A Guide to Christ, Text
Directions How to guide Souls through the Work of Converſion.
WHEN a Sinner wounded in Spirit, does apply himſelf unto a MINISTER of the Goſpel for Counſel, it is profitable, after ſome Enquiries concerning the time, means and degree of their Convictions and Terrors to uſe this method with him.
1. To confirm and eſtabliſh him more in the apprehenſions of the dangerouſneſs of a Natural Condition: ſhewing him that every man that dies in a State of Nature; will certainly be damned, that a State of Dammation is intollerable, that the continuance of his opportunities for deliverance is very uncertain: for there is danger that if his convictions be not cheriſhed, they may by degrees wear off: many mens terrours are but ſhort liv'd: they harden their hearts by company, clogging themſelves with worldly buſineſs, and their natural diſpoſition to flatter themſelves.
2. To incourage him to be in the uſe of means, in order to his Converſion: for if they have not hopes of obtaining mercy; either they will not ſeek after it, or they will do it in ſuch a careleſs & dull way that it will come to nothing: God leads men through the whole work of preparation partly by fear, and partly by hope. If they run into either extream, to have fear without hope, or hope without fear, they are like a Ship that goes beſide the Channel, and is in danger to be broken to pieces; a mixture of fear and hope makes men diligent: they may be incouraged from ſuch conſiderations as theſe: that God has provided a glorious way of Salvation through Chriſt, that all that do believe in him ſhall be ſaved; that there is an infinite Ocean of mercy in the heart of God; that God has had compaſſion on many greater Sinners than they, that the day of grace is not yet gone: that God is now ſtriving with them by h… Spirit, which is many times the forerunner of Converſion.
3. To direct him what courſe to take at preſent: As,
1. Daily to ſeek God in ſecret. As this is a duty, ſo a ſpecial means to cheriſh the motions of Gods Spirit in his heart: if this be neglected, it would be no wonder if his Convictions ſhould dye away: he is alſo to be directed, not to content himſelf in putting up ſome good requeſts to God …t he ſhould open his caſe plainly before God, as he would do to a Phyſici… if he were ſick: this is a way to been him from wandring thoughts in Prayer, and further to affect his own Soul with his condition. Iſa. 55.6. Seek ye the Lord while be may be found.
2. To Reform his Life, and not to indulge himſelf in any ſins of Omiſſion or Commiſſion: in any external ſins, nor in ſinful thoughts or deſires; neither in ſinful actions, nor in doing good actions in a ſinful manner: Men that are ſeeking Salvation, muſt not allow themſelves to go on in a way of Damnation: that terror is not ſufficient that will ſuffer men to live an unreformed Life: if men be thoroughly …red, they will dread doing what wounds then Conſciences; fear of Hell will make men afraid of ſin: if they be thoroughly wounded, thoſe temptations that formerly carried them … will be overcome, Luke 13.10, 12, 14.
3. To lay himſelf open to the Convictions … the …. Sometimes men are deſirous to be con…ed and terrified, but not ſo much, they would over-rule their Convictions is to time and degree; but as a Patient leaves himſelf in the hand of the Chyrurgeon, ſo ſhould they in the hand of the Spirit, when it … him, and as much as it pleaſes him, not … eyes against the light, Joh. 3.20.
After the awakened Sinner … uſing means a while, he often timesgives an account of ſome ALTERATION; he finds ſome affections, ſorrow for ſin, delight in Sabbaths, love to the People of God, love to reading of the Scripture: What is to be ſaid to him in this Caſe?
1. He is to be told, that he must not reſt in Eaſe, but labour after healing. If a Wiſe man by applying Plaiſters to a Sore be delivered from much of the anguiſh that he was in, he will not ſatisfie himſelf with that, and give over the … of means, leaſt the anguiſh ſhould return again; ſo the Sinner had need be careful that … don't ſatisfie himſelf in the eaſe of his Conſcience, but muſt get it healed by the application of the Blood of Jeſus Chriſt.
2. It is extreamly dangerons to tell him, that it is hopeful that God has put the ſeeds of Grace into him. There is not one in a thouſand but does experience ſuch religious affections long before … is Converted; theſe religious affections are nothing elſe but the workings of ſelf-love and natural conſcience; natural Conſcience diſcovers the danger of ſin, and ſomewhat of … baſeneſs of it, hence he is ſorry for it; the … conceives ſome hope that by praying, reading, &c. he ſhall get Salvation, hence he delights in them; the man hopes that he has accepted of God, hence he has ſome affections to him; and of a Miniſter does but ſpeak encouragingly as if the man were Converted, he lays a foundation for … for he is in great da… to fall in with the flattery.
3. He is to be warned againſt a ſelf-righteous Spirit. Men are exceeding ready to think that their good works and religious frames will abate the fierce anger of God, and incline God to pity them, and have mercy on them; they are proud of their Services, ignorant of the Righteouſneſs of Christ, and of the freedom of Gods mercy; they think God cannot love them, unleſs they be lovely; and that he cannot but love them if they be lovely, and ſo they are ready to dote upon their own righteouſneſs, Rom. 10.… They go about to eſtabliſh their own righ… therefore the man is to be warned againſt … and light is to be held forth to him, to convince him of the inſufficiency thereof.
4. He may be put upon to examine theſe affections, whether they be not in hypocriſie; and ſigns may be given to him, whereby he may diſcern them to be ſo; but there had need be great care that the ſigns be ſound, and warranted by the Word of God; otherwiſe he is in dan… to be eſtabliſhed in his miſtake.
Queſt. 1. Are Sinners that are awakened to be directed to labour to work up their heart of ſincere …w for ſin, and love to God and …
Anſw. 1. If their terrors are great, they me neady of themſelves to labour to do this, from a ſelf righteous Spirit; that they may … neart of God and aſſwage his anger, they commonly take a great deal of pains in order thereto, that they may work … qualificatious … themſelves; the … conſiderations before themſelves, read and hear, and uſe all the methods that are in their power, to enliven their own hearts.
2. It is a preſumptuous thing for them to ſtrive for this, for it is impoſſible for them to work up ſuch things in their own hearts; they are dead in ſins, and cannot ſanctify themſelves; no principle that they have, will produce ſuch an effect; fear will not make them do it, the fear of Hell cannot make men hate ſin more than Hell: Self-love will not make them love God above themſelves: they cannot by Conſidetation work any ſuch effect upon their hearts, for they don't understand ſpiritual things: Encouragements will not make them do it, for it is beyond their power: Reſolutions will be ineffectual, they may as eaſily remove Mountains as to do this; therefore it is they ſhould not ſtrive to work their own hearts to it.
3. There can be no benefit of ſuch direction but only this, that they may find by experience their own …ability; that after they have done their utmoſt, they may by their experience underſtand their own helpleſsneſs: it is the duty of men to love God, and to repent of ſin; and it is the duty of Sinners to labour that they may love God, and repent of ſin, &c. but it is not in their power to work up their hearts to the love of God, and Godly Sorrow; they ſhould labour to be convinced, they cannot do it.
Sometimes it is much to be ſuſpected, that thay do not reform all that is amiſs: and in this Caſe;
1. The danger of a Natural Condition is to be ſolemnly ſet before them; though their terrors ſeem to be great, yet they need to be greater; men muſt have ſo much terror as to bring them to a ſeparation from ſin: therefore there is need to repreſent their danger in the moſt lively and dreadful way, that the ſenſe thereof may pierce their heart deeply; if they be but thorowly ſcared, they will be brought to an univerſal Reformation: Iſa. 2.20, 21.
2. They are to be urged to Reformation: their duty in this matter is to be particularly preſſed upon them, their Conſciences muſt be ſtirred to part with all ſin, as Chriſt urged the Jews, Mat. 5.29. If thy right eye offend thee pluck it out. For the neglect of Reformation will put a ſtop to the work, &c they will not get forward in the work of Humiliation, till they are Reformed; as the firſt Concoction prepares for the ſecond, ſo Reformation does for Humiliation: Men muſt overcome the next and more immediate difficulties before they overcome thoſe that are remote: he that will not part with ſinful practices, will not yield himſelf into the hands of Juſtice: if they don't reform, they put the work to a ſtand; yea, ſuch men do aggravate their own ſorrows, for trouble will lie upon them, till their hearts are brought to be humbled, and their terrours will be multiplied, if they belong to God, till they are perſwaded to reform: Pſal. 32.3. When I kept ſilence, my benes waxed old through my rearing all the day.
Sometimes ſome particular ſin lies exceeding heavy upon his heart. In this Caſe the Miniſter may tell him,
1. That it is not his duty in ordinary caſes to publiſh ſuch ſin to him, it's ſit he ſhould conſeſs it to God; but ordinarily there is no juſt occaſion to publiſh a ſcandal to him; it is beſt that ſecret ſins be kept ſecret, except the circumſtances of the perſon do call for the making of it known.
2. That the ſin is pardonable: This he may demonſtrate from ſeveral examples in the Scripture; from the ſufficiency of Chriſt's Redemption; from ſeveral Offers and Promiſes of the Goſpel, that the mans heart may not ſink with diſcouragement.
3. That in caſe the Rule does call for any ſatisfaction to men, he muſt not delay that, but that muſt be attended as ſoon as there is opportunity; if he can make ſatisfaction without confeſſion, there is no neceſſity of confeſſion; for ſatisfaction anſwers for the wrong that has been done to man.
4. That he muſt not be ſenſible of that ſin only, but of all other ſins; every ſin being provoking to God, and deſerving damnation: and particularly that his Impenitency and Unbelief is more dangerous than any former act of ſin: Joh. 3.19. This is the condemnation that light is come into the world, and men love darkneſs rather than light
Sometimes after the man has been in trouble a while, before he has any great experience of his own heart, he has ſome promiſes come to him with a great deal of refreſhing: and he hopes God has accepted him; in this caſe the Miniſter may tell him,
1. That it is a common thing for God to give encouragements unto men, before they are carried thorow the work of Converſion; that a… God gives them incouragements by his Word… ſo he does many times by his Spirit: God always maintains in the hearts of Sinners that are ſeeking of him, ſome hopes that they may obtain mercy: and ſometimes he gives them very great refreſhing, by ſome ſenſe of the Glory of Heaven, Luke 14.15. by ſome fuperſicial diſcoveries of Chriſt: Mat. 13:20. thereby holding forth ſome promiſes before them, the deſign whereof is to draw them on in a way of ſeeking, and to ſupport them under their temptations.
2. That God never gives a Faith of Aſſurance, before he gives a Faith of Dependance; for he never manifeſts his love till men are in a state of Favour and Reconciliation, which is by a faith of dependance. When men have comfortable Scriptures come to them, they are apt to take them as tokens of Gods love: but men muſt firſt be brought into Chriſt, by accepting the Offer of the Goſpel before they are fit for ſuch manifeſtations. Gods method is firſt to make the ſoul accept of the Offers of Grace, and then to manifeſt his good Eſtate unto him.
3. That if his Comfort be not of the right kind, it will not continue: And uſually after ſuch encouragements, mens terrours are wont to return with as much violence as ever. God commonly intermingles ſmiles and frowns, and if ſuch vain confidences as men took up from refreſhing Scriptures, be but nipped in the bud, they generally quickly wither away; and their fears return as ſtrong as ever.
WHEN the Sinner that was hoping he was in a good Eſtate, becauſe ſome refreſhing Scriptures came to him, ſees his miſtake, he is in danger to be diſcouraged. In this caſe he may be told,
1. That it is a common thing for perſons that are afterwards Converted, to paſs thorow ſuch Changes; it is not a peculiar thing to him, but a thing of ordinary experience in ſuch people as God is about to deliver out of a Natural Eſtate. They commonly have ſome lightſome times, and then returns of darkneſs: there was no reaſon to expect that that ſhould laſt very long; ſuch comforts are like Jonahs Goard, that riſe in a night, and periſh in a night.
2. That it is a great mercy that thoſe confidences are taken away from him; had they continued, they would have ruined him; falſe confidence is better loſt than kept. His condition is the more hopeful now thoſe confidences are loſt; while he had thoſe confidences he was like a Ship that ſtuck in the Sand, and now he is delivered from them, there is more ground of encouragement.
AFTER he has had affection and inlargements for a while, he is wont to complain that he grows more dull, and he is afraid that his Convictions are about to leave him: In this Caſe he may be told,
1. That there is no reaſon to expect that his Convictions ſhould always be in the like degree. Perſons in ſuch a Condition, are ſubject to many alterations, as it is with a Ship at Sea, ſometimes it has a fair Wind, ſometimes it blows more moderately, ſometimes it is becalmed; yea, ſometimes it has Storms and croſs Winds: There be many Changes that paſs over ſuch men. So men in a Journey, have ſometimes good way, ſometimes bad; they meet with Rivers and miery places, where they cannot make ſpeed.
2. That he must be very careful that he do nothing to quench the motions of the Spirit, 1 Theſ. 5.19. There be many ways whereby men do it, ſometimes by diſcouragement, ſometimes by preſumption and flattery, ſometimes by rebelling againſt the light, ſometimes by Companykeeping. Men that are much addicted to company, do commonly loſe theſe Convictions; ſo by crouding themſelves with Worldly Buſineſs: tho' diligence be no hindrance, yet combring of themſelves will be a great impediment to the abiding of Convictions.
3. That it is his best way to improve the Convictions that he has. Sometimes perſons are wont to argue, that it will be to no purpoſe for them to ſtrive. If they have not greate… Convictions, they ſhall but tire themſelves to no purpoſe; and they conceive it beſt for them to tarry, till they have ſtronger Convictions a but the Seaman is wont to hoiſt his Sails, and improve the Wind he has, whether it be leſs or more: if men improve moderate Convictions, they may get forward, and do that which will further their Converſion: and if they do improve leſſer Convictions, that is the way to have more: it is their duty to do it, and in that way God owns them; to him that hath ſhall be given. Some that have complained of the ſmallneſs of their Convictions, have within a while changed their note, and complained as much of the greatneſs of them, that they have been ſuch, that they could hardly live under them.
A Perſon that is under the work of Converſion, is ſubject to many affrightments, and diſcouraging TEMPTATIONS, a dreadful ſound is in his Ears: all ſuch perſons have not the ſame temptations, and they have them not in any certain order; but care muſt be taken to give ſuitable ſupport and adviſe to them according to the variety of their temptations. ONE TEMPTATION is, That he is not ELECTED; but God has Overlooked him, and appointed him to Condemnation; this ſometimes lies upon the heart with great weight: In this Caſe he may be told,
1. That thoſe things that make him fear that he is not Elected, are no certain ſigns of it, there be no certain tokens of reprobation upon him. Thoſe things that he takes to be ſigns are very, uncertain; the greatneſs of his ſins don't argue Reprobation: Many that have been guilty of great Sins have been Elected. His being of Elderly years don't argue it; ſometime God turns ſuch to himſelf, Mal. 4.5, 6. Gods leaving of him ſtill in a Natural Eſtate, though he has ſought God a long while does not ſhew it; Iſrael was a great while travelling from Egypt to Canaan.
2. That it is a ſinful thing for him to draw any concluſions about his Election. It is a ſecret reſerved in Gods own Breaſt, and he cannot determine any thing underſtandingly about it: Deut. 29.29. Secret things belong unto the Lord our God. When he undertakes to conclude that he is not Elected, he acts preſumptuouſly: his concluſion may be falſe for ought he knows; he pretends to know what he is ignorant of.
