Spiritual Refining, Religious treatise · Section 5 · Sermon 44
SERMON XLIV.
Anſwering thoſe Carnall Objections men are apt to make againſt ſuch a change in themſelves.
GAL. 6. 15.
For in Chriſt Jeſus neither circumciſion nor uncircumciſion availeth any thing, but a new creature.
WE have already declared the nature of this New Creature, Negatively, Poſitively & Oppoſitely to thoſe old things which are paſſed away: is alſo the excellency of this New creature above all other Creatures. I ſhall now examine the weakneſſe and inſufficiency of thoſe grounds and obſtructions which mens corruptions are prone to make againſt ſuch a change in themſelves; for the wicked heart of man makes many objections againſt this new creature; and that it may not ſeem to do ſo unjuſtly, and unreaſonably, it maketh many plauſible excuſes and fair pretences: The Apoſtle James ſpeaking of a man pretending to the title and name of religion, yet oppoſite to the reality and power of it. James 1. 26. ſaith foreign, He deceiveth, he makes a falſe Syllogiſm, and ſo couſens his own ſoul. The heart of a man is a cunning Sophiſter; think not to ſay within your ſelves (ſaith John to the Jews) There are no Auditors; but when a pricking powerful truth is preſſed upon them, they have many things to ſay within themſelves for their juſtification.
Let us therefore ſee thoſe ſtrong reaſons they can produce for themſelves in this matter.
And Firſt, It is plauſibly Objected if we ſhould become thus new in all things, in animal, Object.civil, religious, and moral actions, as is urged, this would bring a neceſſity of condemnation upon all our former waies. We ſhall in effect proclaim to all the world that we were naught and rotten before; and then we muſt pull down all our former building, acknowledge we have prayed in vain, came to the aſſemblies in vain, and laſtly, it is enough to drive us into deſpair; for if once we be perſwaded that the condition we are in is damnable, and that the life we live is abominable and contrary to God, What ſhall we do? Muſt we not cry out with Cain? Our ſins are greater then we can bear.
Anſw. Thus here is a three-fold cord of abſurdity which bindes them hand and foot, although if they did judge of things after a ſpiritual, and a Scripture manner, Anſw.they would break theſe bonds aſunder as eaſily as Sampſon did his green cords.
For let us conſider them in order.
The Firſt grand abſurdity is a ſelf-condemnation, and a publick manifeſtation to all the world that thou waſt not in a good way before. Now it is unreaſonable to pretend this.
For 1. This is the very neceſſary ingredient in our converſion and turning to 1God: For in that thou art not admitted to pardon and conſolation, either God muſt be blamed, or thou muſt be blamed: ſeeing God was an adverſary to thee, and thou an enemy to him, the fault is ſomewhere, and either God muſt acknowledge (I ſpeak with reverence) that he hath done ill to threaten thee, to afflict thee, to break thee, or thou muſt confeſſe the blame lyeth upon thee. Now it would be blaſphemy to charge God ſo fooliſhly; but it is piety to charge thy ſelf heavily; and what do the words foreign, Repent, or be wiſe after the fact? but imply that thou haſt been fooliſh, and out of thy wits all the while thou livedſt in ſuch ungodly courſes; ſo foreign, admonition, which the ungodly man is with all readineſſe to receive, is as much as putting a mind, an underſtanding in a man, as if a man were a beaſt before, and when he is converted, God breaths a rational ſoul into him again, at leaſt gives a ſanctified, and right uſe of reaſon. Again the word foreign, Converſion, doth it not ſuppoſe an averſion, or a turning away from God? So that the reaſon thou bringeſt againſt this change, is moſt for it. Goliah is cut off with his own ſword: Thou pleadeſt if thou art a new Creature, thou muſt condemn all thy former life, all thy by-paſt converſation: very good reaſon; For how is it repentance elſe? How is it converſion elſe? Neither is this ſuch diſhonour, for God onelyonly cannot repent becauſe of his infinite perfection, having no ignorance in his underſtanding, or mutability in his will, which are the grounds of repentance: But as for man naturally corrupted and defiled, he is Ad nihil aliud, quam paenitentiam natus, Born, at leaſt new regenerated to do nothing but repent of his former converſation. Do not then think with thy ſelf, If I leave my old life, my former courſes, I ſhall confeſs a blame upon my ſelf. Alas, in this very thing lieth the great work of a new creature; in this particular thou art often to excerciſe thy ſelf.
