The Way to Sound and Saving Conversion, To the reader 2

The Way to Sound and Saving Conversion · To the reader 2

READER,

BY reaſon of the Authors abſence from the Preſſe, through the diſtance of his Habitation from the City, ſome faults have eſcaped the Preſſe; wherefore I pray thee do me the favour as to correct the greater faults that appear at firſt view, and paſs by in love the leſſer, and weigh theſe things in the Ballance of Righteouſneſs, Love, and Impartiality, &c.

p. 1Of the Creation of Man, and the love of God to Mankinde therein.

THe Great and Glorious God who is infinite in knowledge, wiſdom and love, having finiſhed the glorious Frame of Heaven and Earth, according to his divine will, he calls a Council, even the operations in the Deitie, to build that excellent Tabernacle, Man: whom he made of the loweſt, and impureſt Element, Earth, and calls his Name Earth or Earthly, that the excellency of the work might appear ſo much the more glorious and wonderfull; the Lord having breathed into him the breath of life, he became a living ſoul, the man was now wholly good, juſt and righteous, & his Lord having ſuch a tender, intire and indeared affection towards him, would not put him into a vaſt world, but planted a garden of pleaſure and delight for him, p. 2the flower of earths treaſure, it being inriched with variety of fruites pleaſing to the eye, ſweet to the pallat, and decked with flowers and walks ſweet to ſmell to, pleaſant and delightful to walk in, and beautiful to behold, the pleaſant fountaines and filver ſtreames, gliding before him to water the garden, the ſweet drops of dew hanging upon the leaves and graſſe, like Jewels glittering, the tender branches and fruitful trees, continually clad in Summers livery, the Birds ringing out chiriping peals of melody, ſtraining forth their ſeveral notes, the nimble footed Beaſts leaping and ſporting in their fruitful paſtures, the Sun, Moon and Stars, as it were ſmiled upon him; here was no ſcorching heat, or freezing cold to diſtemper him, no ſickneſſe or pain to afflict him, no filthy or venomous thing to annoy him, no ſuch labour as to weary him, no contradiction or combuſtion to moleſt him, but a ſweet harmony and Concord amongſt all creatures &c.

Yet though all creatures were good, delightful and loving, man did ſo far exceed them all, that there could not be found amongſt them any one fit or meet…n. 2. 21, 22. to be a companion for the man, that he might have ſociety with, So the Lord God p. 3cauſed … deep ſleep to fall upon Adam, & he ſlept, & took one of his Ribs, and cloſed up the fleſh inſtead thereof, and the Rib which the Lord God had taken from Man, made he a Woman: …o that no ſooner did the Man awake from his ſleep, but God preſented him with a lovely Companion, a Wife meet for him: the Man being now enriched with ſuch a ſingular Ornament of Beautie, as to creatures compoſed of love, puritie, and innocencie. Now had the man one Jewel more precious than all the reſt, one Flower more in his Garden, exceeding all others in beautie and delight, &c. they might now diſcourſe of the goodneſs of God, and the excellenci… of the Creation, &c.

But leſt they ſhould in this Paradiſe of pleaſure and plentie grow too high in their own conceits, and ſo forget the Lord their God, he gave thē a righteous Law, that they might know they were but Creatures, and though they reigned as Lords and Kings on earth, yet they ought to be in ſubjection to their Creatour: ſo the Lord leaves him in the hand of his own counſel, under a ſtrict command not to eat of the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil, with a Promiſe of Life upon obedience to it, and threatening Death upon diſobedience of that righteou… Command.

p. 4So Adam and Eve being in Paradiſe, and looking upon themſelves, as indeed they were, the moſt excellent Pieces of all the Creation, bearing the Image of their Creatour, This excellent eſtate did not long continue, for they both ſoon caſt off their Lords Precepts, by giving more credit to the words of the Serpent, than to the Word of their Creatour, and ſo fell by tranſgreſſion, in the manner following, viz.

The Devil being a fallen Angel, envyingThe manner of Adams fall. Gods glorie, and Mans happineſs, comes to the Garden, in the form of a Serpent, and firſt he boards the Woman thus, viz. Hath God ſaid, Ye ſhall not …at thereof? as if he ſhould have ſaid, it is a likely matter, that the Lord cares what you eat, what do you think, that he ſtands upon an Apple? hath he created all things for you? then do ye uſe them? this is the firſt Aſſault, which the Woman weakly reſiſteth, beginning at the firſt to yield: whereas God had ſaid, Thou ſhalt die, ſhe anſwereth doubtfully and ſaith, Leſt ye die; then the Devil perceiying the Woman to ſtagger, and the ground of her ſaith to ſhake, the word was no ſooner out of her mouth, Leſt ye die: but he replies, Ye ſhall not ſurely die; what, die, with eating ſo fair an Apple? can there be any hurt in it? O ſillie Woman, Ye ſhall not die at all.

p. 5God he affirmeth, Ye ſhall die certainly, Gen. 2. 17.

The Woman ſaith, Leſt ye die, Gen. 3. 3.

The Devil that old Serpent ſaith, Ye ſhall not die, Gen. 3. 4.

Well, who ſhall we believe? we ſee our Mother believed the Devil, for he had ſaid, Ye ſhall not die, but be as gods knowing good and evil, &c. wherefore behold, O ſilly Woman, ſaith he, What a goodlie Tree is this, how pleaſant to the eie, delicate to the taſte, divine for uſe? Can it do you any hurt, would any but Fools abſtain, eat and fear not? then the Woman, ſeeing it was good for meat, pleaſant to the eies, and a Tree to be deſired after to get knowledg, ſhe took of it and did eat. And by theſe or the like Reaſons ſhe perſwaded her Husband, and gave him and he did eat, and hereby he brought himſelf and all hisThe miſery that Adam & all his poſterity fell into. poſteritie into an eſtate of death, ſin and miſerie. So thoſe who were created in the Image of God, and were told by the Devil, that by eating the Apple, they ſhould be as gods, by this one act of tranſgreſſion, he and all his poſteritie, (he being the Head and Root of all Mankinde,) were tranſformed into the Image of Satan, being filled with pride, envie, anger and diſcontent, miſchief and crueltie; ſo that,

p. 61. The Devil is ſaid to be his Maſter, Rom. 6. 16.

2. The Devil is ſaid to be his Father, John 8. 44.

3. The Devil is ſaid to be his Prince, John 12. 31.

4. The Devil is ſaid to be his God, 2 Cor. 4 4.

And ſo man thus fallen bears the Image of Satan, which doth not conſiſt in any bodily ſhape, as ſome do fooliſhly imagine; but in a likelineſs of all manner of wickedneſs, The understanding by this fall was darkened, and filled with vanitie, Pſal. 94. 11. and 2 Cor. 4. 4 The will depraved, the affections diſordered, the memory miſimploied, the conſcience benummed. In a word, the wretched ſoul is ſo deſormed with filthineſs, outraged with paſſions, pined with envie, overcharged with gluttonie, boiling with revenge, tranſported with rage, that the Image of God in Man is transformed into the uglie ſhape of the Devil, Gen. 6. 5. And God ſaw that the wickedneſs of man was great, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was onelyonly evil, and that continually. And this fallen heart, not onelyonly evil, but deſperately wicked, Jer. 17. 9. The heart is deceitfull above all p. 7things, and deſperately wicked, who can know it? O Sirs, there are but few that doth know the plague of their own hearts, &c.

