Spiritual Refining, Religious treatise · Section 1 · Sermon 3
SERMON III.
Reſolving, Whether Hypocrites may not attain to ſome meaſure of practical Knowledge in matters of Religion?
2 COR. 13. 5.
Examine your own ſelves, prove your own ſelves, &c.
I Shall abſolve this Doctrine, in handling of one practical Queſtion, and that is, Whether Hypocrites may not attain to ſome meaſure of practical Knowledge in matters of Religion? Is that ignis, which in the godly is Calidus & lucidus, in hypocrites Lucidus tantúm? Can unregenerate men go no further then to meer knowledge and illumination? may not this oil poured upon their heads fall down upon the will and affections alſo? As they have imperfect knowledge, ſo may they not have inchoate affections about good things? and if they may, wherein ſhall we be able to give ſound differences, or exact bounds and limits between the practical knowledge in the one and the other? This is a point of univerſal uſefulneſs; And for the opening of this, conſider there are three general ſorts of men who go under the name and title of Chriſtians, all pretending a right and intereſt to all the priviledges of the Covenant of Grace,
The firſt is of thoſe who have only the Name and outward Ordinances of the Three ſorts of men go under the name of Chriſtians. 1.Chriſtian Religion, but have not the leaſt influence or power from it, In works they deny him. Theſe are like ſome Apothecary boxes that may have the inſcription of ſome cordial, but within is deadly poiſon; They are in names Chriſtians, in actions Heathens; and the Prophet called the Rulers of the Jews for their wickedneſs, though circumciſed, Princes of Sodom and Gomorrah. Theſe are (as a Father ſaid) Sine Chriſto Christiani, yea contra Chriſtum, Chriſtians without Chriſt, yea againſt Chriſt. Howſoever in ſome reſpects they may be ſaid to be better then Heathens, in which ſenſe Arnobius ſaid, Melior invenietur judicio Chriſtianus fornicator, quàm caſtiſſimus idololatra. A Chriſtian even in fornication is better then a moſt chaſt idolater; yet in other reſpects he is far worſe: ſuch as theſe are have no real and ſaving benefit by Chriſt, for Non actibus, ſed finibus penſantur officia; They being like dead corpſes, that have ſweet fragrant flowers ſtrewed upon them, but yet are not in the leaſt degree made more ſavoury by them; and certainly it is an aggravation of the wickedneſs of ſuch, that when moral Philoſophy, and the principles of reaſon have been able to cure the outſide ungodlineſs of many men; The truths of Chriſtianity, which have a power to regenerate, and to work a new nature, ſhould not ſo much as change the skinne of men. Yet if we caſt our eye upon the greateſt number of thoſe who yet are baptized into the name of Chriſt, ſhall we not finde them in the rank of thoſe, who have only a name in Chriſtianity, and nothing elſe, who derive not the leaſt efficacy or power from Chriſt, but are as a dead hand, or a withered branch, whoſe lives are a continual blaſphemy to the Goſpel of Chriſt?
2. Another ſort is of thoſe, who beſides the name, have alſo ſome influence 2.and operations of the Spirit of God upon them, and many of them are in ſuch a way as an embryo to a childe, only they prove abortive, Matth. 13. The ſecond and third kinde of hearers were in this number; Divines as they attribute to the former ſort a meer hiſtorical faith, ſuch as the devils have, though it may be thought they have no faith at all in any reſpect or notion, unleſſe it be an humane aſſent; ſo they give to theſe later a temporary faith, which they make to differ from hiſtorical thus, becauſe it is carried with ſome kinde of affections, both in revelantem, the perſon revealing it, who is God, and in rem revelatam, the matter revealed, whereas hiſtorical faith is without any affections at all; now although theſe who are in this condition, be in reſpect of their eſtate carnal and unregenerate, yet they differ from the former, as much as copper from dung, and howſoever comparatively to the godly, they are but counterfeit and falſe, yet they are as pearls and ſtarres reſpectively to prophane men, for theſe have a practical experience of ſome power of divine truths upon them (and howſoever the Spirit of Chriſt doth not dwell in them, becauſe they are not members of the body of Chriſt, and as the ſoul of a man works not as a form to any part that is not united to the body; ſo neither doth the Spirit of Chriſt operate ſavingly, but to the body of Chriſt) yet the Spirit of God works as an outward efficient cauſe breathing upon them. The Spirit of God works not in them, Ut in domicilio, but ut in organo, an inſtrument, which he uſeth for the good of the Church; Now in this ſort there is a great latitude, ſome having a greater meaſure of theſe workings then others, as the third kinde of ground went beyond the ſecond.
