Two Treatises, Treatise 2 · Part 2
Signs that the day is near done.
Firſt, When perſons remain ignorant under the means a long time, and having great means for Conviction, yet ſlight all; this was Iſraels caſe, Numb. 14.11. God calls this a provocation, when they had enjoyed ſo many teſtimonies of the power, and of the truth of God, and yet they would not liſten to him, they would not be obedient; the means of Conviction had been ſo plain and clear, that God could not bear their unbeleef any longer, he threatens therefore to diſinherit them. O hath not this been your caſe? Have you not enjoied the Word in that plainneſs that you might eaſily have bin convinc'd long ſince of your Pride, covetouſneſs, Uncleanneſs, Drunkneſs, Sabbath-breaking; nay, thou mighteſt have ſeen thy unbelief, and the irregeneracy of thy heart; thou haſt had things ſo planly brought home to thee, that if thou wouldeſt have uſed thy Reaſon, and have ſuffered conſcience to ſpeak, thou hadſt been convinced of thy loſt condition long ago; and yet thou goeſt on in thoſe things which the Word condemns, and tels thee That thy ways are not the ways of Gods people; yet thou goeſt on careleſly and ſecurely, and cryeſt peace, peace; this is a provocation. Thou haſt been plainly ſhewn what Formality is, and what Unbelief is, and what are the ſigns of a Regenerate & unregenerate condition, that if thou wouldeſt but make application to thy ſelf, & bring the Word & thy condition together, thou couldeſt not but ſee that thy condition is dangerous; yet thou wil not be convinced, thou wilt not examine and try thy heart and come to a reſult concerning thy Soul; ſtrong ſecurity after much plainneſs in Preaching, and clearneſs in the meanes of Conviction, ſpeaks a people near to hardening, and that their day is almoſt at an end.
2 When men have clear Convictions of the Truth, and of their condition, and of their duty, and yet hold the truth in unrighteonſneſs, Rom. 1.18 foreign ſuch as forcibly hold the Truth, and inſlave it, wil not ſuffer it go its own way; the Truth bids them do one thing, and they would do another; they have will of Conſcience that would go for God, that would be for Prayer, and for reading the Word, and for hearing; but there is the wil of their affections, and that is for the world, and for the Ale houſe, or for this pleaſure, or for that luſt; ſo that theſe men draw their conſciences after them, as you lead a Dogg in a ſlip, he muſt go your way by force. They have gotten ſo much of the knowledg of the truth to convince them that it is their duty to pray in the Family, and in the Cloſet; and conſcience minds them of this, and ſollicites them to go this way, and to begin the day thus; but the affections they go after their covetouſneſs; the thoughts of his Calling comes in, ſome deſign for profit cals him off, and he goes away and ſlights conſcience; or the thought of his pleaſure comes to him, and he muſt attend that, ſo that he impriſons the truth under unrighteouſneſs; and although conſcience goes grudgingly up and down, and grumbles at him while he is in the Alehouſe, or in his calling in his pleaſures, or elſewhere, and tels him that he ſhould have been doing ſomething elſe that while; yet it is all one, he keeps it under like a ſlave, and drags it after him, while he ſatisfies his Luſt.
Such as theſe are mentioned in two Scriptures; the firſt is he that keeps it in a Negative unrighteouſneſs, or an unrighteouſneſs of omiſſion, Luke 12.47. who dos not follow the truth in thoſe things which are clearly revealed to him, it is ſaid, that he ſhall be beaten with many ſtripes.
The ſecond is, he who holds truth in a poſitive unrighteouſneſs, or an unrighteouſneſs of Commiſſion, who does not only refuſe to follow the light and truth into thoſe duties which it would lead him unto, but runs againſt the clear light and truth into the contrary practiſes, which the light and truth do abhor; Theſe are ſpoken of, Rom. 1.32. Such men carry a conviction of the juſtice of that ſentence which God wil paſs upon thoſe who walk in ſuch wayes, and yet they both do them and delight in them; and if you obſerve how theſe men came to the height of wickedneſs, it was firſt of all by not walking with & after their light, that they came ſo boldly at laſt againſt it, verſ. 21. Thus you ſee, that this contradicting and forcing the light and truth received into the underſtanding, borders on this night, for you ſee it is preſently added, after he had given an inſtance of ſuch as did thus hold the truth in unrighteouſneſs, that they became vain in their imaginations, and their fooliſh heart was darkened, verſ. 21. God puniſhes this perverſneſs of the wil with blindneſs of mind, and it is fit that he who would not uſe no eye ſhould have never an eye. O now bring this home to your own ſouls.