3. That Gods striving with him by his Spirit, is an hopeful ſign that he is Elected, for many times is is the fruit of Election. When the Spirit convinces of Sin, it is in order to his convincing of Righteouſneſs, Joh. 16.8. This is the courſe that God is wont to take with thoſe that are Elected; frequently he lets Reprobates live in ſecurity, but he is wont to terrifie the Elect in order to their Converſion; and the more earneſtly the man follows after God, and labours to get into a Converted Condition, the more hopeful it is that God has Elected him; for where God has appointed the end, he has appointed the means alſo.
Another TEMPTATION is, That he has committed the UNPARDONABLE SIN; that he has committed the Sin againſt the Holy Ghost, that Sin which is unto Death, he has carried badly after Illuminations, and it ſinks into him, that now there is no remedy.
In this Caſe he may be told, That it has been a frequent thing for men to fear that they have committed this Sin, who have afterward been Converted; that it is not the manner of thoſe that have committed that Sin, to be perplexed and exerciſed with fears about it; but the principal way to help in this Caſe, is to inform him from the Word of God, what this Sin is; particularly he may be informed,
1. That it is an External Sin, not a Sin that is committed in the heart; men have ſome wicked thoughts after enlightnings, and then fear that they have been guilty of that ſin; but that is an outward ſin, it is a ſin that other men may ſee, 1 Joh. 5.16.
2. That it is a Courſe of Sin, not any particular act of ſin, which a man breaks off from, and is troubled for, but a way of evil that he does continue impenitently in.
3. That it is one particular ſort of ſin, committed with great aggravations; namely, A rejecting of the Profeſſion of the Goſpel: There be many other grievous ſins, but none of them however aggravated, are the Unpardonable Sin; it is a rejecting of the Truth of the Goſpel, and renouncing the Profeſſion thereof: they are ſaid to fail away, Hebr. 6.6. they are ſaid to forſake the Aſſemblies of the People of God, Heb. 10.25. they are ſaid to tread under feet the Son of God; and to deny their Baptiſm, Heb. 10.29. So that if any perſon among us ſhould turn Papiſt or Heathen, having a blaſphemous ſpirit againſt the Ways of God, and a bloody perſecuting ſpirit towards the People of God, there might be reaſon to fear that he was guilty of the Unpardonable Sin; but there be no footſteps in the Scripture to judge that men that are following after God, and labouring to get into a Converted Condition, have committed that Sin, tho' they are guilty of much Unbelief, of many decays and backſlidings, and of very vile tho'ts and riſings of heart; for multitudes of men that have been guilty of ſuch things, have had experience afterwards of the Pardoning Grace of God.
Another TEMPTATION is, that his day of Grace is past; he had a time when he might have obtained Mercy, but he has let it ſlip, and it is in vain for him to ſtrive: In this Caſe the Minister may tell him,
1. That it is a common device of Satan, when he can't perſwade men that it is too ſoon, then to perſwade them that it is too late. He is ſet to hinder men from uſing of means; and firſt he tells them that there is no baſte; and when that temptation will do no longer, then he changes his voice, and tells them that the ſeaſon is gone.
2. That there is no ſuch Doctrine in the Scripture that any ſort of mens day of grace is paſt, before the day of life is past, except they be guilty of the Unpardonable Sin. It is taught in the Scripture, that God will ſtrive with ſome men, only a limited time, and then deſtroy them, Gen. 6.3. My Spirit ſhall not always ſtrive with man, yet his days ſhall be an hundred and twenty years. It is alſo taught, that God does harden ſome Nations in order to great miſery, Iſa. 6.10, 11. and ſometimes in order to their Unchurching, Joh. 12.40. It is alſo taught, that God may harden ſome particular perſons before Death, and never more ſtrive with them in any remarkable way. Rev. 22.11. Let him that in filthy, be filthy ſtill: But there is no ſuch thing taught, that there is any ſort of men that may be deſcribed, or any particular perſon that may be known unto himſelf or others, whoſe day of grace can be ſaid to be paſt before his death. When men ſay their day is paſt, they only fear, they do not know it.
3. That ſuch Scriptures as ſeem to evidence th… their day is past, do not determine any ſuch thing it is ſaid, Prov. 29.1. that he that being often reproved, hardneth his neck, ſhall ſuddenly be deſtroyed. But it is evident, that God waits longer upon ſome perſons than upon others: Some Threatnings are univerſal, and ſome are indefinite: ſhewing what God does many times do; ſo it is ſaid, Heb. 10.28. If any man draw back, my ſoul ſhall have no pleaſure in him; but the Backſliding here ſpoken of ſeems to be the Unpardonable Sin; he had been ſpeaking of that, ver. 26. and ſeems here to have reference to the ſame ſin; for in other caſes God does ſpeak incouragingly in his Word unto Backſliders, Jer. 3.22. Hoſ. 14.4.
Beſides the Temptations mentioned, there is ANOTHER SORT of Temptations that are very exerciſing to him, his Conſcience being guilty, he is much ſubject to frights.
1. One Temptation is, That he ſhall be left to ſome great and dreadful ſins. In this Caſe he may be told by the Miniſter,
1. That one ſpecial reaſon of theſe fears is that he ſees more of the badneſs of his heart than formerly; Men under troubles of Conſcience, are wont to ſee much of the Corruption of their hearts, and they ſee that which is ſufficient to lead them to all ſorts of wickedneſs; and becauſe God is angry with them, they are afraid he will not keep them, but avenge himſelf on them, by leaving them to ſuch wickedneſs.
2. That God is now ſtriving with him in order to his Eternal Good; God is exerciſing a great deal of mercy, and he has no cauſe to conclude that God will ſo leave him; though God might juſtly do it, yet he has reaſon to hope in God to preſerve him.
3. That it is fit he ſhould be humbled under the ſenſe of the depravedneſs of his nature, & be ſenfible of the inſufficiency of his own Righteouſneſs, to bring him into the Favour of God, his heart being a ſink of all manner of Sin; he can never be juſtified but by the perfect Righteouſneſs of Jeſus Chriſt.
4. That his beſt way is to make haſte to get into a Converted Condition. If he were once Converted, he would not be in ſo much danger to fall into great Tranſgreſſions; becauſe he would have then an holy principle to reſiſt temptations to Sin; and then he would have an Intereſt in the Favour of God; & it would be more hopeful that God would preſerve him.
2. Another Temptation is, That he ſhall get a falſe hope, and ſo ſatisfie himſelf that he is in a good Eſtate, when he is far from it; he underſtands that it is ſo with many: Prov. 30.12. Rev. 3.17. In this Caſe the Miniſter may tell him,
1. That he is indeed in danger of it, both becauſe of the pride of his ſpirit, ready to magnifie his own performances; and becauſe of his fears of Hell, the tediouſneſs of thoſe fears make him ready to catch at any appearances of Converſion, and therefore he had need be exceeding careful; it is good for him to understand what Converſion is, and what Preparation there muſt be in order thereunto; and if there be appearances to him at any time as if he were Converted, his way is to examine them thorowly, and get the help of ſome that are skilful before he ſettle himſelf much in that perſwaſion.
2. That he muſt leave himſelf as to that matter in the Hands of God: it is beyond his own power to deliver himſelf: if God delight in him, he will carry him through all the difficulties of the Work, and ſhew him the right way; it may be God may have purpoſes of grace to him, and if ſo, he will ſhew him the path of life.
3. Another Temptation is, That Satan will appear to him. This is a great terrour to him; eſpecially he is poſſeſſed with this fear when he withdraws himſelf to Secret Prayers: ſometimes this makes him neglect his duty, ſometimes it makes him attend it with diſtraction. In this Caſe the Miniſter may tell him,
1. That he is under Gods keeping; and that when he is doing his duty, he is under God's protection. There is leſs reaſon to be afraid of Satans appearing at that time, than at many other times; it is not Gods manner to ſuffer Satan to appear at ſuch times.
2. That if Satan had power and liberty to appear to him, it is not probable, that he would fright him with the expectations … it; he would not give ſuch notice of his coming; but his deſign in terrifying of him, is to prevent him from doing that which might be ſerviceable to his Soul.
3. That it is too much honour to Satan, to be ſo far out-bid with the temptation, as to change the time of his prayer; but if he cannot attend his duty ſuitably, and the temptation do prove too overbearing to him, it is better to attend the duty by day-light.
I may add to this Caſe another that now and then happens, that he ſays he has heard ſome voice, ſeen ſome ſhape, felt ſomething on him; this I apprehend at leaſt ſometimes to be only the effect of strong imagination: a ſtrong fancy may make men to imagine ſuch things; as it is with perſons in their dreams, and with distracted perſons; all Senſation is in the brain, and therefore by ſome diſorder of that, men may think they ſee, feel, or hear things which they do not ſee, feel or hear.
4. Another Temptation is, That it is beſt to deſtroy himſelf; many have been urged to this, ſome have attempted it, and ſome have performed it, as Judas did. In this Caſe the Miniſter may tell him,
1. That the Devil is very active in this temptation, though he has that in his own heart, that may lead him to it; yet it's Satan that ſtirs him up thereunto. The Devil entred into Judas when he betrayed Chriſt, and was not gone out of him when he deſtroyed himſelf. The Devil has a double deſign in it; one is to ſecure the man, he is afraid he ſhall loſe him, now he is troubled about his Condition, and is taking pains for Salvation. Satan is jealous leſt he will eſcape out of his hands, and labours to make him deſtroy himſelf, that he may preſently ſecure him, then there will be no danger of his running away. The other deſign is to bring a reproach upon trouble of Conſcience, and diſcourage others from giving way to Convictions. If there be but one ſuch Inſtance in a Town, that will make many others to ſtifle Convictions, leſt they ſhould come to the like End.
2. That there is good reaſon to hope that he may obtain Salvation. It is diſcouragement that leads men to ſuch practices: And if he have but conſiderable hope of obtaining peace with God, there is not much danger of his hearkening to the temptation; therefore ſuch things may be ſuggeſted, as are proper to bear up his heart, as that the Spirit of God is ſtriving with him in order to his Salvation; that Satan is afraid he will be ſaved, that his ſins are no other than what God has pardoned oftentimes, and the like.
3. That it is a dreadful ſin to deſtroy himſelf. It is a ſin againſt nature, it is unthankfulneſs for Gods mercy in ſaving his life; that this is far worſe than other ſins that are very terrifying to him; this is the way to throw himſelf immediately into endleſs miſery. Whatever may be ſaid of the poſſibility of the Salvation of ſuch perſons, there is no reaſon to think that one in a thouſand is ſaved; this ſin is heinous, and quickly cuts off their opportunities: Such a man as is tempted to this Sin, would be afraid to tell a lye, or to prophane the Sabbath; how much more has he reaſon to fear this ſin, which will bring him preſently to Eternal Damnation? It is a poor remedy to deliver himſelf from anguiſh, to throw himſelf into that, which is unſpeakably greater; certain damnation is far more dreadful than the fears they are oppreſſed by: this will make their condition much worſe, and not better.
SOMETIMES he complains of a ſelf-righteous Spirit; that he is ready to truſt to every thing he does: that eſpecially when he feels any affections, he is proud of them, and ready to make a righteouſneſs of them: In this Caſe it may be profitable,
1. To convince him of the inſufficiency of his own righteouſneſs to ſave him: that his own righteouſneſs will not bring him into favour with God; for his own righteouſneſs is utterly imperfect, and ſo falls ſhort of what the Law requireth. The Law ſtands for perfect Obedience, but he never did perform one perfect act of Obedience: all his Obedience is ſtained with Corruption. Beſides, while he is in a Natural Condition, he does nothing ſincerely, but is an Hypocrite in all his performances; and accordingly God is ſo far from juſtifying of him for the ſake of them, that he will not accept of him, but holds him guilty for the ſake of them. Beſides, his own righteouſneſs han't the nature of ſatisfaction in it; there can be no ſatisfaction for ſin, but by bearing the Curſe of the Law. Obedience is a natural debt, and cannot ſatisfie for his contracted debts; if our Obedience would have procured our acceptance, there would have been no need of the Death of Chriſt: Chriſt's Death would be in vain, Gal. 2.21.
2. To direct him how to get delivered from this ſelf-righteous ſpirit, viz. by getting an understanding of the badneſs of his own heart: for …t him hear never ſo often of the vanity of his own righteouſneſs, yet he will truſt to it, till he ſees he has none, and can get none. A thorow diſcovery of his own heart, will break him off from truſting in himſelf; for then he will ſee nothing in himſelf to truſt in: he will be afraid becauſe of his duties, his ſtrong holds will all be thrown down; but a notional conviction of the inſufficiency of his own righteouſneſs to ſave him, without an experimental conviction of the badneſs of his heart, will not deliver him from confidence in himſelf.
SOMETIMES he complains that he does every thing from a ſpirit of ſelf-love: he don't aim at the Glory of God in any thing; but fear of Hell, and deſire of Salvation, are the great things that do ſet him on work: were it not for fear of Hell he ſhould leave off. In this Caſe he may be told,
1. That it is impoſſible he ſhould act from at higher principle. He has no principle of love to God, Job. 5.42. Self-love is the reigning principle in him, and therefore it is no wonder that he does all in Religion from that ſpirit; it was his weakneſs that he formerly thought he did any thing out of love to God. No Natural man ever did act with an higher ſpirit, then a ſpirit of ſelf-love: A bad Tree cannot bring forth good fruit.
2. That he ſhould make uſe of this for Humiliation, and not for Diſcouragement. There is no reaſon that he ſhould be diſcouraged becauſe of this, for every one is an Hypocrite at firſt; and many that have ſought God for a while with a ſelfiſh-ſpirit, have afterward been turned, and have had another ſpirit given to them: but he ſhould make uſe of this to his Humiliation, and learn hereby his own badneſs, the inſufficiency of his own righteouſneſs, and the juſtice of his Condemnation, and that he has no cauſe to think much that God does reject his Services, and not give peace unto him.
After this the Sinner gives an account that he finds a ſpirit of love to God, ſorrow for Sin, aiming at the Glory of God, hating of Sin, &c. In this Caſe he may be told,
1. That there is a great reſemblance between common and ſaving Grace: Common Grace is the picture of Sanctifying Grace, and common affections are ſometimes ſtronger than ſaving. Pharaoh juſtifies God, Saul weeps, one who was far from ſincerity, tells Chriſt, he will follow him whitherſoever he goeth, the Jews cry, Hoſanna to the Son of David, the Iſraelites ſang Gods praiſe, but ſoon forgat his works.
2. That while they have ſuch pangs of affection, it will be very hard for them to ſee their Hypocriſie. Their fear of Damnation makes them catch at any appearances of ſincerity, and their pride makes them have an high opinion of their attainments; men ſometimes in that frame make ſuch ſigns as do indeed ſhew their hypocriſie to be arguments of their ſincerity.
3. That it is a very dangerous thing for them to think that they are ſincere, while they are not: then they will bleſs themſelves, when God curſes them; then they will continue quietly in a Natural Condition, and neglect the means of Converſion: and if they don't ſee the deceit quickly, there is danger that they may grow ſo hard-hearted, that if they do ſee it afterwards, they will not be the better for it.
