An Answer to William Sherlock, Chapter 4 · Section 5
SECT. V
ACcording to theſe principles, Mr. Sherlock.there is no certain way to get into Chriſt; the method preſcribed is, Conviction, Compunction, Humiliation, and Faith, which is the uniting Grace. Now I obſerve first, that a Man is paſſive in all this, and can contribute nothing to it himſelf, any otherwiſe than as he is acted by an irreſiſtible power; and it is a vain thing to give ſuch rules and directions, as no man can follow; this only tells us, by what methods God unites us to Chriſt, not what we muſt do, but what we must ſuffer in order to this union; A Sinner may ſtir up in himſelf ſome natural Conviction of ſin, ſome natural fear, ſorrow, &c. And in a ſenſe of this, may ſet upon the work of Reformation, of leaving his ſins and performing duties: But all this they tell us, is to no purpoſe, for unleſs this Conviction, Compunction, Humiliation, be wrought in us by the irreſiſtible power of the Spirit of God, (which no Man can poſſibly tell whether it be or not) it is not of the right ſtamp, and will avail us nothing; ſo that the Sinner hath nothing to do but to ſit ſtill, and patiently expect, till God will do all for him.
The method is Conviction, Compunction, Anſwer.Humiliation, and Faith, but a Man is paſſive in all this: How paſſive? what is he to ſit ſtill, and do nothing at all? No ſurely, he may abſtain from outward Acts of ſin; he may do Acts of Sobriety, Juſtice, Charity; he may hear, pray, but internal Grace is Gods work. Some have taken thoſe words, Let us make Man, as if God hath ſpoke to the four Elements, and ſaid, Vos date Corpus, ego dabo Animam: Do you give the Body, I'll give the Soul. If I may allude to this Gloſs, thus it is, Man may frame a Body of outward Piety, but the foreign, the inward life of Grace, is from God only; it is he, Who quickneth the dead in treſpaſſes and ſins, Eph. 2.1. Believers are not born of the will of Man, but of God, Joh. 1.13. But, ſaith the Author, It is a vain thing to give ſuch rules and directions, as no Man can follow. To which I anſwer, Rules are not therefore vain, becauſe Man cannot follow them by his own power; God gave not the Moral Law in vain, yet the ſpotleſs ſanctity of it was a foreign, a meer impoſſible thing to any fallen Man in the World; God bid them not in vain, to make a new heart, Ezek. 18.31. and yet claims it as his prerogative, and as an act of ſpecial Grace to make ſuch an heart, Ezek. 36.26. Chriſt did not in vain call Men to come to him; and yet withal tells them, That no Man could come to him, except the Father drew him, Joh. 6.44. Moſes was but to lift up the Rod, but it was God only who could divide the Sea; we are to uſe the means, but it is God only who can work the great work of Grace: Theſe Rules, though we cannot follow them of our ſelves, may yet ſhew us our duty; and if we reflect upon our ſelves, they may point out our impotency to us, and withal they miniſter under that Spirit, which in the uſe of means infuſes the life of Grace into Men. Polychronius in the 6. Council of Conſtantinople, offered by a Paper, containing in it the Doctrine of the Monothelites, to raiſe a dead Man to life again. Mr. Shephard never thought that his rules, though containing excellent truths in them, could raiſe the Spiritually dead; but this they do, they miniſter under that Divine Spirit, which breathes regenerating Graces into the Soul. St. Paul would have Timothy instruct the Oppoſers, not as if they had a power of themſelves to repent, but if God peradventure would give them repentance, 2 Tim. 2.25. All Rules and Inſtructions do but miniſter under the Holy Spirit, who gives Faith and Repentance as it pleaſeth. But ſaith the Author, Theſe tell us not, what we muſt do, but what we must ſuffer in order to our union to Chriſt. To which I anſwer, we are to uſe the means, and thus far we muſt be doers, but, I ſuppoſe, we muſt ſuffer the Holy Spirit to have the glory of our Regeneration, we muſt not preſume to be ſuch doers, as if we could work Regeneration our ſelves, or by our works procure it. Pelagius would have been a doer in this kind, alledging that, Gratiam dariſecundum merita, that is, in the Phraſe of the Ancients in thoſe dayes, ſecundum opera, that Grace was given according to works: But, unleſs he had recanted, he had in the Paleſtine Council been by the Church turned into a Sufferer, by a juſt Excommunication; neither is our Church for any ſuch doers, for it tells us in the 13. Article, That works done before Grace do not make Men meet to receive Grace, or deſerve Grace of congruity; yea, rather they have the nature of ſin. The Inſpiration of the Spirit (which that Article mentions) muſt work the great work of Grace in us; which when we ſee in our ſelves, we muſt needs acknowledge the inſuperable power that was in it.
Suppoſe a Man have this Conviction,Mr Sherlock. Compunction, Humiliation, is this a ſufficient reaſon to lay hold upon Christ by Faith? by no means: The end of Conviction is Compunction, the end of Compunction Humiliation; and all this carries us no nearer to Chriſt, than quietly to lye down before God, that he may do what he will with us, he may ſave or damn us: So that all this contributes nothing to our union to Chriſt, but brings us to ſuch a temper of mind, as to be content to have Chriſt, or go without him as God ſhall pleaſe; this is all Men get by Humiliation, that if the Lord intend to do them good, this is the way in which he will do it; but though they be humbled, they cannot be ſure whether God intend to do them good or not; therefore we are told, we are as much bound to ſubmit to God, whether he will ſave or damn us, as we are to ſubmit to the diſpoſal of God, as to any common mercy; though you muſt pray for mercy, it muſt be with ſubmiſſion to Gods good will; ſaying, the Lords will is good, whether it be to ſave or damn; but mine is evil, though it be to be ſaved, and have Jeſus Chriſt: Nay, we are much more bound to ſubmit to God, whether he will ſave or damn us, than we are to ſubmit in the leſſer concernments of this life; if it be pride to murmur, in caſe the Lord deny you ſmaller matters, the off-alls of this life; is it not greater pride to quarrel with him, if he deny the greater, the things of another life? Is he bound to give thee greater, who doth not owe thee the leaſt? The Lord gives you life, but you ask for treaſures of Grace and Mercy; (now God hath given you life, you would live for ever, an unpardonable fault this!) thouſands of pounds, Chriſt and all he is worth, and the Lord ſeems to deny you, and now you ſink and grow ſullen; may not the Lord ſay, Was there ever ſuch pride & inſolence? as to be unwilling to be damned for ever; though I dare ſay, this is not the pride which cast the Angels out of Heaven; ſo that though Humiliation be the way to Chriſt, yet it brings us never the nearer him; when all is done, we are where we were: Before Humiliation, it was at Gods pleaſure, whether we ſhould have Chriſt or not, and ſo it is ſtill.
The humbled Soul may,Anſwer. without doubt, lay hold upon Chriſt; but we muſt remember, that we cannot do it by the power of Nature, but muſt do it by the Grace of God: Faith is a great receiver, it receives Chriſt, and all bleſſings in and with him; but this Faith, this very receiving, muſt be received from Grace: Nothing is plainer in Scripture, than that Faith is the gift of God; hence it is called the fruit of the Spirit, Gal. 5.22. and Faith of the operation of God, Col. 2.12. It is not of our ſelves, it is the gift of God, Eph. 2.8, And ſuch a gift it is, that foreign, it is freely gratuitouſly given, Phil. 1.29. Seing then it is thus, ſhould we not ſubmit to God for every crumb of bread, drop of drink, and moments patience, becauſe they are his gifts; and muſt we not ſubmit to him for Faith, becauſe it is ſuch? Had not God given a Jeſus, a Saviour, to Men, they could not have made a juſt complaint againſt him; and now there being one, that he is not known all the World over, the Pagans may not open their lips againſt God; and in the Church where Chriſt is known, that all Men have no Faith, no Man may queſtion God about it: Gifts are free and muſt be ſubmitted for. The Apoſtle aſſerts Gods Soveraignty clearly: He will have mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth, Rom. 9.18. And if any dare repy or find fault, the Apoſtle takes him up: Nay, but O Man, who art thou that replieſt againſt God? If thou hadſt but any ſentiments of thy own nothingneſs, or rayes of the Divine Majeſty, thou wouldeſt never dare to queſtion, or to implead thy Maker; before whom thou art but a Worm, a piece of Clay to be diſpoſed of at his pleaſures: It is certain that God owes us nothing. Though we are in the uſe of means earneſtly to ſeek Chriſt & Faith; and not in a careleſs indifferent manner (as without cauſe the Author would hint Mr. Shephards mind to be) yet we muſt ſtill adore Gods Soveraignty, and lye at his feet for all his Gifts, and particularly for Faith. It was horrible inſolence and preſumption in him, who prayed: Redde mihi vitam aeternam, quam debes; And it would be no leſs for any one to pray: Redde mihi fidem vivam quam debes: Verbum (debet) venenum habet, as Peter Lumbard hath it. Theſe things conſidered, Mr. Shephards words need no more but only a candid Interpretation.