So that Man in this fallen eſtate, is become a lump of ſinne, from the crown of the head to the ſoale of the foot there is no ſoundneſs. And ſo all the poſteritie of Adam have ſinned, and come ſhort of the glorie of God, and are now become Satans conqueſt, captives and ſlaves, being under the curſe, and ſubject to bondage and miſerie, Iſai 63. 6. So we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteouſneſs as filtby rags, and we all do fade as a leaf, and our iniquities like the winde have taken us away. Mr. Baxter in his Treatiſe of Converſion, p. 71. affirms, that even our children, by nature, conſidered as finfull and unſanctified, are as hatefull in the eies of God, as any Toads or Serpents are in ours, &c. See 1 John 3. 10. Nay further conſider a little by what names and titles all men and women, thus fallen, and ſo remaining, areThe names & Titles given in Scripture to fallen man. known by in the Scriptures of truth, Sometimes they are called filtby dreamers, defiling the fleſh, Jud. 8.

Raging waves of the Sea foaming out their own ſhame, Jud. 13. Natural bruit beaſts, made to be taken and destroyed, that ſhall utterly periſh in their own corruptions, 2 Pet. 2. 12. Wells p. 8without water, cloudes that are carried with a tempeſt, to whom the miſt of darkneſſe is reſerved for ever, 2 Pet. 2. 17.

A generation of vipers Mat. 3. 7.

Ye ſerpents how can ye eſcape the damnation of hell, Mat. 23. 33. The Scripture calls them Lions for their fierceneſſe, and Bears for their cruelty, Dragons for their hiddiouſneſſe, dogs for their filthineſſe, and wolves and foxes for their ſubtilty, in a word, the Scripture ſtiles them Scorpions, vipers, thorns, briars, thiſtles, brambles, ſtubble, dirt, chaffe, duſt, droſſe, ſmoak, ſcum, and a cage of every unclean Bird, Rev. 18. 2. And if all this be not enough we are ſaid to be Satans ſlaves or captives, 2 Tim. 2. 26.

Man can never be ſaved, unleſſe he be regenerated,No ſalvation without regeneration. born again, and converted, and have the image of God renewed, which was defaced in our fall in the firſt Adam, Hence it is that Chriſt tells us, Mat. 7. 13. 4. Straight is the gate and narrow is the way that leadeth to life, and few there be that find it, There being four gates ſhut, and five exceptions made by Chriſt againſt their entering in; Firſt there are four gates ſhut.

Mat. 25. 12.

1. The gate of hope,

2. The gate of grace,

3. The gate of mercy,

4. The gate of comfort,

p. 9Secondly, there are five exceptions, made by the Lord Jeſus Chriſt againſt their entring into heaven.

The firſt exception is that in John 3. 3. Jeſus anſwered and ſaid unto him, verily, verily, I ſay unto thee, except a man be born again, be cannot ſee the Kingdome of God.

2. Exception is that Mat. 18. 3. Verily I ſay unto you, except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye ſhall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

3. Except ye repent ye ſhall all likewiſe periſh, Luke 13. 3. 5.

4. Except ye eat the fleſh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you, John 6. 53.

5. Except your righteouſneſſe, ſhall exceed the righteouſneſſe of the Scribes and Phariſes, ye ſhall in no caſe enter into the Kingdom of heaven, Mat. 5. 20.

But moſt of the world will be apt to ſay,Object. we grant all this. But what is this to us? we have confeſſed our ſinnes, we have prayed, we have repented of our ſinnes, and in ſome good meaſure reformed our lives:

Beware of temporary faith, partial obedience,Anſw. meſſionary love, pretended zeal, legal ſorrow, and feined humility, theſe may have the forme, and yet want the power of godlineſſe, except thy righteouſneſſe exceed p. 10that of the Phariſees, thy ſacrifice▪ that of Cain's, thy confeſſing of ſins, that of Pharaoh's, thy weeping that of Sauls, thy faſting that of Abab's, thy reformation that of Jehu's, thy reſtitution that of Judas, thy believing that of Simon Magu…, thy fear and trembling that of Felix, theſe were caſt-awaies notwithſtanding theſe were ſeeming good things; Haſt thou never read of Pharaoh deſiring the prayer of Moſes? Balaam deſiring to die the death of the righteous, Saul condemning of himſelf, Ahab humbling himſelf, Ninive repenting▪ Felix trembling, Herod hearing John Baptiſt joyfully, and did many things, Mark 6. 20. All this mayſt thou doe and more, thou mayſt live rejoycingly, and die peaceably, and yet periſh eternally. Conſider if thou wert curſed in the wombe, born a child of wrath, what art thou now having lived ſo long in ſin, but the child of hell? farr more than thou waſt before, Pſal. 58. 3. Job 20. 11. Again, if for one fin all the curſes of the Law doe lie upon thee, as Gal. 3. 10. James 2. 10. what is due to thee for all thy ſins? If ſingle ſins deſerve death, what doe thy double and treble ſins deſerve? Conſider thy often backſliding, ſinnes againſt knowledge, conſcience, covenants, purpoſes, promiſes, proteſtations, &c.

p. 11Do… not all theſe deſerve double and d…eper damation? viz. Not knowing of God he will not have merciemercy upon thee, Iſa. 27. 11. compared with 2 Theſſ. 1. 8. Not repenting thou ſhalt periſh, Luke 13. 3. Not believing in him thou ſhalt be damned, John 3. 18. Not loving him thou art curſed, 1 Cor. 16. 22. Not being zealous according to knowledge, he will ſpew thee out of his mouth, Rev. 3. 16. Not being meek, thou art abomination to the Lord, Prov. 3. 32. Not being mercifull, thou ſhalt have judgement without mercy, Jam. 2. 13. Not being holy, thou ſhalt never ſee the face of the Lord, Not waſhing thy heart from wickedneſs, thou canſt not be ſaved, Jer. 4. 14.

Therefore ground this in the bottom of thy heart, That without true converſion, there is no hope of Salvation, Mat. 18. 3. John 3. 5 Sin was that which fetched the deareſt blood from the heart of Chriſt, and will have thine too, if thou getteſt not an intereſt in him: if thy ſin doth not die, before thou doſt die, thou art in danger of18 Sorts of men & womē that ſhall never enter into heaven. periſhing eternally. Read ſeriouſly but theſe four Scriptures, and thou ſhalt find at leaſt 18 ſorts of men and women that ſhall never enter into heaven, unleſs before they die, Chriſt be formed in them, and they reſtored and renewed, born again and covert…d, &c.

p. 121 Cor. 6. 9, 10.] Know you not that the unrighteous ſhall not inherit the kingdom of God, be not deceived:

1. No Fornicators

2. No Idolators

3. Nor Adulterers

4. Nor Effeminate

5. Nor abuſers of themſelves with mankinde

6. Nor Theeves

7. Nor Covetous

8. Nor Drunkards

9. Nor Revilers, or envious perſons

10. Nor Extortioners:

Theſe ſhall not inherit the kingdom of God. Rev. 21. 8.] 11. Nor the fearfull and unbelieving.

12. Nor murderers: See Rev. 22. 15.

13. Nor ſorcerers, or thoſe that uſe witchcraft

14. Nor Lyars, all theſe ſhall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire, which is the ſecond death,

Gal. 5. 19, 20, 21.] 15. Nor he that is given to hatred, variance, and ſtrife,

16. Nor he that is given to ſeditions & hereſies, they which doe ſuch things ſhall not inherit the kingdom of God,

2 Theſs. 1. 8.] 17. Nor ignorant perſons.

18. Nor thoſe that refuſe to practice what they know, being diſobedient.

Theſe perſons being ſhut out of heaven, p. 13makes good the words of Chriſt, Mat. 7. 13, 14. Enter ye in at the ſtrait gate, for wide is the gate, and broad is the way that leadeth to deſtruction, and many there be which enter in thereat, becauſe ſtraight is the gate, and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life, and few there be which find it, Rom. 9. 27. Though the number of the children of Iſrael he as the ſands of the Sea, a remnant ſhall be ſaved.

