The Abuse of Gods Grace, Chapter 5 · Section 13
SECT. 13.
4. The Error that falſe evidences of Grace are true: An erronious reſt on theſe, hath begotten too much Libertiniſm 12. Another Error that & buſeth grace is, That falſe evidences are true. foreign Non beat inanis theoria.in the Church of God: As,
1. Bare knowledge of Divine things, is too weak a proof of goodneſs: The Devils know but are unclean, full of wickedneſs: In their inlightned intelligent natures, there are the ſpiraul things of wickedneſs; The Apoſtles expreſſion, Eph. 6. 12, The light of the Sun ſpeaks not a Thief honeſt, nor the Adulterer chaſte, who are both lewd by the beams of it: Bare Illumination ſpeaks no man holy nor happy, to infer a good heart from a knowing head, is not a more common, then a fooliſh and pernicious inference. Ah fooliſh, impudent Chriſtian, hath God laid thee in with a ſtock of knowledge, to licentiate thee to ſin by the light of it? Will the aggravation of your ſin, be the evidence of your good eſtate? A ſtock of Knowledge is one thing, of Grace another. The Gnoſticks that vaunted much of their knowledge, were a beaſtly Sect: The bare light of Goſpel propoſitions, will not fit for the Inheritance of the Saints in Light: Surely light is never gracious and ſaving, unleſs it Transform its receivers: They are children of light, 1 Theſſ. 5. 5. and they do not onelyonly ſee it, but walk in it as children of light, Eph. 5. 8.
2. An Orthodox Judgement is no concluſive ground of grace: 'Tis groſs error, from Doctrinal ſoundneſs, to argue Cordial and Practical. A man may be ſound in the Faith, Tit. 1. 13. but Metuo magnoque tremore conſtringer, ne qui Orthodoxam ſidem habere videmur, eam vacuam honeſtarum actionum conjugio oberrare permiſerimus. Sophronius Hieroſalymitanus Orat. in Natal Chriſt.not by the Faith: His light is ſound that ſpeaks againſt Theft and Adultery; but he is not found by his true light, that is a Thief and Adulterer, Rom. 2. 21, 22. A form of knowledge is one thing, Rom. 2. 20. A transforming into it is another, Rom. 12. 2. A man is ſound in the Faith, that believes without regeneration no man can enter into the Kingdom of God: That Juſtification and Sanctification muſt go together: But he is not ſound by this faith, that is neither regenerate, juſtified, nor ſanctified: 'Tis a looſe deceit to argue a good ſpiritual eſtate, from a good ſpeculative judgement: Spirits and Lives may be and are graceleſs, when contrary informations are bright and clear. Orthodox heads are too often contradicted by Heretical Hearts and Laws. 'Tis a ſound confeſſion, that the Scriptures are the word of God, and Chriſt is the Son of God: There will be a day of Judgement, and a contrary everlaſting Eſtate of Heaven and Hell; but do not all falſe Chriſtians live as if thoſe holy Articles of Faith, were Fables? Hear ſome men and womens ſound expreſſions of their judicious intellectuals in matters of Religion, ſet off with ſeeming good affections, and you would conclude them Saints; Vanum eſt eſſe judicio bono praeditum, & non ex judicio operari.but watch their lives narrowly, and without wrong to charity, you muſt judge them reigning ſinners: 'Tis true one ſays, It is a vain thing to conceive, or ſpeak judiciouſly, & not to live judiciouſly.
