An answer to the discourse of Mr. William Sherlock, touching the knowledge of Christ,…

Suppose a Man have this Conviction,¹ Compunction, Humiliation, is this a sufficient reason to lay hold upon Christ by Faith? by no means: The end of Conviction is Compunction, the end of Compunction Humiliation; and all this carries us no nearer to Christ, than quietly to lye down before God, that he may do what he will with us, he may save or damn us: So that all this ⟨p. 511⟩contributes nothing to our union to Christ, but brings us to such a temper of mind, as to be content to have Christ, or go without him as God shall please; this is all Men get by Humiliation, that if the Lord intend to do them good, this is the way in which he will do it; but though they be humbled, they cannot be sure whether God intend to do them good or not; therefore we are told, we are as much bound to submit to God, whether he will save or damn us, as we are to submit to the disposal of God, as to any common mercy; though you must pray for mercy, it must be with submission to Gods good will; saying, the Lords will is good, whether it be to save or damn; but mine is evil, though it be to be saved, and have Jesus Christ: Nay, we are much more bound to submit to God, whether he will save or damn us, than we are to submit in the lesser concernments of this life; if it be pride to murmur, in case the Lord deny you smaller matters, the off-alls of this life; is it not greater pride to quarrel with him, if he deny the greater, the things of another life? Is he bound to give thee greater, who doth not owe thee the least? The Lord gives you life, but you ask for treasures of ⟨p. 512⟩Grace and Mercy; (now God hath given you life, you would live for ever, an unpardonable fault this!) thousands of pounds, Christ and all he is worth, and the Lord seems to deny you, and now you sink and grow sullen; may not the Lord say, Was there ever such pride & insolence? as to be unwilling to be damned for ever; though I dare say, this is not the pride which cast the Angels out of Heaven; so that though Humiliation be the way to Christ, yet it brings us never the nearer him; when all is done, we are where we were: Before Humiliation, it was at Gods pleasure, whether we should have Christ or not, and so it is still.

1. 1Mr Sherlock.