The Real Christian, Tract · Chapter 1
CHAP. I. Concerning Preparations of the Soul for Chriſt, in General.
OUr worthy Divines have both by preaching and writing ſpoken much for preparations of the Soul, Vide Sentent. Theolog Britan de 3. & 4. Anic in Synod. Dord.before it will cloſe with Chriſt ſavingly, and that not without cauſe. That abundance of Chriſtians have a long time doubted of, and argued againſt the truth of their union with Chriſt, for want of their ſenſible experience of theſe preparative works, which they have learned and read, is well known to him who hath had any inward converſe with Chriſtians, if his own experience be not a witneſs of it: How many years have ſome Chriſtians here ſtuck, and could not anſwer or help themſelves. Hence, when they feel corruptions working, and their hearts grow ſluggiſh, not following after Chriſt as they ſhould do, they impute the fault to the want of theſe preparations. Had I taſted more of the bitterneſs of ſin in that legal work as others have done, ſin would not have been ſo ſweet, ſo powerful as now I feel it, my heart would have followed after Chriſt more cloſe then now I do. It's true, Divines have ſpoken and printed ſome things to help Chriſtians in this particular; but while they preach and print of ſuch ſtrong convictions, ſuch dreadful legal terrors, deep ſorrows and humblings, as being the common road through which men go that come to Chriſt, then put in a few words to eaſe troubled ſouls; becauſe they cannot find them; alas, they little regard theſe words, being but particular exceptions from a general Rule. That ſoul which is tender and very inquiſitive after the ſoundneſs of its own converſion, will not be ſatisfied unleſs it can find all that in its ſelf which other Converts have.
The ſcope of my book being to help & remove ſtumbling blocks out of the way of a tender Chriſtian, who would fain be ſound, and get its work cleared out; let me lay down my thoughts concerning Preparations in general, under theſe following Poſitions.
Firſt Poſition. It is the duty of all the ſons and daughters of Adam, who hear the Goſpel preached, and Chriſt offered to them, to believe in, or receive Chriſt, be they prepared or not prepared.
I ſay, it is the Duty incumbent upon them All: Not that it is their duty, mediantibus preparationibus, if you be prepared; but not your duty, if you be not prepared. So that my duty depends upon my preparation, not ſo; but I ſay, though men be not prepared, yet they ought to believe it is their duty to receive Chriſt. What men will do is another thing [I ſhall ſpeak to that in my next Poſition] but now I am ſpeaking of what they ought to do.
If you ask me, of what uſe is this Poſition to a gracious heart troubled about its ſtate? I anſwer, If it be made good [as I doubt not but I ſhall make it good] it is the beſt anſwer thou canſt give to the objections which thy timorous heart, and a cavilling devil do make againſt thy believing in Chriſt, or thy Faith, from the want of theſe preparations: no anſwer like it, experience you what I ſay.
Satan, you have a long time been battering of my poor Faith, and beating me off from Chriſt; but here Chriſt is offered to me, I am called to receive him, is it my duty or not my duty to cloſe with him? Yes, ſaith he, I never denied it was your duty, if you were prepared for him, as your own Miniſters preach, by conviction, great terrors, fears, ſorrows, humblings, which thy unbroken heart was never acquainted withall. But Satan, where doth the holy Scripture [by which I muſt be judged] put that condition, prepared, into the Command, to make it my duty? I know very well why Miniſters preach theſe preparations; but do any underſtanding Miniſters preach them as things antecedent, to make Faith in Chriſt my duty? As for my Will, Chriſt hath it, whatever my preparations were: My ſoul embraceth him as he is offered; his terms pleaſe me well. If I do not believe, I diſobey the great Command: Why then do you endeavour to beat me off from my duty, by ſuggeſting to me this my want of preparations?
Let me prove my Poſition.
1 John 3.23. This is his Commandment, that we ſhould believe on the Name of his Son Jeſus Chriſt: Is the word prepared put in? Doth it run thus, This is his Commandment, when we are prepared, to believe in his Son? The next words, and love one another, I hope this is not a duty depending upon our being prepared: That when we are prepared, then it is our duty to love one another, and not before: no more is our Faith in Chriſt our duty after we are prepared: they are both joyned together in the Text. Commands bind the Creature immediately. Commands expreſs our duty unto God, without Conditions. Promiſes expreſs the good Will of God to us, upon Conditions.
It is as much every mans duty to believe in Chriſt, when he hears him preached and offered, as it is, to love God and our neighbour. But will any man ſay, it is not our duty to love God and our neighbour, until we be prepared?
Object. The reaſon is not the ſame; thoſe were our duties in the ſtate of innocency, before the fall.
Anſw. The Argument ſignifies nothing. For it is not the ſtate I am in, be it innocency or nocency, that makes any thing my duty, but the Command of the ſupreme Law-giver. Take away the Command, there is no Obligation. But the Command being given to fallen man, to believe in Chriſt his Redeemer, it is as much his duty to believe in him in a ſtate of nocency, as to love God in a ſtate of innocency.
2. Reaſon doth as well dictate, that fallen, undone man, a ſlave, a captive under ſin, Satan and wrath, ſhould fly to God, embrace a Redeemer revealed and offered, as it doth dictate, he ſhould love his Creator in a ſtate of innocency.
Object. But Chriſts calls the weary, the laden, the thirſty, &c. which denote a ſoul qualified.
Anſw. What then? doth it follow, it was not their duty, to believe in him, and receive him, before they were laden, weary, &c? No man will love God as he ought, with that love his people do, but there muſt be a great work firſt wrought on the heart; but is it not his duty to love him before that work be done?
To this purpoſe ſpeaks Chriſt, John 6.29. This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath ſent. Thoſe to whom Chriſt gives this anſwer, did not appear to be men prepared, by ver. 26. yet this was the work of God, which at that time they were bound to do; then ſurely it was their duty.
Secondly, That famous Text, John 3.16. God ſo loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoſoever believed in him, &c. Here is a bleſſed offer of Chriſt: but to whom, to the prepared ones? The Text ſaith, Whoſoever believes in him. Surely it is the duty then of every one, to whom this bleſſed offer is made, to accept him, and not to ſay, alas, I am not prepared, ſo this offer belongs not to me.
