The Sincere Convert, Chapter 1

The Sincere Convert · Chapter 1

p. 1CHAP. I

There is one most Glorious God.

EXODUS 33. 18.

I beseech thee, shew me thy Glory.

THis is the first Divine Truth, And there are these two parts considerable in it.

1. That there is a God.

2. That this God is most Glorious.

I will beginne with the first part, and prove (omitting many philosophicall p. 2arguments) that there is a God, a true God: for every nation almost in the world, untill Christs comming, had a severall God. Some worshipped the Sunne, some the Moone, called by Ezechiel, the Queene of Heaven, which some made Cakes unto: Some the whole Heavens, as some worshipped the Fire, Plin. lib. 1. Nat. Hist.some the bruit beasts, some Ba…l, some Moloch. The Romans (saith Varro) had 6000 gods: who imprisoning the life of nature, were given up to sinnes against nature, either to worship Idolls of mans invention,Rom. 1.Rom 1 as the ignorant: or GOD and Angels in those Idols, as the learned did: but these are all false Gods.

I am now to prove that there is one true God, the being of beings, or the first being. Although the proving of this point seemes needlesse, because every man runs with the cry, and saith there is a God; yet few throughly beleeve this point. Many of the children of God, who are best able to know mens hearts, because they onelyonly study their p. 3hearts, feele this temptation, Is there a God? bitterly assaulting them sometimes. The Devill will sometimes undermine, and seeke to blow up the strongest walls and bulwarks. The light of nature indeed shewes, that there is a God; but how many are there, that, by foule sinnes against their conscience, blow out and extinguish almost all the light of Nature? and hence though they dare not conclude, because they have some light, though dimme; yet if they saw their heart, they might see it secretly suspect, and question whether there bee a God: but grant that none questions this truth, yet we that are builders, must not fall to a worke, without our maine props and pillars: It may appeare there fore that there is a God, from these grounds.

First,Groundes to prove a God. From the works of God, Rom. 1. 20. when wee see a stately house, although we see not the man that built 1it, although also we know not the time when it was built, yet wil we conclude, thus, Surely some wise Artificer hath p. 4beene working here: can wee when we behold the stately theater of Heaven and Earth, conclude other, but that the finger, armes, and wisedome of God hath beene here, although we see not him that is invisible, and although we know not the time when he began to build. Every creature in heaven and earth is a loud preacher of this Truth: who set those candles, those torches of heaven on the Table? who hung out those lanthornes in heaven to enlighten a darke world? who can make the stature of a man, but one wiser than the stone out of which it is hewne? could any frame a man, but one wiser and greater than man? who taught the bi…ds to build their neasts, and the bees to set up and order their common-wealth? who sends the Sun post from one end of heaven to the other, carrying so many thousand blessings to so many thousands of people and Kingdomes? what power of man or Angels can make the least pile of grasse, or put life into the least fly, if once dead? There is therefore a p. 5power above all created power, which is God.

Secondly, From the Word of God, There is such a Majesty st…ing, and 2such secrets revealed in the word, that if men will not be wilfully blind, they cannot but cry out, the voice of God, and not the voice of man. Hence Calvin undertakes to prove the Scripture to bee the word of God, by reason, against all Atheists under heaven. Hast thou not thought sometimes at a sermon, the Minister hath spoken to none but thee, and that some or other hath told the Minister what thou hast said, what thou hast done, what thou hast thought? now that word which tells thee the thoughts of thy heart, can be nothing else but the word of an alseeing God that searcheth the heart.

Againe, that word which quickneth the dead is certainely Gods word, but the word of God ordinarily preached quickneth the dead; it maketh the blind to see, the dumbe to speake, the deafe to heare, the lame to walke, those that never felt their sinnes to loade them, p. 6to mourn, those that never could pray to breath out unutterable grones and sighes for their sinnes.

