The Real Christian, Tract · Chapter 6 (3 of 4)

The Real Christian · Tract · Chapter 6 (3 of 4)

p. 238The next thing that makes many real Chriſtians exclude themſelves from the number of Believers is, their p. 239want of faith, they have no faith: And why no faith? Becauſe they have not that particular perſwaſion that Chriſt with all his benefits are theirs: they cannot ſay, they dare not ſay, Chriſt is mine, or that my ſins are forgiven: when they hear of unbelief, they know of no unbelief but this, when perſons do not believe, or cannot believe, that Chriſt is theirs, and their ſins are pardoned: when they hear how great a ſin unbelief is, and what terrible threats the Word of God hath made againſt unbelievers, they apply all to themſelves: What pangs have ſome Chriſtians, yea, men of great parts, and Miniſters, been under, when they read that, Revel. 21.8. But the fearful and unbelieving, &c. ſhall have their parts in the lake which burneth with fire and brimſtone? applying the Text to their fears, doubts, unbelief, becauſe they could not believe that Chriſt and his benefits were theirs. And no wonder if Chriſtians did thus conclude againſt themſelves, if faith in Chriſt be no other than that particular perſwaſion and aſſurance, that Chriſt Jeſus is mine; that I ſhall have life and ſalvation by his means; that whatever Chriſt did for the redemption of mankind, he did it for me, &c. Thoſe that had not this definition, had not the thing defined, that is, ſaving faith: Hence they might exclude themſelves from the number of Believers. Now though this be in great part taken off, ſince Miniſters of late have cleared the nature of faith in Chriſt, better than it was before, yet ſtill it is that which keepeth many Chriſtians under the old doctrine, being not yet forgot of many, and the latter not ſo clearly underſtood by moſt, of which many Miniſters may be in fault, for if they be not clear in it themſelves, how can they preach it clearly to others? But if that be ſaving faith in Chriſt which we have opened, and are aſſured it is ſaving, how many thouſands will be found to be real Chriſtians, ſound believers, who according to the old definition of faith were cut off from that number? Ask Chriſtians, Have you this particular perſwaſion, that Chriſt is yours, that whatever he did for the redemption of mankind he did it for you? and that your p. 240ſins are pardoned? They will ſhake their heads, anſwer you with a ſigh, O no, I wiſh I had it, I cannot come to that grounded aſſurance and perſwaſion. Ask them again, Hath not the Lord made you ſenſible of your ſin, guilt, miſery, wretchedneſs in your ſelf? Hath he not revealed ſuch excellency and fulneſs in Chriſt, that now you feel your Heart willing to receive and embrace him for your Saviour and Lord, Prophet, High-Prieſt and King, and ſo commit your ſelf to him, to have all his work of Redemption applyed to your Soul, truſting and reſting upon him alone for life and ſalvation? They will anſwer you ſometimes with an awful jealouſie of their hearts, I would have it ſo, if my heart deceive me not: ſometimes more roundly, ay with all my heart and ſoul: Yea, this work is found in them; and unleſs it be in a day of great darkneſs, deſertion, or vile ſinful temptations and luſts working, pend them up cloſe in examination, and they have been forced to yield it, though ſometimes they would eat their words again, if they could tell how to do it. And I pray what do you call theſe, in whom this faith is found? are they not real Chriſtians? are they not not ſound Bellevers? I am ſure theſe are the Believers, the Chriſtians, that muſt be ſaved, and ſhall be ſaved, and none but ſuch who have this work. If it were poſſible to conceive a man to have a particular perſwaſion and aſſurance that Chriſt is his, that his ſins are forgiven, and yet want this work, his particular perſwaſion and aſſurance ſhall never ſame him.

Queſt. But are there not deceits? May not men be miſtaken, thinking they receive Chriſt aright, and truſt in Chriſt for ſalvation, and yet never received him aright, nor reſt upon him for ſalvation, ſo as ever to find ſalvation by him?

Anſw. Yes, no doubt there are deceits, and many are miſtaken. How many have been deceived in their particular perſwaſions and aſſurances that Chriſt was theirs, p. 241and pardon theirs, but 'tis to be feared, not only lived, but died Chriſtleſs? It was a ſad word, what Chriſt ſaid to the fooliſh Virgins, Matth. 25.12. Verily, I ſay to you, I know you not. O Lord, what a dreadful ſaying is this? What, not know them? They made account they knew him, what did their Lamps elſe ſignifie, and their going forth to meet the Bridegroom? Iſrael ſhall cry unto me, my God, we know thee, Hoſea 8.2. But if God anſwer Iſrael, I know not you, Iſrael will be in a ſad caſe.

Queſt. But hew ſhall we diſcover theſe deceits? this is of moment?

Anſw. It is of moment indeed, if a man be deceived here, he is undone to eternity, unleſs by the diſcovery of it in this life … be awakened to look out for faith … and 2 Tim. 1.5. But ſad it is to … where ſo common and dangerous as … and eternal concernment; and … careleſs of deceits. If a man be to … forty ſhillings per annum, let but a man give him … of ſome deceit that may be in the Title, lot but one intelligent man but once hint ſuch a thing, he hath ſaid enough, the man now looks about him; tell the ſame man, there are great deceits in mens faith, repentance, and that he hath a deceitful heart as well as any, therefore look to your faith, make ſure work, the ſalvation of your Soul lies upon it; he anſwers you with a tuſh, look you to your ſelf, let me alone with my faith, I ſhall do well enough I warrant you. Oh the power of Atheiſme.

But in anſwer to the queſtion: I ſhall premiſe two things firſt, and then endeavour to give the Rules how we may find out the deceits of our hearts in receiving of Chriſt. The firſt thing I premiſe is this.

Firſt, It is a very diſſicult thing to find out the truth of our receiving of Chriſt, or of our faith, that it is right p. 242and ſaving, eſpecially when the Soul is but newly under the work of converſion. I know God can diſcover it at firſt if he pleaſe, as, no doubt, he did to the Jaylour, and the Primitive Converts, in the dawning of the Goſpel, and lying open to perſecutions; but it is not now ſo common. An Hypocrite in his green eſtate is hardly diſcerned by others, or by himſelf. If you ask me how long that green eſtate may laſt? Truly I can ſet you no time, but ſome longer, ſome ſhorter: yet with ſome it hath laſted ſo long, that I ſcarce know what to ſay or write, I am ſo amazed at the Apoſtacy of ſome, that I have heard of, not very many miles from us, after many years (thirty years) green and flouriſhing profeſſion, with a converſation ſo exact, ſo cloſe, that other precious Chriſtians have wiſhed, O that my condition were but as this mans; yet in old age to decline to ſenſuality, looſe their ſavour, go out like a ſtinking ſnuffe, Trees twice dead, Jude ver. 12. Theſe Apoſtates would do us a kindneſs, if they would but faithfully unfold unto us their ſecret wayes of hypocrifie, how they began to Apoſtatize, that we might learn and tremble; indeed we do tremble, becauſe we ſee their falls; did theſe but return again home to God, they would then tell us all; but here is the miſery, the Apoſtacy is final, they fall back with a perpetual backſliding, both from God and his people, return no more, and hence we looſe this benefit. Time it will coſt, I ſay not how much, and ſtrict obſervation of the wayes of a mans heart; he muſt not be a ſtranger at home, that will get an anſwer to this queſtion: we ſay of a man, I will winter him and ſummer him, eat a buſhel of ſalt with him, before I will truſt him for a boſom friend: there are thoſe who have ſpent many Summers and Winters with their own hearts, and it hath coſt them ſome ſalt tears, but can hardly tell whether they may truſt their hearts at laſt: we ſay of ſome men, they are ſuch ſubtle deceivers, that they will cheat a man though he ſtand and looks on them: And what more deceitful than a mans heart, though a man looks on it 'twill deceive him, unleſs he be very circumſpect, but without p. 243diligent obſervation it will be impoſſible to find it out whether it be ſound or not in its cloſing with Chriſt.

Secondly, No man need be deceived in this great point unleſs he will. This to ſome at firſt may ſeem to ſound ſtrangely, but I doubt not of the truth of what I ſay: though the heart may deceive the beſt Chriſtian, as to ſome particular acts which he is to put forth upon occaſion; as he thinks he will be thus patient if ſuch a provocation comes, and will quietly ſuffer if trials come, &c. but yet as to a mans ſtate, whether converted or not, cloſed with Chriſt truly or not, I ſay, there is no man deceived here unleſs he will: were men willing indeed to ſearch and find out hypocriſie, were they in earneſt to find out that Faux which would blow up their Souls, and ruine them to eternity; were they willing to find out undeceiving Rules, and apply ſuch Rules to heir hearts without deceit, without conniving or favour to any particular Idol that there would be ſet up, I doubt not but they might find the deceit, if there be any lodged, that would cheat them as to their ſtate, and undo them for ever: but this is our miſery, though we will not ſay we are willing to be cheated, yet we are not willing to take the pains that we may not be cheated; loth, with David, to put our ſelves into Gods hands to be ſearched, Pſal. 139.23. Search me, O God, and know my heart, &c. for doubtleſs God would then make us know our hearts, ſo that we ſhould not be eternally cheated by them.

In your enquiry therefore keep your eye intent upon two things.

Firſt, Upon the Act, Receiving, how you did rereceive.

Secondly, Upon the Octject, what you did receive.

In one of theſe two Heads we ſhall find out the deceit, if there be any, in your cloſing with Chriſt.

p. 244For the firſt: I ſhall ſhew how the real Chriſtian receives Chriſt; and opening this, I ſhall ſhew what makes the heart unſound; for Rectum eſt Index ſui, & obliqui.

