unto me he hath pulled me in pieces and set me as a mark for the arrow he hath caused the arrow of his quiver to enter into my reins he hath â—illed me with bitternâ—…s and made me drunken with wormwood he hath bâ—oken my teeth with gravel stones he hath covered me with ashes and this hath been of so long continuance upon mee that I have forgotten prosperity I can 17. scarce remember that ever I had a better day And therefore it is no wonder if I conclude that my strength and my hope is perished from the Lord. Oh saith the Church this was 18. my very case when I remembred my affliction 19. the wormwood and the gall I even said as thou dost But I withall considered that though my case were bad yet it might have been worse sure God hath shewn me some mercy in that I live It is of the mercies 〈◊〉 the Lord 22. c. Therefore have I hope and therefore I 23. c. to 32. conclude that though the Lord cause grief yet he will have compassion c. Read that Chapter ter all over I have given but a draught of it and therein see thy case and thy cure As to thy own experiences urge his preservation of thee and support thus long and plead for its continuance Obj. But how can I hope Hope proceeds from faith and I cannot believe for I am yet you tell me in a state of Nature till by these troubles God converts me Answ 'T is true of the grace of hope that it proceeds from faith in order of nature and is a fruit of conversion 1 Pet. 1. 3. and till conversion we cannot rejoyce in hope of the glory of God But there is another hope that is not always gracious though possibly sometimes grace may be seminally in it and may first appear by it as the first act of faith may appear in such an act of hope as this True I am a condemned creature but there are such and such free offers of Christ and promises of mercy to sinners indefinitely and why not to me yet I say this hope is not always gracious because it is common to presumptuous as well as repenting sinners and is the very ground on which they presume This hope I shall for distinctions sake call a moral or rational hope because it is gathered from the general promises of Scripture in a rational way as also because it is but a general probable hope that is accompanied only with opinion and not faith though it may ground faith as to its act of reliance upon Christ and the promise of mercy in him where the Spirit of God pleaseth to infuse faith in such a rational way as divers times he doth Whereas the hope that flows from faith is a spiritual and infused hope and is not so much the apprehending a possibility as expecting a certainty of fulfilling the promise to me in particular arising I mean in the acts of it not in the habit or seed of it for that is infused in the first vital act of reliance upon Christ which unites to Christ and so justifies arising I say from the particular evidence of my justification by faith and so from an act of assurance and is higher or lower like it Distinguish thus The one is a kind of negative hope the other a positive The one saith I am not excluded the other saith I am included It s language is Why not I Now 't is the former hope that rational moral hope I advise thee to keep alive in thy soul Let no power of corruption no strength of temptation no length or grievousnesse of thy soul troubles no false conclusions from Gods decree of reprobation c. drive thee out of a firm assent to this proposition that though thy case be sad yet it is not desperate God hath invited such as thou art hath offered Christ and grace freely to thee among others and therefore thou art by no positive declared act of Gods excluded more then any other It is a great support that a soul in this case gets by such an argument as this is For although grace do not always attend or accompany this hope yet the Spirit of God doth use it as it doth all other preparatory works to dispose the soul for grace Nay I know not but that if the soul follow this moral hope with a constant use of all means and ordinances and in them resolve to cast himselfe upon Christ to be saved by him in his own way and upon his own terms why this hope may not be the immediate ground if not the vehicle or chariot of the very first act of justifying faith Wherefore 3ly Let this hope produce waiting Think not that thou art presently cast off by God because he doth not presently as to thy sense answer thy desires There is a great deal of impatience usually in troubled spirits And there is reason why such souls should be subject to that failing For the wound of the spirit is an intolerable wound Prov. 18. 14. And nothing is more grievous to a man in intolerable pain and anguish then delays Hear me speedily saith David else shall I be like unto them that goe down into the pit Psalm 143. 7. and when God hides long he apprehends it will be for ever Psalm 13. 1. But we must labour against this corruption and endeavour to bring our souls to a contentednesse to wait for Gods salvation as long as he thinks fit to exercise and discipline us in that condition The Scripture abounds in exhortations promises and examples pressing home this duty upon us The place Lam. 3. 26. requires not only hope but waiting the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 siluit a quiet silent waiting free from clamorous complaints against God murmuring at his delays and desperate expressions of despondency of Spirit And we have a great encouragement hereunto if we consider 1. That this time of delay is Gods waiting time as well as ours Is 30. 18. The Lord therefore waits that he may be gracious and indeed he hath waited upon us many years before he could prevail with us to give him the hearing of any his gracious invitations and do we now think it much to wait on him till he hear us Besides 2. Saving grace is a thing worth the waiting for Thou hast heard often and prayed often thou saist and yet seest no fruit of it thou hast obtained neither grace nor peace conversion nor comfort remember what the Apostle saith Jam. 5. 7. though with relation to another fruit i. e. the fruit of external sufferings yet the force of his argument is no lesse herein also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lengthen out the patience into long suffering Behold your husbandman 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lengthens out his hope though the seed come not up after the first rain yet he expects another shower it is not ripe as soon as it growes up it may bee a
