Of Grace-begetting and Soul-converting means for all heedfully to attend upon, that hope to enter into Heaven.

THere are springs of Grace, or pipes of conveyance, which if cut off, or ne­glected, we may live in sinne, and die in sinne, and at last go to hell; but if we heed­fully and frequently make use of them, we may live in the fear of the Lord, and die in his favour, and enter into heaven; these means are for the increasing holiness, as well as for the attaining it, and therefore we are not to satisfie our selves with making use of them now and then, but frequently and willingly; for the same meanes that doth work the work of Illumination, doth also work the work of Conversion, Voca­tion, [Page 51] Regeneration, Faith and Repen­tance, &c. And not only work and beget these in us, but increase it, and cause it to flourish, and grow up from one degree of grace to another, untill we come to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Sonne of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the ful­nesse of Christ; the means follow.

• 1. Keep close to Grace-begetting and Soul-converting Ordinances.
• 2. Dwell much upon the meditation of Grace-begetting Promises.
• 3. Frequent the company of Grace-be­getting and Soul-converting companions.
• 4. Be frequent in the cherishing of Grace-begetting Considerations.
• 5. Gather and treasure up Grace-beget­ting, and Soul-converting Experiences.

1. Keep close to Grace-begetting and Soul-converting Ordinances, and they are these three,

• 1. The hearing of the word preached.
• 2. Reading of the Scriptures.
• 3. Frequent and earnest Prayer; First, of the First,

1. Hearing of the Word preached, Acts 2. 37, 41. it was by hearing Peter preach, that the Jews were pricked at the heart, and converted, and three thousand added to the [Page 52] Church at once, So Acts 26. 17, 18. God sent Paul to preach, for the opening of mens eyes, and turning them from darkness to light, by teaching sinners the way of God; David assured himself they shall be converted to him, Psal. 51. 13. the word of god is the seed of life, which is sown and takes root in th [...] hearts of them that God will save, 1 Pet. 1. 23, 25. It is the word of God which is the incor­ruptible seed, by which we are born again; it was those that had ears and heard▪ not, that were not converted and born again. Mark. 4. 12. &c. as we should hear the word prea­ched in order to conversion, so for the be­getting of faith in our hearts, Luke. 10. 17. Faith cometh by hearing, Ephes. 1. 13. in whom also ye trusted after ye heard the word of truth the Gospel of our salvation, Isai. 55. 3. hear and your soules shall live. Now in the use of this blessed meanes, observe these four rules, and thou shalt never miscarry, but get something by every Sermon thou hearest.

1. Try the doctrines preached, by the Scri­tures, Act. 17. 11. they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the Scriptures daily whether those things were so.

2. Receive what thou findest agreeable to the word, as from the Lord, 1 Thess. 2. 13. for this cause also thank we God, without ceasing, because when ye received the word of [Page 53] God, which ye heard of us, ye received it, not as the word of man, but as it is in truth the word of God.

3. Keep in memory as much of it as may be, James 1. 25. Being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer, Heb. 2. 1, 2. Therefore we ought to give the more earnest beed to the things which we have heard, le [...]t at any time we should let them slip: vers. 3. How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation?

4. Indeavour to practise it thy self, and communicate it to others, Mat. 7. 26. Every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doth them not, is like unto a foolish man that built his house upon the sand. James 1. 25. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed; therefore be ye doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own souls.

2. The next Faith-begetting, and Soul­converting Ordinance, is, reading the Scri­ptures, many a soul hath had happy ex­perience of the benefit of reading the Word, Psal. 19. 7. for the Law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul, Acts 8. 28. The Eunuch was reading in Isaiah; and in the 37 ^th verse, we read he was converted and baptised. 1 Tim. 4. 13. Till I come give atten­dance [Page 54] to reading, Rev. 1. 3. Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this Prophesie, Acts 17. 11, 12. They searched the Seriptures daily, whether those things were so, and many of them believed.

3. The next Grace-begetting and Soul­converting Ordinance, is frequent and [...]arnest prayer▪ prayer is a fruit of faith, and yet prayer is a means for the begetting of faith; as the Spirit is the fruit of prayer, so prayer is the fruit of the Spirit, Luke 11. 13. Compared with Rom. 8. 15. In the former place, the Spirit is said to be the fruit of prayer; in the latter place▪ prayer is said to be the fruit of the Spirit, where­by we cry Abba Father, &c. Isa. 55. 6, 7. Seek the Lord whilst he may be found, call upon him while he is neer, let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, &c. James 1. 5. If any of you lack wisdome, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and [...]pbraideth not, and it shall be given him, Joh. 4. 10. Jesus said unto her, if thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is, that saith to thee, give me to drink, thou wouldst have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.

2. Dwell much upon Grace-breeding, and soul converting promises, there are promises of direction, and supportation, and promises of protection, and promises [Page 55] of justification, and sanctification, and promises of acceptation; there are promises to settle us when we are wavering, and to support us when we are falling, and to re­call us when we are wandering, and to comfort us when we are fainting; surely, as the lamp liveth upon the oyle, and a child upon the breast; so doth faith upon the promises. All these and such-like promises, are reduceable to these two heads, either absolute, or conditional promises; The conditional promises runnes thus, Believe, and thou shall be saved, John 3. 16. Repent, and thy sinnes shall be forgiven thee. The ab­solute promises are such, as are without condition, or such wherein the Lord hath promised to give the condition, I will be merciful to your unrighteousness, and your sinnes and iniquities I will remember no more, Heb. 8. 12. So Isa. 43. 25. I, even I am he, that blot­teth out thy sinnes for mine own sake, &c. These, and such absolute promises, are Grace-breeding, or Faith-begetting pro­mises. To these promises we must go for faith, to the conditional promises we must bring faith, without which we cannot apply them, but to the absolute promises; we are not to bring our penny to the pro­mises, but go to them, as to the means of working faith in us, such promises as these, [Page 56] Jer. 32. 40. I will put my fear into their hearts, that they shall not depart from me, Ezek. 36. 25. I will sprinkle water upon you, and you shall be clean from all your filthiness, vers. 26. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you. Vers. 27. And cause you to walk in my wayes, Heb. 8. 12, For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities, I will remember no more. Now let the Reader take one promise, and charge that upon the heart, and if the heart be stubborn, and will not yield, then take another, and if that will not do, take another, and lay that home upon the heart, and never leave this work, till you have gotten at least some small measure of faith. viz If thou dost doubt, and canst not believe the pardon of thy sinnes, then take this promise, and charge it upon the heart, Isa. 43. 25. I, even I am he, that blot­teth out thy transgressions, for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sinnes: If the heart remain stubborn, and will not yield, then take another promise and charge that upon the heart, Mich. 7. 18, 19. Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and pas­seth by the transgression of his people? he retein­eth not his anger for ever, because be delighteth in mercy, he will subdue our iniquities, and cast all our sinnes into the depth of the Seas. Now [Page 57] if the heart will not yield to believe this, then take that portion of Scripture, 1 Pet. 2. 24. and bring it to the 53. of Isaiah, that whole Chapter, and charge that upon the heart, and there thou shalt finde, that our sinnes were laid upon Christ, and the stripes due unto us for them, by which the Father is satisfied, the Law fulfilled, and by his stripes we are healed. Let us then believe and apply this, and we are saved; wherefore live much in the haven of the promises, feed upon the freeness, sweetness and fatness thereof, &c.