Firſt, The Real Chriſtian cloſeth with, embraceth, or receiveth Chriſt adviſedly, he deliberates, ponders, obſerves well what he doth. It is a ſpiritual Marriage; ſhe is but a fool who will give her conſent, to take ſuch a perſon for her Husband, before ſhe hath adviſedly conſidered the perſon ſhe is to take, and the match ſhe is to make: Raſhneſs, inconſiderateneſs, do very ill in theſe caſes: An errour of the perſon nullifies the match; this is not the perſon whom I intended: Non conſentit qui non ſentit: They were wiſe Virgins who went in with the Bridegroom, Matth. 25. And in this, among other things, they ſhew their wiſdom, that they did adviſedly conſent to the Marriage; they knew what they did, they had weighed Reaſons pro and con. In that glorious Marriage-covenant which God promiſeth he will make with Iſrael, (ſuch a Promiſe as never as yet was fulfilled, no not begun as yet, but ſhall be gloriouſly ſolemnized here upon the earth, as the verſes that go before and follow ſhow) in his deſcription how he will betroth Iſrael unto him, he mentions this amongſt the reſt, I will betroth thee in judgment, Hoſea 2.19. Several Interpreters give their judgments upon this Judgment, whom I leave: Mr. Burroughs (a man of a Goſpel-ſpirit, and ſo the fitter to deal with a Goſpel-text) ſeems to me to hit the joynt: Thus he; In Judgment, i. e. there ſhall be good reaſon for what I do (ſaith God) that which I now do, in betrothing thee unto my ſelf, ſhall not be out of raſhneſs, it ſhall not be done unadviſedly, but with underſtanding, with good deliberation, I know what I do in it, and what glory I ſhall have by it: This is on Gods part: Then there muſt be Judgment alſo on our parts: I will put into you a judicious heart, to chuſe me out of Judgment: Thus he, quoting the Text which I made ſo much uſe of, John 6.45. Taught of God. This p. 245is very rational, ſince Judgment is of ſo great concernment in Marriages, and God doth carry on all his work by Conviction. The ſtony ground received the Word, Matth. 13.20. But how, not adviſedly, there were flaſhes of affection, Anon with Joy receiveth it. Here is joy, but where is the deliberate, adviſed Judgment, that is not mentioned. Anon, foreign, ſtatim, by and by, or as ſome, preſently, with joy receive it: We alwayes ſuſpect ſuch Matches as are made up of a ſudden, before there could be ſufficient time to adviſe and conſider. It is true, Chriſt is ſuch a Match, as there needs no adviſing, or deliberation, to know whether the Soul ſhall do well if it doth conſent to his offer; but as he marrieth a Rational creature, that ought to do all things with judgment, and in regard of our treacherous hearts, there is need of this deliberation: hence the ſtony ground, or hearer, when he came to hear of perſecution, flies off preſently: the ſame word foreign, as he received the Word preſently with joy, ſo when he hears of perſecution, ver. 21. preſently he is offended; he did not know it was ſuch a Goſpel as had perſecution attended it; Where is his joy now? Nay, joy and Goſpel both are gone: What he did, it ſeems it was preſently, both coming on, and flying off: what he did then was not done adviſedly.

Secondly, The real Chriſtian cloſeth with, and embraceth Chriſt freely: forced Matches are like never to do well, nor will Chriſt force any; the ſound Believer gives his conſent freely and willingly: A Contract, or Match, made up by fears and ſcares, is no true one: There are indeed many times fears and ſcares in the preparatory legal work, which do more properly tend to looſen the Soul from its luſts and idols, from which he is called: but to chuſe Chriſt meerly out of fear, and becauſe I am ſcared with helliſh horrors, as if Chriſt were not worthy the chuſing or regarding, were it not for theſe which I dread and lye in danger of, this choice or embracing of Chriſt will not hold. It is true, the Jaylour came to the Apoſtle p. 246in a ſcare; but ſurely he did not take Chriſt in a ſcare; no he ſaw reaſon for what he did, and did it freely, willingly, there was much joy in the family, in conſideration of what they had done, Acts 16.34. in embracing of that Chriſt whom Paul taught. It is an ill thing when the woman ſhall ſay, or the man, I had him or her againſt my will; but my Father would have it ſo, and if I would not have him, he would give me nothing; a wiſe Parent the whilſt, to force his Child againſt her will; though ſhe did ſay I will, when ſhe came to the Marriage, but had her Father let her alone, left her to her freedom, I would never have had him, ſaith ſhe. I have heard of ſuch Marriages, where the Child, only in obedience to Parents, croſs to her own judgment and freedom, have taken ſuch a man to her Husband, to pleaſe Parents, but never had good day after; Chriſt abhors this: Thy people ſhall be voluntaries, (as ſome tranſlate it, or voluntarineſſes) in the day of thy power, Pſal. 110.3. Caſtellio * ſaith true when he tells us, God doth not compel men, Ad animi juſtitiam; but in this he ſaith falſe, when he makes Juſtification to be, animi juſtitia, or juſtificare is juſtos facere: God, ſaith he, will have true and voluntary Jews, whom he may commend; but he ſhould not do ſo, if he did compel them againſt their wills. And this, ſaith he, was ſignified in the Structure of the Tabernacle, which was the figure of the heart of a man, the Sanctuary or Temple of the Holy Ghoſt: Now that was made of gifts freely offered by the people, no man was forced or compelled to offer what he did, though in other points the Law did compel men.

[* Dialog. 3. de lib. arb. p. 151. Ad hanc (i. e. juſtitiam) haminem divinitus allici, & impelli fatemur, ſed cogi pernegamus, ſaith Caſtellio, ibid. Allici is not ſufficient: What means he by impelli? So p. 153. Exiſtimo Dei Spiritum eſſe quendam quaſi ventum animos impellentem, & ad obedientiam flectentem.]

If Caſtellio would only oppoſe compulſion, we ſay the p. 247ſame, only the queſtion is, How comes the will to be made thus free? That it is free in its cloſing with Chriſt, it is not forced, nor can be forced, as to its elicit act, nor will Chriſt ever accept of a ſorced Match, this we acknowledge. If God commends the voluntary Jews, and ſo voluntary Chriſtians, then the voluntary and free Chriſtians will commend his free Grace, Nos volumus, ſed ille facit (non cogit) ut velimus; many people do receive Chriſt, embrace him (at leaſt as they think) but in ſcares; any thing while under fears and horrors. I was once ſent for to a Gentleman, who lay at an Inn, who was under ſome trouble of mind, as I was told; I knew no reaſon why I ſhould be ſent for, there being other Miniſters in the Town more able, and my ſelf but a ſtranger at the Inn: when I came into the Chamber, I found the man in dreadful horrour, his carriage towards me was ſuch as I abhor my ſelf ever ſince at the remembrance of it; the man was under the terrible apprehenſions of a damned eſtate: what ſin was then ſet home upon him I know not: to enquire into his particular ſin, was not I thought convenient: I never ſaw his face before, nor never after but once in a Church three dayes after; ſeeing the man in this Agony, juſt like the Jaylour, I could not but ſpeak to him as Paul did, opening the work of faith in Chriſt, what it was: I could ſay nothing to him by way of queſtion, if he were willing to embrace him, &c. but he yielded in all things to me, nothing came amiſs now: but I feared then it was but in a horrible ſcare: I could not learn what was his name, nor how to enquire after him, what became of this work. The Merchants goods ſhall over board in a ſtorm (not becauſe he hates them) to ſave Ship from ſinking, himſelf from drowning, though when the ſtorm is over he wiſheth he had them again with all his heart. A man that is drowning will catch hold of a ſharp Sword, though it cuts his hands, to ſave himſelf, if that will ſave him. If you will ſay, men by theſe ſcares and fears may be made very willing to embrace Chriſt for their Saviour from theſe evils which they ſo p. 248fear. I grant it, this is one thing that moves the will in the real Chriſtian to embrace Chriſt, the privative good, it ſhall enjoy by him, delivering of the Soul from wrath to come, and none ever did cloſe with him, but had an eye to this, and this moſt affected alſo when it comes firſt to him; yet in this is a free and willing choice, for here is good to be enjoyed; but if this be all, and the Soul ſeeth nothing elſe in him, I doubt this will not hold; when theſe fears grow off, the heart will back again, and be weary of its Match.

Thirdly, As it is an adviſed and free, ſo it is a full choice, underſtand me rightly; by the word full I do not mean ſuch a perfection, as if the whole of the Soul did ſo cloſe with Chriſt, and embrace him, that there were nothing in the will croſs to this reception of Chriſt; for we are but in part renewed, though we are quickened, Epheſ. 2.1. yet ſo quickened, as there remains a body of death behind, Rom. 7.24. and the unrenewed, dead part will never make this choice: but what Philip ſaid to the Eunuch, Acts 8.37. If thou believeſt with all thine heart. So here the Believer chuſeth with all his heart: Such is the prevalency of the will in its choice, that there is not many times ſo much as any actual reſiſtance of the unrenewed part felt, to oppoſe this choice; but as if there were no ſuch thing as a corrupt unrenewed part to oppoſe, the whole Soul comes off fully in the choice of Chriſt; the heart is not divided, there is not a heart and a heart; as in thoſe hypocritical penitents, Jer. 3.10. Her treacherous ſiſter Judah hath not turned to me with her whole heart, but feignedly. Here was no full turning, the whole heart went not after God, but was divided, and to be ſure God had the leaſt part. As in repenting, ſo in believing, the whole heart comes to Chriſt. If a rich perſon, and every way an object of love, ſhould ask a poor woman, wilt thou have me for thy Husband? and is in earneſt; as if Boaz ſhould have put that queſtion to Ruth, what would have been her anſwer? Yea, with all my heart; there is a full p. 249choice: So doth the Soul anſwer to this queſtion, wilt thou have Chriſt; Yea, with all my heart, the beſt bargain that ever I made. The fulneſs of the choice is felt in this, that this choice is made with complacency, the heart is exceedingly well pleaſed, delighted, ſatisfied in its choice, and finds it ſelf at reſt in Chriſt. What David ſaid, Return to thy reſt, O my ſoul, Pſal. 116.7. This Soul ſaith to it ſelf, can I but get this Chriſt, that I have real union with him, and he once undertakes for me, I ſhall then be at reſt, I am ſatisfied fully with him. What the Father ſaid, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleaſed, Matth. 3.17. The believing Soul ſaith, This is my beloved Saviour, with whom I am well pleaſed. The Father is pleaſed, and the Believer is pleaſed with Chriſt.

Fourthly, It is a firm, conſtant, abiding choice, or reception of Chriſt: Take the Real Chriſtian when you will, yet you ſhall find he holds to his choice; when he is wurried with his baſe temptations, that labour to draw away the will, yet here he holds; no, I do not repent me of my choice. Take him under his dark temptations, when he apprehends Chriſt will not receive him nor chuſe him, yet he doth receive and embrace Chriſt. It was an adviſed, free, and full choice, therefore it proves a conſtant, firm choice: It was not in a ſcare, when I was forced, and that ſcare being removed, now the will goeth off again to its former lovers: It is ſo indeed in the unſound Chriſtian, but not in the real Chriſtian. When perſons have lived together in a married eſtate thirty years, have ſeen the infirmities of each other, if the queſtion were then put, ſuppoſe you were now to make your choice, where would you chuſe? If the anſwer be heartily made, I would chuſe where I did before, the ſame choice I made then I make now, that Match, that choice was well made. Let Chriſtians live in married covenant with Chriſt thirty and thirty years, when they have experienced not the infirmities of Chriſt, in whom there is none, (though he p. 250experience ours ſufficiently) but the troubles they meet with from within, from without, the infirmities which Paul mentions, 2 Cor. 12.9, 10. upon the account of keeping cloſe with Chriſt, and walking with him; if then you put the queſtion, if you were put to your choice now, Where would you chuſe? Who ſhould be the beloved of your Soul? You ſhould ſoon hear the anſwer, they would not ſtand long, as if they were in doubt what to ſay, what Chriſt ſaid of Mary, Luke 10. laſt. Mary hath choſen the good part which ſhall never be taken from her: As that which Mary had choſen ſhall never be taken away, ſo Maries choice, and every ſound Believers choice with her, of that part, is not taken away, nor ſhall be changed: That was one reaſon why God ſaith in the forementioned Text, Hoſea 2.19. I will betroth thee unto me for ever; there is no more parting, no Divorce, becauſe he did betroth her in Judgment: It was a judicious choice, the judgment is conſtant, and the choice is conſtant.