Be there not many of you who walk in the Omiſſion of known duties, ſuch things as you cannot but be acquainted withal? How many prayerleſs Families be there here, and yet the maſter of the Family knows it is his duty topray with, and for his Family, and to inſtruct and command them concerning the fear of the Lord? How many prayerleſs ſouls be here, that ſeldom or never ſeek the Lord in private? O if I ſhould run thorow particular known duties, how many ſhould we find guilty? and if Conſcience would ſtand, it would ſay, This is a known duty, and yet I live in a conſtant or general neglect of it; Ile name but one, and it is a great and plain one, 2 Cor. 13.5. Prove your ſelves, whether ye be in the faith or not. It is a word ſpoken to ſuch as had been owned for Saints; there were many ſtrong probabilities that they were ſuch, yet theſe are adviſed to make diligent ſearch into their hearts, and to bring themſelves to the touchſtone. But do you do ſo? How many be there here that never ſpent a ſerious hour in all their lives in debating this queſtion, whether Chriſt be in them or not? they think it is enough to believe that God is merciful, and that they are Chriſtions; and it is a ſhorter way to believe then to prove it. It is every man and womans duty ſolemnly to ſearch the ſcripture, and to ſearch their hearts, and bring theſe two together, and then come to a ſerious reſolution, Is Chriſt in me or not of a truth? But are there not many here that are ſo far from ſearching the ſcripture in order to this work, that they wil not make uſe of thoſe things which do immediately concern their condition when they are brought to their hands out of the word? how long would it be ere ſuch ſouls would ſearch the ſcriptures themſelves to find out the ſtate of their ſouls, who wil not make uſe of them when ſo plainly propoſed; take heed of holding the truth thus in unrighteouſneſs, in neglecting thoſe duties which lie ſo plain in the wo…d.
2 Bring the ſecond alſo home, and take heed of ſwearing, drunkenneſs, lying, cheating, add defrauding, of pride, uncleanneſſe, Sabbath-breaking, ſcoffing; theſe things cannot but be with ſome conviction; and although thou ſayeſt, God hath mercy for theſe, yet God ſaies he hath wrath, and his wrath is revealed from Heaven againſt all ſuch who hold the knowledg and truth which thou haſt of thy duty, under ſuch unrighteouſneſſe.
3 When men have had ſtrong convictions of ſin, and theſe have made ſome Reformation in their lives and converſations, and have given great hope of their converſion, and afterwards they have fallen to groſſe pollutions again. 2 Pet. 2.20. the caſe is ſtated there very clear; Firſt, there were perſons who had been groſs ſinners, they had walked in the pollutions of the world, ſuppoſe thoſe of drunkenneſſe and uncleanneſſe; but theſe had gotten ſo much of the knowledg of Chriſt, that they had eſcaped theſe pollutions, they fled from them as it were. But theſe intangled again, not with other ſins of another nature, as the people of God may be and are, who are troubled with ſecret inward corruptions, ſuch as the world takes no notice of, and as they were never ſenſible of before; as Spiritual pride in duties, & vain thoughts &c. they are not intangled with theſe, but with the ſame ſins which they had eſcaped. And that is not all, for a child of God may be intangled in the ſame ſins again, that is for one act of ſin, or the like, as David and Peter were. But he ſays, they are overcome, Satan prevails ſo far over them, that he carries them back to their former accuſtomed drunkenneſs and ſwearing, uncleanneſs, and the like. If once it be thus with them, there is little hopes of them, you may judge what the latter end of them wil be, it is worſe than the former. Thoſe men are ſo viſibly and ſuddenly changed by the ſtrength of bare convictions, and have not grace in the heart as wel as knowledge, are in a miſerable condition, becauſe they ſeldom hold it out long, and when they do fal back, it is a thouſand to one but they fal foulely; and when ſouls fal thus into their old ſins which they had eſcaped, it is a thouſand to one but they are held under them, and grow worſe and worſe to the end. We have a notable paſſage, Matthew 12.45. They enter in, and dwel there, they take up their reſt there. The uncleane Spirit went up and down ſeeking reſt, and could not find it; But now he enters, and hath what he was ſeeking for, as intimating in that he pitches here to take up his abode. Relapſes in the diſtempers of the body are more dangerous then the firſt violence of the diſeaſe; and ſo are ſuch relapſes dangerous to the ſoul, for if thou art a relapſed drunkard, Swearer, Sabbath-breaker, &c. thou art in no more danger then thoſe who have alwaies been ſuch, and there is more hopes of recovering one who never had any conviction, nor pretended to any reformation, then of ſuch who have by the light and knowledge of Chriſt eſcaped theſe, and are now returned again to their vomit, and wallowing in the mire.