God hath so far condescended to our weakness, for our establishment, that he hath not only given us his promise, but promise upon promise, and assured us by the mouth of all his Prophets and Apostles, yea and Christ himself, that he is faithful, mindful, able and willing, and to this he gives us his covenant, his oath and his seale, and all to assure us he will never faile nor forsake us, but make good every tittle of his promise to us, How then can we look so many sweet promises in the face, and harbour so many misgivings in our hearts?

3. The next meanes followeth, frequent the Company of Grace-begetting and Soul­converting companions, where we shall hear how God hath wrought grace in them, and how the Lord doth usually work [Page 58] upon the hearts of unbeleivers, as a man that cometh into a shop of perfumes, will carry away some of the sent with him, so we with conversing with the godly shall be the better, Pro. 13. 20. he that walketh with wise men, shall be wiser, but a companion of fools shall be destroyed; vaine talk and vaine practi­ses, inticeth the minds of men to vanity, the noyse of their foolish laughter, and ungodly discourse, will drown the voice of conscience, remember grace is hardly got, and hardly kept, and more hardly increased in such company, Prov. 10. 20. 21. The tongue of the just, is as choice Silver, but the heart of the wicked is little worth, the lipps of the righteous feed many, but the foolish die for want of knowledge, Prov. 14. 7. Goe from the pre­sence of foolish men, when thou perceivest not in him the lips of knowledg▪ Oh why should we not strive to live among those companions on earth, that we must live with in heaven, if ever we come there? Nicodemus came to Jesus for counsel, and Christ thereupon did give him advise in the great work of the new birth, So Math▪ 19. 16. Another came and inquired what he should do to be saved? so the Eunuch desires instruction of Philip, Acts. 8. and Paul of Ananias, Acts. 9. 12. 13 17. and Cornelius inquired of Peter; so the Jews that were pricked at [Page 59] heart, askt Peter and the rest of the Apo­stles, what they should doe to be saved? Acts 2, 37. and the saylor asked Paul and Silas, what he should doe to be saved? To close up this point, consider this, that a man never goes in the company of wicked men, but he comes away, less a Christian then he was be­fore, Joseph by this began to swear, by th [...], life of Pharaoh, and Peter being in bad com­pany but a little, began to swear and lye in one breath; therefore let us resolve with David, Psal. 119. 63. to be a companion of all them that fear the Lord and keep his statutes, &c.

Let us then, if it be possible, frequent the company of the most sober, serious, spiri­tual, heavenly professors, that will be drawing us heaven-ward, and opening to us the riches, freenesse, fulness, and ever­lastingness of God the Fathers, and of the Sonnes love, and of the Holy Ghosts love, one Lord blessed for ever.

4. The next means for the begetting of grace, and converting the soul, may be this, let us meditate upon, and call to minde grace-begetting considerations, which may be reduceable to these few heads,

• 1. Consider what Christ hath done for us,
• 2. Consider how God hath dealt with other sinners, as bad as we are.
• [Page 60]3. Consider what relation we have to him.
• 4. Consider what engagements we have from him.
• 5. Consider in whose name we come be­fore him.

1. Let us consider what Christ hath done for us. Viz.

1. Christ by the will of God, gave him­self a ransom for our sinnes, a sacrifice of a sweet smelling favour, acceptable unto God.

2. Consider that the Father accepted of this sacrifice, in full satisfation for all our iniquities, transgressions and sinnes.

3. The Father, Sonne, and Holy Ghost, in the preaching of the Gospel, doth make Proclamation with open mouth to all the world, that he, the Lord of Glory, is fully satisfied, forasmuch as the debt, by Christ our surety, is fully paid; and the bond or hand writing that was against us, cancelled; and so much for the first Consi­deration, of what Christ hath done for us.

2. Consider, and that seriously, how God hath dealt with other sinners as bad as we are, who have come to him, viz. The Lord did not despise the weeping Mary, the begging Canaanite, the intreating Pub­lican, the confessing Thief, the adulterous, [Page 61] Woman, the denying Disciple, the persecu­ting Paul, &c. And if he refused not these, but shewed mercy to them, converting and healing them, he will not reject me, if 1 arise and go to him, Psal. 119. 59. I thought on my waies, and turned my feet to thy testi­monies, I made hast, and delayed not to keep thy commandments.

3. Consider what relation we have to him, he is our Creator, we are his crea­tures; in a word, we are his by right of Creation, Redemption, and now we be­gin to be his by right of Regeneration, Vo­cation, Marriage, and Covenant &c.

4. Consider what engagements we have from him, viz. he hath promised to par­don our sinnes, to purge our natures, Ezek. 36. 25. Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean from all your filthi­ness, and from all your Idols will I cleanse you.

5. Consider in whose name we come be­fore him, not in our own, neither in the name of any, but only his own dear Son, in whom he is well pleased, and for his sake he hath promised, that whatsoever we ask in his Name he will give it unto us. 1. We have his prayer to the Father, to subdue and conquer our lusts, John 17. 17. 2. We have his promise, I will subdue your iniquities, Micah. 17. 19. Sin shall have no more domin ion [Page 43] over you, Rom. 6. 14. 3. He is not on­ly a Redeemer, but also a Refiner, a Puri­fier, he gave himself for us, to redeem us from all iniquity, and to cleanse and pu­rifie us to be his peculiar people, zealous of good works. 4. We have his merits, as a Sanctuary to fly unto, as to a fountain set open to wash us, from all finne, filthi­ness and uncleanness, Zach. 13. 1. Sure these are grace breeding considerations, consider them over and over again and again.