Fifthly, Laſtly, It is ſuch a receiving, embracing, or chuſing of Chriſt, as groweth ſtronger; if ſo, then it muſt needs be firm and conſtant.

The reaſon of this lyeth here, when a Chriſtian once commeth to be acquainted with the Chriſtian Race and Converſation what it is, and obſerves the workings of his wretched, vile, treacherous heart, he is driven to ſuch plunges ever and anon, that he knows not what to do or think, his temptations, perplexities, are ſo multiplied, that his neceſſities of Chriſt do more appear; there was a neceſſity of Chriſt, and excellency in him, which the Soul ſaw at firſt; but now neceſſities are branched forth into many particulars, which were not all in view at firſt; that the Soul feeleth its neceſſity of Chriſt more and more; and as it feeleth its neceſſities, ſo finding in Chriſt, that fulneſs and fitneſs in him to anſwer all theſe neceſſities, troubles, perplexities, and that Chriſt in his Marriage-Covenant is ingaged for them all, it lyeth upon him to ſecure the Believer againſt whatever comes, this openeth further p. 251the excellencies of Chriſt to the Soul, and cauſeth the will to embrace and chuſe him yet more, that thus the choice grows ſtronger: I did not know this, I did not think of this at the firſt, ſaith the Soul, but now I ſee I am the moſt pitiful Creature without Chriſt, none ſo bad: Theſe new various particular exigencies and ſtreights, which the Believer meets with, clear up, and diſcover Chriſt more unto him; for the real Chriſtian knows none but Chriſt to run to when he almoſt ready to run out of his wits; temptations blow in ſo hard from every quarter of the Compaſs, that the man is ready to ſink, give up all, and conclude deſperately upon himſelf; but when he comes to underſtand, and meditates upon it, how Jeſus Chriſt hath undertaken for all, even for that which I feel now, and knows not which way to get over, this maketh him to cleave to Chriſt the more, and embrace him yet the more ſtrongly.

The ſecond thing is the Object, or what you do receive, Jeſus Chriſt the Lord, Chriſt cloathed with all Offices, not one too much, nor one too little; the real Chriſtian cannot ſpare one, and deſires no more: Chriſt is ſo fitted for my turn, ſaith the Believer, by being made Prophet, Prieſt and King for me, Wiſdom, Righteouſneſs, Sanctification and Redemption for me, that I know not what I could deſire more, nor could I be healed, recovered, redeemed, if he were made leſs; ſo that God and the real Chriſtian are agreed upon terms: Were I to make my terms, ſaith the Believer, I could not tell how to mend, or how to have other propounded than God hath made and propounded to me already. But let me take this into pieces, for here alſo ſhall we find deceits lye: See how the real Chriſtian receiveth his Object, and by it we ſhall diſcover the Chriſtian only in name.

Firſt, The ſound Chriſtian receiveth the Perſon of Chriſt: Ʋnion is with the Perſon of Chriſt; though this muſt be firſt, yet I would not put that block in the way p. 252of poor Chriſtians: Did you embrace the Perſon of Chriſt firſt? Had you union with him firſt before you did meddle with his goods? Alas, many poor Chriſtians are not ſo diſtinct, they cannot tell what they did firſt nor ſecond; but it was Jeſus Chriſt with all his goods which they felt the want of; they were loſt, undone, had need of a Saviour, and willing alſo to receive him, Chriſt and Lord; this they can tell; but yet if you ask them, What is Chriſt to you? If you put the queſtion, as they did to the Spouſe, Cant. 5. v. 9. What is thy Beloved more than another Beloved? the Believer will anſwer, though he cannot tell what the Spouſe meant in that deſcription of Chriſt by particular parts to ſet out the beauty of his Perſon, yet ſhe can ſay with the cloſe of the deſcription, ver. 16. He is altogether lovely.

In Marriages, union is with the perſon, not with the goods; hence if the perſon pleaſe not, (as ſome will ſay, if I had her money, take her perſon who will) ſuch Marriages will meet with miſerable miſcarriages, becauſe that with which the perſon is united pleaſeth not, and there being the greateſt tye, there proves the greater affliction. Chriſt hath riches unſearchable, Epheſ. 3.8. might but an unſound heart have ſome of the riches of Chriſt, as to his Perſon it matters not, take him who will; but the real Chriſtian is taken with the love of his Perſon; nay, no found Chriſtian can reſt without God himſelf, Chriſt himſelf, the goods will not ſatisfie, no not all the good things God or Chriſt gives diſtinct from himſelf, becauſe God is better than his goods, Chriſt is better than his goods; therefore the underſtanding being ſavingly enlightned, to know God and Chriſt, and the will renewed, as good is its Object, ſo the beſt good is its Object; if there be any better good than other diſcovered, the ſanctified hungry will muſt have it: but God and Chriſt are diſcovered as better goods than the benefits of communion, therefore the will cannot reſt, but in the union with, and enjoyment of himſelf; all the bleſſings of communion, being either ſuch as make a relative or real change in the Believer, p. 253gracious habits, which make the real change, are but Accidents or Adjuncts; theſe do not ſatisfie. If holineſs, the Image of God, be good, then God, whoſe Image holineſs is, is better: If reconciliation with God be good, then God himſelf is better: If Chriſt be the Peace-maker, then he is better than the Peace it ſelf; if his Righteouſneſs be good, then he himſelf is better, elſe his Righteouſneſs could not be ſo good. So that in this ſubſtantial good, God himſelf, Chriſt himſelf, doth the will of a real Chriſtian take up its reſt.

Secondly, From union with the Perſon, we come to communion with his Benefits, or to his Offices: Conſider firſt his Prieſthood, or thoſe benefits which make our Relative change.

Firſt, What ſayeſt thou to imputed Righteouſneſs, to the blood of Atonement, to Chriſt our High-prieſt and Sacrifice, to him who knew no ſin, yet was made ſin, that we might be made the righteouſneſs of God in him? As for the real Chriſtian theſe are glorious things in his eye, theſe the Goſpel truths and tidings, which cauſe ſuch amazement in the thoughts of a ſound Believer, while he meditates upon them, how ſuch a one as he ſhould ſtand at the Bar of God, and be acquitted, yea, pronounced juſt and righteous, by a Holy and Juſt God; that ſuch a one as knew no righteouſneſs, but was all in ſin, ſhould be made the righteouſneſs of God in him, that he who knows what enmity lyeth naturally in his heart againſt God, and knows how infinitely God hates ſin, and how terrible his wrath is, and will be againſt ſin, ſhould now have God his Friend and Father, and Chriſt a High-Prieſt to be alwayes pleading his cauſe, then thoughts fill the heart with admiration and aſtoniſhment, a pardoned, juſtified, reconciled eſtate; What tongue of man or Angel can ſpeak the bleſſedneſs of it? If Caſtellio can flout at imputed righteouſneſs, yet he might have learned to write truth: Where did he ever read any of our Divines, who maintain, yea, muſt p. 254and will exalt imputed (not putative, as he ſcoffingly calls it) righteouſneſs? Interpret that Text, 1 Cor. 6.9, 11. as he gloſſeth, and imputes to us, thus, Neither fornicators, nor adulterers, De obedien. praeſtand a p. 232.nor effeminate, &c. but ye are waſhed, but ye are ſanctified, &c. that is, ſaith he, God doth not impute theſe ſins though they abide in you ſtill; you are fornicators as before, you are adulterers as before, but theſe ſins are not imputed to you; We abhor his putative Comment. Where did he ever read a Divine of ours [I preſume he aims at Calvin, who takes waſhing for juſtification in that Text; but he might have read Calvin there ſaying, Sanctificat vitioſam naturam ſpiritu ſuo, reformando, ita ſanctificatio ad regenerationem pertinet: Calvin's Comment is quite croſs to what he puts upon him] that took ſanctified for non-imputing of ſins? Why did not he there tell us the difference between ſanctified and juſtified in the Text, if juſtification be only to make juſt, as he contends? They were ſuch, but they are juſtified, ſo the Lord doth not impute the guilt of their ſins. And they were ſanctified, and if made holy, then they were no more fornicators, or adulterers, as he fancies the doctrine of imputation leaves men, as to inherent righteouſneſs, and it found them before effectual Calling, men of ſedate, quiet tempers and conſtitutions, rational heads, bookiſh men, given only to ſtudy, never acquainted with ſelf-emptying workings, loads of guilt preſſing, dark deſertions, violent and ſtrong temptations, are fit men to take up Arms, againſt the moſt precious Goſpel truths, riches of free Grace, imputed Righteouſneſs, the blood of Atonement, cut off Chriſt in his Prieſtly work, and ſet up a Dagon of ſelf-righteouſneſs, a Caſtellian perfection, (imperfectly proved) Diana of mans free will (which we grant is free in part, when made free by Grace) and if this be the fruit men make of their learning and tempers, &c. we thank God for our temptations. If we had nothing elſe but ſelf-righteouſneſs and perſection to boaſt of, woe to our Souls; but bleſſed be God for our High-Prieſt, for imputed Righteouſneſs, for the revealing of a Covenant of Grace. p. 255What David ſaid of the Covenant ſtruck with him, This is all my ſalvation, and all my deſire, 2 Sam. 23 5. the ſame ſay we; for take away imputed righteouſneſs, the righteouſneſs of God-man; take away the bloud of Atonement, even the bloud of that Saerifice, God in our fleſh; take away the Covenant of Grace, in which the free Grace of God is reſolved to triumph over all the guilt, enmity, ſins, luſts, hypocriſies, ſlavery, of the veſſels of mercy, by pardoning, juſtifying, cleanſing, healing, and yet be juſt; take away theſe, I ſay, then fare well bleſſedneſs, peace and comfort; and though I cannot ſay welcome, yet miſery, wrath and ſorrows will come, and they who can find another way to eſcape them, muſt be wiſer than men or Angels are, yea, wiſer than God himſelf. Pardon is a good word in the opinion of all men that think there is any ſin, and no man will refuſe it: Juſtification by imputed righteouſneſs may be very well liked, by a laxe, careleſs and vain Chriſtian, who either in opinion will deny (as ſome) any inherent created righteouſneſs or grace in us; or be their opinion what it will, do not much regard it, to find the work of Grace in them; as I have known ſome crying up the righteouſneſs of Chriſt to our juſtification, their tongues could ſpeak of nothing but this, how pure we were, ſo that God could ſee no ſin in his people, [not to ſee it, that is, not to impute it to a juſtified perſon in Chriſt, we owned, but that was too low, not enough, God could ſee none] but inherent righteouſneſs, was never made mention of: and if the queſtion were put, But how ſhall I know I am in this juſtified ſtate? Their anſwer was, For that you muſt look to it; and that was all the anſwer that ever I heard them give. Thus I ſay, for a laxe Goſpeller, the notion may pleaſe him; but for a man from the ſenſe of the imperfection of his inherent righteouſneſs, the ſin, the mixtures that cleave to his own duties and performances, from the high eſtimation he hath of Gods righteouſneſs, Rom. 10.3. The righteouſneſs which is through the faith of Chriſt, Phil. 3.9. in earneſt, to ſay, Surely in the Lord have I righteouſneſs, Iſai. 45.24. p. 256In him, who is Jehovah our righteouſneſs, Jer. 23.6. In him do I glory, Iſai. 45.25. Making mention of thy righteouſneſs, even thine only, as David, Pſal 71.16. ſaith: Though in another ſenſe [yet Calvin ſaith, Calvin in Text.that B. Auſtin doth a hundred times make uſe of this Text to overthrow the merits of works, and did plauſibly oppoſe this righteouſneſs which is freely given of God, againſt the meritorious righteouſneſs of men] this frame is not found in all Goſpellers; this the proud heart of man will not ſet up; and upon this for a guilty, ſelf condemned Soul to reſt and roul it ſelf, it cannot, in a day of ſin appearing, unleſs as faith is the gift of God, ſo this act of ſaith be given from above. But ſtill upon this imputed Righteouſneſs, blood of Atonement, Chriſt his High-Prieſt, doth the real Chriſtian venture and lay the ſtreſs of his Soul, if theſe crack I am gone. Examine Chriſtian, doeſt thou experience this in thy heart feelingly?