4 When men after a high profeſſion of Religion, and of giving up themſelves to Chriſt, fal back to worldly intereſts, and mind and care for that, with neglect of the waies and people of God, whom they have cloſed withal before. Every one who hath made a profeſſion of Religion, and deſerts it, dos not fal into open prophaneneſſe and looſneſſe, it is poſſible they may retain ſo much of the light of Nature, and the word, as may reſtrain them from groſſe evils, and yet they may loſe all the heat and warmth which ſeemed to be in their affections to the things of God; ſo that although they wil not follow God and his people, yet they wil not tread in the footſteps of the prophane, but they ſtrike in with the civiler part of men, who do not openly oppoſe the ways of God, although neglect them, and they are for the world, and their care is how to be great, and rich; Religion muſt lie by to attend upon this; they are not ſuch who bring forth no fruit, but they bring forth nothing to perfection, Luke 8.14. They pray ſometimes, and hear, but the cares and love of the world wil not let them do any thing wel and perfectly, it eats up the heart of every duty, and in the end choaks their profeſſion. As we ſee it is with the Corn, it grows up with the thorns, next the thorns overgrow that, and laſtly the thorns deſtroy it; So is it with ſuch mens profeſſion. Firſt, it grows up with the World, and the love and cares of it; he prayes, and he hears, and he does many things which he did not do before; but all this does not crucifie him to the world, he loves that as formerly, and his heart goes out ſtrongly after it; yet his convictions being freſh and ſtrong, his profeſſion holds with the world. Afterwards as his convictions begin to grow weaker, and fainter, the World prevails, and he is leſs and leſs in the duties of Gods worſhip, and he begins to plead excuſe for his remiſneſs, and ſlightneſs in the ſervice of God; he cannot ſpare ſo much time for prayer and hearing from his Calling; his imployments are many, and therefore that cannot be expected from him which is from others. Now the world hath gotten above his profeſſion, and in a little time it choaks it, it dies away and comes to nothing. Thus it was with Judas, he had a covetous heart all the while he followed Chriſt, but at laſt it got ground of him, and he was bought out of all for thirty pieces of ſilver; and thus Demas forſook the ſervice of the Lord in the Goſpel, when he met with an opportunity of imbracing the preſent word. 2 Tim. 4.10. How many be there in theſe days which have loſt and given up all their profeſſion of Chriſt this way, and have turned back only to mind the things of this preſent life? But ſuch ſouls who fal off with Judas, and Daemas to the World, ſeldom return to Chriſt, the day of grace ſeems near at an end to ſuch as theſe. Take heed that there be not found among you ſuch as theſe are, who after the pretended giving up your ſelves to the Lord, do fal back to mind earthly things. Ph. 3.19. It is a ſad ſign that God intends to give ſuch their portion in this life.