Thirdly, The 18. ver. and 36. ver. of the ſame Chapter, He that believeth not is condemned already. If all men be condemned for not believing in Chriſt, then all men were bound to believe it was their duty: This plea will not ſerve the turn, to ſay, Lord, it was not my duty to believe in Chriſt, I was not prepared or qualified for faith.
Object. This is the way to make plain Hypocrites, and hath been the cauſe that ſo many have been made; to wit, men jump out of a ſtate of nature into a ſtate of believing, without any humblings, preparations, and hence have held for a time, but fallen off at laſt, and that finally.
Anſw. 1. I pray firſt, what do you mean by that ſtate of believing, or by faith? if you underſtand faith, as Mr. Perkins, Mr. Rogers, and the Ancient Divines, it were dangerous indeed to talk of ſuch faith without preparations: but I do not affirm, yea, I utterly deny, that faith to be the duty of all men.
2. Shew that man who did ever truly cloſe with Chriſt, and grew an hypocrite, or rotten at laſt, for want of preparations before his cloſing with Chriſt. I would ſee ſuch a one. I believe, yea, I am aſſured he never truly cloſed with Chriſt; and this was the cauſe, not his want of preparation, that he proved an hypocrite.
3. How many men have had great humblings, legal terrors, ſorrows, in a high degree, but never came to a ſound work of faith in Chriſt: So that we cannot put all in preparations, unleſs you will ſay, they never were ſo humbled, as to be content to be damned [which is the thing I muſt ſpeak to in its place] if they were ſo humbled, then they truly cloſed with Chriſt. But, I hope, the reaſon muſt be, becauſe the Scripture ſaith ſo; which we ſhall expect in its place.
But in the mean time, if this Poſition ſtand, it will in part make againſt this notion, and will be found to be the beſt help for thoſe tender and gracious Chriſtians, who for many years have been kept doubting and diſputing againſt their faith in Chriſt, becauſe they could not find theſe preparations, which they hear and read ſo much of in Books: When as the work of faith it ſelf they dare not deny. Only Reverend Mr. Bound Believer p. 162, 173.Shepherd doth puzzle them in his Deſeription of Faith, when he puts into it the ſubject, that is, the ſoul of an humble ſinner.
All the other four parts they can anſwer, which his Deſcription treats of; only this ſame humbling, as to theſe terrors, ſorrows in ſuch a meaſure [though as to theſe ſome relief he hath given] but eſpecially, to be quiet without Gods love, without manifeſtation of grace, to be content though God will never work grace, to be content to be diſpoſed of by Chriſt to Hell and damnation, as both he and Mr. Hooker makes the humble ſinner, in which faith is wrought, this it is troubles them. For the preſent I only ſay this, Chriſtian, I am ſure God hath given thee a command, and that upon pain of damnation, that thou believe in his Son; be ſure you look to that: But let theſe holy men find out a Text as clear, where he hath given thee a Command, to be content to be damned, or to be quiet without his Love and Grace, before you believe in Chriſt.
2. Poſit. My ſecond Poſition is this, Man naturally [eſpecially if he be adult before God works upon him] is not a ſubject fit or diſpoſed to receive Chriſt immediately, when offered to him; but before he will receive him, there muſt be ſome work of the Spirit upon him, to prepare him, make him willing and glad to receive him.
It is his Duty, he ought to receive him, according to my firſt Poſition, but he will not: Wherefore Chriſtian, if Chriſt hath got thy will [if will be come home, as Mr. John Rogers would ſay, the bargain is done, Revel. 22.17. Whoſoever will, &c.] do not ſtumble, nor trouble thy ſelf.
The reaſon of my laying this Poſition thus is this; Reverend Mr. Shepherd, Sound Believer p. 52, 53.in anſwering of Objections made againſt the Doctrine of Compunction, from mens experiences, who have proved good Chriſtians without ſuch compunction, ſaith, Many thouſands are miſerably deceived about their eſtates by this one thing, of crooking and wreſting Gods Rule to Chriſtians experiences, p. 53. then gives this Caution, In this work of Compunction we muſt not bring Rules to men, but men to Rules, p. 52.
What Chriſtians are theſe this holy man means? If they be Chriſtians of a late edition, when Religion was in faſhion, and the faireſt Card for a man to play his game with, if he meant to riſe; ſuch as might have motions upon their affections, whilſt the dainties of the Goſpel were diſht out, and ſet before them, as in thoſe times nothing but chymical notions in Divinity would down with many palates, and now had their tongues tipt with Diſcourſes of Free-grace, and ſome Opinions which ſerved their intereſt: If theſe be the Chriſtians he means, I think they are miſerably deceived indeed, who make ſuch mens experiences a mark for them to go by: Yea, if he mean others, who had compunction, felt legal terrors, were caſt down, and after raiſed up with much comfort, by the Spirits application [as they apprehended] of an abſolute promiſe to their ſouls; truly I will not make theſe mens experiences a Rule for me to go by, though they had their compunctions, and joys alſo; I pray God give me better faith, or elſe it will go ſadly with me; I will hardly give them two pence for theirs, if they could ſell it, for all their compunctions.
But if by Chriſtians be meant ſound Believers, and anothers experience do truly anſwer their experiences in that which is eſſential to ſaving faith, I cannot tell how men ſhould be deceived ſo miſerably in this; for the ſound Believer doth anſwer Gods Rule.
