Influences of the Life of Grace, Part 1 · Chapter 11

Influences of the Life of Grace · Part 1 · Chapter 11

p. 73CHAP. XI.

1. Our impotency to duties being reproved, cannot excuſe us in the omitting of them. 2. The wicked habit in ſleeping men is faulty. 3. Therefore the withdrawing of influences excuſes not. 4. The Creatures ſin is not from the Lord's withdrawing of influences of grace formally, but from our withdrawing of our hearts from his moral Commandment. 5. The Objection of many, (if God would give me influences of grace as he did to Moſes and David I would be as holy as any) diſcuſſed, the Objector and the Objection both anſwered. 6. The non-ſenſe of the Objection opened. 7. A natural man hates influences both phyſical, and moral, though he wiſh phyſical influences. 8. The Objection exalteth nature, abuſeth grace, and many ways reproacheth God, his Grace, Soveraignty, Wiſedom, &c.

Q. WHether or no doth our impotency to pray and believe clear and juſtifie us,foreign in that we believe not and pray not?

Anſ. Not at all: for one and the ſame cannot be a juſt excuſe, and a due rebuke:There is a wicked weakneſſe and a ſinfull Cannot as contradiſtinguiſhed from ſinful actings, which the holy Ghoſt reproves, and then muſt the indiſpoſition to receive influences to pray, be no excuſe to ſhift the duty. but the holy Ghoſt rebukes our cannot as a ſinful cannot, and ſo our impotency cannot be a juſt excuſe. So, Joſhua chap. 24. 19. Ye cannot ſerve the Lord. Iſa. 29. 11. I cannot read the book, that is, I am ſinfully ignorant of prophecy. Iſa. 44. 18. They cannot underſtand, no more then blind men. Jer. 6. Their ear is uncircumciſed, they cannot hearken. The Lord grievouſly challengeth the people, ver. 11. I am full of the anger of the Lord, and denounce wrath againſt this rebellious cannot; for not only is the tree rejected as bearing evil fruit, but alſo becauſe the ſap is ſour, and the bulk rotten. Chriſt ſpeaks rebukingly of ſome impotent cannot of the world; Joh. 14. p. 7417. I will ſend you the Spirit of truth, foreign, which the world cannot receive, Rom. 8. 7. The wiſedom of the fleſh is not ſubject to the law of God, foreign neither indeed can be. Ver. 8. They that are in the fleſh foreign cannot pleaſe God. 1 Cor. 2. 14. The natural man cannot know the things of God; foreign, it is a condemning of the natural man, as he is oppoſed to the ſpiritual man, who is praiſed as one who knows the ſecrets of God.

2. And he is condemned as one who judgeth the things of the Goſpel fooliſhneſs. John 6. 44. No man can come to me, except the father draw him; And that is a moſt wicked ſhift of him who married a wife, Luke 14. 20. therefore I cannot come; we excuſe ſuch wicked weakneſs with this, God help us, we cannot without his grace doe better.

3. The very ſinful habit and power is reproved in the Word, even the power as it is contra-diſtinguiſhed from the ſinful act; Pſal. 14. 1. The habitual fool hath ſaid in his heart there is not a God.

The habitual blindneſs and hardneſs of heart that may be in ſleeping men, the ſtate of non-regeneration, and the ſtate of death and of uncircumciſion of heart, is condemned, Eph. 2. 1, 2. 3. Col. 1. 13. 14. Pſal. 14. 3. their poyſon of nature, Pſal 58. 4. the uncircumciſion of heart, Jer. 9. 26. the ſinful frame of the heart, Gen. 6. 5. Gen. 8. 21. Hence, of force it muſt follow, that this is no good conſequence, the ſleeping man or ſwooning man, acting and committing no actual guiltineſs, and making no uſe of free-will, is guilty and rebukable before God, as the ſleeping Wolf is bloudy,The Lord's withdrawing of influences is conjoyned with our guiltineſs, and cannot found an honeſt excuſe for not praying. the ſleeping Lion is cruel, becauſe of the bloudy and cruel nature, that is inherently in both, when neither of them do actually devour; ſo though influences to the material acts of ſin, be not in our power, yet, ſince we lodge that ſinful power, and virtually (as is ſaid) conſent to want the breathings of God, and conſent that the ſinful acts have houſ-room, in the ſleeping man, we are thence guilty upon that account, though we ſleep and are patient in carrying ſinful powers, and ſinful acts now inherent in us, and the withdrawing of influences of grace upon the ſame p. 75account, cannot be an honeſt excuſe; why, I pray not? yea the wicked impotency, and indiſpoſition, and the three Diſciples drouzineſs, and ſleepineſs the ſame way phyſical, being on them in the night, Matth. 26. is a new guiltineſſe moral, (for Chriſt commanded watching in vigorouſneſſe then) and their actual not praying, is another guiltineſs.

3. Under withdrawings of influences of grace we are guilty.The Lord's not giving a new heart is not our ſin, and yet our not having a new heart is our guiltineſs. 1. In not conſidering the temptation, ſigns and wonders we ſee and hear, Deut. 29. 3. yea though the Lord's not giving a new heart, be not our ſin formally; yet our not having, nor receiving of a new heart, is our ſin. The ſowrneſs and naughtineſs of the Earth in bringing forth poyſonable weeds, is the Earth's own indiſpotion; the Sun and Clouds extract theſe poyſonable herbs; the natural drineſs of ſome rocky Earth and the not raining of the clouds meet both in one, to wit, the barrenneſs of the earth; and this takes not away the faultineſs of this earth ſo rocky. 2. Our guiltineſs that appears is evident, in our eik which we make to original and natural malice; for acquired pravity meets with natural and original corruption, like two floods to make a Sea or a great River; or as when a man forceth a wound to bleed, which of it ſelf would bleed: And again, what ever may be ſaid of the reſult of the Lord's withdrawing of influences, we add an impulſion to his withdrawing, as the adding of the heat of an Oven neer the root of a fruit tree, to cauſe it to ripen, adds ſomething to the heat of the Sun, and the Influences of the Heavens, and when the heart walketh after the heart of our deteſtable things, as it is Ezech. 11. 21. and with the intended benſil of the free-will, we put our ſeal and conſent to the Lord's withdrawing; there is no ground to complain of his withdrawing.

Q. But does not the Lord's withdrawing of his influences, ſince without his concurrence of that kind our actings are impoſſible, doe violence to free-will, which muſt be indifferent to act or not to act, to doe or not to doe?

Anſ. This is a weak reaſon; for to our willing the influence of God is natural, and ſo is it to our nilling; the Lord …akes his influences, and the withdrawing thereof connatural p. 76to all our actions to both willing and to nilling: drineſs and barrenneſs is as connatural to the tree as budding and fruit-bearing, if God add his influences either to the one or to the other;The Lord's influences are connatural to all our actings, and how. yea, ſince the Lord's concurrence is ſutable to the nature of ſecond cauſes, the fire leaves not off to be fire, nor is its nature deſtroyed, if the Lord withdraw his influence, ſo that the fire burns not the three children: nor is violence done to nature, by the Lord's joyning of his influence to the fire to burn in acts of righteouſneſs or of ſin; there is ſtill nilling and willing. And ſuppoſe that the Martyr choſe to die a violent death, for the confirming of the truth, there is no violence done to free will; nay, there is no miracle in the Lord's concurring to the material acts of ſin.