not as actually and assuredly so but as one that hath offered himselfe to that relation and will own it to those that upon that offer claim it at his hands Thence though they know not God to be their Fateer yet they lay hands on him upon his free offer as engaged to be their Father and so by frequent acts of relyance grow up into assurance that he is so when they find such fruâ—ts of their reliance as evidence a real relation between God and them I know many of Gods Saints do and I think they should call God Father when they scarce know whether they may be so bold or no and speed that way 3. That if any one of Gods elect want the assuring testimonies of Gods Spirit it is their own fault seeing God holds it forth to them in many a precious promise And if they dare not call God Father it is because through clouds of temptation and corruption they darken those evidences which might demonstrate their sonship For justification and sanctification if discovered are sure foundations of comfort and assurance Thence their condition is exprest by darknesse which is not the extinguishing of light in the object or in the eye but clouding it 4. Of those that have this assurance and enlargement thereupon very few or none keep it at all times alike and can alike improve it on every occasion Great sinnes and great troubles c. may many times cloud and sometimes as to the act blot out the evidence of their Adoption Thus David wanted this Spirit Psal 51. 11. 12. A child having offended may scarce dare call Father whiles that guilt remains uncovered 5. Even the high and heroical acts of assuring faith in Gods Saints are not always free from some mixture of doubting else there were no difference between assurance and plerophory or full assurance Answ â— But to answer more particularly 1. To the first Question 1. All the Elect of God have not presently when called the particular assuring testimony of Gods Spirit though even that belongs to them because of some obstructions that either from Satan or their own hearts may be put in their way A man may be long a child of God before he know himself to be so There must in order of nature be the certitudo objecti before certitudo subjecti for I can never be sure of a thing before it is And how long this proposition I am justified may be true before this I know I am justified I cannot tell it may be divers years 2. An elect child of God for any thing I know or to my utmost knowledge the Scripture reveals may go to heaven without that particular actual assurance or a particular confidence to addresse himself to God as his Father otherwise then by claim as before for I conceive it is not essential to the having of eternal Life to know that a man hath grace actually but only to have those things in him whence the evidence of the truth of grace may be to a clearer and more enlightened spirit discovered Though it be said He that believeth not shall be damned yet it is no where said he that knows not he believes shall be damned 3. Yet is every such elect child of God The reality of his relation to God produceth in a Saint those fruits even when he himselfe doth not know them As appears in second troubles in Gods people after conversion Faith produceth those acts not by its assuring but uniting act carryed out after holinesse and obedience to God by the secret seed of God that is in him by a natural inclination I mean from the new nature though he be not so visibly acted by moral perswasion or force of argument from graces received as those that see they have grace and are adopted usually be As in those creatures that want reason there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in Infants a natural love to parents though they cannot argue themselves by reason into the duties that evidence it from the particular knowledge of that relation And upon the same account they are affected with the evil of displeasing their parents although they feele no stripes and do not draw out that sorrow by argument from their Fathers love 2. To the Second Question I answer 1 That neither is it necessarily thus in all that have been under a Spirit of Bondage though elected upon the reasons before alledged 2. Yet have such that have been under a Spirit of Bondage more special promises of this kind which could they lay all hold on they would attain it but Satan taking the work of the Spirit out of his hand and finding them prepared for such impressions of trouble by the former work keeps the very stamp of a Spirit of Bondage on them when they are as to their condition under a Spirit of Adoption Mat. 11. 28. Isa 57. 15. 3. Nay when they get comfort and assurance it is commonly the stronger and more full and firm Understand this point thus then That usually and in Gods ordinary way of dealing with his Elect when he hath brought them under bondage by the Spirit he doth send them a Spirit of Adoption in its evidencing acts as well as in the rest Though he may sometime vary from the usual and ordinary rule And the giving of the Spirit of Adoption in these acts is to be understood as that of the Spirit of Bondage and its method before discovered that except possibly in some few singular cases it is ordinarily so CHAP. IV Arguments to prove this Thesis or Proposition NOw let us advance to the proof of the Thesis Quest How appears it that God doth so ordinarily Ans 1 By his Promises 2 By his Design in bringing under the Spirit of Bondage 3 By the Duties that he expects of his Saints 4 By the Experiences of his people Arg. 1 By his Promises which engage him thereunto John 16 10 11 12 the same spirit that is promised to convince of sin saith Christ shall convince of righteousness and of judgment Of righteousnesse because I go to the Father i. e. he shall convince poor burthened souls that there is a sufficient righteousness in me to cover the guilt of all their sins and this by my Ascension which declares the full discharge of the debt which on the behalf of my Elect I contracted and because I go to my Father my admission to my Father gives full assurance that I am again received into his favour and so there remains no cause of his displeasure against mee or mine that cast themselves upon me for righteousnesse Of Judgment i. e. of the truth and reality of their own graces as Isai 43. 1 3. Or Of judgment because the Prince of this world is judged i. e. a judgment of absolution of their persons and cause which shall appear by the contrary sentence on their accuser it shall be made appear that God hath condemned him that accused you and kept you in