5. The fifth means is, gather and trea­sure up a stock of Grace-begetting and Soul-converting experiences; viz. We have had some experience of the riches, freeness, fulness, and everlastingness of Gods love, and we have a little taste of the sufficiency and efficacy of the death and sufferings of the Lord Jesus Christ, Gen. 30. 27. O friends, shall Laban, a natural man, make use of experience which he had treasured up, and shall not a true Christi­an, in carrying on the work of grace, began in his soul, make use of it much more? It is the duty, and it should be the practise of all in converting, and also of those converted, to treasure up experiences of Gods goodness to them, even from their cradles, that God made them men, and [Page 42] women, and not toads and serpents, that he hath hitherto preserved them, when he might have destroyed them, that they have as yet the means of grace, whilst others in the world want, that they have liberty, sight, limbs, food and raiment; these and such like are the blessings of his left hand, and he tenders to thee also the blessings of his right hand, Psal. 63. 7. Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shaddow of thy wings will I rejoyce, 2 Cor. 1. 10. Who deli­vered us from so great a death, and doth deliver us, in whom we trust be will yet deliver us, See Psal. 116. 2. Because be hath inclined his ear unto me, therefore will I call upon him as long as I live. It is good to hear, better to hear and understand, better to enjoy, and best of all to have blessed experience of what we hear, understand and enjoy; the Saints of old could say, that they had such experi­ence of the faithfulnesse of the Lord, that he made good every thing that he had pro­mised to them, no one good thing failed, Josh. 21. 45. There failed not any good thing, that the Lord had promised to the house of Israel, all came to passe, Josh. 23. 14. Not so much as one thing hath failed, &c.

In the use of these and the like meanes, the Lord usually scattereth some little seeds of grace in the hearts of those that he will [Page 64] bring unto himself, which seeds being sowen, doe afterwards by degrees put forth, and act towards God, as we may see in Lydia, the Jaylor, and Zacheus &c. God makes himself known to us as a God of mercy, gracious, long-suffering, pardon­ing iniquitie, transgression and sin, and so offers himself to be reconciled to us, though we have rebelled against him, pro­mising to be a Father unto us, and to ac­cept of us in his beloved, as his sons and daughters, and thus is the difference made up between God and man; the soul begins now to say, at least in its self, I that was an enemy, he hath now reconciled unto himself; I that was in times past without God, without Christ, without promise, without covenant, without hope, yet now I have God for my God, he is become my salvation, Christ is become my Redeermer, the Holy Ghost my Sanctifier. O blessed, thrice blessed be Father, Son, and Holy Ghost! O how often did he call, how carnestly did he knock, how powerfully did he strive, how long did he wait upon me, before my stubborn hard heart would yield? if he had never loved me, I had ne­ver loved him; if he had never drawn me, I had never come; if he had never sought me, I had been yet straying in the wilderness [Page 65] of iniquitie, and feeding in the fields of vanity; now I see that God keeps open house, invites, intreate, beseecheth us to beleive, and come in, O every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, come buy ye that have no Silver or Gold, come buy milk and wine without money, Isai▪ 55, 1. and he that comes to me. John 6. 37. I will in no wise cast out. Let him that will, come, whosoever hath a mind let him come, let his sinnes be what they will be, for nature, number, and for continuance, yet come, I will in no wise cast thee off, Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, & passeth by the transgression, of the remnant of his heritage, thou retainest not anger for ever, for thou delightest to show mercy, Micah 7. 18, 19.

Means to be used for the confirming, seal­ing, ratifying, and increasing of Grace, where it is began.

WEe are to take notice, that the same meanes for the most part, that doth beget or breed grace in us, doth build up, nourish and increase the same; these fore­mentioned means, are both the begetters and the nourishers, both the breeders and feeders of grace, viz. Hearing the Word [Page 66] preached, reading the Word, prayer, pro­mises, good company, considerations, and choice experiences; all these are full to nourish and strengthen grace; also the Sacraments were instituted and set up for this end, to increase our grace, and assure us of the pardon of our sinnes, and the sal­vation of our soules; Baptisme is a seal of our entrance into the Church of God, the Supper of the Lord is a seal of our conti­nuance in the same; the former is a seal of our new birth, the latter is a seal of our spiritual growth [...]; in Baptisme, some of our senses are exercised, in the Lords Sup­per, all our senses are or ought to be exer­cised; this Ordinance is to be used often, baptism but once; for these is but one entrance into Christ, but there are many degrees of growth in him. Again, Consider that we are to wait on God in the use of means frequently; as we must not forsake our meals for our bodies, so we are not to neglect our meals for our souls, cut not off religious exercises too short, turn not these holy duties into matter of fashion or form, but come with an hungry appe­tite; and that thou maist so do, dip thy morsels often in the sharp sawce, and sowr herb of humiliation; look back and con­sider what once thou wast. Now, though [Page 67] we grant that the Ministery of the Word, whether Law or Gospel, is but as it were a dead letter, and profiteth little without the Spirit, 1 Cor. 3. 7. Neither is he that planteth any thing, nor he that watereth, but God that giveth the increase, We cannot prevail with the blind to see, nor with the deaf to hear, or with the dead to live; yet are we with diligence to attend upon God in the use of means, for though the means cannot work without the Spirit, the Spi­rit ordinarily will not work without the means; Man is a reasonable creature, there­fore God proceedeth with him by way of arguments or means; but because man in some sense, is a dead creature, therefore he must work in him, that which he per­swades him to; he commandeth us who are unwilling, to be willing, and then by the powerful efficacy of the Spirit, chan­ging the will of unwillingness, he makes us willing; By the first he stands at the door and knocks, Rev. 3. 20. By the second, he opens the door, and comes in, and sups with us; He in his Word calls upon us, to will and to do; the Spirit of Christ worketh in us, both to will and to do; God in the Crea­tion spake the word, that such a creature should be, and therewithal sent forth a [...]ower causing that creature to be accord­ing [Page 68] to his word. So whilst the Angel re­vealeth unto Mary the conception of Christ, the power of the Holy Ghost over­shadowed her, whence it was with her ac­cording to his word, Luk. 1. 35, 38. So also whilst Jesus cried with a loud voice, John 11. 43, 44. Lazarus come forth; there proceeded from him a power whereby he came forth. So Luke 5 24. He commanded the man that was sick of the palsie, to take up his bed and walk, and conveyes a power together with the command, whereby vers. 25 He did immediately arise, took up his bed, and went to his house and glorified God, So again, Ezek. 2. 1, 2. And he said unto me, Son of man, stand upon thy feet▪ and I will speak unto thee, and the Spirit entered into me when he spake, and set me upon my feet, and I heard him that spake unto me, &c. But in the use of these and the like precious means, ob­serve these cautions.

1. Be sure that the means you make use of, be means of Gods own appointment, of his own providing, to which he hath annexed his promise.

2. Consider, it is not the means singly that helps, but Gods blessing upon the means, without which, the most likely means, bringeth nothing to passe.

3. Consider his blessing is dispensed, not [Page 69] so much according to the means, as ac­cording to the uprightnesse of the heart, in the use of them.