2. To have dominion over the Soveraignty of God is no part of the creatures liberty,Our actings have no dominion over the Lord's Soveraignty, but contrarily. but only it is free in order to its own actings; nor is it eſſential to the free-will of Men or Angels, or any creature to have the influences of God in its power or at hand; As it is no part of the Sun's power of yielding light, or of the fires quality of caſting heat to have dominion and command over the influences of God the ſupreme and firſt cauſe: but the Lord hath ſo a dominion over ſecond cauſes, both in acts natural and ſupernatural, that his influence as Midwife ever attends (ſaving his holy Soveraignty) the bringing forth of all births, and effects of ſecond cauſes. So as in the free-wills moral actings the not acting of free-will, or the marring of the birth of new obedience to a law of God is never from the Lord's phyſical withdrawing of his influence, as from a culpable cauſe; but the ſinfulneſs of the action is ever from our own ſinful withdrawing of our will from under the moral ſway of the holy command of God: The ſin of the creature is not from the Lords withdrawing of his phyſical influences, but from our withdrawing from his moral command.and let it be a myſtery how the Lord withdraws his concurrence, as being above a law, & he is holy and ſpotleſs in ſo doing, and how we are under a law and ſinfully guilty in that we love to want his holy influence, and its our ſin, and he loves to withdraw his influence; and it is his holy Soveraignty. Both which are clear in Scripture, if we confeſs that we are debters to the Lord, and to his juſt Law, and his holy Soveraignty, in that he yieldeth his influences, and in his having mercy on p. 77whom he will, and in hardning whom he will, in the Lord's drawing of men or his not drawing of them to Chriſt; in revealing the Goſpel myſtery ſavingly to whom he will, Rom. 9. 18. John 6. 44, 63. Matth, 11. 26, 27. nor can the Lord be a debter to the Creature in theſe. And this myſterie is a clear revealed truth,Magnus D. Twiſſus contra Arnold. Corvinum. c. 13. ſect. 1… p. 437. n. 2. col. 1. if we yield that the Lord's active drawing, calling, inviting of ſinners to come to Chriſt is his holy and ſinleſs work; and our paſſive not being drawn, and not being effectually called and invited to come to Chriſt is our ſin of unbelief and our refuſing and rebellious rejecting of his call,Quare licet hominum malitiae tribuatur in ſolidum quod non credant, tamen etiam defectui gratiae nihilominus tribuendum eſt, quod non curetur mentis caecitas, cordis inſidelitas. Nam ſi affirmatio ſit cauſa affirmationis, etiam negatio erit cauſa negationis. Sic Servator ipſe, Qui ex Deo eſt, Vocem audit Dei; vos autem propterea non auditis quia ex Deo non eſtis, Joan. 8. 37.John 8:37 Iſa. 65. 1, 2. Prov. 1. 24, 25, 26. John 5. 40. and that he ſo calleth and hath mercy on whom he will, becauſe he will, as it is the fleſh and carnal wiſedom that objecteth. But God ſo calling ſome, as they muſt come, becauſe ſo he willeth; and ſo calling other ſome, as they muſt be hardened, becauſe he willeth, gives a ſeeming ground to two great Objections.

1. Why then doth God find fault and rebuke and eternally refuſe the ſo called? for if they were called with that drawing power that others are called with, ſure they would believe and come: but they are not ſo called; therefore God cannot blame us, & find the fault in unbelievers, Rom. 18. 19.

2. If God ſo call ſome as they obey, and others as they obey not, becauſe he will, who can reſiſt his will? his will is as himſelf: then do we reject God's calling, and eternally periſh, becauſe God ſo doth will? Now not any ever breathing, moved any ſuch Objections, but the carnal Jew in Paul's time, and the Socinians, Jeſuits, and Arminians in the age we now live in, and ſtumblers at the word; for all ſuch enemies to grace, turn the Objection into an argument againſt the abſolute will, and invincible grace of God, and anſwer not with the holy Ghoſt, who Rom. 9. calls it a bold fleſhly replying unto God. v. 20. for the holy Ghoſt aſſerts the Soveraignty of God, as the potter over the clay, & the guiltineſs of veſſels of wrath, Rom. 9. 22. and their diſobedience in refuſing the call of God, v. 29. & their following like Phariſees Law-righteouſneſs by works, and ſtumbling at Chriſt the ſtumbling ſtone laid in Sion, Rom. 9. 31, 32, 33. wheras the Gentils were called of free grace, v. 24. 25, 26. therefore they p. 78muſt be of the ſame ſtamp with the fleſhly Jews, who thus object againſt us, and ſuch are the Patrons of univerſal grace and free-will. Hence let that be diſcuſſed.

1. Would God give me grace I would be a man according to God's heart, as well as David.

But 2. I was born in ſin and I cannot have more grace then God hath given me.

3. Would God give me a new power, I would run; now this power he denyes to me, and gives to many.

That this ſpecial practical doubt may be fully removed.

1. A word to the Objector. 2. To the Objection.

To the Objector 1. If the Lord had given me the ſame grace that he gave David,The objection of many, if God would give me influences of grace as he did to David, Moſes, &c. I would be as holy as any, diſcuſſed. I ſhould run as David. 1. It is of much concernment, who moves the Objection, whether a Convert, or a non-convert: it is commendable in neither; but in an unhumbled non-convert, it is ſenſeleſs. If the ſenſe be, had the Lord beſtowed on me the grace habitual and actual, ſuch as he beſtowed on David, I ſhould be a man according to the Lord's heart, as well as David. No thanks, no praiſe or glory to David, that he is a man according to God's heart; True; and therefore no guilt is upon the Objector, nor is any puniſhment due to him that he remains in curſed nature; this follows not.

2. The ſenſe is;The non-ſenſe of this had I more grace, I ſhould be more gracious. had I grace I ſhould be a gracious man: what is this but I would have been a convert, if God had made me a convert.

But 1. The Objector ſays no more, then the fallen Angels, had the Lord made us Divels to be elect Angels, and confirmed us in grace, then ſhould we have been elect Angels; So might Judas have ſaid, had grace made me the beloved Diſciple that leaned on Chriſt's boſome, I ſhould have been a ſound believer; this is a meer ſpeculation, no preaching of heart-love, to the man Chriſt; all the Reprobate may ſay, had the Lord made us all holy and ſinleſs men in a perſonal union with Chriſt, we ſhould all have been Chriſt's; Curſed Libertines and Quakers ſo call themſelves; have they any more of the outlettings and flowings of free grace for that? not a whit.

2. If God would give me the grace which he beſtowed on p. 79David,If the …b…ecto, of this (had I more grace I would … gracious) were a humble … vert, the objection ſhould be more ſavoury, yet not ſounder. I ſhould be a man according to God's heart; True; but what is this to one who ſtill dwels in nature; ſhould the ſleeper ſay, had I laboured more, and ſlumbred and lain in my bed leſs, I ſhould have been richer; but that ſuppoſition, will neither be bread to feed him, nor a web to cloath him; there is nothing here, but only idle wiſhing. O, if I had bread, and ſuch empty deſires cannot feed an hungry man, who is both idle and hungry. Were the Objector a Seeker, and did he ſearch for wiſedom as ſilver, and dig for her as for hid treaſures, it were real or rational hunger; but there is not a right eſteem of bread, there is no wiſe life-hunger, ſuch as is in living men.

3. It were good that the Objector were humbled, and did lie at the water ſide, and complain, oh if his Ship would fetch me over, and his wind would blow: Who ſhall deliver me? what ſhall I doe? were he loathing his own ways, and highly in love with ſuch ways of godlineſs, as David and the Saints walked in, it were good; joyn deſpairing in ſelf, and feeling of a wretched condition, with ſome deſires of David's grace, that ſhould be liker a laying hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, ſaying, we will go with you. But the Objector is full and rich, and ſelf-righteous and whole, and needs not the Phyſician, and his own civil hell torments him not; A Heaven of work-holineſs, and law-righteouſneſs is the lie that is in his right-hand, he feeds upon ſuch aſhes.

