CHAP. I. Saving Conversion is wrought at once.

PEOPLE are said in Scripture to be converted, when they are turned from Heathenism to the Profession of the Truth; so they are said to be turned when there is some notable Refor­mation made among them. But then Persons are said to be savingly converted, when they are turned from the power of Satan unto God; when they have a work of Regeneration wro't in them; when they are made holy, and so are justified and made heirs of the Kingdom of Heaven; and this change is made at once in the Soul; it is wrought in the twinkling of an eye There is wont ordinarily to be a great deal of time spent in way of Preparation for this change: In order to this change there [Page 2] is wont to be a work of Contrition and Humi­liation; and tho' in the primitive times we read of men passing through the work in a very little time, yet ordinarily we find that much time is consumed in the work of Preparation: There be many temptations to be overcome, flatteries and discouragements to be removed; men lose a great deal of time by falling into slumbers, by backwardness to reform some evils, by try­ing to establish their own righteousness by fear­ing that they are not elected, or that God has given them up to hardness of heart, by imagin­ing their hearts to be better than they be, by unwillingness to own the Justice and Sovereign­ty of God, so that commonly several months are spent, and sometimes some years, before they get through the work of Preparation; yet Conversion it self is wrought at once, in the hearing of one passage in a Sermon, by the remembring of one Scripture. As it will be in the Resurrection. 1 Cor. 15.52. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump▪ for the trumpet shall sound and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed: So it is in this first Resurrection: John 5.25. The hour is coming and now is, when the dead shall near the voice of the Son of God, and they that hear shall live. For the clearing of this, Consider

1. THAT Preparatory Work is no part of Conversion. It is an Antecedent to Conversion, but no part of Conversion. Sometimes under the work of Preparation, persons are so exact in their Conversation, have such affections and [Page 3] Comforts that not only others, but themselves also think that they are converted; they have very great resemblances of Grace, they have many meltings of heart, delight in Sabbaths, zeal a­gainst sin, as do carry a great appearance of a gracious Spirit; but all that they attain unto is no part of the work of Conversion, they re­main still in a natural Condition, and their religious affections are but counterfeit Graces. Paul seemed to himself as if he was alive, but afterwards he found himself to be dead, Rom. 7 9. I was alive without the law once, but when the commandment came, Sin revived and I died. Men under the work of Preparation are under the dominion and government of Sin, their corrup­tions are stunded but not mortifyed, they are restrained but not killed, they are like Vermin in the Winter, stupifyed but not dead; and whatever shew they make, they are destitute of Holiness, in all their affections there is no love to God, in all their lamentations for Sin, there is no Godly Sorrow; their religion proceeds only from Natural Conscience and Self-Love: The men are afraid of Hell, that makes them walk orderly, resist Temptations and be sorrow­ful for Sin; they hope that God is not so an­gry as he was, that makes them forward in duties of religion; they consider the moral evil of many sinful practices, and that begets some kind of loathing of them; they hope in such and such ways to will the favour of God, that makes them forward in duties of Religion and chari­ty; they hope sometimes that God has pardon­ed [Page 4] them, that makes them have strong affections; but all these things are no part of Conversion: it may be said to them as Christ said to the Jews, Joh. 15.42. You have not the love of God in you. There is not one spark of Grace in them: Grace and Holiness is quite of another kind: When they have gone through Preparation Work, Conversion remains wholly to be wrought.

2 When the Soul has performed one holy Action it is converted. One holy action may be performed in the twinkling of an eye: An act of Faith in Jesus Christ, is done at once: And when the Soul has performed one holy Action it is converted: If one holy action be performed, there is a principle of Grace in the heart, there is a spirit of love, and faith, and humility; and such a person is in an estate of Justification. There is a very great difference between Morality and Piety on this account. A man may carry temperately, chastly or justly, a day or two, yet not be a temperate, chast or just man: but if he carries holily one day, or one mi­nute, he is an holy man. If he performes one act of Faith, he is a Believer; if he per­forms one act of humility, he is a humble man. One act of Grace is an evidence that the mans heart is changed, and that he hath a principle of Grace: Men become morally temporate and chaste by degrees, but they are not made Converts by degrees. The least degree of Grace makes a man a Convert, or a Saint. Conversion may increase by de­grees, [Page 5] men grow more and more holy by degrees, but Conversion is wrought at once; the first act of Grace makes a man a Convert.

3 Every man is under the Dominion of sin, or delivered from the dominion of sin. Those that are not converted, are under the dominion of sin, enemies to God, spiritually dead; but they that are converted, and delivered from the dominion of sin, subject to God, and spiritual­ly alive; therefore conversion must be in the twinkling of an eye: If there were any consi­derable time wherein this work were a doing, then at that time the man would neither be un­der the dominion of sin, nor delivered from the dominion of sin; there would be a considera­ble time wherein he would be neither dead nor alive, and so neither in an estate of condem­nation nor justification: But surely, the next moment after his being freed from the domi­nion of sin, he is subject to God. The same moment wherein he is delivered from sin, he is an holy man.

CHAP. II. That Grace given in Saving Conversion differs in Kind from all that went before.

SOme have been of opinion that saving Grace and common Grace differ only in degree, that Sorrow for Sin increases till it becomes saving, and love to God increases till it becomes saving: But certainly, saving Grace doth differ [Page 6] specifically from all that went before: Gracious Actions are of another nature than the Religious Actions of natural men. The acts of common Grace may be very strong and powerful: The affections of the Children of Israel were very strong when they sang God's praise, Psal. 106.12. The affections of the Jews to Christ were very strong, when they cryed, Hosanna to the Son of David: The affections of the Galatians were strong, when if it had been possible they would have plucked out their eyes, and have given them to Paul: And sometimes the acts of saving Grace are very weak; there may be Godly Sor­row in a low degree; there may be an act of Faith with a great mixture of Unbelief; there may be true love to God where there is but lit­tle love to him: Grace is low and weak at first, yea, after thirty years growth it is exceeding defective: Indeed true love to God prizes God above all the world, but that doth not prove that it is in a great degree; there may be a spi­rit to prize God before all the world, yet but a small degree of that spirit▪ Inordinate love to the world is an affecting of that as the chief Good; when it is in the lowest degree, it is so; that is the nature of it. So love to God whe­ther in a greater degree or a less degree, is an affection to God as the chief good: The diffe­rence between saving and common Grace don't lie in the degree, but in the nature of them. This may aapear,

1. Because saving Grace acts from other Mo­tives and for another end than common Grace [Page 7] doth. The difference in motives and end, makes a spiritual difference in actions: If men do not act from gracious motives and for gracious ends, they do not the thing that God commands; there is no obedience to God in what they do; they don't attend the will of God: When men depend on Christ to save them, from the incou­ragement of their own goodness, and merely that they may be delivered from Hell, they act quite after another manner than the man doth that depends on Christ only from the encou­ragement of his Excellency, and that he may be delivered from Sin as well as from Damnation: When a man mourns for Sin because it exposes him to contempt among men, or wrath from God, or because of the moral evil of it, he doth quite another thing from that man, who mourns for it because it is a wrong to a God of infinite Glory: If his Sorrow were in the highest de­gree that his nature is capable of, it would not be gracious.

2. If the difference between saving Grace and common Grace lay in the degree, no man could judge that his Grace is saving. Men may know that they have saving Grace, 1 Joh. 3.13. 2 Cor. 7.10. But if the difference lay in the degree, how should men go about to deter­mine that their Grace was saving? The man may know that he has a greater degree of con­fidence, and sorrow, and zeal, than formerly he had; he may have reason to think that he goeth beyond some other Professors in these things; but upon what foundation can he de­termine [Page 8] that he hath them in such a degree as to secure Salvation? Where has God revealed what degree is saving and what is not saving? What warrant has any man to judge himself in a safe condition, if there be several degrees of Grace that are not saving? What rule can any Minister lay down to guide men in this mat­ter? Men must needs be left in a perpetual uncertainty, and remain in the dark about their eternal estate. If a man saw that he belie­ved in Christ, that he repented of his Sins, that he aimed at the glory of God, it would be little comfort to him, because he could not tell that it was in such a degree as to secure his Salvation.

3 The Gaace that is given in Conversion is new. When a man is converted it's wholly new; when God converts a man he gives him a new heart, and puts a new spirit within him. 2 Cor. 5.17. He is a new Creature; not in respect of his Soul or the Faculties of it, but in respect of the inclinations of it But if common and saving Grace differ only in de­gree, then his Grace is not wholly new, for he has had religious Joys and Sorrows, and a Zeal a long while; before he had saving Grace he had the same inclinations and spirit, only now it is heightned and increased; some de­grees are new, but the inclinations themselves are not new; so that Conversion would be not the giving a new heart, but only an augment­ing such inclinations as were there before.

4 There is an opposition between saving Grace [Page] and common Grace: If one be opposite to the other, then they differ specifically: Those dispositions that have contrariety one to the other, that are at war one with the other, and would destroy one another, are not of the same kind; and truly these are so: Common Gra­ces are Lusts, and do oppose saving Grace: Making his own Salvation his last end, is contrary to making the glory of God his last end: Hating Sin, not because it wrongs God, but because it exposes him, is resisting the command of God: Bringing every thing in­to subserviency to his own ends, is opposite to the bringing every thing into a subserviency to God's Glory: The man that has but com­mon Grace goeth quite in another path than that which God directs unto: When he go­eth about to establish his own Righteousness, he sets himself against that way of salvation God prescribes, Rom. 10.3. There is an enmity in the ways of such men as have but common Grace, to the ways that godly men take.

CHAP. III. Habitual and Actual Conversion are wrought together.

THose holy Habits and Inclinations that God puts into the hearts of his People are not visible in themselves; men cannot dis­cern them but by their actings ▪ As men are [Page 10] not able to see their own Souls, so they are not able to see those habits that are in them, but only by their actings: They have a pow­er to reflect on the operations of their hearts, and so come to the knowledge of those habits that are in them; but they cannot see those habits immediately: Hence no man is able upon his experience to tell the very minute when the habits of Grace were put into him: And generally men have thought that the ba­bits of Grace are put into men before their closing with Christ; and they have been wont to argue in that manner, that there must be holy principles before holy actions, there must be life before there be life acts: But there is no necessity of this; the faculty of acting, must be before the action, the cause must be before the effect; the man must have a being before he can have any operation; but it doth not follow from thence, that there must be a gracious habit before there be any gracious action: There is no necessity that there be an antecedent habit, it is sufficient if there be a concomitant habit and inclination. There was no necessity that Jacob should have an habit of Love to Rachel before he actually loved her; that Michal should have an habit of loving David before she actually loved him; there was no necessity that Adam and Eve should have an habitual inclination to Sin be­fore they did sin: So, there is no necessity that men should have an inclination to be­lieve in Christ and love God, before they do [Page 11] actually believe in Christ and love God; it is sufficient that there be a concomitant in­clination that way: And thus it is from time to time; wherever there is an act of Faith and Love, there is a disposition to act so for the time to come; but there is no necessity in nature that the inclination should be ante­cedent.

And this supposition of an antecedent gra­cious inclination before actual Conversion, is attended with this insuperable difficulty; that a man may have gracious habits, and yet be in a state of condemnation; that he may have a sanctified heart, yet be for a time un­der the Curse; that his heart may be changed, and yet abide for a time under the Curse. That he may be sanctified yet not justified; for there is no Justification till there is actual Faith. When it is said in scripture that we are justified by Faith, the meaning is not that we are justified by an habit of Faith, but ac­tual Faith; for that Faith is set forth by words signifying Action; by believing on Christ, receiving Christ, coming to Christ, opening to him: It is said of Abraham, he believed in the Lord, and it was counted to him for righteous­ness, Gen. 15.6. The condition of Justifica­tion must be wrought by us; thence it is actual Faith that is intended: A disposition to yield perfect obedience was not the fulfilling the condition of the Covenant of works; if that would have done, Adam and Eve would have been justified as soon as they were made. [Page 12] So a disposition to believe is not a fulfilling the condition of the Covenant of Grace; but actual believing.

