The Real Christian, Tract · Chapter 2
CHAP. II. Of the firſt Work of the Spirit, Illumination.
WHen the Spirit of God, Gen. 1.2. moved (hovered or *So Syrus reads it, incubabat. foreign Incubuit ovis. Schindler. Rectius ſentiunt, qui dicunt Spiritum ſanctum jucubaſſe confuſis corporibus caeli & terrae, ſicat gollina incubat ovis; ut illa calore ſuo colefaciet & animet. Munſlerus. Clarius. Hinc foreign, Lux, Lumen. A ſto, manifeſtum, i. Clarum, apertum, quaſi ad manus foris ſtans. Perottus. Col. 119.brooded) upon the Deep, which was covered with darkneſs, the firſt particular work he formed out of that rude, great and general heap, was Light, ver. 3. So the firſt thing the ſame Spirit worketh in the new Creature is Light; God, who commanded light to ſhine out of darkneſs, hath ſhined in our hearts, &c. 2 Cor. 4.6. Paul was ſent to the Gentiles, to open their eyes, and turn them from darkneſs to light, Acts 26.18. Illumination and Conviction ſeem to differ as the cauſe and effect: it is by his Light that we do convince. Light brings in ſuch reaſon, proof, demonſtration, that a man cannot evade the ſtrength, cannot reply, cannot except, then he muſt ſit down convinced. But all things that are reproved are made manifeſt by the Light [or all things when they are reproved of the Light, as the old tranſlation, and the Geneva tranſlation, ſo joyn foreign with foreign] for whatſoever doth make manifeſt is Light, Epheſ. 5.13. Make this manifeſt to me, ſaith the man in diſpute, I will yield. Light is brought in, and that maketh manifeſt. The Notion or Opinion that the Angel of Laodicea had of himſelf, did differ much from that Opinion Chriſt had of him: I am rich and want nothing, ſaith the proud Angel, Rev. 3.17. but I know thou art poor and miſerable, naked, &c. But how ſhall this luke-warm Angel be convinced of it? Let him but go buy eye-ſalve of Chriſt (Goſpel price) and anoint his eyes, that he may ſee himſelf, then he will be convinced who ſpeak trueſt, Chriſt or he.
The neceſſity of this work appears,
Firſt, From that darkneſs which is upon all our underſtandings naturally. Darkneſs was upon the face of the deep, Gen. 12. in the firſt Creation. It is as true in the new Creation; the Spirit findeth much darkneſs upon our Souls; the Prince of darkneſs holds us under his power by this darkneſs that is in our underſtandings. I do not mean only by this, but in great part: Epheſ. 5.8. For ye were ſometimes darkneſs: Epheſ. 4. Having their underſtanding darkened; that is the reaſon why we walk ſo in the vanity of our minds, ver. 17. Neither is this the condition only of thoſe, who ſit in darkneſs and ſhadow of death, Matth. 4.16. Where the medium is dark, as it was in the Egyptian darkneſs, where no Scripture-light ſhines, but of thoſe who dwell in Goſhen, where Scripture, yea, Goſpel-light, ſhines clear, there is darkneſs enough in ſome mens eyes; though the Sun ſhine never ſo bright, Bartimeus cannot ſee. When Paul was converted, the holy Story tells us, Scales fell from his eyes when he was healed of his blindneſs, Acts 9.18. Paul's underſtanding had ſcales of darkneſs upon it, whatever he thought of himſelf while a Phariſee: Chriſt ſet up a light there, the Commandment came, ſin revived, and I died, Rom. 7.9. Elies ſons, brought up under a godly father, and Prieſts alſo, ſo dealt in things appertaining to God, yet ſons of Belial, they knew not God, 1 Sam. 2.17. Who then ſhould know him, if the Prieſts who miniſtred before him did not know him? though they had the Scripture-light, yet they were dark in their underſtandings. The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are fooliſhneſs to him, (no wonder then he doth not receive them, if his dark underſtanding looks on them as fooliſhneſs) neither can he know them, (and why not?) becauſe they are ſpiritually diſcerned, 1 Cor. 2.14. The Spirit of God then muſt have his work upon the underſtanding, before a man can know the things of the Spirit. The Tempter dealt with our underſtanding, or intellectual part firſt: Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the tranſgreſſion, 1 Tim. 2.14. Deceit belongs to the intellectual part. Tranſgreſſion follows deceit. The ſin was compleated in the will. Licet error judicii, & electio voluntatis, duo ſunt entia in genere naturae, unum tamenens ſunt in genere moris. Chriſt undoes the Devils work, and begins where he began. Adam was now as Sampſon with his eyes put out.