2. Stick not at this to ſhame and condemn thy former life: For this is the only 2.neceſſary qualification for thy admſſion into grace. Thou muſt come with a ſacrifice of atonement if thou wilt be accepted: That is, Chriſts blood which is only ſhed for thoſe that feel themſelves loſt. If we confeſſe our ſins, is often the condition expreſſed, for the Scepter of Grace to be held out to us, Levit. 5. 5. 1 John 1. 9. And the Apoſtle Paul, If we would judge our ſelves, we ſhould not be judged of the Lord, 1 Cor. 11. And David, He confeſſeth and bewaileth his folly, that God may be juſtified and cleared when he is judged, Pſalm 51. God will receive a Publican, not a Phariſee. If thou giveſt glory to God, by judging thy own ways, clearing him, though he ſhould damn thee, this is the moſt compendious way to obtain grace. Plutarch ſaith, Some heathens in their ſupplications to their gods, would not carry either Gold, or Iron, or a ſtaff into the Temple with them, but lay all aſide when they went to pray, to ſignifie they did not truſt in earthly wealth or greatneſs, but Gods goodneſs and power only. And thus it ought to be in our ſpiritual ſupplications to the true God, we muſt lay aſide our own righteouſneſs, and go to Chriſt, as the menſtruous woman who had ſpent all ſhe had upon Phiſitians, yet could not be cured: Oh therefore be ſo far from fearing this duty, that rather thou wilt forwardly offer thy ſelf thereunto: ſay the way to get honour and praiſe with God, is to diſhonour my ſelf, and magnifie him. His mercy in pardoning, his grace in forgiving, will be ſo much the more admirable, by how much unworthy and vile I am in my own eyes.
3. If thou art once ſenſible of the guilt and filth of thy old waies, thou canſt not but 3.glory in that thou art changed. Paul ſaid, When he was a child, he spake as a child, but when a man, as a man. Thou wilt ſay, When I was a beaſt, I lived as a beaſt, but ſince a new creature, as a new Creature. What profit have you of thoſe things whereof yee are now aſhamed? Rom. 6. 21. Thus Paul, With what ſhame and bitterneſs doth he recall his Blaſphemies, and perſecutions? 1 Tim. 1. 13. If therefore God hath once made thee aſhamed of thy old waies, thou wilt not fear to acknowledge all thy former life was out of the way: Thou wilt remember the daies of old and be troubled: See how are Job and David affected with the ſins of their youth; yea godly men are ſo far from fear of condemning themſelves from former ſins, that when their ſins have been ſcandalous to the Church of God, they have acknowledged, and bewailed them in the publick aſſemblies: And this was that publick confeſſion of ſin and penance, which afterwards by popiſh Doctrines was ſo corrupted. If any of the Church had been overtaken by a foul ſin, they had no peace in their hearts till they had thrown themſelves down in the publick aſſemblies, crying out with him, Calcate me inſipidum ſalem, Tread upon me as unſavory ſalt; No leſs wouldeſt thou do, if the glory of God, and the edification of the Church did require it for thy own ſinful waies. Know therefore, that this excuſing thy ſelf, is but ſo much accuſing of thee with God. Thou art afraid to be thought a new man, that thou haſt done amiſſe heretofore: Oh if thou wert truly wrought upon, all the world could not make thee keep in thoſe accuſations and indictments which thou makeſt againſt thy ſelf daily at Gods tribunal.
