There is a twofold Error very common in the descriptions of the work of Conversion.1 The one, of those who only mention the sinners turning from sin to God, without mentioning any receiving of Christ by Faith. The other of those, who on the contrary, only mention a sinners believing, and then think they have said all. Nay, they blame them as Legalists who make any thing but the bare believing of the love of God in Christ to us, to be part of this work;2 and would persuade poor souls to question all their former comforts, and conclude the work to have been only legal and unsound, because they have made their changes of heart, and turning from sin and Creatures, part of it; and have taken up part of their comfort from the reviewing of these, as evidences of a right work. Indeed, should they take up here without Christ, or take such change in stead of Christ, in whole or in part; the reprehension were just, and the danger great. But can Christ be the way, where the Creature is the end? Is he not only the way to the Father? And must not a right end be intended, before right means? Can we seek to Christ for to reconcile us to God, while in our hearts we prefer the Creature before him?3 Or, doth God dispossess the Creature, and sincerely turn the heart therefrom, when he will not bring the soul to Christ? Is it a work that is ever wrought in an unrenewed soul? You will say, That without Faith it is impossible to *please God. True; but what Faith doth the Apostle there speak of? He that ⟨p. 156⟩cometh to God, must believe that God is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. The belief of the Godhead must needs precede the belief of the Mediatorship; and the taking of the Lord for our God, must in order precede the taking of Christ for our Saviour; though our peace with God do follow this: Therefore Paul when he was to deal with the Athenian Idolaters, teacheth them the knowledge of the Godhead first, and the Mediator afterwards. But you will say, May not an unregenerate man believe that there is a God? True; and so may he also believe there is a Christ: But he can no more cordially accept of the Lord for his God, then he can accept of Christ for his Saviour. In the soul of every unregenerate man, the Creature possesseth both places, and is both God and Christ.
There is a twofold Error very common in the descriptions of the work of Conversion.1 The one, of those who onely mention the sinners turning from sin to God, without mentioning any receiving of Christ by Faith. The other of those, who on the contrary, onely mention a sinners believing, and then think they have said all. Nay, they blame them as Legalists who make any thing but the bare believing of the love of God in Christ to us, to be part of this work;2 and would perswade poor souls to question all their former comforts, and conclude the work to have been onely legal and unsound, because they have made their changes of heart, and turning from sin and Creatures, part of it; and have taken up part of their comfort from the reviewing of these, as evidences of a right work. Indeed, should they take up here without Christ, or take such change in stead of Christ, in whole or in part; the reprehension were just, and the danger great. But can Christ be the way, where the Creature is the end? Is he not onely the way to the Father? And must not a right end be intended, before right means? Can we seek to Christ for to reconcile us to God, while in our hearts we prefer the Creature before him?3 Or, doth God dispossess the Creature, and sincerely turn the heart therefrom, when he will not bring the soul to Christ? Is it a work that is ever wrought in an unrenewed soul? You will say, That without Faith it is impossible to *please God. True; but what Faith doth the Apostle there speak of? He that ⟨p. 156⟩cometh to God, must believe that God is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. The belief of the Godhead must needs precede the belief of the Mediatorship; and the taking of the Lord for our God, must in order precede the taking of Christ for our Saviour; though our peace with God do follow this: Therefore Paul when he was to deal with the Athenian Idolaters, teacheth them the knowledg of the Godhead first, and the Mediator afterwards. But you will say, May not an unregenerate man believe that there is a God? True; and so may he also believe there is a Christ: But he can no more cordially accept of the Lord for his God, then he can accept of Christ for his Saviour. In the soul of every unregenerate man, the Creature possesseth both places, and is both God and Christ.
- 1A twofold Error in the descriptions of Conversion.
- 2Our turning from sin, is as essential to true Conversion as our believing in Christ.
- 3Heb. 11.6.
- *Besides, though the person please not God, nor his actions so as for God to justify them, or to take delight in them as gracious; yet some actions of wicked men, tending to Reformation, may please God in some respect secundum quid; as Ahabs Humiliation.Besides, though the person please not God, nor his actions so as for God to justifie them, or to take delight in them as gracious; yet some actions of wicked men, tending to Reformation, may please God in some respect secundum quid; as Ahabs Humiliation.