Secondly, God in Converſion or drawing to Chriſt, works upon a rational Creature, and works upon the ſoul as ſuch: He calls the will and affections off from the objects to which they are glewed, to cloſe with other objects: A reaſon for that, ſaith the will, and a ſufficient convincing reaſon too, elſe you may call long enough before I will ſtir: the will is foreign, a rational appetite: It is but Potentia caeca, it muſt have one to lead and guide it; therefore doth the Spirit ſet up this light in the underſtanding firſt. While we are in our natural ſtate, we think we have reaſons ſufficient for what we do, in following our luſts, ſo that we wonder at others, think ſtrange if they run not the ſame exceſs of riot, 1 Pet. 4.4. they ſeem to be irrational people, elſe we would not think it ſtrange; the carnal heart thinks it hath all reaſon on its ſide. God preſerves the workings of all the faculties of the ſoul, not the leaſt violence offered to any one in Converſion: the will ſhall have as good reaſon given it, to cloſe with Chriſt, as ever it had to cloſe with its luſts.
Hence we read ſo much of Teaching. This deals with the underſtanding, ſets up a light there: They ſhall be all taught of God, John 6.45. the Father teacheth the Soul certain Leſſons before it will come to Chriſt. Hence Chriſt is made a Prophet, and that not barely to reveal the Will of God, as other Prophets did, but teacheth effectually alſo. That was the firſt office he executed, when he declared himſelf to the world, began his publick Miniſtry; and that is the firſt office he executeth, when he declareth himſelf to the Soul in Converſion, teaching, or enlightning the underſtanding. This is that David ſo often prayes for, Pſal. 119. v. 18. and in v. 102, gives that for the reaſon, why he had not departed from the judgments of God, for thou haſt taught me. It is Divine teaching which bringeth the Soul firſt unto obedience, and holds it faſt in obedience to the Commandment.
I ſhall lay down my thoughts concerning this work of Illumination, in ſeveral Poſitions.
Firſt Poſition. That illumination which is wrought in a ſoul converting, or drawing to Chriſt, is ſuch, as none but the Spirit of God can effect.
So thick is that Cataract which is grown over the eye of our underſtanding, that none can couch it but God himſelf. Chriſt was ſent, Iſa. 42.6, 7. to be a light to the Gentiles, ſo he illightens the medium; and to open the eyes of the blind, ſo he heals the organ: he is the only Oculiſt, he hath that eye-ſalve, Rev. 3.17. which healeth the blindneſs of our underſtandings. He muſt be taught of God, he muſt be foreign, John 6.45. whoever comes to Chriſt. Cathedram in Caelo habet, &c. as B. Auſtin ſeveral times ſaith: He hath his Chair in Heaven, who teacheth the converting Soul thoſe Leſſons effectually, which it muſt learn before it can come home to God. Who teach like him? ſaid Elihu, Job 36.22. none teach like him, nor none beſide him, as to effectual and ſaving teaching. Let a man be what he will as to his underſtanding, hath he a head fit for a Jeſuit, he ſhall never learn the truth as it is in Jeſus, unleſs he be taught by him, Epheſ. 4.21. The wiſe and the prudent man, if but a natural (a foreign) man, and of wants this Teacher, ſhall never be able to know things of eternal concernment to his own ſalvation, Mat. 11.25. 1 Cor. 2.14. It is a terrible Proverb, but I believe too true, Hell is paved with the ſouls of great Scholars, and paled in with the bones of rich men. The things of God are too low for great heads to exerciſe themſelves about them; and the ſoveraignty of God is ſo high, that he will not give them eyes to ſee, Deut. 29.4. But he blindeth their eyes, and hardneth their hearts, that they ſhould not ſee with their eyes, and underſtand with their hearts, and bo converted, John 12.40. Holy Auſtin *Do paccato, meritis, contra Pelag. l. 1., who was one of Gods Scholars, knew ſo experimentally the neceſſity of this Teacher, that he could ſay, Let who will be the Teacher, Man or Angel, unleſs Chriſt who is the eternal Light doth irradiate the mind, man will not feel or know the truth of what he hears.