Secondly, I grant, there is but one Rule to which all men muſt conform, who ſhall go to heaven, i. e. Regeneration, or Faith in Chriſt, or Converſion: but is there one Rule God hath left, to which all men muſt conform, and by which they muſt be tried, as to their preparing for Converſion, or faith in Chriſt, and that Rule is Compunction? I pray obſerve, I ſpeak of Compunction as it is preparative, for that is it Mr. Shepherd is upon, and this is the fault he finds with thoſe, who ſuppoſe perſons can be in Chriſt, or truly regenerated [it comes to one] unleſs they be firſt prepared by Compunction: Now that which is but in preparing, is not yet effected; it is in Motu, Fleri. While the timber is hewing, there is preparing indeed, but there is no houſe as yet. But then what ſhall we ſay to all thoſe whom the Lord Regenerates in their Infancy? I am ſure Mr. Shepherd, Covenant of Grace opened, p. 26, 27.nor Mr. Hooker [who ſaith, Certainly God doth work faith in the hearts of all elected Infants that dye in their Infancy] will deny, but God doth regenerate ſome Infants. If he works faith in all elected Infants that dye, I hope he may as well in elected Infants that live: Have we not very often known Children grow up, and being under the nurturing of godly Parents [eſpecially when a wiſe, prudent and godly Mother, that knows how to keep her place in government, joyn with a godly Father] have given evident ſigns of grace from their Childhood? I have known ſuch families, where all the Children have been godly, and that began in their childhood for ought I could learn. O you Mothers, who are alwayes with your Children in the chamber, at the fire ſide, and have the advantage to be dropping into them; when your Husbands muſt be abroad, you may do much towards the ſaving of your Childrens ſouls, if you be godly, prudent, and know how to keep Authority up. This I have obſerved, where the Mother hath not been godly and prudent, though the Father be godly, not ſo much good hath been done: If once the Mother hath loſt her Authority, ſhe never, that I ſaw, did good. We read, Prov. 31 1. of Solomon, The words which his Mother taught him; it ſeems Bathſheba uſed to catechize and drop into her Son Solomon, Prov 4.3, 4. David did alſo inſtruct him; but David muſt be at Court, or in the field in war; Bathſheba is with her Son continually, ſhe carries on the work in Davids abſence; whether Abſalom, Amnon, or Adonijah's Mother did ſo, I doubt it, the Scripture ſaith nothing.
To return to our queſtion, When was the time of Preparing theſe Infants for Chriſt? It would be hard for Samuel, Timothy, and divers others in Scripture [for the moſt of thoſe who are mentioned for godly men in Scripture, were ſo from their youth, for ought we can find] Obadiah, Joſiah, to find this preparing time, when they were ſo humbled, to be quiet without Gods love, content to be at Gods diſpoſing for damnation, yea, or for legal terrors: I know full well that thoſe who thus are educated, do find both legal fears, and ſorrows alſo, but not as preparative to faith, (which is our queſtion) for they were regenerated before. Sometimes in the children of wicked men, ſuch (at leaſt) as we cannot judge to be godly, there do ſuch things appear, that we muſt judge certainly God hath wrought ſome good work in them: We read of Abijah, foreign V. 3. He is called foreign V. 12. foreign1 Kings 14.13. There was ſome good in him: how old he was I know not; but very young he was; whether he had this preparing time is hard to prove. To ſay then there is ſuch a Rule layed down for preparative works, both words expreſs the youngeſt. The 70. have not this Hiſtory. The Aloxand. Copy 3. read v. 3. foreign. V. 12. foreign. So Druſius in his Copy.that every one muſt paſs through, before they can be regenerated, or have faith, I cannot yet be convinced of it; unleſs you can tell me how Infants can be prepared, according to Mr. Shepberds method.
Therefore, I ſay, in thoſe who are adult, grown up to ſome ripeneſs of years before God works, uſually, it is ſo: but to ſay, that in every one of theſe the work of Compunction is ſenſible, afflicting, as it is in ſome others, I dare not affirm that neither. For Lydia, Mr. Shepheard anſwers, ſhe might be a Convert before, ſo nothing can be proved from her: Be it ſo, but what ſhall we ſay to Zacheus, what was in his heart, when like a Boy he runs to climb up the tree to ſee Jeſus, I know not; but I queſtion whether he had any thoughts of that which followed, The third v. ſaith, he ſought to ſee Jeſus who he was; which words imply nothing of any gracious work on Zacheus's heart; only he had heard men talk of one Jeſus, and now he would ſee who he was.Luke 19.9. This day is ſalvation come to this houſe. If Zacheus had been a Convert before, would Chriſt have ſaid, This day is ſalvation come: Surely it was come before, when he was converted; but it appears it was not before this day when he alſo is become a Son of Abraham: Where were thoſe legal ſore Compunctions? The Samaritans, Acts 8.5, 8. there was great joy at Philip's preaching, and faith too; but where are theſe ſore Compunctions? That theſe were real Converts, Acts 9.31. prove, They walked in the fear of the Lord, &c. It is very much then, there ſhould be a ſtanding Rule for preparatory works, and we read of ſo many Converts, and no mention of that Rule in practiſe. Surely theſe examples in Scripture are not to be ſlighted: Becauſe the rugged Jaylor, Acts 16. that ſpared not to execute what the perſecuting Magiſtrates gave him in charge concerning Paul and Silas, met with ſuch work; and the Jews, who crucified the Lord, met with ſuch compunction, Acts 2. as made them cry out, muſt there be a Rule from hence made, that All thoſe who come to Chriſt, muſt come under ſuch ſenſible afflicting Compunctions?