4. That they may be ſatisfied from ſuch things as theſe, that they don't love God ſincerely, whatever appearances there be, viz. That they never had a work of Humiliation; and ſincerity does never forego that: that they never Cloſed with Jeſus Christ, and the heart is never purified without Faith. All thoſe affections that go before faith, let them be never ſo ſtrong, are deceitful; the firſt good action that any man does perform, is to give entertainment to the Goſpel: other things follow upon that.
SOMETIMES he gives an account, that he does believe on Jeſus Christ; he don't truſt in his own righteouſneſs, but places his hope in Chriſt. In this Caſe the Miniſter may tell him,
That there is a great deal of faith that does not juſtifie. Some do believe for a time, Luke 8.13. ſome receive the word with joy, and in time of temptation fall away, Mat. 13.20, 21. Some believed on Christ, but did not confeſs him, Job. 12.42. ſeveral ſorts of faith do not justifie: As,
1. An Hiſtorical Faith. Men do receive the History of the Goſpel for a truth, and take it for granted, that Jeſus Chriſt is the Son of God, and Saviour of the World; and if any ſhould deny it, or diſpute againſt it, they would be very zealous againſt him, it would ſtir up their indignation; if they have any workings of infidelity, yet generally they go with that perſwaſion, that the Goſpel is true; but this is no more than a Turk will ſay for his Religion: this Hiſtorical Faith, don't mortifie mens corruptions. John 2.23, 24, 25. many profane man have this Hiſtorical Faith.
2. A conſiderable confidence that Christ will ſave them. They are perſwaded that they ſhall obtain Salvation by Chriſt, and do rejoyce in the hope of it: This Confidence is a diſtinct thing from Juſtifying Faith; it is good or bad according to the grounds of it. Godly men have frequently ſuch a confidence from the experience of a work of Grace in their own hearts, and the manifeſtation of the Love of God; but this is not Juſtifying Faith, but a Faith of Aſſurance. Carnal Men may have ſuch a confidence, ariſing from an imagination that God loves them, and from a ſenſe of their own goodneſs; but this is not Justifying Faith, but Preſumption.
3. A depending upon Christ, on the incouragement of a mans own goodneſs. He hears the Goſpel, or has ſome common Illumination, diſcovering ſomewhat of God's readineſs to pardon Sinners through Chriſt: and conſidering what he is, he ventures on Chriſt. When a man ſavingly believes, he ventures upon Chriſt upon Goſpel incouragements; but another ventures, being incouraged from the conſideration of his Prayers, Tears, Conſcienſciouſneſs, or on that incouragement that he is not very bad, ſo he thinks ſuch an one as he may venture; whereas if he did ſee himſelf ſo bad as indeed he is, he would not venture on Chriſt; the man makes partly his own righteouſneſs, and partly the Righteouſneſs of Christ the foundation of his Faith; he does not exclude the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt, but the preponderating conſideration, and that which eſpecially imboldens him to venture, is his own righteouſneſs; his own righteouſneſs is the firſt foundation of his hope, though he takes in the plea alſo of the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt; he ſees enough in Chriſt for ſuch an one as himſelf, but not for the worſt of Sinners.
But poſſibly he will plead for himſelf, That he was much affected with Christ, and with the mercy of God, it was more than ordinary, he never had ſuch a light before. In this Caſe he may be told, That Carnal men have ſometimes ſuperficial diſcoveries of Chriſt, and are affected therewith, Mat. 13.20. men have conſiderable inlightnings and tasts, yet may fall away; and it is no wonder they ſhould be affected with the mercy of God: if men do apprehend that God has pardoned them, they cannot but … affected with it: as pardon does affect men, ſo does Imaginary pardon.
He may further plead for himſelf, That it was juſt ſo with him, as it has been with Godly men, as he has heard them to expreſs themſelves; that all his objections were anſwered; he was backward before, but he had ſuch a diſcovery of Chriſt, that all his objections did vaniſh away, and he had nothing to ſay.
But he may be told, that the reaſon why ſome mens objections are all anſwered, is not from the greatneſs of the light that God gave them, but from their ignorance of their own hearts. They did not ſee ſo much of their own badneſs, as thorowly to feel the power of an objecting ſpirit; if they had ſeen how bad they were, their objections would not have been anſwered. A little matter will anſwer the objections of an ignorant and conceited man, they have not light enough to make ſuch ſtrong objections as they would do if they knew themſelves; and fo… all their objections are eaſily anſwered.
SOMETIMES he builds his Confidence upon ſome PARTICULAR SCRIPTURES.
ONE Scripture is, 1 Joh. 3.14. We know that we are paſſed from death to life, becauſe we love the brethren: He ſays he finds ſuch a ſpirit in himſelf, and he thinks his Condition good. But he may be told,
1. There is a great difference between loving the People of God for their Plety, and honouring them for their Piety. Many Natural men have ſome Convictions that Godly men are choice men, and happy men; and if they think a man is a ſincere man, they honour him, and have a reſpect for him; ſo Herod had for John, Mark 6.20. but theſe men have not a ſincere love to them for their Piety; they don't love God nor Godlineſs, therefore don't love Godly men for their Piety.
2. There is a great difference between loving Godly men for their Piety, and loving them for their Morality. Godly men are moral men ſome of them are eminent for Juſtice, Sobriety and Faithfulneſs, and theſe are very lovely things in the eyes of many natural men; they love them upon that account, Dan. 6.3.18. Darius had a great love to Daniel, but it was not upon the account of his Piety, but his Prudence and Morality: Morality is lovely in the eyes of many carnal men. Some love Godly men, becauſe they are related to them; ſome becauſe they are friendly to them, and ſome becauſe of their moral qualifications, that have not any love to them upon the account of their Piety. The moral Carriages of the People of God flow from a ſpirit of Piety; but Morality & Piety are very different things, and ſome perſons that have a love to them upon the account of their Morality, may have no love to them upon the account of their Piet…
Another Scripture that he may build a confidence on, is, 1 Joh. 5.11. Whoſoever believeth that Jeſus is the Chriſt, is born of God. By this Rule he ſays he is in a good condition, he does believe this, therefore is Regenerate. In this Caſe he may be told,
That the believing here ſpoken of, is the receiving of it as certain upon the teſtimony of God. Many men have a common perſwaſion that Chriſt is the Son of God from tradition, and from his Miracles, which is in a more general acceptation called believing. Joh. 2.23. and yet they are not born of God: but more properly they are ſaid to believe it, who receive it, upon God's teſtimony; and thoſe men who have only a common perſwaſion, are indeed Unbelievers; they that have not Grace, don't properly believe the Word of God.
ANOTHER Scripture that he takes notice of to ſtrengthen his confidence, is, Mat. 5.6. Bleſſed are they that hunger and thirst after Righteouſneſs; his Conſcience teſtifies that he does ſo, therefore he hopes he is bleſſed. In this Caſe he may be told,
That though ſome deſires of grace are grace, yet all deſires of grace are not grace: As men may act hypocritically when they pretend to deſire grace, ſo when they do deſire grace. For
1. Many Carnal men do deſire Grace. It is a common thing for Ungodly men to deſire Grace, eſpecially when terrified with the word, they deſire to be Converted: Some men have ſlighter Convictions, and they have faint and languiſhing deſires, and ſome have more ſmart terrours, and they have more earneſt deſires to be Converted: they think they would give all that they have in the World, that they were Converted: So the Fooliſh Virgins, Mat. 25.8.
2. Deſires of Grace may ariſe from natural principles. Grace is not only deſirable, for its own ſake, but there are ſeveral benefits that do attend it, which may make natural principles crave it. Grace is an honourable thing, Heb. 11.2. it … among men, it procures men a good name in the World; hence Pride makes men crave it: Grace is a means of many outward bleſſings, 1 Tim. 4.8. And upon this account, men out of a ſelfiſh ſpirit may deſire it; grace is neceſſary in order to Salvation, Heb. 12.14. And upon this account, nature makes men crave it.
AFTER he is delivered from his confident opinion of his good estate, and ſees himſelf to be in a natural condition ſtill; it may be needful upon that occaſion,
1. To encourage him: For he is in danger to be too much caſt down, ſo as to hinder his future diligence: He may be encouraged from the conſideration of Gods Goodneſs in diſcovering that deceit which would have proved his bane; he was in a dangerous way, but God has delivered him, and ſo put him into a nearer capacity to be Converted: Gods not ſuffering him to continue in his deluſion, is an hopeful ſign, that God does intend mercy to him; he is now under greater advantage than before. John 9.4.
2. To war… him that he don't run into the ſame error again; for he is still under the reigning power of a ſelf-righteous ſpirit, and may get a falſe opinion of Converſion again. Some do ſeveral, times ſtrike upon that rock, therefore he muſt be cautioned not to be deceived with the appearances of grace; nor to give way to the flattery of his own heart; if he ſhould take up ſuch a perſwaſion again, it is doubtful that he would not be delivered, relapſes are dangerous; and if he ſhould begin to think ſo, it were beſt to adviſe with thoſe that can inform him, before he be confirmed in ſuch an opinion.
3. To lead him into the underſtanding of his own badneſs, and inſufficiency to help himſelf. This is an advantageous time to drive him out of himſelf, and bring on the work of Converſion. When he ſees his own hypocriſie, the beſt way is to follow, till he is quite emptied of himſelf; it is good policy to improve a victory, and to help him to a thorow ſight of himſelf, that he may be prepared for Chriſt.
SOMETIMES after a man has been ſeeking a while, and has paſſed thorow many Changes, there is reaſon to fear that he will leave off, he has a great deal of diſcouragement; others obtain, and he is left; God don't make the Word powerful on his heart, he don't get forward, and it may be perceived, that he is more ſlighty than he was. In this Caſe it is beſt,
1. To encourage him: for the diſcouragements that he is under, are a great cauſe of Apostacy; therefore it is beſt to hearten him up: the notion of the giant-like ſtature of the Canaanites, and the ſtrength of their Walls, was a great inducement to Iſrael to entertain thoughts of returning back to Egypt. So it is in this Caſe: And he may be encouraged two ways.
1. By ſhewing him the poſſibility of his obtaining mercy. So Caleb told the people they were well able to overcome, and if God delighted in them, he would bring them in; thus he may be encouraged, by ſhewing of him that God can help him, and that nothing does appear to ſhew that God will not help him; his mercy is free, he has pardoned others as bad as he; his Providences to him are conſiſtent with deſigns of Grace.
2. By ſhewing him the wonderful benefit that he will have if he does obtain mercy; beſides that peace and communion with God which he will have in this Life, he will enjoy Eternal Salvation in the other World, which is inconceiveaby great. It were a great thing to have his puniſhments moderated, much more to be delivered from them; it were a great thing to be ſaved out of Hell, after hundreds of years, greater to be preſerved from coming there: It were a great thing to be kept out of Hell, and ſuffered to live a natural life always upon the Earth; greater to be tranſlated into the glorious preſence of God, and to be like the Angels of God always beholding the face of the Father; it is worth the while to go thorow any difficulty for Heaven; Heaven will make amends for all: if all the way to Heaven were Rocks and Mountains, yet it is worth the while to travel thither. The People of Iſrael were often told of the excellency of the Land of Canaan, that it was a Land flowing with milk and honey, and a land of vineyards, and olive-yards, & wheat and barley: So it is uſeful to ſet before him the glorious Happineſs that the People of God will enjoy in another World.
2. To warn him of his danger, for ſecurity has a great hand in Apostacy; to remember him what a miſerable condition he would caſt himſelf into, if he ſhould caſt off fear, and restrain Prayer before God. Sometimes when men Apoſtatiſe, they fall into deſpair; and God ſuffers them to be miſerably hurried and haunted by their own evil Conſcience, and no means can deliver them; ſo it was with Judas. Sometimes God ſhortens their days, and don't ſuffer them to continue in this world: When they draw back, God withdraws protection from them, and they quickly dye: When they neglect ſeeking Eternal Life, God denies temporal life to them; and ſometimes he leaves them to be very wicked; they ſometimes become of the number of the baſeſt of men. 2 Pet. 2.20, 21, 22. Mat. 12.44, 45. and they are in dreadful danger of Eternal Fire; and that miſery that no Creature knows how to grapple with. Such Conſiderations as theſe may help him againſt the …oth and ſlightineſs of his ſpirit.
SOMETIMES he complains he is followed with Atheistical thoughts; he is frequently followed with queſtions about the Being of God In this Caſe the Miniſter may,
1. Acquaint him that though this is a great ſin, yet it may be forgiven. There is abundance of Atheiſm in the hearts of men, the lives of men ſhew that they have much of this ſpirit Tit. 1.16. And many perſons that have complained of this, have been afterward Converted; and that ſome Godly men are much exerciſed with this temptation, Pſal. 73.12, 13. And therefore though he ſhould not make light of it, yet he ſhould not draw up any dark concluſions againſt the poſſibility of his Salvation.
2. Convince him that there is a God; and ſettle his heart about that great Truth.
3. By evidencing to him the Being of God, which he may do, eſpecially from the Works of Creation thus. The things which we ſee, are made things; they are finite, compounded, corruptible, and therefore it is impoſſible they ſhould be of themſelves; that which is finite, is not Eternal, but was made in time, out of nothing; that which is compounded, was compounded by ſome other thing; that which is corruptible, has not its being from it ſelf; we could not be of our ſelves, and therefore the Firſt man, who was of the ſame nature with us, could not be of himſelf; and he that made theſe things, muſt be an Infinitely Glorious God: He that could bring the World out of nothing, and make the Creatures that are therein, with wonderful variety of properties and vertues muſt be one of infinite perfection, this is God. Rom. 1.20. Pſal. 19.1.
2. By removing thoſe Objections that prove ſnares to him: If that be a ſnare to him, that we do not ſee God: He may be told, That we don't queſtion many other things which we never ſaw. We doubt not that there are ſuch Countries as France and Spain. Several things are inviſible, as the Souls of Men, Angels and Devils, unleſs they affirme a Shape; yet we may be ſatisfied about theſe: There be other ways to ſatisfie us about the Exiſtence of things, beſides ſeeing of them. We know ſome things by reaſon, and ſome things by faith, Heb. 11.3. If that be a temptation to him, that others don't believe the Being of God, he can plainly perceive by the lives of men, that whatever they pretend, they do not really think that there is a God: He may be told, That though they are not fully perſwaded, that there is a God, yet they cannot be fully perſwaded that there is not a God; they have ſo much light that they cannot extinguiſh it; there is not a perfect Atheiſt in the World: Beſides, Carnal men are led by their Corruptions, and their reaſon is very much darkned, and there is no weight to be laid upon their thoughts. Shall we think here be no Antipodes, becauſe ſome ignorant men denied it? Shall we queſtion the roundneſs of the Earth, becauſe ſome others think otherwiſe? We may not offer violence to our reaſon, becauſe of the ſottiſhneſs of other men. If that be a ſnare to him, to conceive how God can be of himſelf; how it is poſſible he ſhould be, without being made: He may be told. That if that be above his reaſon to fathom, …e… that is not contrary to reaſon; as it is to think that a company of finite things, ſhould be of themſelves: Beſides, if there are beings, there muſt of neceſſity be ſome Firſt Being: If the reſt be made, yet there muſt be one that was not made: To ſay that nothing was made, and to ſay that all things are made, are alike abſurd; thoſe things that are made could not have been, unleſs there were ſomething that was not made; ſeeing many things have a being, there muſt be one of them that is of himſelf; they could not interchangeably make one another, but there is one who was not made, but is of himſelf, who is GOD.