3Thirdly, From the Children begotten of God: For wee may reade in mens foreheads, as soone as ever they are borne, the sentence of death; and we may see by mens lives what hellish hearts they have. Now there is a time that some of this monstrous broode of men, are quite changed and made all new; they have new mindes, new opinions,Iohn 3. 3▪John 3:3 new desires, new joyes, new sorrowes, new speeches, new prayers, new lives: and such a difference there is betwixt these and others, that they are hated by others, who loved them well while they loved their sinnes: and whence came this strange change? Is it from themselves? No; For they hated this new life, and these new men once themselves. Is it because they would be credited thereby? no, It is to be hated of Father, Mother, Friends, and maligned every where. Is it out of simplicity, or are their braines growne crazie? they were indeed p. 7once fooles, and I can prove them all to bee Solomons fooles: b…t even simple men have beene known to be more wise for the world, after they have beene made new. But lastly, is it now from a slavish feare of hell, which workes this alteration? Nothing lesse; they abhorre to live like slaves in Bridewell, to do all for feare of the whip.

Fourthly, From Gods Register or notary, which is in every man; I meane the 4Conscience of man; which telleth them there is a GOD: and although they silence it sometimes, yet in thundertime, or great plague, as Pharaoh: or at the day of Death, then they are neere Gods Tribunall, when they acknowledge him clearely. The fearefull terrors of Conscience prove this, which like a Bayliffe arrests men for their debts; Ergo, there is some Creditor to set it on; sometimes like a hangman it torments men, ergo, there is some strange Iudge that gave it that command: whence arise these dreadfull terrors in men? of themselves? p. 8No surely, all desire to be in peace, and so to live and sleepe in a whole skin: Comes it frō Melancholy? no, for melancholy comes on by degrees: these terrors of conscience surprise the soule sodainely at a sermon, sodainely after the commission of some secret foule sinne. Againe, Melancholy sadnesse may be cured by Physicke; but many Physitians have given such men over to other Physitians. Melancholy sadnesse may bee borne, but a wounded Spirit who can beare? Thus you see that there is a God. But, who ever saw God, that every one is bold to affirme that there is a God? Indeed his face never was seene by mortall man, but his back-parts have beene seene, are seene, and may bee seene by all the world, as hath beene proved.

Objection. Obj.All things are brought to passe by second causes.

Answ. 1.Answ. What though? Is there no Master in the House, because the servants doe all the worke? This great God maintaines state by doing p. 9all by the Creatures subjection; yet sometimes we may cry out in beholding some speciall peeces of his administration, here is the finger of God.

2. What though there be such confusion 2in the world, as that shillings stand for pence, and counters stand for pounds, the best men are bought and sould at a low rate, and worst men prized and preferred; yet if wee had eyes to see and conceive, wee should see an harmony in this discord of things. God is now like a wise Carpen…er, but hewing out his worke. There is a lumber and confusion seemingly among us, let us stay till the day of judgement, and then wee shall see infinite wisedome in sitting all this for his owne glory, and for the good of his people.

Object. Obj.But if there be a God, why heares hee not his peoples prayers? why doth hee forget them when they have most need of him?

I answer;Answ. Noah's Dove returnes not presently with an olive-branch of peace in his mouth. Prayers sometime duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page p. 1duplicate page p. 2duplicate page p. 3duplicate page p. 4duplicate page p. 5duplicate page p. 6duplicate page p. 7duplicate page p. 8duplicate page p. 9duplicate page p. 10that speed well, returne not presently, for want of company enough to fetch away that abundance of mercy which God hath to give. The Lord ever gives them their asking in mony or mony-worth, in the same thing or a better. The Lord ever gives his importunate beggers their desires, either in pence by little and little, or by pounds; long he is many times before hee gives, but payeth them well for their waiting.

This is a use of reproo…e to all Atheists either in opinion or practice.Vse 1.

