The real Christian, or, A treatise of effectual calling wherein the work of God…

The same may I say for Tears.

First, There may be loads of Sorrow upon the heart, when there is not one Tear in the eye; this is well known; so that Tears are not the Index of great Sorrows always.

First, There may be loads of Sorrow upon the heart, when there is not one Tear in the eye; this is well known; so that Tears are not the Index of great Sorrows alwayes.

Secondly, Tears that rise from a tender broken heart, are precious, but Tears that flow from constitution of the body (as in most they do) signify little; some have Tears at command. I have known persons of very unbroken hearts, stout wills, who could pour out Tears at their pleasure. I speak of Christians.

Secondly, Tears that rise from a tender broken heart, are precious, but Tears that flow from constitution of the body (as in most they do) signifie little; some have Tears at command. I have known persons of very unbroken hearts, stout wills, who could pour out Tears at their pleasure. I speak of Christians.

Fourthly, A man may have a more soft, tender, broken heart, who cannot shed tears (at least not in that measure) he may be a better Christian then he that can shed many tears; observation hath made this good. I remember Mr. Thomas Hooker, at a Meeting of about forty Ministers, put that question, What Rules they would go by in admission of Members into Churches? Will you go by the narration of the work of God upon them in Conversion? Or will you look at the frame wherewith they make their narration? One, saith he, comes and makes his narration with many tears; another he tells you plainly what God hath done, but he cannot shed tears as the other, but yet proves the better Christian, said he. To say no more, Tears are common to Hypocrites, and no infallible sign of soundness of Grace: Many are kept humble and poor in their own eyes for want of tears, when some (I fear) are proud of their tears. Mr. Shepherd saith, More are driven to Christ by the sense of the burden of an hard, dead, blind, filthy heart, then by the sense of sorrows; because a man rests in sorrows most commonly, but trembles and flies out of himself when he feels the other. Sincere Convert p. 239.

So much in answer to that Question. The Reader now may see upon what reasons those experiences are grounded.

For the effects of this work of Compunction, I shall but touch them briefly.

The first effect: A stop is put to the course of Sin; the man cannot run on so freely in that way as before: Let this work be but common, and never carried on to sound Conversion, but fall off again, yet so long as this work lasts, the actings of Sin are forborne; there is something got into the cup, that doth so embitter it, that whereas before he drunk iniquity like water, Job 15.16. now it will not go down so pleasantly as it was wont to do; he cries out, as the Sons of the Prophet, O man of God, there is death in the pot, 2 Kings 4.40. there is indeed, Thou shalt die; he tastes there: Now if his Companions come to call him out, no, he tasteth something he never did before.

The first effect: A stop is put to the course of Sin; the man cannot run on so freely in that way as before: Let this work be but common, and never carried on to sound Conversion, but fall off again, yet so long as this work lasts, the actings of Sin are forborn; there is something got into the cup, that doth so imbitter it, that whereas before he drunk iniquity like water, Job 15.16. now it will not go down so pleasantly as it was wont to do; he cries out, as the Sons of the Prophet, O man of God, there is death in the pot, 2 Kings 4.40. there is indeed, Thou shalt die; he tastes there: Now if his Companions come to call him out, no, he tasteth something he never did before.

Secondly, He begins to fall sick of his sin past, and of his present sinful state he now feeleth himself to lye under, being bound in the chains of guilt, and captivated under the power of lusts: now he begins to vomit up his sweet morsels in confession of his sins: God sets his sins in order before him, in Conviction; he sets his sins in order before God, in Confession; his shifts and extenuations are no more heard; he loads himself with just aggravations.

Thirdly, Now he seeth the force of those reasons which have been used by the Ministry of the Word to persuade men to Conversion, to turn from sin to God; there is weight in those Arguments which were little regarded before, and now he begins to think seriously, there must be a Divorce between him and his Delilah.

Thirdly, Now he seeth the force of those reasons which have been used by the Ministry of the Word to perswade men to Conversion, to turn from sin to God; there is weight in those Arguments which were little regarded before, and now he begins to think seriously, there must be a Divorce between him and his Dalilah.

Fourthly, His heart begins to be loosened from his Idols; and if God will now separate between him and his fins, he doth not now resist the work of the Spirit, as before.

Mr. Shepherd makes Compunction to consist in three things. ¹1. Fear. 2. Sorrow. 3. Separation from sin. [I conceive Separation from Sin is more properly an effect of Compunction, then a part of it. Fear and Sorrow produce this effect, make the Soul not to resist the Spirit, or not unwilling to have his Sin and Soul parted.] ²So much loosening from sin as makes the Soul willing, or at least not unwilling, that the Lord Jesus should take it away. This severing from Sin he conceives to be a further stroke found in the Elect then in the Reprobate: ³Fears and Sorrows were common to both; but this severing from Sin the Spirit works in the Elect under Compunction. ⁴He bids us remember for ever that no more sorrow for sin, no more separation from sin is necessary to thy closing with Christ, then so much as makes thee willing, or rather not unwilling, that the Lord should take it away. And know it, if thou seekest for a greater measure of Humiliation, antecedent to thy closing with Christ, then this, thou showest the more pride therein, &c. Yes, blessed Saint, we shall remember well what you bid us remember; for if such a measure of fears and sorrows under the work of Compunction, as works a willingness to be separated from Sin, and so much separation from Sin, as makes us willing, or at least not unwilling, to close with Christ to take it away, if this, I say, be such a true measure of Humiliation, antecedent to our closing with Christ, that it is pride to look for a greater, [and blessed be Grace, we can experience this very well] then I hope our Conversion and Faith in Christ may be sound, though we have not arrived at that pitch to be content to be damned; which is a great part of the next Chapter, treating of Humiliation. Moreover, if this willingness to be separated from Sin, and to take Christ to separate Sin and the Soul, be a distinguishing note between the Elect and Reprobate under Compunction, and this is wrought by the Actual grace of the Spirit of God, and therefore must be a fruit of Gods Love [for certainly all sound Christians look upon their redemption from their lusts, creature, idols, and enmity against God, to be the effects of Gods ⟨p. 89⟩love, as well as redemption from Hell, though this may more affect;