SOMETIMES he complains that he is followed with horrible injections, blaſphemous tho'ts, and other wicked thoughts, that are a great affliction to him, and take away the comfort of his life, they make him a terrour to himſelf. In this Caſe he may be told,
1. That ſo far as they are injected by Satan, they are not imputed to him. The heart of man, is very bad, and from that fountain of ſin, exceeding wicked thoughts may ariſe; but when perſons are violently followed with ſuch thoughts, they are uſually injected by Satan, they are ſome of his fiery darts ſpoken of, Eph. 6.16. And when he caſts them in, the man is no more guilty, than he that hears a man blaſſheme: if a man were perfect'y holy, that could not prevent ſuch injections if God let Satan looſe upon him.
2. That his Nature is ſo corrupted, that thoſe injections do leſs or more taint him. The heart is like tinder, and theſe, temptations will make ſome impreſſion, though he has a deteſtation of thoſe thoughts, and labours againſt them, yet there is a principle in the heart to fall in with them; and generally upon ſuch occaſions, perſons do contract guilt; and it is but …re if ever, that men are meerly paſſive at ſuch a time: The Sin that is in men, does eaſily beſet them, Heb. 12.1. And therefore it becomes him to be confeſſing before God the wretched…eſs of his own heart, in ſodering in any degrees with thoſe temptations.
3. That ſuch temptations are no ſign that God don't love him; he may not gather from thence, that God has given him up to Satan; for this has been the condition of ſome very Godly men. This is an exerciſe that God has brought upon ſome that have been dear to him: As Satan is wont to tempt the beſt of men, ſo …me of the choiceſt with theſe ſuggeſtions; …his is not too great an affliction to be bro't upon ſuch men as God does love; the Devil may in this manner hurry thoſe that he ſhall not be able to deſtroy. Paul in likelihood had ſome ſuch temptations, 2 Cor. 12.7. God for holy ends may ſuffer thoſe whom he loves to be thus exerciſed, that they may leave their own weakneſs, and be humbled before God.
4. That it is not very uſual for God to ſuffer men to be long followed with theſe injections. Tho' there be ſome inſtances to the contrary, yet more ordinarily after a while God does reſtrain Satan, though no man can determine any preciſe time, yet after a while they are wont to be removed. God may ſo far hear Prayers, as to remove this affliction.
SOMETIMES he complains bitterly of the badneſs of his own heart, ſpeaks of it as exceeding bad; he ſays he never ſaw it ſo bad as of late, and ſeems to be almoſt diſcouraged thereby. In this Caſe he may be told,
1. That the heart of every natural man is exceeding bad. Many times through reſtraints of corruption and common grace, the badneſs of it is hidden; but the heart of every natural man is deſperately wicked, Jer. 17.9. Whatever appearances it may make, it is utterly corrupt; every ſin is unmortifyed: thoſe ſins that they have not been accuſtomed to, thoſe ſins that their tempers don't diſpoſe them to; thoſe ſins of whoſe baſeneſs they have the deepeſt ſence & their hearts are totally empty of all goodneſs, there is not one ſpark of goodneſs in them: that the principle of ſin is as ſtrong in them after they are inlightened & reformed as ever it was.
2. That it is neceſſary for him to be convinced of the badneſs of his own heart. When men ſee the badneſs of their own hearts, they are ready to be diſcouraged, but they are then in a more hopeful condition than before: If men be ſtrangers to their own hearts, they will truſt in themſelves, and neglect Chriſt. God firſt diſcovers to them what they are, and then he diſcovers the excellency of Chriſt to them: men will never come to Chriſt, till they are convinced what corrupt, blind and dead creatures they …e. And therefore the more God ſhews him of the badneſs of his heart, the more graciouſly he deals with him: The badneſs of the heart is matter of ſorrow, but the ſight of that badneſs is matter of incouragement; the more they ſee of that, the more hope there is of their being prepared for Chriſt.
3. That it is his beſt way to ſearch his own heart further. Many times men will complain bitterly of the badneſs of their own hearts, and one time after another give an account that they have ſeen more in their hearts than over they did before; and yet are far from ſeeing what they muſt ſee in their own hearts. And while it is thus, they ſhould be put upon it to ſtudy their hearts, that they may ſee more of them: Perſons are afraid to ſee their own hearts, and are wont to ſtrive againſt it, ſeeking to perſwade themſelves that they are better, than indeed they be: it croſſes their pride, and their falſe hopes, to ſee the badneſs of their own hearts; therefore there is need to ſtir them up thereunto, and to tell them of what conſequence it is. The ſight of the heart is like the opening of a feſtered wound, it prepares men for healing; they ſhould be put upon it to ſearch themſelves, and led into the way to do it: particular things may be propounded to them to ſearch after; this is a very material thing, for the ſincerity of their Converſion has a great dependance upon the thorow knowledge of their hearts.
Queſt. Whether at this time it is not best to urge him to believe on Christ, though he does not thorowly underſtand the badneſs of his own heart?
Anſw. 1. It may not be amiſs while he is in this condition, to mind him that it is his duty to believe in Chriſt. And to ſet forth ſometimes the Excellency and Sufficiency of Chriſt before him, it may be ſeveral ways beneficial to him; it may help him to take notice of the contrariety and oppoſition of his heart to this duty, and lead him into a further underſtanding of the corruption of his Nature; it may give ſome check to that ſpirit of ſelf-righteouſneſs that prevails in him, and make him ſenſible of the neceſſity of the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt unto his Juſtification; it may ſerve to encourage as to the poſſibility of his Salvation, and convince him, that he is capable to be brought into a ſtate of Salvation.
2. Yet there is no ground to hope, that till he thorowly ſees himſelf, he will accept the offer of the Goſpel. Men muſt be firſt humbled before they will believe. Invitations to come to Chriſt will never be ſucceſful, till men are driven out from all their falſe refuges; they may hear the moſt powerful arguments with a great deal of evidence and affection, but they will not be obedient; either they will be afraid to come to Chriſt, and have one thing or other to object; they will be fearful, becauſe they ſee ſo much ſin, or becauſe they don't know that God means them, or they have not the inward Call of the Goſpel. Under ſome notion or other they will not come, or elſe they will come in a …reſumptuous manner, and pretend to believe, when they do not indeed believe: Either they will be born down with Unbelief, or they will get a falſe Faith.
SOMETIMES the man complains that he has not encouraging Scriptures come to him, and therefore he fears that he is not under the work of the Spirit: Other men have encouraging Scriptures brought to them, and therefore God don't deal with him, as with thoſe he is wont to Convert. In this Caſe the Miniſter may tell him,
1. That if he have ſupporting conſiderations cast into his heart, that is ſufficient; there is no neceſſity to have incouraging Scriptures to come with a great deal of power upon his heart; there is need of ſome ſupporting conſiderations, to maintain an hope, and to keep him from deſpair: and if the heart be but ſupported with an hope that he may obtain at laſt, that is ſufficient. God deals very variouſly with men; ſome that have many encouraging Scriptures, do never obtain mercy.
2. That if he does continue to wait upon God, he may have encouraging Scriptures come to him after a while. God knows what he ſtands in need of, and don't tie up himſelf to the ſame method, as to the circumstances of the work: He uſes a great deal of variety; ſcarce two perſons are carried on exactly after the ſame manner; ſome have more incouragement towards the beginning, & others towards the latter end of the work.
SOMETIMES he ſays, that if he were ſure to obtain, he could be willing to take any pains: Yea, though God ſhould hold him waiting a long while; and he could be content to go through any anguiſh of ſpirit; but that which ſinks his heart and makes him dull, is, that he is not certain of ſucceſs. In this Caſe he may be told by the Miniſter,
1. That all that have obtained mercy, have ſought upon the in incouragement that they might obtain mercy. They did not know what the iſſue of it would be; the poſſibility of it was that which bore up their hearts in uſing of means; they had ſome hope mingle, with fear, and if they had not ſought upon the incouragement of the poſſibility, they had certainly gone without mercy. The Sick man does not ſay he will not uſe means, unleſs he were certain of a Cure: The Merchant don't ſay that he will not ſend his Ship to Sea, unleſs he were certain of a proſperous Voyage: The Husbandman don't ſay that he will not Plow and Sow his Land, unleſs he were certain of a good Crop; Men muſt wait upon God, upon this encouragement, that they may obtain mercy, Jon. 2.8, 9.
2. That the meer loſs of their pains is a ſmall matter. It will be a dreadful thing for a man to loſe his Soul; but the meer loſs of their labour is a ſmall matter. A man may well venture the loſs of his labour, in hope of the Salvation of his Soul: A man that is ſick, will venture the loſs of a little expence for the preſervation of his life: Men have no cauſe to be very ſcrupulous about the loſs of their pains: The loſs of their Souls will be far ſorer.
3. It is not fit that men ſhould be ſure to obtain mercy, till they do believe in Christ. There is ſecurity enough, that if they do believe in Christ, they ſhall be ſaved: And there is no reaſon that God ſhould be deſired to make a New-Covenant, and ſecure Salvation to any other Condition: God has deſcended low enough when he promiſe Salvation to believing; and it is too much for any man to deſire that God ſhould promiſe it to Praying, to Reading, to Reforming, &c. Eſpecially ſeeing thoſe things are done with a falſe heart, only for Salvation.
4. If men be thorowly ſcared with the danger of Damnation, they will readily improve their poſſibility, and not ſtand for aſſurance of ſucceſs. Men will be glad of a poſſibility, and not neglect means, becauſe they have no more incouragement: If a man be caſt into the Sea, he will not neglect Swimming, becauſe he is not certain that he can ſwim to the Shore: If a man be purſued by an Enemy, he will not ſtand ſtill, becauſe he is not certain that he ſhall get clear. If men ſtand convinced of their dreadful danger in neglecting to ſeek, they will betake themſelves to the uſe of means at a venture, rather than run the hazard of their Souls.
SOMETIMES he complains that after he has told the Minister how it is with him, it ſeems to him as if he had told a company of lies; and he is terrified with the apprehenſion of it. In this Caſe he may be told,
1. That theſe tho'ts riſe partly from the frightfulneſs of his Conſcience. He is in a terrified condition, and ſo the ſound of a ſhaking leaf will ſcare him; and he flees when none purſueth; he imagines dangers where there be none; he has a humbling guilty Conſcience, and is afraid that he ſins when he don't, and is ready to charge things upon himſelf without cauſe.
2. That theſe thoughts ariſe from thoſe contrary workings that are in his own heart. Sometimes he has a great ſence of danger, ſometimes he has but little ſence of it: ſometimes he is afraid he has committed the Unpardonable Sin, and then he is not afraid of it: he has great variety and change of frames, and whatever account he gives of the workings of his own heart, he has had ſome contrary workings thereunto; ſo that after he has told what workings of heart he had, he has reflections, becauſe he remembers ſome contrary workings of heart.
SOMETIMES a man that has been ſeeking after peace with God a great while, leaves off for ſome months together, he is followed with guilt, and comes and makes his Caſe known unto the Miniſter: In this Caſe it is very ſuitable,
1. To reprove him for his backſtiding, and ſet before him the ſinfulneſs of what he has done, and the danger that he has expoſed himſelf unto: he has quenched the Spirit, the tendency of whoſe motions was for his good; he has ſinned againſt a great deal of light; when he was in a more hopeful way, he has relapſed into a ſorrowful condition; he has loſt ground, and has a great deal of his work to do over again: God muſt needs be greatly provoked with him.
2. To encourage him notwithſtanding, by aſſuring of him, that he is capable of mercy. God invites Backſliders to return unto him: Perſons are ſometimes cured of relapſes: God has mercy enough to pardon ſuch ſins, ſeveral perſons have had experience of it: ſometimes the firſt attempt is not ſucceſsful; (as when David attempted to bring the Ark into the place prepared for it) but the next time he proſpered.
3. To warn them that they do not ſo again. They are in great danger, becauſe they have done ſo already: A Beaſt that has once tired, is more ready to do ſo again: Thoſe temptations that have prevailed upon them, are more like to prevail again; and if they get an habit of backſliding, they will be the more incurable: Cuſtom in any evil way, naturalizes it to men: They run more readily into the ſame.
SOMETIMES a man goes on in a way of ſeeking a great while, yet ſeems to be at a ſtand, the work don't go forward: he has the ſame fears, the ſame complaints, ſees nothing further into his own heart; he is like a man in a Chronical Diſeaſe, that notwithſtanding all Medicines, continues much in the ſame poſture, he is neither much worſe, nor much better; like a Ship that beats upon the Coaſt day by day, and can't get in. In this Caſe the Miniſter may,
1. Mind him that he may quickly die. The fence of approaching Death is very terrifying, and will ſtir up men to do their utmoſt: The face of Death is terrible, and it may be very profitable to work upon them, a fence that they may be quickly ſnatched away; they have the ſeeds of all Diſeaſes in them; Gods Judgments are as a light that goeth forth. Men are commonly ſnatched away before they are aware: Many of the Iſraelites that went out of Egypt, did not live to go into Canaan: Their way is offenſive to God, and ſo he may take them away in his anger.
2. To convince them, that they cannot make their own hearts better. One thing that makes men be at a ſtand is, that they are waiting in expectation to mend their own hearts; they hope from Sabbath to Sabbath, and from one Duty to another; and though they fail hitherto of their expectation: they find that Afflictions don't do it, nor Ordinances, nor Mercies, nor Examples; yet they are promiſing themſelves that after a while, they ſhall make them better, and it is fit they ſhould be convinced of the impoſſibility of that; Their hoping and waiting for that is their ſnare: They may be ſhewed how it is quite beyond their power: whatever reſolutions they take up, whatever pains they take, whatever encouragements, afflictions and terrours they have, yet it is beyond the compaſs of their power; they cannot underſtand the excellency of God and Chriſt, or the …reat evil of Sin: Sin governs them, and they can't ſubdue it: Self-love may make them ſeek Salvation, but not love God above themſelves. Men cannot be ſcared out of a ſinful Eſtate, though they may out of ſome ſinful practices.
3. To poſſeſs them that God is very angry with them, notwithstanding the pains they take. For one great reaſon why they make no more proficiency is, becauſe they live upon their Duties; though they don't think that their Duties do juſtifie them, yet they do pacifie their Conſciences with them; and they think that God will have a reſpect to the pains they take: they do what they can, and they do more than ſome others; and they hope they ſtand upon better terms with God than formerly; and though they ſpeak of their own badneſs, yet they imagine ſo much of their own goodneſs, as that they think it will be an hard caſe for God to damn them: Therefore they ſhould be convinced upon what terms they ſtand with God; that as there is no merit in their duties, ſo there is nothing to move God to pity them, nor to abate the anger of God towards them; but their beſt duties are provocations, and impated to them as ſins.