Moreover, it is evident that habitual and actual Conversion are together, because both of them are effected by the same divine act, viz. The discovery of the truth and glory of the Gospel. I am far from thinking that God is tied up unto this way; or that he cannot give the habits of Grace without such a disco­very; but it is evident from the word of God that he doth work the habit of Grace, and draws forth the act of Grace in this way: That he doth give this principle and graci­ous inclination in this way is plainly taught; 2 Cor. 3 18. We all with open face behold­ing as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are change­ed into the same image from glory to glory, by the Spirit of the Lord. Changing into the image of God is by giving the habits of Grace unto them; beholding the glory of God as in a Glass is the discerning the glory of God in the Gospel. We are taught the same also in 1 Cor. 4.15. I have begotten you through the Gospel. In Regeneration men do receive the habits of Grace, the heart is renewed, and the man is made a new man; and this is wrought thro' the Gospel, by the Gospel, as understood; for it is in this way and no other that the Gospel hath any gracious Efficacy on the heart: If a man hears the Gospel twenty years, and has not the spiritual understanding of it, it will have no gracious effect upon him; [Page 13] but he discovers what a glorious way of Sal­vation God has prepared, and that works a great change in his heart: The same is taught, Jam. 1.18. Of his own will begat he us by the word of truth: that is by the Gospel, which he calls the word of truth by way of excellency, and because the truth of it was questioned by the Jews and Heathens.

And by this discovery God draws forth the exercise of Faith at the same time; that dis­covery makes men immediately to receive the Gospel. When men have a spiritual sight of Christ, they will believe on him; if they withstood the calls before and objected, they will be prevailed on by that sight; Joh. 1.40. This is the will of him that sent me, that every one that seeth the Son and believeth on him may have everlasting life. And v. 45. Every man that hath heard and learned of the Father cometh unto me.

It is also impossible in Nature but that men when they do believe in Christ should have an inclination or disposition to come to him. Men may do some things out of a kind of compulsion, and do them upon some acciden­tal, by consideration, and yet hate to do them at the same time: But the accepting of Christ is always an act of great freedom; when they do it, they do it out of choice, Psal. 110.3. Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy pow­er. They do it from conviction of the pre­ciousness of Christ and benefit of coming to him; they love to come, and have a disposi­tion to do so for the future.

CHAP. IV. Believing in Christ is the first Act of Conversion,

MEN that are converted do exercise all manner of Grace; they perform acts of Love and Fear, and Submission, and godly Sor­row, and Patience, and Humility; but the first act of Conversion is to believe in Jesus Christ. There is no other gracious act that goeth before Faith. In this respect Conversi­on is wrought after the same manner in all that are converted: After the first act of Grace there is no certain order in the exercise of Graces, but this act of believing in Christ has the proceeding in all. Some men do not make a beginning in godliness in loving God, and others in sorrow for Sin, and others in patience, and others in humility; but they all begin by receiving Christ as offered in the Gospel: False Conversions begin some in one way and some in another, but saving Conver­sion always begins with believing in Christ. The man did a great deal in Religion before he believed in Christ, but he had no true love, nor godly Sorrow, nor Humility before: True Holiness takes its rise here, this is their entrance in at the strait gate: There is no sure sign of Election before this, therefore we are advised to make our election sure by our cal­ling, 2 Pet. 1.10. This is that which brings men into an estate of Justification: He that [Page 15] believeth on him hath everlasting Life, Joh. 3.36. Whatever went before gave the Man no title to Life eternal: There is no need of Holiness to go before Faith: If there were need of Holiness before Faith, either it would be to encourage men to believe; but there is encouragement enough without that, the Grace of God offered in the Gospel and the Righteousness of Christ, are sufficient en­couragement, tho' men never did one good deed; for God justifieth the ungodly, Rom. 4.5. That is those who have lived an ungodly life, 'till the very minute of their closing with Christ: Or else, if there were need of pre­ceeding Holiness, it would be to incline the heart to come to Christ, but there must be some first act of Holiness, and there is no ne­cessity of any preceeding Holiness to incline men to do the first act of Holiness. When God discovers Christ, that inclines the heart to come unto him. Besides, We may consider,

1. That sinners at their first coming to Christ, see nothing in themselves to encourage them to come. When sinners come at first to Christ they are weary and heavy laden, Mat. 11.28. They are athirst, Rev. 22.17. They are convinced that their hearts are full of enmity to God: That they are empty of good, that they are wretched and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked, Rev. 3.17. Though formerly they thought themselves alive, yet they are convinced that they are dead: They take encouragement from Christ, and the Grace [Page 16] and Faithfulness of God; but they see no good in themselves to be an encouragement to them: Afterwards, godly men see somewhat in themselves that is an encouragement to them; they can say sometimes as David, I love the Lord, Psal. 116.1. And as Job, Thou knowest that I am not wicked, Job. 10.7. And tho' they depend on Christ and the Grace of God alone; yet it is an encouragement to them to see the Grace of the Spirit in them­selves. But sinners at their first coming to Christ, see nothing in themselves to be an en­couragement to them.

2. That men are sanctified by faith. Act. 26.18. Sanctified by faith in me. Act. 15.9. Purifying their hearts by faith. Their Love and Repentance are the fruit of Faith; and therefore no other holy carriages are antece­dent to Faith. All that are unbelievers are destitute of other Graces: If there be appear­ances of Repentance and love to God's glory, they are but delusions: If other gracious car­riages depend on Faith, they do not preceed Faith; for the effect is not before the cause. If Faith have no being it can have no opera­tion: If there were any Holiness that went before Faith, that Sanctification is not thro' Faith in Christ, then their hearts were purified without Faith.

3 The Gospel is the means of Conversion. It is by the Gospel that the hearts of men are made holy: 1 Cor. 4.15. I have begotten you thro' the Gospel. The works of Creation and [Page 17] common Providence teach men to be holy, but do not make men holy: So the Law or Cove­nant of Works teacheth men that they should be holy, but that does not make men holy; but it is the Gospel that makes men holy: When Paul was sent to preach the Gospel, the design was to turn men from the power of Satan unto God; and if the Gospel be the instrument of Conversion, men have no Ho­liness 'till they do receive the Gospel. So long as the offers of the Gospel are rejected or neglected, it can have no sanctifying efficacy on them: it may work some common affect­ions, but it does not change their hearts. If men are not wrought upon by the Gospel to give entertainment to Christ, it hath no other gracious effect on them. The first gracious effect of the Gospel is to make men come to Christ, other gracious effects are consequen­tial to this.

CHAP. V. This Act of Faith doth include all other Graces.

THE act of Faith in accepting Jesus Christ is the Conversion of the whole Soul unto God: for it is vertually all Grace, it includes in it somewhat of the Spirit of all other Graces: There is a distinction in the exer­cise [Page 18] of several Graces; there is a difference between the acts of Faith, and Love, and Re­pentance, and Humility; yet there is some­what of the spirit of every Grace working in the Soul's first closing with Christ. As,

1. There is a believing of the Word of God. God speaks a great deal in the Gospel to en­courage Sinners to come to Christ. He tells us, that he calls us, that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, that he is appointed to be a Prince and a Saviour, that he died for our Sins, that he has satisfyed the Justice of God, that he is risen from the dead, and sits at the right hand of God, that he will of his free Grace pardon all the Sins of those that come to him; and the man when he comes to Christ receives the whole Doctrine of the Gos­pel as the true sayings of God: He rejects all carnal reasons, and sets his seal that God is true. He made a Profession before, but now he does not stagger at the promise of God through unbelief; he is satisfyed that the Gospel is no cunningly devised fable▪ but the very Word of God; 1 Thes. 2, [...]3, Ye received the word not as the word of man, but as it is in truth the word of God, which effectually worketh in you that be­lieve: They do not look upon it as probable as they did before, but have the assurance of the truth of it.

2. There is Love to God and Christ. When the Soul marries to Christ, he doth it with a spirit of Love: He takes God as his Portion, he takes his satisfaction in God; he comes to [Page 19] God not for some Conveniency but for Bless­edness, he takes him as one that is sufficient to make him happy; he despises all the world in comparison of God: He takes a compla­cency in God, and sees the gloriousness and amiableness of God: The love of God ap­pearing in the Gospel draws his heart. He loves to depend on Jesus Christ, and to put hon­our upon him. This way of Salvation pleases him, he looks upon Christ excellent and glo­rious, he extols Christ: Cant. 5.11. My be­loved is white and ruddy, the chiefest of ten thousands. and v. 16. He is altogether lovely. His coming to Christ is not a forced thing; but he esteems him fairer than the children of men, Psal. 45.2.

3. There is a Spirit of repentance. He has stood out a long while against the Calls of God, but now he repents, he changes his mind; therefore we have that expression, Mat. 9.13. I am not come to call the righteous, but sin­ners to repentance. The heart is not affected with grief just at that time only, but he dis­likes his former course, persists no longer in a way of opposition, but yields himself to Christ; he says as Isa 21.13. Other Lords besides thee have had dominion over me, but by thee only will I make mention of thy name. He gives up himself to live after another manner than he has done formerly: He hath been obstinate a great while, but he stands out no longer, he re­linquishes his former way, and comes over to Christ: His heart is changed, he is translated from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of Christ.

[Page 20]4 There is Humility. All Believers are poor in spirit; they are so called, Mat. 5.3. The Believer is poor in spirit when he comes under the sense of his unworthiness: the Pro­digal when he returns, says, I am no more wor­thy to be called thy son, Luk. 15.19. The man is sensible that nothing but free Grace will help him, he depends on the meer mercy of God: Eph. 2.8. We are saved by Grace. He challenges nothing, he is sensible that he has deserved Damnation, he counts that God might fairly destroy him: He does not magni­fy himself; if he be a man of understanding, if he be wealthy, if he make a figure in the world, if he has been useful and servicable to others, and to the Church of God, yet he looks upon himself less than the least of all God's Mer­cies; he takes no encouragement from any excellency in himself, he comes as a poor beg­gar, he wants pardon and blessedness, but he has nothing to offer to God: The invitation is to such; Isai. 55.1. Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no mo­ney, come ye, buy and eat▪ yea, come buy wine and milk without money and without price. And when the man comes to Christ he comes emp­ty, willing to be beholding to Christ for all: He desires Salvation, and is willing that God and Christ should have the Glory of it. He comes for free Grace; his languague is as Psal. 135. With the Lord there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption.

[Page 21]5 There is Self-Denyal. Under the work of Humiliation he was forced out of himself, he saw his own righteousness was as filthy rags; he saw there was nothing in it to depend up­on, he saw his best works were just ground of condemnation; but when he sees the pre­ciousness of Christ's Righteousness, that mor­tifies a self righteous spirit. He sees there is no comparison between them, he sees his own Righteousness is but dross compared with that Gold tried in the fire: He is willing for the sake of Christ's Righteousness to part with his own: Phil. 3.7. What things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Former­ly, when he was invited to come to Christ, he had many reasonings in his own heart against that way; but now he is satisfied in the Wis­dom of God, and denies his own Wisdom, will not listen to any cavils, but says of Christ, that he is the power of God and the wisdom of God, 2. Cor. 1.24. And that in him are hid all the Treasures of wisdom and knowledge: So he denies his own power; and rests upon the power of Christ, to deliver him from temptation, and to keep him from Sin and preserve him to Salvation.

6 There is a Spirit of Thankfulness. When the man sees Christ offered to him, and par­don and salvation upon his account, he looks upon it as an unspeakable Mercy, and receives it as a great gift of Grace: He was wont for­merly to slight the offer, and cast contempt upon it, and neglected to receive it; but now [Page 22] he looks upon it as a wonderful offer. He has honourable thoughts of the Grace of God. His heart is affected with God's Mercy, and comes gladly to Christ. He counts the Gos­pel good news, and is sensible that God therin shews great kindness: He counts it a great opportunity: He looks upon himself greatly beholden to God: His heart is ready to leap for joy, he accepts the invitation, and blesses the name of God: He says of it, that it is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, 1. Tim. 1.16.