to me in my infancy and therefore I want the lively and sensible application of the element to me which might possibly if it were now to be done prove effectual to give me this assurance What use can I make of such a past Sacrament Were it not beter to re-new it Answ Thou mayst make the same use of it as the Jews did of circumcision although many years after The Jews children no more saw their own circumcision understandingly then thou didst thy Baptisme Object Yea but the mark of Circumcision saythe Anabaptists was visible afterwards and so though they were circumcised in infancy yet they might know that they were so otherwise then by bare relation But I know that I am baptized merely by the relation of friends or the Register Answ The Jewes when men might see that their foreskin had been cut off but that it was done in a sacramental way they knew onely by relation as we have our Baptisme For how did a Jew know that he was borne of Jewish Parents and not of Ishmaels posterity or Esaus among whom circumcision continued when the Covenant was removed from them but by tradition But I will rell thee how thou shalt improve even thy Infant Baptisme Whenever then thou seest that sacrament administred upon others reflect upon thy self and draw an Argument of Assurance from it thus Loe here my soul the bloud of Christ in the element of water not only powred out but applyed to yonder little one And hath not God done as much for me And hath he thus sealed to me the promise of pardon and shall I not believe it Have not I performed by his grace my 1 Pet. 3. 21. Anima non lavatione sed responsione sancitur Tert. l. de resurrectione carnis part of the Covenant in the answer of a good conscience seriously desiring and resolving to take him for my God and do my duty to him to the utmost in the strength of Christ And shall I doubt his performance on his part Did not God shew his willingness to receive mee into his favour and pardon my sins when he was so gracious as to seal his Covenant to me in my very infancy Sure that was a great mercy to me that God afforded me that seal then whereas if I had lived unbaptised to these years possibly my scrupulous spirit would have kept me from it altogether as being unfit to receive it as now it See more of this in another Treatise of the same Authour concerning the practical use of Infant Baptism lately published doth from the other Sacrament Now seeing the Lord hath prevented me with this mercy and claimed me before I could claim him let me not think he will not hold his claim to me now I do claim and lay hold upon him and let me not doubt but if I follow after him I shall in time apprehend that for which I am apprehended in this visible way of claim by Christ 2. The Lords Supper This is an Ordinance in which rightly received Assurance comes on horse-back to the soul if I may so speak so many speaking actions and so many speciall applications in the name of Christ by a Minister standing in the stead and representing the person of Christ may probably be the means to conveigh this blessed message to thy soul from Jesus Christ Sonne or Daughter be of good cheer thy sinnes are forgiven thee CHAP. XVII Containing some practicall cases concerning the Lords Supper with relation hereunto BUt here ariseth an objection Object I am not a fit receiver without this Testimony of the Spirit which you speak of and therefore 't is improper to bid me seek that testimony this way whereas I cannot apply my selfe to this way till I have it in actual assurance Answ Hereto I answer Negatively That proposition which is the ground of thy mistake is but mistaken for truth to wit That none is a fit receiver of the Sacrament of the Lords Body and Bloud but one that is certified by the Testimony of the Spirit that he is a Child of God This is that that puzzles and embroyls many a poor soul that he knowes not which way to take between sinning against Gods invitation in refusing to come and against the institution in coming unworthily But I hope to speak a word satisfactorily in this case That this is a mistaken principle I prove by this Argument The actual assurance mentioned is not required under any of those things wherein we are to examine our selves before we come therefore 't is not necessary to make a fit receiver The graces to bee examined among the Protestant Divines are usually these four Knowledge Faith Charity and Repentance Under Knowledge Charity and Repentance I believe no man comprehends the certainty of his interest in Christ they being graces in their natures quite different from it though possibly in some higher actings of them it be supposed I dare not think there can be none of these without Assurance All the doubt is concerning Faith whether the Faith required to the receiving the Lords Supper be not Faith of perswasion that I am a Child of God from the Testimony of the Spirit I conceive the Faith required to my coming to the Lords Supper is no more but the having accepted the terms of Salvation revealed through Christ my having claimed my share in the free offer thereof in the Gospel and my reliance and dependance upon Gods faithfulnesse in the making that claim good unto me And if I can find these acts have seriously to my utmost knowledg and search been performed by me I need examine no further whether I have sufficient Faith to fit me for the Sacrament And my grounds are 1. Because by these acts there is a real application of the soul to Jesus Christ for justification which the Scripture expresseth by coming to Christ believing and trusting in him as was before shewn and of Christ to the soul which is expressed by receiving him and Psalm 2. 12 John 1. 12 in these acts the nature of faith as it applies Christ for justification is sufficiently expressed Now those that come to Christ cannot be supposed to have the witnesse of the Spirit in their heart that they are Christs For rest or peace of Conscience which is the immediate fruit of that assuring Testimony of the Spirit is promised as the consequent of coming to Christ Mat. 11. 28. and becoming the children of God which is lesse then knowing we are so is set down as the consequent of receiving Christ Joh. 1. 20 And therefore by the way to receive Christ is not to know that I am a child of God but to apply my self to him that I may be so And as for trusting or believing in Christ that it is truly done without actual assurance is clear because trusting in Christ the object of the Gospel is spoken of by way of distinction from this sealing or assuring act of the Spirit as that which goes before
