A Guide to Christ, Preface
THE Preface.
THE Work of Regeneration being of abſolute neceſſity unto Salvation, it greatly concerns Miniſters eſpecially, in all ways poſſible to promote the ſame; and in particular, that they guide Souls aright who are under a work of Preparation: ſome there be that do deny any neceſſity of the Preparatory work of the Spirit of God, in order to a cloſing with Chriſt, this is a very dark Cloud, both as it is an evidence that ſuch men have not the experience of that work in their own Souls; and as it is a ſign that ſuch men are utterly unskilful in guiding others that are under this work: if this Opinion ſhould prevail in the Land, it would give a deadly wound to Religion, it would expoſe men to think themſelves Converted when they are not: if men do underſtand that there is a work of Humiliation before Faith, then if they get ſome common affections, love, ſorrow, delight, yea, and a common faith too, they will ſay theſe are not of the right kind; for men muſt ſee the plague of their own hearts, their hepleſsneſs, and that they are like Clay in the hand of the Potter, before they come to Chriſt, and ſo will be afraid, and be ſearching of themſelves; but if they do not know any neceſſity of preparation, they will take the firſt appearances of Holineſs for Holineſs; and if they find religious affections in themſelves, they will grow confident that God has wrought a good work in them. It would likewiſe expoſe them to boulſter up others in a falſe confidence: a man that knows there muſt be a work of preparation, will be careful how he encourages others that they are in Chriſt, he will enquire how God has made way for their receiving of Chriſt; but another that is a ſtranger to it, will be ready to take all for gold that gliſters, and if he ſe… men religiouſly diſpoſed, will be ſpeaking peace to them; he will be like the falſe Prophets, ſaying, peace, peace, when there is no peace: ſo men will be hardned, it is a diſmal thing to give men ſleepy notions; and make them ſleep the ſleep of death.
The truth of this Opinion is much to be ſuſpected from what has been left on Record to the contrary, by Hilderſham, Perkins, Dod, Si…, B…ins, Dike, Ball, Preston, Hooker, Shepard, Norton, &c. others of the like Stamp, whoſe judgment in matters of this nature does outweigh the judgment of thouſand of others, though otherwiſe Learned men: but beſides this, there is a great deal of light held forth in the Word of God in this matter. I will not argue from Iſraels being led by Moſes the Law-giver out of Egypt through a land of pits and drought, and fiery flying Serpents, before they were brought into Canaan by Joſhua: Nor from the Legal Diſpenſation of the Covenant of Grace foregoing the Evangelical: Nor from John Baptists being ſent as a Forerunner of Christ to prepare the way of the Lord: Nor from the Parable of the Prodigal, being in want, and becoming a Servant of a Citizen of the Country before he returned to his Father: Nor from the Dry Bones being in a diſconſolate condition, before God put life into them: theſe things may better be made uſe of for Illustrations than Proofs.
But there are other Scriptures which hold forth, that there muſt be PREPARATION for Chriſt before our Cloſing with him: it does appear by INSTANCES recorded in the Scripture: One is of Paul, Acts 9.4, 5. he was terrifyed, in way of preparation to his receiving of Chriſt, and about the ſame time was led into the underſtanding of his own helpleſsneſs, Rom. 7.9. Another is of the Jaylor, Acts 16.29, 30, 31. he was greatly ſcared, leaſt he ſhould fall ſhort of Salvation; and ſince we have ſuch circumſtances, and none to the contrary, we may … judge that this is Gods method in Converting Sinners.
It alſo appears from ſuch … as are held forth in the Scriptures: … ſome Sinners are near the Kingdom of God, and others are far from it: Mark 12.34. this ſhews that ſome men are in a more prepared way, and more hopeful to receive it than others: So that doctrine that ſome are not in a preſent incapacity to come to Chriſt, becauſe under the power of a earnal deſign: Joh. 5.44. this ſhews that men muſt be broken off from their carnal deſigns before they come to Chriſt: ſo the doctrine of the difficulty of getting into a ſtate of Salvation. Mat. 7.13. Luke 13.24. this ſhews that there be many difficulties in the way of Converſion; and that by ſtriving, they may get into a nearer preparedneſs for faith.
It alſo appears by that PROPHESY of our Saviour, where it is foretold that God will firſt prepars men, and then bring them to Christ, Joh. 16.8. here it is foretold what method the Spirit will take with men; he will not reveal the Righteouſneſs of Christ to men in the firſt place; but in order to this, he convinces them of ſin, makes them ſee their danger and miſerable condition: firſt he ſearches their wound, and then applies the remedy: It appears alſo, by the particular application of the Call of the Goſpel to thoſe that are prepared: Sometimes the Call is propounded generally to all, but at other times … propounded particularly to ſuch as are in diſtreſs by reaſon of their ſins; that ſee themſelves miſerable and undone. Mat. 11.28. Iſa. 55.1. Rev. 22.17. the Call is applied particularly to theſe, as being in the next capacity to give entertainment unto it: intimating the condition that men muſt be in before they do receive it.