7 There is a Spirit of universal Obedience. When God opens the eyes to see the call of the Gospel, men are sensible that it is the will of God that they should come to Christ; that is God's great command, 1 Joh. 3.23. And in obedience to God they do come. They dare not rebel against God's call. Besides, there is a spirit of obedience in receiving Christ as their King; they accept of Christ as he is offered. God has made Christ the King of his church, and offers him as such; and when the man accepts him, he takes him as his Lord as well as Saviour; he knows that Christ requires uni­versal Holiness, Religion, and Truth, and Justice, and Chastity, and Temperance, and Charity, and he accepts of Christ as his Lord, is willing to be subject to his laws and govern­ment. Their voice is, The Lord is our Judge, the Lord is our law-giver, and he will save us: Isa. 33.22. The men receive Christ in all [Page 23] his Offices, they come with a spirit of obedi­ence. Besides, when they come to Christ, they come to him to enable them to lead holy lives, they depend on him for strength to over­come their temptations, that he may be made sanctification unto them, 1 Cor. 1.31. They depend upon his help, that they may live holy lives. Gal. 2.20. I live by Faith in the Son of God.

CHAP. VI. The Infusion of Grace doth mortify Corruption.

BY putting Grace into the heart God doth destroy the power of Sin. Natural men are not able to mortify their own corruptions: Whatever improvement they make of their natural abilities and outward opportunities, they will fall short of mortifying their corrup­tions: They may do several things in order to the mortifying their Sins, but they cannot effect it: They may restrain themselves much from the acts of Sin, but the lopping of the tree does not kill the root▪ If they do not make provision for the flesh, yet they cannot starve it: If they bewail their Sins, and cry out against them, and call themselves madmen, that will not do. Pharaoh bewailed his Sin, Exod 9.27. And Judas his, Mat. 27.3. Yet both of them were far from mortification. Yea, if they study the danger and evil of their [Page 24] Sins, that will not serve the turn. Such men may consider, that if their Sins don't die, their Souls must die▪ according to that, Rom. 8.13. If ye live after the flesh ye shall die, but if ye thro' the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the flesh, ye shall live. They may think that Sin is dishonourable and unprofitable; that there is ingratitude, injustice and impudence in it: If we consider such things a thousand times o­ver, that will not mortify their corruptions; but it is God that doth it, and the way where­in he doth it, is by infusing a principle of Grace into the heart. The infusion of Grace and the mortification of corruption▪ are at the same instant. Mortification of corruption dont fol­low after the infusion of Grace, but is contem­porary with it. 2. Cor. 5 17. Old things are passed away, and all things are made new. These two works are done by the same operation. God does not put forth two operations, one to make men gracious, the other to kill their corruptions; but the same divine act has these two effects, to give new inclinations, and de­stroy the old. God restrains the corruptions of men before he puts Grace into them; and takes away much of those evil habits that men had contracted by a course of Sin: He doth that by terrifying the Conscience, giving some common encouragements, and by human re­straints, and education; but it is by giving Grace to the Soul that corruption is morttify­ed. Corruption is not mortifyed before the in­fusion of Grace, neither is the infusion of Grace before mortification; but they are wrought at once by the same act.

[Page 25] Arg. 1. The same light that works gracious inclinations, doth destroy Sin. The way wherein God communicates Grace is by teach­ing men how glorious he is. He lets in Gos­pel light, and so works gracious inclinations. Men see the reason why they should love God, trust in Christ, and be humble, and this in­clines the heart that way. God deals with men as with rational creatures; he discovers to them the Reason and Foundation of holy car­riages, and so disposes the heart to them, 2 Cor. 4.18. We all beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image. He makes them know himself, and so makes them sincere. Psal. 36.10. Stretch forth thy loving kindness to them that know thee, and thy righteousness to the upright in heart. He teaches them, and so they come to Christ, Joh. 6.45. Every one that hath heard and learned of the Father cometh unto me. And it is the same way that he mortifies their corruption. This light weans them from the world, kills the pride of their hearts. This light makes them hate the ways of Sin. At the same time that they see reason to exalt God, they see the evil of pride. When they see reason to love God, they see that there is no reason to dote on the world, Act. 26.18. To turn them from dark­ness to light and from the power of Satan to-God.

Arg. 2 Natural Corruption is nothing else but the privation of Holiness▪ Contracted habits have something positive in them, but natural corruption is only the privation of [Page 26] Holiness. When man lost the image of God, there was nothing positive put into him. The condition of man by nature is, that he is destitute of Love, and Faith, and Humili­ty; and thence he runs into evil, and is dis­posed to love the world, and set up himself a­bove God. This shews that the very giving of Grace mortifies corruption. When the [...] is given, the privation is expell'd. When light comes into the eye, the darkness is gone: When sight is given to men, blindness is ta­ken away: When life came into Lazarus, he was delivered from death: When love to God is put into the Soul, inordinate self-love is mortifyed. When Faith is wrought in the heart, Unbelief is mortifyed. When men are made humble, their Price is mortifyed. When God conveys spiritual Life to men, without any more to do, they are delivered from spi­ritual Death: Rom 8.2 The law of the spi­rit of life in Christ Jesus, has made me free from the law of sin and of death.

Arg. 3 Holiness doth imply in it a hatred to Sin. Where Sin is hated it is mortifyed; that was Paul's spirit, Rom 7.15. What I hate, that I do. When Sin is hated, then the strength of it is abated. The strength of Sin lies in men's love to Sin. Wherever Sin is hated as the greatest evil it is mortifyed: As it loseth the love of men, so it loseth it's strength. That was a sign of David's morti­fication, that he hated vain thoughts, Psal. 119.113. And wherever there is Holiness [Page 27] there is an hatred of Sin. If the heart of a man be inclined to believe, he hates unbelief; unbelief is contrary to that inclination: So, if a man have an inclination to love God as his chief Good, he will hate the workings of pride and worldliness, the setting up any other thing above God. Sinful inclinations are enemies to Holiness, and holy inclinations are enemies to Sin. They have a tendency in themselves to destroy one another: Gal. 5.17. The flesh lusteth against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh, and these are contrary the one to the other. There is a warfare between Grace and Corruption, they seek the destructi­on of one another.

Arg. 4. The more degrees of Grace men get, the more Sin is mortifyed. The more men put on the new man, the more they put off the old man. Holiness and Mortification hold an exact proportion one to the other. As one Scale rises, the other falls: As water comes into the vessel, the air is expelled: The more light is in the air, the less darkness: 2 Sam. 3 1. David waxed stronger and stronger, and the house of Soul waxed weaker and weaker, As Grace flourishes, so Sin dies. Whenever there is any addition to Grace, there is a pro­portionable substraction from Corruption. The more humility, the less pride. They that are very humble, are not very proud. They that have a great deal of Faith, have but little Unbelief. And when Grace shall be perfect­ed, no Sin shall remain; the perfection of [Page 28] Grace doth expel all Sin. Where there is perfect light, there is no darkness. 1 Joh. 15. God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. Where there is perfect beauty, there is no ble­mish. Eph. 5.27. Not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy with­out blemish.

CHAP. VII. Conversion is wrought by Light.

GOD is the Author of Conversion: Men must be born of the spirit. Whatever means are used they will be ineffectual, if there be not the operation of the spirit: Jam. 1.18. Of his own will begat he us. Such as are con­verted are born of God, Joh. 1.13. And the way wherein he doth it, is by letting spiritual light into the Soul; by irradiating the mind, letting in beams of light into the heart. In that way God increaseth Grace, and in that way he giveth Grace at first. While men re­main in darkness, they do remain in the king­dom of darkness; but by inlightning the mind he changes the heart. It is by inward disco­veries of the Glory of God that he sanctifies the heart▪ In this way the Gospel doth be­come a rod of strength. Psal. 110.2. The Lord shall send forth the rod of thy strength out of Zion. Spiritual sight prevails immediately upon the heart. Men that have refused a long while do refuse no longer after God lets in this light: Act. 26.18. To open their eyes, to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Sa­tan [Page 29] unto God. 2 Cor. 3.18. We all as with open face beholding in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image, from glory to glory, as by the Spirit of the Lord. All that are ignorant of God remain unconverted; all that know God are converted.

Arg. 1. Man's being capable to know God makes him capable to be holy. If man had not a reasonable Soul capable to know God, he could not be capable to be holy. The in­ferior creatures though they have some know­ledge and resemblances of reason, yet are un­capable of the knowledge of God, and accor­dingly are uncapable of holiness, and accord­ingly are not under the direction of the Moral Law. But if God makes man capable to know him, he thereby makes him capable of holiness; the reason of it is, because if he actually knows God, he will be holy: The know­ledge of God and holiness go together: Psal. 36.10. Stretch forth thy loving kindness to them that know thee, and thy righteousness to the upright in heart. God is so glorious, that if he be known, the heart will be drawn to him. Psal. 36.7. Because of the excellency of thy loving kind­ness, the children of men put their trust in the shadow of thy wings. The excellency of God draws the heart irresistably to him, when it is know. The knowledge of God is inseparable from holiness. All that know him are holy: The very capacity to know God, makes men capable to be holy, to love him and trust in him. The Angelical nature is capable to know [Page 30] God, and so capable of holiness, and so the human Nature: And when men are renewed in the image of God, they are renewed in knowledge; Col. 3.10. And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge, after tho image of him that created him.

Ar. 2. Until men know God, no terror, or punishment, or perswasion, will make them holy. Many men have very strong perswasions set before them to induce than to be holy; the equity of it, the profit, the pleasure, and the honour of it, are amply demonstrated; such arguments are as wont mightily to prevail in other cases; yet the men are not gained, they make their hearts as adaments, and they will not be gained until they have the knowledge of God. If the perswasions do beget some desires, if they do beget some resolutions, if they prevail on men to make some attempts; yet they do not make men holy: Men must be taught of God else they will not be holy. Jon. 6 45. Every man that hath heard and learn­ed of the Father, cometh unto me. Terrors of conscience will not make men holy. Men cannot be frighted into the love of God. Men may be scared it to Reformation, but not into Conversion. Trembling may take hold on hypocrites, yet they remain hypocrites. Cain's terrors did not made him holy. Judas his terrors did not make him holy. Fear will make men hypocrites, but not Saints, Psal. 78.34, When he slew them, then they sought him, but, v. 36. They flattered him with their mouth, and [Page 31] lied unto him with their tongue. The fear of Hell will not make men hate sin more than hell: Punishments will not make men holy. Hell-fire will not purge away men's dross. One glimpse of the glory of God, will do more than all the punishments in the world to make men holy. Cant. 1.4. Draw me and I will run after thee

Arg. 3. The perfect knowledge of God is ac­companied with perfect Holiness. Holiness al­ways hold a proportion to men's knowledge of the glory of God. They that have not the knowledge of the glory of God, have not one spark of holiness; if they pretend to it, yet they are utterly destitute of it. Men may set up Altars to the unknown God, but they never love an unknown God. And when there is the beginning of the knowledge of God, there is the beginning of holiness; and as the know­ledge God increases, so holiness increases; they keep pace one with the other, they are in exact proportion one to the other. Every beam of light has heat in it, 2 Pet. 1.2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you, through the know­ledge of God, and of our Saviour Jesus Christ. And when the knowledge of God is perfect, holiness will be perfect. We can never com­prehend God, nor search out the almighty to perfection; yet the grace of Knowledge may be perfect: And when men do enjoy the light of Glory, they will be as holy as they desire to be. Light and life will be perfected toge­ther. Heaven is a place of perfect Light, and [Page 32] perfect Holiness: Psal. 17.5. I shall behold his face in righteousness, I shall be satisfied with thy likeness. 1 Joh 3.2. We shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.