Secondly, This Jeſus Chriſt is the Lord; as he was received before for our High-Prieſt, ſo he is received for our Lord and King, if we receive him right as all real Chriſtians do: Zech. 6.12. Behold the man [God directing it, ſaith Grotius, Pilate fitted theſe words, or applyed them to Chriſt, John 19.5. Pilate ſaith to them, Behold the man] whoſe name is the Branch, [Meſſiah is his name, ſaith the Chaldee] ver. 3. even he ſhall build the Temple of the Lord, (both the material Temple, which Joſhua and Zerubbabel could not without him, and the ſpiritual Temple, the univerſal Church eſpecially) and he ſhall bear the glory, (all the glory and excellency of the Church is in Chriſt, the Head of it, the glory of rearing up and building a Church to God in the world, is a burden too heavy for any but Chriſt to bear; he builds it, and wears the glory: Munſter and Clarius interpret this glory by Revel. 19.16. On his Veſture was written, King of Kings, Lord of Lords) and ſhall ſit and rule upon his Throne: (Chriſt is King, Pſal. 2.6.) and he ſhall be a Prieſt upon his Throne, (Chriſt a Prieſt, Pſal. 110.4.) and the Counſel of peace ſhall be between p. 257them both. Here is the glorious Conjunction of the two Supreme Dignities, the Kingdom and the Prieſthood in Chriſts moſt excellent Perſon: The Prophetical Office, ſaith learned Pemble, is not mentioned, which it may be is but an Appendix of his Prieſthood. What is meant by theſe words, Between them both, ſome between the Jews and Gentiles? this I like not; ſome between Zerubbabel the Prince, and Joſhua the Prieſt: But 1. Here is no mention of Zerubbabel. 2. Both the Crowns were ſet upon Joſhuah's head, ver. 11. 3. The Branch, ver. 12. was to ſit on the Throne and rule: De Dieu I ſee differs from all; he ſhall ſit and rule upon his Throne; he will not have it tranſlated, ſuper thronum ſuum, but ſuper thronum ejus; by ejus, meaning Jehovah: So by them both, or thoſe two, he underſtands the Branch and Jehovah: But what then is meant by the Counſel of peace, he doth not interpret. Cor. a Lapide thus, Either, ſaith he, between both the Thrones, the Kingly power and Prieſthood, or the Prince and the Prieſt, q. d. In Chriſt ſhall be the greateſt conſent and concord, between the Prince ſitting upon his Kingly Throne, and the Prieſt ſitting upon his Pontifical Throne, becauſe he ſhall be both, and ſhall conjoyn both the Dignity of the Priſthood and Kingdom in himſelf: This is ſomething, but not enough: Mr. Pemble better, Counſel of Peace, an alluſion to the former government of the Jews State, wherein the King and Prieſt, ſeveral Officers, did take counſel one with and of another, for the maintenance of peace and proſperity in the Church and State: Now likewiſe the Churches peace ſhould be wrought, though not by two ſeveral perſons, yet by vertue of two ſeveral offices meeting in one: Chriſt purchaſing all peace to his Church by his Prieſthood, and maintaining and defending it by his Kingdom: the effect which the conjunction of both Thrones and Offices in Chriſt doth produce is peace and reconciliation with God, with ſafety and deliverance from our ſpiritual enemies; thus Mr. Pemble agreeing with Junius. To theſe I ſhall only add Diodati and no more: Theſe two offices in Chriſt, ſhall perfectly agree one with another, though they ſeem to be very p. 258different; the one having the adminiſtration of Juſtice to command and puniſh, the other of mercy to expiate and pardon: but Chriſt ſhall expiate and pardon, that he may be obeyed when he commands, Pſal 130.4. having brought men again into Gods favour, to make them receive his Spirit, which enclineth them to a voluntary obedience, and ſhall command in pardoning, viz. he ſhall enact the Law of the Spirit, as much or more binding then the literal Law; thus he. This comes up to what I aimed at in the quotation; thus I conceive, Peace or reconciliation between perſons at diſtance is not properly made up till both parties be agreed. Chriſt on his Prieſtly Throne, as he offers himſelf a Sacrifice expiatory to his Father, ſatisfying of his Juſtice, makes up the breach on Gods part. Chriſt on his Kingly Throne, delivering us from our ſpiritual enemies, as Mr. Pemble, and let me add, our enmity againſt God, by giving his Spirit to incline us to voluntary obedience; by enacting the Law of the Spirit, as Diodati, doth heal or make up the breach on our part: thus the bleſſed Counſel of peace is made up of both theſe Offices in Chriſt, and now it proſpers; God reconciled to us, our wills to his. The ſum then is; Chriſt ſitting on both the Thrones muſt be received, and ſo truſted to, reſted upon, if peace (comprehending all ſpiritual proſperity, as peace among the Hebrews was uſed to ſignifie proſperity) be ours. What Chriſt upon the Throne ruling doth towards the outward peace of his Church, I do not now ſpeak, though I am ſure the Church ſhall enjoy outward peace from hence alſo, and that in a glorious manner as yet on the earth; but I let that alone: this is the peace we moſt need which I am now upon: ſpirittual inward peace with God and our Conſciences.

Chriſt ſitting upon the Prieſtly Throne, the former Head ſpake to; now I am to ſpeak of Chriſt ſitting and ruling on his Kingly Throne, and ſee whether he be ſo received.

p. 259Queſt. But here one Queſtion: What is it to receive Chriſt as Lord?

Anſw. B. Davenant on the Text, Coloſ. 2.6. thus comments; The Coloſſians, and ſo all true Chriſtians have received Chriſt the Lord, both of their faith, and of their life, neither will they ſuffer any rules of Faith or Chriſtian life to be impoſed upon them by any other. This is a great truth, and ſpoken like a Chriſtian who owned Chriſt for his Lord only; but this doth not take in all: whether Chriſt did make any new Laws, added new Commandements, is a great queſtion between us and the Socinians: I will not at all meddle with it; yet I will venture one Argument againſt Socinus here.

If Chriſt be a Law-giver, then he is God, Jehovah.

But he is a Law-giver;

Ergo.

That he is a Law-giver, Socinus yields. The conſequence I prove, James 4.12. There is One Law-giver, &c. not two Law-givers: One God, and Man the other, James 2.8. He ſpeaks of the Royal Law; given under the old Teſtament: Jehovah gave the Law; Chriſt then as God, Jehovah gives the Law binding the Conſcience, able to ſave and to deſtroy, as in the Text, and ſo is the Object of Divine worſhip. One only Law giver, the Dutch read. This I am certain of, the receiving of Chriſt, as King, as Lord, is not meant only of receiving him as a Law-giver, as giving Commands to be obeyed: and thus it may be many Chriſtians underſtand it, when they hear they muſt receive Chriſt as Lord and King, that is, I muſt obey his Commands, be ſubject to him; which though it be a truth; yet if this be all, we are but in a ſad caſe, we have received Commands enough to ſink us: conſidering the vile enmity of our hearts unto them, how oppoſite they are to the holy Commandments, we need no more Lawgivers, or Laws to damn us for breach of them. The Queſtion is, How ſhall my vile heart be brought about to obey theſe holy Commands? this bleſſed p. 260King, how ſhall my will ever be made ſubject to him?

2. Therefore Secondly: To receive Chriſt King and Lord under a Covenant of Grace, is to receive him not only as a King, to give me Laws morally, but I receive Jeſus my King efficiently, to incline my will, bow my heart, and to enable me to be ſubject to him, and obey his Commandments; this is the King under a Covenant of Grace which we chiefly look at, and thus I conceive he is chiefly to be looked upon; for thus (not by giving Laws) doth he heal us: all his Offices tend to healing, to redemption; but giving Laws is no healing, no redemption; they may make our ſore worſe, our bondage: but what the Apoſtle ſaith of him as a Prieſt, Heb. 7.26. Such an High-Prieſt became us, &c. ſo I ſay of him as a King, Such a King became us, not only one who hath authority to give us Statutes, but power to cauſe us (not force us) to walk in his Statutes, Ezek. 36.27. and to this doth Mr. Pemble, Diodati and Junius agree, upon that, Zech. 6.23. Chriſt ſitting and ruling upon his Throne: He delivers us from our ſpiritual enemies, gives his Spirit to incline us to voluntary obedience, enacts a Law of the Spirit, as they ſaid before: were it not thus, poor Chriſtians muſt go look for their comfort where they can find it, when obedience to Commands is preſt, and holy walking with God required. To this of Zechariah doth the ſpeech of Peter, Acts 5.31. agree, Him hath God exalted with his right hand (Chriſt then is upon his Throne) to be a Prince and a Saviour (both his Offices, as in Zechariah) to give repentance to Iſrael, and forgiveneſs of ſins. This exalted Saviour on his Throne gives forgiveneſs of ſins: this exalted Prince on his Throne gives repentance to Iſrael. If Chriſt as a Prince only gives Laws, he gives no repentance: for to gives Laws, is not to give repentance. Chriſtians then in the work of faith, or union, receive Chriſt, ſuch a Prince, and Lord, as gives repentance to the Soul who receives him; he gives what Ethraim and true Converts pray for, Jer. p. 26131.18. Turn thou me, and I ſhall be turned. Such a King then we receive as hath power over our wills and affections, to incline them to obedience, rules them, and yet ſaves their liberty, makes us freely and ſweetly to obey what is commanded by him: Do cauſa Dei, l. 3. c. 29. p. 738.We ſay with profound and pious Bradwardin, Illum nolo pro Deo noſtro habere, qui non ſit omnipotens in agendo: qui non habet omnipotentiſſimum Dominatum ſuper meam debilem voluntatem: qui non poſſet omnipotentiſſime facere me velle & facere quicquid velet, &c. quinimo conſtanter & libera voce dico: Illum nole pro Deo meo habere, cujus beatiſſimam voluntatem, ego miſer peccater poſſum facillime, a ſumma arce ſuae digniſſimae libertatis detrudere, &c.