But uſually, or commonly it is ſo, when, as I ſaid, perſons be adult before God works. That it is ſo, and uſually muſt be ſo, experience doth teſtifie, and we need not trouble our heads to find the reaſon of it. So blind are we in the matters of eternity, ſuch great thoughts have we of Creatures and Creature-enjoyments, ſuch ſlaves unto our luſts, our hearts ſo ſet upon our iniquities, Hoſ. 4.8 [witneſs thoſe terrible blows a man will endure before he will part with them] ſo well conceited of our polluted righteouſneſs, that did not the Spirit of the Almighty ſet his power to work, open our eyes to ſee our ſelves, ſin, and creatures, and filthineſs that is in our righteouſneſs, in which we ſo bleſs our ſelves, and diſquiet the ſoul that lieth ſo at reſt in Dalila's lap; Chriſt might call and call long enough, before we would come to him: we may hear him indeed, but as the Country Proverb is, Hear as Hogs in harveſt; a ſimilitude good enough for us, who are compared to Swine, 2 Pet. 2. ult. though I know in ſome reſpects it holds not (which is not required in ſimilitudes.) Hogs in harveſttime, when they are gotten into good Shack, when they at home call them, and knock at the trough, the Hogs will lift up their heads out of the ſtubble and liſten, but fall to their Shack again, home they will not go, they are pleaſed where they are. This is the frame of our ſwiniſh hearts feeding in the Shack of the world and our luſts; let Chriſt call, it may be if there be ſome warm man at the work, that ſhows himſelf a workman, we can lift up our heads and hear what he ſaith, but to our ſhack we go again, home we will not go to him who calleth us, our ſwiniſh hearts looking upon the things of the Goſpel, that ſame holineſs, but as ſowre ſwill; but the things of this world, the luſt of the fleſh, luſt of the eye, and pride of life, theſe are the ſweet grain. Abſalom ſends for Joab once and again, 2 Sam. 14.30.but Joab is buſie, hath other matters to mind; but when he ſets his Barly-field on fire then he comes: And thus God, when he ſends more then once, but we are ſo taken up about other matters, we will not come; ſometimes ſets our creature-comforts on fire, or cauſeth the ſparks of Hell fire to be felt in a mans Conſcience, then God may hear of us. When the heart is ſet upon an object, upon which it feeds with delight (as we do upon our luſts and the creature) if you would take it off, give me a reaſon, ſaith the will; and a reaſon muſt be given, and ſuch a reaſon as the will accepts. God works rationally upon the rational Creature, ſutable to its principles: if then you can make the ſoul ſee the object it feeds upon is really evil, and at beſt but vain, and can ſhew it a better, ſo as the heart is convinced of it, then you may take it off. This doth the Spirit in the work of effectual Calling, as I ſhall open hereafter.
Third Poſition: The wayes of God in converting, or drawing the ſoul to Chriſt, are very ſecret, and in preparatory works very varions.
What Bildad ſaid to Job, Job 8.8, 10. Enquire I pray thee of the former age, &c. So may I ſay, call to the Saints of old, ask the children of Abraham in all ages; I do not ſay, enquire of painted Hypocrites, but real Chriſtians, will they not utter words out of their hearts (as Bildad ſaid) which will confirm this Poſition? The wayes of God are firſt ſecret; the union of the ſoul with Chriſt is ſet out by marriage, Durandus p. 2.and it is called a myſtery, Epheſ. 5.32. Myſterium eſt ſacrum ſecretum, can you lay open this ſecret before the Sun. Agur, among the things that were too wonderful for him, Prov. 30.19. reckons this, the way of a man with a maid: the myſtical ſenſe which Alapide gives I regard not. Moſt interpreters I ſee underſtand this of a wicked man, The next verſe ſeems to confirm this ſenſe.who is enamoured with love, or inflamed with concupiſcence, and ſo to note his witty ſollicitations, his artificial plots and cunning devices to win conſent, &c. yet I ſee others do not take it ſo, but think it may as well be underſtood of lawful love, and ſaid to be wonderful, both in reſpect of the rare and wonderful uniting of his heart with the Maid whom he loves, and alſo in reſpect of the wonderful means uſed by him for the getting and enjoying of her: This is as true as the former, as experience witneſſes: which is the true ſenſe of the words I determine not: but in alluſion to it I can ſay, the wayes of Chriſt with the ſoul in effectual Calling; how he works in bringing of the ſoul from its former lovers, how he wooes and draws it to himſelf, and makes it ſo gladly to come up to married union with himſelf, this is too wonderful for me, and I think for any one elſe to lay open; Knoweſt thou how the bones do grow in the womb of her who is with child? Eccl. 11.5. we have our Engliſh Harvy's famous De generatione Animalium, and we have our Engliſh Divines famous De regeneratione Animarum: but did learned Harvy ſtand by and ſee how the God of Nature wrought in that dark ſhop; when he carried on his work ſo far, he could ſee his work wrought, but could he ſee the working? Is it not as true in regeneration, though conſidering the term from which a man turns, and the term to which he turns, and that this is done in a rational Creature: we may certainly conclude, ſuch and ſuch things muſt be wrought before regeneration can be effected; but how God works them, is a great ſecret: God hath his path, which the Vultures eye hath not ſeen, Job 28.7. Why then ſhould we trouble our ſelves ſo much about the wayes of Gods working, as look to the work wrought?
As God is ſecret, ſo he is various in his working.
Various, Firſt, For Time. God is various in working.Some who lived in a courſe of ſin, who walked in the wayes of their hearts, and in the ſight of their eyes, as Solomon Ironically bids the young man, Eccleſ. 11.9. can tell the time, the day, the Text, the Sermon, the Miniſter, when God put a ſtop to their courſe, opening their eyes, awakening their conſciences, made their ſweet morſels turn bitter; others can tell the ſignsl Providence of God, with which he was pleaſed to work, ſome ſharp affliction it may be he ſent, and ſealed inſtruction, Job 33.16 But others cannot tell the time, when God began to work; and this have been to ſome a long time an objection againſt the truth of their regeneration, becauſe they cannot tell the time of their new birth; as if all the regenerated perſons in the Scripture knew the time when God began to work; as if there were any ground in Scripture for ſuch a Poſition, All that are new born know the time of their now birth: What Divine, that did deſerve the name of a Goſpel-Miniſter, did ever deliver ſuch a Doctrine? Doth not God many times in inſancy, in childhood, caſt in the immortal Seed, which being watered by the inſtructions and care of godly Parents at home, who are dropping upon their Children ever and anon, and by the lively Word preached, ſpringeth and groweth up, the poor Chriſtian knoweth not how, Mark 4.27. Some Chriſtians finding at ſome time more ſtirrings, and higher workings, or new convictions of ſome ſin, under the Ordinances, then they did before, will from thence reckon the time of their new birth; when they are much miſtaken, God had begun it before. This is a meer vanity and devils deluſion, to trouble thy ſelf about the time; look to the work that it be ſoundly wrought, but I would never trouble my ſelf about the time: Many can tell the time, when God did awaken their Conſciences, and ſet home ſin upon them with legal terrors; they can tell the Miniſter and the Text, but they could not tell of a ſound work of converſion, as the event hath proved.