5 When men have ſinned away their Convictions, and conſcience grows quiet; this muſt needs be a ſymptom of a declining day, becauſe the more ſtupid and groſſe conſcience grows, the nearer men come to hardneſs of heart, and this is called in the Scripture, a reprobate mind, Rom. 1.28. it is the very mark and brand of a Reprobate, of one who is ſet apart for ruine. There is a light in the heart of every natural man, which doth direct and counſel him, until ſuch time as it be extinguiſhed, but if it be not followed it wil go out by degrees, Rom. 1.21. But to this light the Lord gives in the light of the Word, and ſome help of the Spirit, and if God do in judgement ſend a darkneſs upon the ſpirits of them who did not follow the firſt, what wil follow in proportion upon them who quench this light, and put it out? that they may ſin with more quiet.
As ſoon as light breaks in upon the underſtanding, eſpecially if it be from the workings of the Spirit, although in its common workings it makes conſcience to ſtir, and that makes a head as it were, againſt ſin, it wil not ſuffer the ſinner to go on quietly, and if Grace be not let down upon the wil, that labours to caſt out this unwelcome gueſt out of the ſoul, becauſe it cannot quietly enjoy its beloved ſin; and there is a great conteſt for a time betwixt light and corruption, the Conſcience and the Wil, who ſhal carry it; perhaps Conſcience while it is under freſh convictions ſeems reſolute, and wil not give him leave to commit any known ſin with quiet; but at laſt corruption prevails and carries it; yet not all at once; it gets a little liberty for ſuch a ſin which ſeems to be ſmal, and then for another, and ſo by degees Conſcience grows weak and feeble, and corruption ſtronger and ſtronger; and that is fulfilled, Rom. 1.28. That becauſe they did not like to retain God in their knowledg, therefore he gives them up to reprobateneſſe of mind; they were weary of the knowledg of God in their hearts when they had it, they could not ſwear, and be drunk, &c. ſo quietly, becauſe of it, as they deſired, and therefore they deſired to be freed from the burthen of it, and now it is juſt with God to take it from them. And what does ſuch a diſpenſation of God ſpeak concerning ſuch a poor Creature? does it not ſay, Let ſin have his courſe? Does it not ſay, Let this man go on, and let none ſtop him until he come in hel? Theſe ſouls are in a ſad condition, being under the judgement which is written, 2 Cor. 4.4. The god of this world hath blinded their eyes. Thus it is with them who do not make much of Conſcience, but they ſlight it, and grieve it, until they harden it, & when they have put out the eys of it, they go whither they wil, but they are not like to go to Heaven. The conſcience is brawny, and hard by ſuch hard uſage, as ſome mens hands are which are uſed to hard labour; and certainly the ſins which are againſt conſcience, do by degrees take away the tenderneſs of it; and the more it is put to, the leſſe it feels, until it comes to be paſt feeling, and then it is paſt hope. The nearer Men and Women come to ſuch a condition; the nearer they are to ruine; the loſs of convictions is near the loſs of thy ſoul.
6 When perſons after a profeſſion of Religion, and ſome trouble for ſin, take up ſuch principles as do ſtrengthen them in ſin, as too many in our daies have done. It is dangerous when men ſin againſt light, but it is more dangerous when that which they cal light, by which they walk, leads them to ſin. It is ſad for men to be led aſide by the unrulineſs of their affections againſt conſcience, which would hold them back: but it is worſe when they have no more conſcience of ſin, and they have ſuckt in ſuch principles as keep conſcience quiet, whilſt they fulfil their luſts. The Devil is very cunning, and what he cannot doby troubling the ſoul with the ſight of ſin, and by preſenting the terrors of the Law, he effects by bringing a falſe unſound peace into it, which may ſtrengthen it in the way of ſin. The Devil would that men ſhould have no peace, or elſe a ſinful one; and therefore we have ſeen, that when ſome conſciences have been awakened, the Devil who hath had a great hand in their troubles, hath laid a plaſter to them, which hath been far worſe than the diſeaſe. As for example; ſome are troubled with the thoughts of the day of Reſurrection and Judgment, now whereas they ought to have improved theſe troubles, to the getting of a ſhare in the firſt Reſurrection, he hath diſtilled this into them as a principle which they have greedily imbraced, That the Reſurrection is paſt already; and theſe things of Reſurrection & judgment, they are things only done within us. This is a ſhort way to ſhake off the ſad thoughts which did ariſe from the conſideration of ſuch a day, and theſe do exceedingly wel ſerve for Satans purpoſe.