This receiving of Chriſt our Lord and King, gives eaſe to a poor Chriſtian, that lies under the ſenſe of his perverſe will, his crooked nature, that curſed fountain of ſin within him, when he hears duty required, and the holineſs of the Command urged: it is the office of this King whom I receive, To work in me both to will and to do, Phil. 2.13. To make **foreignto go in the path of his Commandments, Pſal. 119.35. He is made of God to us, Sanctification and Redemption, 1 Cor. 1.30.

The real Chriſtian willingly, freely, receives this King: the Office likes him, he is well pleaſed with it; yea, ſo well pleaſed is he with it, that a great part of his comfort dependeth upon it. Chriſt were but half a Redeemer to him, not ſo glorious, ſo beautiful to him, were he not ſuch a King, To deſtroy the works of the devil in him, 1 John 3.8. and redeem him from all his iniquities, Tit. 2.14. The believer anſwers his temptations from guilt of ſin with the Prieſthood of Chriſt; he anſwers all his temptations from the power of ſin, with this Kingly power of Chriſt; were I left alone to grapple with my corrupt heart, ſtrong luſts, and the worlds temptations, I muſt give up all hopes and comfort, and reſolve to meddle no more with Religion, ſaith the Believer.

See then, Chriſtian, how thy heart anſwers here, and let p. 262me adviſe thee to look to two things in the receiving of Chriſt as Lord and King.

Firſt, When the heart is not ſo well pleaſed with this; but yet rather than I will not have Chriſt for my Prieſt, I will have him for my King: rather than I will not have him for my Saviour, to deliver me from hell, I will have him for my Lord: You had beſt look to this, keep your eye upon your heart, for here may be a deceit that will undo all: I do not ſay abſolutely there is the deceit as yet, for I know at the firſt, fears of hell, wrath, guilt, work ſtrong, and a Chriſtian under the ſenſe of theſe will yield too much, rather than to fall under that miſery which he fears: Now if this be the ſenſe of thy heart, that it looks on the receiving of Chriſt as King, to be a hard term; but as we ſay, of two evils chuſe the leaſt, ſo the Soul will chuſe this evil, rather than hell, which is the worſe: ſo that Chriſt as King is not looked on as good, the work that he doth, in turning out of luſts and idols in thy heart, and ſubduing thy will to his will, working up thy Soul to an obedient, holy converſation before him, and walking with him, this is not pleaſing, it would not be choſen if I knew how to help it, but I ſubmit to it, rather than to go to hell, though it be a hard condition: now look to your ſelf, for if the fears of hell once draw off, if Conſcience come to be quieted again, that no trouble be felt: the next news we may fear will be, thy heart will go back to its old lovers again. I know this is the great Argument to make the Soul at firſt coming home (in thoſe whom God works upon when adult) to accept of Chriſt as Lord and King, that it may have him for a Saviour, and God may carry on the work more afterwards, and ſo make the Soul ſee an excellency in Chriſt as King, as well as Saviour; ſo make Chriſt appear yet more lovely and higher prized; this Chriſtians know experimentally: therefore at firſt I do not condemn it; but yet, I ſay, look to thy ſelf, for if all that God hath made Chriſt to be, for loſt man, do not pleaſe thee, if leſs than compleat Redemption will ferve p. 263thy turn, Redemption from the curſe of the Law, Gal. 3.13. Redemption from all thy iniquities, Tit. 2.14. Redemption from thy vain converſation, 1 Pet. 1.18. Redemption from the earth, Revel. 14.3. If leſs than this Redemption were better in thy eſteem, look to thy ſelf, for thy faith will prove but feigned.

Secondly, Thou receiveſt Chriſt Lord and King, thou ſayeſt, as well as Saviour or Prieſt. Take heed of generals; we have a ſaying, Dolus latet in univerſalibus, if true any where, it is true here; for this is ſuch a deceit as ruines thouſands in their ſuppoſed faith, and cloſing with Chriſt: Ask them, do you receive Jeſus Chriſt for your Saviour and your Lord? Yes, they do ſo: but this only in general.

Queſt. But how ſhall we find out this deceit?

Anſw. Bring down this general into particulars, and then we ſhall find rottenneſs enough. I will but name a few Heads, not all, you may enlarge.

Firſt, Carry this Lord to thy particular boſom luſt, to thy ſpecial creature-idol, ſee, is Chriſt Lord there? haſt received him King, to ſubdue and caſt out that ſpecial luſt of thine? be it the ſin of thy conſtitution, or the ſin that attends thy calling, be the luſt what it will, the Peccatum in deliciis, the Benjamin of thy Soul, in which the life of the old man is bound up, I could part with all but this: Is it an ambitious, a vain-glorious luſt? Is it an unclean luſt? Is it a covetous worldly luſt? Is it a bibbing, a potting luſt, or any other? Try here, Chriſtian, for here have many Profeſſours been wofully deceived, they have received Jeſus Chriſt the Lord, yea, in general; but, as in Grammar, when a general Rule hath been laid, preſently comes in the Excipe's, ſo in theſe Profeſſours, Chriſt is received King and Lord, Excipe, except in this particular luſt, this particular idol-creature, upon which the heart is ſet. As in London, though ſuch a one was Lord Mayor of London, yet there p. 260duplicate page p. 261duplicate page p. 262duplicate page p. 263duplicate page p. 264were ſome particular priviledged places in London (if I be not miſtaken) exempted from his juriſdiction as to Arreſts, that his Sergeants could not execute his Authority for arreſting men in ſuch a place: Thus it is with ſome, yea, too many Chriſtians, they will call him Jeſus Chriſt our Lord, thus they receive him, but yet have their particular places, they have their ſpecial luſts and idols, which muſt not come under his arreſts, nor ſubject to his Authority; but Chriſt will never own it, that he was received as Lord, though Men may ſay to him, Lord, Lord, Matth. 7.21. where ſuch limitations are put to his government, there are no ſuch priviledged places granted by him; though ſuch a faith as receive him in general, and yield to his Lordſhip in many things, may ferve for an outward profeſſion, yet it will not ſerve for ſalvation: here then, Chriſtian, fearch, the Apoſtle hath told us, what is that Trinity which our carnal hearts worſhip, 1 John 2.16. Luſt of the fleſh, (ſenſual pleaſures) luſt of the eyes, (covetouſneſs, riches) pride of life, (ambition, honours;) here may we find the ſpecial luſt and idol, which every unſound believer exempts from the Lordſhip of Chriſt: for pride in apparel, this ſeems to be too low for one to make an idol of, but any thing the vile heart will ſet up. One woman, and Wife to a Miniſter, whom I knew well, in the day when her Conſcience was awakened, went to her Preſs, or Trunk, where her clothes lay, and took them up, Theſe were my gods, ſaid ſhe, which I ſet up: the womans vanity ran out that way; I fear ſhe is not alone as to the ſin, it were well if ſhe had more with her, that are ſenſible of, and humbled under that ſin.

Queſt. How ſhall I find out my particular, ſpecial luſts andidol, how may I come to know it?

Anſw. This is none of my Text, nor will I be guilty of that for which I ſo much blame others: were I to handle that ſubject, I would fet down wayes how you may find it out, if you do not know it already, which is ſomething ſtrange for that perſon, that keeps a narrow watch p. 265over his heart, not to obſerve and know which way his corrupt heart runs out; yet I have learned, that ſuch a thing is poſſible, if the corruption be a ſpiritual luſt, and if there be ſomething elſe that much takes up the heart. I knew one, an eminent Chriſtian, a man, as in years ſo in grace, learning and abilities, much my ſuperiour, a man yet of a clung, penurious, having, cloſe ſpirit, Couſin german to a worldly covetous luſt, the bones of it ſtuck out ſo, that people did generally obſerve it; I ſpake of it to an eminent Miniſter, and asked him if he did not obſerve it? Obſerve it, ſaid he, yes, 'tis plain enough to obſerve: yet this man for ſecret duties with God, for ſpiritual, heavenly converſe in company, ſuch a one, as few like him; his ſpirit battered and kept under ſtrangely: One time walking with a very ſerious Chriſtian, much his inferiour, a mean man in the world, he asked him, and deſired him to deal faithfully with him, what corruption he did diſcern in him, which might cauſe the Lord thus to hide the light of his Countenance from him, and tell him plainly of it: (this argues the uprightneſs of the man:) the man being much his inferiour, but wiſe and very godly, giving him his due reſpect, asked him, Sir, do you not take notice of ſuch a corruption, and inſtanced in that which I mentioned, and handſomly informed him of it: He made this reply, Truly I never took notice of it, nor obſerved it by my ſelf. If you would then know it, and do not, do as this good man did, get ſome inward, judicious Friend, to deal plainly with thee; a Chriſtian Friend may obſerve that by thee; of which thou doeſt not take notice thy ſelf: This is all I will ſay to it in this place; I will not meddle with more than the ſubject I am upon leads me to.