A third ſort is of thoſe who are indeed incorporated into Chriſts body, and 3.ſo do receive vivifical influence from him, that are in him, as a living branch in the Vine, as a living member in the body, and ſo are animated by that Spirit, though with an infinite diſproportion, which Chriſt himſelf their head is; theſe are born of God, have an immortal ſeed in them, ſhall never periſh, becauſe Chriſt will not loſe any of his myſtical members; and theſe only have a proper, clear and full experimental knowledge of Chriſts ſufferings and reſurrection upon their ſoul; and theſe do differ from the former not gradually, as ſome thought, but ſpecifically; a regenerate man though the loweſt in that kinde, differeth from the hypocrite though the higheſt in his kinde, as much as the heavens, which according to ſome Philoſophers is made of a fifth eſſence, from the ſublunary bodies, and the works of Gods Spirit upon hypocrites, if increaſed never ſo high, would not come up to ſaving grace, as copper will never be gold. In the next place obſerve, That howſoever hypocrites, or temporary believers, do not attain to that which is indeed ſaving, yet great are the works of Gods Spirit upon them, and they have many experimental motions of the truths in religion wrought on them. I will chooſe out ſome material ones, to awaken you, and make you tremble, leaſt you be not in a form above them, yea happily many have not come up ſo far as they.
In the firſt place, They have an experimental knowledge of the common gifts of How far hypocrites may attain in practical experimental knowledge. 1.Gods Spirit; They feel what it is to have aſſiſtance from God in thoſe adminiſtrations. Thus Matth. 7. Have not we propheſied and caſt out devils in thy Name? They did it by the power of Chriſt, and in virtue from him; and although we told you, this was not the whole ſcope of the Apoſtle here, to prove Chriſt was in them, by the miracles and wonderful works done amongſt them, yet this was included as part: Thus Saul had another ſpirit, not in the way of ſanctification, but political adminiſtration, whereby he had an experimental knowledge of Gods power and aſſiſtance in his place. And thus many a Chriſtian may finde great aſſiſtance in duties, in parts and abilities, and may finde the power of the Lord going along with him; but this be nothing to his ſanctification. And it is to be feared that in theſe times this is the furtheſt practical experience of Gods help that moſt have; if it be not ſo, why is it that people do ſo abound in opinions, diſputations, and are ſo little in mortification and vivification, they ſprout out into ſuckers and leaves, not into fruit; and we ſee in the Corinthians, that naturally men are more prone to deſire the gifts of Gods Spirit, which are for publick adminiſtration, more then the graces of ſanctification. But (alas) to be a good preacher, a good diſputant, to be able to make good enlarged prayers, do argue only Spiritum moventem, not inhabitantem, the Spirit of God breathing on thee, not dwelling in thee; neither doth God beſtow this on thee for any love to thy ſoul, but becauſe of his Church, as nurſes to Princes children feed on delicate fare, not for their own ſake, but for the childrens ſake to whom they give milk: Hence it is that they preach that Goſpel, that faith, that Chriſt to others, which they do not partake off, and ſo are like thoſe poſts in high-wayes, with hands on them, directing to ſuch or ſuch a way, but they never ſtirre out of the place they are in: Oh therefore that the Miniſters of God could become ſons of thunder in this matter, you have had experience of God inabling, inlarging, increaſing the common gifts of his Spirit, but what have you felt of Gods renewing, ſanctifying and healing of your luſts?
