Choice experiences of the kind dealings of God before, in, and after conversion laid down in six general heads : together with some brief observations upon the same : whereunto is added a description of true experience / by J. Turner.

The sixt Note of Experience in relation to Qualifications, the habits of Grace or fruits of the Spirit, how and by what means I have and do daily find an increase or decrease in those things.

TO make way for me to lay down my thoughts as to gracious qualifications, I shall first consider the severall kinds of qualifications, which I con∣ceive may be three, 1. Moral, 2. Legal, 3. Gospel.

By Moral I mean such as are from Moral dictates meerly from nature, Civility, breeding or e∣ducation.

By Legal I mean such as are from legal dictates, meerly from

fear of wrath, without any cleer apprehensions of the free grace of God in the Gospel. But here I desire to be very tender, judg∣ing that it is possible there may be some seeds of the Gospell sowen in such hearts, by which those qualifications may be wrought, though as yet it may not appear, neither to themselves nor others, that they have recei∣ved the Gospel; this only as to possibilities, for ordinarily it is not so.

But thirdly, by Gospel quali∣fications, I mean such as are from Gospel dictates, from a cleer ap∣prehension of the free grace of God therein, being constrained from the Love of Christ, and in obedience to the commands and authority of Christ, the soul giving up it self in all things to be like him, such as are wrought

by the Gospel and spirit received they and they only are the fruits of the spirit; but as for those other qualifications, persons that are ignorant of the Gosspel, and have not received the Spirit, may be eminent in them which in∣deed for that they have such a re∣semblance of the fruits of the Spi∣rit, are great ornaments as to ap∣pearance, though as to inward glory they do many times prove miserable ornaments, being props and staies that keep such persons from coming to Christ, and as it was said of the Phari∣sees, Mat. 21. 31. Publicans and Harlots do enter into the King∣dome rather than they; and this I have experienced, that as to my receiving Christ upon Gos∣spel terms, there was nothing so hard to me as to lay aside all those qualifications as I have al∣ready

exprest in my third and fourth notes of experiences.

Now for the fruits of the spi∣rit what they are, is expressed both in general and particular terms, in general Ephes. 5. 9. the fruits of the spirit is in all good∣ness, righteousness and truth, more particularly Gal. 5. 22, 23. the fruit of the spirit is Love, Joy, Peace, Long suffering, Gen∣tleness, Goodness, Faith, Meek∣ness, Temperance, &c. also there are other things expressed in o∣ther terms in Scriptures which doubtless are likewise fruits of the spirit, though I think with submission to better Judgements all others are included in these, whether it be self denyal, pati∣ence, humility, or the like, These things are excellent orna∣ments which do adorn Christi∣ans in the eyes of men, and do

redound much to the glory of God, and therefore very consi∣derable for Saints to press after them by all means.

I must confess that in the viewing of my own heart I have many times been much grieved to see how short I come in all these things, but especially in some of them, yet through grace I can say I have received a measure of them all, and by ex∣perience do know, if my heart deceive me not, wherein I am weak, and wherein strong, and though I am sure in those in which I am strongest I am but weak, considering how I ought to be.

Now I shall speak a little how and by what means according to my experience, and as I judge ac∣cording to Scripture rule, these things do increase or decrease in Saints.

First, I conceive they increase and are strengthened by a close walking with God in all spiritual duties, especially private duties, meditation, self-examination, self-watching, self-judging, self∣humbling and prayer, which are indeed such duties, as no hypo∣crite can truly do, not that these private duties are above publick but that they prepare for pub∣lick, and by these we are acquain∣ted with our own hearts, & come to know wherein we are weak, and wherin strong, what we have received, and what we want, and so how to apply our selves to God in publick and private, for the subduing of such a corruption, or for the supply of such or such a grace, and this according to my experience, as I have walked more or less close with God in these private duties, so is my pro∣fit