EXPERIENCE alſo gives conſiderable light in this matter: we learn by experience, that mens hearts are generally ſet for carnal things before they are terrified, and for their own Righteouſneſs before they ſee their own hearts. Generally ſuch men as have not had the terrors of God in them, don't much mind Eternal Things; if they be not rude and vicious, yet they are worldly, vain and proud. Eph. 2.3. And ſuch convinced ſinners as have not been led into the understanding of their hearts, are ſet to build up a righteouſneſs of their own, they are taking incouragement from their frames, with a neglect of Chriſt. Experience alſo ſhews that many men highly reputed of for Religion, have had a work of preparation. Many men that have a ſpecial intereſt in the hearts of others, can give a fair account how they have been prepared for Chriſt: and many Profeſſors that have not had ſuch experience have not proved well. Several that have had ſome lighter toucher of Conviction, though they have made a blaze … while, yet have proved themſelves carnal Men at laſt; of at leaſt have rendred themſelves much ſuſpected. Many that have been ſtrangers to the work of preparation, have crackt their credit at laſt. Mat. …. 3.20, 21. Yea, many Godly People do know that they were Hypocrites, and never … Chriſt, till after they had a work of …: they know they were not godly chough they have affections, enlargements and encouragements; it was all common work, and they had no ſpark of grace in them; their Religion was but the ſruit of nature improved. Rom. 7.9. Yea, this is exceeding agreeable to REASON; the light of Nature cannot give a demonſtration of it: for it is a voluntary diſpenſation; there is no neceſſity in nature of any preparation before the infuſion of GRACE. Chriſt changed the Water into Wine, and raiſed the Dead to Life, without any previous preparation; ſo he can do in this caſe. The work of preparation does not make the work of the new Creation the eaſier; for after men have a work of preparation, ſin reigns in them as much as before; preparation does not at all deſtroy the principle; & men when prepared, can do nothing to help God in planting Grace in them: and men that are not prepared, can do nothing to hinder God in implanting Grace: but yet it is very agreeable to reaſon, that the Spirit do work a work of preparation, before it does infuſe Grace: for it is the duty of Ministers to preach ſuch things to Sinners, as are proper to work this preparation; they are bound to preach the threatnings of the Law, mans Inſufficiency, and God's Soveraignty: Yea, the manner of God is to deal with men, after the manner of men. Man is a rational Creature, and therefore God deals with him in a moral way …s Convictions before him. Men would make Enemies ſubmit, before they pardon them; ſo does God. Beſides, it is the duty of the Sinner to do thoſe things wherein preparation does conſiſt; it is their duty to ſeek to God, to reform, and to make an abſolute reſignation of themſelves to God. No wonder then if God holds them to it; Yea further, there is an abſolute neceſſity in nature, that men be prepared before the Exerciſe of Faith; men cannot exerciſe Faith, till the heart be prepared by a ſinſe … danger, and the inſufficiency of other things. If they don't ſee their danger, they can ſee no occaſion that they have to come to Chriſt: if they don't ſee themſelves liable to Wrath, how can they come to Chriſt to ſave them from Wrath; as long as they imagine that they can help themſelves, they will not come to Chriſt for help: men can't truſt in Chriſt alone, till driven out of themſelves; they cannot come as helpleſs and undone, until they ſee themſelves ſo. Phil. 3.3.
And ſeeing there is ſuch a work of preparation foregoing mens Cloſing with Christ, it muſt needs be of great conſequence for awakened … to be guided aright under this mark. If men have the beſt Guides, yet they may mi… … but undoubtedly many do periſh for want of ſuitable help; ſome after they have been in trouble a while, do grow diſcourage, under apprehenſions that their ſeeking with be in vain, and ſo leave off endeavouring … up and down Gonverted Eſtate. Some wander up and down under fears and hopes as the Children of Iſreal in the Wilderneſs, until they dy… they cannot be quiet in a way of ſin, neither can they find the way of deliverance; and many others, after a little trouble are comforted under a notion of being at peace with God. Unskilful Chyrurgeons make a palliate cure, and perſwade them that the bitterneſs of Death is paſt: multitudes of Souls periſh through … ignorance of thoſe that ſhould guide them … way to Heaven: men are nouriſhed … vain hopes of being in a ſtate of Salvation, before they are got half the way to Chriſt.
Thoſe therefore whoſe buſineſs it is … lead Souls to Chriſt, had need furniſh themſelves with skill and underſtanding to handle wounded Conſciences in a right manner, that they may be ſerviceable to them in their diſtreſſes; who would venture his Ship with … unskilful Pilot? Who would venture his wounded Body with an Unskilful Chyrurgeon? Who would willingly put his diſtreiſed Soul into the hands of an Unskilful Miniſter? Men ſhould not ſatisſie themſelves with other points of learning, but labour after that … they may ſpeak words in SE ASON to very one that is weary: that as Moſes ſaid to … Father-in-law, they may be inſtead of eyes to than that are in the Wilderneſs.
There are two things eſpecially ſerviceable to this end.
One is, that they get experience of this work in their own hearts: If they have not experience, they will be but blind guides; they will be ingreat danger to entertain falſe notions concerning a Work of Converſion: they will be inclinable to think, that there is not ſo much neceſſary as is in order to Converſion; they are in danger to be deceived with pretences of mens being delivered from their own righteouſueſs, with ſhews of humilitation, faith and love. Whatever Books men have read, there is … need of experimental knowledge in a Miniſter, many particular things will occur that he will not meet withal in Books: it is a great calamity to wounded Conſciences, to be under the direction of an unexperienced Miniſter.
The other is, to be acquainted with the obſervation of thoſe who have travelled much in this work: if a man have experience in his own Soul, that will not reach all caſes that may come before him; there is great variety in the workings of the Spirit, and in the workings of mens hearts under the convictions of the Spirit; and men that have had to do with many … in their diſtreſſes, may afterward meet …ith … difficulties as may puzzle them …ery much; therefore it is of great uſe to …t the knowledge of the obſervations of …oſe who have had to do … variety of caſes, whereby they … get a arger Underſtanding how to manage themſelves, when things are difficultly circumſtanced.
This ſmall Treatiſe, compoſed upon th… deſire of ſome Younger … is offere… … the conſideration of ſuch as do deſire … be further inſtructed in the right way … dealing with diſtreſſed Souls: and if t… Author ſhall be hereby the inſtrument … the Salvation of any periſhing Souls, he ſha… count his Labour well beſtowed.