Well, the holy nature of God will not permit the unclean and unholy ſoul to come into his preſence, Rev. 21. 27. There ſhall in no wiſe enter into it, any thing that de…ileth, or whatſoever worketh abomination, Pſ. 5. 4. Neither ſhall evil dwell with him, the fooliſh ſhall not ſtand in his ſight, it is true you may call him Lord, Lord, till the laſt, Mat. 7. 21, 22. But he will tell you, he doth not know you, if thou haſt not ſomething of the image of that Spirit, that holy nature; whatſoever thou mayeſt think of thy ſelf, he will never take thee for his child, thou art wicked, and the wicked as Pſal. 9 17. ſhall be turned into hell, and all they that forget God: and ſurely God in the execution of the curſe, doth the ſinner no wrong; nay he ſhould doe wrong unto himſelf, and (with reverence ſo to ſpeak) be unjuſt, if he ſhould not execute Juſtice upon the ſinner, either in himſelf or p. 14in his Surety: There are four ſtrong reaſons for it, viz.

1. To manifeſt the majeſtie of him who is offended,

2. And the goodneſs of the command that is tranſgreſſed.

3. The evil of ſin that is committed.

4. The vildneſs of the ſinner for ſinning &c.

I had once thought to have ſpoken ſomthing to each of theſe four heads, but ſhall not at preſent, but deſire the Reader to conſider, that every ſin puts God upon complaining, and Chriſt upon bleeding, and the Spirit upon grieving; Every ſin doth caſt a treble diſhonor upon God,

1. In its malignitie, as being moſt contrary to the pure, unſpotted, and perfect nature of God,

2. In its obſtinacie, it oppoſeth the command of God, ſlights the will of God, and contradicts the deſign of God.

3. Sin doth caſt a diſhonor upon God in its choice: a ſinner in ſinning, chuſeth a baſe luſt, a venomous ſin, a crooked way, before the glorious, precious, and moſt deſirable good, the Lord himſelf: So that man in the ſtate of nature, lives upon the earth as a condemned creature, under guilt, curſe and death, being conceived in p. 15ſin, and brought forth into the world in iniquitie, having loſt that Image of righteouſneſs, holineſs, and ſaving knowledg of God, in which Adam our father was at firſt created, and ſo remains, till born again, converted and regenerated, the children of wrath by Nature, dead in ſins and treſpaſſes, Aliens from the Common-wealth of Iſrael, Satans captives, ſervants, and ſlaves, and theſe men in this eſtate of Nature differ much one from another, one ſeems nearer unto, the other farther from the Kingdom of God, Mark 12. 34. compared with Pſal. 119. 155. They

1. Have ſuch hardened hearts and ſeared conſciences that they commit all manner of wickedneſs with greedineſs, glorying in their ſhame, and ſo making themſelves (as the Scripture ſaith) ſevenfold more the children of wrath than they were before, guilty of original ſin, but now they are become guiltie of original and actual tranſgreſſion, having been filling up the meaſure of their iniquitie, and fitting themſelves for the day of ſlaughter, Matth. 23. 32, 33. compared with James 5. 5.

2. Others walk more evenly and uſefully, being in a meaſure civilized by education, cuſtome, fear of puniſhment, good Examples, wholeſome counſels: So was the p. 16young man, Matth. 19. 20. All theſe things have I kept from my youth up: What lack I yet? &c. So was the Scribe we reade of, Mark 12. 32, 33, 34 he anſwered diſcreetly, and Chriſt told him, he was not far from the Kingdom of God.

Let the Reader conſider, that although Man is ſo fearfully and ſhamefully fallen, yet there r…mains ſome footſteps, marks and impreſſions of that righteous and eternal Law at firſt engraven in his heart by the finger of the Almightie, by which many Naturaliſts have acted wiſely and prudently as to worldly affairs and humane concernments, as may at large be ſafely gathered from many Scriptures: there may be a change and yet not The Change. Some of the Lord's people upon good ground doth obſerve that there is a ſou… fold change.

Change.

1. A moral

2. A partial

3. A formal

4. A ſpiritual

A man by improvement of the light and gifc in Nature, may obtain to the three former, as to inſtance:

1. There is a moral change, when a perſon or a people changeth from ſinfull notorious waies, to temperance, juſtice, equitie, patience, when ignorance is taken away by p. 17illumination, and boldneſs in ſinning is abated by fear of puniſhment, and ſticks there, and goes no farther, and here thouſands ſtay and live quietly, and periſh eternally.

2. There is a partial Change, when men forſake ſome ſins, and yet live in the love and liking of other ſins; Chriſt ſets this down in the Parable of the unclean Spirit, (as to ſome ſinfull courſes) is caſt out for a time, but afterwards returns with ſeven ſpirits, worſe than himſelf, and ſo his laſt end proves worſe than his beginning, Matth. 12. 43, 44, 45.

3. There is a formal Change, when men will do that which is commanded, but not as it is commanded, of theſe St. Paul ſpeaks, 2 Tim. 3. 5. Having a form of godlineſs, but denying the power thereof, they will be doing of good, and forſaking evil, becauſe the eie of the creature, and the ear of the creature, the applauſe of the creature, the rewards of the creature, or the fear of the creature, prevails with them; notwithſtanding this threefold change, theſe people with the former are in an eſtate of eſtrangement to God, and liable to condemnation: for though the lives of ſome are leſs ſinfull than others, yet the hearts are alike, theſe men do but walk in new p. 18practices, with an old heart, Acts 7. 51. Heb. 6. 4.

Conſider, O thou that readeſt, if thou and I had committed in all our lives but one ſin, and that onelyonly in thought, this makes us ſubject unto, and leaves us in danger of eternal damnation thereby, James 2. 10. Gal. 3. 10.

The Law muſt have a perfect, perſonal, univerſal, perpetual obedience, or elſe we remain under the curſe; according to the rule of moral righteouſueſs between God and Man, it followeth that the demerit of ſin receiveth its nature, meaſure and limits from the will of God, according as he hath revealed himſelf in the Moral Law. So that the damned in Hell ſuffer not more, nor leſs than they deſerved; yea, had God pleaſed to have inflicted a greater puniſhment for ſin, yet had he been ſtill juſt: the object offended being God, the perſon ſuffering being but a Man, the evil of puniſhment cannot exceed the evil of the offence; neither can any thing relieve us, but that which is anſwerable to the evil of ſin: now there is no righteouſneſs in the world that is proportionable to the evil of ſin, but the righteouſneſs of Chriſt onelyonly.

1. Our own righteouſneſs is too ſhort, & is called a monſtrous rag; a rag, and therfore p. 19cannot cover us, monſtrous if it ſhould cover us, it were but to cover filth with filth, as the Prophet ſpeaks, Iſa. 30. 1. They cover but not with the covering of my Spirit, that they might add ſin to ſin, dung to dung.

2. Nor will the righteouſneſs of the Law be large enough, if a man could keep it, it will not acquit us for former diſobedience, Gal. 3. 21. If the Law could have given life, verily righteouſneſs ſhould have been by the Law. See Rom. 8. 3, 4.

3. It is not the righteouſneſs of all the Angels that can do it, becauſe this alſo is a created righteouſneſs, a finite righteouſneſs, and no way proportionable to the evil of ſin.