Mr. Shepherd makes Compunction to consist in three things. ¹1. Fear. 2. Sorrow. 3. Separation from sin. [I conceive Separation from Sin is more properly an effect of Compunction, then a part of it. Fear and Sorrow produce this effect, make the Soul not to resist the Spirit, or not unwilling to have his Sin and Soul parted.] ²So much loosening from sin as makes the Soul willing, or at least not unwilling, that the Lord Jesus should take it away. This severing from Sin he conceives to be a further stroke found in the Elect then in the Reprobate: ³Fears and Sorrows were common to both; but this severing from Sin the Spirit works in the Elect under Compunction. ⁴He bids us remember for ever that no more sorrow for sin, no more separation from sin is necessary to thy closing with Christ, then so much as makes thee willing, or rather not unwilling, that the Lord should take it away. And know it, if thou seekest for a greater measure of Humiliation, antecedent to thy closing with Christ, then this, thou shewest the more pride therein, &c. Yes, blessed Saint, we shall remember well what you bid us remember; for if such a measure of fears and sorrows under the work of Compunction, as works a willingness to be separated from Sin, and so much separation from Sin, as makes us willing, or at least not unwilling, to close with Christ to take it away, if this, I say, be such a true measure of Humiliation, antecedent to our closing with Christ, that it is pride to look for a greater, [and blessed be Grace, we can experience this very well] then I hope our Conversion and Faith in Christ may be sound, though we have not arrived at that pitch to be content to be damned; which is a great part of the next Chapter, treating of Humiliation. Moreover, if this willingness to be separated from Sin, and to take Christ to separate Sin and the Soul, be a distinguishing note between the Elect and Reprobate under Compunction, and this is wrought by the Actual grace of the Spirit of God, and therefore must be a fruit of Gods Love [for certainly all sound Christians look upon their redemption from their lusts, creature, idols, and enmity against God, to be the effects of Gods ⟨p. 89⟩love, as well as redemption from Hell, though this may more affect;

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for the whole Soul, and the whole of the Soul, fly from Hell, and dreads that, but Sin yet remains in us] then how the Soul must come to be content without the love of God, though he will never give grace, never work grace, and this must be wrought by the Spirit too, as in his next Chapter, I cannot understand it.

This willingness to be separated from Sin under the work of Compunction (and so proper to the Elect in the work of preparation) Mr. Shepherd observes, is not received by many worthy Divines, who think this belongs to Sanctification, and is wrought in the Soul after union with Christ by Faith. I do indeed find divers able Divines to be of a contrary opinion to Mr. Shepherd, who though they maintain preparatory works before Conversion, yet they think they are common to the Reprobate with the Elect; and that no preparatory works have any certain or necessary connection with the Form that is to be introduced; but they are only material dispositions, which render the subject more susceptive, or fit for the form to be introduced: as dryness in the Wood makes the Wood more fit to receive the fire, but no more fire in the dry, then in the green Wood; so nothing that hath any saving distinction between the Elect and Reprobate prepared; but Faith, answering the Call of God, and uniting to Christ, who is our life, is the first saving distinguishing note.

This willingness to be separated from Sin under the work of Compunction (and so proper to the Elect in the work of preparation) Mr. Shepherd observes, is not received by many worthy Divines, who think this belongs to Sanctification, and is wrought in the Soul after union with Christ by Faith. I do indeed find divers able Divines to be of a contrary opinion to Mr. Shepherd, who though they maintain preparatory works before Conversion, yet they think they are common to the Reprobate with the Elect; and that no preparatory works have any certain or necessary connexion with the Form that is to be introduced; but they are only material dispositions, which render the subject more susceptive, or fit for the form to be introduced: as driness in the Wood makes the Wood more fit to receive the fire, but no more fire in the dry, then in the green Wood; so nothing that hath any saving distinction between the Elect and Reprobate prepared; but Faith, answering the Call of God, and uniting to Christ, who is our life, is the first saving distinguishing note.

This Question, fall it which way it will, makes no trouble to a sound Christian in examining of its work; Separation from Sin must be, Christ only can separate from Sin: The will must take Christ as King, and so must be separated from Sin: So then, the thing be done, whether it were begun under Compunction, before union with Christ, or after union, it matters not; the truth of our Conversion depends not upon the priority in the Question: yet (with submission to other learned Divines) I cannot see that Mr. Shepherd in this point is mistaken, there seems to be clear Reasons on his side. For,

First, I cannot see how it is possible the Soul can hold married affections to two, and those contrary. The Crown and the Bed admit but one. Can the Soul be married to Christ while it is married to its lusts, at the very same time? Will Christ admit this? Or will he not first have a Divorce to be consented to, at least not resisted? How Christ should ingraft or implant the Soul into himself, who grows upon the old Stock, and will not be cut off from it, I cannot tell.