And if he be the Teacher, no matter what the Scholar be, he will make him learn: He maketh wiſe the ſimple, Pſal. 19.7. Let ſimple be ſuch B. Auſtin calls tardiſſimi ingenio, this Teacher makes ſuch ſimple ones wiſe to ſalvation; yea, ſometimes not only ſuch ſimple ones, but thoſe whom (ſaith he) the Greeks call Moriones, (we call them Fools) and gives a notable inſtance of ſuch a Fool, *Aug. Tom. 7. Col. 669. Edi. Prab.who with great folly would bear, and put up all injuries offered to himſelf, but if he heard any abuſe, or blaſpheme the name of Chriſt, he bare ſuch a reverence to Chriſt, that he would ſpare no ſuch man, but would throw ſtones at him: Thus he reveals to babes; even ſo Father, ſo it ſeemed good in thy ſight, Matth. 11.25, 26.
Second Poſition. That illumination which the Spirit works in the elect converting, or calling to Chriſt, differs *Whether I ſhould ſay it differs eſſentially, and ſo the whole work of grace in the ſincere Convert, differs eſſentially from what the Hypocrite hath, and not only gradually? I do not much contend. I had rather make ſure my grace be ſaving, let it differ how it will; though I cannot ſatisfie my ſelf in a meer gradual difference. Firſt, For take the knowledge of a Geographer, who writes of Countries which he never ſaw, having never travelled beyond the ſmoak of his own Chimney, the knowledge he hath of the Countries is true; but is it like the knowledge of him who hath ſeen the Countries, and travell'd in them? If ſuch a one writes of the River that goeth up to Sevil in Spain, and tells me, when you get over the Bar which lieth at the mouth of the River, on the Star-board-ſide, as you ſail up, there ſtands a Caſtle, higher ſtands the Town of Saint Lucar, higher another Caſtle, and a Monaſtery by it, higher the Chappel of Bonance, and ſtill on the Starboard-ſide, this man ſaith true: But doth he know theſe as I (though I do not deſerve the name of a Traveller) do, who have been in the Town, in the Caſtle, in the Chappel, and ſeen them? Thus let the Hypocrites, who by hearing, and reading, or common works, ſpeak, concerning ſin, Creatures, God, Chriſt, Holineſs, Goſpel-truths; he will ſpeak as ſound truths concerning all theſe, and ſeem to know them as well as the ſound Convert: But doth he ſee them as the ſound Convert, whom the Spirit enlightens and teacheth them as they are? We ſee by the effect, for one hath his heart and converſation framed according to the truth, and the other walks as if all theſe truths were falſhoods: Doth the knowledge which I have by my eye ſeeing thoſe places, walking in them, differ only gradually from the knowledge of him who learned it out of a Book? Secondly, The work of Converſion is called a new Creation; Regeneration is Creation, and Generation only a gradual matter. Thirdly, Degrees do draw out the poſitive into a longer thread, but they draw out only that which was in the poſitive; when the ſuperlative hath drawn it out to the longeſt thread, it is ſtill but the poſitive extended; the ſame eſſence that was in the poſitive is here in the ſuperlative: Draw the Hypocrite out as far as you will, ſome make finer threads then other, yet it is but Hypocrite ſtill. Fourthly, If ſo, then an Hypocrite differs from a Child of God, one Modally; for gradus ſunt modi entis, and no more. Fifthly, Then the Hypocrite and Child of God, are both of the ſame kind; for, gradus non variant ſpeciem; yet the word makes but two ſorts of men, Dead and Alive, Darkneſs and Light, which differ more then any Degrees, take them where you will. Sixthly, We will ſuppoſe a man loves the world four degrees, he loves God but three degrees, this man is naught; his love to God gets another degree, now he loves the world and God equally, yet he is naught; but then his love to God gets to five degrees, [he muſt riſe by degrees, if Grace, as ſaving, conſiſteth in ſuch a degree] now the man is a godly man, for he loveth God more then the world: Let this mans love riſe to ſix or ſeven degrees, as well it may: Yet this we grant, degrees of love may be loſt, too much experience proves this: What abatements of love, what coolings, do many Chriſtians meet with? The ſeventh, the ſixth degree may be loſt, Rev. 2.4. Thou haſt loſt thy firſt love: The firſt love, that degree of love, not love ſimply, for doubtleſs, by what the Lord teſtified of the Angel, he had yet ſaving love. Solomon loſt degrees of love ſadly, and others alſo. Now if the ſeventh and ſixth degree may be loſt, why not the fifth degree? what is there in the fifth degree to preſerve it ſelf more then the ſixth or ſeventh? I know not, if degrees be all: So it is a very eaſie matter to fall to the fourth degree again, and looſe all.exceedingly from that light which any Hypocrite or unſound profeſſour attains unto.
