A Gospel Glass, Treatise · Chapter 8
CHAP. VIII. Their ſhuffling together falſe Signes of cloſing with Chriſt.
8ly. HOw do many Profeſſours ſhuffle together a company of falſe Signes of cloſing with Chriſt? Many reſt in falſe Signes of cloſing with Chriſt.How do they count them true and infallible, which are but queſtionable; yea, which have been found in unſound Hypocritical hearts; and ſo deceive themſelves, Their groundleſs Pleas, that they have cloſed with Chriſt.as if they had a Chriſt, and real Grace within them? How do they live upon theſe Signes comfortably all their dayes without a Chriſt? Excuſe me, if I bring in their Pleas, and anſwer them briefly.
1. I am changed from what I was, nay, changed inwardly. So was Saul, And it was ſo, 1 Sam. 10.9.that when he had turned his back to goe from Samuel, God gave him another heart. Thou mayeſt have another heart, and yet not a new heart.
2. I have extraordinary Gifts: I was dull, unable to ſpeak of God, tongue-tyed among the Saints; but I can now hold a diſcourſe with them, and manage ſome of the higheſt ſervices, as well as they. Might not Saul ſay ſo much for himſelf? had not he the Spirit of Propheſie to admiration? When a company of Prophets met him, 1 Sam. 10.10, 11.the Spirit of God came upon him, and he propheſied among them: Then the people ſaid one to another, What is this that is come to the Son of Kiſh? Is Saul alſo among the Prophets? The Spirit of God was upon him alſo at another time, 1 Sam. 19.23, 24.and he went on, and propheſied, until he came to Naioth in Ramah; and he ſtript off his clothes alſo, and propheſied before Samuel in like manner, and lay downnaked all that day, and all that night. He was ſo great a Proficient, that (as one obſerves) As ſoon as he was admitted into the Society, he commenced Doctour, and propheſied with the beſt of them: They ſtood and propheſied, he went on, he could run and propheſie; yea, he was ſo full of the Spirit of Propheſie, that he neither eat, nor drank, nor ſlept, nor roſe; but lay down naked all the day, and all the night; he was as in a traunce all that while, and wanted neither meat, nor drink, nor clothes, nor ſleep.
3. I was full of revenge, but now I am come to ſuch a pitch of Religion, that I can paſs by Offences; yea, paſs them by, when I have an opportunity of puniſhing them that affront me. Had not Saul ſo much Religion? The Children of Belial ſaid, 1 Sam. 10.27.How ſhall this man ſave us? and they despiſed him, and brought him no Proſents; but he held his peace. He bears much, that can bear being derided.
4. Though I am meek in mine own Cauſe, yet when the Name of God, and the Church of God ſuffer, I can be very much inflamed. So was hypocritical Saul, 1 Sam. 11.2, 6.When Nahaſh the Ammonite told the men of Jabeſh, On this condition will I make a Covenant with you, that I may thruſt out all your right eyes, and lay it for a reproach upon all Iſrael, the Spirit of God came upon Saul, when he heard thoſe tydings, and his anger was kindled greatly.
5. I am merciful to men, to mine Enemies, becauſe God hath ſhewed me mercy. So was Saul, And Saul ſaid, 1 Sam. 11.13.There ſhall not a man be put to death this day, for this day the Lord hath wrought Salvation in Iſrael. Though he was incited to revenge, yet he would not.
6. When I have any Mercy from God, I ſee God in the Mercy, and is not this a good Sign? Truly no better than Saul had, 1 Sam. 11.13.To day the Lord hath wrought Salvation in Iſrael.
7. I engage God with me; before I ſet upon any conſiderable Undertakings. Did not Saul ſo much? Then ſaid I, the Philiſtines will come down now upon me to Gilgal, and I have not made Supplication to the Lord; 1 Sam. 13.12.I forced my ſelf therefore, and offered a burnt Offering. And Saul ſaid unto Ahiah, Bring hither the Ark of God, &c. And Saul asked counſel of God, Shall I goe down after the Philiſtines?
8. When I Pray, I look what becomes of my Prayer, and I ſuſpend many of my Motions, till I have an Anſwer. Saul the Hypocrite went ſo farr; he look'd after his Prayer, and would not goe down after the Philiſtines, 1 Sam. 14.37.becauſe God anſwered him not that day.
9. If I have no Anſwer to Prayer, I examine the Reaſon, and I am ſure this is more than moſt Profeſſours do. But not more than Saul did, When God anſwered him not that day, 1 Sam. 14.37, 38.Saul ſaid, Draw ye nigh hither all the chief of the people, and know and ſee wherein this ſin hath been this day.