Arg 4. When men do see the glory of God, they would act against their nature if they should not be holy. Every creature will act it's nature, and so will Man. When men know things to be true, they will assent to them. When men see God, they know his testimony to be true: When men know the excellency of God, they must chuse him. The glory of God is such, that it captivates the heart; where it is seen it has a magnetic power; it irresistably conquers the will. There is a ne­cessity of loving God, when he is seen; if men should not, they would act against their nature. There is no power in the will to re­sist holiness when the glory of God is seen. It is impossible in nature that men should know God and not be holy. The will always fol­lows the last dictates of the Understanding. The Understanding is the guide of the will; the will always follows its direction. Men would offer violence to their nature, if they should do otherwise. The excellency of God is a sufficient reason for men's loving and serving him: Because God has such excellency, it is man's duty to love and serve him; and it is their happiness to love and serve him: And when they know the excellency of God it will be their practice. The gloriousness of God has a commanding power on the heart.

CHAP. VIII. Men are capable to receive Light from the Spirit of God, before they have an habitual Change in their Understanding.

MAN in his natural estate is represented in Scripture at utterly depraved, dead in trespasses and sins. He is blind, and in dark­ness. And it may be thought that he is in­capble to see the gloriousness of God, until there be first an habitual change in his unde­standing; but if we examine the word of God, we may find plain intimations, that this light doth precede the habitual change. Joh. 5.25. The time is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God; and they that bear shall live. Hearing the voice of Christ is antecedent to their living: It is in that way that life enters into them, 2 Cor. 3.18. We all with open face beholding as is a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image: Before they are changed into God's image, they do behold his Glory. This makes it evident, that men are capable to behold the glory of the Lord before the habitual change. God discovers his Glory, and that inclines him to assent and draws forth an actual assent. Which may be further considered by these considerations.

Arg. 1. Man in his corrupted estate has his natural faculty of understanding. He hath the faculty of understanding in his corrupted estate, and in his renewed estate. A godly man has not two faculties of understanding [Page 34] one whereby he knows God, and another whereby he knows other things; but by the faculty of understanding he knows God and Christ, and the truth of promises, and likewise rules of art, the motions of the Sun and Moon, and the natural causes. Where there is a natural understanding, endued with literal knowledge, and assisted by the Spirit of God, there is a power to know God: In that case there is nothing wanting in order to the spiri­tual knowledge of God. Men need no other faculty in order to spiritual knowledge provid­ed it be duly enlightned. To imagine that there needs any other Power, is to fancy the need of another faculty, or a faculty in a fa­culty, in order to the knowledge of God; as if we understood the creature by one faculty, and God by another. A faculty of under­standing instructed and assisted by the Spirit, must needs enable men to know God.

Arg 2. An babitual change in the understand­ing, does not give men a power to know God. It must be acknowledged, that there is such a thing as an habitual change in the understand­ing: Godly men have a sanctified mind; they have a principle put into them, that leads them to judge aright concerning God and Christ; and a principle of Faith to re­ceive the testimony of God: But habits does not give men a power to know. We must carefully distinguish between a faculty or power and an habit: An habit is only an in­clination to do a thing; an habit fits a man [Page 35] to do a thing with more facility and dexte­rity. Habits are not faculties; they do not enable men to do what they could not do before; they dispose and incline the heart that way. A natural man has a prevailing inclination to judge wrong concerning God, and an opposition to believe right concerning God; his mind is averse to the reception of those doctrines that the Scripture teaches con­cerning God; but yet he has the faculty or power to judge aright when he is assisted. And the godly man having received habitual light, has an inclination to judge aright of God and spiritual things.

Ar. 3. This actual light which men receive from the Spirit of God, doth beget habitual light. It is in this case as in many others; a man that has had experience of the sweetness of honey, is inclined thereby to judge so from time to time: He that has had experience of the saltness of the sea, is inclined to judge it so: And he that has understood the gloriousness of God, is prepared and disposed thereby to judge so from time to time. This discovery leaves such a sense and impression on the heart, as inclines it for ever to judge so concerning God: They never forget what they have seen, and so are inclined to judge after the like man­ner. And the more frequently they have emi­nent discoveries of God and Christ, the more strongly they are inclined to judge so, and to reject the contrary temptations. Repeated discoveries strengthen the habit, and dispose [Page 36] them with more readiness to judge so. The inclination to judge aright of God is a ration­al inclination, flowing from a conviction of the gloriousness of God.

CHAP. IX. The first thing that this Light discovers is the Gloriousness of God.

MAny men that have had experience of this spiritual light, are able to give a very poor account how it doth at first work in their heart The understanding is so quick in it's operations, that the steps of those discoveries that are made to the soul, does not fall un­der their observation. They may be able to give some account what they saw, that they saw such and such encouragement to come to Christ; but they do not know how they come to be convinced of it. But we have abundant cause to conclude, that the first dis­covery that is made is of the gloriousness of God. The knowledge of God is the foundation of all religion: Psal. 36.10. Stretch forth thy loving kindness to them that know thee, and thy righteousness to the upright in heart. Joh. 1.3. This is eternal life to know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent.

Two things will make this evident.

Arg. 1. The spiritual knowledge of God doth not depend upon the spiritual knowledge of other things. There needs no antecedent discoveries in order to the spiritual knowledge of God. [Page 37] When God opens the eyes of men, and gives spiritual understanding to them, there are two ways wherein they may see the glory of God.

1. By reasoning from the works of Creation and common Providence. There is a great dis­covery of the glory of God in making the world, Psal. 19.1. The heavens declare the glo­ry of God. and the firmament sheweth his handy works. Isai. 6.3. The whole earth is full of his glory. And when they behold the work of God, they may readily see, if their eyes be opened, that these things were made by a God of infinite power, and wisdom, and goodness. There is a self-evidencing light in these works of God, shewing that they are the effects of a God of infinite glory. The world is a glass, reflecting the glory of God; and when men's eyes are opened, they may plainly see it. So in other of the great works of God; the gene­ral deluge, the burning of Sodom, the delivery of Israel out of Egypt, maintaining them in the wilderness, &c. God often puts us in mind, that he has created the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth. That is an abundant manifestation to them that understand, that he is a glorious God, worthy to be believed, and loved, and obeyed. When men's eyes are opened, they see the force of the argument, they are at once satisfyed about the glorious properties of God. Reason enlightned by the Spirit of God, teaches men convincingly what God is.

[Page 38]2 By reasoning from the word of God. The word of God has a self evidencing light in it; it shews that it doth proceed from a God of infinite Glory. The holiness of the law, and the wisdom and grace that appears in the gospel, are in themselves very evidential of God's glory. And though multitudes of men that read and hear the word, are not convin­ced of the divine authority of it; yet when God lets in beams of spiritual light, they re­ceive it as the word of God; they are convin­ced that it proceeds from a God of infinite glory. When God shines into the heart, they see the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ, 2 Cor. 4.6. They do with open face behold as in a glass the glory of the Lord, 2 Cor. 4.18. They say, such things would never have ente­red into the heart of man, if God had not revea­led them, 1 Cor. 2 9.

Arg. 2. The spiritual knowledge of other things, doth depend on the spiritual knowledge of God. The knowledge of particular revealed truths, doth depend upon the knowledge of God. Until they know God they can have no Faith; Faith depends upon the knowledge of God. Until they know God, they do not see a foundation for Faith, nor know any thing that is to be known only by Faith. Until men know God, they cannot know the saving benefit of the blood of Christ, or the Divinity of Christ, or the certainty of the Promises, or the happiness of heaven; for all Faith doth depend upon our assurance of the faithfulness of God: [Page 39] But when once we are convinced of the faith­fulness of God, we are prepared to believe whatever God has revealed. If God reveals things that are beyond natural reason to com­prehend, as the doctrine of the Trinity, and of the Incarnation of the Son of God; such men will believe it. If God reveals things that are very contrary to carnal reason; As, that God is angry with carnal men, though they live in great prosperity; and that he delights in god­ly men, and will save them, though they are low, and in great affliction. If he promises pardon to them that have been very sinful, if they accept of the offers of the gospel, such men will believe it. The consideration of the everlasting faithfulness of God, will over­come all objections. If men were at never so much loss about the truth of them before, and rejected them as false, or suspended their belief, looking on them as uncertain; yet as soon as ever he understands the faithfulness of God, the darkness of his mind is removed; he sees a foundation for Faith, and so those things which were mysteries to him before, are now heartily acknowledged. Heb. 11.7. Faith is the evidence of things not seen.

CHAP. X. The Soul being convinced of the Glorious­ness of God, sees Encouragement to ac­cept of Christ.

MUltitudes that are called to come, do up­on one accasion or other excuse them­selves: [Page 40] Yea, men that are in great distress for the want of forgiveness, do reject the offer. They would fain be pardoned, and pray to God to accept them upon Christ's account; but they dare not accept of the offer of mercy. They have all manner of perswasions but re­main unpersuadable; they resolve to do it, they may attempt it, but do not effect it: It seems a dangerous thing, and a method to cast away their own souls; they think God would be very angry with them for obtruding them­selves upon him: It seems to them a despe­rate adventure. But when they are convinced of the gloriousness of God, they see encouragement enough to come to Christ.

They see three things especially that are encouragement to them,

1 The free Grace of God. They were wont to discourage themselves because of their un­worthiness; it seemed to them as if the heart of God was turn'd against them, and they la­boured in that, that they might get something to incline the heart of God towards them, that might appease his anger, and attract his love: But when they have the knowledge of God, they are satisfied in the freeness of his grace; they see that there is enough in his own heart to move him, that there is an in­finite ocean of grace there, that his thoughts are not as our thoughts, that there is an height and depth, and length and breadth in the love of God that it passeth knowledge; that he can pi­ty his greatest enemies, and love those that [Page 41] have nothing to commend them. They say he is God and not man: His mercy does not depend on any excellency in them: His grace is sovereign grace, and he has mercy on whom he will have mercy. Though it be a great thing to be pardoned and saved, yet it is not too much for him to do. There is no need of any thing to move his heart; he can do it because it pleaseth him. They were wont formerly to limit the mercy of God, and to think it would have been sufficient, if they had not been such great sinners, or if they were more broken for their sins; but now they are convinced, that if they were worse than they are, that the mercy of God it sufficient for them; that there is an infiniteness in the grace of God; and after they have reckoned up many things that grace can do, that there is infinitely more than they can think of No badness doth discourage them, no want of goodness doth discourage them. There is no more limiting of the grace than of the power of God. There is mercy enough to set a­gainst their unworthiness. Psal 36 7. How excellent is thy loving kindness O God, therefore the children of men put their trust under the sha­dow of thy wings.

2 The preciousness and sufficiency of Christ's Righteousness. The threatnings of the law were a terror to them like a flaming sword; they saw justice binding them over to con­demnation; they thought that every jot and tittle of the law must be fulfilled; as Mat. [Page 42] 5.18. That the law cannot be abrogated not moderated; that all the challenges of it must be answered. And when they heard of the satisfaction of Christ, they did not satisfy their consciences. They were told that Christ Jesus was the Son of God; that God has appointed him to be a mediator; that his sacrifice was acceptable to God: And they looked upon those things very probable; but were not cer­tain of them: But when they see God, and believe his word, Christ is precious to them, 2 Pet. 2.7. They look on him just ac­cording to the report of the gospel. They say as Peter, Mat. 16. He is Christ the Son of the living God. They are sensible that he has re­deemed us from the curse, having born the curse for us; that he has made reconciliation for iniquity, made an end of sin, and brought in an everlasting righteousness; that in the Lord Jesus we have righteousness and strength. They are satisfied that he hath made a new and living way to the holy place: They see now that the guilt of sin was translated to Christ; that the law has been executed on him; that his blood has quenched the fire of God's wrath; that an atonement is made, and God recon­ciled. That Christ is at the right hand of God, exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour; that it is a safe thing to appear before God in his Righteousness, there is no need of any additi­on to it. They say there are unsearchable ri­ches in Christ. Before, they did not know but the doctrine concerning Christ was a de­lusion, [Page 43] a cunningly devised fable; but now they are sure it is otherwise. Joh. 6.69 We be­lieve and are sure, that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God. Joh 17.8. They have known surely that I came out from thee, and they believed that thou did send me.