4. Consider, notwithstanding all this, we are to wait upon God in the use of them frequently, as it is Gods way of con­veyance; for where ordinary means may do, he will not use extraordinary.

The walls of Jericho must fall, Josh. 6. from vers. 4. to ver. 15. but they must use the means, although but weak means, that we might not slight the means. So John 9. from the 1. verse to the 7 ^th, when our Saviour opened the eyes of the man that was born blind, He made clay of spittle and annointed the eyes of the blind man, and bid him go wash in the pool of Siloam, and be went and washed, and came seeing. So the stone must be rowled from Lazarus grave, and Moses must sinite the rock to get water for the Israelites; all which are written for our learning, to ingage us to be diligent in the use of means, and presents us with our duty, viz. that we should leave no means unattempted, for the accomplish­ment of what God hath promised; for the means are Gods pipes of conveyance; which if we cut off, how can we expect the things we want, which God hath promised to give? Christ did not discharge us from [Page 70] the debt of sinne, to free us from the debt of service; but therefore he did pay the one, that we might wait upon him in the use of the other; he that withdraws himself from the promise, cannot long keep close to the precept, and he that keeps at a distance from the use of means, shall never attain the mercies conveyed to others therein.

The Sacraments were instituted and set up for this very end, to increase and streng­then, seal and establish us; the Lord knew he had to deal with doubting, staggering, misgiving persons, and therefore he doth not only give the promise, his covenant and oath, for the confirmation of us, but to all these he annexeth his seal, the Sacra­ments of Baptisme and the Lords Supper. Here I shall give the Reader a brief ac­compt of the sum and substance of what hitherto in this Treatise hath been present­ed, and so proceed, &c.

We have began with mans creation, and of his estate before he fell, & of the manner of his fall, and the subtilty of Satan therein, and of the miserable estate he fell into, and how he can never be saved, unless born a­gain, renewed and restored; there are four Gates shut, and five exceptions made a­gainst him; there be amongst the Sons and [Page 71] Daughters of men, eighteen sorts, that shall not either see, nor enter into the king­dome of God; there be four strong rea­sons, why he will execute justice upon them; there are four sorts of changes, and but one of them spiritual and saving; Man is in misery, and unable and unwilling to help himself out, &c. Of the preparations or qualifications that we are to find in our selves, before we lay hold on Christ and the promise; Conversion and Regenera­tion, Vocation and Repentance, are but four words to hold forth, as it were, one and the self same thing: Of the way step by step how the Lord in his ordinary dispen­sation in these Gospel-dayes, doth lead a soul, as it were, by the hand, out of a state of nature into a state of grace; First, by enlightning the soul; Secondly, by calling him effectually; Thirdly, by enabling him to believe; Fourthly, by giving him the spirit of prayer, by which he prayes for more light to see his sins, and then for pardoning mercy, and for purging mercy; Fifthly, the Lord doth cause the soul secretly to give it self up to God, and so he comes to surrender all its own supposed interest that he had in himself, unto God that made it, and unto Christ that hath dearly purchased it; then there follweth [Page 72] the mean [...] to be used, to breed and beget grace, and to convert the soul; First to keep close to grace-begetting Ordinances, viz. hearing the Word preached, reading the Scriptures, and frequent and earnest prayer; Secondly, to dwell much upon grace-begetting promises; Thirdly, to fre­quent the company of grace-begetting and soul-converting companions; Fourthly, to call to mind, and meditate upon grace­begetting considerations; Fisthly, to gather and to treasure up grace-begetting and soul-converting experiences, and so to be diligent in the use of many other means, for the confirming, sealing, and assuring the soul of salvation; these and many o­ther subordinate branches, thou hast here presented, in a little room, and a few words, &c. Now to proceed a little far­ther, in this great work, and so to draw towards a close, let the Reader consider these things following, viz.

1. If we remain in an unconverted e­state, let us blame our selves only; for the want of conversion is not in God, for he makes use of all means, and wayes to con­vert us.

2. We shall present the Reader with some of the principal hinderances of Con­version.

[Page 73]3. Consider the sad and miserable con­dition of the unconverted.

4. The trials of conversion, by which a man may know, whether he be converted, yea, or no

5. The priviledges, and benefits of all that are converted.

6. Certain Objections answered, which some out of weakness, and others out of prejudice, may be apt to make against the foregoing discourse, and so I shall close up this Book.

The want of Conversion i [...] not in God, but in our selves, he makes use of all means and waies to convert us.

1. Our conversion and salvation is not a thing impossible, for a new and living way is consecrated for us by Christ, through the vail, his flesh, and by his blood we may have boldness to enter into the Ho­liest, he hath borne our burthen, he hath re­moved the impossibilities, and nailed to his Cross the hand-writing that was against us, Coll. 2. 14, 15. So that if any of us perish, it is for want of grace in us, not for want of satisfaction by the Redeemer: sal­vation is brought even to our doors, and [Page 74] thrust in as it were into our hands; we have Christ himself offered us, and pardon, life and salvation with him, we have God himself waiting to be gracious, and be­seeching us to be reconciled to him, 2 Cor. 5. 19, 20. We have the Lords Embassadors intreating us in his Name and stead; the Lord hath provided excellent and plentiful means, with promise upon promise of his presence with, and blessing upon us in the use of them, and if the Spirit make not these means effectual, it will not be long of him, but of our selves, God himself pre­sents and offereth us mercy, Prov. 1. 23. and continues his Ordinance [...]; the Angels waits for the joy that is due to them upon our conversion; Ministers are preaching and praying for our conversion, godly friends and neighbours are praying and longing to see this work wrought in us, See Mr. Bax [...]ers Call to the unconverted, in the Preface; We study plainness of speach to make them understand, we come with seri­ous piercing words, to make them feel, but they will neither understand nor feel; if the greatest matters would work with them, we should awake them, if the sweetest things would work, we should intice them, if the most dreadful things would work, we should affright them, if truth and certainty [Page 75] would take with them, we should soon convince them, if the God that made them, and the Christ that bought them, might be heard, the case would soon be altered with them, if Scripture might be heard, we should soon prevail, if the best and strongest reason might be heard, we should speedily convince them, if experience might be heard, even their own experience, the matter would soon be mended; yea if the conscience within them might be heard, the case would soon be better with them than it is, but if the dreadful God of Hea­ven be slighted, who then shall be regard­ed? If the blood of a Redeemer be made slight of, what then shall be valued? If the joyes of Heaven is not worth the desiring, and the torments of Hell the avoiding, what shall we do for such souls as these &c? Now if after all these and the like means Man will not turn, it is not long of God that they are not converted, but of themselves; so that Mans destruction is of himself, James 1. 15. So earnest is God for the conversion of sinners, that he dou­bleth his commands and exhortations Turn ye, turn ye, why will ye dy, Ezek. 33. 11. Again, it is the promise of God, that the wicked shall live, if they will but turn, nay, the Lord hath confirmed it to us by an [Page 76] oath, That he hath no pleasure in the death of the wicked, See the forementioned place, Ezek. 33. 11. Nay farther, the Lord condescend­eth to reason the cause with all unconvert­ed sinners, as to ask them why they will dy in their sinnes, See the forementioned place, Ezek. 33. 11. Compared with 2 Pet. 3. 9. The Lord is long-suffering, not willing that any should perish, &c.