4. The Objector would be convinced of his backward deſires:O if I had more grace I would labour and run more, is a contradictory ſpeech in the ſluggard. O, if I had grace I would then labour and run. Is it not 1. A contradiction; he loves to be watered with the ſtreams and dewings of Chriſt, and hates and loaths the fountain. But now have they both ſeen and hated me and my father, John 15. 24. The world cannot receive the Spirit, John 19. 17. and ſo muſt hate the Spirit and all his influences;One ſpece deſires not to be turned into another, nor does a natural man deſire to be a convert, Luke 14. 16, 17, 18, 19.Luke 14:16Luke 14:17Luke 14:18Luke 14:19 Fools hate wiſedom. And 2. Every ſpece and kind of being is delighted with its own being; the Serpent hath not a deſire or a real love to be turned into a man, nor would a Lion be turned into a Lamb, nor a Divel into an elect Angel; that deſire is contrary to the malice he hath to the image of God in the elect Angels; the withered p. 90Earth loves rain and dew, it would be perfected in its kind; but a body of ſin fights to keep its own being, and would not be deſtroyed by an habit of grace; nor doth an heir of wrath and a limbe of Satan, ſeriouſly deſire to be a child of God; nor one tormented in Hell really will to be a holy Saint in Heaven; he only would be an eaſed and painleſs man, and ſeeks not to be free of blaſpheming God. See Balaam's, and the rich man's deſire, Numb. 23. 10. Luke 16. 24. Rev. 6. 15, 16, 17.

3. True it is,Natural men wiſh phyſical influences of God, but they hate moral holineſs. we love not moral influences; and to be actors in holineſs, that ſpoils and robs the man of his ſweet luſts: we would be content to be paſſive and have the breathings of the Spirit come upon us ſleeping and without toyl, that we might feel the only ſweetneſs, and delight of duties, not the duty and the gracious acting it ſelf; as a man loves to have been made holy, not to be holy, nor to be made holy by acting and toyling; for the man who hates the Spirit and hates Chriſt, as the unrenewed Objector doth, how can he love unfainedly either the gracious habit of holineſs, or the gracious influences of Chriſt? and therefore we may have a deſire, of the Lord's real and phyſical influences, and hate holy moral influences; for the damned only deprecate torment, but they make no prayers to God to be made holy, Mark 5. 7. Matth. 8. 29. Rev. 6. 16.

4. He who ſo objects, being a non-convert, yea all converts in this life in ſo far as there are in us the remainders of a body of ſin, cloſe not a little with that divinity of Satan, Gen. 3. 5. Ye ſhall be as Gods, Natural men love independency and hate to be under the Lord's governing influences.knowing good and evil; and therefore love to be independent and to be from under God, as is the unhappy word of Spira in point of ſuffering, O if I were above God. So ſpeak the enemies of our Lord, who love not gracious influences, (as Chriſt is a wel-governing, a ſweetly awing Lord in all his influences) Pſal. 2. 3. Let us break their bands and caſt away their cords; though they be ſilken cords. So the Citizens of Chriſt, Luk. 19. 14. hate him and ſet mans will on Jeſus Chriſt's throne, foreign, We will not have this man to reign over us; the World hates a ruling and reigning Chriſt; and ſo we p. 81hate his holy actings, and the wiſhing to have grace and gracious influences ruling in us, is a dream; we really deſire no ſuch thing, but love an independency of our own, as was the unlucky prayer of the ſon who loved not to be under his heavenly Father, Luke 15. 12. The younger ſon ſaid to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And ſo hate men the Lord in his influences of the word, rebuking them, Iſa. 30. 11. Cauſe the holy One of Iſrael to ceaſe from before us. And ſo this Objector; O that he would give me the double of David's grace, is an empty wiſh, as if hot fire would ſay, O that I were quenched with cold water; a lover of grace muſt be a gracious man.

As to the Objection it ſelf,

1. It is falſe;He that uſes not a leſs power or gift of two degrees for God, would not uſe a power of ten degrees for God; as is cleared in inſtances of 1. Wiſedom. 2. Power of Magiſtracy. 3. Of old age. 4. Riches. 5. Habit of grace, &c. If I had grace, I ſhould improve it to gracious actings: For you improve not nature, and the endowments and parts of nature, to natural actings; and upon the ſame account, he who improves not grace of three degrees, would not better improve grace of ſix degrees. Natural wiſedom is not uſed for Chriſt, but againſt him, and the Goſpel, and is miſpended in plotting, laying of ſnares for the godly, in taking crafty counſel againſt the Iſrael of God, in gathering and heaping together riches, in painting and busking lies againſt the truth, and a thouſand ways of that kind; whereas that wiſedom might have been profitable, for building of the houſe of God, and in edifying a mans own ſoul, and the ſouls of others.

2. In relations; of a Maſter, a Head of a family, a Parent, the power hath been uſed againſt God, not for him. Would God I were Judge of the Land, I would doe juſtice to every man. And when Abſalom was made a piece of a King, he did no juſtice, in lying with, and defiling his own father's wives; then Abſalom if he had had triple more power, he would not have uſed it better.

3. In the matter of age; Were I old and grave, I would uſe the power of grace I have, to repent, walk ſoftly, and be holy. Who told you that grace or parts not improved for God ſhall grow? and ſuppoſe they grow, who can promiſe, except he give free will ſurety, that he ſhall improve grace, p. 82except by the help of grace? and though grace help grace, yet cannot free will engage for the time to come, to ſet a dyet and term-day for turning to God the next year, and when you are old; when as ye are obliged while it is to day not to harden your heart, and preſently to repent: this is to make repentance a tree which bears not fruit, while ſome ſcores of years after its planting; a holy heart doth fear and tremble under the preſent hardneſs and deadneſs.

4. In the point of inſtruments of doing good; If I had much riches, I would build Churches, Bridges, Hoſpitals, entertain many Poor, erect Schools and Colledges; Now, have the loyns of the poor and naked bleſſed you for any you have cloathed, even according to what you have. God ſeeks of no man above that he hath, or according to what he hath not: and if you fail in what you have, what can you ſay for what you have not; the formal cauſe of the charity, is the pouring or drawing out of the ſoul to the hungry,Riches cannot add merciful…eſs to men. Iſa. 58. 10. in faith, in lending to God, and caſting your bread on the waters, Eccleſ. 11. 1, 2. Prov. 19. 17. Pſal. 37. 26. Now a houſe full of Gold, cannot add a dram-weight to your mercifulneſs, and your truſting in God: but you are ſo much the richer that you have a ſtock in Heaven, then if thou hadſt a great venture at Sea, and ſo much Gold and ſo many Jewels comming home to you from Weſt-India; nor can plenty of gold give you more grace.

5. Had I more grace, I would not deny Chriſt for fear of men, nor ſell Chriſt for money, as did Peter and Judas. Now juſt ſo ſpake the Scribes and Phariſees, Matth. 23. 30. If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the bloud of the Prophets; and yet they ſlew the Apoſtles, and beat the Prophets, and killed the precious heir Chriſt, Matth. 21. 33, 38, 33. Would ye have waſhed Chriſt's feet with tears, and wiped them with the hair of your head? would ye have kiſſed his feet? would ye have forſaken all, and followed him? your own heart muſt be dear and precious to you, when you undertake ſo much in its name; and yet many that ſo ſpeak in our age, perſecute godlineſs, and hate Chriſt in his members; p. 83and many go off that way many miles on the North ſide, and the South ſide of the Croſs, when the holy Ghoſt ſaith, there is not a Bridge over this River, but we mnſt wade and ſwim through, at the neareſt; and the road-way is, that through much tribulation, we muſt enter into the Kingdome of God, Acts 14. 22.