4. A new creature ſticks not at this ſelf-condemnation, becauſe thoſe former wayes 4.repented of, are uſed as an advantage by him to ſet up the praiſe and glory of God in ſhewing mercy to him. Thus Paul, he is often willing to make mention of all former impieties, that ſo the grace of God may be made the more illuſtrious; and this is one reaſon why you have the ſins of the Godly recorded in the Scripture to all eternity as it were. Noahs drunkenneſſe, Moſes his unbelief, Aarons baſe compliance in Idolatry, Davids Adultery and Murther, Peters Abjuration of Chriſt, not to defame them, but to have perpetual monuments of Gods grace & goodneſs to them. Thus the Apoſtle when he would ſtir up the Epheſians and others to thankfulneſſe, and to admire the riches of Gods grace to them, he puts them in minde of their former converſation what they were once, Epheſ. 2. and this they did not take ill, as a matter of upbraiding of them, but as a whetſtone to ſharpen their thankfulneſſe. Why then ſhouldſt thou be afraid to confeſſe thy ſelf once out of the way? ſeeing this will make for Gods grace, which left the ninety nine ſheep, and fetched thee home upon its ſhoulders who was gone aſtray.
A ſecond Scarcrow that men pretend againſt this new creature is, That hereby they Object.muſt begin all anew, and pull down that whole building of religion which they thought was good and ſure.
To Anſwer this, conſider it is no new thing for many men to be ſuch fooliſh Anſ. 1maſter builders in matters of religion, as that all muſt be taken down again; there is nothing more ordinary then to have ſome crack in the foundations: our Saviour doth fully clear this, when he ſpeaks of one who built upon the ſand, the winds blew, and tempeſts aroſe, and then the fall of that houſe was great, Mat. 7. 26. Thus alſo the Apoſtle chargeth the Galatians, Have ye ſuffered ſo many things in vain, Gal. 2. So that it is very ordinary for a people to go on many years in a rode of religion; and in the practice of holy duties, yet they do all theſe things in vain: All muſt be undone and a better foundation laid. If thou haſt built hay and ſtuble, the fire will conſume it all at laſt: Do not therefore do in thy ſpiritual condition, as bankrupts uſe to do in their temporal, never care to look to their accounts, afraid to conſider of their debts, but ſtill hope to rub it out, till at laſt all be too late: So many a man hath inwards thoughts and fears that his eſtate is not right, that this will never hold when he comes to account, but he is unwilling to dwel in his thoughts upon theſe things.
2. As this is ordinary, ſo we have plain inſtances in Scripture of men accuſtomed 2.a long time in the way of religious duties, yet this hath been earneſtly urged to them to become New: Nicodemus a teacher in Iſrael, and ſo of long ſtanding, and acquainted with the Scripture, in prayer often, yet unleſſe he be born again, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of heaven, John 3. And thus all thoſe Jews that were converted by John Baptiſt, by Chriſt and the Apoſtles Miniſtry, they were all diligent in that outward worſhip of God he had commanded, but by their preaching they ſaw a neceſſity of being born again: And this is the moſt happy, and neceſſary leſſon thou canſt learn, to ſee thou muſt pray anew, hear anew, make an univerſal change in thy life.
3. Thou art the rather to make the more diligent enquiry here, becauſe of all 3.vanities that is the ſoareſt which is in religion. If it be found that thou haſt thus many years come to Church in vain, not laid good foundations, and right principles, this is the moſt dangerous vanity of all: for to take pains in vain about temporall things, is but an outward momentary loſs; but to pray in vain, to hear in vain, is a ſpiritual and eternal loſs: Its an happineſs for a traveller to know betimes that he is out of the way; but if he ſhould travel the whole day in unſeaſonable ſharp weather, and dangerous rodes, and then at night be told he is clear out of the way, What ſad tydings would it be to him? And thus it is here: if a man ſhould live forty or threeſcore years in many ſad exerciſes, and outward miſeries, and when he comes to dye be truly told, Oh ſir, you are quite out of the way to heaven, you have been travelling to hell this many years: How muſt he cry out, Oh why did not I think of this before? Why did I not know it before?