Some of the principal hinderances of Conversion.

1. The first Hindrance, is ignorance both of their own misery, and Gods mercy; the kingdome of Satan is a kingdome of darkness, and himself the ruler of darkness, and the mist and blackness of darkness is reserved to him and his servants for ever, Jude 6, 13. compared with John. 3. 19. this is condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men love darkness rather than light: So that if the Gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost, in whom the God of this world, hath blinded the minds of them that believe not, lest the glorious Gospel of Christ should shine unto them; but those that are converted, can truly say, we were once darkness, but now we are light in the Lord, Ephes 5. 8.

[Page 77]2. Hindrance of conversion is, men think it to be either an easie work, or a needless work.

1. It cannot be an easie work: Jer. 13. 23. Can the Aethiopian change his skin, and the Leopard his spots, then may they that are accu­stomed to do evil, learn to do well.

2. It is not a needless work, but one of the most needfullest works, without which we perish everlastingly in Hell, John. 3. 3. 5. Mat. 18. 3. except a man be born again, be cannot see the kingdom of God, and except ye be converted and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdome of Heaven:

3. Hindrance, is either a total neglect, or a careless formal use of those ordinary meanes which God hath appointed, for the breeding and perfecting the work of conversion; if we will not eat, how can we live and grow? if we will not drink, how can we quench our thirst? if we will not wear cloathes, how can we be warm? if vve vvill not sovve and plant, hovv can vve reap? shall vve be industrious and neg­lect no means for the obteining of natural things, and altogether remiss in the use of means for the obtaining of spiritual, that are far better? surely we ought to leave no means unattempted for the accom­plishing of what God hath promised, see­ing [Page 78] we have more commands and promises for the latter, than we have for the former.

4. Hindrance is, mens not confidering the joyes of Heaven, and the torments of Hell, that so the love of the one might win them, or the fear of the other compell them to make use of the means, and im­prove their talent and time, for the obtain­ing of life and salvation, and the escaping of Hell and damnation; surely we ought to lay aside every weight, and the sin that doth so easily beset us, and to run with pati­ence, the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him, indured the cross, and despised the shame, Heb. 12. 1, 2, 3.

5. Hindrance is, false conceits, that they are converted already; which ariseth from some seeming change in an external con­formity to the Gospel, which ariseth from the souls sight of fin, and sense of punish­ment, which leads him so far as to confess his fins, Mat. 27. 4. and vomi [...] it up, 2 Pet. 2. 20. and in some good measure, abstain from the external commission of it, and so reformeth its conversation; ignorance is taken away by illumination; pleasure in fin is abated, by sorrow for fin, boldness in finning is abated, by the fear of punish­ment: he may know the very time, [...]he [Page 79] sermon, the book, the chapter, the verse, that were the means of doing this work, and therefore thinks it is truly done, and that he hath a saving change, and yet it may be but common preparation, or some com­mon works, which many partake of that perish, &c.

6. Hindrance, is, too deep a familiarity with bad company, Oh what a dangerous thing it is to live amongst such company, as will be still hindring, but never helping in the way to heaven, who can converse with defiled ones, and not be defiled? Psal. 106. 35. the people were mingled amongst the heathen, and learned their works. Psal. 119. 115. evil doers we must depart from, if ever we keep the commands of God, these are not grace­begetting, and soul-converting, but grace­hindring, and soul-condemning compani­ons.

7. Hindrance, is their ignorance of the principles of Religion, their not being Catechised themselves, neither catechising their Families: so that the foundational truths, are for the most part Paradoxes and Riddles to them.

8. Hindrance, is Delay; when men in­tend to become new men, and to live ano­ther life, and to leave sin, and to take ano­ther course, yet they delay and put off the [Page 80] time till the next year, and when that is come, to the last moneth of that year, and when that is come, to the last vveek of that moneth, and vvhen that is come, to the last day of that vveek, and when that is come, to the last hour of that day, and when that is come, to the last minute of that hour, and so in the mean while they are hardened through the deceitfulness of sin, as Heb. 3. 13. and so goe on from folly to folly, until they are ripe for eternal misery: Oh! say they, we are yet young, and have day-light and time enough; we are yet in health and there is no such haste: and thus many are cut off, whilst they are purposing to return; and many thousand souls are lost, as it is to be feared, that once were purposed to have turned to God before they die, and all by delaying and continuing in sinning, til they have sinned themselves into a repro­bate sense, and so they must perish everla­stingly, by delaying to make use of their remedie, by not calling upon God whilst he was near, and seeking him whilst he might be found: See Isa. 55. 6. compared with Prov. 1. 24. 28. I might instance in many other hin­drances, as hardness of heart, unbelief, love of this present evil world, the Differences amongst Professors; but I cannot speak par­ticularly to them all, lest this Book should svvell too bigg.

Of the sad condition of all that are not Converted.

THe longer men or women stay, or go on, in an unconverted estate, the grea­ter is their sin, the harder is their cure, and the greater will be their punishment, &c. They make void as much as in them lyeth, the great Counsel of God, and all the thoughts of his wisdom, in contriving such a way to advance his own glory, in the salvation of man; Yea, they make void all the purposes of Gods mercy to them, in restoring and renewing them, and sending Christ to die for them; yea they do as much as in them lyeth, make void the death of Christ, they make all his suf­ferings, and blood-shed, to be to no pur­pose. You deny him that which is his own, you deny him your hearts and souls, that which he hath made and redeemed; you de­ny him that which none can lay claim to, but himself; again they are cursed in their going out and coming in, in their basket and in their store, and in all they put their hands unto, they can do nothing truly pleasing to God, but are servants, and slaves to Satan, and led about as his cap­tives at his will, and so remain in a conti­nual [Page 82] danger of damnation, there being but a breath between them and Hell.

Of the priviledges, and benefits of all that are Converted

THe Lord is their portion, and they are the Lords portion, Deut. 32. 9. what ever losses, crosses, troubles and trials, they may pass through here, all shall work for their good at the present, and they shall be freed from all troubles in time to come, there was joy in Heaven at their conver­sion, Luke 15. 10.