6. Yet if I had the grace of David, The Objection opened, If I had had the grace of David, I would not have acted the wickedneſs which David acted.I would not do as many doe: what is that? ye would not have committed adultery and bloudſhed; could you have commanded the influences of God, and warded off an evil hour of a ſad deſertion? ſo vain men have their own middle ſcience, the new ſcientia media, that Jeſuits have put upon God: the man foreſees he could make a world of his own; for they ſay as the men, Jam. 4. 13, 14, 15. who eye not God in all their ways ſay, if we go to ſuch a City and buy and ſell, we ſhall get gain, and ſay not if God will, if we live; ſo many, had I a ſtronger habit of grace, I would not uſe ſelf, and (I) and free will as Adam did; but know, it is a badder ſelf, and a more wicked (I) then was in Adam; for the ſelf ſo ſpeaking, is the fleſh and the unrenewed part, and there was no unrenewed ſelf, no ſuch fleſh in Adam, while he was yet endued with the image of God. So is this the ordinary diſcourſe and language of this woulder, and wiſher; by God's grace I ſhould walk more cloſely with God then Noah, ſure, more ſincerely then he, I would not have been drunken with wine as he; but believe you that God who gave the habit of grace, to Noah, to Moſes, to Dauid, to Hezekiah, would have given you all the actual influences to eſchew the ſlips of infirmities, which theſe men committed; and except you ſuppoſe this, you muſt lean upon the habit of grace, which is but a creature, and ſo muſt not have the room of God. Now if you have not any ſuch habit, your hope muſt be a broken Tree, and you leaning on a Cypher, and upon nothing.

7. The affections of deſire,The Objection had I more grace, I would be more gracious, may be retorted. love, joy, ſorrow, fear, faith, hope, anger, which remain in unrenewed men, luſtered over with ſome remainders of the image of God, are waſted profuſely in the ſervice of ſin; and theſe affections might ſerve much in a way of honouring God: And its a pity p. 84that woulding and wiſhing is the All of many mens religion; had I more grace, I would more honour God. Which is retorted, 1. Had I more habitual grace, and a richer talent, I would more diſhonour God; Some have a great ſtock, and ſin more terribly againſt the received mercy of habitual grace. 2. Its retorted, Had I more of nature and of natural parts, I ſhould doe more for God; but more of nature you have, and what doe you? Is it not thus? had I the wings of an Eagle, I would flie. But theſe wings you have, and you lie, and you creep; you doe but ſlumber and ſleep in the ways of God, you flie not. 3. Why is not this ſaid, Had I more corruption (as it is eaſie to gain here, and doe evil, and wax worſe and worſe) I ſhould run with Divels and Reprobate men, from evil to worſe; for this is a truth, had I the acquired blinded mind of Pharaoh, and trayterous heart of Judas, I ſhould be worſe then they. If it be ſaid there is not the like reaſon between nature, and grace; for one habit of ſaving grace helps to make the will ſtronger, and more bent to gracious actings, then gifts or common parts or natural parts.

Anſ. It is true; the habit of ſaving grace makes the ſoul readier to act ſavingly for God. Saving grace doth more ſtrongly effect the will in an habitual way,Faith and Grace doe not depend upon extraordinary means, and teachers ſent from hell; and we are much deceived, thinking, Had we more grace, we ſhould be more gracious. for gracious acts; But no habit either of grace or nature can actuate it ſelf; and therefore it is preſumption in a way of relying on the habit of grace to promiſe much to our ſelves.

8. Had I extraordinary helps of a teacher ſent from Hell, I would believe.

Anſ. 1. We believe not the word ſpoken by Angels, the Law, nor the word ſpoken by the Lord, Heb. 2. 3. and Heb. 12. 25. For if they eſcaped not, who refuſed him who ſpake on Earth; much more ſhall not we eſcape, if we turn away from him who ſpeaketh from Heaven. Chriſt came from Heaven and out of the boſome of the Father, and hath preached Heaven and Hell to us; for he had experience of wrath, anſwerable to the pain of Hell.

2. This is no other ſhift, then that of the rich man in the Parable, Luk. 16. 30. Nay, father Abraham, if one went to them from the dead, they will repent. Now repentance p. 85flows not from the Preachers experience, though he had ſeen and felt the pains of Hell, or the joys of Heaven; nor doth the experience of Heaven's joy or Hell's torment, heal the broken and wounded will; and the rich man's divinity hath been the ſame with Pelagians way, that if the word be feelingly and dexterouſly propoſed, it can waken up the ſleeping free will; and repentance is a work of nature, if the fire be dexterouſly blown upon, it will certainly flame, and all depends upon the running and willing of his five brethren.

Now common grace, free will, and natural ability, at beſt is but a potency; the actual ſtirring of ſaving grace muſt extract, and (to ſpeak ſo) milk out of the very ſaving habit, acts of ſound believing, and repenting, or then the will and the habit muſt lie dead: far more is this true in natural powers and common graces.

Now in all this our Saviour anſwers well the whole doubt;If free will be weak in the improving a natural power it will be ſo in the improving of ſupernatural grace. he that is not faithful in little, can he be faithful in much? Luke 16. 11. If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous Mammon, who will commit to your truſt the true riches? Verſe 12. And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another mans, who ſhall give you that which is your own? Our Saviour reaſons moſt ſtrongly, Joh. 3. 12. If I have told you earthly things and ye believe not, how ſhall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things? He that is not able to bear a burden of the weight of one pound, would he bear a burden of a thouſand talents? So he, If the Lord had given me ten talents, I ſhould have equalled David or Paul, or the beloved diſciple John, in grace and holineſs. Now ye have not improved two talents, but digged them in the Earth: For it is not here as in earthly things; mow a Meadow twelve times in one year, and after thrice mowing ye ſhall have but little: take continually away from a deep fountain, and draw water from it night and day, at length it ſhall be ebb or dry; but act and improve the habit of grace, and the more it ſhall grow, and encreaſe: And its certain, grace can waken up ſleeping free will, but free will cannot ſtir up grace; death cannot make uſe of life, but life can work upon deadneſs.

p. 86The next anſwer to this; had I grace, or more grace, I ſhould be as holy as David: its a blowing up of nature, and a dethroning of Chriſt. For this (I) when you ſay, I ſhould be holy as David, is not that gracious (I) of which Paul, Gal. 2. 20. I live not, but Chriſt lives in me; but its (I) and (ſelf) divided from ſelf and grace: but woe to the will ſeparated from Chriſt;Mr. Fenner's Wilful impenitency, pag. 80. woe to the branch cut off from the green and flouriſhing tree, its good for nothing but the fire; woe to the arm ſawen off the living body; and by this, as one ſaith well, If God would give the power, you would of your ſelf,There is an extolling of nature in this (had I more grace, I would be more holy) for (I) and (ſelf) is ſeparated from Chriſt. add the will, this is the Pelagian hereſie. Let God but make a ſtirring and a blowing, and give a ſort of will, I could doe wonders: as if it were not the Lord, who works in us both to will and to doe of his good pleaſure. Phil. 2. 13. yea it lays little upon God's calling: (for he calleth Cain and Judas) and much, yea the All of our ſalvation on our Anſwering. Chriſt knocks by word of mouth, and (I) and (ſelf) free-will opens the heart of Lydia which debaſeth Chriſt and powerfull grace. In all which conſider, had you the influences of grace at your diſpoſing; 1. Then, might free will bar the Iron door, againſt ſin; that ſin of Angels and men, without free wills good leave ſhould never enter the world. And the Creature ſhould be more Maſter and Lord Governour over providence, then the Soveraign Lord himſelf: then could the Lord erect no theatre, nor ſet a Chair of free-grace to the Mediator and Lord of grace, Jeſus Chriſt, while firſt he took Counſel with created free will, and ſay, O creature may I have thy good leave to ſend my Son to the world, and the diſeaſe muſt be conſulted, ſhall there be ſuch a precious one, as the Phyſician, the healer of ſinners? Its true, no ſinner, no Saviour; no loſt one, no Redeemer, ſuch as our Emanuel; but its known, if influences of grace be, (as Pelagianizing univerſaliſts ſay) at the diſpoſing of nature, with that abſolute indifferency, the free creature may ſtand, or may fall, let the Algoverning Lord doe his beſt to the contrary: there is here a created Soveraign dominion; If God create the creature free, it involves a contradiction, that God ſhould be free to hold out or bring in ſin, and hell, and miſery, and God is p. 87indifferent (except man muſt irrevocably periſh) to ſend his Son in the fleſh, to ſaue finners: and ſuch a providence might have been, if mans free will had ſo been pleaſed to diſpoſe of its own free acts, and of the influences of God, there ſhould for ever have been no Saviour, no Emanuel, no declared free grace, no gracious deſign in God to open experimentally to Men and Angels the wonder of Chriſt and free grace; but that muſt come upon the Soveraign Lord, by ſome bide-by deſign of nature and created free will.