Some troubles ariſe from the want of communion with God in Ordinances, be cauſe the ſoul finds little ſweet in them, and it hears that Gods people have communion with God in theſe; Satan obſerves this, and he preſently laies a plaſter, but it is a dangerous one; he tels them, That they may enjoy it above and without Ordinances beſt of all, and this takes off their trouble by taking away the duty.
Some are troubled with the ſenſe of guilt which lies upon them, from the Omiſſion of duties, and Satan hath a way ready to take off this alſo, by perſwading them that they muſt not act until they are acted; for if God wil have them act he wil act them, and therefore it is not their fault if they do omit ſuch duties, & therefore they ſhould not be troubled for it.
Some are troubled becauſe of ſin, Conſcience is opened for ſin paſt, and grows very fearful of ſin for time to come, and for a time perhaps they are troubled for this; but the Devil ſtudies their trouble, and he hath a plaiſter, which he applies, and it hath taken ſome poor deluded ſouls (viz.) there is nothing ſin but what a man thinks is Sin, and that there is no law but the ſpirit within a man, and that is to be his guide and his rule, and whatſoever this man doth is no ſin, if it agree with his light; it is no matter whether it agree with the ſcripture, yea or no.
Some are troubled, becauſe they cannot tel whether the workings in their hearts be the workings of God, or ſome deluſions, and workings of their own hearts; perhaps they have been under a ſearching Miniſtry, who hath opened to them the counterfeit works of Hypocrites, and Conſcience hath been a little ſtartled at theſe things. Now to take off this, Satan perſwades them that God works all in man; yea good and evil, light and darkneſs is from God, and ſo there is no difference nor diſtinction, ſave to the Creatures apprehenſion. Theſe and many more ſuch devices hath Satan, to heal mens trouble of ſpirit, ſo that he may by it ſtrengthen their hands in ſin; and when they are come thus far, they are in a dangerous condition, for they ſeldom return again.
The Men and Women which are in ſuch a caſe, are like thoſe Lepers ſpoken of, Levit. 13.44. The Priest ſhal pronounce him utterly unclean, the Leproſie is in his head. If Corruption have gotten into his Principles, ſuch a man is not onelyonly unclean, but utterly ſo, and without all hopes of cleanſing; for there is nothing left for the Word to take hold of.
Therefore Chriſt intimates the ſame thing in that, Matth. 6.23. If the light in thee be darkneſs, how great is that darkneſs? It is the more dangerous becauſe it is in the place and ſtead of light, it is that which thou followeſt, and is to guide thee; therefore ſays Chriſt, in Luke 11.35. Take heed that the light in thee be not darkneſs. That man is ſad who wants light, but he is worſe who follows a falſe light; He that is ignorant of God, and his ways, and was never inlightned, is miſerable; but more miſerable is he who hath been inlightned, and hath now forſaken the light of the Lord, to follow the deluſions of Satan, and corrupt principles inſtead of light; it is a manifeſt ſign that Satan hath the leading of this man to perdition. Thus I have ſhewn you the ſad evidences of approaching night; remember I do not ſpeak poſitively, and abſolutely of theſe things; I do not ſay, when I ſee men fall thus, and thus, that their day is paſt; but theſe are ſad ſymptoms that it is even at an end. When the Phyſitian ſees the ſymptoms of death in the Patient, he looks on him as a dead man, according to the courſe of nature; but yet hath ſome hopes while there is life that he may recover, although he ſees no reaſon for it from the Patient: He hath perhaps ſeen ſome recovered in an unuſual way, and when they have been paſt hopes. So it may be in this caſe, although men have theſe ſpots and tokens upon them, yet we dare not be poſitive. God does go ſometimes in unuſual ways, and beyond the common experiences of his people, but we have little reaſon to expect ſuch things in his diſpenſations. God may let men go ſo far, and fal ſo fouly, that al his people may beſtartled at it, and conclude him a veſſel of wrath, and yet when ſuch a ſoul is gone to the very borders of hell, and there is nothing expected but his dropping in; then may the Lord ſay, return; Chriſt may come at the very Midnight, and it may be the darkeſt time of all, before the breaking of the day. But this is not Gods uſual way, ſo that we cannot ſay to this man, or to that. Thy day is over; yet we may have ſuch grounds and footings for our fears of ſome men, as may ſeldom deceive us. I cannot ſay, that the day of Grace is paſt to any one of you in particular, yet I am confident it is paſt to many here; and I doubt my fears concerning ſome oppoſing hardened ſinners, and ſome Apoſtate profeſſors wil appear at laſt to have too much footing. I could wiſh that the day of Grace were like to be as long to you, as you think it to be, but I am ſure out of what hath been ſpoken from ſcripture, it is plain, That it is a hidden, uncertain, and oftentimes a ſhort day; and therefore what I ſay to one, I ſay to all, Harden not your hearts while it is called to day; and more eſp cially you, who by all ſigns and tokens ſeems to be near unto darkneſs.