4. If we ſhould weep as many tears as the Sea holds drops, and humble our ſelves as manie daies as the world hath ſtood minutes, all this were too ſhort to purchaſe the pardon of one ſin; if the ſtung Iſraelites had made a Medicine of the beſt Herbs in the Wilderneſs, and a Plaiſter of all the ſovereign Ingredients in the whole World, and applied it with Mountains of Praiers, Seas of Tears, this would not have helped them, if withall they did not look upon the Brazen Serpent; for all theſe cannot purchaſe the pardon of one ſin, nothing but infinicen…ſs can deal with ſin, it muſt be p. 20infinite Wiſdom to finde out a Way, it muſt be infinite Mercy to pardon, infinite Power to ſubdue, infinite Merit to purge and cleanſe, and infinite Grace to deſtroy ſin. Look about thee, whoſoever thou art, that readeſt theſe Lines, this is or was thine eſtate and condition, which is attended with theſe two Miſcries, viz.

1. Thou art unable to help thy ſelf out.

2. Thou art unwilling.

Firſt of the firſt:

1. Thou art unable to help thy ſelf out, Jer. 13. 23. Can the Ethiopian change his skin, and the Leopard his ſpot, then may they do good that are accustomed to do evil? There is no power below the power that raiſed Chriſt from the dead, that can turn the heart of a ſinner to the Lord, he is as well able to turn a Flint into Fleſh, as to turn his own heart to the Lord, he is as well able to raiſe the dead, and to make a World, as to repent, for Repentance is a Flower that grows not in Natures Garden; as the Birth of Iſaac was not by the ſtrength of Nature, like Iſhmael's of Hagar, but by virtue of the Promiſe, after a ſupernatural manner, upon ſenſibleneſs of barrenneſs, ſo ſeemeth it to be with everie one that is born of the Spirit. Johnſaith, that Believers were born p. 21not of the will of the Fleſh, nor of the will of Man, but of God.

2. Thou art as unwilling as unable, thou haſt wilfully pulled upon thy ſelf juſt miſerie, and art apt wilfully to reject free merciemercy: there is a ſpecial enmitie in the heart againſt Converſion and Believing, John 5. 43. I am come in my Fathers Name, and ye receive me not, if another ſhould come in his own name, him ye would receive. Acts 22. 4. I (ſaith Paul before converſion) perſecuted this way unto the death. Rom. 10. 3. They would not ſubmit to the righteouſneſs of faith: Here are proud hearts indeed! that it ſhould be matter of ſubmiſſion, for a condemned man to take a Pardon, a wounded man a Plaiſter, a ſick man a Cordial, a naked man Cloathing, a loſt ſinner a Saviour; ls not this the caſe of the Men and Women of the World? Conſider, wouldſt thou not account him a Fool, that will refuſe Phyſick becauſe he is ſick, a Cordial becauſe he is faint, Meat becauſe he is hungrie, Money becauſe he is poor, Cloathing becauſe he is naked, and Freedom becauſe he is Satans Priſoner? I could almoſt ſay to the Reader, as once Nathan ſaid to David, Thou art the Man, 2 Sam. 12. 7. There are amongſt manie others theſe four things that keep moſt Men and Women from being converted,

p. 221. Moſt think it to be a needleſs work, or an eaſie work, when as it is a needfull work, and a hard work, Jer. 13. 23. compared with Matth. 18. 3.

2. Or becauſe he is not able to pay that which God requires.

3. Or becauſe he thinketh he ſhall be able to diſcharge all himſelf in time.

4. Or elſe becauſe he doubts of the truth of him that promiſeth to help him.

So much ſhall ſerve to ſpeak of the

Change.

1. Moral

2. Partial

3. Formal

It remains now that we come to the fourth, to wit, the Spiritual change: and here I ſhall fix, all that is written before is but an Introduction to this, I have been ſhewing the Maladie, let us now come to the Remedie, the ſum whereof is; that God the Father, Son, and Holie Ghoſt hath ſent forth Jeſus Chriſt, God-Man into the World, to ſeek and ſave ſinners, and commandeth every one that heareth theſe glad tidings to believe in him whom he hath ſent; and promiſeth that whoſoever believeth in him ſhall be ſaved, for God when the fulneſs of time (by him appointed was come) ſent his Son, him that is God over all, bleſſed for …ver, equal with the Father in being, majeſtie p. 23and glorie, him in whom his FatherSee Mr. R. F. in his myſtery of godlineſs. pag. 7. delighted from all eternitie, his own and his onelie begotten Son, promiſed before to Adam, Gen. 3. 15. preached to Abraham, Gen. 12. 3. typified in the legal Sacrifices, Gal. 3. 18. and propheſied of by Moſes and all the Prophets, Gen. 18. 18. and Gen. 26. 4. and pointed at by John, the Lord ſends his Son in the likneſſe of ſinfull ſleſh, to condemn ſin in the fleſh, him we are to hear, and to wait upon in a broken-hearted and diligent uſe of meanes, untill we be made partakers of his free ſaving grace, &c.

And although in this great work, I ſhall, I fear, rather liſp, than ſpeak plain, yet I truſt I ſhall not darken counſel by words without knowledge. It is true, ſometimes a child of light doth walk in darkneſſe, as to the footſteps of the Lord: Pſal. 77. 19. Thy way is in the Sea, and thy path in the great waters, and thy footſteps are not known; compare this with John 3. 8. The wind bloweth where it liſteth, and thou heareſt the ſound thereof, but canſt n…t tell whence it cometh, and whether it goeth; ſo is every one that is born of the Spirit, ſaith our Lord Chriſt, &c. From theſe and other Scriptures it doth appear, that God doth not work in the ſame meaſure and method upon all in the work of converſion; ſome are ſanctified▪ from the p. 24womb, Jer. 1. 5. as Jeremiah was ſanctified before he came out of his mothers womb, and John the Baptiſt was filled with the Holy Ghoſt even from his mothers womb, Luk. 1. 15. Some are converted by a ſmall ſtill voice: See 1 King. 19. 11. 12. ſome muſt have a great and strong wind, renting the mountaines of ſinne in their hearts, others muſt have an Earth-quake to awaken them, ſome muſt be brought through the fire to burn up their droſſe, ſome men… fleſh is harder to heal then others, ſo ſome mens hearts; a needle may do that to one, which a launce will not do to another; a frown to one, which a blow will not do to another; ſome men are of greater parts, of greater places, who are not ſo eaſily humbled; ſome men are of crabbed and untowards ſpirits, and knotty blocks had need of hard wedges: ſome men have longer ſcores, and greater rekonings, have been greater ſinners than others, and though not alwayes, yet ordinarily God doth proportion the ſorrow to the ſinne. Again, upon ſome the Lord doth intend to beſtow a greater meaſure of grace, than upon others, and ſo he layeth a proportionable foundation; ſome he intends to uſe as one of a thouſand. To comfort others therefore he doth exerciſe them p. 25with difficulties of higher nature, that they may experimentally comfort others, 2 Cor. 1. 4. and ſome he intends for great ſervice, great imployment, either in Church or State, and therefore he doth humble them the more at the bringing in, as we may ſe… and read, in the converſion of Paul, Luther, Auguſtin; It is true, all Gods people are ſouldiers; but all his people are not Champions: all are brought home, or ſhall be; but all are not brought home equally alike in every thing; and though the converſion of a ſinner be a great work, yet when the Lord ſets about it, it is ſoon done;Though converſion be a great work, yet it is ſoon done. Vocation, regeneration and converſion, is many times wrought in an inſtant; God in ſaying, Awake thou that ſleepeſt, ariſe from the dead and Chriſt ſhall give thee life, makes the ſoul to awake, ariſe and live, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, Iſa. 45. 22. Look unto me and be ye ſaved, all the ends of the earth, for I am God, and there is none elſe. Chriſt tells us in few words, and the Apoſtle in as few, John 3. 14. As Moſes lifted up the Serpent in the wilderneſſe, ſo muſt the Sonne of man be lifted up, that whoſoever believeth in him ſhould be ſaved, Rom. 10. 9. If thou ſhalt confeſſe with thy mouth the Lord Ieſus, and ſhalt believe in thine heart, that God hath raiſed him from the dead, thou ſhalt be ſaved, &c. p. 26But to proceed, conſider theſe three things.