SOMETIMES a man that has been in a very hopeful way quickly to get through the work of Converſion, returns again to his old postures; he had of late great Convictions of the badneſs of his own heart, the hypocriſie of his duties, the inſufficiency of any thing of his own to gain Gods favour, and has ſuch workings of heart as are wont immediately to procure ſubmiſſion to God, and a work of Humiliation, and in a little time tacks about, and is remote from Humiliation as he uſed to be: As the Children of Iſrael when they were almoſt ready to enter into Canaan, fetcht a Compaſs, and wandered a long time in the Wilderneſs. In this Caſe the Miniſter may,
1. Warn him that he be not afraid to ſee the badneſs of his own heart. For perſons that have been praying for it, are yet afraid of it when it comes to. It is ſuch a doleful & uncomfortable Spectacle that they cannot bear to behold it; the ſenſe of it is ſo croſs to their pride, and ſtirs up ſuch fears of Damnation, that they cannot tell how to away with it, and labour to hide it from themſelves, and to get ſuch affections as may comfort them; but they ſhould be told, that there is no cauſe for them to fear to ſee their own hearts, for it is dangerous to be ignorant of them, but not dangerous to ſee them; the ſight of the heart is awful, but not hurtful; the heart is bad whether they ſee it or no, and they muſt ſee it before it be better: The Chyrurgeon muſt come to the bottom of the Wound before he heals it.
2. Instruct him, that there is a neceſſity of his ſubmiſſion to God; for his oppoſition to that has made him to quench thoſe Convictions of the Spirit which he had. He could not bear to yield himſelf a priſoner into the hands of God, and to lie at his foot waiting for mercy, and that has put him upon it to deliver himſelf from thoſe Convictions that led that way; but he muſt be inſtructed, that there is a neceſſity of ſubmitting himſelf to God; he cannot help himſelf, & God is not bound to help him; God may leave him to periſh if he will, and ſo long as he magnifies himſelf, and refuſes to reſign up himſelf to God, God will not diſcover Chriſt to him; he may pray, but he will not be heard: God reſists the proud.
SOMETIMES he is afraid that his Convictions are not like the Convictions of other men, and he hath ſeveral arguments to ſtrengthen thoſe fears.
One Argument is, that his Convictions are only the workings of natural Conſcience, and not from the Spirit of God: his Convictions are from the workings of his own thoughts; but he may be told, the way of the Spirits working when it does convince men, is by inlightning natural Conſcience; the Spirit does not work by giving a testimony, but by aſſiſting natural Conſcience to do its work: Natural Conſcience is the inſtrument in the hand of God to accuſe, condemn, terrifie, and to urge to duty: The Spirit of God leads men into the conſideration of their danger, and make them to be affected therewith, Prov. 20.27. The ſpirit of man is the candle of the Lord, ſearching all the inward parts of the belly. When men's own hearts are ſtirring them up to Sin, & they have many reaſonings about it, that is no ſign that Satan is not buſie with them: So when their own hearts are accuſing and frighting of them, it is no ſign that the Spirit of God is not at work with them: All the regular actings of Conſcience, all thoſe Convictions that are according to the Word of God, are from the Spirit of God.
Another Argument is, that his terrors are not ſo great as other mens. Many others have ſuch terrors that they are ſwallowed up therewith, almoſt diſtracted; all the Town may take notice of it; but his terrors are more moderate by far: But he may be told,
That there is great diverſity in the degrees of mens trouble: Every man muſt have ſo much trouble, as to make him ſtrive earneſtly after Salvation, and do what he can do in order to it; ſo much as to make him thorowly to Reform, and earneſtly to strive to get into a Converted Condition. Every Ship that performs its Voyage, muſt have ſo much Wind as may make the Ship Sail; but ſome Ships have ſtronger and more tempeſtuous winds than others have. Some men are of more tender ſpirit, & leſs will prevail upon them, than upon others; and ſome men whoſe troubles are but ſmall at the beginning, do grow afterwards to a great height: God uſes his Sovereignty very much as to the degree of mens trouble.
Another Argument is, that his terror did not begin when other mens did. Many others have been ſmitten in the Preaching of the Word, the Word of God has been like a ſharp ſword in their heart; but his troubles came from the examples of others, or from ſome affliction, or from his fall into ſome ſin: But he may be told,
That it is all one from what occaſion his troubles did ariſe, provided that he be but convinced of the abſolute neceſſity of preſent Reconciliation, and be but earnest in his endeavours after that: Though the Word be a principal means of Converſion, yet God may bleſs what means he will to do the work, Luke. 3.10, 12, 14. Jer. 2.24. Examples fails, and Afflictions have a great tendency this way. Whatever be the means of mens Reformation, yet if men be reformed it is well: God would have men to make uſe of Providences as well as Ordinances, there is a voice of God in them, Mic. 6.9.
Another Argument is, Becauſe he does not ſee the evil of Sin. He ſees a great deal of danger, but he does not ſee the evil of ſin, he thinks that other men ſee more than he ſees; but he may be told,
That other men do never ſee the great evil of ſin, until they are Converted. Men may ſee a moral evil in ſin, and a great deal of the vanity and folly of it, though they are not under a preparatory work of the Spirit; but they never come to ſee the great evil of ſin, until they are Converted. Men have not a Spiritual Underſtanding given them, till they are Converted; they don't hate ſin, until they are Converted; ſo long as they remain under the preparatory work of the Spirit, no ſuch things can be expected from them, as are peculiar to Saints: When once men come to ſee the evil of ſin, they alſo ſee the Glory of God; they do mortify their ſins, and are brought into a ſtate of Sanctification.
Another Argument is, Becauſe he don't proſper in his ſeekings; he has been ſeeking a long time, and yet God ſtands at a diſtance from him, other men get thro' it quickly; ſome that began a long time ſince him, have obtained peace with God, but he is left yet in a deplorable condition: But he may be told,
That it is a common thing with God to Convert ſome in a far ſhorter time than others. One Ship may ſpend twice as much time as another in performing the ſame Voyage; one mans diſeaſe may be broke in far leſs time than another mans. Some men has more temptations and hindrances than others; the Spirit purſues ſome men more cloſely than others; and thoſe that are longer under the work, may be as ſoundly Converted at laſt. The great reaſon why men do not hitherto proſper in their ſeekings, is not that their firſt troubles were not like the troubles of other men, but becauſe they truſt in their own righteouſneſs, and are not yet convinced of their own helpleſs condition, and the badneſs of their own hearts.
Queſt. But are not ſome mens Convictions and Terrors Saving? Is there not a difference all along in the terrors of them that are Elect, and them that are Reprobate?
Anſw. There is no difference for a great while between the strivings of the Spirit in thoſe that ſhall be Converted, and in thoſe that ſhall not. As there may be no difference in the Voyages of two Ships for a pretty while, one of which at laſt arrives in the Harbour, and the other is Caſt-away; So it is here. Thoſe that ſhall never be Converted, may have the ſame experiences for a conſiderable time, that thoſe have that ſhall be Converted; there may be no difference in their Awakenings, in their Reformations, in their Temptations, in their Encouragments, nor in reſpect of their Frames. This does appear,
1. Becauſe thoſe ſtrivings that men may have, that ſhall never be Converted, are ſufficient to bring men forward towards Christ. There is no neceſſity at all, that the Elect ſhould have any other ſtrivings for a time, than what are common to Reprobates; the Convictions that Reprobates may have, are ſufficient to bring men forward towards Chriſt; thoſe terrors that Reprobates may have, are ſufficient to wean them from the World, to make them reform their lives, and labour to be Converted. If men have but ſuch a ſenſe of Hell as many Reprobates have had, there is no danger but they will take pains to be ſaved, Pſal. 78.34. Tho' this will not Convert them, yet it will bring them nearer to the Kingdom of God, then they were; it will make them travel towards Chriſt, and overcome ſeveral impediments that lay in the way of their Converſion; though they don't ſee the great evil of ſin, yet they will be afraid of it; though they don't ſee the excellency of Holineſs, yet they will ſeek after it: Common Convictions are a preparation for Converſion.
2. They that are to be Converted, are not capable of any ſtrivings of the Spirit, but what are common, till they come to be humbled, and to believe. It is a pritty while after God begins to ſtrive with the Elect, before they come to be humbled, and to believe in Chriſt; and before that, they are not capable of any ſtrivings, but what are common. What can there be, but what is common to other men? Other men have fears of Hell and Judgment … of Wrath, moral Convictions of … Sin; encouragements, many … of vileneſs in their own hearts, … deceitfulneſs: And what can theſe have more before they are humbled? They are not capable yet to ſee the evil of Sin, the excellency of Chriſt, nor of godly ſorrow, nor of ſincere deſires, becauſe they are not Converted. Why may not a Reprobate have as much Conviction as they? What are they capable of in their preſent Circumſtances, but what many have had that are now in Hell? Some ſpeak of a Saving Conviction, and Contrition; What is it? if it be only of Hell & Wrath, Reprobates have ſuch as well as they; it can't be the great evil of ſin, for none can ſee that, but they that are Converted: Natural men are blind, Rev. 3.17.
3. If there be a difference, men might be able to tell what the difference is, and apply it. There is a difference between common grace and ſaving grace, and we are able to give an account what it is: So if there were a difference between the Convictions of the Elect and Reprobate, we might be able from the Word of God to tell what the difference is; if ordinary men could not do it, yet it might be expected, that ſuch as have a deeper inſight into the Scriptures ſhould: There God gives us Rules to diſcern the difference that is in his Diſpenſations; but no man in the world is able to tell what Convictions of Wrath and Hell are peculiar to Elect Sinners, and what are peculiar to Reprobates. Can we diſtinguiſh them by their kinds, by their degree, by their continuance, by their immediate effects? What Rules have we to guide us in this matter? And can we make an application to perſons? If Sinners give us a true account of their terrors, can we tell one that his Convictions are ſuch as are proper to the Elect, and they will end in Converſion; and another, that his Convictions are the Convictions of Reprobates, and that they will end in Damnation? This would be a bold Undertaking of any man; the Scripture is ſilent about is; yea, the Scripture ſpeaks the contrary, Luk. 12.52, them that were entring in ye hindred.
SOMETIMES the man is afraid that he ſhall dye quickly, and lives in a great deal of torment upon that account. He is in anguiſh of ſpirit; this frame riſes either meerly from his ſenſe of Gods anger, he thinks God will preſently pour out his Wrath; or ſometimes beſides this, there is ſomething in Providence that looks that way, or ſome would come to him that makes him fear it; as that, Set thine houſe in order, for thou ſhalt dye and not live. In this Caſe he ſhould be told by the Miniſter,
1. That he ought not to take up ſuch a Concluſion. No man ſhould believe any thing that may be falſe: He has no ſufficient grounds to draw up any ſuch peremptory concluſion, for the thing it ſelf is uncertain; Gods anger does not ſhew it; God has been angry with him a long time, yet he lives; neither do thoſe other ſigns ſhew that it ſhall be; ſuch things have oftentimes failed.
2. That it is not ſo uſual with God to take men away when they are under earneſt endeavours to be Converted. God threatens Sinners to take them away in the time of their ſecurity: When they ſay peace, peace, 1 Theſ. 5.3. Mat. 24.48. Though ſometimes men do dye that are ſeeking after peace with God, and to all appearance have not found; yet this is not an ordinary diſpenſation. When he is ſtriving by his Spirit to bring them to Repentance, it is an hopeful ſign that God will wait a while upon them; if we knock at a mans door, and they be all faſt and don't ſtir to open the door, we are wont to go away; but if we perceive that they are riſing and preparing to open the door, we are content to wait a-while. God generally ſtays to ſee what work men will make of it.
3. That he has indeed no certainty of his life; his body is mortal and frail, and many men dye ſuddenly. God has been much provoked by him, and may juſtly ſnatch him away by a ſudden ſtroke. Many times men have very little warning of Death, the fear of death is of great uſe to forward the work of Converſion: If men put far away the evil day, they thereby harden their hearts; the right numbring of their days, is a means to make them apply their hearts to wiſdom, Pſal. 90.12. Upon this account it is good to nouriſh awful fears of death; that makes men ſenſible of the vanity of the World, of the dangerouſneſs of Sin of the neceſſity of making haſte to be Converted: therefore Miniſters ſhould ſay nothing to perſwade them, that they are in no danger, for they are in real danger, and it is beſt for them to have the ſenſe of it; this will ſolemnize their ſpirits, and quicken them to their work; when afraid of Death, they will be willing to take pains, and not be hindred by temptations.
SOMETIMES he complains that he finds a dreadful murmuring ſpiri…; he is dreadful apt to quarrel with God, and can't tell how to juſtifie him: it is a great terror to him, yet he cannot deliver himſelf from it. In this Caſe he may be told,
1. That it is generally ſo with men under the work of preparation. There's ſcarce any but has experience of it. Men can hardly bear outward afflictions, much leſs appearances of damnation: When awakened Sinners are called upon to ſubmit to God, yield themſelves priſoners to him, there are two courſes that men take to avoid it; One is, to eſtabliſh a righteouſneſs of their own; they ſtrive to pacify the anger of God, they would fain do ſomething to ingage the heart of God to ſave them. Upon that account they pray affectionately, they are exact in their outward carriage, they ſtrive to make their hearts better: The Other way is, when they find that their danger continue after all their pains, they quarrel with God, object againſt his Diſpenſations, find fault with him; they are in a tumult, their hearts are in an uproar, and they are murmuring againſt Gods dealing.
2. That he may ſee much of his own heart in theſe murmurings. And indeed theſe murmurings are a great occaſion ſometimes to bring men off from their own righteouſneſſes: Therefore it is good to lead him on this occaſion into the ſenſe of the wretchedneſs of his heart; he may ſee in theſe workings much of his own hypocriſie, he has owned many times the need he has of free mercy; and that he deſerved Condemnation; yet now he murmurs as if God owed Salvation to him; he may ſee much of the Pride of his own heart, in riſing up againſt God, and of his boldneſs, and of his enmity to God; theſe workings of heart does diſcover a dreadful fountain of Sin within.
3. That thoſe Objections which his heart makes againſt God's proceeding are cauſeleſs. He may be ſhew'd particularly, that the ways of God are righteous and that men have no reaſon to murmur againſt him. It ſhould be cleared up to him, that God has great cauſe to find fault with him, but he has no cauſe to find fault with God.
1. If the man OBJECTS, that men are bro't under a neceſſity of ſinning, and yet are puniſhed for ſin. Sin being DECREED it cannot but be committed, yet it is puniſhed. He may be told,
1. That the DECREES of GOD does not at all infringe the liberty of man: Though the Decrees brings a neceſſity, yet men act as freely, as if there were no Decrees. The Decree of God offers no violence to the will of man; men chuſe the ways of ſin, Iſa. 66.3. And therefore the Decree is no excuſe for Sin: Men don't accept it when any wrong is done unto them, neither will God accept it as an excuſe; men act their own pleaſure and diſpoſitions when they ſin: The neceſſity riſing from the Decree, don't take away the commendableneſs of good actions, nor the blameableneſs of bad actions; this neceſſity don't cut off all rewards and puniſhments.
2. That in this Decree, God does but uſe his Sovereign Liberty. If God will make a multitude of Men and Angels, muſt he be bound to bring them all to Eternal Life? Who ſhall lay a prohibition upon God, that he ſhall not make uſe of ſome of them for the Glory of his Juſtice? If it be injurious for God to Decree that men ſhall ſin, and then puniſh them for their ſin, then he is utterly cut off from all opportunity for the glorifying of his Juſtice; but it is worth the while for Men and Angels to ſuffer for the manifeſtation of Gods Vindictive Juſtice.