• 1. Christ calls them his servants, John 12. 26.
• 2. Again, he calls them his friends, John 15. 15.
• 3. He calls them his brethren, Mar. 3. 34.
• 4. He calls them his Jewels or treasure, Mal. 3. 17.
• 5. He calls them his sons and daugh­ters, 2 Cor. 6. 18.
• 6. He calls them the Bride, the Lambs wife, Rev. 21. 9.
• 7. He calls them co-heirs with himself, Rom. 8. 17.

And if all this be too little to express his heart to them, then he tells them, that the Father loveth them with the same love, [Page 83] (for the quality of it) wherewith he loveth Christ; what shall I say more? they have the glory of God to be their aime, the word to be their rule, the spirit to be their guide, the angels to be their guard, and the blessed promises to be their support, and as by vertue of their oneness with the first Adam, his sin was made theirs; so by vertue of their oneness with the second Adam, his righteousness is made theirs; nay farther, they have by vertue of converting grace, union with Christ, and so communion with the life and Spirit of Christ, with the death and sufferings of Christ, with the merits and victories of Christ, with the priviledges and immunities, as Adoption, Son-ship, &c.

The trials of Conversion by which a man may know whether he be converted yea or no.

LEt the Reader make a curious, narrow, impartial, diligent search into his own soul, and see what humility, what self-denial, what sin-abhorrancy, what love to Christ, what delight in his ordi­nances, what zeal for Gods glory, what contempt of the world, what desiring after the society of the Saints, what sympathi­sing [Page 84] in their afflictions; and if thou findest any impressions of grace, any spiritual work, any saving, savoury distinguishing operation upon thy soul, and heart, then the Spirit hath been there with his cure, and thou art as certainly born again, as thou wast born first; but these graces thus planted in the heart, at first are full of im­perfections, there is some darkness with your light, some enmity with your love, much hardness of heart with your mourn­ing for sin, and much worldly sorrow in your purest tears, much pride with your humility, much murmuring with your pa­tience, and therefore great care is to be taken, in the laying down these trials, or marks of conversion, for as we are to put a difference, between gifts and grace, and internal and external marks and signs, so also we are to distinguish between those that are strong in grace, and those that are weak in grace, that have but little grace, and this will be of great use to Christians that are but of a lower forme; new con­verts, having but little grace, yet they may know that little they have, though as yet they have not attained strength of grace, yet they may know the truth of grace in themselves, although they come short of strong believers, yet they shall know they [Page 85] go beyond the most shining hypocrite; for the least measure of grace, is better than the greatest measure of gifts▪ But we come to the trials of the new birth, by which a man may know whether he is born again, yea or no.

• 1. He that is truly converted, doth de­sire the word and means of grace, 1 Pet. 2. 2.
• 2. He is either willing, or willing to be made willing to do whatsoever the Lord doth command him, though it be never so contrary to flesh and blood, Gal. 1. 16.
• 3. He is brought unto an unseined ha­tred of the whole body of sin, Rom. 7. 24. compared with, Philip. 3. 21.
• 4. His greatest and hottest mournings and strivings is against his inward polluti­on, his close, spiritual and secret sins, Psal. 19. 12. compared with, Psal. 90. 8.
• 5. He often mourns for the sins of o­thers, and for the want of growth in him­self, Lam▪ 16. & 3. 48.
• 6. He doth love to be speaking of those great and saving truths, which his heart hath taken in, in the work of conversion.
• 7. He doth begin to keep a watch over his own heart.
• 8. He makes conscience of keeping every known command.
• [Page 86]9. He is willing to put himself upon the tryal, and to have any Christian search him, and sometimes he intreats the Lord to search him. Psal. 139. 23. Lam. 3. 40.
• 10. He that is born again, or truly con­verted, ha [...]h his soul renewed in its faculties and vertues, &c.

These are such flowers of Paradise, that grows not in Natures garden, until the new man was put on, and the party renew­ed in the spirit of his mind, until Christ was formed in him; for these are pearls that are not to be found in the worlds field: wherefore we shall speak something to each of them briefly; but before I proceed further, let me give the Reader this cauti­on: Let not every one think he is not con­verted, unless he finde these and the like characters of a true conversion in him, if he finde but something of every thing, if it be but in the budding, in the breeding, in the beginning, his state may be good; for when he is a well grown Christian, these things will more and more clearly appear, at the first conversion a man hath as it were but the root of them, &c.

1. He that is indeed born againe, and so converted, doth desire the word and means of grace, 1 Pet. 2. 2. as new born babes desire [Page 87] the sincere milk of the word, that they may grow thereby. There the apostle makes it a resem­blance of a spiritual man; a man spiritually new born will desire after the meanes of grace, that he may grow in grace; by milk, is here meant the word of God, which is compared to milk, First because of the sweetness of it. Psal. 19. 10. and Psal. 119. 103. Secondly because of the purity of it, it is without falshood, Psal. 19. 18. and 119. 140, and Thirdly because of the nourishing property thereof, 2 Tim. 3. 16, 17. When the Lord begets one by the immortal seed of his word, he teacheth him to rest upon the word of promise which indureth for ever, tendred in the Gospel; indeed tho whole word of God is sincere milk where­by we grow, and the old and new Testament may be called the Brests of consolation; but if we grow not, it is because we feed not, we play with the breast, &c.

2. He that is indeed born againe, he is either willing, or at least willing that the Lord should make him willing, to observe and do whatsoever the Lord doth command him, though it be never so contrary to flesh and blood, Acts. 9. 9. Lord what will thou have me to do? How willing Paul was to lay down his first commission, & to take up ano­ther: So Psal. [...]10. 3, thy people shall be willing [Page 88] in the day of thy power. They are willing to hear, speak Lord, for thy servant heareth; they are willing to do, Lord what wilt thou have me to do, Psal. 119. 5. Oh that my waies were directed to keep thy statutes. A­gain David sets down another character of a godly man, Psal. 1. 2. His delight is in the Law of the Lord, and Paul after conver­sion speaks of himself, that his delight was in the Law of God, as concerning the in­ward man, So again in another Psal. 40. 8. I delight to do thy will, thy Law is in my hear [...]; there was a principal within him agreeable to the precept without him, this is a clear demonstration of a new creature, though he may drive heavily, sometimes under vex­ing and lasting temptations.