4. Let not the conſideration of loſing all that is paſt ſo much deject thee, as to 4.quicken thee up to be the more diligent for the future: As the Travaller goeth the faſter when he knoweth he hath been out of the way; thus the Apoſtle, redeem the time, Epheſ. 3. Thou muſt make up all thy former loſt duties, by future fervency, diligence, and fruitfulneſs: ſay, Oh Lord, it troubles me that I loved thee ſo late, that it was ſo late e're I could do any duty after a ſpiritual godly manner; but now I ſhall preſs forward after the mark, I will labour to do much in a little time: Oh then think, If all my former time hath been loſt, I have the greater cauſe to be up and to be doing.
And as for the Third pretended abſurdity, That to queſtion our former condition, Object.or to ſuppoſe it naught, would plunge us into despair: to that there are ſeveral Anſwers.
1. It argueth ignorance of the breadth, and depth of Original corruption to Anſw.argue ſo: Thou forgetteſt in what ſtate thou art born, and how unclean thou art by natural propagation; otherwiſe if this were acknowledged, thou wouldſt eaſily ſee that there is a neceſſity of being born again: What, thou wert not born with the image of God upon thy ſoul, Thou wert not born a Childe of Grace, but of wrath: As this corruptible body muſt put on incorruption, e're it can be made glorious, ſo this defiled ſoul muſt put on purity e're it can be made happy in heaven. So that there is a neceſſity upon thee to conclude, That thou art wholly in ſin, and ſhut up under wrath; thou muſt ſee thou art undon: And from hence it is that men deſire not more this New Creature: they think their old life will ſerve. They perceive not the Ruines that are on their ſouls, and by this means reſt contented, though in an undone eſtate.
2. Thou who art afraid of despairing, if all be found naught in thee, conſider that 2.it is neceſſary thou ſhouldſt despair and have no hope or ſtay in thy ſelf, or any thing thou doſt. For thoſe loaden and burthened ones, who are invited to come to Chriſt, Mat. 11. can find no reſt or eaſe in themſelves till they come to him: Inſomuch that none are further off from grace and mercy, then thoſe who juſtifie themſelves, as the Phariſees did. It is true, through the ſenſe of ſin to deſpair of the grace of Chriſt offered, and to neglect that ſalvation, is a crimſon ſin, and immediately oppoſite to the Goſpel; but to deſpair of our ſelves, and to have no hope in what we do, is a neceſſary qualification, and hereby we give glory to God; and therefore if we did deſpair more in our ſelves, our condition would be leſſe deſperate: And this is the condemnation of men, that they preſume in the mercy of God, and bleſſe themſelves in their hearts, when yet there is but a ſtep between them and hell.
3. It is better deſpairing here with hopes, then despairing here after without any the 3.leaſt ground of comfort. We had better know the worſt here, while it may be prevented, then hereafter, when it will be in vain, Would not every one damned in hell be a New Creature upon any terms, whatſoever it coſt him, if it were poſſible? But we are fooliſh, like ſome fooliſh, infirm, and wounded perſon, who will not diſcover his wounds, nor make known his grief till it be too late: Lay it therefore home upon thy heart, and ſay, If I am afraid of the ſight of ſin here, What ſhall I do with it hereafter? If a ſpark be thus heavy and ſcorching, What will the whole flames be? Oh, but men are never wiſe till it be too late. Dives when he is in hell, then his eyes are opened, and he bewaileth his condition. Be aſſured of this, that God hath unchangeably decreed, thy ſins ſhall be bitter to thee here, or hereafter. The word is gone out of his mouth, and it cannot be recalled: thou ſhalt either glorifie him by a voluntary confeſſion, or by an extorted and conſtrained one hereafter: Therefore do not feed thy ſelf with vain hopes, as if thou ſhouldſt never find ſin with a ſting: no, at laſt it will bite like an Adder, and ſting like a Scorpion, if it do not in this life.