benefits to be laid hold on by me being the ground of faith the frequent repetition of that representation especially by such visible signes must needs feed it And suppose it feed meerly a faith of Applicatory reliance and adherence yet as you have been also before taught Acts of Reliance frequently exercised will grow into Acts of Assurance 4 Conference with the people of God especially those who have maintain a constant communion and familiar acquaintance with God such as walk in the light of his countenance and the joy of the holy Ghost all the day long A man that will keep a good constitution of body will sometimes converse and discourse with an aged healthy father know of him how he hath ordered himself to live to that age and maintained a constant good temper of body so long And it would be much for our advantage to converse with such persons as are most commonly in the Sunshine to learn from them how they maintain such a constant light upon their spirits whereas others have it but as a flash of lightning and it vanisheth away again how it comes to passe that God that is to others but like a sojourner or a Traveller that tarryeth but for a night becomes their constant Inmate Besides such persons mouthes are usually full of the high praises of God they speak of Psal 149. 6 the righteousnesse of God and make their boasts of God all the day long They will tell Psal 44. 8 and 71. 24 you what God hath done for their souls Psal 66 16. and glad they will be that you will give them the hearing with any delight Now it must needs feed the same gracious assurance in you to find others record the same great things of God working for and towards them which you find in your selfe As it increaseth confirmeth a mans knowledg to talk with knowing men concerning their experiences in that way of learning in which he himself is a Practitioner A melancholy man is affected more deeply with the sad stories of a melancholy companion and no question but there is a like sympathy in the affections of joy and confidence c. So it is in way of Duty As iron sharpneth iron so doth the countenance of a man his friend saith Solomon And no question God will blesse that means which he himselfe hath bestowed upon others that they may administer upon occasion 2 Cor. 1. 5. 2. Strengthning Exercises Exercise of Acts of assurance strengthens the Habits Renew the Acts of that faith of evidence which thou hast every morning and evening or oftner if it may be frequently every hour as God gives occasion Get renewed experiences of the love of God often by trusting him often in particular cases David often doth so for the conquering of such or such a corruption for the resisting such or such a particular temptation c. Adventure your selves now and then upon the credit of particular Promises which are so many Specimina so many exemplifications of our interest in God Answers of Prayers in particular cases are a great strengthening to Assurance Saving gifts and sanctifying gifts are in themselves evidences of Gods love much more when particularly asked Yet take need of tempting God Which I do 1 When I oblige him absolutely where he is bound but conditionally As in temporals and in spirituals not absolutely necessary in themselves or not so necessary as some other thing may be which possibly we ask not 2 When I put too much weight upon my desires as resolving to make experiments of Gods love by them and to conclude in case of suspension or denyal that it is an answer from God that he loves me not God will not have them made trials of his love A Father will not allow a child to say Father if you love me give me this or that But when a child submissively begs and receives them he will allow him to say Now I know my Father loves me by his giving such and such things 3 When I tye God up to circumstances of time manner measure Let me ask the things believingly according to the rule of the Word as far as they are good for me i. e. may not hinder some better designe of God or a greater good to me and if I receive take comfort in my Answers from God as those that are so many pregnant examples of his care for me 3 Strengthning Providences Providence alone is no evidence that God loves me but when he doth love a man before and a man knowes it by more certain rules this is a good confirmation to our faith Psalm 41. 11. such a one David calls a token for good Psal 86. 17. Some passages of providence have a stamp of some immediate interposition of divine grace and power for a mans good CHAP. XXVIII The discovery of several moths that eat out a Christians Evidences 3 TAke heed of several things that tend to the weakning of Assurance that promote Satans malignant design against it 1 Of spiritual pride This is a sin which is fed by the highest attainments of a Christian in this life It is thought it got into heaven in the falling Angels 'T is a hard matter for a poor contemptible worm to be taken up into the bosom and familiar acquaintance with God and not to be proud of it The proudest persons in earthly Courts are those who from a mean estate are raised up to be Favourites The stronger the liquor is that a man drinks the sooner it will flye up into his brain and intoxicate him Temporal distinctions between Saints and others find matter enough in our corrupt natures to blow up our hearts with high conceits And certainly then that which makes great difference if it find an heart apt to kindle will make the fire of pride and self-conceit flame much more But this is a dangerous sin in such a case 'T is the ready way to procure an abatement at least if not a total with-drawing of the fewel that kindles it This is a continual smoak in Gods nose a thing that wil make him turn away his face Isai 65. 5. See a remarkable example in this case 2 Cor. 12. 7. The Apostle Paul had been taken up by a special rapture into the third Heaven and had abundance of high revelations and likely enough hee was apt to be lifted up with them in his own spirit But lest it should be so God graciously prevents the kindling of spiritual pride by a Messenger of Satan which was sent on purpose to buffet him to prevent it and he was in such a case that he was faine to pray hard and often I petitioned the Lord thrice and yet he could not prevail for the removal of it If God give such harsh potions for the meer prevention of this Disease how bitter think we will he give for the healing of it Sad temptations sad falls and sad desertions ordinarily attend spiritual pride 1 This occasioneth the