3 The faithfulness of the offers of the Gospel. God in the gospel makes many gracious pro­mises. That such as come to Jesus Christ he will in no wise cast off, Joh. 6 37 That those that believe in Christ shall not perish, but shall have everlasting life, Joh. 3 16. That all that believe in Christ shall have remission of Sins, Act. 10.43. And this light gives assurance of the truth of the promises: Before this light was given they seemed incredible. Sometimes they doubted of them because of the greatness of them, sometimes because God was angry with them, sometimes because there were but few that were saved. But when this light comes into the soul, they see the certainty of these promises; they come with a divine authority upon the heart. 1 Thes. 2.13. Ye received the word, not as the word of man, but as it was indeed the word of God The faithfulness of God convinces them that the promise is sure. They receive it as infallible: They do not build their perswasions upon the opinions of men, but upon the word of God. Many men dispute with a great deal of confidence for the principles of religion, against Papists and Soci­nians, but it is upon that supposition, that the Scripture is the word of God; and that they [Page 44] take for granted, but do not know it. But when this spiritual light is let into them, they are assured of the divine authority of the Scrip­ture they are assured it is the word of God, and know that God is faithful. They say as David, Psal. 12.6. The words of the Lord are pure words, as Silver tryed in a furnace of Earth, purified seven times.

CHAP. XI. No man is able to give a full Account of all that he saw when this light did first shine into his heart.

THERE is a great deal of difference in this light as to the clearness of it; all that have this spiritual light do not see things with the like clearness; the discoveries are more dim in some than in others. There are de­grees of natural light, so of the light of rea­son, so of spiritual light. This light is some­times called wisdom. Sometimes because of the clearness of it, it is called revelation. Eph. 1.17. That God would give unto you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him. But whether the sight be clear or more ob­scure, they do all see the truth of the gospel; that Christ is a sufficient foundation for them to build upon, that it is safe to cast themselves upon him; that Christ is precious, and that the gospel is of divine authority. But no man is able to give an exact account of all that he did see at that time. The thing was done in [Page 45] the twinkling of an eye; and though men ne­ver forget it, yet they cannot call to mind all that they were convinced of; no, not if they were to give an account the next hour. Men have not at that time the actual understand­ing of all gospel principles: Indeed they saw that that way of Salvation that they had been for many years instructed in was true; but they have not the actual understanding of them at the very time: Yet they did see, and actu­ally understood at the time, a great deal more than they can remember.

This may appear by these things,

1. From the shortness of the time wherein this discovery is made. There is but a very little time between the opening of the eyes, and the hearts closing with Christ, and the discovery is wont to last but a little time; and so it is impossible that he should have a distinct re­membrance of every thing that he saw. The Spouse gives a very particular description of Christ in figurative expressions, Cant. 5. from v. 16. ad fin And so Godly men are able to do from what they find in the word of God; but they can remember but a little account of what they saw at that time. If a man cast up his eyes to heaven, he sees a multitude of stars; but is not able to give a particular account of what he saw of the several stars and constella­tions. So, if a man should cast his eye upon a beautiful Person, he is much affected with his beauty; but he can't give a particular account of all his features, the comeliness of his fore­head, [Page 46] eyes, cheeks and lips, nor give a descrip­tion of them. If a man should cast his eye upon a Garden wherein their is a variety of flowers, he may be much affected with it, yet not able to tell particularly what sorts of flow­ers he saw. Or if he should cast his eye up­on a curious piece of Embroidery, he may per­ceive immediately that there is much curiosity in it; but he cannot give an account of all the colours and resemblances that he cast his eye upon. Thus it is when men's eyes are open­ed. They see the way of salvation to be a glorious way, but they cannot tell particularly all that they saw; they had but a transient sight, and could not take such distinct notice of things, as to lay them up in their memory.

2. There is need of the actual knowledge of many gospel Truths, in order to the first closing with Christ. They heard of those things of­ten before, but they understood nothing in a right manner before; but they must un­derstand them in order to their closing with Christ. They need to understand some­thing of the Greatness of that Salvation that is offered. Men will not accept the offer, except they judge it worthy to be accepted. They need to understand, that the offer is made to them; the making of such on offer to others is no warrant to them to accept thereof. They need to understand, their sins may be pardoned; that the law does not render them uncapable of Pardon. They need to understand, that it [Page 47] is God himself that makes the offer in the Gospel: Nothing, less than that can be an en­couragement to accept. Men need to under­stand that God has Mercy enough to pardon all their Sins, though they have no worthi­ness: If they do not understand this, they will not dare to accept the offer. They need to understand the Faithfulness of God, else they can see no safety in coming to Christ. They need to understand the saving Vertue of the blood of Christ; that it is acceptable to God, and sufficient to purge away Sin. They need to understand that Christ Jesus is the Son of God, that they may be satisfyed in the divine ver­tue of his blood' They need to understand, that God made him a Mediator, and wounded him for our Transgressions. They had need to understand the sufficiency of Christ to sanctify them and make them persevere, and God's ability to fulfil his promises. And there is no godly man that can recover the remembrance of it, that at that time he saw all these things. Some can remember more than others; but none can call to mind all that he saw at that time.

3 Because at that time men's thoughts are so fixed up one or two particular things, that they are hindered thereby from remembring some other things. Experience shews, that some men at their first conversion, have their thoughts more fixed on the consideration of the free Mercy of God: They see a depths of compassion in the heart of God; that he has [Page 48] no need of any external motive to draw his heart; that he can overlook all manner of provocations, has mercy on whom he will, and compassion on whom he will have compassion, as Rom. 9.15. Some men at the time had their thoughts more taken up about the Sacrifice of Christ, how he has born the curse, bought us with a price, made his Soul an offering for Sin, fully satisfyed the Justice of God. And some others have their thoughts at the time more fixed upon the Faithfulness of God, that his words are pure words, that he is not as a man that he should lie, nor the Son of man that he should repent; that his word is a sure founda­tion to build upon. It is frequently so after­wards. They are led into it sometime by the consideration of some Scripture that comes to mind at that time. Sometimes by having special temptations just before; as if God could not find in his heart to pardon such as they; as if Christ's blood would not answer for their Sins, &c. And the thoughts being fixed on one encouragement makes others less observed. If a man takes particular notice of one Argument in a discourse, he can give the less account of the rest. If a man takes spe­cial notice of what concerns himself in a dis­course, he will not take such particular notice of what concerns others. If there be a great Shew, one person takes more notice of one particular, another of another, and are not able to give to good an account of the other things that they saw.

CHAP. XII. This Spiritual Light doth discover those things that Men were convinced of be­fore, under the Work of Preparation, and that in a better manner than they saw them before.

BEfore God converts men, it is his manner to prepare them for it by a common work of his Spirit, which is called Preparatory, which puts men upon it to to be sensibly seeking after reconciliation. Men are called upon to seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness; to labour not for the meat that perishes, but for that meat that doth endure unto eternal life. And men are blamed for slightly seeking, Luk. 13.24. Many seek and are not able to enter. And that was the happiness of some, their hearts were mightily set in seeking the king­dom of God, Mat. 11.13 Men are labour­ing, some a long while for peace with God before they are converted: They are convin­ced of the vanity of the world, and of the necessity of the favour of God and eternal life: They are convinced also of the insufficiency of their own righteousness, so as to relinquish hopes from that, but when God sets in spiri­tual light to convert men, that doth disco­ver the same that they saw under the work of preparation, and that after a better manner than they saw them before,

[Page 50]1 When God gives spiritual light and re­veals his Grace and the Glory of Christ to the Soul, that discovers those things that they saw un­der the work of preparation.

1 That will discover the terribleness of Dam­nation. One thing that Sinners are sensible of under the work of preparation is, that the wrath of God is terrible: And they are wont to cry out as he, What must I do to be saved. Act. 16.30. And as David, There is no sound­ness in my flesh because of thine anger, nor any rest in my bones because of my sin, Psal. 48.3. They see they, have exposed themselves to the heavy wrath of God, and are liable to damnation, which is intolerable. Isai. 33.14. Who can dwell with devouring fire, who can dwell with everlasting burnings? And the sense of this is wont to fill them with Terror; they are afraid of dying quickly, and they are urged in spirit to cry to God, and beg the pardon of their Sins. This stirs them up carefully to reform their lives, and leave off all sinful practices, and to resist temptations. This makes them sensible of the vanity of the world. And when gospel light is let into men, they will see the terribleness of the wrath of God for Sin. If they did not see that, they would not see the necessity of coming to Christ for Salvation; but when they see the truth of the Gospel, they will be convinced of that; for then they will see the faithfulness of God, and the truth of the threatnings of the law: Then they [Page 51] will believe the greatness of Christ's sufferings, and thereby see the terrible wrath of God for Sin. Luk. 23.31. If these things be done in the green tree, what shall be done in the dry? In the sorrows of Christ they will discern how intol­erable the wrath of God is, and what need there is of deliverance from it.

2 That will discover the vanity and insuffici­ency of men's own righteousness. Under the work of preparation they are by degrees led into the understanding of their own unworthi­ness, that they can do nothing to pacify the wrath, or merit the favour of God. When sinners are in distress of conscience, they are wont to labor to lay some bonds on the justice, or faithfulness, or mercy of God; and in length of time God is wont to shew them that their righteousness dont answer the law, satisfies for no Sin, cannot draw the heart of God to them; that by their best works they are meriting con­demnation; that their hearts are full of en­mity to God; that they have no power to do any good; that they have nothing of their own to depend upon, but stand in need of free grace and the righteousness of Christ: And when the gospel light is let into them, that teaches them the emptiness of their own works. When men see the excellency of Christ's righteousness, they see it is a vain thing for them to think to pacify God them­selves; they shall never be able to get any thing of their own that is comparable to the righteousness of Christ: That alone will serve [Page 52] their turn, and they have no need of any other. Phil. 3.7. What things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. When men see their own hearts under the work of Humiliation, they see the vanity of their own righteousness; but when they see the righteousness of Christ, they see further into the vanity of it, and pre­fer Christ's righteousness, and count their own as dung in comparison with Christ's Phil. 3.8. And count them but dung that I may win Christ.

3. They are convinced of these things af­ter a better manner than they are under the work of preparation. Under the work of preparation, they are convinced of them by the illuminations of natural Conscience. They see there is great danger of damnation, and that damnation is intolerable, and that the world is vain; that their own righteousness cannot draw the heart of God; that it is just with God to destroy them. And some things they are convinced of by Experience; as, that they are blind, and under the dominion of their sins, that they are dead in trespasses and sins. But when spiritual light is let into them, they know these things after a better manner, then they see these by faith; they believe the testi­mony of God in his word, and this has a bet­ter affect upon the heart. He sees so much of the world, that he hates a worldly spirit; he sees the vanity of a worldly spirit, so that it is mortified ever after; and the vanity of his own righteousness, and hates a self-righteous spirit.

CHAP. XIII. The way considered, wherein God by this spiritual Light doth convert Men, or make them holy.

WHEN Man is in his corrupt estate the Essence of the soul remains intire, and that natural disposition remains in the Will to follow the last dictates of the Understanding; so that when God makes this change in the Understanding, there is always a proportionable change made in the Will. When God makes an Understanding he makes a Will, and when he renews the Understanding he renews the Will: They are not two things, but one and the same soul, diversely denominated according to two several ways of working, which are inse­parably conjoined. When the soul has this spiritual light, it necessarily acts accordingly. Therefore the way to conversion is this,

I. The soul sees the reason and foundation of spiritual carriages. Holy carriages are very re­sonable; but whatever is presented before men to perswade them, nothing will have any effi­cacy on them, until God gives spiritual light; for naturally they are blind, they are at a loss about the reality of those things, tho' they make a continual profession of them: But when God shines into their hearts with the light of life, they are convinced of those things that are the foundations of such carriages. They counted them probable before, but now they are evident to them.