in publique duties, and my strength in qualifications, the ha∣bits of grace more or less, and I am confident, that such persons as are strangers to these private duties, are also strangers to their own hearts, and will not make a∣ny great progress in Christianity; for in the omission of these we are subject to be exercised in things contrary, which do very much interrupt our communion with God, and so weaken the power of every grace in us, or ra∣ther weaken the power of grace in all its effects: for these things are not properly graces, but the effects of grace, which are vari∣ous, and so improperly call'd gra∣ces, as when we do not daily hum∣ble our selves before the Lord, we are subject to exalt our selves be∣fore men, and when we do not watch our own hearts and judge

our selves, we are subject to be judging others, and to watch o∣ver them in an evil way, & when we do not dayly meditate on those excellent qualifications that were in Christ himself, we are subject to see little loveliness in them, and so having a light e∣steem of them, not to press after them, whereas we are to imitate him in all these things, according to Mat. 11. 28, 29. But secondly, The habits of grace, or fruits of the spirit do increase or decrease as we do more or less exercise that measure of them already re∣ceived, and every particular grace is increased by the exercise of it self, and so by much exercise (I mean by dayly acts) they do as it were become natural, as it is said of Timotheus Phi. 2. 20. and the exercise of faith doth directly lead us to the fountain of grace,

in beholding of which glory of God we are changed into the same image, 1 Cor. 3. 18. there is such a transforming nature in it, that the very beholding of it transforms us into the same like∣ness, Rom. 12. 2. and I can truly say from blessed experience, that in the exercise of that measure of grace I have received, thus lead∣ing me to behold the Lord Jesus in what he hath done for me, I have found it more advantagious for the destroying of corruption and for the strengthening me in those things, than in any other means whatsoever; and the rea∣son why many persons do sit a long time in the profession of truth, and yet continue weak, ignorant, barren, and fruitless branches, it is because as they are remiss in private duties, so they do not exercise that measure of

grace received, and so by a heed∣less, careless, carnall walking, the heart grows carnal, and their is rather a decrease than increase in all spiritual strength.

But some will say, can any do these things of themselves? and doth not God give grace freely both in and after conversion?

To which I answer, yea, but in the work of conversion we are passive, I mean as to inward spi∣ritual activity, we can do no∣thing being dead, according to Ephes. 2. 1. 2 Cor. 5. 14. Joh. 5. 25. not excluding those duties which God requires from all, as hearing the Gospel, reading, &c. through which God hath promised to convey spiritual life, Esay 55. 3. Rom. 10. 17. but after conversion we are active, and therefore com∣manded to keep our selves in the love of God▪ Jude 12. To add to our

faith, vertue, to vertue knowledge, &c. 2 Pet. 1. 5. with many other such like Scriptures, Not that we are sufficient of our selves to do any thing as of our selves, but our suffici∣is of God, 2 Cor. 3. 5. who is pleased to give in dayly supplies, and in the dayly exercise of what we have to give us more, yet all of grace, freely, and so grace for grace, as appears in the 1. of John 6. yet notwithstanding all that I have written, I judge that its possible some Saints may be very diligent in the use of all means, for the subduing of some particular corruptions, and for the supply of some particular grace, and yet not attain it, but God is pleased to withhold it from them, and lest they should be to much exalted, to leave some corruption for them to

strive, and struggle with, it may be as long as they live, which for ought I know was Pauls very case 2 Cor. 12. 8. and the Lord may ex∣ercise one grace in us by the want of another, yea all by the want of one, not that Saints are with∣out all in their nature, but as to a greater measure in some particu∣lars; and so far as I have experi∣enced, this though I am still sub∣ject to suspect my own diligence in the use of means, I can truly say, That God is never wanting in such cases, with supports from himself, saying, my grace is suffi∣cient for thee, my power is made manifest in weakness, 2 Cor. 12. 9. and though sin be in you, it shall shall not reign there, neither shall it have dominion over you, be∣cause yea are not under the law, but under Grace, Rom. 6. 11, 12, 1••. I shall say no more now of these

things, but beg of God that my self with all Saints may press more after them.