But ſome poor ſouls may ſay upon the hearing of theſe things, I fear my day is paſt, I have had Convictions under the Word, and I have made ſtrong reſolutions, but I have not anſwered them, I fear I have loſt my day, when I loſt theſe.
Anſ. Art thou convinced of thy loſt eſtate now, and of thy need of Chriſt? Are former convictions revived, do they come to thy remembrance afreſh, and do they make freſh and ful impreſſions upon thy heart, ſo that thou doeſt now walk under the weight and burden of ſin? O if God does open conſcience afreſh, and ſet it a bleeding under Old and new Convictions, it is a ſign he hath not ſhut up the day; it is a ſign he hath not drawn away the Spirit from the Word; but he hath ſet an edge upon it, and it is like a two-edged ſword, it cuts on every ſide, it enters deeper into the ſoul than ever it did; this is a great argument that the day is not over, when there is more light put into the Word for thy ſoul then formerly. Again, it is a ſign that he hath not done with thee, becauſe he puts in more light and tenderneſſe into thy Conſcience; if he had wholly leſt thee, he would have leſt the Word, and Conſcience, and have ſtruck the one dumb, and the other blind, or deaf, and have put thee in a condition paſt feeling, yet let me tell thee, that notwithſtanding theſe ſtirrings of Conſcience thou maieſt periſh; for theſe are not things to be reſted upon; God follows many men with convictions whom he never converts. There muſt be more than thy Convictions to ſhew for Heaven, for theſe are poor things alone, and do ſpeak thus much (which is to my purpoſe) that thou haſt now an opportunity in thy hand, and there is hope concerning thee, becauſe God is yet treating with thy Soul about the great affairs of Salvation.
2 Art thou convinced of the evil of not liſtning to former Convictions? Doeſt thou ſee, and art ſenſible how great an evil it is to loſe them? Doeſt thou ſee into what danger thou didſt run thy ſoul, by ſlighting the firſt offers which the Lord made thee? and how miſerable thou hadſt been if he had taken the advantage againſt thee, to have gone away, and to have returned no more with convictions of thy loſt miſerable eſtate; thou mighteſt have been now in Hell. And whereas thou art now awakened by the word, thou mightſt not have been awakened until thou hadſt awaked there; Art thou ſenſible of theſe things, and art thou now able to juſtifie the Lord, if he had denied thee the leaſt beam of light for thy Soul here? and canſt thou now bleſs the Lord for affording thee a freſh ſight and ſenſe of thy condition? this is a ſign thy day is not over; for ſuch kind of workings as theſe are found in the hearts of the people of the Lord, when they have their Conſciences opened afreſh, after ſuch ſlumbers wherein they had loſt the ſight and ſenſe of their own conditions; ordinarily ſuch Souls ſmart for the neglect of former convictions, and are humbled for not following them. And they are lain down before God in acknowledging his mercy, in not taking advantage againſt them for thoſe things; and they are much in bleſſing him; for comming near them again in his Word, although it be not in a way of comfort; they bleſs him for convincing and awakening light; canſt thou do thus? then thy day is not yet paſt.