Secondly, Various, as for the beginning of the time, ſo for the length of time. It is in the new birth, as in the natural birth; ſome are a long time in travel, their pains not very ſtrong; ſome their pains are long and ſtrong; ſome are but a little while in travel (like the Hebrew Women, Exod. 1.19.) and pains ſharp, but ſhort; others, not ſo ſharp neither. If we look at the beginning of the Goſpel preaching, how quick were the ſouls in their new birth? as I may ſay, they were delivered, and up again, hail and ſtrong in a few hours: I cannot ſay that the Jaylor was above one hour (if ſo much) in his travel under the work of Compunction: the Text ſaith, Acts 16.33. The ſame hour of the night he took them, and waſhed their ſtripes: the Earthquake began at mid-night, ver. 25. before day, ver. 35. here is one new born and luſty, for he was filled with joy, ver. 34 So thoſe in Acts 2. how long were they in travel? they muſt be but a very little time under the work of Compunction; for to have three thouſand ſouls added in one day, ver. 41. baptized, and ſettled with comfort by night; when Peter began his Sermon but about nine of the clock in the morning, ver. 15. we muſt allow but a very little time for Compunction. In Acts 8. little of pain is mentioned among the Samaritans in their new birth, ver. 5, 8. Now though the Lord, for the honour of his Goſpel, the eſtabliſhing and encouraging of ſouls, and fitting of them for times of perſecution at hand, was quicker with them then with us; yet we ſee the Lord is very various for the length of time even amongſt us; ſome are not a quarter the time under their pains that others are.
Thirdly, Various in his method; in ſome only legal works, terrors, fears, ſorrows, no mixture of Goſpel with them; in others a mixture of both, Law and Goſpel, go together; one while legal works, then a little hope from the Goſpel, then legal again: thoſe who have been bred up under clear Goſpel preaching, and the Lord begins his work, before they have abuſed it in that manner others have done, theſe commonly have a greater mixture of the Goſpel in their work; but others, who either live in dark corners, where the Goſpel is not lively preached; or if men have lived under ſuch preaching, but have played the Wantons, and abuſed the Grace of God, thoſe, when God works, ſhall know little enough of the abuſed Goſpel at firſt.
Fourthly, Various in the degrees: Some drenched in ſorrows, legal workings and humblings; ſome are but ſprinkled; men ſoaked in ſin, ſcandalous, ſuch as have ſinned with a high hand, theſe drink deepeſt, ſay you, of this Cup: No, not alwayes ſo neither: God doth not keep to this Rule alwayes: Sometimes one who hath been more reſtrained, more civil in converſation, ſhall have more of legal terrors, then thoſe who have been open ſinners. I could give inſtance in ſome whom I have known, and may mention them in due place, and therefore I paſs over this.
Fifthly, Various, as to the continuance or carrying on of his work: Some the Lord layeth hold upon, and holds them faſt, will not let them go out of his hand, till he hath done his good work in them, brought them home to himſelf, uniting them to his Chriſt: others the Lord layes hold on, and lets them go out of his hand again, they ſlip, as I may ſay, out of his hand, not againſt his will, but according to his counſel; this may be once, twice. I was once called by a Chriſtian to go ſee a rare ſight; and what was it, but a man who had been three times in Gods hands under workings, and gave hopes of true converſion every time, but the work came to nothing; the fourth time God laid hold upon him, held him faſt, and let him go out of his hand no more: this is rare indeed. A Kinſman of mine (as I think) the third time God took him into hand, before the work ſtood. I do not ſpeak of ſtirrings men may have under the preaching of the Word, which cauſe ſome reſolutions for a day or two, and then vaniſh as a morning Cloud, but of higher workings, when men give fair hopes of converſion, and yet come no nothing. This I note not only to ſhew the variety of Gods working, but alſo to help againſt the ſecret workings of Satan in ſome mens hearts. I found in one of my pariſh (and I doubt not but it may be ſo in many others) when he came to dye, as I was queſtioning with him about the ſtate of his ſoul, it ſeems the Word had often met with him, and ſeveral times put him to a ſtand in his ſinful courſe, but when company came he could not withſtand them; thus it had been with him ſeveral times (though it did not come up to that height I am ſpeaking of under this head, to give fair hopes of converſion) till at laſt, when Chriſt and Mercy were tendered to him in the Word, he turn'd away all thoſe offers, they could not concern him who had ſo often played faſt and looſe with God: but now he might go on, and take this courſe, and ſo it ſeems he did, concealing thoſe thoughts in his own breaſt, till at this time he revealed them to me. Oh that people would take heed of dallying with God, while his Spirit eſpecially is ſtriving with their ſpirits under means: Yet again take heed of giving way to thoſe ſecret deſpairing ſuggeſtionsof Satan, ſince we ſee God hath taken men after the third relapſe, when hopes were given of true converſion, and made his work to ſtand.
Sixthly, Various in the way or means by which he works: Sometimes he comes with a ruſhing Wind, ſome terrible threats like a thunder-clap, which he ſets home; he ſaves them with fear, pulling them out of the fire, Jude v. 23. The Jaylors heart quakes as much as the Earth. Sometimes he comes in a moſt ſoft Wind, as he did to Elijah, 1 Kings 19.12, 13. in a ſtill ſmall voice; he breaks the heart melts the ſpirit of a man; and as Abſalom ſtole away the hearts of Iſrael, 2 Sam. 15.6. with his fair and affable carriage; ſo the Lord hath his way, whereby he ſecretly draws and wins the heart to himſelf, and this in a more ſtill way; the work goes on ſecretly, one drop follows another, till God attains his end: Thus various in his working is the Lord. Search, and you ſhall find theſe experiences true; ſome are much humbled and much comforted; ſome are much humbled and little comforted; ſome are little humbled and little comforted; ſome are little humbled and much comforted.