The firſt is ſpiritual, practical, and ſaving, The other not ſo, but may and doth ſtand with periſhing. To ſay there is no difference between the working of the Spirit upon the underſtanding of an elect Veſſel and a Hypocrite, till the elect anſwers the Call, and ſo having union with Chriſt; now the difference is made in the underſtanding, this I cannot embrace. To have a ſaving work in the will, in order of nature, before there be any in the underſtanding, I think is not rational: or, to ſay there is no difference at all as to the underſtanding, between a ſound and unſound Convert, but the difference is only in the will, in that work which the Spirit putteth forth in the heart, this is atheological, and very abſurd. To think that the Hypocrite, as to the light in his underſtanding, and dictate of his practical judgment, is as good, and the ſame that a ſound Convert is; only this latter having ſaving grace infuſed into his will, and the Spirit there dwelling, acteth that grace, and determineth the will of the ſound Convert to follow the ultimate dictate of his practical judgment, and not ſo in the Hypocrite; and hence ariſe all the differences between them; this I look on as an irrational figment. I oppoſe not all, but muſt maintain by what I ſeel, as well as by what I read in Scripture, that the will muſt be renewed, the ſtony heart muſt be taken away, and the Phyſical determination of the will ſanctified by the Spirit of God: but withall I affirm, that there is ſaving light, ſaving knowledge in the underſtanding of a ſound Convert, differing from an Hypocrite: and I call it ſaving, not only a poſteriori, becauſe there are ſaving effects follow this in the will, but I call it ſo a priori, as it is the work of the Spirit of the Covenant in the underſtanding of the elect Veſſel drawing into Covenant: it is in its own nature as properly ſaving, or accompanying of Salvation, as any Grace in the will. Certainly that Teacher, John 6.45. makes his work, as Teacher, in all thoſe whom he draws to Chriſt, differ from what the Hypocrite hath. Knowledge is a part of the Image of God, according to which we are renewed, Col. 3.10. then ſurely differs from an Hypocrites knowledge: Is the Image of God renewed in the Hypocrite as to knowledge? I believe it not. The whole work of Converſion is ſometimes ſet out by Conviction, John 14. becauſe Converſion (in adult perſons of whom we now ſpeak) is wrought in us, ſecundum modum judicii; then certainly there is ſome difference of the Spirits work in the intellectual part. I know the Hypocrite, as to the notional light and knowledge of Divine things, may be equal with, yea, he may far excel a ſound Convert; he may be as quick-ſighted as an Eagle, as to the notional knowledge; but as to the ſpiritual and ſaving knowledge as blind as a Beetle. Converſion (ſaith the Learned and Judicious Doctor Preſton) *New Covenant, p. 277.) is wrought not alwayes by making us know new things, which we knew not before (which yet is true in ſome) but by knowing things otherwiſe then we did before: This is a certain truth, and therefore a vaſt difference in the knowledge. To conclude this head, let works of or in an Hypocrite be what they will, yet I doubt not to ſay, the firſt flaw in the Hpyocrite is in his illumination; and this layes the foundation for all the reſt.
Third Poſition. When the Spirit of God doth thus ſavingly illuminate the underſtanding, he doth at the ſame time ſavingly work upon the will.