3. Outward Baptiſm: This alone is to weak a Plea to ſpeak a Chriſtian. Too many looſe Proteſtants are practically Popiſh, who conceit, and truſt to it, that Sacraments by the natural Elementary power, ex opere operato, confer Grace: They doubt not that they are actually regenerate, becauſe Baptized, that they have had the ſprinkling of the Blood and Spirit in their conſcience, becauſe they have had the ſprinkling of Water on the fleſh, whoſe unpurged hearts before God, and impure lives before Men, ſpeak them ſtrangers to the waſhing of Regeneration. Chryſoſtome was of another minde: In his Judgement a bare outward Baptiſm, and a vulgar Faith, were not enough to get and keep ſoul Purity: Ad animae puritatem ſervadam, non ſatis eſt Baptizari duntazat, & vulgi more credere, ſed ſt ea frut munditia & pulchritudine volumus, dignam te vitam exh bore oporter. Chryſ. Hom. 9. in Joan.He that will give proof, he is clean and glorious within, muſt ſhew it by a worthy converſation without. O the ſad reproach of Chriſt and his Ordinance of Baptiſm: Under the ſanctuary of Baptiſmal Chriſtianity un-Chriſtian hearts and lives, enemies to the Laws, the Spirit, and Croſs of Chriſt, do ſhroud themſelves, as Thieves in their Den: Scandalous abuſers of Baptiſm, will one day know to their ſhame and ſmart, this pure inſtitution was never appointed as a Protector, but a Deſtroyer of their wanton corruptions.
4. Bare ſtirrings of the affections towards good things, will not be currant witneſſes of Grace: 'Tis too common experience, good motions on the affections have vaniſhed into evil, honorable into vile. The ſtony ground had joy: Light impreſſionsof Heavenly things, vaniſhed into Earthly: Some ſorrowand tears have been ſwallowed up in prophane mirth; a caroufing rouing meeting, hath ſtill'd the raging, ſmarting conſcience: Superficial delights in the grace and mercy of God, have been ſoon crowded out by worldly pleaſures: Zeal hath ended in Luke-warmneſſe, yea Key-coldneſſe: Shame in impudence, courage in faint-heartedneſs, the fear of ſin in carnal ſecurity. O Chriſtians, deceive not your ſelves! It is one thing to move the affections, it is another thing to ſpiritualize and change them: They are not light touches, but mighty power on the affections, that kill ſin.
5. A partial Reformation in doing ſome good, in abſtinence from ſome ſins, reputed Grace ſtands with much abuſe of Grace: Partial duty, did not Saint Herod: He was a Wanton with his Herodias. The Wiſdom that is from above, is without partiality, James 3. 17. is not faſt in ſome duties and looſe in others, but as the Counterpane of the whole Law, hath reſpect to all Gods Commandments, Pſal. 119. 6. and would be compleat in the whole will of God. The old Man is looſe, if in any parts of the Divine pleaſure, or the leaſt commands, he be willing to rebel: Chriſts Laws are coards, Pſal. 2. 3. If ſtrong luſts break any of them, with Love and Delight: The Government of Chriſt is thrown off. Innocence alſo, or abſtinence from groſs ſins, is far from Grace, yea, is accompained with high Diſhonors to it. Freedom from Oathes, Lies, unjuſt Dealings, Drunkenneſs, Uncleanneſs, are too weak premiſes to conclude Saintſhip: True Grace waſheth inſide and outſide, doth not onelyonly ordinarily reſcue from groſs, but cloſe ſins. The Phariſee vaunted of an outward ſtrict abſtinence, while he was looſe within As the ſober in the ſtreets, are diſſolute within doors, ſo the Phariſees Auſterity, is but the vail of inward carnal Liberty: Chriſt ſaw their hearts, and diſcovered their ſelf-juſtifying pride, the Extortion, Exceſs, Hypocriſie, Iniquity that lodged in their hearts, Matth. 23. 