[Page 54]1. They see the foundations of faith in Jesus Christ. When the eyes of men are opened they see the gracious Nature of God, that he can have mercy on whom he will have mercy, that he can find in his heart to have compassion on them, though they he meer creatures and uncapable to be any profit to him, though they cannot recompence him; and though sinful creatures, whatever be the number and aggra­vation of their sins: they see that there is an excellency in the loving kindness of God, Ps. 36 7.

They are convinced that none is like to God in Mercy; that he can abundantly par­don; that his ways are not as our ways; that he is the God of all Grace; that his mercy is unlimited; that his mercy passes know­ledge; and so their unworthiness is no ground of discouragement. He sees also a sufficiency in Christ, Christ is precious in his eyes. 1 Pet. 2.7. God has made a new and living way by the blood of Christ, what tears would not do, what thousands of Rams could not effect, that has been done by the blood of Christ; Christ has answered all the challenged of the Law, and made reconciliation, bought off our punishment, and made a purchase of eternal Life, he has fulfilled every jot and tittle of the Law, there be unsearchable riches in Christ, there is blood enough to cleanse away all Sin, a sa­crifice sufficient to make atonement, price enough for our redemption, so that they may be saved without any reflection on the justice of God. He also sees the faithfulness of God [Page 55] in the offers of the Gospel. God invites him to come to Jesus Christ, and commands him to believe, and has promised to accept of him in a way of coming to Christ, Act 10.43. To him gives all the prophets witness that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall have re­mission of Sins. And when men see these things, they see abundant encouragements to come to Christ, these encouragements remove all difficulties, there is no one objection but is easily answered, the way is clear and plain, they see there can be no danger in relying on Christ.

2 They see the foundation of love. When their eyes are opened to see the gloriousness of God, they must needs see the reason why they should love him: for all the attributes of God are lovely; his Grace is lovely; his Mercy is ve­ry endearing, that he has a heart to pardon Sin; and to provide a way of Salvation for Sinners; his Glory is renowned upon that ac­count. Mic. 7. [...]8 Who is God like unto thee, pardoning iniquity, &c. God is mightily praised in the Church upon that account, that his mercy endured for ever. His Justice also is a lovely excellent property, his name is celebra­ted upon that account; the church praises him upon that consideration: Rev. 19.2. That true and righteous are his judgments. So his Holiness is lovely; the Seraphims cry be­fore him, holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God of Hosts. His Wisdom is lovely; that is his glo­ry that he searches the heart and tries the reins [Page 56] of the Childen of men. Jer. 17.10. His power is lovely. Psal. 21.13. Be thou exalted Lord by thy own Strength, so will we sing and praise thy Power. His Faithfulness is lovely; that is his commendation, that his faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds. Psal. 36.5. that he remem­bers his covenant from generation to genera­tion. He is praise worthy because of all his attributes he therein excels all men and An­gels; he deserves to be loved with all the heart, and with all the soul, and with all the strength. All his Attributes are Perfections, and we have reason to delight in him. He is so excellent on the account of them that we have reason to make it the business of our lives to glorify him; we have reason to take a complacency in him, and chuse him for our portion. When men see those attributes, they see upon what ac­count he may justly challenge their love.

3 They see the foundation of Humility. When this spiritual light shines into Men, and they see the gloriousness of God, they understand that all nations to him are as the drop of the buc­ket, and as the dust of the ballance, they are before him as nothing, and they are less than nothing and vanity, as it is said, Isai. 49.15, 17. There is abundant reason to be thankful to him for the least mercy, and to say as David that he hum­bleth himself to behold the things that are upon the earth, as Psal. 113.6. And that it becomes them to be subject to his disposals in all things; to sacrifice all their interests to his glory, and to be obedient to his voice in every thing; to [Page 57] be abased because of their Sins, and lie in the dust before him, as Job did, Job. 42.5, 6: I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear, but now mine eye seeth thee; wherefore I abhor myself and repent in dust and ashes. When their eyes are opened to see God's glory, they see reason to lie low before him. Psal. 8 3.4. When I consider the heavens the work of thy fingers, the moon and stars that thou hast ordained; what is man that thou art mindful of him, and the son of man that thou visitest him. When men see the gloriousness of God, they see it an unreasonable thing to set up their wisdom against the wis­dom of God, and their will against the will of God, and their interest against the glory of God. They see an infinite differ­ence between God and them, and that there is all reason that they should be humble.

II. When they see the foundation of holy car­riages, they do immediately carry holily. They forthwith come to Christ with a spirit of love and humility. When he sees the foundation of gracious carriages, he will carry gracious­ly. Now he acts reasonably in trusting in Christ and loving God. While he was in the dark he was unperswadable; they might as soon prevail with a stone as with him: But when he sees that that is the proper motive, that will work upon his heart. When men see reason to be afraid, they will be afraid, and when they see reason to hope, they will hope. So, when they see reason to believe, they will believe, thorough conviction always prevails [Page 58] on the heart; God carries on his work by Light. When suitable light is let into the heart, sinners are scared; and when they see their own badness, they are broken off from their own righteousness; and when they are turned from darkness to light, they are turned from the power of Satan to God. Act. 16.18. When God teaches men, then they come to Christ; Joh. 6.45. Every man that hath heard and learned of the Father cometh unto me. For,

1 When they see the foundation of holy carriages they are able to carry holily. Men cannot come to Christ unless the Father draw them, Joh. 6.44. But the way whereby he draws them is by teaching them, v. 45. And when this light is let into them, they are able. Many sinners are concerned to get the pardon of sin; and they resolve to come to Christ, and they strive to come to Christ, but they cannot; it seems to them a dangerous thing to venture themselves on Christ, and they cannot overcome their fears: They set many encouraging considerations before them­selves, but they cannot vanquish their fears; they dare not for their heart venture upon Christ: They are as unable to come as a man that is bound with chains is to come out of prison. It is a terror to them to continue as they be, yet they dare not cast themselves up­on Christ: But when their eyes are opened to see the free grace of God and the precious­ness of Christ, their fears are removed; their fetters are taken off, and now they can come▪ [Page 59] Yea, they dare not stay away from Christ, they would not for a world stay away from Christ: Satan with all his artifices cannot perswade them to neglect Christ. They have been in great distress, and now they see the re­lief that is provided for them; they are under a necessity in their own spirits to accept the call. In like manner when they see the glo­riousness of God, they are able to love him. They were before urged in conscience to do it, and had abundance of arguments set before them to induce them to love him; but nothing would prevail upon them, because they were strangers to the loveliness of God: But as soon as ever their eyes were opened to see the glo­rious grace of God in the gospel, now they can love him. They made a profession before, but now they are sincere; Psal. 36.10. Stretch forth thy loving kindness to them that know thee, and thy righteousness to the upright in heart. The heart is drawn to God, they cannot deny their love to him. Whatever was dear to them be­fore, now God is dearest to them. And in like manner, now they can indeed abase them­selves, when they see the divine excellency of God: They look on themselves infinitely in­ferior to him, and lay themselves low before him.

2 When they see the foundation of holy carriages, they love to carry holily. There is naturally an enmity in the heart to holy car­riages; Rom. 8 7. The natural mind is enmity to God, is not subject to the law of God, neither [Page 60] indeed can be. But this light makes them love holy carriages. When men see the precious­ness of Christ, it mightily suits them to come to him; they take a complacency in com­ing to Christ. Some men force themselves after a fashion to venture on Christ; but when they see the divine authority of the gospel, they love to come to him, as the hungry, man loves to eat, and the thirsty drink. Act 16, 34. He rejoiced, believing in God. He sees that that makes it pleasant to him; he sees that God is worthy of that honour. He is a God of such grace and faithfulness, that he is worthy to be trusted in; and he sees that the honour of a glorious Mediator is due to Christ; and he sees that it is a safe thing to come to Christ. There is no rest any where else for the sole of his foot, but Christ is a sure foun­dation, a precious corner stone: His heart takes contentment in relying upon him: All the world shall not perswade him to forsake him, and make choice of any other refuge. Isai. 45.24. Surely shall one say, in the Lord have I righ­teousness and strength. So, the man loves to make the glory of God his end; and he loves to abase himself before God, and look upon himself as vanity, and nothing in comparison of God. The sight of the excellency of God and Christ draws his heart; and he loves these holy carriages. There was an antipathy a­gainst them in his heart before; but now God and Christ are lovely in his eyes, and he has a mind to come to Christ, and to honor God, [Page 61] and he will not be restrained; for such carri­ages are pleasant to him. The glory of God and Christ draws the heart sweetly and pow­erfully, and he rejoiceth therein.

3 This spiritual light makes the heart stand bent that way. This doth not only draw forth gracious actings, but leaves an Impression and bias upon the heart that way. Beauty draws forth an act of Love, and leaves a disposition to love. This sight changes the mind and makes men judge otherwise of God and Christ than they used to do, and it changes the heart and inclines it to carry suitably. The con­viction is an abiding conviction, and so the disposition is abiding. This discovery is like the needles touching the loadstone, it inclines it towards the north When this light is let in­to the man he is principled to trust in Christ, to love God, and live in a way of obedience, it prepares his heart to live in such a way. When once he is throughly convinced of the gloriousness of God and Christ, he is set in that way and it will abide with him as long as he liveth; there is an impression left on the heart that will never wear out. 2 Cor. 3.18. We all with open face beholding as in a glass the Glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image. For,

1 When they do perform those holy carria­ges, they are inclined to perform them It were impossible to do them without an inclination to do them. If the heart were not inclined to trust in Christ, they would not trust in him. [Page 62] Holy actions are never forced. Men may be under a necessity to love God and trust in Christ, but that necessity does not arise from compulsion but from inclination. Psal. 110.3. Thy People shall be willing in the day of thy pow­er. Before the man had aversion to those gracious actions, he was under the diminion of a contrary inclination, but when he doth them, he is inclined to do them; and that ac­tual inclination leaves an habitual inclination on the heart that way. We indeed commonly say that one act does not make a habit; but we mean that one act doth not make a more perfect habit; as habit is distinguished from disposition, which is called habitus imperfectus. But one act commonly doth leave something of an inclination that way: one act of love to another person or thing disposes the heart to renew that act of love. One act is prepara­tion for another of the same kind; One act of faith puts the Soul into a believing frame: and one act of humility into an humble frame; he is more inclined to believe again than he was, and the clearer discovery he had of God and Christ, the more strongly he doth believe, and the greater inclination doth remain in him to believe.

2 Such men as have this spiritual discove­ry never do utterly forget it. It is possible for a man to forget the first time when he had the discovery of God and Christ made to him, yet I judge that is not ordinary; but if he doth forget the time, yet he never utterly for­gets [Page 63] the thing, he remembers that he hath seen God and Christ to be glorious: There be ma­ny times when he hath not the actual remem­brance of it, and many times also when he has corrupt apprehensions concerning God and Christ, and may be under the prevailings of carnal reason and unbelief, yet he never ut­turly forgets what he has been convinced of, but doth recover the convictions that the gos­pel is true, and Jesus Christ is an all-sufficient Saviour, and so the inclination to holiness doth abide in his heart. 1 Joh. 2.27. The anoint­ing which ye have received of him abideth in you. And though he hath not such discoveries as he hath had, yet he knows he hath seen it and accordingly he hath an inclination still to car­ry holily, when the glory of God and Christ are out of sight. The man is sure from what he has seen that it is so, and that maintains an inclination in him to carry himself holily.

CHAP. XIV. There is a great difference between Con­verting Light, and common Illumina­tion.

MEN are wont to distinguish between ra­tional conviction and spiritual. Which distinction had need to be carefully understood; for man's rational faculty is the subject both of common and spiritual conviction. We have no other faculty capable to receive con­viction but our Reason. When the spirit of [Page 64] God gives common conviction, he works up­on reason; and when he gives spiritual con­viction, he likewise works upon reason. Be­sides, spiritual conviction is rational convicti­on: Godly men act understandingly and ra­tionally, when they judge God to be worthy to be trusted, loved and obeyed; when they judge Christ to be the eternal Son of God, and an all-sufficient Saviour. Yet the dis­tinction may be allowed if it be thus explained; that rational conviction is that which men by their natural reason do attain; which they may gain by the force of their natural reason, improving the works and word of God; which differs very much from that conviction which men have by the saving work of God's Spirit. Common Illumination is of two sorts; one is from the more common improvements of natural reason, the other from more affecting discove­ries wrought by a common work of the Spi­rit of God. There is a conviction that ri­seth from the common improvement of natural reason. Thus men see clearly the Protestant religion is better than the Popish: That it must needs be a work of wonderful wisdom and power to make the world, that the sacri­fice of the Son of God must needs be of great value, that it was great love for God to give his Son to die: And hundreds of things of the like nature.