The bleſſed Spirit doth not work upon one faculty, or eſpecially a leading faculty, as the underſtanding is, alone; it doth not one week work upon the underſtanding ſavingly, the next week, month, or year, work on the will. It was not long ſince I heard a Miniſter, and one of the beſt, handling the new Creature: He ſhewed us firſt what it was not, and there cut off all thoſe things or works which are found in Hypocrites; then he ſhewed us in what it did conſiſt: This was firſt in the illumination of the mind to diſcern the tranſcendency of ſpiritual objects. Secondly, In the wills embracing of, and cloſing with thoſe objects: This is the great work, and long it is, ſaith he, before thoſe who are enlightned come to this; it muſt be a day of Chriſts power, (Pſal. 110.) when the Soul comes to this. Now though there was no danger in this as to the hearers, yet for the Divinity I cannot believe it, that the Spirit regenerateth one faculty ſo long before another, that a man hath the head of a new Creature ſo long before he hath the heart of a new Creature. He that hath heard and learned of the Father (the intellectual work) cometh to me, John 6.45. an infallible Connexion between the Fathers teaching, our learning, and coming to Chriſt. I know it is a queſtion moved by the Learned, Whether the will be regenerated mediately or immediately? Some ſay, God in regeneration doth irradiate the mind with divine Light, and by this Light doth infuſe vertues, and new habits into the will; as that celeſtial and lively heat, by which all things below live and thrive, is transfuſed by Light: New Coven. p. 451.[No grace that any man hath, but it paſſeth in through the underſtanding, ſaith Doctor Preſton.] Others ſay, Gods work in regeneration is as immediate upon the will, as upon the underſtanding; nor is the will regenerated by the mediat light of the underſtanding, but the will in it ſelf is equally affected and renewed by God, as the underſtanding is affected and illuminated by him: this Opinion they think to be the ſoundeſt, eſpecially if the underſtanding and the will be not faculties really diſtinct; which, ſaith Mr. Jackson, Juſtific. Faith, p. 33. p. …0.….4.he that hath but Philoſophy enough to ſerve from hand to mouth, will never ſwallow down, that they are: And Durandus makes that his fourth Argument to prove they are not really diſtinct, becauſe then Deus poſſet cauſare velle in voluntate abſque hoc quod cogneſcere praecederet in intellectu; quod eſt impoſſibile, quia tune poſſemus amare incognita. That the will muſt not only be moved, but renewed, Ezek. 36.26. Who is there that ever felt his ſtony heart, will not aſſent unto it? And if that were the meaning of the firſt Opinion, as if the Spirit did only illuminate the underſtanding, and then the will did follow, without any other work of the Spirit upon the will, then I ſhould refuſe that Opinion as erroneous; De Auxil. Diſp. 51. n. 15.but thoſe Divines do not mean ſo. The will, ſaith Alvarez (and it is honeſtly ſaid by a Papiſt) by our fall is more wounded and corrupted then the underſtanding. Grace exiſting in the underſtanding (but what he means by Grace there you may obſerve) is extrinſecal to the will, Diſp. 76.and therefore doth not give to the will a ſufficient principle to perform works of holineſs. This doth prove the neceſſity of the wills renovation, which is eaſily aſſented to. Grace in one faculty doth not give power to another faculty (corrupted as the will is more then the underſtanding) to work, ſaith he. But therefore, I ſay, the Spirit is ever preſent with the will, to renew that, when it doth ſo ſavingly enlighten the underſtanding, at the ſame time; though I think it no error to ſay in order of nature, the work upon the underſtanding precedeth, which agreeth with a reaſonable Creature.
And this I conceive is not only in the firſt work of Converſion, but afterwards in the gracious actings of the regenerated Soul, there is a preſence of the Spirit of the Covenant with underſtanding and practical judgment, and with the will at the ſame time, as a firſt cauſe, determining of it now renewed to follow the dictate of a ſanctified judgment: That there muſt be a preſence of the Spirit in both, I think our ſenſible experience will teach us ſomething; of which more hereafter.
Fourth Poſition. This work of illumination makes the elect Veſſel now coming home to Chriſt to ſee things as they ARE.
The ſtate in which the Spirit finds the elect Veſſel, is a ſtate of ſin and miſery; under the bounds of guilt, power of its luſts, ſlavery to the Creature, eſtrangement from, and enmity againſt God, a child of wrath: Now the Spirits intention being to make the Soul anſwer his call, and ſo to come off from this ſtate in which it now lieth, by this light let in to the underſtanding, he maketh the Soul ſee all theſe as they Are: A man may know things, but yet not know them as he ought to know them, 1 Cor. 8.2. It is poſſible if you asked him before, whether ſin were not an evil thing? the Creature a vain thing? the wrath of God a dreadful thing? he will anſwer yes, he he knows all theſe to be ſo; and yet cleaves faſt to his luſts, dotes upon the Creature, is careleſs as to any real endeavours to get deliverance from wrath to come; the reaſon is, he knows not theſe as he ought to know them, he ſeeth them not as they are; if he did, it were impoſſible he ſhould carry himſelf as he doth and be quiet. Let then the Spirit of God come in with his ſaving light, and teach the Soul theſe things as they are, then you ſhall ſee plainly by his carriage, the guilt of ſin, the wrath of God are terrible indeed: in is evil indeed, the Creature is but vain indeed; the man knows theſe things, as Doctor Preſton ſaid, otherwiſe then he did before. I think it was Oecolam padius.I have read ſomewhere of a great Divine*, who being recovered from a great ſickneſs, ſaid, I have learned under this ſickneſs to know Sin and God. Did he not know theſe before? Doubtleſs he could preach good Sermons concerning God and Sin; but the Spirit, it ſeems in that ſickneſs taught him theſe otherwiſe then he knew them before. Sapiens eſt quires ſapit prout ſunt; this is a truth: They who are after the fleſh do mind the things of the fleſh, Rom. 8 5. foreign, ſapiunt; they ſavour, they relliſh taſte only ſuch things, but they do not taſte them as they are; therefore they are but fools: When the Spirit makes the elect Veſſels wiſe, then he makes them taſte theſe as they are. It is a certain truth, never will the Soul turn from that term from which the Lord doth call it in Converſion, until it ſeeth it ſelf in that term as it is. The will turns from evil only, and the Spirit of God will make it ſee evil, and feel evil to purpoſe, by making it ſee theſe things as they are really in themſelves: Exhort one another daily, &c. leſt any of you be hardened through the deceitfulneſs of ſin, Heb. 3.13. He that is deceived in a thing, did not ſee it as it is in it ſelf, for had he done ſo, he would not have been deceived with it. If ſin doth thus deceive and cheat, then the deceived Soul doth not ſee it as it is: And this is the caſe of us all till that good Spirit comes to work, then what ſtrange and different apprehenſions hath the converting Soul of theſe things over it had before.