3. He that is effectually converted, he i [...] brought unto an unfeined hatred of the whole body of sin, especially his beloved sins, that did most powerfully captivate him before, Col. 3. 7, 8. But now you put off all these, anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, fil­thy communication, see 1 Corinth. 6. 11. com­pared with Titus 3. 3, 4, 5. &c. Nay fur­ther, he hath an unfeined hatred of the whole body of sin, as it is the greatest e­vil in the world; sin is worse than hell, there may be good in punishment, but there can be no good in sin, it makes God [Page 89] hide his face from us, and shut out our prayers, Isa. 59. 2. it is the cause of all wars, James 4. 1. it is the cause of all sickness, Deut. 28. In a word, sin is the cause of all misery, both temporal, spiritual, and eternal, there­fore Daniel was content to be thrown into the den of Lyons, rather than to sin, the three Children in the fire, Paul and Silas into the prison, and many Christians have chosen to imbrace prisons, stakes, fire, and the hottest persecutions rather than sin, a converted person comes to see the weakness and wickedness of his own heart, he knows he cannot trust any member alone without a guard.

4. He that is indeed converted may know it by this, viz. his greatest and hottest conflicts are against inward pollution, his close, spiritual, and secret sins, that are known only to God and himself; he doth accuse himself for that which no man can accuse him, he blames himself for that which no man can blame him, he judgeth and arraigneth himself for that which no man can judge him for, he makes a through and sound search, he knows Hypocrisie is spun of a fine thred, and is not discerned without diligent search: Again, he knows that one stab at the heart, though it be with a pen-knife, will kill a man, one little [Page 90] leak in a Ship will sink it, and one secret sin unrepented of, will damn a Soul, the least sin contains in it the nature of all sin; no sooner did one sin enter into Adams heart but he had all sin in him.

5. He often mourns for the sins of o­thers, and for the want of more grace in himself, we read Jer. 13. 17. that the Pro­phet did weep in secret places for the sins of o­thers; so in another place, mine eyes run down with tears, because men keep not thy laws▪ &c. and as for the sins of others, so for the want of more grace in themselves, viz. Isai­ah 6. 5. I am a man of unclean lips said Isaiah. I abhor my self in dust and ashes said Job, Job. 42 6 Surely I am more brutish than any man, and have not the knowledge of a man, said Augur, Pro. 30. 2. I am less than the least of all Saints said Paul, Eph. 3. 8. nay I have so little grace, that I am the greatest of Sinners, 1 Tim. 1. 15 Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.

6. He doth dearly love to be ever now and then speaking of those great and saving truths, which his heart took in the work of conversion, he feeleth most savour of life in those necessary points which were instruments of this blessed change that there is made upon him, and upon these he feed­ [...]th and delighteth, even on the inward [Page 91] life of spiritual things, and so he feedeth his hungry Soul, in hearing and reading, pray­ing and conversing with Christians; he en­deavours to learn something from [...]very thing.

7. He doth begin to keep a watch o­ver his own heart, eyes, and tongue and feet, &c.

1. He keeps his heart with Solomons di­ligence, Prov. 4. 24.

2. He keeps his eyes with Jobs Covenant, Job. 31. 1.

3. He keeps his tongue with Davids bridle, Psalm 39. 7.

4. He keeps his foot with Solomons guard, Eccles. 5. 1. In a word, we should not trust any Member, without its Keeper, for there doth and will remain, even in the con­verted themselves, the remnants of corrup­tion, a body of death, a rebelling flesh, and thi [...] will be still tempting and draw them from God, so that the whole way to Heaven is a continual warfare; there be enemies that will dispute every foot of the way, there is no going a step forward, but as the ship doth in the Sea, by cutting its way through the waves: there is Self our greatest enemy, and there is Sathan and the world, and almost all that we meet with in it, will prove hinderances in the way to [Page 92] Heaven, therefore keep up your watch with your loynes girt, and your lamps burn­ing.

8. He that is truly converted makes con­science of keeping every known duty or command, in respect of the general bent and frame of his heart he doth subject himself to Christ freely, universally, and constant­ly, and unweariedly, at least in desire▪ if it be not so, he could wish it were so, he en­deavours & prays to have it so, he conside­reth, that Christ did not discharge us from the debt of sin, to free us from the debt of service, but therefore did he pay the one, that we might be able to return the other. Rom. 8. 12. Therefore we are Debters not to the slesh, 1 John 2. 5. Who so keepeth his word, in him is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him; there is no known sin but he labours to avoid, and no known grace but he longs to have, and no known duty but he labours to perform.

9. He is willing to put himself upon the tryal, whether he be converted or no, he is willing to have any Christian to search him, and sometimes he entreats the Lord to search him, he loves those company best that deals most plainly with him, he care­fully and continually searcheth himself, and goes down with light into his heart, he [Page 93] is jealous of his own heart, he doubts of none more than himself, suspects most his own graces, and the witnesse of his own spirit, least Sathan shine like an Angel of light, and say it is the testimony of Gods spirit, he is content to have his spiritual estate tryed by any, not only by a search­ing Ministry in publick, but by any private Friends; he opens his heart freely for o­thers to ask, and gives answers of his hope with weaknesse and fear, his ears are open to the whole word▪ he believes the threat­nings and trembles, he fears also the pro­mises, lest he comes short, he hath found out the hell in his heart, and feels the flames of it in secret, he hath found an emptiness in himself, and an enmity to all good, he is poor in spirit, which appears by his continual complaints, and impor­tunat prayers, he desireth not to be found in his own righteousness, but in Christs righ­teousness, all the rest he accounts as dung.

10. He that is born again, or truly con­verted, hath his soul renewed in its facul­ti [...]s and vertues, when the Lord made man in his own image Gen. 1. 26, 27. Gen. 9. 6. which image of God in man consisteth not in any bodily shape, but in the nature of the soul, as it is a spiritual and immor­tal substance, indued with three faculties▪ [Page 94] Understanding, Will and Memory, as the Deitie hath three, Father, Sonne and Holy Ghost, this image of God in man, by his fall was defaced, which by regeneration is again restored and renewed.

1. In its faculties. 2. In its senses. 3 In its vertues.

• 1. Understanding.
• 2. Will.
• 3. Memory▪

1. The Understanding, that by the fall was darkened, is now again by regenerati­on [...]nlightened, Ephes. 5. 8. Compared with Ephes. 1. 18.

2. The Will that was inthralled, is now renewed, by which it doth choose the good, and reject the evil.

3. The Memory, that since the fall of Man would forget the good that it should have reteyned▪ and retein the evill that it should forget, is now restored, so as to treasure up spiritual things, and let slip car­nal things.

The Conscience, which is Gods Deputy in man, that did cease to do his Office be­ing seared with an hot Iron, 1 Tim. 4. 2. is now awakened, and sits as Judge overall your Actions, accusing in one thing, excu­sing in another; now if Conscience he not a Bridle, it will be a Whip, if it be not a [Page 95] Curb, i [...] will be a Scourge, if you will not hear the Warnings you shall feel the Lashes▪ if it doth not restrain from Sin by admonition, it will put u [...] to pain in sin by Contrition.