1. What preparations, conditions, or qualifications ſhould a man or woman find in themſelves, before they lay hold on Chriſt and the promiſes?

2. How Converſion, regeneration, repentance and vocation, agree or differ?

3. The way ſtep by ſtep, which the Lord in his ordinary diſpenſation, in theſe Goſpel dayes, doth lead a ſoul, as it were by the hand, out of a ſtate of nature, into a ſtate of grace, &c?

1. What preparations, conditions or qualifications, ſhould a manor woman find in themſelves, before they lay hold on Christ, and apply the promiſes? For anſwer hereunto, take theſe conſiderations, Viz. I know no qualifications & preparations that are ſo required, as that without it we ſhould not come, but there be ſome, without which we will not come, we muſt buy milk and wine, although it be without money and without price, Iſa. 55. 1, 2. By preparatory work, we underſtand certain inherent qualifications, according to the ordinary diſpenſation of God: and ſo the ſoul is made ſenſible of ſinne, death, and curſe due to it; before it paſſe through the new birth, he muſt be convinced, that the Law is holy, juſt and good, the precept holy, the promiſe good, the curſe juſt; a man muſt acknowledge himſelf a lawfull captive, before the Lord will ſet him free; p. 27all the preparations required in Gods ordinary way of diſpenſation before converſion, may be reduced to theſe four heads.

1. Revelation of Jeſus Chriſt dying for the ſinnes of the people, according to the Goſpel of free grace, and ſo tenders pardon of ſinne to all ſinners that are ſenſible of ſinne, ſinners that are broken hearted, Iſa. 61. 1. broken and bruiſed, Luk. 4. 18. that are weary and heavy laden, Mat. 11. 28. poor ſick ſinners, Mar. 2. 17. ſenſible of their miſery, and neceſſity of a remedy, without which they periſh eternally.

2. After this ſenſe of miſery and want of mercy, there will be an inquiring after a remedy, Sirs, what ſhall I do to be ſaved? Rom. 16. 30. So Paul, Lord, what wil… thou have me to do? Rom. 9. 6.

3. There will be a waiting upon God in the uſe of means, for the obtaining of mercy.

But let the Reader conſider, that whatſoever preparations and qualifications there is required in any before converſion, they are wrought in us by the ſinger of God, who worketh in us both to will and to do of his own good pleaſure, Phil. 2. 13. So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that ſheweth mercy, Rom. 9. 16. how was Paul diſpoſed, and affected p. 28when Chriſt calls him? Acts 9. had not Pauls calling depended upon Gods choice at that time, he had never been called; here may we behold the downfall of all natural preparations, and meritorious diſpoſitions.

Quere 2. How Vocation, converſion, repentance, regeneration, agree or differ?

For anſwer to this, let me give the Reader Maſter Baxſters judgement, to which I fully aſſent and conſent; All theſe particular expreſſions, ſaith he, are uſed in Scripture to expreſſe one and the ſame work upon the ſoul, onelyonly they have ſome ſmall difference, Viz. The word Vocation, is taken for Gods act of Calling, and is two-fold. Firſt, Common; when men are brought to an outward profeſſion. Secondly, Specially; when people are ſavingly converted to Chriſt; this laſt calling is the ſame with converſion, only this difference; Calling hath uſually in Scripture a principal reſpect to the firſt act on the ſoul, even the act of faith it ſelf, or at leaſt the habit of faith, is effected in the heart, and therewith the ſeed of all graces in the ſoul; this is that Vocation, or ſpecial effectual Calling: next, Conſider that Repentance is the ſame thing as ſpecial effectual Calling, only this difference, the word Vocation, p. 29doth principally expreſſe the ſtate to which we are called; but the word Repentance, doth principally reſpect our our turning to God, from whom we fell, and the word Vocation doth as much or more reſpect our coming to Chriſt, the true and only way to the Father; the word Regeneration is more comprehenſive, than Converſion, Repentance and Vocation: becauſe there is ſo great a change, that a man is as it were another man, 2 Cor. 5. 11. He that is in Chriſt is a new creature. And yet the word Regeneration fignifieth the ſame thing as Converſion, Repentance and Vocation, only obſerving a ſmall difference, as before mentioned.

Quere 3. The way ſtep by ſtep, which the Lord in his ordinary diſpenſation, in theſe Goſpel-dayes, doth lead a ſoul, as it were by the band, out of a ſtate of nature, into a ſtate of grace.

1. The firſt ſtep to Converſion, is Illumination.

2. The ſecond ſtep to accompliſh, or at leaſt to carry on this work, is effectual Vocation, which hath many branches.

3. The third ſtep to get out of a ſtate of nature, into a ſtate of grace, out of a ſtate of death, into a ſtate of life, is to truſt or believe in the Lord, which hath many branches.

p. 304. The fourth ſtep; for the compleating, and carrying on this work, there is uſually dropped into the ſoul and heart the ſpirit of grace and ſupplication, by which the party goes unto God, with confeſſions and petitions.

5. The fifth ſtep; to effect and compleat this great work, the Lord doth cauſe the ſoul ſecretly to give it ſelfe up, and ſurrender all the intereſt that it had in it ſelf, to God that made it, and Chriſt that bought it.

1. The firſt ſtep to Converſion, is illumination, as doth fully appear by theſe Scriptures, Acts. 26. 18. I ſend thee, ſaith Chriſt to Paul, to open their eyes, and to turn them from darknes to light, and from the power of Sathan unto God. So Pſal. 119. 130. The entrance of thy word giveth light, it giveth underſtanding unto the ſimple, lob. 33. 30. to bring back his ſoul from the pit, to be enlightned with the light of the living, Men are not born with this ſaving light in their hearts, as they are born with tongues in their mouthes; for the beſt knowing men under heaven, untill born again and converted, are in darkneſs, Epheſ. 5. 8. For ye were ſometimes darkneſs, but now are ye light in the Lord, being born again, 1 Cor. 2. 14. The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, neither can p. 31he know them, becauſe they are ſpiritually diſcerned, 2 Cor. 4. 6. For God who commanded the light to ſhine out of darkneſs, hath ſhined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jeſus Chriſt. This illumination is acompanied with (1) A renewing of the mind, Rom. 12. 2. Eph. 4. 23. (2) A conviction of ſin and guilt, he doth acknowledge himſelf a lawfull captive. (3) There are the ſeeds, or roots of all ſaving grace, infuſed into the ſoul at once, if the ſoul be enlightned with a ſpecial ſaving light, but the ſoul doth not preſently, & ſenſibly exerciſe thē all; the firſt part of ſaving grace is illumination, the opening of the eyes, cauſeth the opening of the heart.