What then is to be done, Mr Sherlock.in order to our cloſing with Chriſt by Faith? for hitherto there is no foundation for our Faith. Why, you muſt not catch at Chriſt, but ſtay till God give him to you, till God take you into his Arms, that you may lean upon your Beloved; you muſt ſtay till God give you a particular call, to come to Chriſt; and whether that will be ever or never, no Man can tell. Many a wounded Sinner will be ſcrambling from ſome general reports of him (ſuch as his Goſpel makes) before the day and hour of Gods glorious call: Now, for any Man to receive Chriſt, before he is called, is preſumption: (I, unpardonable preſumption too, to attempt impoſſibilities, for no Body can come till he is called) no man ſhould come unleſs firſt called (and therefore no crime to ſtay away) as it is in calling to an Office, ſo it is in our calling to ſpecial Grace: No Man takes this honour, but he that is called of God, Heb. 5.4. (It is a great preſumption to uſurp the Office of a Priest, Prophet, or King, without a deſignation; and ſo it is to be a good Man, or Chriſtian, without a particular call.) For what hath any Man to do with Chriſt, to make himſelf a Son of God and Heir of glory, (to take care to pleaſe God, and to make himſelf happy) but he that is called of God, Well, Sinner! wait with patience till thou art called, and ſo thy work is at an end for this time.
The Author laughs at Mr. Shephards particular call,Anſwer. let us therefore conſider it; there is a double call, a general external call reaching to all in the Church, and a particular internal call, vouchſafed to ſome: The firſt, is a command, a ſufficient warrant to come to Chriſt; The ſecond, is a ſpecial Act of Grace, which infallibly produces Farth in thoſe to whom it is given: This diſtinction is clearly founded in Scripture, all in the Church are called, but all are not drawn of the Father, all do not hear and learn of the Father, Joh. 6.44, 45. For theſe taught and drawn ones do all of them come to Chriſt, which all Men in the Church do not; all in the Church are called, but all are not called according to purpoſe, Rom. 8.28. for then all would love God, as thoſe called ones do, and by conſequence all would have that Faith, which works by love. We preach Chriſt crucified, to the Jews a ſtumbling block, and to the Greeks fooliſhneſs, but to them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Chriſt the power of God and wiſdom of God, 1 Cor. 1.23, 24. All of them had an external general call; thoſe to whom Chriſt was a ſtumbling block and fooliſhneſs, had ſuch a call; for an unknown, an unreveiled Chriſt could not be a ſtumbling block or fooliſhneſs: But beſides this call there is another, an internal effectual call, ſuch as makes Chriſt the power and wiſdom of God to Men, ſuch as works Faith and other Graces in Men: Hence the Apoſtle ſaith, That they are the called, called with a more internal and efficacious call than other Men are. Theſe things laid down, all things in Mr. Shephard are very eaſie; all Men in the Church have an external call, and ſo a ſufficient warrant to believe in Chriſt, it will be no preſumption at all in them to do ſo. The Object, Jeſus Chriſt is evidently ſet forth before their eyes, but that they may believe in him indeed, they muſt wait for a particular internal call, for that Grace which works Faith in the heart; if not, the work of Faith muſt be their own; they muſt believe of themſelves: And this I fear, though the Object, Chriſt be free for them would be preſumption, becauſe the Scripture aſſures us, that Faith is the gift of God. All Men in the Church ſhould come to Chriſt, for the Evangelical command makes it their duty; yet, if we believe our Saviour, there muſt be internal teachings and tractions from the Father, to make us truly come to him: All in the Church are by the Goſpel called to be Believers, & ſo to the foreign, to the Royal dignity, to be Sons of God, Joh. 1.12. to the Divine Offices, to be Kings and Prieſts unto God, Rev. 1.6. But this believing is produced by that internal efficacious call, which calleth things that are not as though they were; I mean, which calleth Faith into being where it was not before. But then ſaith Mr. Sherlock: The Sinner muſt only wait till he is called, and ſo his work is at an end for this time. To which I anſwer, His work is not at an end, becauſe he is ſtill to wait; if the Scripture, which makes Faith the free-gift of God, be true, there is no nearer paſſage to Heaven, then by waiting upon God for Faith in the uſe of means. The Saints of God, if we obſerve their poſture in the Scripture, endeavour all they do in a way of dependance upon the Grace of God; a famous inſtance is David in the 119. Pſalm: With my whole heart have I ſought thee, ſaith he: But O let me not wander from thy Commandments, verſ. 10. I will run the way of thy Commandments but do thou enlarge my heart, Verſ. 32. Conſider how I love thy Precepts, but quicken me according to thy loving kindneſs, verſ. 159. Lord I have hoped for thy Salvation, and done thy Commandments, verſ. 166. all his endeavors were under Grace; and if Believers in all their endeavors wait upon the Grace of God, much more ſhould Sinners wait upon God for Faith in the uſe of means.Mr. Sherlock
But how ſhall a poor humbled Sinner know when he is called, that then he may come to Christ? You muſt not miſtake the general offers of the Goſpel for this ſpecial call, for they are not a ſufficient foundation for our Faith, though they are made to the weary and heavy laden: Men cannot, will not come at ſuch a call, and they have no reaſon to do it, for Chriſt is not intended for all; therefore though he be offered to all in the Goſpel, yet it would be preſumption for every one to lay hold on him, for Chriſt doth not immediately offer himſelf to all Men as a Saviour, whereby they may be encouraged to ſerve him as a King (that is he does not promiſe Salvation and Eternal life in the Goſpel, with a deſign that every one that will, ſhould take encouragement from theſe promiſes, to obey and ſerve him.) But firſt, as a King commanding them, to caſt away their weapons, and ſtoop under his Scepter, acknowledging that if ever he ſave me, I will bleſs him; if he damn me, his Name is righteons in ſo dealing with me, that is, every Man is invited in the Goſpel to ſubmit himſelf to the mercy of Chriſt; but then Chriſt reſerves a liberty to himſelf to ſave or damn as he pleaſes; theſe are hard terms, and ſuch as ſound wore like the arbitrary will of an haughty Lord, than the conditions of a gracious Saviour.
Chriſt died ſo far for all Men,Anſwer. as to found the general promiſes of the Goſpel for them, to make them ſaveable upon Goſpel terms, which Devils are not; and theſe general promiſes are a ſufficient ground-work and warrant, for them to come to Chriſt; it is no preſumption for any Man to do ſo, but theſe general promiſes are not that internal call, which produces Faith in Men. Christ, ſaith Mr. Shephard, doth not immediately offer himſelf as a Saviour, to encourage them to ſerve him as a King; that is, ſaith the Author, he doth not promiſe Salvation, with a deſign to encourage every one that will to ſerve him. To which I anſwer, The promiſe is an encouragement to all Men to ſerve him; but, that this may be done, they muſt lay down their weapons, they muſt ſtoop under his Scepter, or elſe ſurely they cannot ſerve him. But Mr. Shephard goes on, They muſt acknowledge, if he ſave me I will bleſs him, if he damn me he is righteous; that is, ſaith the Author, every Man is invited in the Goſpel to ſubmit to the mercy of Chriſt, but Chriſt reſerves a liberty to himſelf to ſave or damn, which are hard terms: To which, I anſwer, God was under no neceſſity to give us a Jeſus, a Goſpel, a promiſe of Salvation: What if there had been none? would not the terms have been harder, or rather no terms at all? What hope of Salvation could there then have been? yet in all this God would have been like himſelf, the Righteous One; man could not have uttered the leaſt juſt complaint againſt him: But now there is a Goſpel, what is the Liberty to ſave or damn which Chriſt reſerves? Is it a liberty to ſave men, though unbelievers; or damn men, though believers? No ſurely, the Goſpel ſtands firm, that the believer ſhall be ſaved, the unbeliever ſhall be damned, and that without any foreign, or difference among men; but ſtill Chriſt reſerves to himſelf his Prerogative, the key of David, to open the hearts of men, as he did Lydia's, to believe upon him; he diſpenſes Faith as he pleaſes: And no man may ſay to him, what doſt thou? He gives not an account of ſuch matters.
What then muſt we do now? Why, Mr. Sherlock.the only remedy is to venture and try, God hath elected but few: Chriſt hath ſhed his Blood for few; therefore we muſt venture (and a hard venture it is, where there is ſuch great odds-againſt us, and yet our eternal happineſs depends upon the ſucceſs, too great a ſtake for ſuch a venture) As many men among us do now, who hearing of a good living fallen; twenty will go for it, though but one can have it (though did they know it were irrevocably decreed, who ſhould have it, none of them would ſtir, but wait for the news: Good God! what Merchant adventurers are poor ſinners, who after all their ſeeking for Chriſt, are in ſuch danger of miſſing him?) Or as the Lepers in Samaria, if we ſtay here, we muſt dye: If we go out to the Aſſyrians, we may live, Which is the reſolution of deſperate men, as it ſeems the Goſpel condemns us all to be. No previous diſpoſitions can give us encouragement to come to Chriſt, Humiliation cannot do it: After this we muſt expect a call ſtill; we are but probationers, and may miſs him; nay, aſſurance it ſelf cannot do it, for if you come to Chriſt, becauſe you have aſſurance, (That is, if you come to Chriſt, becauſe you are ſure you are come) or becauſe you feel ſuch Graces and Heavenly impreſſions of Gods Spirit in you, then you may many a day and year keep at a diſtance from Chriſt, and live without Chriſt: This is an hard ſaying, though we come to Christ, we may be at a distance; nay, though we come becauſe we are ſure we are come already: It is time now to give over, when aſſurance is no ſecurity.