Fourth Poſition. For any man to make the way of Gods working with him, to be the way to which he will tye up all others, is little better then high tyranny.
God hath not tyed up himſelf to one way; why muſt yours be the only way? Yet this I have obſerved in ſome Miniſters (men of great ſpirits and parts) who in their preaching (may I not ſay alſo in printing?) have preſſed upon people that particular way they found God came to them in; becauſe God did handle them thus, therefore he muſt do ſo with all. One man is not a fair Copy, ſaith Mr. Shepherd; and this is very true. God takes a man of a high lofty ſpirit, and batters him, with ſuch or ſuch workings: Muſt the ſame be found in all others?
Fifth Poſition. Though God is very various in the manner of his working, when he converts or draws the ſoul to Chriſt; yet the work wrought is in all the ſame; there is no variety in the work wrought.
That is, Converſion, or regeneration, is the ſame in every one without any difference. God works other wayes in converting Manaſſeh, then he did in converting Samuel; but converſion is the ſame in Samuel that it is in Manaſſeb. Run over the ſeveral varieties I have mentioned of Gods working, and name you as many more, yet that which makes regeneration or union with Chriſt, is the ſame in all; here all are alike. Leſs will not ſerve the turn in one then in another, as to the eſſence of regeneration. Let your condition, as to externals, be what it will, it is all one as to regeneration; be you learned or unlearned, noble or ignoble, rich or poor, 'tis all one, converted you muſt be, if ever you mean to ſee Heaven; and that which is regeneration in him who handles the ſpade, the ſame, and no leſs is regeneration in him who ſwayes the Scepter: Strait is the gate, &c. Matth. 7.14. if it do not like you, let it alone. The gate of Heaven is not like the gate at great Mens houſes; if Merchants come, they muſt come in at the little door; if great Men come, open the great gates: no wider gate is opened for the rich Man then for Lazarus: If this do not pleaſe you, find a better way if you can; but be aſſured, the Almighty ſcorns your greatneſs, as much as you can his ſtraitneſs.
Hence, ſince the work wrought is the ſame in all, let not Chriſtians ſo much perplex and trouble themſelves, becauſe God wrought not ſo in them as he did in others, or becauſe they cannot tell how God wrought in them, they cannot trace out his path, for in his working there is much variety; but look to that in which all muſt agree; look to regeneration, union with Chriſt, that the work be done, no matter how God did it.
Sixth Poſition. To ſay of a man under Gods working, that he is but under a preparatory work, and no more, is a difficult thing.
Who can ſay there is no more but preparation in ſuch a perſon? Mr. Shepherd makes his preparatory works to conſiſt, 1. In Conviction; there he ſaith the light is clear, real, conſtant, p. 32. 2. In Compunction: fear, ſorrows, ſeparation from ſin, p. 65. 3. In Humiliation: taken off from ſelf-confidence, &c. p. 125. Is there a preparatory ſtate, in which the ſoul ſtands for a time, not as yet in a converted ſtate? May not the Lord at the very firſt ſtroak convey an immortal ſeed of grace into the ſoul? the light, which is ſo clear, conſtant and real, as he ſaith, may it not be as the Lightning which cometh out of the Eaſt and ſhineth even to the Weſt, Matth. 24.27. ſo this ſhines into the whole ſoul, will, and all affections, be ſo bright and clear at the firſt darting in, that the Spirit withall quickens the will? We know grace at firſt lieth in a narrow compaſs, a ſeed, a Muſtard-ſeed, is but a ſmall thing.
Seventh Poſition. To work a man under preparatory works, to be as good a Chriſtian as he is, when he is actually united to Chriſt, ſeems very ſtrange.
When Mr. Hooker preached thoſe Sermons about the Souls preparation for Chriſt, and Humiliation, my Father-in-law, Mr. Nath. Ward, told him; Mr. Hooker, you make as good Chriſtians before men are in Chriſt, as ever they are after; and wiſhed, would I were but as good a Chriſtian now, as you make men while they are but preparing for Chriſt. But he told him the reaſon why he thought God let him thus preach, becauſe he ſaw he had not long to ſtand, and ſo ſhould do his work all at once. Let but one obſerve well Mr. Shepherd's preparatory work, and I think we ſhall find a Chriſtian with a good meaſure of Grace: in my Letter to him I ſaid, I thought it ſtrange that ſuch an Act of Grace, or Obedience (ſuppoſing it to be ſo, which yet I do not, till I ſee a Command for it) ſhould be performed by a perſon under a preparatory work to Chriſt, then which, I knew none greater could be performed by one who is in Chriſt; for a man to be ſo ſubject to the Juſtice and Soveraignty of God, that if he will deny him his love, work no grace, diſpoſe of him to damnation, he is yet quiet, contented; I knew no Act of ſelf-denial in the Goſpel like it; yet this is under the preparatory work of humiliation. To this he anſwers: I do not think this is the higheſt meaſure of grace (as you hint) any further, then as any peculiar work of the Spirit is high; for upon a narrow enquiry, it is far different from that readineſs of Paul and Moſes, out of a principle of love to Chriſt, to wiſh themſelves anathematized for Iſraels ſake; which is a high pitch indeed.
To which I reply. 1. As to the principle it is true, there may be ſome difference; formally, the principle is not the ſame; yet this is a principle of humble and gracious ſubmiſſion to the Juſtice and Soveraignty of God, and that in ſuch a point, as there is not another like it: Could I but get it in all other things, I ſhould think it an Act of Grace from God to give me ſuch a frame, though I be not content to be damned.
Secondly, Whatever be the principle, I am ſure (according to the ſenſe which muſt be given of Paul and Moſes, by this holy man) they, and the prepared ſoul, or preparing for Chriſt, muſt all meet in the ſame end or place, i. e. in Hell.
Thirdly, But, with humble reſpect to Mr. Shepherd, are indeed the Acts of Paul and Moſes (ſuppoſing the ſenſe of the words to be as he takes them) ſuch Acts of Grace as are required by God, and we bound to imitate? if they were Acts of grace performed in obedience to a Command, then we are all bound to the ſame: Of neceſſity then the ſenſe of the words muſt firſt be made plain.