Besides these rational convictions there are affecting discoveries of divine truths by the com­mon work of the spirit which make for a time [Page 65] considerable impression on the heart. Luk. 14.15 When one of them that sat at meat with him heard these things, he said unto him, Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God; Mat. 13.20. He that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word and anon with joy receiveth it. 2 Pet. 2.20 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are intangled therein and overcome: Heb. 1.4, 5.6 For it is impossible for them that were one inlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and hath tasted the good word of God and the pow­ers of the world to come, if they fall away, to re­new them again to repentance.

The two sorts of illumination, are resem­blances of a twofold spiritual Illumination that saints have. One is by sanctified reason, whereby men are convinced of divine truths. Men understand the divine authority of the Scripture, and thereby they are assured of the truth of Promises and Threatnings: They are assured that God made the world, and from thence they are convinced of his eternal Power and Godhead: They know that Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God, and thereby they know the saving vertue of his Blood.

The other is by special discoveries of divine truths. They are led into Christ's chambers, as the phrase is, Cant. 1.4. God breaks into the heart by divine light, and gives great dis­coveries of his faithfulness, of his holiness, his [Page 66] grace, the delight he takes in the sacrifice of Christ, and many other things. 2 Cor. 4.6. God hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God, in the face of Jesus Christ, Both these ways of conviction seem to be intimated, Eph. 1.17. That God may give unto you, the spirit of wisdom and reve­lation in the knowledge of him.

The difference between those convictions that rise from the improvement of natural rea­son, and that do arise from spiritual reason, lies in these two things.

1. Natural reason doth not discover the Cer­tainty of divine things. Sanctified reason doth see them to be sure, Joh. 6.69. We believe and are sure, that thou art Christ the Son of the living God. Joh. 17.8. They have known that I came from thee, and they have believed that thou hast sent me. Heb. 11.1. Faith is the evidence of things not seen. 1 Thes. 2 13. They received the word not as the word of man, but as it is in­deed the word of God. But natural reason doth not discover the Certainty of divine truths: That can perceive the connection between one divine truth and another, and perceive how one thing follows certainly from another; but it doth not perceive the certainty of any. Carnal mens reasoning is from supposition; they reason very rationally, but they do not see that which is the foundation of their rea­soning to be certain. Carnal men and Godly men do both of them argue from the divine Nature of Christ. Both carnal men and God­ly [Page 67] do strongly argue, that if Christ be the Son of God, there is a divine vertue in his suff­erings; and that it is safe relying on him. But here lies the difference; the godly man knows that Christ is the Son of God, Mat. 16.6. but the carnal man supposes that Christ is the Son of God. He says the Church believe it, the Old and New Testament give an account of it, and there be many things said that make much for the confirmation of it. He discovered the secret thot's of men, did many miraculous works, rose from the dead.

Upon such account he supposes him to be the Son of God, and judges it a heinous crime for any to deny it; out he doth not know these things, for he is ignorant of the divine authority of the word, and dare not venture on Christ, for fear it should not be so. So it was with the Jews, they did not believe Mo­ses. Joh. 5.46. Thus they both of them ar­gue from the Types and Sacraments. The god­ly man argues, that there were several types instituted by God, to shew the saving vertue of the blood of Christ; and the sacraments in the New-Testament are instituted to be a memorial of Christ, 1 Cor. 11.24. The god­ly man argues from hence, that Christ has satisfied the justice of God; that Christ was the lamb slain from the foundation of the world, 1 Cor. 5.7. These sacrifices were on­ly types of Christ, Col. 2.17. And he is abun­dantly satisfied by these institutions, that Christ is a glorious Saviour. Another man ar­gues in like manner, that God would never [Page 68] have appointed such Signs to signify Christ, if he would not have us trust in him. He has not appointed these signs to deceive us; God would never teach his people a false way of Salvation: But his wound is, that he does not know certainly the divine authority of those institutions; he doth not know but they were the inventions of men. So, they both of them argue strongly from the command to believe, from the promises of Salvation in a way of believing, from Christ's ascension and sitting at the right hand of God; but the carnal man is uncertain of those things that are foundations of his reasoning; he does not know but there is some mistake: He thinks that there is a great probability of the truth of those things, but he has no assurance: His principles are ground­ed on an uncertain proposition; and so he knows nothing as he ought to know.

2 Carnal reason doth not receive a right idea of divine things. Godly men though they have the exercise of spiritual reason, cannot find out the Almighty unto perfection: But yet they do know God and Jesus Christ, Joh. 17.3. They have a true idea of God; they know him to be one of infinite perfection; they know him to be a God of infinite power, grace and faithfulness; they are convinced that he is worthy of that love, faith and sub­mission that he calls for; Psal. 18.3. I will call upon God who is worthy to be praised. They know that divine honour is due to him; Psal. 29.2. Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his [Page 69] name. But carnal men have not a right idea of God: They acknowledge that he is infinite in his perfections, and can give some descrip­tion of his infinite perfections; but they have not a right Idea of his glorious nature, are not sensible what reverence and glory is due to him; and therefore they are said to be igno­rant of him: Joh. 4.8. He that loveth not, knoweth not God.

The difference between those affecting illu­minations that carnal men have, and those dis­coveries that are given to godly men, lies in these two particulars.

1. The illuminations that carnal men have, are affecting, but not convincing. They are many times much affected with Joy; so they said, What a blessedness is it! when Paul preach­ed the gospel unto them, Gal. 4.15. It works desires in them, Luk. 14, 15. And their hearts upon that occasion may be mightily weaned from the world, and taken up about heavenly things: They may be mightily transported with zeal. The people of the Jews were so affected with Christ, that they were of the mind to make him a King. But these illuminations does not convince them; the men remain ignorant of God, and Christ, and the truth of the gospel. These flashes of light do not discover the certainty of divine truths. The people that cry Hosanna to day, cry crucify him another time; and that was a sign that they did not know him; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory, 1 Cor. 2.8. Many are greatly affected in the hearing of sermons, that do not firmly [Page 70] believe what they hear: Act. 25.48. When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorifi­ed the word of the Lord; and as many as was or­dained to eternal life believed. They were ge­nerally much affected, but it was only a select number that be loved. Stony ground hearers are much affected, but not convinced. Men are often affected with such things as they look upon as probable; but special discoveries that God makes to Saints, are very affecting and convincing. Godly men must needs be affected with those discoveries, for they are wondrous in their eyes: Psal. 119.18. Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold the wondrous things in thy law. Sometimes the love of God is said to be shed abroad in their hearts; that implies great affection, Rom. 5.5. Divine truths are of a very affecting nature; They will stir up joy, and sorrow, and desires, and zeal; but these discoveries do not affect them only, but con­vince them: They see the glory of God; Psal. [...]3.2. To see thy power and glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary. They know the love of Christ that passeth knowledge, Eph. 3.19. When they behold the glory of God, they are convinced of the glory of God, 2 Cor. 2.18. When God shines into their hearts, he gives the light of the knowledge of the glory of God, 2 Cor. 4.6. When men see the sun, they know it is the sun; and when they see the grace and faithfulness of God, they know he is such an one; they do not only see the glo­riousness of mercy, and holiness, and faithful­ness; [Page 71] but that God is gracious, and holy, and faithful.

2 The illuminations of carnal men does not draw forth any gracious Exercises. The com­mon discoveries that are given to carnal men, have a considerable effect upon them; besides the stirring up of affections spoken of before, they have an effect upon the conversation; they many times make men to reform their lives, and cast of sinful practices: 2 Pet. 2.20. They escape the pollutions of the World through the knowledge of Christ. Sometimes they encou­rage men in seeking the pardon of their sins. They may have such a discovery of the hap­piness of heaven, of the graciousness of God, and of the mercy of God in providing a way of Salvation, as may greatly encourage them to continue seeking his favour. They may likewise have that effect to make men pre­sumptuous. Men may from thence conclude their own estate good: They may take encou­ragements for assurances of the favour of God: May take occasion also from them to get a false faith. If they have some discoveries of a readiness in God to pardon sinners, they may take encouragement to think, that men so qualified as they, that are reformed and sorry for their sins, may be bold to venture on Christ: But those spiritual discoveries that God makes, do always draw forth the exercise of grace: Cant. 1.4 The King hath brought me to his chambers, we will be glad and delight in thee; the upright love thee. When God breaks [Page 72] into the heart by light, the heart is drawn forth in love, and faith, and repentance. Commu­nion is reciprocal. When God draws nigh to his People, that mightily stirs up a spirit of holiness; it doth not only strengthen assu­rance, but it stirs up all grace: Job. 42.5, 6. Now mine eye seeth thee, wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes. Eph. 3.19. And to know the love of Christ that posseth knowledge; that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. This gives great increase to grace. 2 Pet. 1.2. Grace and peace be multiplied unto you, through the knowledge of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.

CHAP. XV. Conversion may be known.

MEN may have knowledge of their own Conversion. The knowledge that o­ther men have of it is uncertain; because no man can look into the heart of another, and see the workings of grace there: Yet men may know that they are godly. Some ungod­ly think that they have grace; but that which is not, cannot be known: Things that are not, are called, things that do not appear, Heb. 11.3. That which is wanting cannot be number­ed. Eccl. 1.15. All converted men do not know that they are converted. Though grace be visible, yet many times it is not seen. Visi­ble things are not always seen; sometimes because it is night, sometimes because they are covered. It is the Calamity, and many times [Page 73] the Iniquity of godly men, that they are igno­rant of their conversion. They do know that they have corruptions in them, and they may know that they have grace in them. This is very evident, because many godly men have known their good estate. If this knowledge had never been attained, it might more reasonably be questioned, whether it were at­tainable. Job was abundantly satisfied; Job 10.7. Thou knowest that I am not wicked: And he was not mistaken, Job. 1.1. So David knew it; Psal. 17.15. As for me, I shall behold his face in righteousness. So Paul; 2 Tim. 4 7. I have fought the good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. v. 8. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness. And we do not know of one godly man in the Scripture that was under darkness about his sincerity. There be some Scriptures brought to prove the contrary, especially some passages of Psal, 88 But that Psalm represents to us not the particular case of Haman, but of the Church of Israel

Further, it appears that conversion may be known, because we are directed to examine our selves in order to it; 2 Cor. 13 5, examine your­selves whether you be in the faith, prove your own selves; know you not that Jesus Christ is in you except ye be reprobates. 2 Pet. 1.10. Give diligence to make your calling and election sure, And to what purpose should we be advised to do a thing that is not doable? God does not advise us to impossibilities. All the command of God are possible to be fulfilled; if not perfect­ly, [Page 74] yet they may be fulfilled: Phil. 4.13. I can do all things through Christ, who strength­neth me.

I shall only add that consideration▪ that God makes many comfortable Promises to them that have grace; Rom. 2.7. 1 Jam. 12. Isai. 3.10. But if men could not know that they have grace, that would frustrate the design of these promises; that would take away the foun­dation of their comfort; they would be unca­pable of making application of the promises to themselves. How much happiness soever is made over to them in those promises; yet if they could not know their own grace, they must be strangers to their own happiness, and not rejoice in the good that is made over to them.

Quest. How may a godly man know that he has grace?