body to mind us that wee are men and our breath is in his hand and his onely So in our graces wee are apt to bee lifted up with high actings of grace and in such elevations wee despise our weake brethren and censure them if they walke not up even with us or if they faile especially in any grosser way wee forget against the rule that wee also may be tempted Gal. 6. 1. 2. Dependent not only upon publique ordinances where God hath promised his especial quickening pâ—esence and where the Saints have used to find recovering remedies under spiritual decaies but also on private communion even with weaker brethren and principally upon himself in the use of both Psal 30. 6. 3. Wathfull lest the strength and lustre and glory of our graces be lost through our default lest the Divel throw in diversions from unnecessary things to coole and abate our zeale in those that are more necessary and momentous lest the world and its allurements inveigle us into its embraces and like Sampson in Delilahs lap we lose our strength by our dalliances Lastly lest by the misemploying gracious opportunies wee suffer our graces to starve for want of that food that should sustain them our strength is maintained by watchfulnesse Rev. 3. 2. 6. Oftentimes a contemptible temptation foyls a strong grace for want of preparation managing it in a regular way drawing stâ—ength in from God c. Souldiers say 't is not good to despise an enemy be he never so smal and contemptible such many times do much mischiefe by being neglected 7 Many times decays may not be the abatements of the actings of grace but of our own over-actings It may be I may have had more seeming zeal formerly then now I seem to have But was not my zeal more rash heady inconsiderate more mixed with selfe c. and so heightened by its imperfections and blemishes If so to continue it so were to grow in sinne rather then grace So my faith in some of its preceding actings might possibly make too bold with God depending on him besides the rule of his word and it may be occasioned by a neglect of means c. there might be much of presumption in it Now it may be I trust God and am as zealous for him as formerly but those graces act more regularly and not with so much disorder and distemper as formerly So in repentance and godly sorrow for sinne many times worldly and selfish considerations mix with it to heighten it many times the shame and disgrace that accompanies sinne the afflictions and crosses that attend it may bee some of those things whose influence may heighten it c. 2. The habits of grace may not only stand at their former pitch their bow may not only abide in strength but may grow more radicated and be more strengthened and disposed for more operations under the most sensible decays of the actings and operations of them As many times in the winter a mans hands and feet may be benummed with cold when his stomack and intrals are most hot Now to understand this you must know 1. That there is an universal habit of grace allow me the expression which is called the new man the new creature c. And this universal habit of grace is like the habitual life and heate that is in the heart of a living body There are also special habits of such and such particular graces which symbolize with the heat and life which is in the particular members of the body 2. Now as in the natural body if the heart be strengthened in a disease though the out most members languish the patient is in a hopefull way of recovery and never the nearer death for losing the flesh off his ribs and face so if the heart of grace the main frame of grace in the soul be strengthened the decayes in some actings of particula graces matter not much 3. The increase of any one particular grace strengtheneth and so farre improveth in a sort the general habit of grace though other particular graces increase not As the addition of a bucket of water to the Thames makes the whole body and bulke of waters so much the bigger And the tree is greater by the growth of one branch A man is more gracious by the growth of humility meekness though it may be he is not more believing c. 4. There are particular habits of grace and they in themselves never decay but they may be obstructed and clogged as to their operations Indeed no gracious habit can properly be said to grow or decay but only with respect to the acts that flow from it For the nature of these divine qualities is not as that of moral habits which are gotten by acts and lost by the disuse of them these being infused of God and never to bee lost cannot decay for then were they to bee lost also all corruptiblenesse tending to corruption That Souldier that may be beaten from his first ground if the assault bee followed may be routed and utterly beaten out of the field Now that these things are so appears because do but remove the obstructions and grace in such persons will act as vigorously as ever it did Samsons strength appeared not to be abated by his binding for when he was loose hee laid the Philistines heaps upon heaps as ever hee did before 5. Thou mayst be strongest many times in that particular grace where thou thinkest thou art weakest As that part of a garrison may be best lined with men where the bulwark is lowest So the poor man that cryed out Lord help my unbelief had then a greater faith then he was aware of And the poor woman of Canaan when she dared not claim a childs portion but ranks her self with the dogges yet relying still on Christ for an answer of grace was so eminent in faith that Christ himself admires her for it Mat. 15. 28. O woman great is thy faith There is a mystery of godlinesse in this which is not easily understood but by those that have their spiritual senses exercised by frequent combats and conflicts CHAP. XLIV A Case how a Saint may in the midst of the most sensible actuall decays know whether the Habits of grace grow or no. Quest I come now to the second Question last propounded How a man may know whether he grow in grace notwithstanding his present supposed sensible Decays Answ I answer 1. In some general rules for the managery of this examination Those are 1. Take heed you enquire not too rigorously after a too suddain improvement If a man cast his grain into the ground it were unreasonable he should complain it is dead because it appears not above ground the next day or if he should walking in his field every day complain to day that it is grown nothing since yesterday because he cannot discerne it Had the man patience to look on it at convenient distances of time experience would