Firſt, If the book written, Exod. 32.32. be underſtood of the Book of life, i. e. of divine Predeſtination; and if Anathema in Rom. 9.3. be taken in the proper ſenſe (and theſe muſt be ſo taken to make Mr. Shepherd's anſwer good) then both theſe wiſhes are inconſiſtent with a man, as man, and with a Chriſtian, as Chriſtian, as I ſhall prove anon: to talk of limiting Anathema, the ſenſe of it, as ſome would, becauſe they ſaw what this included, ſignifies nothing; if you fall a limiting, I will limit alſo.
Secondly, To me it appears further, it cannot be the ſenſe; becauſe God in anſwer to Moſes, ver. 33. tells him, Whoſoever hath ſinned againſt me, him will I blot out of my book. What out of the book of Divine Predeſtination? I am ſure Mr. Shepherd, nor thoſe other Divines, will admit blotting out of that book; the 34. ver. tells Moſes, he will viſit their ſin upon them; and ver. 35. he plagued the people. Surely God ſpake in that ſenſe which Moſes did.
Cor. a Lapide indeed affirms upon the Text, It is lawful for the ſalvation of many, for a man to wiſh his own damnation. As much as they are for the works of Supererogation, I do not believe the Jeſuit did ever heartily wiſh his own damnation upon this account; yet if ſo, (theſe Jeſuits are ſo crafty) he makes his bargain ſo, that he will get by it; for ſaith he, God will reward ſuch a generous and liberal ſoul, with heaps, and increaſe of love, grace, and other gifts. Yes, God doth uſe to fill thoſe who are blotted out of the book of eternal life, and accurſed from Chriſt, with increaſe of Love and Grace. Let him fry this.
Other Divines therefore do not underſtand the book of eternal life, or Divine Predeſtination, See Mr. Coryl on Job cap. 24. v. 20.but the Records of the Church, or Records of the people of Iſrael. The Jews were wont to number their families, and take their names; and God commanded a Record of the people of Iſrael to be written: Thus we read, David praying, Pſal. 69.28. againſt his enemies, Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, and not be written with the righteous: Would David pray to have any blotted out of the book of Divine Predeſtination? Therefore by the latter clauſe, the Church muſt be meant; they ſeemed once to be men of that Society, but they have diſcovered themſelves to be of another alliance, blot them out, let not their names live in the Church. The 13. of Ezek. 9. ſeems to anſwer this of the Pſalmiſt, They ſhall not live in the Aſſembly of my people, neither ſhall they be written in the writing of the houſe of Iſrael.
To confirm this interpretation I add, firſt, In the tenth verſe of this Chapter, God bid Moſes let him alone, that his wrath might wax hot againſt the people, and I will make of thee a great nation. God is threatning to blot out the name of Iſrael, cut them off, and promiſeth Moſes to make of him a great nation: Nay, ſaith Moſes, I am ſo far from this ambition, to be made a great nation, upon this condition, that I will let thee alone, that thy wrath may cut this people off, that I rather deſire thee to blot my name out of the writing of Iſrael, that my name may not ſtand in that Record, as an head of thy people, as now I am; but let me not ſo much as be reckoned for an Iſraelite, before thy Name ſhall ſuffer thus.
Secondly, That God anſwers him, ver. 32. as I ſaid before, that he would blot out, &c. and did viſit them, and plagued them.
Thirdly, From the Hebrew Text ſomething may be gathered; the word which our Tranſlators render, I pray thee, is rendred, Now, (a)foreignby Arias Montanus and Pagnin: the word ſignifies both, I pray thee, and now: I conceive our Tranſlators render it. I pray thee, becauſe now was once before, in the beginning of the verſe: but the Chaldee Paraphraſt renders it alſo now (b)foreign nunc. So Jonatham Targum render it now (c)foreign; Blot me now out of the book of the juſt, in midſt of which thou haſt written my name. The Alexand. The Chaldee Paraph. hath the ſame word foreign in the begining of the verſe alſo.Gr. Manuſcr. foreign, blot me alſo out: but neither the Septuagint, nor this, have the word, I pray thee, nothing that anſwers the Hebrew word. The Samaritan Text hath not this word in it, but it hath another word in the Text; the Septuagint and that Text agree. If the word be tranſlated now, which may well be, Moſes being now in a great paſſion, his zeal raiſed for God, then this ſenſe doth much confirm the interpretation: I am ſo little deſirous to be a great nation, that if thou wilt blot out the name of this thy people, blot me now alſo out of that book thou haſt written, I do not deſire to live any longer.
Munſter comments thus upon the words, De libro ſcilicet vitae: vel, ut Sepharadi exponit, De libro legis dele nomen meum, ne memoria nominis mei habeatur in eo. To this ſenſe alſo Gomarus (d)In explicat. cap. 3. Apocal. de libro vitae.aſſents.
I think there may be ſomething in this; the Text doth not ſay, Blot me out of the book of life, but out of the book thou haſt written; which to me hints a difference between the book of Divine Predeſtination, and that book of which Moſes ſpeaks.