3. Were influences at our diſpoſal, we might make our prayers only to our own free will, who only can by this way hear and help; but we pray to God only for quickning, determining, leading, and ſtirring up influences, and for effectual teaching; and influences are in a good hand, when the matter is ſo.

4. The unregenerate, as in Shepherd's ſelect Caſes, page 96. pag. 102. are not within the compaſs of any conditional promiſe, though in Baxter's Append. to Aphor. to Obj. 10. 11. p. 28. he puts a note of cenſure on it: for if the new heart were in the power of Cain and Judas, and this were holden forth to all and every one of mankind; run well and win the crown of converſion, and of the life of grace and of glory. For 1. You have ſufficient grace to win it. 2. You have the influences of grace at your own diſpoſal and power, be you Braſilian, Indian, or what elſe. Then were all men made independent Lords of ſalvation and damnation, and of the holy and deep decrees of Election and Reprobation. And if ſo, there were not ſuch a thing as a decree of Reprobation, but as a ſort of over-birth, and a decree of ſome after-wit, in the holy Majeſty of God (after he were diſappointed of his former Goſpel-decree of chooſing all to glory) who wiſely, yea out of his manifold wiſedom willed and decreed all to be ſaved, ſo they would uſe the univerſal power, and the influences of grace well, as they might and could; but unto what God ſhould ſuch make their prayers? whether to God the Father of our Lord Jeſus, or to themſelves, I cannot divine.

5. If ſo be influences be at mans diſpoſal, could he kiſſe p. 88the Mediator, ſtoop to free grace, and adore it, praiſe and ſing his glory, who ſits upon the Throne, and commend the Lamb who redeemed ſinners out from among loſt ſinners?

6. In reaſon we can no more time, and diſpoſe of the meaſure, manner and kind, of our own comforts, and of the kind and meaſure of the Lord's influences, then the Earth can diſpoſe of the quantity of rain, and dew; and herbs, corn, or growing trees, can determine of the influences of the Sun, Moon, and Heavens.

The third Claſſe of Anſwers to the Lord's reſtrained way of giving of grace, and to him who ſays, (Had I more grace, I ſhould be more holy) muſt be taken from the holy attributes of God; for this quarrel, why would not the Lord make me holier and let out richer influences of grace? is a reproaching of his Soveraignty. He makes not all the lumps of the great maſſe of clay, veſſels of honour; that is true:The carnal Objection, If God gave ſtronger influences, I ſhould be more holy, is a ſinful complaining againſt Soveraignty. Nor have they all alike nearneſs to the Throne of glory or the like meaſure of glory that are in Heaven; nor alike meaſure of gifts, all are not Apoſtles; nor alike meaſure of grace and holineſs; nor are they all equally poor or equally rich, or equally wiſe and learned, or equally believing in the ſame meaſure of aſſurance, the ſame meaſure of joy; For when Paul diſputes thus, he hath mercy on whom he will, and hardens whom he will, it comes to this; Why doth he then find fault? it is not in him that runs and wills; if the Lord would effectually call us Jews, we ſhould run and will, and obey as vigorouſly as the Gentiles doe. But the Lord doth not ſo call us; therefore he cannot rebuke us, or find fault with us, that we believe not, and receive not the Meſſiah, and the righteouſneſſe of God through faith, which is the very Objection in hand.

2.2. Againſt infinite wiſedom, what a depth is here? As the Objection is againſt the Soveraignty of God, ſo it is againſt the infinite wiſedom of God: Why ſhould the infinitely wiſe Lord, knowing, if Judas, and all the diſobedient refuſers of Chriſt, had the ſame grace, and influences of grace beſtowed upon them, which he freely beſtowed on his own, they would have obeyed; deny that grace, and p. 89theſe influences, he knowingly denies them? After the Apoſtle in three Chapters hath diſcuſſed this, Rom. 11. 33. he acknowledges there is a deep in it; O the depth of the riches, both of the wiſedom and knowledge of God! how unſearchable are his judgements, and his ways paſt finding out! No wonder it be a depth to me; but there is no more deep in it, if all have univerſal ſufficient grace, and if all have the influences of grace in their power, then this is no depth: He that believes ſhall be ſaved; he that believes not ſhall be condemned, and God rewards thoſe who ſeek him: I deny not there is a depth in all God's ways, in the induſtry of a Piſmire, of a Coney, of a Locuſt; yea how the bones grow in the womb of her that is with child: But becauſe the Apoſtle having diſcourſed of Election and Reprobation, and of the Righteouſneſs of Faith, and of the Law, Rom. cap. 9. c. 10. and of the caſting off the Jews for a time, and the incomming of the Gentiles, Rom. 11. and then concludes, ver. 33. O the depth, both of the riches and knowledge of God, &c. there muſt be another ſort of profundity in the words, to humane reaſon, then that wiſedom of God ſhining in the works of Creation and providence, Rom. 1. 19, 20. Pſal. 92. 5, 6, 7. Pſal. 107. 43. Pſal. 58. 10, 11, &c. Now the Doctors of univerſal grace, and ſuch as ſubmit election and reprobation, obedience to the call of God, and diſobedience, and all the influences of grace to the determination of free will, ariſe no higher then the depths of mans willing, and nilling. As alſo the Objector in this ſaith, God might have more honour and ſervice of me, if ſo it had pleaſed him; and what is this? but God would be wiſer, ſhould he beſtow grace and the influences of grace on me, and all mankind; for even ſuch Arminians who cannot deny but God foreſees, what motions and influences ſhall prevail with free will, what not, are burthened with this doubt; as we are, if mans carnal wiſedom be judge.

3.3. The Objection is againſt the freedom of grace. This is a complaining againſt the free grace of God; there is a ſort of grace of Creation, and a Comet or a Star is here left to complain, why made not the Lord me a ſhining Sun? and the Thiſtle muſt challenge God, why p. 90made he not me a Fig-tree, or a Vine-tree? are not here beggars at the Lord's door boaſting the Lord, becauſe they get not an Almes of begged and borrowed being after their own carnal will? So here, what ebneſs of grace was this, that the Lord would not beſtow the ſame influences of grace on Beelzebub the prince of divels, before he fell, as upon the Angel Gabriel, and the Seraphims, who flie with wings to doe his will, and cover their faces with wings, as bluſhing before infinite holineſs? why beſtows he not as much ſaving influences on me, as on David, Moſes, Noah, Job, and Daniel? why not as much grace, and of the fulneſs of the anointing, as upon the man Chriſt, that holy thing, Jeſus?