And laſtly remember, That trouble and pain which may be for a while in the pangs of this New creature, will be abundantly recompenſed with the after joy and quietneſſe 4.thou wilt have. Rejoyce in the Lord, ye upright in heart, and the Godly rejoyce with joy unſpeakable, and full of glory, 1 Pet. 1. 8. Thou canſt not imagine what ſweet peace, and comfort of heart it will bring to thee, to think that once indeed thou waſt captivated to ſuch and ſuch ſins, but now thou haſt broken thoſe ſnares. Paul once a bitter adverſary to the wayes of God, How much doth he rejoyce in the change made upon him? How often doth this New Creature cry out with gladneſs and thanks-giving, he would not for a world be as once he was? If he might have all the glory on earth, he would not live as he hath lived: And thus we have diſpelled that objection, grounded upon a three-fold abſurdity.
A Fourth Objection, or Obſtruction againſt this New Creature, Is the ſtrictneſs and ſingular exactneſs of it. Not onelyonly groſs ſins to be caſt away, but even all lawful affections to be moderated, and dieted: They muſt not do as the world, not live as the world: this is to put themſelves into a miſery, as he ſaid, Qui medicè vivit, miſere vivit, becauſe he muſt be ſo temperate, and abſtemious in thoſe things to which his appetite carrieth him. Now this cavill is wholly unreaſonable: for
Firſt, Thy very Chriſtianity, and the profeſſion of it, carrieth thee not to do as men of the world doth. So that thou muſt either lay aſide thy chriſtianity, or elſe be 1.exact in thy life, and ſingular to the manners of the world. The Church of God is compared to a woman clothed with the Sun, and the moon under her feet, Revel. 12. 7. Doth not the Apoſtle exhort us, Not to be faſhioned unto the world, Rom. 12. 1. We are not to have their faſhion upon us: And why are we called a Church, but becauſe we are called out of the world, and ſo have not our converſation according to the principles thereof? And the Apoſtle James calls it Pure religion, and undefiled, to keep our ſelves unſpotted from the World, James 1. 17. If therefore drunkenneſſe, luſts, pride, earthlineſſe, immoderate affections to theſe things below, be things of the world, thou art no more to conform to them, then light to darkneſs; and howſoever the world accounts thoſe men of the beſt faſhion, who are rich, great, and honoured, yet the Scripture ſaith, they are of the beſt faſhion, who are not faſhioned to the manners of the world: by this argument thou ſhouldeſt ſtill lie in thy Paganiſme, and Heatheniſme; For why ſhouldſt thou come out of the world in reſpect of thy faith, and not alſo in reſpect of thy life? Thou wouldeſt have a better faith then infidels, Why not alſo a better life? Anſwer that, if thou canſt, God hath not only called us to imbrace his Doctrine, but unto holineſs.
2. Thou complainest this is an exact ſtrict way, full of difficulties: Is it not true this of every good thing? Is there any good thing either natural or moral to be obtained 2.without much labour? ſo that the difficulty makes for the excellency of it: Strive to enter in at the ſtraight Gate, Luke 13. 14. For the way to deſtruction is a broadway. You cannot get ſo much as the bread and food of your bodie without the ſweat of your brows: and think you to get the ſalvation of your ſouls ſo eaſily: Learning cannot be obtained without great pains and ſtudy: Sudavit & alſit, ſaith he: If therefore this new creature be ſo difficult and rare, ſo hardly to be obtained, then thou haſt the greater reaſon to preſſe the more about it. Thou art to fear the way thou walkeſt in is too broad a way: Thou muſt be a Jacob wreſtling, before thou canſt be an Iſrael prevailing: You muſt run in a race, e're you can obtain a Crown: and indeed that Crown of glory is ſo rich and glorious, that theſe are but ſiliquae laboris, as Auſtin called them, the husks of labour in reſpect of that Manna hereafter.