Queſt. Is it not poſſible there may be a corruption in my heart, which at this time I do not think of, nor feel working, which may afterwards appear and prove my ſtrong, maſterly, ſpecial corruption? And if ſo, I know not when my faith is ſound, nor whether I have received Chriſt for my King?

p. 266Anſw. It is poſſible, and hath been found ſo by woful experience, eſpecially where the work began betimes; when Chriſtians come to ſuch years, to ſuch employments, to ſuch ſtates and conditions in publick places, to ſuch conditions of life, in all which changes are made, there riſes up new corruptions, which had not the opportunity to ſhew themſelves before, and make heavy work in the hearts of poor Chriſtians: When a man hath been wurried with one corruption which hath coſt him much ſorrow and pains, thinks he, if I can but get over this, I hope, my journey will be pretty comfortable; I do not obſerve any other luſt that hath ſo much power, but I think I can more eaſily grapple with. Well, that corruption is taken down, he is in a great meaſure quiet from that which coſt him ſo much trouble; but in the room of that there riſes another: O Lord, ſaith the Soul, this is worſe, this is ſtronger than that; and now the Soul knows not what to think, but concludes its ſtate is his, which Chriſt mentions, Luke 11.25, &c. Where the unclean ſpirit being caſt out, the houſe ſwept and garniſhed, he taketh to him ſeven other ſpirits more wicked than himſelf: thus it is with me, thinks the man: A ſad Text, and too true of ſome, who are ſwept and garniſhed with idols of ſelf-righteouſneſs, and formality of worſhip ſet up in them, who prove more deſperate enemies to Goſpel-faith, ſound Believers, and real power of godlineſs, than are many drunkards and unclean perſons: but as to the ſound Beleiver, who apprehends this to be his condition, from a new upſtart luſt, that crawls out now the warm Sun of occaſion and temptation ſhines upon that ſide of the dunghill of his corrupt heart, this is his comfort, that Jeſus Chriſt, whom I received for my King and Lord, he will be my Redeemer from this luſt alſo: I chuſe him, and apply his Lordſhip to this; he hath engaged againſt whatever it be that ſhould come in between me and him, to make my heart unſound and rotten: If then they do riſe, as they will, unexpected, yet if thine eye be upon them, and canſt carry them to Chriſt, and doeſt not ſay, O ſpare me in this, but let this luſt feel p. 267the power of thy iron Mace, Pſal. 2.9. deliver me from this enemy too ſtrong for me: Canſt pleaſe thy ſelf in thinking, Chriſt is engaged for me againſt it, he will undertake it for me, and help me through his ſtrength and redemption to be above it? Thou mayeſt yet conclude, thou haſt truly received Chriſt for thy Lord, though new corruptions (which had the ſeeds in thy heart before) do riſe up and trouble thee.

Secondly, Carry this general to thy particular relation, ſee what doth this King there, what authority bears he there: Thou haſt received Chriſt, thy Lord, thou ſayeſt; thou art a Husband, or a Wife, a Father, Mother, or a Child, a Maſter, or Servant, hath this Lord any thing to do there? hath he any Rules for theſe Relations to obſerve? (or any other Relations more publick than I have mentioned) If I be a Father, where is my honour? If I be a Maſter, where is my fear? Mal. 1.6. Shew then thou haſt received this Lord, by endeavouring to yield obedience to the Rules of thy Lord, in thy particular relation: But what ſad work will this Rule make among many Profeſſours? The man can talk of faith, hath very good knowledge, can pray at a meeting of Chriſtians, a man of excellent parts, but a churliſh Nabal, a Tyrant, rather than a Husband, and his heart it may be not truly cloſed with the wife of his youth, let her be ſtudious to pleaſe him, tender over him, all her care, reſpect, obſequiouſneſs towards him, cannot obtain a loving tender converſation from him, but carries himſelf like a ſurly, imperious blockhead. Take ſuch a woman, ſhe is a Believer, ſhe hath taken Chriſt for her Lord, goes to Sermons frequently, and private Faſts, you muſt look upon her for a Chriſtian, ſhe can talk very well of good things; ſee her in her relation of a Wife, is Chriſt her Lord there? doth ſhe manifeſt that ſubmiſſion, that reverence to her Husband which her Lord calls for? This Doctrine, I have obſerved, by ſome will hardly be born; it is ſtrange to ſee what Wives ſome are, how clamorous, froward, how far from being Sarahs p. 268Daughters, how uſurping authority over their Husbands, they muſt not dare to do any thing but as they will have them, for fear the houſe be too hot, or the dumb devil poſſeſs them; yet theſe muſt be accounted Chriſtians, they have received Chriſt their Lord. It was a worthy ſpeech I once heard from a Lady, a very comely perſon, well bred, of a good Family, her Husband a man of no ſweet temper, but too blockiſh; in our diſcourſe ſome words falling, which tended a little towards her duty, intimating ſome difficulty that ſhe muſt needs meet with in the diſcharge of her place; ſhe quickly perceived my meaning, and anſwered me, it was no difficulty to her, I have the eaſieſt part, ſaid ſhe, to perform; my duty is to obey, his duty is to love; not but that the Wifes duty alſo is to love, Titus 2.4. and ſo was ſhe, as loving, as dutiful, anſwering the Apoſtles charge there given, proving by the diſcharge of her Lords command in her particular Relation, as well as in other points, that ſhe had truly received Jeſus Chriſt her Saviour & Lord. As for Children, it were a comely ſight, to ſee profeſſion of faith in Chriſt adorned with dutifulneſs, obedience and honour towards the Father, and eſpecially towards the Mother: It was a cuſtome not long ſince, but now it is almoſt worn out, for Children going to bed, and in morning, to ask their Parents bleſſing upon the knee; that Ceremony did much tend to keep up Parents ſuperiority, and keep Children in mind of their duty: ſince that hath been left off, moſt Children have left off that reverent reſpect they owe to Parents. For Servants, thoſe who do anſwer the Lords Rules, let them have their commendation, but never I think was there ſuch a complaint of Servants, ſince the Goſpel was known, as is in theſe dayes: To ſhut up this Head, I do not ſay, but ſome have a hundred times more difficulty to quit their places than others have; with ſome it is nothing, but others have temptations enough, eſpecially in the relations of Husband and Wife; ſome I do heartily pity, when I ſee what ſtrange kind of Creatures they have to love, ſcarce one good quality in a Wife; He that can erre alwayes in ber love, Prov. p. 2695.19. I count him an Orthodox man for ſuch an error; I know no Orthodox error but that: I think they have obtained great mercy from the Lord, who can thus love unlovely objects: So on the other ſide, what imperious Tyrants have ſome Wives to obey? what pitiful Idols have ſome to reverence? I do not look on a Chriſtians grapling with, and getting above his ſpecial luſt, to be an eaſie matter; I do not think it ſo eaſie to diſcharge the duties of particular relations, eſpecially for ſome; but this I ſay, he that is not ſo looſed from his ſpecial luſt, that he receiveth Chriſt as King, to make an eternal ſeparation of that luſt from his Soul; he, or ſhe, that makes not conſcience of the diſcharge of the duty of their particular relation, be it Husband, Wife, Child, or Servant, &c. it is the thing they are labouring after, humbled under their miſcarriages, and improving Chriſt to this end; if theſe things be light with any perſon, not worthy the regarding, let your profeſſion be what it will, you did never yet truly receive Jeſus Chriſt the Lord, and your faith is but vain.

Thirdly, Carry this general to thy particular Calling; ſee how Chriſt is Lord there: What diligence doeſt thou ſhew there? What care and conſcience doeſt thou expreſs there? Your Lord hath Rules for mens particular Callings: Do you know what they are, and doth your heart ſtand in aw of them? Do you lay his Rule to your buying and ſelling, to your commerce and dealing with men? There are other Rules, but I only inſtance in theſe: Alas, theſe are low things, ſay you: Then, ſay I, they are eaſily obſerved by you, I hope, if they be ſo low in your eſteem: but I have found ſome as high as they have been in their Goſpel notions, and very frequent at private Faſts, yet very tardy in theſe low things. Diligence in our Callings is a thing that light of Nature, as well as light of Scripture, doth teach: Some think it a high attainment in Religion, that they can go up and down to duties, to meetings, though through their lazineſs and idleneſs in their particular Callings, their families at home do ſuffer; Trencher-Chriſtians, p. 270that ſerve their bellies by good diſcourſes: Thoſe who have Eſtates, and can ſpare the time, it is well done: Thoſe who work the harder, riſe the earlier, as the old Eſſex Chriſtians would do, that they might enjoy an oportunity for their Souls, without detriment to their Families, have acted like Chriſtians indeed: but ſome I have enquired after, and find a habit of lazineſs and idleneſs hath taken them, but they muſt go for very good Chriſtians, becauſe frequent at Faſts: I like not this Chriſtianity. An honourable and vertuous Lady was once commending of her Gardiner to Mr. Dod (that holy man) what a good man he was, how much good diſcourſe he had, how helpful to others in the family, to teach them to read, &c. But Madam, ſaid Mr. Dod, what is this man in his particular Calling? for God looks on us as we are in our particular Callings. Here the good Lady could not then give any anſwer being new come, but forced ſoon after to turn him away, being an idle Jack. I do not ſpeak of a Chriſtian at his firſt coming home, when his Conſcience being newly awakened, and his danger felt, that now he beſtows more time in holy duties than afterwards: Nor do I ſpeak of any poor Chriſtian, that may be abuſed by their own darkneſs, and Satans ſubtilty: As one good woman, becauſe the Text ſaith, Pray continually, 1 Theſ. 5. ſhe could never be ſatisfied, but muſt be in ſecret at prayer and reading, and the family neglected, her children not dreſſed, but went forlorn; Chriſtians could not take her off, till at laſt Mr. Richardſon (that holy and learned man, who wrote the Comment upon Ramus) hearing of it, and having occaſion to go that way, went into the houſe, and ſeeing the children how they went, ſpake with a loud voice, and very terribly, Is there no fear of God in this houſe? and other words to this purpoſe, which concluded there could be no true grace, where there was ſuch negligence in the particular place where the woman was ſet: The poor woman hearing this language, comes out of her private Room, from her duties, with trembling, and now was taught another leſſon, if ſhe would prove p. 271her grace, to ſhew her diligence and care in her particular place, where God had ſet her, and carry on that, with her duties in ſecret: but this is not the caſe I am ſpeaking to. As for the other part, the care and conſcience, the equity, righteouſneſs, which men ſhew in all their dealings, theſe things are often ſpoken to; I forbear to enlarge upon them; but wiſh that perſons, whoſe heads are taken up with high Goſpel notions, would credit their profeſſion with righteous hands, according to that Rule the Lord left us, Matth. 7.12. Therefore all things whatſoever ye would that men ſhould do to you, do ye even ſo (juſt ſo) to them: A Rule little applyed to the actions of them, who will yet ſay, they have received Chriſt for their Lord: What your high Goſpel notions are I cannot tell, and do as little care; but I can tell this from our Lords mouth, This is the Law and the Prophets; ſuch a Law as binds you, and according to that Authority muſt you act, deal, trade, live with men, if your faith in our Lord Chriſt be ſound.