2. The ſecond ſtep to accompliſh or at leaſt to carry on this work of converſion, is Vocation; this effectual vocation, is the firſt or ſecond act of Election, ſaith Maſter Norton; Calling is the firſt act of Divine mercy, in recovering miſerable man: Doctor Twiſs ſaith, effectuall calling is the firſt mercy, &c. But let the Reader conſider, that if theſe four words, Vocation, Converſion, Repentance, Regeneration, agree in one, and are uſed in Scripture to expreſſe the ſame work upon the ſoul, having but a ſmall difference, as hath been proved before; then now in ſpeaking to this word p. 32Vocation, let the Reader take notice, that though Converſion, Repentance, Regeneration, be not expreſt, yet they all are included and contained; and if ſo, then Vocation ſeems to be a ſecond work upon the ſoul, rather than the firſt, Jer. 31. 19. Surely after that I was turned, I repented, and after that I was inſtructed I was aſhamed, yea, even confounded, becauſe I did bear the reproach of my youth; the way that the Lord doth take for the recovering of a backſlider, and the converſion of a ſinner, doth in many thing; if not in all, go hand in hand together, he calls upon the one, and ſo he doth upon the other, he enlightens the one to ſee from whence he is fallen, and ſo he doth the other; he gives repentance to the one, and ſo he doth to the other, &c.

There are principally theſe three things, to be conſidered in this Vocation,

1. The principal cauſe of Vocation is Gods free mercy, 2 Tim. 1. 9. Titus 3. 3, 4, 5.

2. The inſtrumental cauſe is the preaching of the Goſpel, 2 Theſ. 2. 14.

3. The end of Vocation is Gods glory, and the ſalvation of his elected ones, Epheſ. 2. 1. And you hath he quickened, when you were dead in ſinnes and treſpaſſes, Col. 2. 13. And you that were dead in your ſinnes, hath he quickned, p. 33Eph. 1. 12. that we ſhould be to the praiſe of his glory.

There be certain ſteps at firſt in a ſouls coming to Chriſt, or preparatory acceſſes, like that we read Pſalm 6. 2, 4. Have mercy upon me, O Lord, for I am weak; O Lord heal me, for my bones are vexed; Return, O Lord, deliver my ſoul: O ſave me for thy mercies ſake. Matt. 9. 20. Bebold a woman diſeaſed, though ſhe came not preſently to look God fully in the face, though ſhe dare not come to touch Chriſt and lay hold on him, yet ſhe was ſenſible of her own miſery, and want of mercy, ſhe knew there was vertue to come from him, and ſhe came as near that as ſhe durſt, ſhe had a deſire to ſpeak, but ſhe went no farther than to ſpeak to her ſelf; ſhe ſaith to her ſelf, if I may but touch his garment, I ſhall b…whole; then Chriſt ſpake to her, though ſhe would not ſpeak to him, to overcome her baſhfullneſs, he called her daughter, and to overcome her unbelief, he bid her be of good comfort, he had healed her. From how little a ſpark, how greata fire! from how little a beginning, how great a proceeding! ſhe deſired but the hemm of his garment, and had himſelf. See John. 3. 2. Nicodemus he came to Jeſus by night, who was ſo weak, as being either afraid or aſhamed to own Chriſt in the day, p. 34he cometh to him by night; One would have thought, that Chriſt would have ſaid to him, Nicodemus, is thy deſire after me ſo ſaint, as that thou feareſt to come to me in the day time? Or am l ſo unworthy as not to be owned, but out of fight? Haſt thou either ſo low an eſteem of me, or beareſt thou ſo little love to me? Goe return as thou cameſt, I will not accept of thee in the dark, who wouldeſt not acknowledg me in the light. No, no, Chriſt hath not one ſyllable of this, he knew that Nicodemus was but a beginner, and therefore entertaines him, and inſ…ructs him in the new birth, John. 3. 5. Except a man be born of water and of the ſpirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God &c. Conſider there is none effect of election, before illumination and effectual vocation; the el…t themſelves are ſaid before, to be children of wrath as well as others. Ephes. 2. 3.

Some affirme, that in this act of Vocation, the ſeeds or root of faith, is wrought in the heart, which may be true, onelyonly, (under correction) I doe verily think it is not exerciſed, but in part; the Soul doth exerciſe but little more, than to give credit to what is written, which ſome call the faith of credence, giving credit, to what is written, which others call the Faith of p. 35aſſent; this undoubtedly is wrought in the heart, either in the work of Illumination, or in eſtectual Vocation: now effectual Vocation, or ſpecial effectual Calling, is attended or accompanied with, Viz.

1. The Faith of aſſent.

2. Repentance.

3. Converſion.

4. Regeneration.

Now moſt of theſe words are uſed in Scripture, to expreſſe the ſame work upon the ſoul, as Mr Baxſter affirmes, or rather as the Scripture teacheth us, &c.

1. That ſpecial effectual Calling is attended or accompanied with the Faith of aſſent, or credence, See Mat. 8. 2. The Leper did aſſent to the power of Chriſt, that he was able to clenſe him, ſaying, Lord if thou wilt, thou canſt make me clean; ſurely Vocation is accompanied with a bare naked aſſent to every truth revealed by God.

2. It is accompanied with Repentance, which conteineth two things. The firſt is, a hearty ſorrow that ever he ſinned. The ſecond is, a turning from that ſinne to God, or there is a turning from a ſtate of ſinne and miſery, unto God our only remedy; this Repentance is wrought, by p. 36the Miniſtry both of Law and Goſpel; the thunders of the Law terrifie, and the dews of the Goſpel mollifie: there is nothing breaks the heart more than mercy, nothing melts a man more than the mercies of God, which he hath abuſed; the conſideration of this, opens all the ſprings in thee, the ſoul is not able to ſtand ſtubborn under it, 2 Cor. 7. 9, 10, 11.

3. This ſpecial effectual Calling, is accompanyed with Converſion, which is a work of the Spirit of Chriſt in a ſenſible loſt undone ſinner, by the Doctrine of Chriſt, by which he effectually changeth the minde, heart and life, from the creature, to God in Chriſt; the parts of this Converſion are theſe three:- Firſt, it is a change of the minde: Secondly, of the heart: Thirdly, of the life, &c. In the moment of Converſion, God works that bleſſed work, which ſhall never be undone; In a word, that is wrought in an inſtant, which ſhall remain for ever.

4. This effectual Calling is accompanied with Regeneration, which doth make ſo great a change, that a man is as it were an other man, ſo that this word Regeneration, is more comprehenſive, than Converſion, Repentance, or Vocation, 2 Cor. 5. 17. He that is in Chriſt, is a new creature, p. 37old things are paſt away, behold all things are become new; Mark, every man that is in Chriſt, that is, thus converted, every true Chriſtian then is a new creature, not in ſubſtance but in quality, all things are become new; a true converted man, he hath new love, new deſires, new ſorrow, new delight, new reſolution, and a new converſion, Vocation, Converſion, and Regeneration, is wrought in an inſtant, God in ſaying live, makes the ſoul to live; as it is in the firſt, ſo it ſhall be in the ſecond Reſurrection, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, whiles God ſpeaks the word, the dead ſhall riſe, 1 Cor. 15. 52, &c.