First,A discovery of Atheisme. In opinion; such as either conclude, or suspect there is no God. Oh blasphemous thought! Are there any such men? men! nay beasts, nay Devils, nay worse than Devils, for they beleeve and tremble. Yet the foole hath said in his heart, there is no God, Psal. 18. 1. Men that have little heads, little knowledge, without hearts, as scholars sometimes of weak brains, seeing how things come by second causes, though they might beleeve their bookes, yet cannot raise their dull p. 11thoughts to the beholding of a first cause. Great Politicians are like children alwayes standing on their heads, and shaking their heeles against Heaven; these thinke Religion to bee but a peece of policie, to keepe people in awe: prophane persons desiring to goe on in sinne, without any rubb or checke for sinne, blow out all the light of nature, wishing there were no God to punish, and are willing to suspect that which is not. Those also that have sinned secretly, though not openly against nature, or the light of Conscience: GOD smites men for incest, sodomy, selfe-pollution, with dismall blindnesse. Those also that are notorious worldlings, that looke no higher than their barnes, no further than their shops: the world is a pearle in their eyes; they cannot see a God.

Lastly, I suspect those men that never found out this thiefe, this sinne, that was bred and born with them nor saw it in their owne hearts, but there it lies still in some darke corner of their soules to cut their throates: these p. 12kind of men sometimes suspect there is no God: O this is a grievous sinne; for if no God; no heaven, no hell; no martyrs, no prophets, no Scriptures. Christ was then an horrible lyer, and an Impostor. Other sinnes wrong and grieve God and wound him, but this sinne stabs the very heart of God, it strikes at the life, and is (as much as lies in sinfull man) the death of God: for it saith, there is no God:

2Secondly, This reproveth Atheists in practice, which say there is a God, and question it not, but in works they deny him. Hee that pluckes the King from his throne, is as vile as hee that saith he is no King. These men are almost as bad as Atheists in opinion. And of such dust-heapes we may finde in every Corner, that in their practice deny God, men that set up other gods in Gods roome, their wealth, their honour, their pleasure, their merits, their backs and bellies to be their gods: men that make bold to do that against this true God, which Idolaters dare not doe against their p. 13Idoll Gods, and that is, continually to wrong this…God; Men that speake not for all they want by prayer, nor returne all backe againe to God by praise.

A second use is,Vse 2. for exhortation. O labour to see and behold this God. Is there a God, and wilt thou not give him a good looke? Oh, passe by all the Rivers, till thou come to the spring head; wade through all creatures, untill thou art drowned, plunged, and swallowed up with God. When thou seest the Heavens, say, where is that great Builder that made this? when thou hearest of mutations of Kingdomes, say, where is the Lord of Hosts, the great Captaine of these armies? when thou tastest sweetnes in the Creature or in Gods ordinances, say, where is sweetnesse it selfe, beauty it selfe? where is the Sea of these drops, the Sun of these beames? Oh that men saw this God; its heaven to behold him: thou art then in a corner of hell, that canst not, dost not see him, and yet what is lesse knowne than p. 14God. Methinks when men heare there is a God about them, they should lye groveling in the dust because of his glory: If men did see him, they would speak of him; who speakes of God? Nay men cannot speake to God; but as beggers have learned to cant, so, many a man to pray. Oh men see not God in prayer, therefore they cannot speake to God by prayer. Men sin, and God frownes, (which makes the devils to quake;) yet mens hearts shake not, because they see him not.

Vse 3. Vse 3.Oh make choice of this God as thy God. What though there bee a God, if it be not thy God, what art thou the better? Downe with all thy Idoll gods, and set up this God, If there be any creature that ever did thee any good, that God fet not a work for thy good, love that, think on that, as thy God. If there be any thing that can give thee any succour on thy death-bed, or when thou art departed from this world, take that to be thy God. Thou mightest have beene borne in I…dea. and never have heard of this true Go…, p. 15but worshipped the Devill for thy God: O therefore make choyce of him alone to be thy God; give away thy selfe wholly and for ever to him, and he will give away his whole selfe everlastingly unto thee. Seeke him weeping, and thou shalt find him. Binde thy selfe by the Strongest oathes and bonds in covenant to be his, and hee will enter into covenant with thee, and so be thine, Ier. 40. 5.

The fourth use is,Vse 4. an use of comfort to them that forsake all for this God: thou hast not lost all for nought; thou hast not cast away substance for shadowes, but shadowes for somewhat. Proverbs 8. 18. When all comfort is gone, there is a GOD to comfort thee. When thou hast no rest here, there is a God to rest in: when thou art dead, hee can quicken thee; when thou art weak, he is strong, and when friends are gone, he will bee a sure one to thee.