What then muſt we do now? Anſwer.We muſt venture and try, God hath elected but few: Chriſt hath ſhed his blood for few; therefore we muſt venture, and an hard venture it is, and great odds againſt us. Thus the Author: To which, I anſwer, God hath elected but few: But do ſecret things belong to us? May we pry into the eternal Rolls, and make them the meaſures of our acting? No ſurely, the Rule is before us in the Goſpel, which we muſt not wave, becauſe there are ſecret Decrees: A man, that would argue againſt himſelf; and his venturing upon Chriſt from theſe principles, muſt do it thus: If I am eternally reprobated, then it is to no purpoſe to venture upon Chriſt: but I am eternally reprobated; Ergo, it is to no purpoſe to venture: But how doth he know the Minor, or what reaſon hath he for it? What madneſs and deſperate raſhneſs is it to ſay that which he cannot know, and that againſt his own Soul and eternal Salvation? Is there any ſuch reprobation in Scripture, as barrs out of Heaven, ſuch as by Faith venture upon Chriſt? No ſurely, Chriſt hath ſo far dyed for all men, as to found for them that general promiſe: whoſoever believeth, ſhall be ſaved: This is a plain ſure foundation for men to venture upon, none that by Faith venture upon Chriſt ſhall be barred out of Heaven by any Decree of God, becauſe his Decree cannot claſh with his Promiſe: It is very irregular arguing to ſay, I know not Gods Decree, therefore I'll neglect my duty. St. Paul exhorts the Philippians to work out their Salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God, which worketh in you to will and to do of his good pleaſure, Phil. 2.12, 13. Might the Philippians have ſaid, how do we know what Gods pleaſure is, or what he will work in us? Why ſhould we work at ſuch a venture, or at the pleaſure of another? No, the fear and trembling in the Text was enough to keep them back from arguing at that rate: Suppoſe now, that there were no ſuch thing as Election, will there not be a paucity, and an hard venture ſtill? Our Saviour tells us, that few find the way to life, Matth. 7.14. And God, whoſe preſcience is immutable, eternally foreſaw that it would be ſo; and what muſt we do now? May we deny the truth of Chriſts words, or of Gods preſcience? Surely we ought not, or may we argue thus: Few enter into life, why ſhould I venture? Its an hard venture, and great odds against me; May I now cry out, Good God, what Merchant adventurers are poor ſinners? Surely it doth not at all become me; I muſt look upon the Rule in the Word, and endeavour to do my duty: Duties belong to us, and iſſues to God: But to paſs on, according to Mr. Shephard, it ſeems aſſurance it ſelf cannot ſecure us, to which the bare recital of Mr. Shephards words will be anſwer enough: they are theſe; The Call of Chriſt is the ground by which we firſt believe: It is a conſtant ground of Faith; For, if you come to Chriſt, becauſe you have aſſurance, or becauſe you feel ſuch and ſuch Graces, and heavenly Impreſſions of Gods Spirit in you, you may then many a day and year keep at a diſtance from Chriſt, and lye without Chriſt, for the feeling of Graces and aſſurance of favour are not constant: His meaning is very plain, the Call of Chriſt is the ground of our firſt believing; and it is a conſtant ground, if by after renewed acts of Faith we come to Chriſt, becauſe we have aſſurance; we may many a day live without Chriſt, for aſſurance is no conſtant thing, as the Call is. The Author, I ſuppoſe, took out a little out of Mr. Shephard, not to interpret him, but to ſport with him: Afterwards we have the Author concluding from Mr. Shephards particular Call, That the general Call ſignifies nothing; that there is no foundation for our Faith in Chriſt, but this particular Call. To which I anſwer; The general promiſes of the Goſpel ſignifie Gods will to ſave Believers; and therefore are a ſufficient foundation for a man to believe in Chriſt for Salvation; a greater warrant we cannot have for it, then Gods own Charter ſealed with the Blood of his Son Jeſus Chriſt: But that which works this Faith in us, is a ſpecial Call, or internal Grace, which ſhines into the heart, and calls forth Faith into being.
But though we know not how to get into Chriſt; Mr. Sherlock.it would be ſome comfort to know, that we are in him: But this is as impoſſible as the other; As the only foundation of our Faith in coming to Chriſt (aocording to theſe mens notions) is a ſpecial call of the Spirit; So the only infallible aſſurance that we are in Chriſt, is the testimony of the Spirit: The ſpirit of adoption, which teaches us to cry, Abba, Father: And yet God doth not afford this Teſtimony to all; but ſuffers many good Chriſtians, to walk in darkneſs, and hides his face from them; for no other reaſon, but becauſe they are deſirous of it, and would be quiet, if they ſhould know it; this is ſomewhat hard meaſure: But ſuppoſe you have, or think you have this teſtimony of the Spirit; how can you be ſure, that it is not a cheat and deluſion, the impoſture of the Devil, or of your own ſelf-flattering imagination? to ſatisfie this we are directed to marks: Thus this infallible aſſurance from the teſtimony of the Spirit muſt in its laſt reſolve be founded upon ſome Moral evidence: As it is with the Church of Rome; who after a great noiſe and cry of infallibility, are at laſt forc'd to reſolve their Faith into ſome Motives of credibility, or to dance round in an endleſs circle: Well, what are the marks of our being in Christ? You muſt enquire whether you have the Spirit of Chriſt; And it is juſt as eaſie to know this, as whether you be in Chriſt: But are you true Believers? Is your Faith of the right ſtamp? is it wrought by the Almighty Power of God? Or is it ſuch an eaſie, common, preſumptuous, falſe faith, as that which is in the generality of men? This is as eaſie to know, as any of the former: For if there be ſuch a falſe preſumptuous faith as takes Christ, when he does not belong to us, and reſts and relies on Christ only for pardon and ſalvation, and yet ſhall never have Christ: How ſhall we know whether our Faith be true and genuine, ſuch as will make Chriſt ours? and the anſwer to this brings us to that great mark of Sanctification. You muſt conſider the effects of Faith;Dr. Jacomb. pag. 65. doth it purifie the Heart? overcome the World? work by Love? are you new Creatures? Is the ſtate of your perſon changed from a Child of wrath to an Heir of Grace? (which is the thing to be proved) Or is your nature changed? Do you walk in newneſs of life? Have you crucified the fleſh with its luſts? Do you bring forth fruit? That is, you must prove your juſtification by your ſanctification, your Faith by your Works. I am glad it is no worſe, that good works, and an holy life may at leaſt put in for marks and evidences of a juſtified ſtate, though the truth is, this is a meer complement to Holineſs; and as they order the matter, an holy life can no more be a ſign of a juſtified ſtate, than it can juſtifie us.
It would be ſome comfort to know, Anſwer.that we are in Christ: But this is impoſſible; Thus the Author: Impoſſible? Nothing plainer in Scripture; we read of the earneſt of the Spirit in our hearts, 2 Cor. 1.12. The ſealing of the holy Spirit of promiſe, Eph. 1.13. The witneſs of the Spirit with our ſpirits, that we are the children of God, Rom. 8.16. But God doth not afford this testimony of the Spirit to all good men: Very true, he doth not, a Saint of God may walk in darkneſs: The face of God may be hid from him: And that (ſaith Mr. Shephard) becauſe there is in many an one an heart deſirous of his Love, and this would quiet them, if they were ſure of it. The Author thinks this hard meaſure: But Mr. Shephard goes on; they never came to be quieted with Gods will, in caſe they think they ſhall never partake of Gods love; but are above that, oppoſite, reſist, quarrel with that; the Lord therefore, intending his favour for humbled ſinners, hides his face till they lye low: And now, I ſuppoſe, the meaſure is fair, it is very fit we ſhould know our ſelves to be but receivers; and withall unworthy of the Mercies we receive: But how do we know, that it is the testimony of the Spirit indeed, and not a cheat or impoſture? To ſatisfie this we are directed to marks: Thus this infallible testimony of the Spirit muſt in its laſtireſolve, be founded upon moral evidence. So the Author: To which, I anſwer, When the Spirit witneſſeth with our ſpirit; when Gods Spirit and Mans concurr, and ſo heaven and earth agree in it; one would think it might paſs without further examination: The Teſtimony of the Spirit is ſuch, that he, to whom it made, certainly knows, that it is the Spirit of Truth it ſelf which bears the Teſtimony, otherwiſe the Spirit it ſelf teſtifies, and would not be believed by him, to whom the Teſtimony is made; that is, he teſtifies, and doth not teſtifie, if he do not make a man ſure, who it is that teſtifies. The Teſtimony is to make us ſure, that we are the children of God; it is to make us with confidence cry out Abba, Father: It is to be an earneſt and ſeal of our Salvation; and how can this be, if we know not who teſtifies. Hence St. Chrystom upon the place ſaith, The Spirit beareth witneſs, and foreign; What doubt can remain? Hence reverend Dr. Ward ſaith, Parum abeſt à blaſphemiâ dicere, De certitud. Grat. 221.non eſſe certum illum, cui teſtimonium perhibet Spiritus Sanctus, utrum teſtimonium illud a Spiritu Sancto ſit an à diabolo, & foreign, By this it appears, that the Teſtimony of the Spirit is not ſuch, as gives only a conjectural certainty, but an infallible one: But to proceed, What are the marks of our being in Christ? Have you the Spirit of Chriſt? This (ſaith the Author) is juſt as eaſie to know, as whether you be in Chriſt: Yet this is a mark in the Apoſtle, If any man have not the Spirit of Chriſt, he is none of his, Rom. 8.9. Is your faith of the right ſtamp, wrought by the Almighty Power of God? This (ſaith the Author) is as eaſie to know as the former: Yet the Apoſtle would have us examine our ſelves whether we be in the Faith; that is, whether we have a true genuine Faith, 2 Cor. 13.5. True Faith, where ever it is, makes Chriſt to belong to him that hath it: Doth Faith purifie the heart, overcome the world, work by love, bring forth holy fruit? Theſe are, as the Author confeſſes, true marks, but theſe men do but complement Holineſs: And now we muſt hear his reaſons for it.