4.The Objection chargeth the holy Lord with envy. And is not free goodneſs here complained of? God knowingly and wittingly (ſaith the lying Divel) envying you ſhould be gods, forbids you to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Envy is contrary to communicative goodneſs: free goodneſs gives freely in meaſure, in weight and number, as beſt pleaſeth him; now God gives not grace enough.

5.The objection chargeth the holy Lord with unrighteouſneſs. His holineſs and righteouſneſs is arraigned. 1. He did not from eternity ſhew mercy, nor provide a new heart for me; then, that I ſerve not, as he deſerves, let him blame himſelf, not me. 2. He created me a ſlippery clay veſſel, which he ſaw ſhould fall upon ſtones, and be broken; he might have made me braſs and iron, that could not be broken. And 3. that I ſin, wanting the fulneſs of the anointing, and influences in a perſonal union, as in the man Chriſt, is a defect in God, not in man; and all the ſins I commit, he could have prevented them, and either would not, or could not.

6.It chargeth God with male-government. Its repugnant to the Lord's holy charge, in governing the world; I would be holy and run, but he withdraws influences. What is this? but I doe my part, but the Lord is wanting in his part; I am willing to run, but he draws not; I follow, but he refuſes to lead me; I anſwer, but he calleth not: a holy meekned ſoul ſees all the blame in it ſelf, and mercy and inviting kindneſs in God.

7. I would doe otherwiſe, but ah my ſinful nature! I p. 91was born in ſin;It ſtrives with holy providence in the point of original ſin. this is a blaming of providence. 1. God denies influences, and the fulneſs of the holy Ghoſt from the womb to me, and all mankind, which he gave to the man Chriſt.

But 1. The flowing of ſin original is a work of holy juſtice, who ſo puniſhed the firſt fall; and you carp not at the indwelling of ſin original, by which the poyſon of the ſinful nature, is hateful to God, Gen. 6. 5. Gen. 8. 21. but at the Lord's righteous ſmiting of our nature. Shall the clay ſay to him that faſhioneth it, what makeſt thou? Iſa. 45. 9. and as if he were a patient under ſin original; Ah, I would be from under a body of ſin, How we wiſh to be from under ſin original, and how not.but I am captive, ſold under ſin; This is a lye; every man is in this ſenſe a captive under ſin original, in that, nill he, will he, he is born in ſin: and the flux of juſtice ſo determined, ere the man was born, but the unrenewed Objector is not ſo a captive: he that was never humbled for ſin original, as David confeſſeth it his plagne and ſore, Pſal. 51. 5. and Job 14. 4. is not a captive, but a conſenter to ſin original.

2. He that willingly lends lodging and a furnace, and a warm hearth-ſtone to ſin original, and remains willingly in the ſtate of unrenewed nature, is not a patient under ſin original, the man is not a captive and a priſoner againſt his will, to him who hath the power of life and death, and to him who ſends a writ of grace, and bids him come out, and caſts ope the priſon doors, yet he remains there, eats, drinks, ſleeps, ſports. Chriſt the Lord of life hath ſent the Goſpel, which is a bill of free grace, he bids you come out of curſed nature, be renewed in the ſpirit of your mind, come to me, and I will eaſe you; yet ye will not change your life, this 20, 30, 40 years, ſince the Goſpel of grace came to you; you eat, drink, ſleep, wake, laugh, rejoyce in a ſtate of diſtance from Chriſt, and refuſe to come out of that priſon.

3. I would I were without original ſin, (ye ſay) and yet when you willingly lye, ſwear, whore, you put ſeal, ſubſcription, and conſent to Adam's firſt ſin; He that delights in the ſtreams and drinks with delight, does he not love the water of the fountain? then to ſay, I would be without ſin original, p. 92is as much, as I would be without ſin, and I would not be without ſin; does not this man allow Adam's deed, and ſerve himſelf heir to Adam his father's ſin, twenty times in one day? and in ſuch a man ſin original is not diminiſhed, and brought down to a ſin of infirmity; as in Paul, Rom. 7. 15. For that which I doe, I allow not; for what I would, that I doe not; but what I hate, that I doe. That is a ſanctified would, a renewed hatred of one entering a proteſtation againſt ſin; but original ſin lives in its vigour and reign of the Law, in this man; and where this ſin hath the full conſent and benſil of the will, the Law, in its condemning power, is on its ſide. Hence that excuſe the man brings, as in Fenner's Wilfull impenitency, page 95. 96. which proves that he is not humbled; thou excuſeſt thy ſelf for thy original ſin too; Lord I would be without original ſin, but I cannot; if I could, I would. Belike then if it had been thy caſe, as it was Adam's, thou wouldeſt not have eaten of the forbidden fruit; and therefore it was his fault, and not thine, and thou wouldeſt not have ſinned, if thou couldſt have otherwiſe chuſed. David confeſſeth this ſin as his perſonal, as well as his natural ſin, Pſal, 51. 5. Behold, in iniquity (that is the higheſt of ſin) I was formed, and in ſin did my mother warme me, or conceive me, He names the perſon twice; and the holy Ghoſt blacks all faces with this ſin, Rom. 5. 12. All, foreign have ſinned, and yet this Objector is more innocent then Adam. Verſe 18. By the offence of one, judgement came upon all men unto condemnation; foreign. Verſe 19. By one mans diſobedience, many were made ſinners; that is, all, except the man Chriſt; and this man muſt be free of ſin and condemnation, as the ſecond Adam.

4. He would have original ſin removed in an extraordinary way, and not in the Lord's own way, and ſo tempts God, as Satan tempted Chriſt to work miracles for bread, and to caſt himſelf down over the pinacle of the Temple.

1. Now this, Lord, I would be without ſin original, but I cannot, thou haſt ſo ordained my nature to be; but it is p. 93againſt my will and my heart, for my heart hates it, its double dealing, and an untruth; for then the will muſt be clean, then the Objector muſt be cleaner and holier, then God ſays in Scripture the unrenewed man is.

2. Then muſt the will be, by nature, free of ſin original, whereas the frame of the heart is only evil from the womb, and deceitful and deſperately wicked, Gen. 6. 5. Gen. 8. 21. Jer. 17. 9.

3. Then muſt the holy Lord be in the fault, who might give influences of grace, and a whole nature; yea, and the holy Ghoſt from the womb, as he did to John the Baptiſt, but denies it.

But 1.God ties us to his own way of removing of ſin, not to our empty wiſhing that it were removed. God hath appointed no extraordinary way of healing our nature. The Baptiſt was from the womb cured of the dominion of ſin original, it entered not with his life, in its full reign, as a King, as in others, and ſin original was in the Baptiſt as in others, as to the demerit, if God ſhould have entered in judgement with him. Now the Objector would be free of original ſin in his own way, not in God's way.

1. He condemns God in that ever he permitted ſuch a ſin to be; what warrant is there in Scripture for ſtriving with any providence or phyſical influences of God? none at all.

2. What warrant to complain that all from the womb have not the ſame influences of grace which the Lord graciouſly beſtowed on John Baptiſt?