Thus much of the first part of this Doctrine, or Divine truth, that there is a God: Now it followeth to shew p. 16you that this God is a most glorious God, and that in foure things hee is glorious.

1. In his ESSENCE.

2. In his ATTRIEUTES.

3. In his PERSONS.

4. In his WORKES.

1. Hee is Glorious in his Essence. Gods Essence.Now what this Glory is, no man or 1Angell hath, doth, or ever shall know; their cockle-shell can never comprehend this sea; he must have the wisedome of God, and so bee a God, that comprehendeth the Essence of God: but though it cannot be comprehen…ed, what it is, yet it may be apprehended, that it is incomprehensible and glorious, which makes his glory to be the more admired, as wee admire the lustre of the Sunne the more, in that is is so great we cannot behold it.

22. God is Glorious in his Attributes, w^ch are those Divine perfections wherby he makes himselfe knowne unto us. p. 17Which Attributes are not qualities in God, but natures. Gods Wisedome is GOD Himselfe, and GODs Power is GOD Himselfe, &c. Neither are they diverse things in God, but they are divers onelyonly in regard of our understanding, and in regard of their different effects, on different objects. GOD punishing the wicked is the justice of GOD; God compassionating the miserable is the mercy of God.

Now the Attributes of God, omitting curious divisions, are these.

1.An explanation of Gods Attributes. He is a Spirit, or a spirituall God, Iohn 4. 24. therefore abhorres all worship and all duties performed without the influence of the spirit; as to confesse 1thy sins without shame or sorrow, and to say the Lords Prayer without understanding, to heare the word that thou mayest onelyonly know more, and not that thou mayest bee affected more; oh these carkasses of holy duties are most odious sacrifices before God.

2. He is a living God, whereby he 2liveth of himselfe, and gives life to all p. 18other things. Away then with thy dead heart to this principle of life to quicken thee, that his Almighty power may pluck thee out of thy Sepulchre, unloose thy grave-lockes that so thou mayest live.

33. Hee is an infinite God, whereby he is without limits of being, 2 Chron. 6. 18. Horrible then is the least sinne that strikes an infinite great God, and lamentable is the estate of all those with whom this God is angry: thou hast infinite goodnesse to forsake thee, and infinite power and wrath to set against thee.

44. Hee is an Eternall God, without beginning or end of being, Psal. 80. 1. Great therefore is the folly of those men that preferre a little short pleasure before this eternall God, that like Esau sell away an everlasting inheritance for a little pottage, for a base lust and the pleasure of it.

55. He is an all-sufficient God, Genesis 17. 1. what lacke you therefore, you that would faine have this GOD and the love of this God, but you are loath p. 19to take the paines to finde him, or to bee at cost to purchase him with the losse of all? Heer…s infinite, Eternall, present sweetnesse, goodnesse, grace, glory and mercy to bee found in this GOD. Why post you from mountaine to hill, why spend you your money, your thoughts, time, endeavours, on things that satisfie not? Here is thy resting place. Thy cloathes may warme thee, but they cannot feede thee; thy meate may feede thee, but cannot heale thee; thy Physicke may heale thee, but cannot maintaine thee; thy money may maintaine thee, but cannot comfort thee when distresses of Conscience and anguish of heart come upon thee; this GOD is joy in sadnesse, light in darknesse, life in death, Heaven in Hell. Here is all thine eye ever saw, thine heart ever desired, thy tongue ever asked, thy minde ever conceived. Here is all light in this Sunne, and all Water in this Sea, out of whom as out of a Christall fountaine thou shalt drinke downe all the refined sweetnesse of all p. 20Creatures in heaven and earth for ever and ever. All the world is now seeking and tyring out themselves for rest, here only it can be found.

66. He is an omnipotent God, whereby he can doe what ever he will: yeeld therefore, and stand not out in the sinfull or subtile close maintenance of any one sinne against this God so powerfull who can crush thee at his pleasure.