2. If the man OBJECTS that the ſin of ADAM is imputed to him, and upon that account he is deprived of Original Holineſs; whereas he was not at all active in it, and gave no conſent unto it. He may be told,
1. That men in many caſes have a power to appoint others to repreſent them; and they are accordingly bound to ſtand or fall according to the carriage of thoſe Repreſentatives. Yea, men have a power to make Repreſentatives for others; theſe things are common in matters of a Civil Nature. Why then may not God, who hath more power over men, than they have over themſelves, appoint one to repreſent them, to act on their behalf, according to whoſe carriage, they ſhould ſtand or fall?
2. That this was a fair and probable way for the good of Mankind; it was as hopeful a way as for every man to ſtand for himſelf: There was leſs likelihood that all Adams Poſterity ſhould ſtand, then that he ſhould ſtand; not only from the perſonal qualifications of Adam, which were certainly greater than his Poſterity would have had in the time of their Childhood; but becauſe Adam was under an exceeding great Bond, he had a great Charge upon him; the Happineſs of all his Poſterity having a great dependance upon his Carriage. Adam had not only the care of his own Soul upon him, but he ſtood intruſted for many Millions that were to diſcend from him; and it was probable, that that Conſideration ſhould make him more careful to keep Gods Covenant.
3. If the man OBJECTS againſt the Severity of Gods Law, that puniſhes men with Everlasting Damnation. He may be told,
1. That it is very meet that he ſhould appoint ſuch a puniſhment, as might be a great reſtraint to mans ſinning. If God had appointed ſome little puniſhment, men would have been more bold to break the Law of God. Experience ſhews, that this ſevere puniſhment is not ſufficient to keep multitudes from living in a way of ſin; if the puniſhment had been leſs, men would have regarded it but little.
2. It was very meet that God ſhould appoint a puniſhment that was ſuitable for the vindication of his Name. God loves himſelf, and his Name is dear to him; and it becomes God to annex ſuch a penalty to his Law, as that his Great Name might be vindicated: God is a Great God, and therefore Sin is a great Evil; and it is very fit that if ſin be puniſhed, there be a puniſhment appointed ſome ways proportionable to the great evil of Sin.
3. That by Gods appointing ſo dreadful a puniſhment, he makes no man miſerable. God holds out the point of a ſword, this will do them no hurt if they don't run againſt it: God makes a dreadful pit, this will hurt no man if he don't run into it: Gods Law makes no man miſerable; they make themſelves miſerable, and are cruel to their own Souls, when they ſin againſt him.
4. The puniſhment appointed for ſin, is no greater than the recompence of Obedience. There is an equality in the Law, the Law is as bountiful to the Obedient, as ſevere to the Diſobedient: If the Law did appoint little rewards of Obedience, and great puniſhments of Diſobedience, men would have more ſhew for their complaints, but the reward is as great as the puniſhment. Heaven is as good, as Hell is bad.
4. If he OBJECTS, That God has ſhewed mercy to others that have not taken ſo much pains as he: God pardons others, and gives grace to others, but denies him. He may be told.
1. That his Labour and Service does lay no bond upon God to ſhew mercy to him. Whatever he has pretended in his Prayers, he has no true regard to the Glory of God, he has minded nothing higher than his own Salvation; he has been ſerving himſelf, and not God. God is no ways obliged to give him ſuch a reward, he has not merited grace, but has merited Condemnation by ſuch ſervices: There is nothing in ſuch ſervices to work upon the mercy of God; God's mercy is not moved by any external thing, there is nothing in thoſe Services to ingage the Juſtice of God, they are far from being meritorious; there is nothing to engage the Faithfulneſs of God: God has made no abſolute promiſes to any hypocritical prayers.
2. That God has a liberty to bestow his Grace upon whom he will. Mercy is Gods own, and he will make choice who ſhall be the ſubjects of it. God is maſter of his own gifts, will beſtow them upon one, and deny them to others. It is juſt for God to deny all Sinners Saving Mercy, but if he pleaſes to have mercy upon ſome, none may preſcribe who they ſhall be; but he may chuſe one, and refuſe another, 1 Cor. 4.7.
3. That God never did bestow ſaving mercy upon any Sinner, while he quarrelled againſt his proceeding. Before ever others had mercy, their ſpirits were brought down, and they were bro't to juſtifie God, and lie at his foot; if they had ſtood it out as he does, they ſhould have gone without ſaving mercy, Iſa. 45.23. To me every knee ſhall bow.
5. If he OBJECTS that he has done what he can, and yet God denies Grace to him. He ſhould not think much of it, if he gave way to a ſluggiſh ſpirit, and carried himſelf viciouſly, but he does what he can, and what would God have more. He may be told,
1. That if he does what he can, he may not challenge mercy from thence. By what Law will he demand ſaving grace becauſe of that? That does not in its own nature take away Gods Liberty and his Soveraignty: there is no wrong done him, if God ſees cauſe to deny him; neither is there any promiſe whereby God has obliged himſelf to thoſe that do all they can; God has left it in his own liberty to deny them, if he pleaſes.
2. That he doth not what he can. It may be he is otherwiſe very faulty, but however he don't do what he can, becauſe he does not own the Sovereignty of God; he don't juſtifie God, nor acknowledge that God may juſtly reject him after all. Indeed he can't do this without help from God, ſo he can't pray and reform, without aſſiſtance: Yet this is a thing that he can do, principles of nature may produce this effect; many natural men have come to this; men that have no natural principle have reſigned up themſelves to God, their mo…ths have been ſtopped, and they have become guilty before God.
6. If he OBJECTS that God requires him to believe, whereas it is not in his power; he is dead in ſin, and yet God binds him to believe, and calls on him to believe; this ſeems very hard and ſtrange. He may be told,
1. That though he has lost his power to obey, yet God has not lost his power to Command. If he has loſt his ſtrength, yet God has not loſt his Authority: If a Servant make himſelf drunk, and be not able to do his Maſters Buſineſs, that is no excuſe. God gave man power at firſt, and his prodigality don't deliver him from Gods Authority.
2. That in this way God is pleaſed many times to work Faith. Men are able to do many things in order to beliveing, and hereby they are put upon it to prepare for that; and in that way many have faith wrought in them. There have multitudes by the Bleſſing of God on the Preaching of the Goſpel been brought to embrace Jeſus Chriſt.
SOMETIMES the man ſays, he is afraid to do any thing in Religion; for whatever he does he is ready to trust to it: if he Prays, Fasts, Reads, eſpecially when he does thoſe things with any affection; ſo he truſts in his Conſcienciouſneſs. In this Caſe he may be told,
1. That he will not neglect his duty by any means. He muſt be ſure to attend his duty whatever ill uſe his heart be ready to make of it; he muſt not ſcare himſelf from his duty, becauſe he is ready to truſt in it: Duty muſt be done, Gods Command muſt be attended, whatever be the conſequence of it. Men may not take upon them to judge when it is beſt to attend Gods Command, and when it is dangerous, and ſo give themſelves a diſpenſation from their duty; as men muſt not do evil that good may come of it; ſo they may not neglect good, leſt evil come of that: Men muſt do their duty, and run the adventure of their hearts making a bad uſe thereof.
2. That there is no neceſſity of mens truſting to what they do. If God do but open their eyes, to ſee the plague of their own heart, they will not truſt to what they do. When men are thorowly convinced of the abominations that are in their hearts, and ſee the hypocriſie and formality of their duties, it is impoſſible that they ſhould truſt in them: their confidence in their duties riſes from the opinion that they have of them, and when they come to underſtand the wretchedneſs of them, their heart will not gather conſidence, but fear from them; and therefore it is their duty to ſtudy their own hearts, and labour to find out the wickedneſs of them.
When the man is told that there is a neceſſity of ſeeing his own heart, in order to his Humiliation. Sometimes he Objects, that he is blind and can't ſee; how can a blind man ſee his own hearts. He may be told,
1. That he is indeed ſpiritually blind, and therefore he cannot ſee the evil of Sin; that is not to be ſeen, till men have received a Spiritual Underſtanding from God; and accordingly there is no neceſſity of ſeeing that in order to his Humiliation.
2. But yet he is capable to have an experimental ſight of the badneſs of his own heart. Natural Conſcience is able to diſcern that: Men may find by experience, that they are under the power of pride, of diſcontent, and carnal affection; and that they are utterly deſtitute of love to God, or any gracious diſpoſition; theſe things are not diſcerned by a ſpiritual eye, but by a natural eye: Natural men may obſerve and diſcern the workings of their own hearts, Rom. 7.8. Sin taking occaſion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of Concupiſcence.
SOMETIMES the man ſays, he is willing to believe in Chriſt, but finds himſelf unable; he could be glad he could believe, but it is beyond him. In this Caſe he may be told,
1. That there is a mighty oppoſition in the heart of a natural man to believing in Chriſt; as it is with all other Spiritual Duties, ſo it is with this. Men don't love to believe in Chriſt, but have a contrariety thereunto, Jeh. 5.40. Mat. 23.37. The oppoſition riſes partly from pride, they had rather be ſaved by their own works, that they may have ſomewhat to glory in; it is very croſs to their haughty ſpirit to go out of themſelves, and be beholden to Chriſt alone for Salvation, to have nothing of their own to glory in; Men don't love to ſee themſelves nothing; and partly it riſes from fear: it ſeems to them a terrible thing to adventure upon Chriſt, they are not certain that God is free to accept of them; they are not certain whether Chriſt's Righteouſneſs be ſufficient for them; they don't ſee the incouragement that is in the Goſpel, & think it an unlikely thing that they ſhall be ſafe in ſuch a way: hence they have a trembling in their heart; look upon it too great an adventure, they fear it will be loked upon to be preſumption, and that inſtead of mending their condition, they ſhall make it worſe, they ſhould be afraid to ſtay away from Chriſt; but they are afraid to come to him, and therefore are not willing.
2. If the man were willing, what keeps him from Chriſt? The difficulty lies in the will, if the will be conquered, the man is conquered: Yea, Faith in Chriſt is an act of the will: Faith is a chuſing of Chriſt for his Saviour. Chriſt is offered to men, and many incouragements are preſented before them; and when once the will is gained to accept the offer, the man does believe on Chriſt: If men were willing, the difficulty would be at an end; they can't be willing till they are able; they are not willing, until the will is ſtrengthened to comply with Gods Call.
3. That ſeeming willingneſs that is in many men is but feigned. They pretend a willingneſs to quiet their Conſciences; they don't it may be feel much oppoſition, but they are not indeed willing; they are willing to be ſaved, and willing to be ſaved by Chriſt, rather than not be ſaved at all; and have ſome ſelfiſh deſires that they could come to Chriſt, but there is no ſincerity in them.
SOMETIMES the man ſays, that he would fain ſubmit to the will of God, but can't tell how; he has been ſtriving after it a great while, but cannot attain it. In this Caſe he may be told,
That Natural men do never ſincerely ſtrive after ſubmiſſion to God; they do ſtrive to ſubmit after a faſhion, and pray that they may, becauſe they hear that it is neceſſary in order to Converſion, but they are never ſincere in it; they do it in a falſe and deceitful way: Which appears,
1. Becauſe they are labouring to make their hearts better. They are labouring to mend themſelves; and upon this account they labour after it, that they may be neceſſitated to ſubmit to the will of God; that their own goodneſs may be a bond upon God to ſave them, that it may not be in the free liberty of God to do what he pleaſes with them: And upon this account they ſtrive to ſubmit to God, that they make a Righteouſneſs of that.
2. Becauſe at the ſame time they are hiding their own hearts from themſelves; they are afraid to ſee how bad they are. If they have any Convictions of their own badneſs, they will ſtifle them if they can: they are labouring to excuſe themſelves, and love to look upon any thing in themſelves that ſeems like goodneſs; they are perſwading of themſelves that they are better than they are, which are great hindrances to Submiſſion.
3. Becauſe they are not thorowly convinced of a neceſſity of ſubmiſſion to God. If they were convinced of a neceſſity of it, they would do it; and if they be not convinced of it, they can't ſtrive ſincerely after it: as long as men hope that they may make a ſhift without it, they will not heartily ſeek after it: As long as they hope that their own righteouſneſs will lay a bond upon God, and that it is not fair for God to condemn them, they will not heartily endeavour after ſubmiſſion.
When men are called upon to ſubmit to God, and reſign up themſelves to his Sovereignty, they ſay they do ſo; they can't help themſelves, but muſt juſtifie God. In this Caſe there is great need to examine, whether their ſubmiſſion be of the right kind; for there is a ſhew of ſubmiſſion, which is not real Humiliation: and there are theſe ſigns of a falſe Submiſſion.
1. When it is the fruit of their own ſtrivings. Men hear that they muſt ſubmit themſelves to God, before they obtain mercy; and accordingly they ſtrive for it, and work up a kind of image of ſubmiſſion to God: they bring themſelves to own that they are in Gods hands, and he may do what he will with them, this is never right. When men are brought to ſubmit to God indeed, the thing is forced by the power of Conviction: they ſtrive againſt it, but never ſo evidently convinced of the inſufficiency of themſelves, and the Juſtice of God, that they had no other way left them, but to fall into the hands of God; as it was with thoſe Lepers, 2 King. 7.4.
2. When men make a righteouſneſs of their ſubmiſſion. When men have got a falſe ſubmiſſion, they are wont to be proud of that, and to think that God will be taken with them: they look upon it a choice frame of ſpirit, and rejoyce in it as a thing pleaſing to God; but when men do indeed ſubmit to God, they ſee nothing in it to be proud of; they ſee themſelves all over defiled like Lepers; empty of all good, and look upon this ſubmiſſion as having nothing at all of goodneſs in it; they ſee they are meerly forced to it: That they have no other way to take, but to fall into the hands of God.
3. When, notwithſtanding their ſubmiſſion, they are ſtill ſtriving to make their hearts better. If you ask them whether they are ſtriving to love God, and to do duties for his Glory? They ſay yes, they are labouring after it; you may be ſure they don't ſubmit to God, but are labouring to get ſome goodneſs of their own to commend them to God; they are not ſenſible of their own impotency. But if a man do indeed ſubmit to God, he ſees himſelf dead in treſpaſſes and ſins; ask him whether he be ſtriving to make his heart better; he will ſay he can as eaſily remove a mountain as do it; that he has been ſtriving after it a great while, but now he finds that he has no power; his heart is as dead as a ſtone, there is no diſpoſition to any thing that is good in him, it is quite out of his reach; if God don't make him better, it will never be effected.
4. When men ſay they have been brought to that many a time. When ſome men are enquired of, whether they were brought to ſubmit to God's Sovereignty? Yes, they ſay many a time. Sinners in trouble of Conſcience ſay it has been ſo oftentimes with them; this ſhews it is not a right ſubmiſſion. Godly men after their Converſion, may ſubmit many times to God, but that ſubmiſſion differs much from this; that is a gracious ſubmiſſion, and they don't ſee at the ſame time themſelves utterly deſtitute of all grace; but that ſubmiſſion that goes before the cloſing with Chriſt, is never wrought any more than …; when it's wrought it may continue ſome little time, till God reveals Chriſt to a man; but this work is never wrought over and over again in the Soul.
5. When men are afraid they are not humbled enough. Some men that do pretend to ſubmiſſion, are afraid that they are not humbled enough, and they wiſh they may be humbled more; this makes it evident that they do not indeed ſubmit, it is a ſign that they make a righteouſneſs of their ſubmiſſion. When men do indeed ſubmit to God, they are never exerciſed with any ſuch ſcruples, becauſe they don't look upon their ſubmiſſion as a thing that commends them to God. When a man ſubmits, he abſolutely reſigns up himſelf as a priſoner to God, is wholly broken off from his own righteouſneſs and ſufficiency, and leaves himſelf with God, and does not do it under a notion that there is any excellency in it, but out of neceſſity leaves himſelf with God.