For firſt, Holineſs is not neceſſary to our Ʋnion to Chriſt; Mr Sherlock.and therefore can be no nec…ſſary ſign of it: We are united to Chriſt … we are holy, an unholy man may be united to Christ; and how can Holineſs be the only ſure mark of our Ʋnion to Chriſt? They tell us, That Holineſs doth neceſſarily follow Union: But no man knows how long it may be before it follows; yet all this, while ſuch a perſon is united to Chriſt, at leaſt this gives evidence but to one part of the queſtion, an holy life is an evidence of a man in Chriſt; but the want of it is no evidence, that a man is not in him: This mark may be rejected by any one, who hath no mind to it: Nay, ſecondly, according to theſe mens principles we cannot tell, whether we be holy or not, till we know, whether we be in Chriſt or not, our Ʋnion to Chriſt muſt be an evidence of our Holineſs, not our Holineſs an evidence of our Ʋnion; till we are united to Chriſt, we can do nothing to pleaſe God: The beſt actions of chriſtleſs men are but Splendida peccata, glittering impieties, appearing fair, but odious to God, becauſe the perſon who does them is out of Christ: Our perſons muſt be firſt accepted in Christ, and then our ſervices; we cannot judge of Holineſs by the external performance of any duties, nor by the inward ſenſe of our minds; but must firſt know, whether we be in Chriſt, whether our perſons be accepted in him, before we can tell, whether any thing we do be good: And this is a plain demonstration, that Holineſs cannot be an evidence of our Ʋnion to Chriſt, becauſe we muſt firſt know our Ʋnion, before we can know that we are holy.
So much Holineſs,Mr. Sherlock. as is included in true Faith, is neceſſary to our Union to Chriſt; an unholy man, that is, a wicked man, cannot be united to Chriſt, believers are not ſuch; but an unholy man, that is, one who yet hath not lead an holy life, may be united to Chriſt, and his after holy life, is a ſure mark of that Union, becauſe a neceſſary eſſect thereof: But when doth the holy life follow that Ʋnion? I anſwer, immediately: Thus our Church tells us in the twelfth Article, That good works do ſpring neceſſarily out of a true and lively Faith; inſomuch, that by them a lively Faith may be as evidently known, as a tree diſcerned by the fruit: The want of an holy life, in the very inſtant of believing, is not an evidence, that a man is not is Chriſt, but ſoon after, the want of it will tell him, that his Faith was but a fancy, and his being in Chriſt but a dream: The beſt actions of chriſtleſs men are, I confeſs, as our Church tells us in the thirteenth Article, not pleaſant to God; nay, they have the nature of ſin, without Faith it is impoſſible to pleaſe God, in our perſons or actions: our perſons muſt firſt be accepted in Chriſt, and then our ſervices; the beſt actions of a man, not in Chriſt, are not acceptable to God: Thoſe actions cannot be acceptable to him, whoſe defects are unpardoned, and the defects of thoſe actions are unpardoned, whilſt their Agent is ſo. But the Author from hence concludes, That Holineſs cannot be an evidence of our Ʋnion to Chriſt, becauſe we muſt firſt know our Ʋnion, before we can know that we are holy. To which, I anſwer, Our Union to Chriſt cannot be known to be ſo without a knowledge of Faith; nor an holy life cannot be known to be ſo, without a knowledge of Faith; becauſe without Faith neither can be in reality: when we ſee our Faith flowing out in an holy life, we ſee the truth of our Union to Chriſt, and the truth of our holy life both at once: An holy life taken not meerly in its outward acts, but in its efflux from Faith is an infallible mark of our Union to Chriſt.
At other times theſe Men make the work of Sanctification ſo imperfect, Mr. Sherlock.and ſo like an unſanctified ſtate, that it is impoſſible to distinguiſh a ſanctified and unſanctified Man; upon this account holyneſs must be a very ſorry evidence of our union to Christ, when it is ſo imperfect that it cannot be known: An unregenerate Man is under the Law of ſin, under the reigning power of it; and a regenerate Man (as they deſcribe him) is in a ſtate as like this, as one Egg is another: For a regenerate Man may be carnal, ſold under ſin, that is, a Slave and Captive to it, he may do thoſe things he allows not; nay, thoſe things which he hates, that is, he may ſin againſt the cleareſt convictions of conſcience and ſenſe of duty; he may neglect to do thoſe things which he knows he ought to do, and do thoſe things which he knows he ought not to do; he may find a Law in his Members, that when he would do good, evil is preſent with him; a Law in his Members, warring againſt the Law of his mind, which brings him into captivity to the Law of ſin, that is in his Members: For ſo they tell us, that St. Paul complains of all this in the perſon of a regenerate Man, Rom. 7. Now an unregenerate man does the very ſame, and indeed cannot do much worſe; he ſins against conſcience, is brought into captivity to ſin, is overpowered by indwelling ſin; he finds natural fears and terrors, when he is tempted to ſin, which gives ſome check to him, and makes him ſin againſt his own will with ſome unwillingneſs and reluctancy; he approves the Law of God as juſt and equal, his conſcience aſſents to it, but there is a ſtrong byaſs upon his will, which runs counter to all thoſe holy Commands, and makes him a Slave and Captive to his luſts. Now, not to diſpute which of theſe two the Apoſtle means in Rom. 7. I think it is hard to aſſign any difference between them; the regenerate Man, according to this deſcription, is full as bad as the ungenerate; or if there be any difference, the regenerate Man is the worſt of the two, becauſe in the regenerate Man the ſpirit is led into captivity; but in the ungenerate only natural conſcience, which is a much weaker principle, and ſo is capable of a better excuſe, is led into captivity: But which of theſe two it is, no Man can tell, and therefore a regenerate Man hath great reaſon to fear, that he may be unregenerate; and an ungenerate Man hath as much reaſon to hope, that he may be regenerate; and what becomes then of this evidence of Sanctification to prove our union to Chriſt, when Sanctification it ſelf cannot be diſtinguiſhed from an unſanctified ſtate.
According to theſe Men, Anſwer.we cannot diſtinguiſh a ſanctified and an unſanctified man, an unregenerate man is under the reign of ſin, and a regenerate man (as they deſcribe him) is ſo too. Why ſo? He may be Carnal, Rom. 7.14. but not as the ungenerate, totally altogether Carnal, without any ſpark of Spiritual life in him; but partially only, in reſpect of the Reliques of corruption abiding in him: He is Spiritual, ſo far as he is regenerate; yet Carnal, becauſe he hath ſome corrupt fleſh in him. This appears, becauſe though regenerate, he is ſtill to go on mortifying the fleſh, and the fleſh is yet lusting in him against the Spirit: The Babes in Chriſt are called Carnal, 1 Cor. 3.1. yet they were not unregenerate, but their regenerate Man is ſold under ſin, Rom. 7.14. He is ſo; but what, as Ahab, who ſold himſelf to work evil? What, as the unregenerate are, who are willing Captives, ready to obey the deſires of the fleſh? no; but he is a captive againſt his will, he cannot wholly rid himſelf of thoſe luſts, which lye as ſo many heavy chains upon him; ſo far as regenerate, he is a free-man, but becauſe Regeneration is imperfect, he is yet a Captive: But their regenerate man may do thoſe things he allows not, nay, thoſe things he hates, Rom. 7.15. Not that, as the profane, he does outward groſs acts of ſin, and wallows in them; but that the inevitabile malum, that unavoidable concupiſcence, (though he diſallow & hate it & all its progeny) will be ſtirring in his thoughts and deſires; nay, and ſometimes prevailing too. That the Apoſtle ſpeaks of ſuch unavoidable defects, is clear from the following words: It is no more I that do it, but ſin that dwelleth in me, verſ. 17. which words can be only underſtood of unavoidable defects: But their unregenerate Man neglects duty, the good he would do he does not, verſ. 19. not that he doth not do duties to God, but that the clog of corruption impedes him from doing them, in that pure and uninterrupted manner as he deſires: He finds a Law in his Members warring against the Law of his mind, and bringing him into captivity to the Law of ſin, which is in his Members, verſ. 23. He hath a Divine Spiritual life in him, but becauſe Regeneration is imperfect, the indwelling ſin is ſtill in him, ſtrugling, though not reigning; by theſe things it appears, that there is a vaſt difference between a regenerate Man and an ungenerate: But if we underſtand Rom. 7. of an unregenerate Man, ſee if we do not ſaint him, and make him a regenerate Man; A regenerate man hates ſin, Pſ. 119.128. and ſo does the unregenerate, Rom. 7.15. which yet never any unregenerate Man did reach unto: A regenerate Man hath a will to that which is good, and ſo hath the unregenerate, Rom. 7.18. which is a lift beyond: A regenerate Man delights in the Law of God, Pſal. 1.2. and ſo does the unregenerate, Rom. 7.22. which is a Divine ſtrain much beyond him: A regenerate Man groans under the burthen of the indwelling corruption, and ſo does the unregenerate, Rom. 7.24. who yet hath little or no ſenſe of it: A regenerate Man bleſſes God for the great deliverance by Jeſus Chriſt, and in gratitude ſerves him, and ſo does the unregenerate, Rom. 7.25. who yet never made it his buſineſs ſo to do: And thus the unregenerate Man is made as good as the regenerate; to conclude, the holyneſs of the regenerate, though imperfect and labouring under the indwelling ſin, is yet a good evidence of their Union with Chriſt.