Fifth Poſition. That which makes ſin, creature, guilt, &c. to be known as they are is, a clearer diſcovery of God to the underſtanding, whence it comes to know God in another manner then he did before.
Sin and the creature are never known as they are, till God be known in ſome meaſure as he is: And proportionable to the knowledge of God, the high and honourable conceptions of God, ſo is our knowledge, and the conceptions we have of the vanity of the creature, the evil of ſin, and that miſery into which we have brought our ſelves; the Text is plain and full for this purpoſe, 3 Epiſt. John ver 11. He that doth evil hath not ſeen God. See God? Can a man ſee God? Yes that he muſt, or elſe will never be drawn off from ſin: Moſes endured, as ſeeing him who is inviſible, Heb. 11.27. What cares Moſes for all the pleaſures and honours in Pharaoh's Court, he ſlights them; what cares he for the wrath of the King, though it be as the roaring of a Lyon, Prov. 19.12. Haman knew the truth of it, Eſther 7.7. Moſes makes nothing of him; He (as one ſaid of Mr. Thomas Hooker, a man ſo awed with the Majeſty and dread of God) would put a King in his pocket. But how comes Moſes to this frame? He ſaw him who is inviſible: This is Contradictio in adjecto, in one ſenſe, but a great truth in a ſpiritual ſenſe: Moſes ſaw by the eye of faith, or by the ſpiritual eye of his underſtanding, to which God drew near and diſcovered himſelf (as no doubt the Lord can do to our underſtandings) ſuch Majeſty and Excellency, ſuch Glory and Beauty, Job 40.10. in him, that he ſlights both the favours and frowns of King Pharaoh: 1 Theſ. 4.5. Not in the luſt of concupiſcence, as the Gentiles which know not God: The Apoſtle plainly tells us, it is the knowledge of God that keeps men from uncleanneſs: as for the Gentiles, it is no wonder though they be unclean, they know not God, they ſee not him: but what knowledge this is we may know, for Ely's ſons (whom I mentioned before) who were Prieſts muſt needs know God notionally, but yet they were unclean, 1 Sam. 2.22. Whence came this? ver. 12. theſe ſons of Belial-knew not the Lord. There is no act of ſin that a godly man commits but we may truly ſay, that man doth not ſee God, at that time. 1 Sam. 12 9. David is charged with Deſpiſing of the Commandment of the Lord (even that which David, in Pſal. 119. tells us ſo often he eſteemed at a high rate, ver. 72. &c.) but in the tenth verſe he is charged with deſpiſing of God, becauſe thou haſt deſpiſed me. He that deſpiſeth a Commandment of God, deſpiſeth God himſelf, that is plain from this. But how came David to deſpiſe the Commandment at this time? He did not ſee God at this time as he did at other times; he had lower thoughts of God deſpiſed him, then the Commandment bare no Authority.