Fourthly, Bring this general to ſome particular Actions and Caſes in your life, when your gain, profit, eaſe, liberty, begin to be hazarded; let us ſuppoſe the action to be queſtionable, whether it may be done, or not: Doeſt thou now let Conſcience have fair play? doeſt not labour to hoodwink it, that it may not ſee? doeſt with a naked breaſt before the Lord, willing to underſtand the mind and will of thy Lord, whom thou haſt received (as thou ſayeſt) ſearch, pray, enquire, that thou mayeſt know what is his will, and what he will have thee do? Art willing to ſee light, the true light, or art afraid the window ſhould be open, leſt if the light ſhould come in, it ſhould determine thy actions ſo, that profit, eaſe, liberty muſt go? Doeſt ſhrink at this, art ſhy of this? Doeſt read only one part with much ſeriouſneſs, which ſpeaks what you would have to be true, and not as ſeriouſly ſearch and examine the contrary, for fear light ſhould dart in, and then Conſcience and you could not be quiet? I know I ſpeak of a cloſe p. 272thing, a hard buſineſs, to have a heart ſo ſincere, ſo awed with the Authority of our Lord, that the heart is very willing to ſee light; open all the windows, let light come in, fall back, fall edge, as we ſay, this is the will of my Lord, to him I reſign up my will, let come of it what will. I know Chriſtians meet with hard tugging here; yet how can a man carry this evidence, that he hath received Jeſus for his Lord, who is not willing with a plain heart (without ſeeking evaſions, and diſtinctions, which he may juſtly queſtion whether his Lord will own or no) to ſearch and find out what the will of his Lord is? I am ſenſible of difficulties here; I do not write with a magiſterial ſpirit; but yet the Rule I muſt own, and I do not know one ſincere Chriſtian that will deny it: He that doth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifeſt that they are wrought in God, John 3.21.

Fifthly, Carry this general to particular frames of heart, ſlightneſs, formality, hardneſs of heart, deadneſs, coldneſs: I know who will riſe up here preſently, and tell me, now you hit me, now you have found out me: No, it may be not, thou art not the perſon whom I mean, who art ſo ſenſible of theſe, and to whom theſe frames are not only ſins, but plagues. I know too well how commonly theſe things, ſlightneſs, formality, &c. get in upon Chriſtians; yet I cannot call them frames of ſlightneſs, &c. becauſe the real Chriſtian will not endure ſuch frames upon his ſpirit; he is not right with himſelf, when he feels theſe diſtempers upon him, if through ſome temptations they have gotten head upon him: How hard a thing it is to keep up a warm ſerious frame in the things and wayes of God, unleſs a Chriſtian be warmed with influences from Heaven, conveyed through Ordinances, I know too well: but when a man lyeth in theſe frames, can content himſelf in them, let him look to himſelf, for he is ſerious and real ſomewhere elſe, which will ſhake his cloſing with Chriſt, and right receiving of him for his Lord.

p. 2736. Laſtly, I ſhall conclude with this, though I thought ſuch a thing might have been ſpared, for it will not reach all, but ſome. What opinion haſt thou of thy Lords Inſtitutions? I am ſure this Lord hath ſet up Ordinances in his Houſe, Divine inſtitutions. There is his Miniſtry, and the work which he hath called and ordained his Miniſters to do. Is he your Lord, have you received him ſo? and can you find your Lords Inſtitutions, and trample upon them? Men are now grown ſo ſpiritual, that they can live above Ordinances, yea, and above your Lord too, if he be your Lord, which I much doubt. Tell not me of your ſpirituality; I tell thee, if thou haſt truly received Chriſt thy Lord, then all thy Lords Inſtitutions in his Houſe are reverently received by thee, thou haſt a high eſteem of them for his ſake who did appoint them, elſe you make your ſelf to be the Lord, and not him: Whoſe Image and Superſcription is this? ſaid Chriſt, Matth. 22.20. to them who ſought to intangle him, if Ceſars, then give to Ceſar the things that are Ceſars, &c. So ſay I, whoſe Superſcription is there upon the Goſpel-miniſtry, upon Baptiſme, the Lords Supper, Church Diſcipline? Is it not the Lord Chriſts? I look not on him as a ſober Chriſtian, that dare deny it. Let then the Lord Chriſt have what is his. It was a very unſavoury ſpeech (if true) of one, whoſe name I ſpare, and very unbecoming a Miniſter, let his notions be as high as they will, calling Baptiſme and the Lords Supper Low Ordinances: Was it fit for a Servant to call the Inſtitutions of his Lord low Ordinances? We do bleſs him for his Inſtitutions, he appointed nothing in vain in his Church: But this is our miſery, ſince the Orthodox have rectified the doctrine of good works and Sacraments, Charity, good works, and Sacraments, come to be ſlighted by a Goſpel-glutted generation: I do not intend Infant-baptiſme alone, when I mention Baptiſme, for the Anabaptiſts do ſet up Baptiſme, if they do not put too much upon it; the Ordinance they keep up, though as to the ſubject of it, there they differ; I intend not to meddle with the Opinion. Only this I may ſay, the Chriſtians, p. 274who were baptized in their Infancy, upon the account of Gods Covenant with his People and their Seed, have generally (I ſpeak of good Chriſtians) made ſo little improvement of the Covenant and their baptiſme, that it is no wonder, though ſome men riſe up againſt the baptizing of Infants, God thereby giving a check to their negligence therein: But Chriſtian, if thou haſt not been ſo good a husband as thou ſhouldſt have been, wilt thou therefore cut off all the ſeed of believers for thy ſake, and deny them that priviledge and advantage the Lord hath given them? If you ſay, what advantage is this to them? If you do not know, I will tell you what ſome have found, when in the time of their temptations, and darkneſs, they have been beaten out of all, and could not tell what promiſe to apply or faſten upon as theirs, then they remembred, God was my Fathers God, my Mothers God, in Covenant with them, and with their ſeed, Lord, I hold to my Fathers Covenant, or my Mothers Covenant; I chuſe thee for my God, as thou wert my Fathers God, or my Mothers God (if one be a believer, 1 Cor. 7.14.) thou haſt given me the Seal in my baptiſme: I hold to the Seal: the things thou didſt there ſignifie and ſeal, I prize, I embrace, I plead for, that blood of Chriſt that may purge my Conſcience from dead works, that I may ſerve the living God, Heb. 9.14. that thou wouldſt pour that clean water upon me that I may be clean from all my filthineſs, and from all my idols, that thou wouldſt cleanſe me, Ezek. 36.25. If thy Inſtitutions have any thing in them, (as it were vile profaneneſs, to imagin thou ſhouldſt ſet up any vain thing in thy Church) then I bleſs thee, that thou haſt prevented me thus in my infancy, and haſt given me an advantage ſo lay hold upon thee, which now I deſire to improve and plead; here have ſome found footing, this it is hath brought in ſtay and ſupport, with reſolution to cleave to the Lord in this Covenant and Ordinance, when they could not tell where elſe to faſten: So that I conceive, as they do very ill, that mind not this their priviledge, nor improve it, ſo they do ill, that cut off their Children from this priviledge, that p. 275they cannot improve it; whatever thy Child is now (I ſuppoſe you cannot ſay of thoſe few who are rebaptized when adult, that they are all godly, no, we ſee the contrary) what doeſt thou know, but God may awaken him, and then it may be an advantage to remember the Covenant of God with his Father and his Seed, and that God hath entred into Covenant with him in his baptiſme; but I muſt inſiſt no more upon this Head, but conclude, if Chriſt indeed be received thy Lord, then thou wilt have an honourable eſteem of all thy Lords Inſtitutions, and thou wilt as reverently obſerve them, elſe thou art not right.

Thus I have done with that which I intended: If you ſay, theſe are old things, we have heard and read them before: I intended not to give you new notions, or high ſtrains; but though they be old notions, yet they will ſerve to diſcover new Hypocrites, let their new notions be as high as they will; there is never an unſound believer, but by what I have ſaid he ſhall be diſcovered: Thou that canſt ſlight them becauſe they are old, canſt thou anſwer them all? bring them cloſe home to thy heart, let Conſcience ſpeak: How many of our high flown Goſpellers, whoſe ears are itching after new things, are found baſely to fall ſhort of old Truths in their practiſes? How abominable is this to a ſincere Chriſtian? It was a ſaying of that eminent Servant of Chriſt, Mr. Daniel Rogers, to me, O Couſin, I find ſo much in the old Truths, they are ſo ſpiritual, ſo hard, that till I have reached and learned them, I will never liſten after new. But I leave theſe, and turn to the humble and ſincere Chriſtian, to whom after I have ſpoken a few words, in anſwering two or three Queſtions, I ſhall put an end to my work.

Now Chriſtian, what ſaith thy heart to what thou haſt read? can you experience what hath been ſaid? I do not ask you if you find no difficulties, but come off with eaſe in all points; if you find your heart come off with eaſe, I am afraid you do not underſtand what I have written, p. 276and I ſhould the more ſuſpect you: for if your heart be indeed ſet upon the work to clear out, and prove the ſound work of faith in cloſing with Chriſt your Saviour and Lord, you will find you have an old man, a dead body, a corrupt principle yet within you, and a Devil without you, that will cauſe the work ſhall not come off with ſo much eaſe: I will allow you fears, jealouſies, ſurmizes, doubts, whether there be, or ever will be, a ſound work of faith, from what thou meeteſt with, in thy heart, and yet ſhall like you never the worſe for that: the queſtion is, where art Chriſtian, how far art come? I have endeavoured to take away what may trouble a ſincere heart, and yet have layed the work ſound to cut off an Hypocrite: Haſt thou applied theſe things to thy ſelf which thou haſt read? If thou doeſt not apply, to what end doeſt thou read this, or any other book? But if thou haſt applyed, what anſwer doth thy heart give thee? If the day be ſtormy, cloudy and dark, give in thy anſwer another time; when being more quiet and ſtill, thou canſt weigh the things that have been written, and thy heart, in a juſt ballance, then ſay how thou findeſt: Having then conſidered what hath been written concerning preparatory works to faith, concerning the nature of ſaving faith, how it receives Chriſt, and what it receives: Haſt viewed him in his Perſon, in his Offices, Prieſtly and Princely? Haſt taken the general Head down into particulars, and conſidered them? Doeſt ſay, yes, I have? and all things being thus conſidered (ſuppoſing difficulties, temptations, and hard work, which you have told me I muſt look for from my own heart, and be ſure I find it true) I can humbly ſay before the Lord, my Soul hath thus received and embraced Jeſus Chriſt my Lord: And if you ask me what I am doing? I anſwer, I am endeavouring to live by the Faith of the Son of God, Gal. 2.20. whom I have thus received, that my Soul may experience him in the execution of all his Offices, in the application of the compleat work of Redemption; that as my union with him is my life; the conſideration of what God hath made him, and how he ſtands engaged in p. 277the new Covenant, is the ſupport and ſtay of my life; ſo the experiencing of all this, may be the joy of my life, thus far I am come; the Lord then carry on his work; yea, Faithful is he who hath called you, who alſo will do it, 1 Theſ. 5.23.