25, 28. The ſpiritual ſins of Unbelief, Covetuouſneſs, Hereſie; the ſecret Atheiſm of unclean, ſhameleſs Hearts, in Gods preſence, inward Apoſtacy, hardneſs of Spirit; the dominion of vain and worldly thoughts, and looſe ſecurity in ſin, are concealed abominations, which unrepented of, will infallibly caſt ſinners into Hell: Let ſuch as are outwardly ſtrict, and inwardly looſe, who in words declare againſt Libertines, and yet have ungoverned wanton hearts; conſider, the Divel himſelf would be content that they ſhould leave ſome ſins, if others reign: He well knows, that partial reformation is but changing the Maſter, not the Maſterſhip; no ending the War, but alterning the ſeat of it; if he be driven out of ſome holds, he may domineer in others; where his miſchief is leſs ſuſpected, more fortified and pernicious: The fleſh hath divers luſts: Deliberate choice ſervice of any one, is enough to ruine: One diſeaſe may be healed, while another kills; one leak of a Ship may be ſtopt, while another drowns. Ah wanton Goſpeller, be aſhamed of thy wicked and deceitful reſerves: God ſeeth what carnal cloſe Dalliances and falſe Loves thy ſoul runs after; for thine out-ſide abſtemious wary walking; thy ſelf and others may ſtile thee a Saint, but thou art the black mark of Gods avenging deſtruction: The Pſalmiſt ſets a Loe upon thee and thy fellows, Loe they that are afar from God ſhall periſh; yea further, he ſaid to God, Thou haſt deſtroyed all them that go a whoring from thee, Pſal. 73. 27. Thy ſeverities againſt ſome luſts, will never ſpeak thy chaſte obedience to thine Heavenly Husband, whilethy willing wanton indulgencies to, Kiſſes of, and proviſions for other luſts, ſpeak thine whoriſh heart.
6. A groundleſs perſwaſion of Grace, as it argues none, ſo it expoſeth Grace to notorious abuſe: How irrational are carnal Goſpellers, that vote bare confidences Arguments? that have no better reaſon to prove that they are Gracious, then Perſwaſion: What a ſilly argument is naked aſſurance in other things? A chained Priſoner is no free man, becauſe in a ſottiſh frenzy he perſwades himſelf he is walking in the ſtreets; nor is an unlettered man a Scholar, who is confident of his learning: A crackt Title, will not bear out the cheated Purchaſer in Law, though he is aſſured of the contrary. O the ſottiſh condition of unregenerate Goſpellers, whoſe onelyonly or main argument of their good Eſtate in Chriſt, is becauſe they are aſſured it is ſo, and ſo neither dare nor will, by ſo much as queſtioning it, diſturb their falſe peace! Is it poſſible this evidence ſhould paſs for Grace and Glory? How long, O ſelf-deluding Wantons, will ye love ſimplicity? When you have given almoſt as large allowances to your luſt, as the fleſh will require: Can this ſupport a perſwaſion that you are gracious? The Word did never witneſs to it, nor will the Spirit of God ever ſeal to it, that you are the ſervants of God, while the Devils Subjects; you are the children of Light, while you walk darkneſs; you are in the ſtraight way to life, while you are in the broad road to deſtruction: A bare perſwaſion of being in a ſtate of Grace, is a palpable deluſion; where ever this is, by conſtant experience we know, that the Grace of God is abuſed.
7. Counterſeit Grace conceived and believed real Grace, begets Libertines: The Devil appeared in Samuels Mantle, and reigning ſins appear to Gods diſcerning eye, in the vail of counterfeit Grace. The old Serpent and the old Man, care not how glorious the notions and pretenſions of Grace are: Theſe are their friends; 'Tis real Grace onelyonly is their ruine: What grace is there, that is not without it's counterfeit? The Devil is Gods Ape, and Corruption is Graces Ape: There is a ſhadow of true faith: Some things have a fine ſemblance of the love of God: That paſſeth among men as repentance, that is none: Pride is clad in Humilities cloathes. There is a natural unſanctifying meekneſs, that was never taught in Chriſts School, Matth. 11. 29. Wilde Paſſion puts on the name of holy Zeal: Pleaſing and deluding carnal hope, is as eaſily periſhing, as the Spiders Web is ſwept away. Falſe uprightneſs, makes the Hypocrite paſs for a moſt plauſible honeſt man. The Ape in Mans apparel will have Apiſh tricks, and corruption in the cloathes of Grace, will and can do no otherwiſe then act like it ſelf, a lewd Wanton; It ever makes the Devils trade, it's good earneſt, and Religious profeſſion it's paſtime and ſport.