That this ſight which God gives of himſelf, is that makes us ſee ſin and creatures as they are, let but any Chriſtian obſerve his own heart, under the impetuous motions of imperious luſts, in the day of temptations; let the wind of temptation blow out of what point of the Compaſs it will, a Chriſtian under theſe temptations keeps up all the notions he had before of ſin, how evil a thing it is, and how vain a thing the creature is, and runs to ſeveral Topicks, to fetch Arguments againſt theſe; he urgeth the ſame truths againſt theſe luſts, and bewitching creatures, that he did when he was out of the temptation; but all theſe Arguments do nothing, the temptation grows upon him, and gets head, theſe Arguments at one time could do ſomething, now they can do nothing; he labours to get his heart awed with the greatneſs and majeſty of God, againſt whom theſe luſts rebel; he ſpeaks the ſame truths concerning God that he did before; but though he ſpeaks them, yet he cannot ſee God, nor theſe truths concerning God, at this time that he doth at another time; hence the temptation gets upon him ſtill, the Chriſtian diſcerns a cloud of darkneſs is got into his underſtanding; I cannot apprehend of God, I cannot conceive of him, nor ſee him, as I did before: It is with the Soul now as with us in Winter time, when the Wind hangs Southerly, but doth not blow hard to clear the Air, the Air being hazy, filled with Vapours and Miſts; men now will ſtand and look on the Sun, it ſhews like a red body, though they know it is a glorious body, and talk of it as ſuch, and ſee it as ſuch another time, yet now it appears not in the glory: So it is with the underſtanding, when this eye is dimmed with the vapours which ariſe from the dunghil of a mans corrupt heart, though it looks on God, and ſpeaks of God as before, yet through theſe vapours he cannot ſee him in his glory: Now let but God draw near and ſcatter theſe vapours, help the Soul to conceive of him indeed in his majeſty and greatneſs as he is, that God appears like a God to the underſtanding, then all theſe truths concerning him are made real to us, and appear in their glory and this ſight of him puts life and ſtrength into all the other Arguments againſt ſin and creature, making them really to us what they are in themſelves; then the Soul gets above his temptation. This is a ſure truth, obſerve thy own heart, and thou wilt aſſent to it. If God be great in thy heart, then the Creature is little; and never doth the creature grow great in your heart, but God grows little.
If any ſhould tell me, the way you ſpeak of here that Chriſtians ſhould take in reſiſting temptation, is not the right way, that is, To run to our Arguments; we ſhould by Faith go to Chriſt. I know it full well: This is not a place for me to treat about that: But, I hope, our going to Chriſt by Faith, and improving ſpiritual Reaſons againſt luſts and temptations, do not oppoſe one another: The queſtion is, how doth Chriſt convey his ſtrength to the Soul, acting upon him by Faith in ſuch a time: The giving of the Anſwer to that. Queſtion would ſoon take off the Objection: But this is not a proper place for it.
To return to our Heads: It is this diſcovery of God to the Soul, which make ſin, guilt, and creature appear like themſelves. We read in the new Covenant, this is one branch of it, They ſhall know the Lord, Jer. 31.34. Hoſ. 2.20. Jer. 24.7. Why, did not Iſrael know God now? Ask Iſrael, What is God? Iſrael will tell you, as many Children can from their Catechiſm. Yea, but this ſame Covenant-knowledge of God is another thing; not as if the meaning were only, they ſhall know God to be their God; that is another thing different from this: There is many a poor Chriſtian, that knows God with a Covenant knowledge, that cannot ſay, I know him to be my God: Eternal purpoſe towards the elect now breaking forth, and his intention being to draw the elect Veſſels into Covenant, the Lord beginneth the fulfilling of this Promiſe, ſome beams of that Majeſty are let in, and now take that wanton heart which played with ſin before, what ſayeſt to ſin now? doeſt thou ſee him againſt whom this ſin rebels? Now take the profane heart, that could jeſt at, and ſcorn ſuch Miniſters and Sermons which told him of the wrath of God (as that profane Poet, abuſing of a reverend Divine, upon this account, calls him, the Geneva Bull-Hell and Damnation a Pulpit full.) But what ſayeſt now to the everlaſting burnings, and devouring fire? Iſa. 33.14. Doeſt now think this wrath of God is a thing to be dreaded or not? Oh now the Soul hath other manner of apprehenſions concerning theſe things; it is a wonder that Chriſt himſelf did eſcape a jeer, becauſe three times in that ninth of Mark he tells us. Where the worm never dies, and the fire is not quenched. How gallantly theſe Canary-Poets will carry it, when that day cometh, that Kings of the earth, great men, and rich men, &c. ſhall hide themſelves in dens, and in the rocks of the mountains, and ſay to the mountains and rocks, fall on us, Rev. 6.15, 16. we ſhall ſee. But oh the Atheiſme of our hearts. I thought it a ſad anſwer a dying woman gave me (though ſhe did not jeer at hell) when I went to viſit her and being but a ſtranger to her, newly come to the Town, I treated with her concerning her ſpiritual eſtate, and upon examination I found her a ſtranger to Chriſt, had not the leaſt ſavour or knowledge of any thing that concerned her ſalvation; nor did ſhe care to hear me ſpeak about any ſuch things, though I ſaw ſhe could not live many dayes: I could not but pity her, and with ſome relenting I asked her, How wilt thou be able to bear the wrath of God? She anſwered me roundly, I will bear it as well as I can; and this was all. But this ſight of God will cure this Atheiſme.