3. What warrant to deſire the extraordinary removal of ſin original by annihilation? for God hath appointed the Lamb of God to take away ſin, and to diſſolve the work of the Divel. The Lord's way is by praying, Waſh me, and I ſhall be white as ſnow: and the Lord will tie us, not to the Socinian abſolute taking away of ſin, without Chriſt's ſatisfaction, but to an ordinance of the Law, Pſal. 51. 7. Purge me with hyſope. Hence this deceit or ſinful conceits in many; If God would add ſtronger influences of grace, I ſhould be holy as an Angel. But this he does not; and ſo comes in a lazie diſpairing, if p. 94God will not give ſtronger influences phyſical, I cannot help it: I doe all that a man can doe, I pray night and day, tyde and time; therefore if I periſh, I muſt periſh: if God will not ſave me, I cannot be againſt his will; I can doe no more then I doe, but muſt refer my ſelf to his will; So we would conſider well, this ſinful caſe of conſcience, When 1. the man wiſhes to be free of the inherency of ſin, becauſe ſomething that is penal in luſt torments, and hinders ſleep; ſome bodily pain goes along with night drinking, but yet he ſticks ſtrongly to the ſinful acting thereof. 2. When the man ſhould repent and mourn for his ſinful delighting in ſin, he murmurs that God would not counter-work the being of it, and that he ſo permitted it to be, and ſo diſpoſed of the place, and ſtrength of temptation, ſince he could have made it never to have been. And 3. The man wiſhes he might be a patient in the removing of it, and frets that God will not take it away, while he ſleeps, but withall he refuſes to be an actor; 1. In ſorrowing according to God, and in loathing it. 2. In challenging himſelf, Prov. 5. How have I hated inſtruction. 3. In a godly improving of Jeſus Chriſt, as the ranſome-payer, and believing in him, for the Lord's way of moral removing of ſin, by pardoning thereof, Jer. 50. 20.

But this is alſo a tempting of God. 1. We are not to pray for influences phyſical ſimply, and abſolutely for all uſes, and ends to work miracles, to remove mountains, but eſpecially we are to pray for more influences,What ſort of influences we are to ſeek from God. and ſuch as are ſutable to our ordinary duties; Pſal. 119. 36. Incline my heart (but he ſuits not of God every bowing of the heart, abſtracted from the word) incline my heart unto thy teſtimonies and not to covetouſneſs. Ver. 133. Order my heart in thy ſ…eps, let not any iniquity have dominion over me. 2. David ſeeks not every ſort of quickning influences; but Pſal. 119. 25. Quicken thou me according to thy word. Verſe 40. Quicken me in thy righteouſneſſe. Verſe 88. Quicken me after thy loving kindneſs. Ver. 149. O Lord, quicken me according to thy judgement. Ver. 156, and 116. Ʋphold me according to thy word, that I may live. Quakers and Familiſts ſeek after the furious wild-fire of hell, skaddings and flammings of a ſpirit abſtracted from the p. 95word; Hence the brothers killing of the brother hath been father'd on the Spirit, and railing, bitter ſpeaking, blaſpheming have been laid upon ſuch a ſpirit.

2. A ſpirit that ſuggeſts neglect of ordinances and means of ſalvation is not the Spirit of God. Would God put forth more power, and ſtronger influences, I ſhould be holy indeed; in the mean time the man ſleeps. So would the Lord put forth ſtronger influences, corn, and wheat, and vine-trees ſhould grow without husbandry, and ſowing; ſhall the husbandman plow not, and pray for ſuch an harveſt? ſo may the man ſay, Ile eat not, God can nouriſh me without bread. Influences in the fixed and ordinary providence of God, are neither promiſed, nor to be expected, but in God's way of uſing means; the hand of the diligent makes rich. Should one ſtep out of the Ship and attempt to walk on the Sea, having no warrant, but a ſpirit divided from the uſe of means, and from hearing, reading, meditating, praying? were not this a proud tempting of God?

3. Do not all the wretched and prophane, practically contradict God? the drunkard will draw, and pull by head and hair, influences to his drunken prayers; the ſwearer, the oppreſſor, and the looſ-liver will force influences to his empty faith, I believe and am ſaved; and there muſt be influences at theſe golden words, Jam. 2. 16. ſpoken to the naked and hungry, Depart in peace, be thou warmed and filled. There is ſome carnal fire and heat in their formalities, and they look upon theſe influences of God and thank God for them, Luke 18. 11, 12. when as theſe influences are rather wrathful plagues of God, joyning with our ſinful acting of hypocriſie, then favours and gracious concurrences of God. But as to the lazie diſpairing,

1. It was the peoples way, when they are exhorted to repent, Jer. 18. 12. There is no hope, but we will walk after our own devices; and they were far from doing all, that men can doe, and praying night and day; they were ſtealing, murthering, whoring, following falſe gods night and day, Jer. 7. 9. and yet they ſaid they came to the Temple to pray and ſacrifice night and day, ver. 10.

p. 962. Is it not dreadful, that when God refuſes to rain down influences on ſleepers, and the Spirit breaths not upon dreamers, and men are reſolved to doe no more, not to add a farthing more▪ for the field and the precious pearl Chriſt, if they periſh, they muſt ſubmit themſelves to the will of God, they cannot force the Lord, nill he, will he, to ſave them? true, all the Reprobates that cry to hills and mountains to cover them, whether they will or no, they muſt refer themſelves to the will of God; and this is a wicked chiding with God: if God will not ſave me by ſuch actings, as may ſtand with mine eaſe and pleaſure, let him deſtroy me; for Ile doe no more then I doe.

3. This is a murmuring, at the very marrow and flower of the Goſpel, John 6. 43. Murmure not among your ſelves. Ver. 44. No man can come to me, except the Father that ſent me draw him. Then are we enclined to make war with God, becauſe he will not give us drawing influences, and beſtows them upon ſome. Hence theſe Diſciples gave over all uſe of means, ver. 66. Went back and walked no more with Jeſus. What then ſhall they doe? they cannot force God to draw them: if the Lord will ſave us, its good; if not, we cannot mend it; we'l follow Chriſt and his new-Goſpel no more.

4. Is it to you, fools, ſo approved a courſe to give over means, ſo bleſſed of God. If it can be made out, that the influences of God do ſo ſerve (in a manner) the inſtuſtry of men, then are ordinances and means not to be neglected. 1. Means uſed are the Lord's way of comming to us, and our way of coming to him,The uſing of means is an approved way of God. whether in the word preached, Acts 2. 36, 37. Acts 4. 4. Acts 10. 44. Acts 16. 14. John 4. 9, 10,—29, 30, 39, 40, 41, John 4. 50, 51. or in miracles or any other lawful way, 2. Becauſe to ſome certain uſing of means in faith, there is a promiſe of an effectual bleſſing made, Pro. 2. My ſon, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my Commandments with thee. Ver. 2. So that thou encline thine ear unto wiſedome. Ver. 5. Then ſhalt thou underſtand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God. Prov. 8. 17. I love them that love me, and they that ſeek me early, ſhall find me; John 3. 18. 36. John 5. 24. John 11. 25, 26, 27. p. 97Prov. 3. 1, 2. Prov. 4. 20, 21, 22. 3. Neglect of means is dreadfully puniſhed of God, Prov, 1. 24, 25, 26, 27. Prov. 5. 12. Prov. 6. 9, 10, 11. Luke 14. 16, 17, 18, 19. 10. 24. Hence the killing of the Prophets, and of the heir, is plagued with being caſt out of the Vineyard, and the removal of the word of the Kingdom. 4. The aſſiduous uſing of means, and Jacob's wreſtling in prayer all the night until daylight, receiveth the influence of a bleſſing, and of the hearing of the prayer in faith and feeling, Gen. 32. 26. 29. and it puts the ſoul in a neareſt capacity to receive influences from God; love-ſickneſs near the throne is near to influences of grace & glory, as ſweet ſmelled herbs are near to ſuch influences, ſo as preſently they yield honey. Some refined earth curiouſly hardened by the influences of the Sun, is near to be turned unto fine gold, or choice ſilver; when we go about earthly buſineſs with half a heart or godly indifferency, and with a diſtance from the Creature, we grow more heavenly and more diſpoſed to receive the influences of God. But ſuch a promiſe as this made to an unrenewed man yet in nature, this doe, and ye ſhall be converted, I read not; or let nature doe and grace follow; or let common grace begin, and the ſpecial grace of converſion ſhall follow.How reformation of life goes not before remiſſion as Mr. Baxter ſaith. It cannot be proved by the word which Mr. Baxter ſaith, Appendix to his Aphoriſmes, anſwer to Obj. 10 11. pag. 260. That men would not accept Chriſt, and ſo believe for remiſſion before their lives be reformed; and that Reformation of life muſt go before the belief or knowledge of pardon, though not before juſtifying faith.

