The Hypocrites Ladder, Treatise · Chapter 6
CHAP. VI. How the Hypocrite fails moſt in point of true and ſaving Graces.
THirdly, Hee is wanting in the choyſeſt of Graces, which are four:
1 Preparative.
2 Fundamental and Radical.
3 Nutritive, or Conſervative.
4 Conſummative, and perfective, or crowning Graces.
There were four things wanting in the three bad grounds which had the good ſeed, but fell ſhort in fruit, which anſwer to theſe four kindes of grace, viz. a Plough, Root, Moyſture, and Sun. The good ground had all. The high-way ground wanted nothing but a Plough (not Root, Moyſture, or Sun) had it been taken in, well broken up, and kept from the Paſſengers treading on, and the birds picking up, it might have proved good ground; Sodome if it had been ſo dealt with, might have proved as good ground as Capernaum. The ſtony ground wanted not a Plough, it was broken up Matth. 11. 23.deep enough, it wanted no Sun neither (it had too much) it wanted Root within, and Moyſture from above, and a good ſtone gatherer. The Thorny ground wanted not the Plough, nor Root, nor Moyſture, onelyonly wanted the Sun, which the Thorns kept from the Corn that it could not ripen.
And as in a building there are four things to bee done, or all labour is loſt: 1 Removing the Rubbiſh. 2 Digging deep to lay the foundation. 3 The Structure upon the foundation ſo laid. 4 The Roof to keep all dry. So it is in the Chriſtian Fabrick. 1 Rubbiſh muſt bee removed by preparatory Grace. 2 The foundation muſt bee laid in fundamental Graces. 3 The ſtructure raiſed by conſervative Graces. 4 The roof ſet up, and covered by conſummative Graces.
1 Hypocrites want the firſt Grace, or Preparations to Grace. The way of the Lord is to bee prepared. The Law is to go before, to remove Rubbiſh, the rough wayes are to bee made ſmooth, the hills to bee levelled, the crooked made ſtrait, and then all fleſh ſhall ſee the ſalvation of God, Luke 3. 4, 5. The Plough muſt go before the Seedſ-man, or all is caſt away. The Lord prepares the heart, opens the heart, breaks up the fallow ground by ſtrong convictions, deep humiliations, whereby the Lords Husbandmen plough upon the heart of their hearers, and make long furrows: Then is the ſeed ſown in tears: Then is the word received in much aſſurance, when in much affliction, 1 Theſſ. 1. 5, 6. Thus were Johns hearers brought in, being warned to flye from the wrath to come, Mat. 3. 10. Thus were Peters hearers brought in, Act. 2 37. They were pricked in their hearts, and cryed out what ſhall wee do? Thus the Jaylor, Act. 16. 30. Sirs, what muſt I do to bee ſaved? Thus Paul himſelf was ſtricken down, and cryed, Lord, Act. 9. 6what wilt thou have mee to do? Theſe held out. Theſe brought down to hell at firſt, are lifted up to heaven, and into heaven at laſt. As the Ball the harder it is ſtricken down to the ground, the higher it rebounds. God gives to ſuch whom hee intends to uſe as principal engines and battering peeces againſt Satans Kingdome, a full charge, and gives fire, and there is a hideous noyſe and ſmoak, but theſe are tryed peeces. Though I confeſs ſome may dye and periſh in theſe, where there is not the following, as ſome Peeces fall all a peeces in the firſt charge. It is not the Plough alone makes fruitful, the ſeed muſt follow. Therefore reſt not here. It is not theſe Preparative works, but Regeneration which makes the Saint, as it is not the Theſe are a wilderneſs that a man may dye in, and never go to Canaan. Mr. Burgeſs.pain of Child-birth, but the birth of the childe which makes the mother rejoyce; many a woman dyes in the pangs, that never lives to bee a mother; ſo may you periſh with your frights, fears, horrors, griefs, if you ſee not of the travel of your ſoul, Chriſt formed in you. But our new Converts that have found out an eaſier way to converſion, before they travel, they have brought forth, before their Iſa. 66. 7pain, they are delivered of a childe; theſe are not uſually long lived, as our untimely births, theſe hold not out, if you obſerve among thoſe many unſound Profeſſors, that have ſo fearfully apoſtatized, and turned aſide into corrupt opinions, you will finde here was the firſt error; they were converted without convictions, never were at Mount Sinai, or Mount Ebal, never heard the whirlewind, or ſaw the fire or Earth-quake, but the ſtill voyce firſt. While the world ſtands, you will never finde another way of birth, but by travel, and crying out, no other way of ſowing, but by breaking up the ground: It is not dancing upon the ground will make it fit for the ſeed (it may harden it) it muſt bee ploughed, and broken up. Nor is it a Miniſters dancing and leaping, with a light and aiery preaching, will bring in ſouls, as Baals Prieſts danced and leaped about the Altar; but down-right preaching the Law, and hewing down ſtubborn ſinners with the words of Gods mouth.Hoſ. 6. 5.