3. Thou complaineſt of labour and paines, if thou doſt obſerve it, every man takes 3.more pains to go to hell. A ſervant to ſin is a far greater ſlave and drudge, then a ſervant to righteouſneſs. Take the Adulterer, How doth he watch for the twilight? How full of fears and hopes to accompliſh his luſts: Take the Ambitious man, How doth he break his ſleep, toil his mind, and conſumeth himſelf to accompliſh his deſigne? Take the covetous earthly man. How is his ſoul pierced through with many cares? And how doth he drown himſelf in thoughts and fears about his eſtate? So that thy ſervice in the wayes of Godlineſs would be far more comfortable, quiet, and profitable, then thoſe of ſin and Satan. It is a known ſtory of Pambo, who ſeeing a ſtrumpet taking pains about the dreſſing her ſelf to pleaſe her Mate, cryed out and ſaid, He could not take as much pains to pleaſe God; and this will appear true; men take more pains, are more turmoiled in going to hell, then they may be in going to heaven.
The laſt impediment I ſhall inſiſt upon is, The reproach, contempt, and perſecution Object.that doth follow this new creature, even as ſharp pricks attend the ſweet roſes. Now to Anſwer this.
1. Our Saviour ſaith, Bleſſed is he that is not offended at me, Mat. 11. 6. The very Anſw.Doctrine of Chriſt, and the Chriſtian faith is ſubject to all manner of ſlanders to the enemies thereof: Yet for all that thou art not aſhamed of the Goſpel, or the Proteſtant religion: To believe in a crucified God, What matter of reproach was it? What names were given Chriſtians by way of contempt? And if the faith of Chriſt be ſubject to perſecution, yet thou dareſt not Apoſtatize from that, Why then from the power of Godlineſſe, though ſubject to troubles? How often doth the Scripture forwarn us in this reſpect? That we are not to think the fiery try all ſtrange, 1 Pet. 4. 12. And we are to know that we are appointed to all afflictions and troubles in this world, 1 Theſ. 3. 3. This demonſtrateth the excellency of a New Creature: For if it were of the world, the world would love it as his own, John 15. 19.
2. Theſe troubles and perſecutions are not a miſery, if rightly apprehended, but 2.are a bleſſing. Bleſſed are ye when men ſpeak all manner of evil againſt you for my names ſake, Mat. 5. 10, 11. And thus the Apoſtles when they were perſecuted, went away rejoycing that they were accounted worthy to ſuffer any thing for Chriſts ſake: they are ſeveral waies a bleſſing; for firſt, The more they are affl…cted, the more of Gods Grace and ſupport is vouchſafed unto them. The ſpirit of Glory reſts on them, 1 Pet. 4 14. If they be upon Mount Calvary, they ſhall alſo be upon the Mount of Transfiguration. Nihil crus ſentit in ligno quando animus eſt in Coelo, ſaid Tertullian. Again they are a bleſſing, for they have a bleſſed operation. This fire is more precious then that which tryeth Gold: this is the file to get off the ruſt: the winnowing to blow away their chaff: And laſtly, they are a bleſſing in the event, for they work an everlaſting weight of glory, ſo that theſe troubles ſhould not be diſcouragements to thee.
Uſe of Exhortation, Not to hearken to any of thoſe cavils, or prejudices thy heart Uſe.may be filled full with, againſt this New Creature. Say, It is no longer diſputing: ſhall I become a New creature? Is it wiſdome to change my former life? But follow the Scripture, and do as that directs thee. Oh if there were nothing but the peace and joy that accompanieth this life, that were enough to ſet thy heart on edge after it. It will be no grief of heart to thee to think of thy prayers often, thy frequent exerciſes of grace. To dye a new Creature, is the putting of thee into a poſſeſſion of eternall glory: But who hath believed our report? who begins to feel in himſelf hungrings and thirſtings after this eſtate? who ſaith, I will return to God from whom by ſinne I have wandred, for ſo it will be better with me than in all my ſins? Alas, It's this new creature onelyonly which hath the promiſe of this life, and of that to come.