For 1. This is to bid men keep a diſtance from holy Jeſus, and not come at him, or touch him by faith, though the ſoul be humbly trembling before him; as the woman, Luk. 8. 47, 48. Mark 5. 33, 34. until they be holy and righteous. It is very like to this, come not within ſight of the Phyſician, by faith, until firſt you be healed and reformed, or come not to buy the fine linnen and the righteouſneſs of the Saints, until firſt you be well cloathed with your own inherent righteouſneſſe: But who ſhall heal the ſick, and cloath the naked ſinner, if it be not Chriſt? Now Chriſt not believed in for pardon, is he at ſo huge a diſtance p. 98from a ſinner that he cannot heal, if never ſeen, and never touched by faith?

2. This is to bring in an inherent phyſical pardoning and juſtification by works; the Scripture knoweth not of any juſtification but one, and that is through the Redemption which is in Chriſt Jeſus.

3. What is meant by Reformation, whether halfe or whole, whether begun or compleat reformation of life? whole and compleat reformation there is none, while the end and departure out of this life; and ſo no man is to believe remiſſion of ſins, until they be going out of the body. This is the comfortleſs doctrine of Papiſts, never to know and be aſſured of the graces freely given us of God, as in 1 Cor. 2. 12. and that Chriſt is in us except we be reprobates, 2 Cor. 13. 5. and never to know that we have life eternal, and never to know that God hears us, and that we are of God, contrary to 1 John 5. 13, 14, 15, 19. until we be going out of the world: as if Paul and John, did write onelyonly to comfort dying Corinthians, and believers; and none could be of good cheer, and love Chriſt much, knowing their ſins were forgiven; none could have hope, joy unſpeakable and full of glory, and know they know God, and are tranſlated from death to life, becauſe they love the Brethren, until they be expiring, contrary to Mark 5. 24. Matth. 9. 1, 2. Luk. 7. 47, 48, 50. Rom. 5. 2. Rom. 8. 18, 24. Col. 1. 5, 27. 1 Pet. 1. 5, 6. Matth. 5. 11, 12. 1 John 2. 3. 1 John 3. 14. as if the holy Ghoſt ſhould comfort us, and bid us rejoyce at fancies and at Moon ſhines, which we have to day, and may looſe to morrow. If he mean half and begun Reformation; it muſt be begun juſtification, begun regeneration, begun converſion, and believing ſavingly begun, but not compleat: Now men cannot reform their life, until they pleaſe God, Heb. 11. 5, 6. nor can Enoch reform his life and walk with God till he believe: and believing neceſſarily is a laying hold of Chriſt for pardon, Acts 10. 43. Luk. 7. 50. Matth. 9. 1.

4. Nor can there be a continued tract of repentance, and begun reformation of life which is a work of the Goſpel and New Covenant, not of the Law, except there be a hopeful p. 99mourning for ſin, and a looking to him by faith, whom we have pierced, Zech. 12. 10. nor is it godly ſorrow working repentance to ſalvation never to be repented of, as 2 Cor. 7. 10, 11. which wants faith of ſalvation, and faith of ſalvation in Chriſt without faith of pardon, yea or begun juſtification without faith of pardon, is unpoſſible. Nor can there be a bringing forth fruit in Chriſt as implanted in the Vine-tree (which is only reformation of life acceptable to God) while men be firſt, by faith, engrafted in Chriſt as branches, growing in him, John 15. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. nor walking in God's Commandments, while firſt the heart of ſtone be removed, and a new heart and a new ſpirit given, as Ezech. 36. 26, 27. Iſa. 44. 1, 2, 3, 4. nor can we believe with juſtifying and ſaving faith, while we be born again, 1 John 5. 1, 4, 5. for if ſo, it were as much as the tree bloſſoms, grows, and brings forth fruit, ere it be planted, and the birth moves and ſtirs and receives ſeed and nouriſhment in the womb, before it receive life in the womb. 3. Nor does the Scripture tell us of a premeriting of the faith of pardon and remiſſion by a reformation of life, ſo as converſion, the Goſpel, and accepting of Chriſt as Lord, and a tract of obedience was required of the Jaylor, of Lydia, and of the Thief upon the Croſs, before they believe. For accepting of Chriſt as Lord, is obeying of Chriſt, and faith in Chriſt, as ſaith Mr Baxter; and ſo Faith muſt be required before Faith, and Reformation of life, before Reformation of life; and ſo Mr. Baxter forbids us to believe and accept Chriſt, for our Lord and King, pardoning treaſon, while firſt we have reformed our lives. Now to reform our lives Evangelically, (for of this he muſt mean) is to accept Chriſt as our Lord; that is, to doe Evangelically and live, to obey the new Law, and to perform new obedience to Chriſt. Hence he ſaith, ibid. pag. 28. I deſire him to tell me, whether he can prove, that any mans ſins are pardoned, before they have accepted Chriſt for their Lord? that is, before faith. If not, whether this be not the Subjection of the ſoul to Chriſt to be governed by him, and ſo a heart-reformation. Now it may be told Mr. Baxter, that accepting of Chriſt as our Lord, pag. 285. That is to take p. 100him both as our Saviour and to obey him, pag. 286. to be ſubject to him and obey him, and to ſquare our actions according to his will. Now the actions are not one or two, but all our actions to our death; and ſo no man compleatly takes Chriſt for his Lord, and ſo no man compleatly believes, until death; and ſo the conſolations of Chriſt muſt be as morally cold as the conſolations of Solon, who ſaid, no man can be happy while he die; and the comforts of Ariſtotle, no man is happy who may fall in the calamities of Priamus. Chriſt muſt make us glad of a painted nothing; Rejoyce and be glad, there is a great reward laid up for you in Heaven; rejoyce with joy unſpeakable and glorious, nothing can ſeparate you from the love of God; mountains and hills may be removed, but my love is more ſtable. But 1. Ye cannot be ſure; therefore doubt and tremble. 2. Suppoſe you ſtand to day, and know that you know him, you may be, and thouſands as happy as you are, to morrow limbs of Satan and eternally damned. Now if no man compleatly take Chriſt until he have conſummated and perfected his obedience to the death, Chriſt's word to any, be of good chear, thy ſins are forgiven, is but comfortleſs; for they are neither forgiven, nor half forgiven, until he hath taken Chriſt for his Lord, and wrought his days work to the end; and then, and never till then, can he have comfort in his wages and in his work. 2. It may be anſwered the woman diſeaſed of the bloudy iſſue, Mar. 5. 34. the woman who did waſh Chriſt's feet with her tears, Luk. 7. 47, 48. ſo the man ſick of the palſie, Matth. 9. 2. the juſtifyed by faith who have peace with God, David, Pſal. 103. 3. the repenting man upon the Croſs, Luk. 23. 42, 43. had their ſins forgiven upon the teſtimony of believing, without any teſtimony of their good works; and Scripture tells us not, that a Maſter bids his ſervant rejoyce with joy unſpeakable and glorious, at the beginning and morning of his day, for at night, he ſhall have a rich reward, if ſuch a ſervant, and millions of ſervants in his caſe, may fall and looſe whole wage, for they doe but half work.