The Senses also they come to be exerci­sed, Heb. 5. 14. to discern both good and evil▪ the Sense of Hearing is frequently exercised in hearing the joyfull sound; and the Sense of Seeing is exercised in beholding the wonderfull works of God; and the Sense of Smelling is exercised, smelling a sweet sa­vour in Christ, and all his wayes; and so for the rest of the Senses, they are ever now and then exercised about spiritual things.

The Vertues of the Soul, or graces of the Spirit, they begin also to be employ [...]d about matters of great concernment, viz. Faith endeavours to believe, and lay hold on God for what he hath promised; Hope anchors upon the promise, and waits with patience for a supply of all its wants; Love is exerci [...]d in loving of God▪ his Ordinan­ces and People, and sometimes in doing good to his enemies; Prudence i [...] a ver [...] whereby we foresee how things ar [...] to be done▪ in respect of time, place, and m [...]n­ner, and what will be the event of each b [...] ­siness which is undertaken▪ prudence in our [Page 96] hearts to guide our thoughts, and in our mouths, to order our speeches; it is pru­dence in the evils of sin to choose none, and in the evils of punishment to choose the lesser, 2 Sam. 24. 12.

Another Vertue which begins to be ex­ercised, is Temperance, which moderates our desires, and brings the Appetite under a rule of reason; then Constancy or Per­severance is another Vertue, whereby a man is resolved to persevere to the end in the knowledge, profession, and worship of God; Justice is another Vertue, which giveth every man his due, it binds us to give due to God, to our Parents, and Kindred, and to exercise Verity and Equi­ty in all that we do; lo what a wonderfull change is here! yet notwithstanding all this, the Soul is the same after conversion as it was before, and so it shall be after the re­surrection the same: there being the same faculties, only thus changed, the Soul, is renewed and restored to its primitive in­stitution, and so its purity and blessed­nesse is or shall be greater than ever it was before, &c.

Thus the Regenerate doth partake of ano­ther begetting, of another birth, of another nature, that a man should be the same, and not the same, the same man for Body, yet [Page 97] as different in quality, as if another soul did dwell in the same body; he of a lyon, i [...] become a lamb, of a wolfe, a sheep, of a Saul, a Paul, of a persecuter, a friend of the persecuted; here is a blessed change indeed, Wouldst thou know whether thou art rege­nerated, art thou one whom God hath en­lightned? art thou one whom he▪ hath called? art thou one who art washed, purged, renewed, sanctyfied? examine thy heart throughly, deceits lie low, and false evidence is the fruit of a slight search; Art thou one whose heart is taken with Christ▪ when God delights in us, thereupon we come to delight in him, God knows us, and thereupon we come to know him, John. 10. 14. God apprehends us, and thereupon we come to apprehend him, he chuseth us, and thereupon we chuse him, he loves us, and therefore we love him▪ 1 John. 4. 19. his heart is taken with us, and thereupon we come to be taken with him: take thy evidences from the carriage of thy spirit, neither at the best, nor at the worst, but the middle way, which is most thy frame; for if thou look upon thy self at the worst, thou mayst be discouraged, if at the best, thou mayst be deceived, nei­ther judg of thy self by particular actions, but look upon the universal frame and ben [...] [Page 98] of thy spirit, art thou heavy laden with the weight of thy offences? dost thou groan under the yoak and tyrannie of manifold temptations, Come unto me, saith Christ, I will refresh the, Mat. 11. 28. Doest thou thirst after the wayes of grace, loe I am the living spring, saith Christ, Come drinks, h [...]r [...] is my blood that was shed for many for the remission of sinnes? are the wounds of thy transgressions so deep, that they [...]annot be searched, or so old, that they corrupt and pur [...]fie? loe here is the good Samaritan, that will either eind them up, or powr in oyle and wine: are there any seeds of true life began? is there any motion of repentance in thy soul? will thy pulse of remorse heat a little? hast thou but a touch of sorrow, a spark of contrition, a grain of faith, a drop of self denyal? surely he that hath began this good work, will finish it? Philip. 1. 6. Surely he will more and more inform thy mind, conform thy will, re­form thy life, and tran [...]form the whole man into the likeness of the heavenly pat­terne, a man that is born again may be weak in respect of life, in whom the spirit breath [...] though feintly, whose pulse beats but feebly, whose heart pants after Christ but weakly, in whom Christ, who is the wisdome of the father, shines, though [Page 99] through many clouds very dimly, who in­deed re [...]ives Christ and his free g [...], though with a shaking hand, who hopes that Christ will not cast him off, though not sure he will take him up, he hath a de­sire to fear the name of the Lord: h [...] hath a willing mind, 2 Cor. 8. 12, and this is ac­ceptable with the Lord, a will to obey the Lord, is all that a blessed Paul can some­times find, Rom. 7. 18. One may be a babe in Christ though carnal. 1 Cor. 3. [...]. and I brethren could not speak unto you as unto spiri­tual, bu [...] as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ; or as some rendreth the word, as un­to sucklings in Christ. To closeup this, consi­der, one drop of water is for the quality, the same as the whole Ocean Sea, one grain of gold, is as pure gold as a whole moun­tain of gold, the least bud by the side of a great tree, draws sap from the same root that the greatest limb or branch doth; So the least measure of grace, is as true grace, as the greatest measure; it is as pure for the quality, though not so much for the quan­tity. Our salvation depends upon the truth of grace, our consolation depends upon the degree [...] of grace.

Certain Objections answered, which some out of weakness, and others out of pre­judice, may be apt to make against the foregoing Discourse.

Qu. If a people refuse to imbrace the doctrine, and practice the disciplin of the true Reli­gion, whether they are not to be forced to receive the one, and practise the other, yea or no?

Ans: Religion is to be taught, not to be forced, and that for these reasons;

1. Because Christ and his Apostles never used any force in propagating of religion; not the sword, but the Word and Prayer, were the instruments used to propagate christianity▪

2. If it be not in our own power to be­lieve, till it be given us from above, how can it be in the power of any other to make us believe? how can they forceus to take that which is not given, and to profess that which we have not received?

3. Religion is the free gift of God, which as it is freely given, so it must be freely received, without constraint; for the will cannot be forced.

4. As he is not to be esteemed an here­tick, or an Idolater, that is forced thereto, neither is he to be esteemed religious that is compelled to embrace it.

[Page 101]5ly. The forcing of Religion hath been the cause of much mischief, viz. murthers▪ disorders and changes in States; ‘Therfore the wise Ro­mans, saith Mr. Woll [...]bius, p. 332 permitted the Iews, after they were subdued, to use freely their own Religion:’ But men are to be warned, and exhorted to make use of the means. If the acts of hearing, reading, praying, meditation, conference, are means by which Religion is both begot and nourished, to neglect the use of these and the like means, is to neglect our own salvation, &c.