especial influence i. e. by way of gifts for in all this there may be no grace It may be of very great use many times to observe how in our common motions and actions about ordinances there is many times a particular providence ordering and a particular influence of the Spirit exciting 2. In all this I imply not any necessity of connexion nor tye between these Acts and Grace Nor therein do I any way symbolize with the Papists and Arminians who tell us that if we use nature well and doe its utmost God is bound ex congruo to give grace For there is no promise in Scripture that ties God to any meerly natural or moral act of ours but onely to gracious acts and all those promises which respect any operation of ours suppose the first grace already given And when God therefore makes promises to hearing reading praying either those acts must be gracious or else they must be interpreted thus Do you such duties follow such means and if ever I save you I will meet you onely in that way I will give as many as belong to the election of grace power to believe c. through praying hâ—aring meditation c. And thence it is that those promises are not fulfilled to al that perfrom these actions Because though God have made such a promise of giving grace in such a way yet it runs not in this sense I will give grace to all that hear pray c. Whereas promises that are made to grace are universal He is rich to al that call upon him i. e. graciously whosoever beleeveth shall not perish but have everlasting life Rom. 10. 12. so 3. 16. Besides these acts are meer natural acts splendida peccata and therefore they can have no moral influence on God 3. Yet must we note for our encouragement that although God in truth be not bound to any mans endeavours but is as free to give and deny grace as he was before any of them yet God seldom if ever hath been observed to fail any in their expectations of grace from him doing in the way of means what they by the power of nature can and the Spirit of God moves them unto So that no man ever perished under the enjoyment of such means but he may justly stop his mouth before God and say I justly perish notwithstanding my impotency to do my duty and Gods decree of not vouchsafing me sufficient grace for conversion because I have done lesse towards the attaining it then I could For who knows or how knew I that God would not have given me sufficient grace had I done my utmost though notwithstanding he was absolutely free to deny me CHAP. XXVIII A few Objections removed and thereby a close put to this Treatise BUt me thinks I hear some one objecting Object But why must I seek for such conviction and especially labour in Ordinances and duties to come under the work of a Spirit of bondage God can if he will save me in another way And that you seemed at the entrance into this point to grant when you call this the ordinary way and are tender of denying a possibility of an extraordiry and different course Answ 1. God can if he will but God will not do all he can do God could of stones raise up children to Abraham but he would not Christ could have converted the Scribes and Pharisees by a sign from heaven when they asked it and have sent Dives from hell to convert his brethren but because they would not submit to and were undisposed to profit by the ordinary means he would not but calls the first Tempters of Mat. 16. 1. God for desiring an extraordinary signe when they had ordinary means search the Scriptures c. John 5. 39. And tells the last that extraordinary means will not work on men without the grace of God to back them more then ordinary and that 't is unlikely if God do not blesse the ordinary way unto us that he will the extraordinary They have Moses and the Prophets saith Abraham to Dives in the Parable if they will not hear them neither would they believe if Luk. 16. 3 one should rise from the dead 2. What reason hast thou to expect that God shall go out of his ordinary rode way to meet thee in thy by-paths Hath God made thee any promise more then to others Hath he excepted thee by name in those commands in which he hath required attendance on his Ordinances Hast thou obliged him by any courtesie to take extraordinary pains with thee If thou canst plead nothing more then another then think rather if God have left thousands to perish without calling them in an extraordinary way for their contempt of the ordinary why not me 3. Take this for a certain rule God never condescended to do an extraordinary work for the conviction and conversion of those who out of designe break themselves off from the ordinary that they may put him to the cost of it Indeed 't is thought by some that the Jews shall be converted by a signe from heaven but if so yet consider they are in such a dispersed condition that they are not capable of means in an ordinary way and so totally prejudiced against the truth that they do not out of designe reject that which they are convinced is Gods ordinary way of conversion to put God to the expence of a miracle but they really think they are in the true way and Ordinances profane and truth errour And Lastly Though signes may occasion their conviction of the truth of Christian Religion yet without all doubt their saving conversion in and by it shall be in the ordinary way This extraordinary signe shall set home the light of the prophesies and history of Christ crucified and so be the occasion not the cause of their conversion For they shall be convinced of their murthering and piercing the Lord of glory and they shall upon the fight of him mourne Zech. 12. 10. It is all one as if he should say they shall bee convinced of sinne and close with Christ as a Saviour and their Saviour and then mourn that they have pierced him 4. 'T is contrary to thy principles of common prudence in other things The market is the ordinary way to get food thou wilt not neglect that on this ground and so phisick of health c. Thou wilt not say I need not go to the market to buy or sell provision this weeke thou wilt not open shop c. because God can provide for thy selfe and thy family in an extraordinary way And no man when he is sick will except in a phrensy refuse to admit the physician because God can cure in a miraculous way yea and raise the very dead Why should any man adventure his soul upon those principles upon which he will not hazard his body or estate 5. When men will not wait upon God in his ordinary way of conversion it is just