Dr. Jacomb,Mr. Sherlock. in his Diſcourſe of the Law of ſin, attempts to aſſign the difference between the Law of ſin in the regenerate, and it in the unregenerate; and hath given ſuch a Deſcription of an unregenerate ſtate, that there is ſcarce ſuch an unregenerate Man in the World; and yet if we muſt judge what a regenerate Man is, by inverting the Character of the unregenerate, he is by odds much the worſe Man: As firſt, When the whole bent and tendency of the heart is towards ſin, when the propenſities of the Soul thereto are entire and unmixt, there it is the Law of ſin in the unregenerate: But is every one a regenerate Man, who hath ſome good propenſities in him? who hath ſome wouldings and velleities to that which is good? then there are few unregenerate in the World. Secondly, which is the explication of the former, when all the ſeveral Faculties of the Soul are altogether on ſins ſide, and wholly take its part, then it is the Law of ſin in the unregenerate; where the underſtanding gives in its final poſitive dictate, that ſin is good, repreſents it as eligible to the will, the will upon this cloſes with it, embraces it it, cleaves to it, the affections, deſire, joy, delight, run out upon it; where it is thus, the caſe is determined, yea, without controverſy: But where ſhall we find ſuch a Man? I believe there was never ſuch a Man born; too many chuſe evil though they know it to be evil, for the ſeeming advantages of profit or pleaſure; but to chuſe evil, as believing it to be good, and to rejoyce and delight in it, as good and eligible for it ſelf, is ſuch an unregenerate ſtate as the Devil never arrived at; for though he be a wicked Spirit, yet he is no Fool, as thoſe muſt be, who miſtake evil for good in ſuch plain inſtances: The Heathens themſelves at this rate were all regenerate, for their conſciences accuſed them for doing evil, Rom. 2. They knew good to be good, and evil evil: There was never ſuch a Man as he deſcribes, when he tells us, That ſin comes to the Sinner, and ſays: Art thou willing that I ſhould rule? Yes, ſaith he, with all my heart, I like thy commands, I am thine, I ſubmit to be at thy diſpoſe, I here ſwear fealty and allegiance to thee, &c. This Oath, &c. might very well have been ſpared, for there is enough without it; and yet if this be the difference, that the unregenerate Man chuſes ſin, believing it to be good, and the regenerate Man chuſes ſin, though he knows it to be evil, it is plain that the regenerate is much the worſe, becauſe his ſins have the greatest aggravations that any ſins are capable of, which the ſins of an unregenerate Man have not: viz. That they are ſins againſt knowledge; and ſo, according to our Saviours reaſoning, this regenerate Man will be beaten with more ſtripes.
Dr. Jacomb aſſigns the difference between the Law of ſin in the regenerate and in the unregenerate:Anſwer. Firſt, When the whole bent of the heart is towards ſin, when the propenſities are entire and unmixt, there it is the Law of ſin in the unregenerate. But, ſaith the Author, is every one regenerate who hath ſome good propenſities? Who hath ſome wouldings & velleities, to that which is good? Then there are few unregenerate Men in the World. To which I anſwer, The unregenerate may indeed have ſome wouldings and velleities to good, not of himſelf; for in his fleſh (and ſuch he is all over by Nature) there is no good, but from the common motions and operations of the Holy Spirit: Yet, notwithſtanding theſe, the bent of his heart is to ſin, the power of ſin is habitual in him, which is all the intent and very expreſſion of the Doctor in that place. Secondly, When all the faculties of the Soul are on ſins ſide, when the underſtanding gives in its final poſitive dictate, that ſin is good, repreſents it as eligible to the will, the will cloſes with it, the affections run out upon it; there the caſe, ſaith the Doctor, is determined. But, ſaith the Author: Never ſuch a Man was born, as to chuſe evil believing it to be good, to delight and rejoyce in it, as good and eligible for it ſelf. To which I anſwer, The Authors diſcourſe runs upon this, as if the Doctor had aſſerted, that the underſtanding in the unregenerate did repreſent ſin as good; that is, as conformable to the Law and Will of God, and ſo good. Hence the Author tells us: That the Devil, though a wicked Spirit, is no Fool; that the very Heathen know good to be good, and evil evil: But all this is beſides the ſcope; the Doctor never ſaid or meant ſo, when he ſaith, that the underſtanding dictates ſin to be good: No Man, I preſume, will interpret the words thus; the underſtanding dictates ſin to be conformable to the Will of God, that is, ſin to be no ſin: No, the underſtanding knows ſin to be ſin, ſin to be contrary to the Will of God; yet it repreſents ſin as good in other reſpects, and ſo good as to caſt the ballance in the heart on ſins ſide; it may be there are baits of profit or pleaſure in it: Nay, it is my own thought, that the pravity in ſinſul actions comes ſub ratione convenientiae, and offers it ſelf as congruous, and ſo good to the corrupt Will and heart of Man, the very difformity or contradiction to the will of God, as intrinſecally black as it is, bluſhes and looks fair to that Carnal mind which is enmity againſt God: An unregenerate Man drinks in iniquity as water, Job 15.16. being filthy himſelf, iniquity, though a very foul thing, goes down naturally with him, and is as it were his proper Element. St. Austin in his Confeſſions, ſpeaking of his ſtealing of Apples, ſaith that he was: Gratis malus; Confeſſ. li. 2 cap. 4.6.Amavi defectum meum, decerpta projeci, epulatus inde ſolaminiquitatem, quâ laetabar fruens; ſi quid illorum intravit in os meum, condimentum facinus erat. He confeſſes, the very ſin it ſelf was grateful to him: If Sinners did not believe ſin to be good in ſome reſpect or other; if they did look on it as evil, and nothing but pure impure evil, it were utterly impoſſible that they ſhould chuſe it or delight in it; the will cannot appetere malum ſub ratione mali, for that were appetere non appetible, which is impoſſible. I conclude with the words of the Doctor, in that place: Whoſoever upon deliberation judges a ſinful courſe to be the best, and thereupon chuſes, embraces, falls in with it, delights in it, continues in it, in this Man 'tis the Law of ſin; this Man is, as I take it, a Servant of ſin, and willing it ſhould rule: There is, as learned Biſhop Reynolds ſaith, a Covenant, a virtual bargain between him and his luſts, he agrees to ſerve and obey them.
But Thirdly, Mr. Sherlock.The Law of ſin hath different workings in the People of God than in others; This working of the Law of ſin in Gods People, me thinks, is an ill thing. But let us hear how it is: Firſt, Where ſin is committed induſtriouſly and deſignedly, there it is the Law of ſin in the Graceleſs; unleſs Men be very cunning at the trade of ſin, they are not under the Law of it, as graceleſs perſons are: Grace is conſistent with taking all fair opportunities of ſinning, ſo we do not deſign it before hand. Secondly, When the temptation eaſily prevails, then it is the Law of ſin in the unregenerate; This is an Argument indeed, that a Man is a willing Slave; but when a Man is conquered by a temptation, though he make ſome reſistance, it is an Argument, that ſin is his Master, which rules and governs, eſpecially if this be often, ſuch a Man ſurely is none of Chriſts freemen, and therefore not to fail. Thirdly, When ſin carries it in ſpite of all oppoſition, againſt all external diſcouragements, threatnings of the Law, the Scepter of the Goſpel, the Love of God, and his Wrath, the Death and Wounds of Chriſt, Reproofs, Reſolutions, Vowes, Promiſes, &c. then it is the Law of ſin; So that it ſeems, when ſin carries it in deſpite of all external oppoſitions only, it is the mark of an unregenerate Man; but when it carries it againſt internal and external oppoſitions, that is a ſign of a regenerate Man; for a regenerate Man has the ſame external oppoſitions, to preſerve him from ſin, that an unregenerate Man hath, and beſides theſe he hath internal oppoſitions, the checks of his own conſcience, which he ſays the unregenerate Man has not. And Fourthly, When it is ſinning and no ſenſe of ſin, no after Repentance for it, then it is the Law of ſin: Now what bad Man is there, who does not at one time or other repent of his ſins, & complain of them? And how many are there, that repent of their ſins, and make large Confeſſions of them, and return to them again? There are no Men, but do at one time or other expreſs ſome ſorrow for their ſins, (which he calls Repentance) and there are a great many, who pretend thus to be ſorry for their ſins, who it is to be feared, are never the better Men for it; and yet were there any ſuch, who ſin without any ſenſe of it, they would be much better then thoſe regenerate Men, who feel the gripes of conſcience for ſin, and yet return to it.