77. Hee is an all-seeing God; Hee knowes what possibly can bee or may bee knowne: approve thy selfe therefore to this God only in all thy wayes. It's no matter what men say, censure or thinke of thee. It's no matter what thy fellow Actors on this stage of the world imagine. GOD is the great Spectator that beholds thee in every place: God is thy spye, and takes compleate notice of all the actions of thy life; and they are in print in heaven, which that great spectator and Judge will open at the great day, and …de alowed in the eares of all the World. Feare to sinne therefore in secret, unlesse thou canst find out some p. 21darke hole where the eye of God cannot discerne thee. Mourne for thy secret neglect of holy duties, mourn for thy secret hypocrisie, whoredome, prophannesse, and with shame in thy face come before this God for pardon and mercy. Admire and wonder at his patience, that having seene thee hath not damned thee.

8. Hee is a True God; whereby he 8meanes to doe as he saith. Let every Child of God therefore know to his comfort, that those things which hee hath not under feelings, but under a promise, shall one day be all made good: and let all wicked men know, what ever threatning God hath denounced, whatsoever Arrowes are in the bowstring, will one day fly, and hit and strike deepe, and the longer the Lord is a drawing, the deeper wound will Gods arrow, (that is, Gods threatning) make.

9. Hee is an holy God: Be not ashamed 9therefore of holinesse, which if it ascend above the common straine of honesty, the blind and mad world accounts p. 22it madnesse, If the righteous, that is, those that bee most holy bee scarcely saved, where shall the ungodly, and the sinner appeare, 1 Peter 4. 18. Where? Not before Saints and Angels, for holinesse is their trade; Not before the face of the man Christ Iesus, for holinesse was his meate and drinke; Not before the face of a blessed God, for holinesse is his Nature; Not in Heaven, for no uncleane thing crawles there; they shall never see God, Christ, Saints, Angels, or Heaven to their comfort, that are not holy: weare therefore that as thy crowne now, which will be thy glory in Heaven, and if this bee to be vile, be more vile.

1010. He is a just and mercifull God, just in himselfe, and so will punish all sinne: mercifull in the face of Christ, and so will punish no sinne. A just GOD against an hard-hearted sinner, a mercifull God towards an humble sinner. God is not all Mercy and no Justice, nor all Justice and no Mercy. Submit to him, his mercy embraceth thee. Resist p. 23him, his justice pursues thee. When a Child of God is humbled indeed, commonly hee makes God a hardhearted cruell God, loth to helpe; and saith, can such a sinner bee pardoned? a wicked man that was never humbled makes God a God of clouts, one that (howsoever he speaks heavie words, yet he is a mercifull God, and) will not doe as he saith, and hee findes it no difficult worke to beleeve the greatest sinne may be pardoned: conceive therefore of him as you have heard.

Thirdly, God is glorious in his Persons, IIIwhich are three; Father begetting, Sonne begotten, and the Holy Ghost the third person proceeding. Here the Father is called the Father of glory, Eph. 1. Christ is called the Lord of glory, 1 Cor. 2. and the Spirit is called the Spirit of glory, 1 Pet. 4. the Father is glorious in his great work of Election; the Son is glorious in his worke of Redemption; the Holy Ghost is glorious in his work of Application: the Father is glorious in choosing the house, the Son is p. 24glorious in buying the House, the Spirit is glorious in dwelling in the House, that is, the heart of a poore lost sinner.

IV4. He is glorious in his Works, in his works of Creation, and in his workes of providence and government: wonder therefore that he should so vouchsafe to looke upon such wormes, such dunghils, such Lepers as we are, to provide, protect, to slay his Sonne, to call, to strive, to waite, to give away himselfe, and all that he is worth unto us; O feare this God when you come before him. People come before God in Prayer, as before their fellowes, or as before an Idoll. People tremble not at his voyce in the Word. A King or Monarch will bee served in state, yet how rudely, how slovenly do men goe about every holy duty.

Thus much of the first Principall Head, that there is One most glorious God. Now we are to proceede to the second, viz.