Sixth Poſition. This light or knowledge which God letteth in of himſelf, maketh the Soul ſee ſin in the evil nature of it, as well as in the evil effects of it.
It is true, theſe latter do moſt affect, trouble, and wound the Soul at firſt, eſpecially in thoſe upon whom God works when they are adult or grown up in years, and have before lived in darkneſs, and under the power of luſts. As for others, where God wrought in Infancy, or while young and tender, we ſhall find in their youth they are more troubled about the power of their luſts, and their fears of hypocriſie unſound bottoming, then they are with fears of Hell: but though in the firſt working, the effects of ſin, the wrath of God, hell, damnation, loſs of heaven, &c. do moſt afflict, yet not theſe only; there is other evils in ſin, beſides theſe, which this ſight of God diſcovers. For look what it is in ſin, which makesthe Soul ſick, ſo far it will deſire, and accept of Chriſt the Phyſitian to heal it. If a man looks on his luſts as good things, were it not for Hell, then he cares for a Chriſt no further then as he delivers him from hell, let Chriſt but do that and he will thank him, he will trouble him no further; this is enough to ſerve his turn. The term properly from which the Soul is called, is ſin; then ſin in the nature of it muſt be diſcovered by this light, elſe the Soul will never turn from it: but if ſin be really to the Soul evil, as well as hell, (though at preſent, in this firſt work, hell may moſt affect and trouble) then the heart is prepared to turn from it. But what doth make ſin better appear in its nature, then the ſight of God, againſt whom ſin is? Now the Soul muſt have a plaiſter as broad as the ſore, redemption from ſin as well as from hell, ſtill remembring, that this laſt is that which moſt wounds and ſinks the Soul in its firſt awakening.
Seventh Poſition. This illumination for the degrees of it, is very various, both in the elect converting, and converted.
This light depends not upon the ſtrength of men, natural parts: We ſhall obſerve among Chriſtians, that are weak in underſtanding compared with others, yet the notions of God, of ſin, and creature, which they have, are more clear, lively, powerful and practical, then are the notions of other Chriſtians (really ſuch I mean) that have greater parts and natural abilities. Let us obſerve Children, whom God hath ſanctified from their tender age, and we ſhall find this work of illumination; they have their notions and apprehenſions of the evil of ſin, of the dread of Gods wrath; if we tell them, this is ſin, God will be angry, God will not love you, we ſee they underſtand theſe things, and are affected with them; one Child will tell another Child thus, if he ſeeth him do a thing which he apprehends is evil: Who will ſay, theſe are not the workings of the good Spirit in little ones, when as we ſee theſe notions grow up with them? this Sun riſeth higher, as it doth in all that are truly wrought upon, it is not only an abiding light, but a growing light, though as the Sun and air were darkened with the ſmoak that aroſe out of the pit, Rev. 9.2. So this Sun is too often darkened, through the ſmoak that riſeth from our woful hearts, a bottomleſs pit of iniquity, yet it clears again.
Eighth Poſition. According to the degrees of this light, ſo are the degrees of all following works in preparation.
The more clear diſcoveries of God, and from thence the clearer diſcoveries of ſin, the greater are the fears and terrors, the greater ſorrows, the greater hatred againſt ſin; yea, I doubt not to ſay, according to the degrees of this light, ſo are the different converſations of Chriſtians; that ſome are ſo eminent in holineſs above others, ſo above the world, ſo awful, reverent in their converſation, or in their worſhipping of God, it is becauſe ſome ſee God, know God, in a more eminent manner then others do; and thus ſeeing of him, they ſee every thing elſe which would draw them from God.
I have inſiſted a little more upon this head of Illumination, becauſe I ſee moſt Divines put ſo little in it, but all in the will, what the Spirit works there: I grant it, great is the work of the Spirit upon the will, and I ſay, great is the work of the Spirit upon the underſtanding; it is both ſcriptural, rational, and experimental to him that obſerves, and traces his heart in the workings of it.