good reason for the joy of the Lord is their strength Nehem. 8. 10. Though God bear somtimes with their weakness as well as darkness 3 Thankfulnesse Indeed there is a thankfulnesse arising from temporal and common mercies and there is a thankfulness for general and comprehensive Promises and free offers of Christ and Ordinances c. before Assurance But thankfulnesse is never so large so liberal as upon assurance then a man can give thanks in all things and for all things 2 Thess 5. 18. then he cryes out What shall I render unto the Lord Psal 116. 2 12. and then his language is full Blesse the Lord O my soul and all that is within me praise his holy name Psal 103. 1 2 4 Sometimes to deny all and suffer for him 'T is also true a man that sees not the love of God to him may go very far upon conscience of duty and upon a meer faith of relyance upon general Promises and upon secret supports of the Spirit by which he keeps up hope in himself that such Promises may be his upon the necessity of that choice which he is put upon taking that as the safer way which carries him out to adventure himselfe that way rather then certainly ruine himself by Apostasie So was that holy man carryed to the stake before he cryed out He is come he Glover in Acts and Monum is come But it is very seldom that a soul will go so far meerly upon a faith of relyance and therefore God ordinarily gives such persons special Assurances the Spirit fils their hearts with comfort joy and peace and this will make them far more Heroical in suffering Acts 7. 55 56. 2 Cor. 1. 4. Guilt of sin saddens a suffering to a man So doth uncertainty of his estate for the future for who will adventure soul and body at once if he judg his condition in a rational account but a desperate man And if Saints in darknesse suffer much it is by extraordinary support But on the other side when a man can look within the vail by assurance and challenge glory The sufferings are not worthy the glory that shall be revealed Rom. 8. 18. 2 Cor. 4. ult Arg. 4 the experiences of Gods people constantly manifest this One while we have David complaining of broken bones and a watered couch c. another while he is all joy and praises Those Acts 2 whose hearts were pricked so deeply what is the issue of it see v. 46. They did break bread from house to house and eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart See what became of the Jailor after his trembling fit Acts 16. 34 He rejoiced believing with all his house And certainly although God may save a soul and bring him to heaven hood-winked yet it is very seldom that he doth so but that at one time or another carrying on his people in constant acts of reliance he gives them a witnessing and assuring spirit at the last CHAP. V. Reasons of Gods working in this way by his Spirit COme we now to the Reasons of this Proposition Quest Why will God bestow the Spirit of Adoption upon his Elect after the Spirit of Bondage Answ For these Reasons principally Reas 1 Because Religion else would be an uncomfortable profession and would have little alluring in it to the eyes of those that are without Men are apt to receive prejudices against Religion as that which will put a period to all their comforts And this mistake is much occasioned in them by the sad and drooping lives of those that profess it So that were it not that usually God brings joy out of sorrow and puts on his Saints the garment of joy for the spirit of heavinesse no man would chuse the wayes of God that are strewed with so many thornes and difficulties but rather chuse to wallow in sinful and worldly pleasures As the afflictions of the godly and the prosperity of the wicked in outward things are great stumbling blocks so much more would burthens of spirit if they should be constantly and unremoveably laid on the spirits of the Saints Surely God that will have us tender of the credit of Religion in our carriages will not prostitute it by any carriage of his own Reas 2 The Lord doth it that he may keep up the spirits of his people from fainting under a spirit of bondage Soul troubles are tedious troubles spending troubles Those Diseases that affect the spirits are so in the body and therefore they had need of strong Cordials to keep up their hearts who are under such Diseases Soul troubles overwhâ—lm the spirits Psal 142. 3. and 143. 4 Soul troubles sink and drown the spirits and if God should not now and then support his people with a Cordial they would faint away quite Stay me with flagons comfort me with apples for I am sick of love Cant. 2. 5. Psal 119. 91. My soul fainteth for thy salvation Now the strongest Cordial God gives his people at such a time is this that they shall have an expected end that he will not contend for ever and this is the reason why he gives them this assurance Lest the Spirit should fail before me Isai 57. 16. or as others ne spiritus obruatur lest the spirit should be overwhelmed This supports the Church in a waiting frame Lam. 3. 26 31 32. Reas 3 That he may thereby in their own judgments and consciences confute the hard thoughts they usually have of him in times of darkness Mans heart under soul troubles is a forge of all misapprehensions and unjust censures concerning God Sometimes he is an enemy a cruel one sometimes he hath forsaken them and forgotten them their hope is Lam 3 Isai 49. 14 40. 27. perished from the Lord and their judgment from their God sometimes he is unfaithful and his Promise failes for evermore Now Psalm 77 God is concerned in point of honour to cause the light of his countenance to shine on such that they may be convinced of the vanity and folly of such thoughts and to make them confesse that they have injured God in such mis-judgments of his proceedings Then they will confesse such thoughts were their infirmity as Psal 77. 10. the Psalmist doth and that his wayes are neither like their wayes nor his thoughts like their thoughts Isai 55. 8. as David confesseth by experience Psal 103. 11. Reas 4 God will hereby shew that it is not in vain to serve the Lord and abundantly recompence to his people all the pains care and trouble that they are and have been at to follow after him in a dark condition Beloved assurance of Gods love and joy in the Holy Ghost arising there from is part of our wages and God of his goodnesse to his people gives them part of their money in hand to encourage them in the service he puts them upon As he gave the Israelites a taste of the Grapes of Canaan to encourage them to