3. The next ſtep to get out of a ſtate of death, into a ſtate of life, is to truſt or believe in the Lord. I know there be many that doth make this the firſt ſtep to ſalvation, which I hear them ſay, but not prove; ſure I am, no man can have grace without knowledge; for who can hate ſinne till he knoweth it, and the evil of it? and who can love God or believe in him, till he know him to be merciful, able and faithfull? who can do the duty that he underſtandeth not, or go the way to heaven that he is ignorant of? ſo that illumination muſt needs be the firſt ſtep, but withall it is granted, that the Spirit of God, either p. 38in Illumination or Vocation, doth cauſe the firſt act of faith in the heart, and by that act a habit is effected, and therewith the ſeed of all graces; For the habit of faith, ſaith Maſter Norton, ſeemeth not to be infuſed alone, before the other habits of ſaving grace. The univerſal frame of ſaving grace is infuſed into the ſoul at once, as one general habit; ſo that the infuſion of life, into the heart or ſoul, hath its being all at once, and is uncapable of diviſion into parts; and ſo the habit of faith ſeemeth not to be infuſed alone, before or after the other ſaving graces, ſo that I am not ſpeaking of what comes into the ſoul firſt, but what the ſoul doth put forth and act firſt, in order to its coming out of a ſtate of nature into a ſtate of grace.

Two things are here of an abſolute neceſſity to our ſalvation; the one is to believe unfainedly that Chriſt is the Redeemer of the world, and that there is no other way of ſalvation, but by him, Acts 4. 12. Iohn 14. 6. Iohn 10. 1, 7, 8, 9. The ſecond is, to accept of him as he is offered to us in the Goſpel, and ſo faith inſtates a ſoul in the poſſeſſion of heaven, whilſt the body remains on the earth; Now in this third ſtep, of truſting in God or believing in him, the ſoul and heart doth in ſome p. 39meaſure, exerciſe theſe four things.

1. It doth look unto him.

2. It doth come unto him.

3. It doth receive him.

4. It doth believe in him, and lay hold on him.

1. It doth look unto him, Iſa. 45. 22. Look unto me, and be ye ſaved all the ends of the earth, for I am God, and there is none elſe, Zach. 12. 10. And they ſhall look upon me whom they have peirced, and mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only ſonne; The ſoul looks upon an humbled Chriſt, with an humble heart, upon a broken Chriſt, with a broken heart, upon a bleeding Chriſt, with a bleeding heart, upon a wounded Chriſt, with a wounded heart; in a word, this is ſuch a look, as ſends a man away with another heart, Pſal. 34. 5. They looked unto him and were lightened; there is no change of the ſubſtance of the ſoul and body, nor of the faculties of the ſoul and body, but the qualities of the faculties are clearly changed, ſo that men and women become as children in humility, teachableneſs, and beginning the world a new; he hath a new heart, and a new tongue, new inclinations, new intentions, new deſires, new content, and diſcontent, new delight, new anger, new courage, new fear, new p. 40hope, new thoughts in his heart, and new work to do, and yet, as before, there is no change of the ſubſtance of ſoul and body, nor of the faculties of the ſoul, but the qualities of the faculties are clearly changed, &c.

2. The ſoul doth not only look unto him, but it doth come unto him, Mat. 11. 28. Come unto me all ye that are weary, and heavy laden, and I will give you reſt,, John 6. 37. Him that cometh to me. I will in no wiſe caſt out. Some affirm, that in the Greek, this word hath three negatives, thus, I will in no wiſe, no wiſe, no wiſe cast out, and if ſo, Let the Reader conſider theſe three things.

1. The Lord doth call thee three times in one verſe, Iſa. 55. 1. come, come, come; So in Rev. 22. 17. And the Spirit and the Bride ſay, come, and let him that heareth come, and let him that is athirſt come.

2. As there are three calls, Come, come, come; ſo there are three ſorts of perſons invited to come, and all couched in the latter words of the 17^th verſe of Rev. 22. And whoſoever will, let him take of the water of life freely.

1. What perſon ſoever he be, Jew or Gentil, Barbarian or Scythian, Acts 10. 34. 35. Then Peter opened his mouth, and ſaid, of a truth, I perceive, that God is no reſpecter of perſons, but p. 41in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteouſneſſe, is accepted of him.

2. What finner ſoever he be; he deſpiſeth not the weeping Mary, the begging Canaanite, the intreating Publican, the confeſſing Thief, the adultero…s Woman, the denying Diſciple, the perſecuting Paul, Iſa. 1. 18. though your ſinnes be as ſcarlet they ſhall be cleanſed &c.

3. What time ſoever a ſinner doth come; ſo it be before the ſun is ſet, the glaſſe out, and the golden ſcepter taken in, if it be at the eleventh houre, or as the Thief upon the Croſs, at the laſt gaſp, it may be thou mayſt obtain mercy.

4. Laſtly, he doth aſſure thoſe that come, he will in no wiſe, in no wiſe, in no wiſe, caſt of: Now lay all theſe together, the Lord calls, Come, come, come; the perſons that he calls are of three ſorts, (1) what perſon ſoever, (2) what ſinner ſoever, (3) what time ſoever he come; if he indeed come to me, I will in no wiſe, in no wiſe, in no wiſe, caſt off.

3. So there is not only a looking upon him, and a coming to him; but there is a receiving of him, John. 1. 12. but as many as received him, to them gave he power, to become the ſons of God; by the habit of faith the ſoul doth paſſively receive Chriſt, but by the act p. 42of faith, the ſoul doth actively receive Chriſt. In the firſt, the ſoule is paſſive; but in the ſecond, he is active; there is a twofold receiving of Chriſt, a paſſive and an active; paſſive, wherein the ſpirituall principle of grace is ingenerated, or infuſed into the heart or ſoul, and ſo we are received of Chriſt, before we do receive Chriſt; ſo that Chriſt in working the grace of faith receiveth us, and by the act of faith we receive him; ſo that Chriſt taketh the ſoul, before the ſoul taketh him.

Now he that hath thus received the Son hath life. 1 John. 5. 12. he that hath the Son hath life, and he that hath not the Son hath not life. Collo. 2. 6. As ye have therefore received Chriſt the Lord, ſo walk ye in him. He that truely receiveth Chriſt, receiveth him in all his offices, as a King, Prieſt and Prophet, this receiving of him, is not an act of the underſtanding, but an act of the will, imbracing him, and truſting on him.

4. The heart doth believe in him, and the ſoul layes hold on him, ſo that forementioned place, John 1. 12. they and they only becomes the Sons of God, that doth believe in his name; when the Jaylor Acts. 16, 30. would know what he muſt do to be ſaved? the apoſtles anſwered him and ſaid, Vers. 31. believe on the Lord Jeſus p. 43Christ, and thou ſhalt be ſaved; ſo when the people asked Chriſt, what they ſhould do that they might work the works of God, John. 6. 28. Jeſus anſwered and ſaid unto them, Vers. 29. this is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath ſent. So 1 John. 3. 23. This is his commandment, that we ſhould believe in the name of his ſon Jeſus Chriſt. 2 Tim. 1. 12. I know, ſaith the apoſtle, whom I have believed; there is the firſt act of faith of reliance, and I am perſwaded, that he is able to keep, that which I have commited to his truſt; there is the ſecond act of truſt.