10. I am troubled for other mens ſins, and cannot but reprove ſinners; Is not this a Sign of Sincerity? I anſwer, No, unleſs Saul were ſincere: When he was told, the People eat the blood, he was troubled, and reproved them too; 1 Sam. 14.33.He ſaid, Ye have tranſgreſſed.
11. My Zeal againſt Sin is ſuch, that I puniſh it where-ever I find it; I am impartial in my rebukes of ſin: my Children, as well as my Servants, are corrected, if they treſpaſs againſt the Lord. Hence I conclude mine eſtate is good. And ſo might Saul. 1 Sam. 14.29.As the Lord liveth, who ſaveth Iſrael, though it (the ſin) be in Jonathan my Son, he ſhall ſurely dye.
12. I conclude God loves me from a conſtant ſeries of ſmiling Providences, that followeth all that I take in hand: I find that the Lord bleſſeth me in my goings out and comings in; whatſoever I do doth proſper. And had not Saul ſtrange Succeſſes and Victories? When Iſrael was ſo low, that they had no weapons for Warr, nor Smiths to make any, Saul took the Kingdome over Iſrael, 1 Sam. 14.47.and fought againſt all his Enemies on every ſide, &c. and whither ſoever he turned himſelf, he vexed them.
13. I find a readineſs to confeſs others better than my ſelf; ſo did Saul with tears in his Eyes. And Saul ſaid, 1 Sam. 24.16, 17.is this thy voice my Son David? And Saul lift up his voice, and wept, and he ſaid to David, thou art more righteous than I.
14. I continue my duties when I fear God hath rejected me; even in deſertion I keep on worſhiping. So did Saul, when Samuel told him, God hath rejected thee, 1 Sam. 15.25, 30, 31.he deſired Samuel to turn again with him, that he might worſhip the Lord, and he prevailed with Samuel to turn again, and Saul worſhiped the Lord.
15. I ſee a beauty in the Church and People of God. So did Balaam. How goodly are thy Tents, O Jacob, and thy Tabernacles, O Iſrael! As the Valleys are they ſpread forth, Numb. 24.5, 6.as Gardens by the Rivers ſides, as the Trees, &c. which the Lord hath planted, and as Cedar trees beſides the waters.
16. I cannot for the greatest advantage be brought to ſin againſt God. Neither could Balaan. Numb. 24.13.If Balak would give me his houſe full of Silver and Gold, I cannot go beyond the Commandement of the Lord, &c.
17. I live up to the dictates of Conſcience, though I hazard the diſpleaſure of great men thereby. Numb. 24.10.So did that Sorcerer, though Balaks anger was kindled againſt Balaam, and he ſmote his hands together.
18. I have ſome ſights of another World, and I deſire to ſpend an eternity with the Saints. So had Balaam, Numb. 23.10.and did not he deſire ſo much? Let me dye the death of the righteous, and let my laſt end be like his.
19. When I think of the day of Judgement, I am affected with it, whereas before I was ſottiſh and ſecure. So was Felix. As he (Paul) reaſoned of Righteouſneſs, Acts 24.25.Temperance and Judgement to come, Felix trembled.
20. I am an Orthodox Proteſtant; ſo thou mayſt be a Teacher too, thou mayſt not only know Gods will, and approve the things that are more excellent, Rom. 2.18, 19, 20, 24.being inſtructed out of the Law, but confident that thou thy ſelf art a guide of the blind, a light of them, which are in darkneſs, an Inſtructer of the fooliſh, a Teacher of babes, which haſt the form of knowledge, and of the truth in the Law; and yet fall ſhort of Chriſt, and of Heaven, yea the name of God may be blaſphemed among the Gentiles, through thee.
21. I am free from the ſcandaious evils of the times, So were they in Peter, They had eſcaped the pollutions of the world, 2 Pet. 2.20, 22.yea and that through the knowledge of Chriſt (which is more than the moral Heathens ever had) and yet were dogs and ſwine ſtill.
22. I live inoffenſively, none can lay any thing to my charge. But was not Paul, whilſt Chriſtleſs, Phil. 3.6.touching the Righteouſneſs which is in the Law blameleſs? At the ſame time he was Perſecuting the Church of God.
23. I have obeyed the Commandements of God for a long time. I am not like a Muſhrom, ſoon up, and ſoon vaniſhing; I am a conſtant Servant to the Commandements of God. So was the young man in the Goſpel; Matth. 19.20.he ſaid unto Chriſt, All theſe things I have kept from my youth up; what lack I yet?
24. I have inlargements in duties, and ſatisfie not my ſelf with ordinary duties, Matth. 23.14. Luk. 18.12.but make Conſcience of extraordinary duties, I faſt, and that oft. And did not the Phariſees make long Prayer, and faſt off? I faſt twice in the week.
