaying, That God hath given them their puniſhment in this life, and therefore they hope he will not puniſh them in another. If any ſoul be ſo ſilly as to fear and doubt, for want of Affliction; if none elſe will do the Cure, let them but follow my Counſel, and I dare warrant them for this, and I will adviſe them to nothing but what is honeſt, yea and neceſſary, and what I have tried effectually upon my ſelf: and I can aſſure you, it p. 486cured me, and I can give it a Probatum eſt. And firſt, ſee that you be faithful in your Duty to all ſinners within your reach; be they great or ſmall, Gentlemen or Beggars, do your duty in Reproving them meekly and lovingly, yet plainly and ſeriouſly, telling them of the danger of Gods everlaſting wrath; and when you find them obſtinate, tell the Church-Officers of them, that they may do their duty; and if yet they are unreformed, they may be excluded from the Churches Communion, and all Chriſtian familiarity. Try this courſe a while, and if you meet with no Afflictions, and get no more fiſts about your ears then your own, nor more tongues againſt you then formerly, tell me I am miſtaken. Men baſely bawk and ſhun almoſt all the diſpleaſing ungrateful work of Chriſtianity of purpoſe, leſt they ſhould have ſufferings in the fleſh, and then they doubt of their ſincerity for want of ſufferings. My ſecond Advice is, Do but ſtay a while in Patience (but prepare your Patience for a ſharper encounter) and do not tye God to your time. He hath not told you when your Afflictions ſhall come: If he deal eaſier with you then others, and give you a longer time to prepare for them, be not you offended at that, and do not quarrel with your mercies. It is about ſeventeen p. 487years ſince I was troubled with this Doubt, thinking I was no ſon, becauſe I was not afflicted; and I think I have had few days without pain for this ſixteen years ſince together, nor but few hours, if any one, for this ſix or ſeven years: And thus my ſcruple is removed.

And if yet any be troubled with this Doubt, if the Churches and Common trouble be any trouble to them, ſhall I be bold to tell them my thoughts? (onelyonly underſtand, that I pretend not to Propheſy, but to Conjecture at Effects by the poſition of their Moral Cauſes.) I think that the Righteous King of Saints is even now, for our over-admiring raſh zeal, and high profeſſion, making for England ſo heavy an Affliction and ſharp a ſcourge, to be inflicted by ſeduced, proud, ſelf-conceited Profeſſours, as neither we nor our Fathers did ever yet bear: Except it ſhould prove the merciful intent of our Father, onelyonly to ſuffer them to ripen for their own deſtruction, to be a ſtanding Monument for the effectual warning of all after-ages of the Church, Whether pride and heady Zeal may bring Profeſſors of holineſs; And when they are full ripe, to do by them as at Munſter and in New-England, that they may go no further, but their folly may be known to all: Amen. I have told you of my thoughts of this long ago in my Book of Baptiſm.

p. 488ALL theſe Doubts I have here anſwered, that you may ſee how neceſſary it is that in all your troubles you be ſure to diſtinguiſh between Matter of Doubting, and Matter of Humiliation. Alas, what ſoul is ſo holy on the Earth, but muſt daily ſay, Forgive as our treſpaſſes? and cry out with Paul, O wretched man that I am, who ſhall deliver me from this body of death? But at the ſame time we may thank God through our Lord Jeſus Chriſt. If every ſin ſhould make us Doubt, we ſhould do nothing but doubt. I know you may eaſily tell a long and a ſad ſtory of your ſins, how you are troubled with this and that, and many a diſtemper, and weak and wanting in every Grace and Duty, and have committed many ſins: But doth it follow that therefore you have no true Grace? Learn therefore to be Humbled for every ſin, but not to Doubt of your ſincerity and ſalvation for every ſin.