When the ſoul is brought over to aſſent unto that great truth, that Chriſt is a Saviour, and a Mediator, it doth rowl and reſt it ſelf upon him, and ſo truſteth on Chriſt for juſtification, and conſequently for ſalvation, Pſal. 37. 5. Commit thy way to the Lord, truſt alſo in him, Prov. 16. 3. Rowl thy works upon the Lord, and thy thoughts ſhall be eſtabliſhed. Caſt thy burthen upon the Lord, Pſal. 28. 7. The Lord is my ſtrength, and my ſhield, my heart truſteth in him. The Lord is the Author and Finiſher of our faith, he doth command us to believe, he doth enable us to believe, and then commends us for believing: ſo the Lord commends Nathaniel, for his faith, which was only the faith of his own powerful working, p. 44ſo he commends David for his uprightneſſe, Hezekiah for his perfectneſs, Moſes for his meekneſs, Cornelius for his devotion, the Publican for his compunction, the poor Widdow for her liberality, and the woman of Canaan for her faith and importunity; all which was only the work of his own grace in them▪ O how may this encourage us to ſtir up our ſelves, and take h…ld of God! See Iſa. 64. 7. Iſa. 27. 5. Let him take hold of my ſtrength, and he ſhall make peace within me. As there is no promiſe to us, till we believe; ſo if once we believe, all the promiſes are ours; he hath promiſed to be a tower, a rock, a refuge, a covert from a ſtorm▪, and hidden place in time of danger; he hath promiſed to hear us when we pray, to anſwer us when we call, to open to us when we knock, Pſal. 50. 15. Mat. 7. 7. Ground this in the bottom of your hearts, that without faith in Chriſt, and obedience to Chriſt, there is no promiſe of life and ſalvation, by Chriſt, no coming to the Father but by him, no coming to Chriſt but by faith, no getting of faith but by waiting upon him in the uſe of means, &c. And ſo to cloſe up the fourth head, let the Reader conſider, that this looking unto him, coming unto him, receiving of him, and believeing p. 45in him, is ſpiritually to be underſtood, and ſpiritu…lly to be performed.

4. Step; for the carring on, and compleating this work, there is dropped into him, or her, the Spirit of grace, by which he is at length imboldened to go unto God, with confeſſions, and petitions, he puts on the reſolution of the King of Ninive, Jonah 3. and ſaith within himſelf, I will cry mightily unto the Lord, who can tell, but that he may have mercy upon me? He principally praye… for theſe and the like things.

1. He prayes for more light, that he may ſee his ſinnes, and the vildneſs of them more fully, that he may arraign, accuſe, and judge himſelf for them.

2. He prayes for pardoning mercy; Pardon my ſin, ſaith David, for it is wondrous great.

3. He prayes for purging mercy.

1. He prayes for an increaſe of light, that he may ſee his ſinnes more fully and clearly, that he may abhor, arraign, accuſe and judge himſelf for them, That which I ſee not, teach thou me, ſaith the Prophet. Again, Job. 13. 23, How many are mine iniquities and my ſins? make me to know my tranſgreſſion and my ſin. Job 40. 4. Behold I am vile, what ſhall I anſwer thee? once have I ſpoken, yea twice, but I will proceed no farther.

p. 462. He prayes for pardoning mercy: Rom. 8. 15. We have received the ſpirit of adoption, whereby we cry Abba Father; As a little child at firſt ſaith Dad and Mam: ſo doth a Chriſtian; the evidence that the Lord gave Ananias of Saul's converſion, was this, Acts 9. 11. Behold he prayes! He that hath not this breath of Prayer, is either a dead man, or in a dangerous ſwoun, Pſal. 25. 7. Remember not the ſins of my youth, nor my tranſgreſſions, but according to thy mercy remember me for thy goodneſs ſake.

3. He prayes for purging mercy, Pſal. 19. 12. Who can underſtand his errors? cleanſe thou me from ſecret faults. Pſal. 79. 9. Purge away our ſins for thy name ſake: the ſoul is not ſatisfied with pardoning mercy, unleſs he may have purging mercy alſo; ſo that pardoning mercy is ſo great a belly-mercy, that it hath many mercies in the bowels of it; 2 Cor. 5. 19. it brings reconciliation with God, and admiſſion into his favour, and adoption of children, whereby the ſoul hath acceſs to God as a Father, with childlike boldneſs, and acceptation of our ſervices, and ſanctification of every condition to us, and ſupportations under tryals and croſſes; and laſt of all, peace, joy, comfort, which are not ſo much fruits of pardon, as fruits of purging, and keeping down p. 47of ſin, that it reign not in our mortal bodies. He freed me from the guilt of fin, and ſhall I love the filth of fin? He made me a member of Chriſt, and ſhall I be a filthy member of ſo holy a body? He hath made me a branch, and ſhall I be a polluted branch of ſo holy a ſtock? the Lord forbid.

Let the Reader conſider, that although we have brought Prayer under the fourth Step, or head, yet this is to be underſtood, that the habit or root of this grace or gift, was infuſed or conveyed into the heart and ſoul in the firſt ſtep, to wit, illumination: but it lay there, as fire under aſhes, or ſap in the root of the tree, it was ſtill and dumb, it did not open the mouth, nor inlarge the heart, until Vocation and Believing had made way; If wee did conſider what order and method the Lord doth take to unveil his love to man, and what order and method man ſhould take to apprehend and apply this love, it will make much for our ſatisfaction: Viz. Gods order is, he goes downward, from the Cauſe to the Effect, and we muſt goe upward, from the Effect to the Cauſe; he goes from Election downward, we muſt go from Illumination, Vocation, Regeneration and Believing upward: and thus God and we at laſt ſhall meet in the middle way: we muſt prove our p. 48ſelves to be called, and he will acknowledg us to be elected. Let us conſider that golden chain, Rom. 8. 29, 30. For whom he did foreknow, he alſo did predeſtinate; moreover, whom he did predeſtinate, them he alſo called, and whom he called them he alſo justified, and whom he juſtified, them he alſo glorified, &c. Here is a golden chain indeed, no link thereof can be unlinked, becauſe the faſtning thereof, is from and by the Lord, Firſt whom he fore-knew for his own, as the word is taken, John. 10. 14. 27. thoſe whom he marked out, as it were, out of all other men in the world, and ſet his affection upon, (2ly.) he alſo did predeſtinate, that is, ordained, to be conformable to Chriſt their head in part, both in grace and glory, (3ly.) Moreover whom he did predeſtinate, them he alſo called to the obedience of faith, by the outward preaching of the word, and the inward and effectual operation of the ſpirit, and whom he called, them he alſo juſtified; that is, God merely of his own grace and free will forgiveth our ſinnes, and pronounceth us juſt: juſtice and mercy doth both meet in this juſtification; juſtice, in that he will not juſtifie a ſinner without a perfect righteouſneſs; and mercy, in that he will accept of ſuch a righteouſneſs, that is neither in p. 49us, nor done by us, but by our ſurety for us; all eminent acts, as juſtification, regeneration, ſanctification, are but one act in God, as we have proved before; but becauſe of our darkneſs and unteachableneſs, the Lord doth ſpeak to us after the manner of men, and ſo doth make out things gradually to us, leading us from ſtep to ſtep, from things more plain, to things more and more hard, as we are able to hear, and underſtand and practice them.

5. The fifth and laſt ſtep that I ſhall name, for the carrying on, and compleating this work, is, the Lord doth cauſe the ſoul ſecretly to give it ſelf up in an everlaſting Covenant, and ſo to ſurrender all the intereſt that it had in it ſelf, to God that made it, and Chriſt that bought it; and ſo his ſoul is carried forth to a ſecret reſting, relying, leaning, ſtaying, and hanging upon the mercy of God, in Chriſt alone, for life and happineſſe: Now he looks after, and endeavours to be found in walking in the way of ſanctification, he reads and finds, 1 Pet. 1. 2. that if he be elected to life, it is through Sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience, and 2 Theſ. 2. 13. God hath choſen a people from the beginning to ſalvation, through Sanctification p. 50of the Spirit, and belief of the truth: He labours for holineſs as well as happineſs, he reads and findeth that the word of God hath a purifying faculty in it, John 15. 3. Ye are clean through the word that I have ſpoken to you, Pſ. 119. 9. Wherewith ſhall a young man cleanſe his way, but by taking heed thereto, according to thy word, Pſ. 119. 11. Thy word-have I bid in mine heart, that I might not ſinne against thee.