3 Does thy former loſs of convictions make thee more willing now to come in to Chriſt, and to cloſe fully with him in al things, and to labour after a ſerious redeeming of the time to better advantage? does former careleſneſs lay engagements upon thy heart to future watchfulneſs? do you ſay as the Apoſtle does. 1 Pet. 4.3. The time paſt may ſuffice to have been careleſs and negligent of my own ſoul, and diſobedient to the Goſpel, and to the checks of Conſcience; as for that which remains, it is little enough for the great work of ſerving the Lord, and making my Calling and Election ſure. Now enquire, Do thy preſent convictions work thus? do they put thee upon more cloſe and conſtant purſuance of God, upon endeavouring to walk cloſe with him, and to redeem time for him? this carries yet more light of evidence with it that thy day is not over.
4 Doſt thou find a difference betwixt theſe convictions, and thoſe which thou hadſt formerly? That there is more of the ſtirring of the wil and affections in theſe than were in them. There is a great difference betwixt the ſtirring of the conſcience, and the ſtirring of the Wil, Conſcience may be awakened, and that may move a man ſtrongly after reformation, and the wil and affections may move him after his luſts all the while; and where conſcience is awakened, and the Wil not changed, there the Devil may ſteal theſe troubles away upon falſe grounds, he hath many waies to quiet ſuch mens conſciences; but if the Wil be moved truly toward God, there is no way to quiet that, but by the enjoiment of its end, which is, the enjoyment of God. Therefore the main thing by which we ſhould judge of the work, and ſo of the day of Grace is this; by labouring to enform our ſelves aright, what difference there is betwixt theſe and former convictions, and whether theſe be better than they or no, which did die away, and whether there be more of the wil and affections in theſe than in thoſe we formerly had, for every work is ſo much the better as it hath more of Wil in it, which is indeed the ſeat of Grace.
Q. How ſhall I know whether my stirrings are of my Conſcience, or my Will?
A. I might give you many things, but I touch it now but occaſionallie, therefore I ſhal confine my ſelf to theſe three ſhort directions: Obſerve thy
1 Troubles,
2 D…ſires,
3 Endeavours.
Firſt obſerve thy Troubles, whether they be moſt for the ſenſe of ſin, or the apprehenſions of wrath; if conſcience be only awakened, that eyes only the wrath to come, and thinks of nothing elſe but of eſcaping, and it takes not ſin into conſideration, but as it is forced by the neceſſary connexion betwixt that and judgement; but if the wil and affections be wrought over in this trouble, then the greateſt trouble is becauſe of the evil of ſin, as it diſhonours God, and as it hinders the Soul from communion with God, and the ſoul is troubled at the preſence of that, and ſtudies how it may be rid of that. Sin is a heavy burthen to a ſanctified wil, but wrath is the only burden to an intangled, but not renewed conſcience.
2 Obſerve thy Deſires, What do they run out moſt after. Chriſt or Comfort, Peace or Purity? if the trouble be onelyonly a forced trouble from conſcience, then the Soul dos ordinarily look no farther then the preſent trouble, and how to be rid of that; it is peace that conſcience looks after; but if the Wil be moved, that muſt have ſomething elſe beſides Peace, it is not a calm wilſerve the turn, it muſt have Chriſt, and communion with him, or nothing wil ſatisfie.