And now Soul, what hinders but thou mayſt ſay, My Beloved is mine, and I am his? Why doeſt not draw up the concluſion, then Chriſt is mine, forgiveneſs of ſin is mine; having laid ſuch premiſes, which will of neceſſity inforce this concluſion? Here Chriſtians many times fly back; that which is the moſt ridiculous thing in the art of reaſoning, that is, to yield the premiſes and deny the concluſion, or not yield it, every boy laughs at it, being ſo abſurd; this abſurdity is found no where but among Chriſtians, in their concluding upon their ſpiritual ſtate and intereſt in Chriſt, as thoſe who have to deal with troubled and dark Chriſtians do commonly experience.

Queſt. Whence riſeth this, what ſhould be the reaſon, that when Chriſtians have yielded to that, which will certainly conclude them to be in Chriſt, and that Chriſt is theirs, that forgiveneſs of ſin is theirs, (according to our Fathers definition of Faith) that yet they cannot come to aſſent to the Concluſion, Chriſt is mine, Pardon is mine?

As in what is ſaid before, He that believeth in Chriſt, that receiveth him as he is offered, and ſo reſteth upon him for life and ſalvation, for all the benefits of communion, Chriſt is his (for he is united to him by this faith) Forgiveneſs is his; this they yield. But I do believe in Chriſt, I do receive Chriſt as God offers him, his Perſon, cloathed with all his Offices, and I ſo receiving, do truſt to him, reſt upon him, for life, ſalvation, all the benefits of communion: when you have well examined them, take them in cool blood, they will ſay, I dare not deny it, but I muſt yield it: the firſt they yield, for the Scripture ſaith it, that is, faith, no denial there: the ſecond they muſt yield, p. 278their own Confciences force them, they muſt ſpeak againſt their Conſciences, their experience and ſenſe teſtifie this, yet dare not draw up the Concluſion, Therefore Chriſt is mine, forgiveneſs is mine.

Anſw. In anſwer to it: may be you will ſay, becauſe they are ſimple Mechanicks, they have no skill in Logick, if they had, they would ſoon ſee the groſs abſurdity they commit, ſuch for which the boyes would hiſs them out of the Schools: but friend, you are miſtaken, that is not all the reaſon, thoſe who know what belongs to ſyllogizing as well as you, and know that it is a groſs abſurdity, to yield the premiſes and deny the Concluſion, yet they cannot do it, or are afraid to do it: There are other grounds whence this riſes, as experiences have proved.

Firſt, From the greatneſs of the things a man concludes. If once I conclude, Chriſt is mine, what will this imply? Then God is my God, his Love is mine, Peace, Pardon, Juſtification, Adoption, all the benefits of the new Covenant, yea, Heaven, Glory, all are mine, for in Chriſt all the Promiſes are Yea and Amen, 2 Cor. 1.20. I muſt conclude all theſe, which are ſo infinitely great in themſelves and my eſteem, and which is yet more, how few are they that ever ſhall partake of theſe things, and muſt I be one of theſe few, to whom theſe great things do belong? I dare not apply them, I tremble at the Concluſion: The greatneſs, the glorious ſplendour of the Sun; dazles the eye, the eye cannot look on it, ſo do the greatneſs, the glory of theſe things, the eye of a mans reaſon, puts by the actings of Reaſon, that it cannot conclude here as in other things: When Jacob's Sons told him, Joſeph is yet alive, and is Governour over all the Land of Egypt, Jacob's heart fainted, for he believed them not, Gen. 45.26. the old man had not heard of him above two or three and twenty years together, but ſuppoſed he was dead long ſince, he could not believe them, the news was too good, and too great for Jacob; they told him a lye p. 279before, when they made him believe he was dead; ſo that this conflict between hope and doubt, joy and fear, but fear prevailing (partly from the greatneſs of the thing they ſpake of, and partly becauſe of what they told him long before of his death, whence he could not believe them) put old Jacob into a ſwooning fit. It is the ſame with this Believer, tell him Chriſt is yours, pardon is yours, God and all that he hath purpoſed and promiſed for his elect-believers all yours, you make the heart of the believer to faint with the report of theſe great things, he cannot believe you, nor dare conclude himſelf, whatever the premiſes infer.

Secondly, The fears and jealouſies that are upon the heart, though it doth yield to, and cannot deny the minor Propoſition: Regeneration, union with Chriſt, are great works: to be a wiſe Builder, a wiſe Virgin, is hard, few attain to this; I have a naughty, treacherous, deceitful heart within me; and though it is true, while you thus urge me, and follow me up and down, in your tryals and examining of me, yea, whileſt I try and examine my ſelf, I cannot, but as I find my heart at this preſent, by all the ſearches I can make into it, I muſt yield to what you ask me, I dare not deny this work; yet I fear there may be ſomething lurking that I do not yet ſee, ſome ſecret hppocriſie lyeth yet undiſcovered: he that is known to be a lyar, who will truſt him, or believe him, though at this time he doth ſpeak truth? My heart is known to be a lyar, God hath ſaid ſo, Jer. 17.9. and I have found his Word true; how then can I chuſe but fear, there may be ſomething at bottom, that as yet I know not? Thus you ſhall have Chriſtians ſtand, when you have ſo pent them up, that they cannot but yield to you; yet, ſay they, I fear, I fear, and that is all you ſhall get from them; but to draw up the Concluſion, no, by no means, they cannot do that.

Thirdly, Though the Soul doth aſſent to the minor p. 280Propoſition, yet his aſſent unto it is not ſo ſtrong and firm to force the Concluſion, that Chriſt is his; or that he is a believer: as his Aſſent to the minor Propoſition in the ſtate of unregeneracy, was to force this Concluſion, that he was miſerable, and in that ſtate muſt periſh, or that Chriſt was none of his.

Frame the Argument thus.

He that is an enemy to God, and God to him, under ſin, under unbelief, a child of wrath, he is in a miſerable periſhing ſtate.

But I am an enemy to God, and God to me, I am under ſin, under unbelief, a child of wrath.

Therefore I am in a miſerable and periſhing condition.

Here the Premiſes, and the Aſſent to theſe Premiſes, is ſo ſtrong, that the Concluſion is forced ſo as no reſiſting.

The Major is ſo plain, that there is no oppoſing it.

The Minor, where the pinch lies, in concluding our good eſtate, here in our proving our miſerable ſtate, is as ſtrong as the Major; for the ſame word of God tells us, it is the condition of us all by nature, Col. 1.21. Epheſ. 2.16. 2 Cor. 5.19, 20. Rom. 8.7. and 11.32. Gal. 3.22. Epheſ. 2.3. Rom. 3.23. Whence the Aſſent I give to the Minor, is not only from the ſenſe of ſin and enmity which I feel in my ſelf, which Aſſent is yet ſtronger, for I am ſure here cannot ſubeſſe falſum: but beſides this, I Aſſent to it by a Divine faith, becauſe by neceſſary conſequence from theſe Scriptures it follows, That if all men are ſo by nature, then though my name be not in the text, yet I am ſure I am included in the text.

But in drawing up my Concluſion for my ſaved ſtate, the Minor Propoſition, upon which the ſtreſs lies, I cannot aſſent to it by a Divine faith, as I did to the other, becauſe it is not contained in any Text, that I do believe, and may be forced out of the Text by neceſſary conſequence. p. 281Again, to ſay I am as ſenſible of ſincerity, of ſaving grace, as I am ſenſible of ſin, therefore I can as truly aſſent to the Minor from what I feel, that I have ſound faith, as I did aſſent from my feeling, that I had and have ſin; this the heart will ſhrink at, and is afraid to ſpeak ſo boldly, though it may be truth, that he is ſenſible of Grace.

Thirdly, When a Chriſtian by cloſe examination is pent up to give anſwer, yea, or nay, whether he have not ſo received Chriſt, or ſuch a work of faith is wrought in him, as you by opening it, and queſtioning of him, would perſwade him; Arguments pro and con being weighed, the Arguments for the Affirmative, that ſuch a work is wrought, prove the heavier, and caſt the ſcale in the judgment of his own Reaſon, and Conſcience, which he muſt not bely, which doth witneſs, and his own feeling teſtifies this in him. But then here are two things: 1. Though the Soul doth aſſent to the Affirmative, yet he ſeeth much lye in the other Scale for the Negative, which makes his aſſent that it is not ſo ſtrong. 2. He doth anſwer to what is in him, according to his feeling, or ſpiritual ſenſe, what work is actually there, and if he denies his own feeling, then Conſcience will tell him he lyes; and it is a vile thing to deny the work of God which he feels. But this Propoſition, Chriſt is mine, pardon is mine, is not a work in him, it is not felt by ſpiritual ſenſe and experience, as the other is, and therefore he leſs minds that, as being in no ſuch great danger of denying a work of God in him, or having Conſcience tell him he lyes, in denying what he feels, and cannot but experience is wrought in him.

Fourthly, The Chriſtian upon tryal and examination anſwers to the queſtion, as he conſiders the work of faith in its cauſes, or eſſence, a priori, and ſo commonly when you examine, is it not thus? you open the nature and eſſence of faith to him, and he viewing of his own heart, p. 278duplicate page p. 279duplicate page p. 280duplicate page p. 281duplicate page p. 282tells you, if I know any thing of my own heart, I have thus received, I do thus cleave to Chriſt, reſt and roul my Soul upon him, for all benefits of communion, and execution of all his Offices; but for the experiencing of theſe in my heart I cannot: I have looked and longed to find Chriſt ruling like a King in me, and acting like a Prophet in me, and ſo as a Prieſt for me: Now the want of theſe experiences ſhake his aſſent which he gave before, while he conſiders faith in the cauſes. Certainly, ſaith the Soul, if I had rightly received him, did I truly cleave and truſt to him, I ſhould experience the vertues of his Offices, as well as the woman found vertue flowing from him when ſhe touched the hem of his garment, Matth. 9.20. Now if the want of theſe make him almoſt to eat his words, the aſſent he gave before, though ſtill the Soul would hold that, for ſaith the man, were I to begin the work now again, that a new I were to believe in Chriſt, I could not tell how I ſhould receive him, adhere to him, roul upon him otherwiſe than I do, and have done already [note this Chriſtian and hold it] ſo that it will not wholly let it go, but hold it; yet if the want can ſo ſhatter his aſſent to the minor Propoſition, to be ſure the want of theſe experiences will trouble him ſo, that he dare not aſſent to the Concluſion: A man muſt have experience of Chriſt before he can ſay, Chriſt is mine.