As to Paul's Anathema, I think Mr. Caryl ſaith well, That Moſes and Paul were moved with the ſame ſpirit of zeal for the glory of God in both their wiſhes: and as Moſes ſo Paul wiſhed himſelf to be an Anathema from Chriſt, that is, a perſon ſeparated or excommunicated from the ſociety or communion of the faithful, and ſo no more to be remembred amongſt the Saints; or to have his name blotted out of the Church Records, though he had been ſo great a planter and propagater of Churches; thus Mr. Caryl. Certainly Paul, whoſe heart was ſo inflamed with love to Chriſt, Could not wiſh himſelf accurſed from Chriſt, and ſo an enemy to him, as anathematized perſons are, 1 Cor. 16.22. beſides the impoſſibility of the wiſh, in Moſes and Paul as men, there were great ſin in the wiſh: Firſt, with that ſenſe which Mr. Caryl gives, agreeth Grotius upon the Text; accurſed from Chriſt, that is, From the Church of Chriſt, which is called Chriſt, 1 Cor. 12.12. Gal. 3.27. As it was the manner among the Hebrews, for the Wives to be called by the name of the Husband, Iſai. 4.1. This he ſaith, I would not only want the honour of Apoſtleſhip, but alſo to be the moſt contemptible amongſt the Chriſtians, as thoſe who are excommunicated: thus Grotius. In Text.Nor much different is Gomarus, who diſtinguiſheth between a temporal and eternal Anathema; between Anathema ſimply ſo, and for ever: And ſecundum quid, or after a ſort; ſo ſhows it is a temporal Anathema, and after a ſort, which Paul wiſht, not the eternal: as Chriſt was an Anathema for us, but not for ever: He quotes a paſſage in Nazianzen, Oratio 44. in Pentecoſt.wiſhing the ſame upon himſelf, in behalf of the Macedonians; who judged right of the Father and Son, but held the Holy Ghoſt to be a Creature; his love and affection was ſo great towards them, that upon condition they might joyn together, and celebrate the Trinity in common; foreign, &c. it is but foreign. Nazianzen commends them for many things in that Oration; he quotes this ſaying of the Apoſtle, and doubts not to ſay with him as he did; but yet limits it, he will not take the extent of the word. Learned Rivet ſaith, Whatever be the ſenſe, we muſt not think that Moſes and Paul did pray for any thing contrary to Gods will, and abſolutely and determinately contrary to their own ſalvation. He inclines to that ſenſe I have given, In Exod. 31.32.thinking it doth ſufficiently argue the ardent deſire of the good and ſalvation of this people, to chuſe death, rather then the Nation of the Jews ſhould be rejected or blotted out. Lipomanus, whom he quotes, looks on it as an Hyperbolical manner of ſpeaking, to expreſs the greatneſs of his affection towards them, as if (ſaith Rivet) a Son that is very dear to his Father, ſhould thus intercede for his rebellious Brother; either pardon my Brother, or kill me, and deprive me of my inheritance.
To conclude, before Mr. Shepherd's anſwer take me off, it muſt be proved, that this is the ſenſe of Moſes and Paul, which he ſuppoſeth to be true, but is denied: Yet again, ſuppoſe it were ſo, I have not met with one Divine, who will maintain that all Chriſtians are bound to come up to Moſes and Paul in their wiſh: but both Mr. Hooker and Mr. Shepherd have made that whereof we now treat, a part of the Souls humiliation and preparation for Chriſt, and therefore muſt be found in all.
Eighth Poſition. Thoſe works which are called preparatory unto Chriſt, do moſt (if not all) of them, abide in the Soul after its union with Chriſt.
The hewing of the Stones and Timber which prepared them for the Temple, did remain after the Temple was built; the hewing of Timber, making of Tennants, Mortiſes, which prepare for the Houſe, abide when the Houſe is ſet up and perfected; ſo do theſe works which prepare and make the Soul fit to cloſe with Chriſt, to be made his Houſe, Heb. 3.6. Thoſe works which Mr. Shepherd ſaith make the Soul preparatively happy. That clear, real and conſtant light, yea, the legal fears (whether they come from the Spirit of bondage, or no, I now diſpute not) ſorrows; that willingneſs that Chriſt ſhould take away ſin; that humiliation, emptying the Soul of its confidence in any of its duties and righteouſneſs: and if that be a preparatory work, to make the Soul quiet without Gods Love, and to be content to be diſpoſed of by him to hell and damnation; this, with almoſt all the reſt, muſt abide after Union; only when I ſay muſt abide, I do not intend it of legal fears, and legal ſorrows; of theſe I only ſay, they are found often in many truly regenerated, that are actually in Chriſt; but for all the reſt, they muſt abide.
Hence, from the beginning of the work of the Spirit upon an elect Veſſel, there ſeems to be a difference, between his work upon ſuch a one, and that which a Reprobate hath.
Hence, if you have not what you deſire in theſe works, called preparatory, it is not too late, now to get, or increaſe them, though they looſe that reſpect; now to one who is actually in Chriſt, they are not properly preparatory.
Ninth Poſition. In order of nature one work muſt go before another; ſo Miniſters muſt preach and write (if they will keep to the Rules of Method) but in order of time they may go all together.
Illumination muſt in order of nature go before Conviction, and Conviction before Compunction, &c. but in order of time they may go together: the Spirit of God at the ſame time lets in a clear light, convinceth and ſtrikes the heart with fears, ſorrows, &c. it is not thus, that the Soul is one week, or one day under the work of Illumination, another comes under Conviction, the third week or day comes under Compunction: I know there may be light and conviction many weeks and years, when there is no Compunction: but it is not ſo, when the Spirit of the Covenant is at work: How often have men come home from one Sermon, with theſe works wrought? As for the work of Humiliation, whether that be alwayes at the firſt ſtroak, I do not determine, but ſhall ſpeak to it in its due place.
To conclude this Chapter, concerning Preparations in general: Let the Lord begin when he pleaſe, let him work how he pleaſe, yet he ſo worketh, that firſt or laſt, before God hath done with thee, if thou liveſt to be one of ripe years, he will make thee ſee how all his Counſels open themſelves; the neceſſity, the truth, the glory and excellency of them, in ſaving thy ſoul. His Counſel was to advance the glory of his rich Grace, free Mercy, the redemption, the Righteouſneſs, ſatisfaction of his Son, the power of his Spirit in regenerating and applying redemption, and maintaining of his good work in thy heart, with the throwing down of all thy conceited righteouſneſs, abilities whatſoever, that may lift up, and do lift up too many. O ſaith the Soul, I ſee all theſe, I feel it muſt be thus, my heart anſwers theſe Counſels of God. My Reverend Tutor Doctor Hill (whoſe memorial is precious to me) laying his hand upon his breaſt, would ſay, Every true Convert hath ſomething here, that will frame an Argument againſt an Arminian; and that is very true.