Answ. 1 He cannot know it in a way of Ar­guing. We come to the knowledge of many things in a way of reasoning; arguing from things known, to things that are not known. Thus a man may know his justification: He may argue thus, He that hath faith in Christ is justified; or he that has love to God is justified; or he that loves the brethren is passed from death to life: Because there is a certain connection between these graces and a state of justification. Thus a man may know by reasoning, that he had this and that parti­cular grace: He may argue so, If I have the grace of faith, I have the grace of love, or hu­mility; because there is a concatenation of [Page 75] graces, and they are inseperable one from another: But they do not know that they are gracious in this manner; the knowledge of their graces does not come in at that door.

1 He cannot prove it from any such acts as may proceed from other principles: A moral and religious conversation may proceed from other principles: Such a conversation is an ar­gument to other men to be charitable, but it is no demonstration. The young man in the gospel walked exactly; Mat. 19.20 All these things have I done from my youth. Paul was consciencious; Phil. 3.6. Touching the righ­teousness that is in the Law I was blameless: Such a walk may proceed from fear of hell and hope of heaven. Zeal for God does not prove it; There may be zeal where there is no love: The Jews were great enemies to Christ, yet very zealous; Rom 10.2. I bear them record, that they have a zeal for God. Paul had great zeal before he had any grace. Natural consci­ence may produce zeal. Great affections does not prove it: The Jews cryed, Hosanna to the Son of David. Striving against a self-righte­ous spirit does not prove it: Men may strive against it, yet not mortify it. Associating with godly men does not prove it: Achitophe. was David's companion, Psal. 55.14. Sorrows for the afflictions of the Church, and desires for the conversion of Souls does not prove it: These things may be found in carnal men, and so can be no evidences of grace. Those things that are common to saints and hypocrites, does [Page 76] not prove that a man is a saint and no hypo­crite. Men must do more than carnal men to prove that they have grace: Mat. 5.10 Ex­cept your righteousness do exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven. That which is common to hypocrites is no sign of saintship. It is a vain thing to make that a plea, that Publicans may plead as well as they, Mat. 5.46, 47. That which may rise from a corrupt principle, will not prove a gracious principle; that which a beast may do, will not prove a thing to be a man.

2 He cannot prove it from any such acts of Providence as are common to carnal men. Some men have smiling providences, and great deliverances. God is very bountiful; and many argue from thence that they are godly; but they do not argue strongly: God may smile on men here, and frown on them in the day of Judgment. Jude 5. The Lord having [...] the people out of the Land of Egypt, afterwards de­stroyed them who believed not. Prosperity is no sign of the true Church nor of men's being members of the mystical Church. So, if God do the thing for men that they pray for, that, is no argument: Many prayers are granted that are not accepted. God hears the cry of the Ravens: God heard the voice of Ishmael. Sometimes God denies men's prayers because they ask amiss, but not always. Men may be instruments of a great deal of good in the Church, and in the common wealth; yet be [Page 77] destitute of grace. Saul did a great deal of service in Israel, 2 Sam. 1.24. Ministers may be in­struments of the conversion of sinners and the comfort of saints, yet not be godly. There were several godly in Israel under the ministry of the Scribes and Pharisees; and the Ravens brought meat to Elijah.

2 They do not know it by believing that they are godly. We know many things by faith: Heb. 11.1. By faith we understand that the worlds were made by the power of God Faith is the evidence of things not seen, Heb. 11.

1 Thus men know the Trinity of Persons in the Godhead; that Jesus Christ is the Son of God; that he that believes in him will have eternal life; the resurrection of the dead. And if God should tell a saint that he hath Grace, he might know it by believing the word of God. But it is not in this way that godly men do know that they have grace: It is not revealed in the word; and the spirit of God doth not testify it to particular persons.

Some think the Spirit doth testify it to some; and they ground it on Rom. 8.16. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our Spirit, that we are the children of God. They think the spirit re­veals it by giving an inward testimony to it. And some godly men think they have had ex­perience of it; but they may easily mistake. When the spirit of God doth eminently stir up a spirit of faith and sheds abroad the love of God in the heart, it is easy to mistake it for a testimony. And that is not the meaning of [Page 78] Paul's words. The Spirit reveals things to us, by opening our eyes to see what is reveal­ed in the word: But the spirit doth not reveal new truths not revealed in the word. The Spirit discovers the grace of God in Christ, and thereby draws forth special actings of faith and love, which are evidential; but it doth not not work in way of testimony. If God do but help us to receive the revelations in the word, we shall have comfort enough without new revelations.

Paul's meaning is, that the miraculous works of the Spirit are a witness to the Christian re­ligion. The thing that is witnessed is, that sincere Christians are the children of God; that the Christian religion is the true religion; and that all that embrace it indeed are the heirs of eternal life: And the Person that witnesseth is the Holy Ghost; he testifies to it by Miracles and extraordinary Gifts. The mighty works of the Spirit of God in the primitive times, were evidences of the truth of the Christian religion; they were wrought for that very end. Heb. 2 4. God also bearing them witness with signs and wonders, and divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost. 1. Thes. 1 5, Our gospel came unto you, not in word only, but also in power, and in much assurance, and in the Holy Ghost.

3 It is by Intuition or seeing of grace in their own hearts. It is by consciousness; as Peter knew his love to Christ, when he says, Lord, thou knowest all things, thou knowest that I love thee, Joh. 11.17. And as David knew his love [Page 79] to God; Psal. 116.1. I love the Lord, And as Job knew his repentance; Job. 42.6. I ab­hor my self in dust and ashes, And as Paul knew that he knew Christ; 1. Tim. 1.12. I know whom I have believed. There is a reflecting power in man: As he can look out and see external objects, so he can look in, and see his own actions. In this manner saints know the corrupt workings of their own hearts: They know their pride, and worldliness, and fro­wardness, and unbelief; so they know their grace. In this manner they know their natural actions; they know that they think, and what they think about; they know the acts of their wills, what they cause and what they refuse; and the acts of their Affections; they know that they love their children; that they desire meat and drink; that they are a­fraid of pain and death; that they rejoice in their good things: So, they may have the knowledge by intuition, that they know God and Christ; that they receive the gospel; that they love God and the saints; that they are sorry for their sins. A godly man under­standing what it is to love God and to repent, though he cannot give an exact definition of them, yet may be able by his observation to know that he doth so; and may be as able to say, that he loves God, and believes in Christ, as to say, he has pride and worldliness in his own heart. There may indeed be some­thing or more difficulty in it, because many actings of grace are low and weak; on that [Page 80] account; it may be hard to see it; as it is hard to see the motion of water in a river, when it moves very slowly; and up­on that account, because grace is much coun­terfeited; and there be many actings that do look like the actings of grace that are not so: But sometimes grace works so powerfully, that it is very visible; and men are able to dis­tinguish between grace and the resemblance of it, and be satisfied understandingly: 1 Chron. 29.17. As for me, in the uprightness of my heart. I willingly offered all these things.

Notwithstanding this, it may be of great use for Ministers frequently to be giving signs of Grace. These signs are of great use for the discovery of hypocrisy. The want of particu­lar graces is a means to discover some. Some may be undeceived by considering, that they have not had an antecedent work of Humilia­tion. The account of the way wherein God works grace, sc. by the discoveries of Gospel Grace, may convince others. The want of Obedience may convince others. So, the al­lowing of pride or worldliness, and the want of doing duties out of regard to God's glory.

But Signs also are of great use for the incou­ragement and strengthning of the saints. Some­times the discoursing of such things doth draw forth the exercise of Grace; and men find in themselves that which they are hearing of. So it was with Peter: The very question whe­ther he loved Christ, kindled a spirit of love to him, that he was assured that he loved him, [Page 81] Joh. 21.17. Sometimes the explication of the sign, helps men to see it more clearly. They were at a loss; but when it is clearly laid open, it helps them to see it. Besides, it brings to remembrance what they formerly felt; and so it brings joy, and renews their comfort. Moreover, it helps them against many temptations: They are under fears be­cause of the Providence of God, and because of corrupt workings of heart; but when they hear that complacency in God, and the sight of the glory of Christ, &c. are signs of a good estate, that satisfies them, and is a relief to them under their temptations.

CHAP. XVI. The Grace given in Conversion is im­perfect.

THE grace given in conversion, like other qualities, doth admit of innumerable de­grees; and is very imperfect in the best of the People of God. Godly men are far from pre­tending to perfection: Job 9.20. If I say I am perfect, it shall also prove me perverse. Hence we find lamentations of some of the choicest men that have been in the world: Prov. 30. Surely I am more brutish than any man, and have not the understanding of a man. Rom. 7.23.24. I see another law in my members, bringing me in­to captivity. O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death? The sorrowful falls of David, Solomon, Hezekiah, Jonah, Peter, are sufficient demonstrations of [Page 82] this; and that warfare that every godly man doth experience: Gal 5 17. The flesh lusteth against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary the one to the other: So that ye cannot do the things that ye would Especial­ly, grace at first conversion is very small; if after twenty or thirty years growth, it is very defective, it must needs be very small at first.

There be many reasons why God suffers much sin to remain in his people, while they remain in this world.

1 That the work of sanctification may be so carried on, that they may be in continual need of Justification and Pardon The pardoning of the sins that men committed in their uncon­verted state, is a great manifestation of the riches of his grace, and the virtue of the blood of Jesus Christ; but God doth day by day pardon the repeated iniquities of his people; forgives men thousands of times, tho' they have abused mercy, broken vows, fallen from resolutions: This doth wonderfully command the grace of God, and the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. If there were not experience of it, it would be difficult to conceive, that God would be willing so to do. These are migh­ty instances of the unsearchable depth of mer­cy that is in the heart of God; and lead me to say, as Mic. 2 18. Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage, and retaineth not his anger for ever, because he de­lighteth in mercy.

[Page 83]2 Because they live among carnal men, scat­tered up and down among unconverted men; and if this their grace were perfect, they would not be sit to live together; it would be known who were godly and who ungodly, which would fill Families, Towns, and Countries with Temptation: Godly Men would be put to it to bear the carriages of the ungodly, and un­godly men would not know how to bear the carriages of the Godly; it would fill all socie­ties with disquietment and trouble.

3. Because this is suitable to those Administra­tions that God has appointed in his House. It is meet that all should worship God; and the worship that God has appointed is suited both for the conversion of sinners, and the building up of saints; to promote their humiliation and recovery from backslidings and relief under temptations. If godly men were perfect, they and ungodly men would not be sit to join to­gether in confession or petition. The Ordinan­ces that God has appointed are not fit to be at­tended by men that have attained to a perfecti­on in grace

Some saints do attain to greater perfection in grace than others; this is not always in proportion to the time since their conversion, but according to the improvement of their [...]me: It is said of the Thessalonians that their saith grew exceedingly, and their Charity abound­ed. 2 Thes. 1.3. Some have more grace at first Conversion than others, and some may grow more in a Year than others in Seven, and [Page 84] though it would be a presumptuous thing to determine the degree of Grace any have at­tained to in this life, yet it seems probable that Saints do not ordinarily, if ever attain to such measures of grace, but that they have more corruption than grace.

It seems to be but a little grace compared with corruption, that God's choice servants do attain unto. It is said of the angel of Phila­delphia, Thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word and hast not denyed my name. Rev. 3.8. And the experience of the people of God seems to confirm this: Sin doth easily beset them; Heb. 12.1. Corruption is like a fountain that is continually sending forth its waters. Temp­tations do quickly infest. Pride and worldli­ness and discontent and unbelief are very ready to work and there is a great backwardness to spiritual duties, to faith and love, and to sub­mit to the sovereignty of God. Men's enjoy­ments are so dear to them, that they have great difficulty to resign them up to the pleasure of God. There is much formality that doth at­tend duties of religion; and there is much spiritual blindness, ignorance of God and Je­sus Christ.

Neither doth it make against this assertion, that some of the people of God have a very ex­emplary Coversation; for there are many other principles that join in with grace to effect this; natural conscience, regard to reputation, a good temper, principles of morality, hope of reward and fear of punishment. If an exem­plary [Page 85] conversation were an argument that men had more grace than corruption, how comes it about that some men that have not one spark of Grace to carry exemplarily? A good conversation is sometimes only the effect of nature improved.