This working of the Law of ſin in Gods People is an ill thing. Anſwer.Oh! that we had perfection! But while we are here ſin will be in us, and whileſt it is in us, it will work in ſome meaſure: Concupiſcere nolo & concupiſco, ſaith St. Auſtin. De Temp. Serm. 45.The firſt mark in the Doctor, is ſinning induſtriouſly and deſignedly, and this is a ſure one, and found in all the unregenerate; although all of them are not alike cunning, and Artiſts at the Trade of ſin, all more or leſs make proviſion for the Fleſh, the frame of their Heart, & ſtream of their Thoughts run this way. The Fleſh (as the Doctor ſpeaks) hath the foreign, the projecting and forecaſting ability at command in them, thus it is not with the regenerate. The Second is, The temptation eaſily prevails in the unregenerate; and what more certain? The old heart is as dry tinder, ready to take fire upon every little ſpark; thus it is not with the regenerate, who hath a higher and a better Spirit than his own, to guard him againſt the temptatation: If he be overcome in a particular Act of ſin, ſin is not yet his Maſter, becauſe it cannot gain the bent of his heart, and the courſe of his life. The third is, When ſin carries it againſt all external Diſcouragements, against the threatnings of the Law, the Scepter of the Goſpel, the Love and Wrath of God, the Wounds of Chriſt, Reproofs, Reſolutions, Vowes, &c. then it is the Law of ſin. Upon which the Author inferrs thus: It ſeems when ſin carries it againſt external oppoſitions only, it is a mark of an unregenerate Man; but when it carries it against internal and external oppoſitions, that is a ſign of a regenerate Man. To which I anſwer. It is true, when ſin carries it in a regenerate Man, it carries it againſt ſuch internal helps, and principles of Grace as are not in the unregenerate, but then it carries it only in a ſingle Act: But in the unregenerate it carries it in a courſe of life too, againſt Law, Goſpel, Wrath, Love, the Blood of Chriſt, the ſmitings of Conſcience, Reproofs, Promiſes, Judgments, ſtill he will ſin on, whileſt he is unregenerate; thus the regenerate doth not. The Fourth is: When 'tis ſinning, and no ſenſe of ſin, no after Repentance for it, then it is the Law of ſin. But, ſaith the Author: What bad Man is there, who does not at one time or other repent of his ſins? and yet were there any ſuch, they would be better than thoſe regenerate Men, who feel the gripes of conſcience for ſin, and yet return to it. Unto which I anſwer, Surely all bad Men do not repent of their ſins, ſuch as God gives up to a reprobate mind, to a fat heart, to a ſpirit of ſlumber, to a foreign, a brawny hardneſs, which feels nothing, do not do ſo; and yet, I ſuppoſe, theſe are the worſt of Men: Sinning againſt gripes of Conſcience is a great aggravation, but an hard ſenſeleſs heart is the worſt ſtate imaginable on Earth. But ſuppoſe bad Men have ſome kind of Repentance; is it ſuch as the regenerate have after their falls? No ſurely, the regenerate, as the Doctor hath it, are greatly humbled, they recover again by true Repentance, they riſe after their falls, thus unregenerate Men do not.
It is wonderful to conſider, Mr. Sherlock.how little a matter will ſerve for an evidence of Grace, (after all their talk of Sanctification) when they come to adminiſter comfort to diſtreſſed conſciences. Oh, ſaith the Soul, I find ſin prevail,Sheph. Sts, Jewel. and how can I be comforted! (not by Sanctification ſure.) Anſw. I will ſubdue your iniquities, and caſt your ſins into the midſt of the Sea. Obj. But the Devil will be buſie with me. Anſ. God will tread him down. Obj. But I cannot go to God by Prayer, to fetch comfort. (Comfort! what haſt thou to do with comfort? get quit of thy ſins first, and then it is time enough for comfort.) Anſ. Though it be ſo, yet believe and thou ſhall have thy deſire. (But I doubt the Soul that cannot pray, cannot believe neither.) Obj. But I am afraid I ſhall fall away from God. (Afraid of it! thou art fallen from God already, if ſin prevail ſo much, for ſin is the great Apoſtacy from God.) Anſwer. None can pluck thee out of Chriſts hands, neither ſin nor the Devil. (But how if they be not in Christs hands yet, ſin I doubt may keep them out; if God cut off barren Branches, there is ſome danger of putrid ones.) God hath ſaid, I have made an everlaſting Covenant with thee, I will not turn away from thee. Obj. This is good news, had I a right to the promiſe; but alas! I cannot believe, and take a naked promiſe. Anſ. Doeſt thou deſire to believe and to have Chriſt, and ſay thus, If it were poſſible for Chriſt and Heaven to be ſeparated, I would rather deſire Chriſt without Heaven, than Heaven without Chriſt. Obj. But this is a hard matter; I cannot ſay, I deſire Chriſt on ſuch terms as I ſhould. (This ſaying is the beſt ſign of Grace I have met with; he is an honeſt Man, who will not contradict the natural ſenſe of his mind, and ſay, he can do that which is impoſſible to be done: It is an odd propoſal in order to comfort a poor Soul, that he muſt be willing to be damned with Christ, before he muſt take comfort in hopes of being ſaved by him.) Anſ. But is it the grief of thy heart, that thou canſt not deny thy ſelf? Deſireſt thou to cloſe with Chriſt upon any terms? Obj. Alas! I cannot grieve and mourn for ſin. (Certainly they are at croſs purpoſes, their Objections and Anſwers do ſo ill agree.) Anſ. Haſt thou any will to it? Art thou willing to part with thy ſins? But the poor Soul ſaith, I fear I ſhall never do this. But art thou willing, that Chriſt ſhould make thee willing, (againſt thy will) and pitch thee upon a promiſe and hold thee there? (for ſhame, poor Soul, refuſe not this) then comfort thy ſelf, thou haſt a right to Gods promiſes. Thus this evidence of Sanctification is dwindled away into a deſire to be willing; Nay, into a deſire to be made willing; and he is a ſtrange Man, who cannot go ſo far.
When a Miniſter comes to comfort poor afflicted ſouls,Anſwer. he doth not offer them the Altitudes, the higheſt Statures of Holineſs to meaſure themſelves by, that would be horrid cruelty; but he ſets before them that immenſe mercy, which ſtoops down, in its acceptance, to the leaſt ſeeds or ſparks of Grace, to grace latent in a deſire or willing mind; Nay, to that poverty of the ſpirit, which, though it ſeem to it ſelf to have nothing at all of Grace, hath yet a bleſſedneſs entailed on it; a broken heart, which hath ſome truth of Grace, may complain of the prevalency of ſin in ſome ſence. The preſſure of inherent corruption may make him cry out: O wretched man! the fleſh may ſo luſt against the ſpirit, that he cannot do the things that he would, Gal. 5.17. Yet comfort may and doth belong to him, thoſe promiſes of ſubduing iniquity, of treading down Satan; may, without ſtraining them beyond their ſcope; let out their ſweetneſs to him: When he thinks, that he cannot pray, God may find and accept of a prayer in his ſighs and groans, when he fears by reaſon of the ſtirring luſts, that he ſhall fall from God; Grace is ſufficient and able to make him ſtand, he may be in Chriſts hands, and yet not know it to his comfort: He ſaith, he cannot believe, and yet his Faith, though little, and as the ſmoaking Flax may be true: The deep ſenſe which he hath of the power of ſin and want of Faith, argues ſomewhat of Faith and a Divine Life in him, which ſtruggles againſt ſin, and aſpires after more Grace: He ſaith, that he cannot deſire Chriſt, as he ſhould: And this ſenſe of his want may ſpeak him, not an honeſt man only, but a pious, ſuch as indeed breaths after Grace: He ſaith, he cannot grieve or mourn for ſin; yet that very ſaying argues a kind of mourning and lamentation over his hardneſs, and ſpeaks his heart not to be totally hard or ſenſeleſs: He complains his will is not ſuch as it ſhould be; and this ſhews, that in ſome meaſure he looks up to that Grace, which is able to make him willing, not as if he were to be made willing againſt his will; but that Grace can change an unwilling will into a willing one: In ſuch dealings as theſe with broken hearts; Sanctification is not dwindled away, but comfort is adminiſtred from the loweſt meaſure of true Grace.Mr. Sherlock.
But when they have a mind to take down the confidence of men, who are apt to preſume too ſoon, that their condition is good; they do ſo magnifie the attainments of hypocrites, who ſhall never go to Heaven, that it is impoſſible, for any ſanctified man to do more than an hypocrite may do: So that, notwithstanding any evidences of Sanctification, he may be a hypocrite ſtill, which quite ſpoils the evidences of Sanctification, becauſe we cannot diſtinguiſh a ſanctified man from a hypocrite: Thus for example, one may plead: I have left my ſins I once lived in; I am no Drunkard, Swearer, Lyer. I anſwer,Shep. Sinc. convert. Thou mayſt be waſhed from the mire, the pollution of the World; and yet be a Swine in Gods account (which he proves from, 2 Pet. 2.20. Where the Apoſtle tells them: That if they have eſcaped the pollutions of the World through the knowledge of Chriſt, and are again entangled therein and overcome (if they return to their old vices) then their latter end is worſe than the beginning; Which is point blank contrary to what he affirms, that thoſe, who have eſcaped theſe pollutions, and are not yet entangled again in them, may, notwithſtanding that, be Swine in Gods account: For ſo he adds; Thou mayſt live a blameleſs, innocent, honeſt, ſmooth life, and yet be a miſerable creature: But I pray, ſays ſuch a man, and that often; ſo thou mayſt, and yet never be ſaved, Iſai. 1.11. To what purpoſe is the multitude of your Sacrifices? To great purpoſe ſure, when they are offered by men of blameleſs, innocent, honeſt, ſmooth lives; the want of which made thoſe ſacrifices abominable to God: But I faſt ſometimes, ſo did the Scribes and Phariſees: But it was to devour widows houſes, which was not the faſt of an honeſt, innocent man: But I hear the word, ſo did the ſtony ground, who for a ſeaſon believed; And it had been well, and a good ſign of Grace, if it had continued: I read the Scripture, ſo did the Phariſees, who were perfect in the Bible: But though knaves read the Scriptures, and be never the better for it; yet good men may read it to good purpoſe; reading of Scripture is no argument, that a man is an hypocrite, becauſe the Phariſees were; But I am grieved and repent of my ſins, ſo did Judas; but he hanged himſelf, and that indeed is no repentance to life: But I love good men and their company, ſo did the fooliſh Virgins; But they ſlept and ſuffered their Lamps to go out, which all that love good men do not: But God hath given me much knowledge, that thou mayſt have and never be ſaved; Yes, and twenty good things more; but if a blameleſs honeſt man hath the keeping of this knowledge, it is never the worſe for him: But I keep the Lords day, ſo did the Jews; had he been as well acquainted with the Scriptures, as the Phariſees were, he would not have ſaid, that the Jews kept the Lords day; however this is one good thing, which doth well in the company of more: But I have good deſires, and endeavours to get to Heaven; theſe thou mayſt have, and miſs of Heaven; And yet, when he was in a more gentle humour, he told the poor doubting ſoul, that deſire, nay, that a deſire only to deſire, at two or three removes was enough: But I am zealous, ſo was Jehu, and Paul while a Phariſee, (in perſecuting the Church; and therefore an univerſal, religious, well-governed zeal for God can be no ſign of Grace) But I am conſtant, and perſevere in godly courſes, ſo did the young man; all theſe have I kept from my youth, (only he left Chriſt for the ſake of his riches, and ſo did not perſevere:) But I do all with a good heart for God; ſo thou mayſt think of thy ſelf and be deceived: (And if this be an objection, let a man have what marks he will; the objection will ſtill be good, and ſo all evidences ſignifie nothing; for after all a man may be deceived in it, and think he hath thoſe marks, when he hath them not.) There is a way that ſeemeth right to man, but the end thereof is death; thou mayſt live ſo, as to deceive thy ſelf and others, and yet prove an hypocrite; as if becauſe ſome men may think themſelves good, who are in a bad estate; no man could ever be ſure that he is in the right. And thus farewel all evidences.