6. When men ſubmit to God as looking upon him not very angry. Some Sinners ſubmit to God, and at the ſame time they think they have ſome love to God, and ſome care of his Glory; and accordingly they look upon their peace half made; truly this is no difficult matter; it is eaſie for a man to put his life into the hands of his friend: there is no great oppoſition to ſubmit to God, when a man is pretty confident that God will ſave him; but it is another thing to ſubmit to God, when a man does not ſee a ſpark of goodneſs in himſelf, when he looks upon God as bitterly angry with him, and is much afraid that God will utterly deſtroy him: When men ſubmit under ſuch circumſtances, it is evident that God has conquered them, and that their Wills are broken.
Queſt. What is to be ſaid to a man in caſe he ſhould ſay that he is willing to be Damned?
A. 1. No man acting underſtandingly is willing to be Damned. All Ungodly men do interpretatively love Damnation. Pro. 8.36. but no man that underſtands himſelf, is willing to be damned; it is againſt Nature; Nature teaches every man to deſire Happineſs. Damnation is a dreadful terror to them that know what it is, Iſa. 33.14.
2. No ſuch thing is required of men. For God has put a ſpirit of ſelf-love into men, & binds them to love themſelves; and commands men to be ſeeking of Salvation, Joh. 6.27. Luke 13.24.
Such willingneſs is either only pretended; or if real, it muſt ariſe either from deſperate rage and paſſion, or from ſome violent pang of falſe affection to God. The Spirit of God don't ſtir up ſuch workings in the hearts of men.
SOMETIMES a Sinner does enquire, How he may come to know his own heart? He is told, that it is needful for him to know it, and enquires what he ſhould do in order to it. In this Caſe he may be directed to theſe three ways.
1. To obſerve the ſinful workings of his own heart. The hearts of men are often working in a way of pride, diſcontent, worldlineſs, envy, &c. And by obſerving theſe, a man may learn abundance of the badneſs of his heart, if he do conſider with himſelf how far ſuch a ſpirit would carry him, if God did not reſtrain it. As when a man ſees the Fire burn the wood on the Hearth, he gathers that it would conſume the Houſe too, if not reſtrained.
2. To examine thoſe ſhews of goodneſs that the heart makes. The heart makes many ſhews of goodneſs, ſometimes of ſorrow for ſin, of love to God, to Godly People, of love to Ordinances, of deſires to be Converted, of believing the Word of God, of Humility, of Patience, of Thankfulneſs: And the way to know the heart, is, to ſearch whether it be not falſe in theſe appearances; to examine the ends and motions of thoſe frames and workings of heart, whether the root of them be not ſelf-love, fear of Hell, hope of merit, &c.
3. To try his heart, by ſuppoſing ſome ſuitable caſes to it; as he may ſuppoſe to himſelf, That ſuch Godly men as he pretends great love to, ſhould ſlight and deſpiſe him; that God ſhould take away ſuch a Child from him, that God ſhould Convert ſome others, and leave him under guilt and terrors; that his Eſtate ſhould be loſt, that there ſhould come Perſecuting Times; that he were in the hands of Enemies that would kill him, if he would not carry ſinfully; that God ſhould now come to take away his life before he is Converted. By queſtioning ſeriouſly with himſelf what he thinks he ſhould do in ſuch caſes, he may come to have more underſtanding in his own heart. Changes of Condition make great diſcoveries of the heart: and ſuppoſed changes ſometimes do a pretty deal that way; ſuch queſtions if ſeriouſly conſidered, may be as touchſtones to diſcover what is in the heart; the anſwer of the heart to ſuch Enquiries, may give men a great deal of light to ſee themſelves by.
Queſt. How does God ſhew men the badneſs of their own hearts?
Anſw. 1 The Means whereby God effects it, is by leading men into temptation. Men in continuance of time fall into temptation, and ſo the Vizard falls off from their hearts, and they come to have an underſtanding of the plague that is therein. Sometimes by reaſon of ſome temptation they are drawn into ſome moral evil, and that diſcovers their hypocriſie and corruption: Sometimes temptations prevail upon them to make them worldly and proud: Sometimes by Afflictions the diſcontentment of their hearts is ſtirred up; ſo by God's not hearing their prayers, by converting other perſons; ſometimes by hearing the Doctrine of God's Soveraignty, or the ſtrictneſs of the Law Sometimes the Word of God, and ſometimes the Works of God are a temptation to them, and occaſion them to be dead to that which is good, and make their corruptions works violently, Rom. 7.8. Sin taking occaſion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiſcence.
2. As to the manner it is done gradually. God don't lead men at once into an underſtanding of their hearts; as the Chyrurgeon by degrees comes to the bottom of the Sore. God could at once make men ſee the bottom of their own hearts, as when the Jaylor was Converted; but in this way men would not have ſuch experience of the deceitful turnings and windings of their own hearts; but he generally ſhews it them by degrees, and they are a long while before they come to an underſtanding of them; they ſee ſomething of their hearts, and then grow into a pretty good opinion of them again, they have many partial diſcoveries of their heart; ſometimes they go forward in diſcerning their hearts, and th… … backward again; they get ground, & then … loſe it; they ſeem as if they would preſently come to an underſtanding of them, and then there is a ſtop put to it for a pretty while; a great deal of time is conſumed before they come to have a thorow underſtanding of themſelves. Men are ſometimes years under trouble before they do attain unto it.
Queſt. What muſt men know of their own hearts, before they be Converted?
Anſw. In general, They muſt know ſo much as is ſufficient to bring them off from truſting in their own righteouſneſs and their own ſtrength. Some men know a great deal more of their own hearts than other men, they ſee many particular deceits and workings of corruption that other men don't ſee, and no man knows his heart ſo before Converſion, but he may learn a great deal more after he is Converted; but ſo much muſt be known by every man, as is ſufficient to break him off from truſting in himſelf: It is the ſight of his own heart that does take him off from truſting in himſelf: let him hear never ſo much about the inſufficiency of his own righteouſneſs, he will truſt in himſelf, till he ſees his own heart; but when he ſees that thorowly, it is impoſſible that he ſhould truſt in himſelf, for he ſees there is nothing there to truſt unto.
Particularly, 1. He muſt ſee himſelf under the reigning power of Sin. If men imagine that they have no great diſpoſition to ſin… …or that their corruption are in any … …ortify'd, they will commend themſelves to God upon that account; and wont ſee it … …ir for God to condemn them. … abſolute neceſſity they ſhould have the particular conſideration of every corruption that is in their hearts; but they muſt ſee that they are under the dominion of ſin, that a ſpirit of ſelf-love reigns in them, and that their heart is contrary to that which is good; they find ſuch workings of pride, diſcontentment and enmity to Chriſt, as ſhews to them they have abominable hearts; that their hearts are like the hearts of Devils, as full of ſin as a toad is of poyſon, Rom. 7.9.
2. To be empty of all goodneſs. He has no inclination to any thing that is good, that there is no diſpoſition to that which is good, but a total emptineſs. It may be he does not think particularly of every grace that he is deſtitute of that, but ſees that he is utterly void of ſpiritual life, that he has no power to do any good; he is dead in ſin, wretched, and miſerable, and poor, and blind, and naked. Before that he was convinced of a weakneſs, but now he finds himſelf dead: he thought before that he had little ſtrength, now he ſees he has none: there is not one ſpark of goodneſs in him, nor any power to get any, he is ſtript out of all his perfections, and ſees an utter emptineſs in himſelf of all that is good; he has no love, no godly ſorrow, no thankfulneſs, no humility, no ſpiritual deſires, thoſe appearances that he had are all vaniſhed out of ſight, he can't do any thing, there is no ſeed of any goodneſs in him; if he be advantaged with all manner of helps, yet it is quite beyond his power to work up any good frame in his heart; he prays, but there is no goodneſs in his prayers, and he is uncapable of working up any, he is not in a ſwound, rubbing and chaſing will not fetch him to life, but he is everlaſtingly dead in ſin, unleſs God will put a principle of life into him.
SOMETIMES the man ſays that he ſees he can do nothing of himſelf. In this Caſe he may be told,
That the beſt Saint in the world can do nothing of himſelf, Joh. 1….4. Thoſe that do a great deal for God, and have a gracious principle, do yet know that they can do nothing of themſelves: And a Natural man may ſtand convinced of this, that he can do nothing of himſelf, though he be very proud, and imagines that he does God a great deal of choice ſervice; when he ſays, he can do nothing of himſelf, he only means, that he can do nothing without aſſiſtance from God. This a man may ſee, and yet be a great …anger to his own heart. The thing that he wants to ſee is, that he has no principle of doing any good, that there is no power nor inclination in him, but that he is totally and everlaſtingly dead in ſin, unleſs God infuſe a new principle into him.
SOMETIMES men have great diſcoveries of their own hearts for a pretty while together, and yet don't come to lye at Gods foot, they ſay themſelves they can't do it. In this Caſe they may be told,
1. That they cannot deliver themſelves; that it is utterly impoſſible for them to mend their own hearts. For men may ſee themſelves bad and inſufficient, yet not be brought to deſpair as to their own power; be nouriſhing a ſecret hope, that in time with ſome advantages their heart will be brought to a better paſs; therefore it is beſt to poſſeſs them with a ſenſe of their utter inſufficiency to help themſelves; they may as well make a world, as make their own hearts good; they can't work faith in themſelves, Joh. 6.44.
2. That they cannot deſerve that God ſhould give Grace to them. They can't force God to work Regeneration in them, they have no natural excellency to ingage God, they can't work upon the Mercy of God, nor ingage the Juſtice of God to ſave them; God is not bound to them to help them, there is nothing to hinder him if he pleaſes, there is nothing to oblige him, they can't compel God; God is free to help them or deny help, as it pleaſes him
3. That it is dangerous to ſtand it out long againſt God. If they do not yield, they are in danger either to be left of God to a ſenſeleſs ſpirit, or to get a falſe confidence, or to be ſnatcht away out of the world; men ſtand in ſlippery places that continue to be ſtubborn againſt great Conviction: it is not like to be long before the ſcale turn; if they do not quickly ſubmit, there is danger of their rejection.
SOMETIMES the man ſays, that now he can juſtify God, however he deals with him, and yet it is evident that he is not brought off from his own righteouſneſs. In this Caſe he may be told,
1. That he muſt beware that he don't make a righteouſneſs of this. Pride will feed upon any appearance of good qualifications, and if he lots upon it that now his heart is better than it was, and that God is taken with him, he will greatly deceive himſelf; his juſtifying of God, is no juſtification of himſelf; his juſtifying of God, will not make God to juſtifie him; though he juſtifies God, yet God condemns him.
2. That ſome men do juſtifie God from a partial conviction of the righteouſneſs of their Condemnation. Conſcience takes notice of their ſinfulneſs, and tells them that they may righteouſly be damned; as Pharaoh, who juſtified God, Exod. 9.27. And they give ſome kind of conſent to it, but many times it don't continue; they have only a p…ng upon them, that uſually dies away after a little time: this juſtifying of God differs much from that which does immediately go before Converſion, which is a fixed and thorow Conviction, ariſing from a thorow underſtanding of their own hearts.
SOMETIMES the man ſeems to be upon the very borders of deſpair. For ſome men are nearer to it a great deal than others, he is in anguiſh of ſpirit, and does almoſt conclude, that there is no mercy for him. In this Caſe he may be told,
1. That there is no hope in any Creature. He can't help himſelf, he has no wiſdom, power nor worthineſs that can help him; there is no way that he can take that is ſufficient for his deliverance: that Miniſters are not able to deliver him, and that if others pray for him, yet tha… will not ſecure his ſalvation: All Creatures are as cyphers, and can't work out any ſalvation for him; if God will deſtroy him, there is none that can ſave him.
2. That God may help him; it is not beyond the power of God to change his heart, and it is not beyond the Grace of God to help him. The reaſon that men are not pardoned, is not the greatneſs of their ſins, but becauſe they do not come to Jeſus Chriſt. That though God be angry, yet he ſhould not be diſcouraged, God is always angry with Sinners, when he comes to beſtow Converting Grace upon them: That God has done a great deal for him, inaſmuch as he makes him ſenſible of his danger: That theſe diſcoveries of danger are many times fore-runners of Converſion: That his Condition is a great deal more hopeful now, than when he pleaſed himſelf with his frames and attainments; every man muſt deſpair in himſelf, before he comes to truſt in Chriſt; that there is enough in Chriſt, he is able to ſave to the uttermoſt, Heb. 7.15. Chriſt came to ſave the chief of Sinners, 1 Tim. 5.
3. That there is no way left him now, but to yield himſelf into the Hands of God. If God deſtroy him he may, he lies at the meer mercy of God; if God will deliver him he may, if he does not he does no wrong; he can't run from God, he can't force God; if he ſtands it out againſt God, he takes a way to ruin himſelf… the ſafeſt courſe he can take, is to fall into the hands of God; it may be God may help him, however he can but periſh.
SOMETINES a little before the work of God is compleated in him, he complains that he ſeems to be as before he was under Convictions, careleſs & ſenſeleſs; his terrours have left him, and he is not affected with his condition. In this Caſe he may be told,
1. That now he may ſee what an heart he has, and how inſufficient he is to deliver himſelf. His heart is empty of all that is good, and there is no poſſibility of his attaining Salvation by his own power, he has no principle of Grace, and never had; the frames that formerly he had, were nothing elſe but the workings of ſelf-love and natural Conſcience; and unleſs God does deliver him, he will never attain unto life.
2. That his way muſt be to wait upon God ſtill. This is no ſign God has given him over, his terrors may quickly return again, and he may find mercy for all this: When he had his good frames and affections, they could not ſave him, nor make his peace with God; and if God do ſhew him his own emptineſs, he may quickly after diſcover to him the Excellency of Chriſt.
At length the man ſeems as if he were thorowly brought off from himſelf, and brought to lye at the foot of God. All his ſelfiſh hopes are taken away, he ſees his own heart, and his will bows, he ſeems to reſign up himſelf to God. In this Caſe,
1. It is beſt to examine whether there be no deceit in it. Sometimes it is ſo plain that there is no great occaſione to examine, ſometimes it is more doubtful. When they are thorowly humbled, ſuch things as theſe do concurr. (1.) He ſees all his own righteouſneſs to be utterly empty and vile. that it has no power to draw the heart of God; he ſees nothing at all to commend him, but he has been provoking God thereby. (2) He is at an end of his contrivances to change his heart. Formerly when things appeared dark unto him, he was wont to think that if he did th…s or ſo, that would bring him into a more hopeful way; but now he is beyond all his contrivances, he can't do any more. (3.) He ſees his heart ſpiritually dead. He is utterly deſtitute of power to do any good thing; yea, he has no inclination to any good (4.) He ſees he is in Gods Hand. It is free for God to do as he will with him, and he reſigns up himſelf to God, ſo he is more quiet now than he was; both becauſe his will is brought down, and he is ſatisfyed that God can, and may help him.