Secondly, They may have ſome practical experience of the bitterneſſe of ſinne, and 2.the terrors that come by it. We may not think that the terrours upon Cain and Judas, were by a meer natural light of conſcience, for ſuch could quickly be diſtinguiſhed, but there was alſo the Spirit of God convincing and ſetting ſinne home upon the conſcience, Hence Rom. 8. the Spirit of God is called, The Spirit of bondage and fear, becauſe it works ſuch fear and trouble in the heart of a ſinner, not the ſinfulneſs of them, but the troubleſom motions and ſtirrings of them in our ſouls: Thus we may not ſay, that thoſe humiliations of Ahab and the Iſraelites, when they cried out to God becauſe of their ſins, were by the meer power of their natural free-will, but by the common work of the Spirit of God; and thus thoſe many gripes and wounds of heart, which are inflicted upon many in the preaching of the Word, whereby the memory of their ſins is like wormwood and gall to them, floweth from the Spirit of God; whatſoever is wrought inſtrumentally by the Word, is efficiently from Gods Spirit; and this experience confirmeth that many men who yet are not made new creatures, have an hell ſometimes in their hearts, their conſciences can tell that it is a bitter thing to ſinne againſt God. Yea becauſe the time hath been, when they have had ſuch wounds and blows, they therefore conclude, that they were in the new birth, and although they brought forth nothing but winde in all that pain, yet they rejoyce as if a man-childe, a new creature were born. It may not therefore be denied, but even one who is a wilde olive, and not yet implanted in Chriſt, may have the inward feeling of Gods diſpleaſure for ſinne, may be able to tell you the time hath been they could not eat, or drink, or ſleep, but cryed out, Oh their ſins, ſins, ſins; but yet do not demonſtrate Chriſt dwelling in them.
Thirdly, They may have practical experience of deſires and longing affections after things that are good. They having ſudden and confuſed apprehenſions of the goodneſs of ſpiritual things, may have ſome ſuch general affections and deſires after them; In ſuch a temper they cry out, Joh. 6. 34. Lord give us evermore this bread; Chriſt told them, He was the manna and bread of life, and ſpeaks of the benefits that come to ſuch who eat and feed on him, it is bread not only that nouriſheth, but giveth life (which no other bread doth) Hereupon in a confuſed manner with ſome good affections, they cry, Give us evermore this bread; They were like Peter in a transfiguration, not knowing what they ſaid; Thus Balaam he is in ſuch a transfiguration, for he foreſeeing the happineſs of the people of God, Wiſhes to die the death of the righteous; yea is affected with the ſpiritual Ordinances and worſhip of God among them, How beautifull are thy tabernacles, O Iſrael? (ſaith he) in thoſe ſudden flaſhes upon him; How often are people deluded in this, becauſe in ſome fits they have good affections and deſires.
Fourthly, They have a practical experience of ſome ſweetneſſe and joy in the Ordinances 4.of God, and ſome aſſurance of Gods favour flowing thencefrom. Thus Matth. 13. They received the word with joy; and Johns hearers were ſaid for a while to rejoyce in his light; Ezckiel was to his hearers, As a pleaſant Song; And Hebr. 6. Thoſe, who had not things accompanying ſalvation, are ſaid, To taſte of the word of God; They did taſte it as Jonathan did a little honey, but had not the full of it. Whereas the people of God are ſaid to eat his fleſh, and drink his bloud, yea rivers of living water are ſaid to flow out of their belly; and from theſe experimental taſtings ariſe ſome confidence of their condition, which is declared in the fooliſh virgins, who with much boldneſs, and without any ſuſpition of their want of oil, Go out to meet the Bridegroom; Now this is thought a great matter, if ſo be their hearts have been at any time ſweetned and mollified in the Ordinances of God.
Fifthly, They have ſuch an experimental working, as that it hath influence upon 5.their lives and converſations, it makes ſome alteration and change there. 2 Pet. 2. 10. Thoſe Apoſtates who returned to their own vomit, and ſo never had true grace, are ſaid to eſcape the pollutions of the world, through the knowledge of Chriſt, and therefore they are called Virgins, Matth. 25. though fooliſh ones, becauſe they were kept from the prophaneneſs of others; Now, a man would think this were all in all, what would you have more? Thoſe that ſtole ſteal no more, thoſe that were drunk are ſo no more, thoſe that were filthy are ſo no more; but yet as the Swine are Swine for their natures, though waſhed from their mire; thus are they unregenerate and filthy ſtill, though outwardly cleanſed: By theſe inſtances you ſee, that even men who are not in the faith after a ſanctifying and ſaving manner, may yet have many ſeeming works of grace on their ſoul.
But yet there is a difference many waies, I ſhall but briefly and generally The difference between the experimental knowledge of the unſound Chriſtian and the regenerate. 1.touch at the differences, becauſe they will come in more properly in the counterfeits.