3 Look to thy endeavours, when are they ſtrongeſt and moſt vigorous, and drawn out moſt after heaven and heavenly things? in thy troubles, or in thy calms? I have obſerved ſome, that when they have been under trouble, and terrours of Conſcience, they would then be very ſtirring, and ſeem to take much pain for Heaven; but when Conſcience is a little quieted, they lay aſide their Religion, and there is no more noiſe of it; this is a ſign that their ſtirrings were barely from Conſcience. But other Souls, whoſe wils were wrought upon as wel as their Conſciences, have been more active and ſtirring in the ways of God, as they have gotten more peace and aſſurance of Gods love; and there is a clear reaſon for ſuch different effects from their quiet; becauſe quiet and peace was the thing which the inflamed Conſcience ſought for, but the ſanctified will and affections ſought for another thing; and although a little Peace may ſatisfie Conſcience, and take off the edge of it, this will ſet an edge upon the affections; that which calms Conſcience, quickens the ſanctified Wil; for every reliſh that it hath of grace or peace makes it ſeek for more. Try your ſelves by theſe things, and if you find that your Convictions are accompanied with the ſtirrings of the wil and affections, be of good hope, for thy day of grace is not over, if thou haſt a will for God, if he ſtrive, and you grow more tender and ſenſible, fear not to follow thy convictions, and to lay hold of the Promiſes which ſuit with thy condition. Let former convictions neglected humble thee, but let them not diſcourage thee.
But withal take this word of advice, and ſo I ſhal conclude.
1 Take heed of thy Heart, leſt it deceive thee; thou haſt had ſuch ſtirrings which did look like a work of grace before, but they have died away; be jealous of theſe, leſt they ſhould do ſo alſo. Thou knoweſt how ſubject the heart is to grow cold, and to ſhift and put off Convictions, and when it is under them how ſeemingly willing it is to convert, and return to God; how ready to make promiſes and vows to God, and how ready to forſake all theſe again; it hath cheated thee once already, therefore watch it as a deceitful thing, the way not to be deceived, is to expect it, or at leaſt fear it.
2 Reſolve to take the more pains, becauſe thou haſt loſt ſo many precious opportunities, knowing, that if thou art not nearer to happineſs and eternal life then other men, thou art farther off, and thou hadſt need labour to redeem what thou haſt loſt.
3 Beleeve not Satan, who ſays thy day is over, for he knows it not, and he is a Lyar from the beginning. There is abundantly more hope of thee who lieſt under ſuch fears, than there is of one who lies and lives in ſin, and ſays his day is not yet paſt. Satan ordinarily tels men, that the day is paſt, when it does begin to ſhine upon them, and he tels them who are in darkneſs, and in the night, that it is day, and it is time enough for them.
4 Prize thy Convictions highly, and look upon it as a great Mercy, that God wil at laſt look upon thee a poor ſinner, an old ſinner, an old ſlighter of convictions, an old back-ſlider. O what a mercy is it to thee that that dreadful paſſage is not made good upon thy ſoul, Prov. 14.14. The back ſlider in heart ſhall be filled with his own wayes. God might have ſaid to thee, when thou didſt caſt off Convictions at firſt, and when thou didſt back-ſlide from the reformation which thou didſt begin. Be filled with back-ſlidings, thou ſhalt have thy belly ful of them, thou ſhalt never have any more help to return. O what a mercy is it, that after all this he ſhould begin to recover thee, and ſet thee a freſh about the work of returning to Chriſt?
5 Be much in bleſſing God for what he hath done, that he hath vouchſafed again to viſit thy Soul from on high, and to ſtir up thee again, when perhaps many that are in Hell were in thy caſe formerly; God hath taken advantage againſt them for ſlighting the Word, and Conſcience, and he might have done ſo with thee, if he would have dealt exactly with thee. Who is it that maketh thee to differ? Is it not the Lord? To him therefore be given all honour, and glory, and praiſe.
FINIS.
Reader theſe Books are in the Preſs
ANthologia Biblica, or a Methodical diſtribution of divine Scriptures, under ſeveral heads which will ſerve for a common place Book, a Concordance, and a Commentary; together with a Praxis, diſcovering the manifold uſes and advantages thereof, in Fol. By that Reverend Divine Mr. John Clark of Fiſkerton neer Lincoln.
A learned Comment on the Epiſtles of St. Paul, by David Dixon, tranſlated into Engliſh by William Retchford Miniſter of St. Albans.
Englands Advancement, a very uſeful peece of rare ſecrets in Phyſick and Chyrurgery; by Tho. Collings Practitioner in Phyſick.
FINIS.
End of the text · John Chishull, Two Treatises (1657)