25. I have joyes in Ordinances. the word of the Lord is ſweet and precious, I know the time when it was not ſo. But did not Hered hear the word of God gladly? Did he not ſee an excellency in John? Mar. 6.20.Had he not his Virtues and Graces in great eſteem? Had he not a Reverend behaviour towards him? Did not he obſerve him, and care to pleaſe him? He heard him, and that gladly: He was much delighted in John's Preaching.
26. Nay but I go farther, for I ſtirr up others to frequent Sermons. So did the Elders of Iſrael, Ezek. 33.30.Come I pray you, and hear what is the word, that comes forth from the Lord, &c.
27. I obey as well as hear; I hear in order to practiſe. And was not Herod conformable to John's Doctrine? though John Preached not placentia, Mar. 6.20.he was a rough Preacher, a burning, as well as a ſhining light, yet the Text tells us, …e did many things.
28. Matth. 7.28.13.54. Mar. 1.22.11.18.When I hear the word, I am ſtrangely taken with it. So were the people, when they heard Chriſt, they were astoniſhed at his Doctrine.
29. Many a time under a Sermon my knees and heart ake. So it was with Felix. As he reaſoned of Righteouſneſs, Temperance, &c. Felix trembled.
30. But I Pray and Pray oft as well as hear, and therefore is it not well? It may be ill enough, if thou haſt no better evidence. When you make many Prayers (when you multiply Prayer, when you add Prayer to Prayer) yet I will not hear.Iſa. 1.15
31. There was a time, when I felt ſin no more, than a dead man feels a mountain upon him; but now it is heavy; 'tis burthenſome. And was it not ſo to Cain? And Cain ſaid unto the Lord, my puniſhment (or, mine iniquity) is greater than I can bear. Was it not ſo to Judas, Mat. 25.8, 10.when he repented himſelf, and reſtor'd the thirty pieces of ſilver, ſaying I have ſinned, in that I have betrayed the Innocent blood, and went and hanged himſelf?
32. I have deſires after grace, and am willing to be at coſt for it. So the fooliſh Virgins. And the fooliſh (being awakened out of their ſecurity in their form of Godlineſs) ſaid unto the wiſe, give us of your Oyl: Matth. 25.8, 10yea they went to buy. They were willing to be at coſt for the power of Godlineſs.
33. I aſſociate only with Gods people, yea with the pureſt and holieſt. So did the fooliſh Virgins, they aſſociated not only with Virgins, but with the wiſe Virgins. Matth. 25.1.Both wiſe and fooliſh went out together to meet the Bridegroom.
34. I conſult Miniſters for my Soul, and have high attainments. But wherein doſt thou go beyond thoſe, of whom it is ſaid, Iſa. 58.2.They ſeek me daily, and delight to know my wayes; as a Nation that did Righteouſneſs, and forſook not the Ordinance of their God: they ask of me the Ordinances of Juſtice: they take delight in approaching to God? Wherein doſt thou go beyond thoſe in the Hebrews, Hebr. 6.4, 5.who were once inlightened, and had tasted of the Heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy-Ghoſt, Hebr. 6.9.and had taſted the good word of God, and the Powers of the world to come. If thou haſt not better things than theſe, thou haſt not ſavingly cloſed with Jeſus Chriſt; for as yet thou haſt nothing that accompanieth Salvation, from which Salvation cannot be ſeperated.
O! I cannot but pitty theſe poor hearts, theſe Almoſt-Chriſtians. Almoſt Chriſtians, and Almoſt Saved, I may ſay they are not farr from the Kingdome of God, and yet in a ſenſe they are farther than any others. Our greateſt difficulty hath been to undeceive theſe, to unchriſt theſe, I mean, to take off theſe figleaves, with which they have covered themſelves, that they may come to Chriſt for clothing, and ſo prevent the appearing of their nakedneſs. O! It is hard tough work to perſwade a proud Phariſee, that all his Righteouſneſs will not ſteed him, that he muſt fling away all, that he muſt have ſomething elſe to ſhew for Heaven and Glory. O! How have men fled in our faces, when we have told them, that yet they have nothing that is eſſential to a Chriſtian, as a Chriſtian, or which makes a Chriſtian a Chriſtian, no more than a picture hath of the eſſence of a man? You may imagine a man, that hath beſtown 20 or 30 years in building, how loath is he to pull down all again? Though he fears the foundation is but on the Sands; he will rather venture, than begin all anew: He is even aſhamed to unravell all the Clue of his ungrounded confidences. What begin upon a new bottome? No, not he; and ſo Chriſt and he part. He takes his ſuppoſed grace to be a Chriſt, or at leaſt, that there muſt be Chriſt, where ſuch changes are, and ſo cries out, Soul take thine eaſe, thou haſt goods laid up for many years, yea for Eternity.