In the firſt place, There is a difference in the very nature of them. That which is in the godly differs from that in the moſt refined hypocrite, as much as gold from droſſe, or true pearls from counterfeits; Hence Matth. 13. the fourth ground, or kinde of hearers, are only ſaid to have an honeſt and good heart. So that the ſoil of one ground differs eſſentially from the other, and this may be abundantly cleared, in that the promiſes of Juſtification and eternal life are not made to any kinde of faith that an hypocrite hath, but they are made to the faith of a godly man, though it be in the leaſt degree; ſo that a little infant in true grace, may by the hand of faith receive Chriſt, when a Gyant-like hypocrite, cannot take him: but more of this in time.
A ſecond difference is in clearneſſe and evidence; That which they do know 2.about the things of God is in a more confuſed manner, becauſe that light in them is but by way of flaſh, and a ſudden enlightning, not as permanent and abiding light in them; a little ſip or taſte of heavenly things cannot inable a man exactly to comprehend the excellency and worth of them. Therefore they ſee theſe things, as the man not perfectly cured of his blindeneſs, That ſaw men walking by like trees. It is true, the holieſt that are do but ſee in part; and David prayeth, That his eyes may be opened to ſee the wonderfull things in Gods law. Thus Paul alſo prayeth for the Epheſians, who yet were light in the Lord, that their eyes might be opened, and they have the ſpirit of wiſdom and revelation: but yet is not like the purblinde hypocrite, who doth by a queſtion rather judge of godly things, then any way elſe.
A third difference is in the operation, for the experience of the godly inclineth 3.them ſpiritually, makes them more holy, carrieth them out of themſelves, whereas all that is done upon the unſound Chriſtian ends in carnal effects, it makes him puffed up, vainly confident in himſelf. Thus the Phariſees, though they did abound in the duties of the Law, yet their greateſt corruptions did run out there. Hence a Phariſee praying, a Phariſee giving alms, was a Phariſee in all the power of his corruption. John 3. He that is not born of the Spirit, is fleſh; and this fleſh doth extend not only to his ſins and corruptions, but alſo to his duties; Therefore obſerve whether the duties that for the matter of them be ſpiritual, are alſo ſpiritual in the effect, that they leave thee more humble, outed of thy ſelf, more depending upon Chriſt and his grace, more mortified to the world, and the temptations thereof. It may fall out that a mans religious duties be the ſtage upon which all a mans luſts do eminently act, as the Phariſees who did all things to be ſeen of men.
We might be larger in giving you ſymptomatical differences, but becauſe they will fall in upon the ſeveral particulars, or in the next Doctrine about the ſigns Uſe.and characters of grace, I forbear, concluding with a Uſe of Exhortation, not to be too credulous and facile in believing our ſelves to be good and right. Wofull may the coſenings and ſupplantations of thy own heart be. What may you not be? What may you not do, and yet be unſound? Oh how burdenſome will it be when men ſhall ſay, Lord, Have we not been enlarged in thy ſervice? Lord, Have we not mourned in thy preſence? Have we not rejoyced in the good Word that hath been preached to us? and yet God to return this, Inaſmuch as you did it not upon ſound and ſincere grounds, you did it not to me, Depart ye workers of iniquity. Draw off all your thoughts, diſputes, meditations from other points, and mind this one neceſſary thing. Thou diſputeſt, Whether there be a true Church, a true Miniſtery, true Ordinances, Oh conſider, Whether there be true grace in thy heart. The Phariſees kept the feaſt of purifications, or cleanſing of the Temple, but were foul and unclean in their own ſouls. As God declared his inviſible Attributes of wiſdom, power and goodneſs by the viſible works he did in the Creation of the world, ſo do thou manifeſt that ſecret and hidden efficacy of Chriſt in thee, by a powerfull and vigorous life of godlineſs; Theſe are miracles that will confirm thee to come from God. Good is that of Auſtin, when pride tickleth thee and would puff thee up, ſay, Ovem te putas, hircum fortè novit te Deus, Thou thinkeſt thy ſelf a ſheep, but it may be God knoweth thee to be a goat; and again, when deſpair and unbelief aſſaults thee, ſay, Hircum te putas, ovem te fortè Deus novit. Thou thinkeſt thy ſelf a Goat, but God knoweth thee to be a ſheep it may be. Not as if we perſwaded you to doubting, or commended uncertainty, as the Papiſts do, but an holy fear and trembling to make our calling and election ſure, which the Apoſtle Peter doth.