2. It is no wayes fit to tell a man that God will ſhew mercy to him. For though this be the manner of God, when men are prepared for Grace, to beſtow Grace upon them, yet there is no promiſe in the Scripture made to ſuch perſons; the promiſes are made to Coming to Chriſt: Faith is the Condition of Salvation; and though there be many promiſes made to Humility, yet there are none made to Humiliation. And he is to be told, That he is in Gods hands, God is at liberty to do as he will with him, and that he muſt wait upon God to open his eyes, and ſhew Jeſus Chriſt unto him.
3. It is very meet to ſet the Goſpel before him, and mind him of Gods ſending of Chriſt into the World to Save Sinners. That Jeſus Chriſt has ſatisfied the Juſtice of God, and performed perfect Obedience for us: That God has pardoned many thorow Chriſt, that he offers Salvation to him through Jeſus Chriſt; and that God has promiſed Eternal Life to all that do accept of Chriſt: That thoſe that have nothing to bring with them ſhall be welcome to him,; that God is of infinite mercy, and delights to glorifie his Grace in Saving the Chief of Sinners: That becauſe we had no worthineſs, God has provided a worthineſs for us in Chriſt: That Chriſt is the Author of Eternal Salvation to all that come to him: That Gods love is free, and there is no danger in venturing upon Chriſt; whoever believeth on him ſhall not be confounded.
Queſt Is there at that time any true meltings of heart becauſe of S…n? Is the Soul truly gr…eved for its Sins againſt God, as ſome men have thought?
Anſw. That though there is ſuch a Conviction of ſin as makes men to juſtifie God, yet there is no godly ſorrow for ſin. Men are not at this time affected with any Godly ſorrow.
1. Becauſe ſuch ſorrow is inconſiſtent with the work of Hum…liation When the Sinner is humbled, he ſees himſelf emptied of himſelf, and ſees his own heart dead in ſin; this could not be, if he had any gracious ſorrow for ſin; if there were true ſorrow for ſin, there muſt be love to God, a ſpiritual underſtanding, a new heart, a divine principle put into the man; for nature cannot produce any ſuch effect.
2. Becauſe Faith is the firſt act of Grace. If the man had a gracious principle, he would immediately Entertain Chriſt and the Goſpel; after a man has received a principle of Regeneration, the firſt way that it works in is by drawing the heart to Chriſt; when mens hearts are changed, and a new Nature put into them, it does not firſt work in a way of ſorrow for ſin, or thirſting after Gods Glory, or delighting in Holineſs; but always the firſt act of Grace is to cloſe with Chriſt: God leads him into the exerciſe of this, that he may be juſtified, Rom. 5.1. If he did any other gracious act before this, it could not be accepted, for the perſon is not accepted before Faith: All Sanctification is the fruit of Faith, Acts 26.18.
Soon after the Soul is brought to lye at Gods foot, he is wont to give an account of his Cloſing with Chriſt; that God has revealed Chriſt to him & drawn his heart to him, & he does accept of Chriſt. In this Caſe it is beſt, …
1. To examine whether his faith be right. And in this work there is no weight to be laid on it, whether it was in Hearing, Reading, Praying or Meditating, that God gave one right to him; God does not confine himſelf to any of thoſe ways: neither is there any weight to be laid on it, whether it was by any particular word or without it; if it be according to the Word it is ſufficient; nor muſt we lay weight upon it, whether it were by a word of promiſe, or ſome other paſſage of the G…ſpel, nor whether he had one word came to him or many Sometimes many promiſes flow in, one after another, in abundance; but ſpecial Enquiry is to be made, [1.] What condition he was in juſt before, whether he was wholly emptied of himſelf, or found any imaginary goodneſs in himſelf; if his humiliation was right, there as no doubt of h…s fa…th: [2.] Whether by that light that was given him, he ſaw Chriſt and Salvation offered to him, or whether he ſaw that God loved him and pardoned him; for the offer of Grace, and our acceptance goes before pardon, and therefore much more before the knowledge of it: [3.] Whether he ſaw a glorious fulneſs in Chriſt, a ſufficiency for the greateſt ſinners, ſo as to make him admire the excellency of Chriſt: [4.] Whether the Offer came with Divine Authority, whether he ſaw God calling of him ſo that he could not but accept thereof.
2. If upon Enquiry the Caſe be more doubtful, as it may be, partly becauſe ſome things were not ſo clear to himſelf, or becauſe he has forgotten ſome material thing, and cannot ſpeak to it. It may be well to tell him, That if it be right, he will ſee more of it; when God begins to make a diſcovery of Chriſt, he will not leave men' but is wont to ſhew them more. The path of the juſt is like the morning light, &c. Prov. 4.
3. If the Caſe be plain, it is beſt to encourage him, tho' there is no need to be poſitive. But he may be told, That it is hopeful that God has drawn his heart to Chriſt, and made a gracious change in his Soul; and that if he does indeed believe on Chriſt, he ſhall certainly be ſaved; his ſin don't make ſuch a breach between God and him, as to hazard his Salvation.
4. To warn him to depend ſtill on the free Grace of God in Chriſt; he muſt expect many dark hours and times of temptation, but his way muſt be, to grow in the knowledge of Chriſt; he muſt not think, that now he ſhall always live a life of joy and comfort. Satan will be buſy with him, and he will have many workings both of carnal confidence and unbelief; & he muſt get more and more convinced of his own righteouſneſs, and the fulneſs of Chriſt; if he live many years, he muſt never expect any thing to glory in but Chriſt Jeſus: And he is likewiſe to be warned, That he live up to the mercy of God to him; that he don't fall into a languiſhing and pining condition, but maintain the life and power of Godlineſs, that ſo he may not expoſe himſelf to temptation and darkneſs, and that he may not diſhonour the Holy Name of God; ſhewing forth the vertue of him that has called him out of darkneſs into his marvellous light.
There be TWO particular CASES that do require a particular Conſideration.
The Frſt CASE is, When the Miniſter is ſent for by a man upon his Sick-bed. The firſt thing to be done is to get an underſtanding in what condition the perſon is. For though a man that does not know his Caſe may ſpeak ſeveral things that may be ſafe and profitable: whatever his Condition is; yet the more knowledge there is of the ſtate of the man, the more advantage he is under to ſpeak pertinently.
I. If it be plain that the man is in a Natoral Condition, it is moſt proper to inſiſt upon theſe three things:
1. That he has a preſent abſolute neceſſity to be at peace with God: that if he ſhould dye in a Natural Condition, he will be for ever undone: It is very fit he ſhould be rememored of his ſinful life, and the dreadfulneſs of that puniſhment that hangs over his head; which may be ſet before him in an affecting manner, that if it be poſſible he may be terrified, and made ſenſible of thoſe Eternal Miſeries that are coming upon him.
2. That he may not reſt in any thing ſhort of Jeſus Chriſt M…n in ſuch a Caſe are like a man drowning, ready to catch hold of any thing that comes near; they are ready to have a dependance upon their Priviledges, upon their Parentage, upon their ſorrow for their miſpent life and upon their purpoſes to live better if God do raiſe them up again; he muſt be led into an underſtanding of the ſtrictneſs of the Law of God and the vanity of all ca…l confidences.
3. That there is a glorious way of Life prepared by Chriſt Chriſt Jeſus has fulfilled the Law, & wrought out Eternal Salvation for us, that the Gift of God is Eternal Life; and that the mercy of God is free, and God does not refuſe any that do hearken to the Call of the Goſpel, that God will as readily receive him if he comes to Chriſt, as if he were likely to live many years, and do ſervice to God in the World.
And if his particular temptations may be diſcerned, care muſt be taken to remove them; if he be under any ſpecial diſcouragement or any flattering deluſion, the ſnare if it be poſſible muſt be broken; he muſt be ſhewed the vanity of that temptation. Such light muſt be held out, that if God will bleſs it he may be delivered.
If at that time, or any other afterwards he does pretend to believe in Chriſt, it is very meet that he be cautioned that he does not deceive himſelf; for ſick-bed Repensances are ſeldom true. Many perſons that made great pretenſions when ſick, have proved very badly after their recovery.
II. If it be doubtful whether the man be in a Natural Condition, or Converted, as there may be ſome occuſion to hope becauſe of his profeſſion, becauſe of his eſtimation among men; becauſe of an orderly carriage, and yet occaſion to fear, becauſe there is no great evidence of Grace, either in his Converſation before, or diſcourſe at preſent: Sometimes there is more grounds for hope, ſometimes for fear. Theſe three things may ſafely be ſpoken to him.
1. The Doctrine of the Law and Goſpel may be ſet before him. They may be ſomewhat explained and cleared up: It is fit men ſhould be remembred of the Rule they are to be judged by. Many times when the Rule is clearly laid down. Conſcience makes application, and witneſſes to men how it is with them, Heb. 4.12. The Word of God is quick and powerful, ſharper than any two-edged ſword, &c.
2. Promiſes may be applied conditionally. He may be told, That if he have been thorowly broken off from himſelf, and brought to rely upon Chriſt, God has accepted of him; that if his heart have been drawn by Goſpel Encouragements to rely on Chriſt, he is out of danger; that if Gods Glory be upon his heart indeed, he is an heir of Glory; he may be told, that only his own Conſcience can tell what the workings of his heart have been: That if he be not miſtaken, but has indeed made Chriſt his refuge, all his ſins are pardoned.
3. He may be warned that he do not deceive himſelf. It may be meet to remember him, that the heart is deceitful; that many falſe hearts do go hoping out of the World, that there be ſeveral things that do reſemble Faith, and every Grace may be counterfeited: That he had need to beg of God to diſcover things plainly to him: That it would be a dreadful thing to be miſtaken; and ſo he may be charged that he do not truſt in any thing in himſelf, but betake himſelf alone to Chriſt.
III. If it be conſiderably plain, that he is Converted and Gracious; either from his known eminency in Religion, or from an account that he gives of Communion with God, or diſcoveries of Chriſt, and gracious workings of his heart: It may be very meet, To comfort him with thoſe great and precious promiſes that God has made, to remember him of the freeneſs of Gods Grace, and the preciouſneſs of the Blood of Chriſt; he may be minded of thoſe things that are the pillars of our Faith, and the foundations of our comfort; how God in all Ages of the World has propoſed this way of Salvation in this way the Saints of Old have lived and dyed: How the Faithfulneſs of God ſtands engaged for their Salvation, that their ſins and iniquities are caſt behind Gods back; this muſt be underſtood or ſpoken upon a ſuppoſition, that their work is a thorow work.
In Caſe he deſires the Minister to tell what he judges about his ſincerity; it may be ſuitable to tell him, that as far as he can diſcern, his heart is upright, and that the root of the matter is found in him; he muſt tell him that he has no infallible knowledge, God alone does know the hearts of men, there is no depending on his judgment, but ſo far as he can perceive, his Soul has been renewed by the Spirit of God.
If the man has any particular temptations, it is very ſuitable to remove them; he may be under temptation, becauſe he has great deadneſs, a great deal of pride and hypocriſie; becauſe he has not had ſo much dſcovery of the favour of God, as he perceives others have had; becauſe many others have been miſtaken; becauſe God has afflicted him very much; becauſe he is withdrawn now in the time of his Sickneſs: Such particular temptations are to be anſwered. It may be ſhewed to him, that the dealings of God are various with his people; that ſuch things are not inconſiſtent with Grace, that the beſt way is to live upon the free mercy of God in Chriſt.
The OTHER CASE is, when ſuch perſons as have made an high profeſſion of Religion for a long while, are in darkneſs about their Condition.
In this Caſe, the firſt care of the Miniſter muſt be, to get ſatisfaction concerning the state of the perſon, whether he be Regenerate or not. Not but that many things may be ſpoken that may be profitable to them, whether they be ſincerely Godly or no: But if the Miniſter do not know their condition, he can't apply proper remedies; and he may ſpeak that which may be very dangerous, if he ſuppoſes the man to be Unconverted, when he is Converted; he may torment him, and diſcourage him needleſly; if he ſuppoſes the man Converted when he is not, he may do him much damage by comforting him up in a falſe way; therefore it is very needful that he do get what ſatisfaction he can about their condition, that ſo he may be helpful to them in their diſtreſſes.
In order to his paſſing a right judgment upon their condition, he muſt be careful that he do not lay too much weight upon it, that they have been in Church-fellowſhip many years, that their Carriage has been orderly, that they are well accounted of where they live, for theſe are … fallible ſigns, ſuch things are common to Saints and Hypocrites; though theſe things may be grounds of Charity; but a Miniſter had need have better grounds to go upon when he comforts up perſons with hopes of Reconciliation.
Neither muſt he lay too much weight on bad ſigns, that are not demonſtrative; if the man do not know the time of his Converſion, or firſt cloſing with Chriſt, if he have any notable blemiſh, if he be not well accounted of, the Miniſter may not draw any peremptory concluſion from thence that he is not Godly; yea, if he do judge himſelf confidently to be Unconverted, it is beſt to enquire ſomewhat further in it. It is beſt diſcovered by three ſorts of Enquiries.
1. Whether they have paſſed thorow the ſeveral ſteps of the work of Converſion. Some can give ſo full an account thereof, as will abundantly ſatisfie the Miniſter, that the work is right; ſome are ſo ſtrangely to ſeek, that he may be much confirmed, that they have no grace; in ſome others after they have given what account they can, the work is more dubious.
2. Whether they have lived a life of Sanctification. There is great diverſity in the meaſures of Sanctification that men have attained unto: very Holy men live an holy life, and by Enquiring what knowledge they have of God? Whether they prize the Glory of God? Whether they hate all Sin? Whether they do draw their encouragement from Chriſt? Whether they love Holineſs, for Holineſs ſake? What Conflict they have with Pride, Unbelief, a ſelf-righteous Spirit and Self-love? A Miniſter may come to comptent ſatisfaction whether they be in a ſtate of Grace or not; in diſcourſing ſuch things with them, a man may many times feel the workings of a ſpirit of Holineſs.
3. Whether they have had ſenſible Communion with God. God is wont at times to draw nigh to the Souls of his People, ſometimes in Meditation, ſometimes in Prayer, and in other Ordinances; and to make diſcoveries of himſelf, and of Jeſus Chriſt to their Souls, and to draw their hearts to him; and if there has been any thing conſiderable that way; the Miniſter may be well ſatisfied of their good Eſtate.
In Caſe the Miniſter be ſatisfied that the man is not Converted, he muſt uſe his prudence to judge whether it will be for the mans profit, that he do in plain Terms tell him ſo; ſometimes it may be a prejudice and a means to exaſperate him. Sometimes there is no ſuch danger, but he may freely tell him what he judges, and the reaſons of his jugment.
But in caſe he do not ſee it his way to tell the man his thoughts concerning him, yet he ought in conſcience in the wiſeſt way he can, put him into the understanding of his own condition: He may not ſuffer the man to go away with an opinion, that he …inks well of him, much leſs may he leave him ignorant of ſuch rules whereby he may come to underſtand his condition; it becomes him to lay ſuch ſigns of tryal before him as are moſt likely to bring him to ſight of himſelf, and convince him of his Dangerous Estate.
In caſe the Miniſter be ſatisfied on good grounds about the mans good Estate: He ought to endeavour to clear it up to the man, laying convincing light before him; and anſwering thoſe temptations that make it doubtful to the man himſelf; and alſo to direct him in ſuch ways, wherein it is hopeful that God will help him and deliver him from his Temptations.
FINIS.
End of the text · Solomon Stoddard, A Guide to Christ (1714)