There is reaſon to adminiſter comfort to wounded Souls from the loweſt meaſures of Grace,Anſwer and no leſs to pluck down the proud Plumes of Hypocrites from the inward and pure ſpirituality of Religion: Our Saviour doth both, he gave out gracious Promiſes to mourners, and to the poor in ſpirit, and he poured out woes upon the Phariſees, and upon all the pomp of their external righteouſneſs: But, ſaith the Author, they do ſo magnifie the attainments of Hypocrites, that a ſanctified man can do no more than an Hypocrite; and ſo all the evidences of Sanctification are ſpoiled: But how ſo? do they paint the Hypocrite fairer than he is? Do they attribute to him a jot or tittle more than what is true? No ſurely, an Hypocrite may be no Drunkkard, or Swearer; he may eſcape the pollutions of the World; that is, groſs ſins; and, though he be not entangled therein again; and ſo a Swine in his outward converſes: yet he may be ſuch inwardly, his inward parts may be wickedneſs and uncleanneſs: He may live a blameleſs, innocent, honeſt, ſmooth life, and yet be foul within: He may faſt, pray, hear, read the Scriptures, and yet his heart not right in the ſight of God: He may have ſome kind of ſorrow or repentance, ſome kind of love to good men; and yet like the fooliſh Virgins have no Oyl in his Lamp; no true Grace with his profeſſion: He may have a notional knowledge, and yet not be Sanctified by the Truth: He may keep a Sabbath in the outward decorum of it; and yet want the Spirit and Life of it, a delight in the Almighty: He may have ſome kind of zeal, and ſome deſires after Heaven; and yet not of the right ſtamp: He may preſume that he hath a good heart, and a godly courſe, and be deceived in both, all this is true: Now one Truth cannot oppoſe another: The truth which concerns the attainments of Hypocrites, cannot oppoſe that which concerns the evidences of Sanctification: The outward reformation is an evidence, not meerly as it is outward, but as it flows from Faith, and a pure heart: Faſting, prayer, hearing, reading are evidences, not meerly in opere operato, in the work done; but in the doing of them in a Spiritual manner; Faith, and Hope, and holy Love being actuated therein: Keeping the Sabbath is an evidence, not meerly in the outward obſervation of it: But when it is filled up with Duties, ſpiritually performed: Knowledge, Zeal, Repentance, Love to good Men are Graces; when of the right ſtamp, but meer notion which ſwims in the brain, is not that ſanctifying Knowledge, which influences Holineſs into the Heart and Life: Every heat upon a Religious account is not true Zeal, but that celeſtial Fire, which rightly inflames the heart for the glory of God: Every ſorrow or preſſure from the Law, is not true repentance, but that which melts the heart into tears for the ſinfulneſs of ſin; Every reſpect to good men is not the right love, but that which flows out of love to God, and points to the Divine Image in them: Deſires after Heaven may be a mark of a good Eſtate; but then they muſt be ſuch as are vertually Grace, and iſſue out of poverty of ſpirit. A man may think he hath a good heart, and a godly courſe, and be deceived therein; yet it follows not, that we muſt bid farewel to evidences; an holy life iſſuing out of a pure heart, will ſtill be an evidence to him who hath it.
But after all this, Mr. Sherlock.it would be worth while to know, how to diſtinguſh a regenerate from an unregenerate man; and that he tells us may be done thus: An unregenerate man; let him go never ſo far, do never ſo much, yet he lives in ſome one ſin or other: This now is very ſtrange: What? go never ſo far? and do never ſo much? and yet live in ſome one ſin or other; what live a blameleſs, innocent, honeſt, ſmooth life, and yet live in ſome one ſin or other? Yet ſuppoſe he did, a regenerate man may be, in captivity to the Law of ſin: And pray what's the difference? But then an ungenerate man cannot be poor in ſpirit; and ſo carried out of all Duties to Chriſt; That is, if an unregenerate man do good, he is conſcious to himſelf that he doth it: If he have a good heart, he feels a good heart in himſelf, and in all he doth, and therefore feels not a want of all good, which is true poverty of ſpirit: So that according to this diſcourſe, the ſureſt mark of a regenerate man is either to have no good in himſelf: or, if he have any to be miſtaken, and think he hath none; either of which, I think, is a very odd ſign of Grace: But then an unregenerate man comes to Chriſt; but he never gets into Chriſt, never takes up his eternal reſt and lodging in Jeſus Chriſt only; I thought coming had been believing, and that believing would have done the buſineſs; And if ſo, God forbid, that any man ſhould be damned for want of that other Metaphor of taking up his eternal reſt and lodging in Chriſt: Men in diſtreſs of conſcience, (that … unregenerate men under ſuch diſtreſs) If they have comfort from Chriſt, they are contented: If Salvation from Hell by Chriſt, they are contented, (and I think they have ſome reaſon then to be contented) But Chriſt himſelf; that is, without Comfort, and without Salvation, contents them not. Now to be contented with Chriſt without comfort and ſalvation; is ſo far from being the mark of an unregenerate man, that I am not yet ſatisfied, that it is the mark of an unreaſonable man.
An unregenerate man,Anſwer. let him go never ſo far, do never ſo much; yet, as long as he is in his old Sphere, in corrupt unregenerate nature, he lives in ſome one ſin or other; in an unregenerate heart, while ſuch, Gods throne is not, cannot be, and therefore ſins muſt be there: Such an heart, as yet not elevated by Grace to the true and immenſe goodneſs which is above, hunts after an happineſs in the lower Sphere of its ſelf and the world, embracing ſome vain Image or Shadow inſtead of a Deity: The young man in the Goſpel, for all his ſmooth, innocent life, had yet a regnant World within. Trajan and Antoninus the Philoſopher, as fair Moraliſts as they were, were yet enemies to Chriſtianity: But a regenerate man, however he groan under the indwelling ſin, doth not indulge his luſts; his heart, having found out God the true center of Bleſſedneſs, reſts no where elſe: But, ſaith Mr. Shephard, an unregenerate man cannot be poor in ſpirit, and ſo carried out of all duties to Chriſt. Upon which, ſaith the Author, if an unregenerate man do good, he is conſcious to himſelf that he doth it; if he have a good heart, he feels it: And is it ſo indeed? If an unregenerate man may have a good heart, and do that which is truly ſpiritually good; Regeneration is altogether uſeleſs, internal and ſupernatural principles of Grace are to no purpoſe: Nature, though lame and lapſed, may do its own work: But I ſuppoſe rather, that all this in the unregenerate, is but pride and preſumption; his feeling a good heart in himſelf, but a lye and impoſture. But, ſaith the Author, the regenerate man is either to have no good in himſelf, or to think he hath none, either of which is an odd ſign of Grace. To which, I anſwer; To be a regenerate Man, and to have no good in himſelf, is not poſſible, to think he hath none, if he know he hath ſome, is as little poſſible as the other: The regenerated man hath a Divine Life and Principle in him; yet, by reaſon of inherent corruptne…s, ſees little or nothing in himſelf; and is ever in dependance upon the treaſures of Grace in Chriſt. An unregenerate man may come to Chriſt in Profeſſion or Ordinances, but not in believing: He takes not up his reſt in Chriſt: He would, ſaith Mr. Shephard, like Judas, have Chriſt and the bag too: Or, as the young man, have Christ and the world too: He would live in his Luſts; and, if at laſt Chriſt would ſave him from Hell, it would be enough: But the regenerate are in love with Chriſt himſelf,Epiſt. ad Rom. foreign, My Love Chriſt was crucified, and with him my love to all other things, ſait Ignatius, and the Reverend Ʋſher, as Mr. Baxter relates, was of opinion, That by the firſt act of Faith we receive Chriſts perſon, and by a ſecond his benefits.
