Sacred Therapy, Book 2 · Chapter 25
CHAP. XXV.
Wherein is solved the doubt of the true converts conversion, arising from his breach of the covenant of Grace, as he conceiveth.
THere are some sincere converts, who, albeit they do not doubt but penitents, flying to Christ, are received in favour with God, are justified from their sins, and do obtain right unto all the priviledges of the Saints; yet, they doubt whether every sincere convert shall remain in the covenant of Grace, if possibly they have so far abused grace, as to defile themselves again with the pollutions which they seemed to repent of before. And this erroneous opinion of the instability of the covenant of grace, they do apply to themselves; for, when they have found by experience, the power of sin, as it were not only rageing, but in appearance reigning in them, as the conscience of their relapsing in their old sins beareth witnesse. And when they know their nature so corrupt and ready to sin yet more, they doubt if this condition can stand with being in the covenant of Grace; and whatsoever they have found of their being in this covenant, they now fear that they be fallen from grace, because they have, as they conceive, broken the covenant of Grace on their part, therefore they apprehend also, that God in justice, being provoked ofttimes by them, hath now at last dissolved the covenant of Grace on his part: for (say they) it is no reason that God should be tyed unto them in covenant, who so many wayes have violated that covenant; but as Adam, by sinning, excluded himself from all benefit of the covenant of Works, So is it reason, that every one who have violated the covenant of Grace as I have done, should be excluded from the covenant of Grace. And here the afflicted doth stand as a miserable man, uncertain what to do: in which condition, horrible temptations and heavy suspicions of their state do arise, namely, that they are in the condition and case wherein Esau was, who when he had sold his birth-right for a messe of pottage, found no place for repentance, albeit he sought the blessing with tears. Now what torment may be in the conscience of the afflicted in this case, it is easie (for them who at any time have felt the wrath of God) to conjecture. And this doubt doth vex the man most, who is conscious of his often abuse of the grace of God: for, what shall I do, saith he? shall I defile my self and go and wash, and again defile my self and go and wash, and by this means augment my own guiltinesse from day to day? what is, if this be not, to abuse the grace of God?
2. That this evil may be removed, we must confesse that there are many, who after some remorse for some sins, raised by a natural and unrenewed conscience, do weep now and then (as Saul did for his injust persecution of David) and do think, that by their tears they have washen away their sin, and attained to some sort of quietnesse in their conscience for a time, who yet do not cease from their wickednesse, but remain in their natural state strangers from God and Christ. We must also acknowledge, that some of the regenerat in their carnal security, falling back in their old sins, ordinarily are sharply chastised by God; and indeed no wonder is, that such as have once attained to peace with God, do meet with broken bones, after they have abused the grace of God, in giving way to their sinfull lusts, which was the case of David, Ps. 51.
3. As for those who fall in open grosse scandalous sins which defile the whole man, soul and body both, it is safest for them (whether they were before that time converted or not) to let alone long disputation, whether they were regenerat or not before their fearfull fall, and to stir up themselves to a deep search of the wickednesse of their nature, that they may be humbled before God, and in the sense of their in-born sin and grosse actual out-breakings, flye unto Christ for pardon and grace to bring forth better fruits then they have done.
4. As for these who have not fallen in grievous open transgressions, but in their wrestling against sin, not obtaining the victory they would, or hoped to have, do find themselves polluted in their spirits, and put to the worse in their conflict against their sinfull lusts and passions, and that very frequently; and thereupon they apprehend, that either they were never in the state of grace, or if they were in it, that they have abused and broken the covenant of grace; To these we answer, that every transgression of the commands, albeit it be a violation of the covenant of works, yet is not a dissolution of the covenant of grace: for, it is one thing to fail in a duty, which the covenanted party should have done; another thing to break or dissolve the covenant of grace; for, it is provided in the covenant of grace as a special article, that God will forgive the sin of his confederat people, when they confesse their faults, and sue for pardon according to the promise of mercy to the covenanted, Ier. 31, 32: and lest any humble sinner should be discouraged and not receive this solution of his doubt, let him consider the words of the Apostle, Gal. 6. 1. expresly set down for their comfort, who, having resolved to live holily, justly and temperatly, are overtaken in an offence, and are not purposed to abuse mercy, or turn the grace of God into lasciviousnesse; and, 1 Iob. 2. 1. These things I write unto you (to wit, believers in Christ, carefull to live holily) that ye sin not; but if any man sin, we have an advocat with the father, Iesus Christ the just one. And this article of the covenant, for granting daily remission according to the necessity of the Saints, maketh the covenant of grace perpetual, and to be daily made use of, as we are directed in the Lords prayer. And in this doth the covenant of grace differ from the covenant of works, which by any one sin is so violat, as the curse doth follow, till the sinner run in to the covenant of grace in Jesus Christ: And by this doctrine a door is not opened unto sinning, but the door only is closed to keep in the true convert from desperation, and running away from Christ, and to help him out of the mire of discouragement wherein he is fallen, lest he sink in it and despair. Neither is the study of holinesse hindered by this way, or the diligence of the convert slakened in the duties of new obedience and pleasing of God, but only servile fear in the maner of serving God, is taken away, and the obligation of love to God (who is found to be so mercifull) is more strictly tyed upon us: which love (as it is augmented daily by new confirmations of faith, and fresh experiences of his grace to us) doth cast out servile fear, as the Apostle teacheth, 1 Ioh. 4. 18.
As for the afflicted convert, his fear that he be like Saul, who though he felt remorse and shame, when all the beholders in his army saw him so confounded by Davids loyall carriage toward him, yet did he not repent this sin at all, nor amend his life at all; there is no ground to suspect himself to be like unto him, or to Esau who was solicitous only for an earthly blessing; and when he could not have the first place in his fathers blessing, contented himself with what portion in the earth he could have beside. Therefore let the afflicted labour to understand well the nature of the covenant of grace and the several articles thereof; and let him consider, that there is no advantage to be had by excluding of himself from that covenant, but that if he will be saved, in every condition he must draw near to Christ, and lay hold on him for remission of sin, and fresh furniture of grace for every duty: for, it is good alwayes to draw near to him, because he will destroy all them that depart far from him, Ps. 73. 27.