Mr. Shephard Jaith, Mr. SherlockThat men tyred and weary in themſelves, go to Chriſt to remove their ſins: If they get theſe ſins ſubdued and removed; if they find power to do better, they hope to be ſaved, (here is the evidence of Sanctification) whereas thou mayſt be damned, and go to the Devil at laſt, though thou doſt eſcape all the pollutions of the World; and that not from thy ſelf, and thine own ſtrength: but from the knowledge of Chriſt: Woe to you if you dye in this ſtate (with your ſins mortified and ſubdued by Chriſt) and the reaſon is, becauſe this is to come to Chriſt, to ſuck juyce from him, to maintain his own Berries (his own ſtock of Graces) Alas! he is but the Ivy, he is no Member, nor Branch in this Tree: And hence he never grows to be one with Chriſt: So that Holineſs and Obedience is no evidence of our Ʋnion to Chriſt, though we fetch ſtrength from Christ to do his will; we may only graſp about Christ all this while, as the Ivy about the Oak; but never be united to him, and become one with him.
Mr. Shephard's plain ſcope is no more but this,Anſwer. that poor ſinners tyred with their ſins, ſhould not reſt in any thing, no, not in ſome power to ſubdue ſin, and do better, without Union to Chriſt: And the Scripture-Method calls for this, that we ſhould have our being in Chriſt, put on Chriſt, and receive Chriſt, that we may have all benefits from him.1. Hom. of the Sacrament. Hence our Church tells us, That we muſt make Chriſt our own, and apply his merits to our ſelves. Thus the Learned Zanchy, Tota verae justitiae, De verâ diſpenſat.vitae, ſalutis participatio ex hâc perneceſſariâ cum Chriſto foreign, pendet: The whole participation of Righteouſneſs, Life, Salvation, depends on our Ʋnion with Christ, which is moſt neceſſary. A man through the knowledge of Chriſt, may eſcape the pollutions of the World; that is, groſs ſins; he may learn to do better in his life; but true mrtification of ſins flows from our Union to Chriſt, and is effected by the holy Spirit in Believers: Holineſs and Obedience, ſuch as indeed is true and ſpiritual, doth not go before Faith and Union to Chriſt, but follow after it, and ſo evidence it, as the Fruit doth the Root. As for the Authors ſubjoyned exclamation: Good God! into what mazes and labyrinths do theſe men lead poor diſtreſſed ſouls? I muſt leave it to the Reader to determine, whether there be any juſt cauſe for it or not.
The testimony of the Spirit concerns the general adoption of Chriſtians for the ſons of God, Mr. Sherlock.not to testifie to any particular man, that he is a good Chriſtian, or in the eſtate of Grace: It is not a private, but a publick teſtimony given to the whole Chriſtian Church: That holy Spirit, which God bestowed upon the Apoſtles and Primitive Chriſtians, which enabled them to work Miracles, ſpeak Languages and Propheſie, was a plain argument to all the World, that God now owned the Chriſtians, not the Jews, for his choſen and elect people; for his ſons and children: For this was the great diſpute of thoſe days, whether Jews or Chriſtians were the ſons of God? whether God now owned the Jewiſh or Chriſtian Religion? and the Apoſtles decide this Controverſie by the Teſtimony of the Spirit; for God could not give a greater Teſtimony to the Chriſtian Church, than the gift of the holy Spirit; for it was a plain argument, that he owned them for his ſons, when he bestowed the Spirit of his Son on them, as the Apoſtle argues, Galat. 3.2. Received ye the Spirit by the Works of the Law, or by the hearing of Faith? that is, did God bestow his Spirit on you, while you were Jews, or upon your converſion to Christianity? For if God beſtowed his ſpirit on Chriſtians: This is a ſufficient ſeal to the Chriſtian Religion: This is plain and intelligible, the Testimony of the Spirit aſſures us, that all Christians are the Sons of God, and Heirs of the Promiſes; and every mans conſcience will tell him, whether he be a Chriſtian, whether he heartily believe and obey the Goſpel; and herein conſiſts our Ʋnion to Chriſt, and fellowſhip with him; let us then leave thoſe other dim notions to men, who can believe, what no man can underſtand, who deſpiſe every thing, that can be underſtood, as if it were no better than carnal reaſon.
The Author,Anſwer. who hitherto hath highly, though without cauſe, charged his oppoſites with violating the evidences of Chriſtians, doth now himſelf blaſt the higheſt of all evidences, the Teſtimony of the holy Spirit, which is ſo clealy aſſerted by the holy Apoſtle, that the Jeſuits themſelves, though hotly diſputing againſt aſſurance, never yet attempted totally to deny it: The Testimony of the Spirit (ſaith the Author) concerns the general adoption of Chriſtians, not to teſtifie to any particular man: It is not a private, but a publick Testimony given to the whole Church. But let us conſider the Text it ſelf in the Apoſtle: The Spirit it ſelf beareth witneſs with our ſpirits, that we are the children of God, Rom. 8.16. The Spirit, the Apoſtle ſpeaks not of the Spirit, as ſhewing forth it ſelf in Miracles and Tongues; but as ſanctifying and ſealing Believers; he ſpeaks of the ſpirit dwelling in them, verſ. 9. Mortifying the deeds of the body in them, verſ. 13. Leading of them, verſ. 14. Making them cry, Abba, Father, verſ. 15. And then follows, foreign, the ſelf ſame ſpirit beareth witneſs: Here is not one jot or tittle of Miracles or Tongues, the teſtimony of the Spirit in Miracles or Tongues, is an external one, which runs into the ſenſes: But the Teſtimony of the Spirit in the Text is internal; it beareth witneſs not to our ſenſes, but to our Spirits. It is ſaid to be ſent forth into our hearts, Gal. 4.6. The Teſtimony is not without in Miracles or Tongues, but within in the heart: The Spirit beareth witneſs with our ſpirit; the Apoſtle ſaith not, it beareth witneſs with the Spirit of the Church; for there is one body, and one ſpirit; the Spirit of the Church Catholick is the holy Spirit, which quickens the whole Myſtical Body of Chriſt: And theſe words, The Spirit beareth witneſs with our ſpirit; cannot be tranſlated thus: The Spirit beareth witneſs with it ſelf; but the plain meaning is: It beareth witneſs with our ſpirit; that is, with the ſpirits and conſciences of particular Believers: And what doth it teſtifie? The Apoſtle tells us, That we are the children of God; We particular Believers are ſo. Thus in another place, ye were ſealed with the holy Spirit of Promiſe, Eph. 1.13. Ye, particular Believers were ſo. And again, He hath ſealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts, 2 Cor. 1.22. He hath dealt ſo with us in particular. The Teſtimony of the Spirit in the Goſpel is, that all Believers are the Sons of God: But the Teſtimony of the Spirit in our ſpirits is, that we are Believers, and ſo the Sons of God in particular. This Teſtimony of the Spirit, (though ſo fully aſſerted in Scripture: Nay, and I will add, though ſo ſweetly experimented by the dear Saints of God, that they have thought themſelves in the very borders of Heaven in reſpect of it) is yet with the Author no better than a dim unintilligible notion; and, as he ſpeaks a little before, a private Enthuſiaſm: But why unintelligible? cannot the holy Spirit ſo illuſtrate and irradiate the heart, that the truth of Grace may appear to the Believer; that he may certainly ſee in his own heart, that this is precious Faith, and that is love in incorruption; and ſo of other Graces there: Or, what if it were unintelligible? Shall we caſt off the Divine Revelation, becauſe above our narrow reaſon? What then muſt become of thoſe Myſteries of the Trinity, and hypoſtatical Union? What of that peace of God, which is foreign, paſſing or tranſcending all underſtanding, Phil. 4.7. Surely in ſuch things reaſon muſt vail and do homage to Revelations: Ephraem Syrus diſcerning an heretical propenſity in his Diſciple Paulinus, gave him that excellent advice, Vide, Pauline, ne te ſubmittas tuis cogitationibus, ſed cum te perfecte comprehendiſſe Deum putaveris, crede nec intellexiſſe: We muſt not commit Divine Myſteries to the meaſures of Humane Reaſon; but take them as they are in Scripture: But this Teſtimony of the Spirit is but a private Enthuſiaſm, ſaith the Author. To which I anſwer, We are now more afraid of Enthuſiaſm, than they were of old: Dyoniſius would have the Hierarch to be foreign,De Eccleſ. Hierarch. to be a divine man and a kind of Euthuſiaſt: Ignatius in the Epiſtle to the Romans, ſaith, That he wrote foreign, Secundum arbitrium Dei, as if he had wrote by impulſe and Inſpiration: And, as Dr. Arrowſmith hath it, in Suidas, and Heſykius, foreign, Enthuſiaſm is, when the whole ſoul is irradiated by God: And in this ſence, I wiſh with him, Ʋ tinam eſſemus omnes Enthuſiaſtae? Would we were all Enthuſiaſts. Its true, there is not now an Enthuſiaſm of gifts in an duplicate page duplicate page extraordinary way; but ſure there muſt be ſtill in the uſe of the means an Enthuſiaſm of Graces in Regeneration, and an Enthuſiaſm of comforts in the Teſtimony of the Spirit; or elſe, which is quite contrary to Scripture, there muſt be no new Creatures, but what are of Mans own making; nor no Divine comforts for them, but what are of Mans own gathering: The Juſt need no longer live by Faith, or in dependence upon the Divine Spirit, but may have his being and well-being, his graces and comforts, all from himſelf.