with such a faith as he believes the Bible to be true in every part of it and this appears in those that are under a Spirit of Bondage Produce such and such promiâ—es to them they will say true these promises are excellent promises and will no question yeild abundance of marrow to them to whom they belong but they can see nothing in them that belongs to them Here is a full well but they have nothing to draw or it is a well inclosed it is not free for them 2 Particular When the Spirit helps the soul to single out such a word and opens a door of hope to the soul that it hath a share in it and this is that that makes way for and is compleated in the Minor of the former Syllogisme which I call 2 Conviction of Case Thus the Spirit enlightens the conscience to apply the Promise to its self by owning the condition of it The Word saith Such and such persons are children of God the renewed conscience enlightned by the Spirit saith This is my case I am such a person Now here the Spirit either enlightens a man to see himself under that condition by working a present assent to the truth of this Minor Proposition As suppose an Argument from the Promise He that believeth hath everlasting life but I believe Ergo. The assent to this Minor Proposition I believe may be wrought by a sudden work of the Spirit as soon as the major Proposition whereon it is grounded is apprehended and so it is a work somewhat neer of kin unto that of the first branch of Mediate Testimony wherein the testimony was supposed to be by the word yet without Argumentation Or else as usually by eliciting and drawing forth the soul to such an assent by a farther evidence of Argument For it is very seldom seen but that such souls as have been exercised with a Spirit of Bondage are not easily brought to own any good in themselves so that even the Spirit of God hath much ado to answer all the cavils of Satan and their own suspicious hearts in point of gracious self-Justification which such souls are much afraid of and not more difficultly brought to any thing then to own this Proposition But I believe or the like Now in such a case the Spirits work is longer and he is fain to bring many more Arguments to confirm this Minor True saith the soul he that believes hath everlasting life but I am none of those Believers and therefore quid ad me What doth this Promise concern such an unbelieving wretch as I am Then the Spirit satisfies the soul in the Minor by producing such proofs of Scripture as evidence faith in the Subject in whom it is such as purifying the heart love to God his wayes his Actâ— 15. 9 Gal. 5. 6 Zech. 12. 10 people grief for sin c. And possibly goes farther and proves those graces to be in the soul by farther Marks drawn from the acts of them which discover the habit whence they proceed This is a work of conviction I told you before and may be done by many Arguments or few according to the light that accompanyes them to the soul Nor is there any reason why Dr. Crisp and his followers should cry down this way of getting assurance by Marks and Signs as uncertain seeing the doubting soul will find something that seemes faulty in every grace which is presented to it as an evidence Object If the Spirit say say they Thou art a Believer because thou hast love that is a fruit of faith the soul may stil doubt Whether it have love if love be manifested by delight in Gods Commandments c. the question will still be Whether that delight be sincere or counterfeit pure or mixed ingenuous or self-ended and therefore say they there can no judgment be made certainly concerning a mans Justification by his sanctification or concerning sanctification by the operations of particular graces Ans To this we answer True these graces whiles I barely endeavour to discover them by my own reason may be still subject to question and so can make no firme assurance But in the soul that is graciously assured this way the Spirit of God rests the heart upon an ultimum quod sic convinceth him by that which is most visible in him and stops the mouth of cavilling reason from perplexing the Question any more As a wise Moderator in a Dispute that when the Argument hath been spun out so long by a wrangling companion that there can be no more said but in away of groundlesse cavilling and angry reflections c. breaks off the Dispute checks the wrangling Antagonist and determines the Controversie by his own sentence upon the whole matter So when a man 's own cavilling heart and Satan helping it have picked out all the flawes possibly in his evidence for heaven and have left no stone unturned to invalidate it and withal the Spirit hath enabled a man to plead to all exceptions of moment and yet these wrangling companions will not be satisfied at last the Spirit makes a man to see that there is nothing can be said that hath not been answered but only such wranglings as deserve no answer but scorn and so determines and enables the soul to determine the great Question by inferring the conclusion with undenyable evidence I know not why this way the Spirit of God assuring should not be lesse subject to question then immediate assurance Seeing in a time of darknesse that is as questionable and will require as long a debate to satisfie the soul whether indeed it were the voice of the Spirit or a mans owne heart and Satan colluding with it to deceive a man Let any man shew mee that 't is easier for a man to be certainly convinced that the Spirits immediate testimony is true and proceeding from the Spirit then that such and such fruits of grace the matter of its mediate testimony are not counterfeit and I have done pressing this Argument any more 3 The third thing the Spirit doth is to infer the conclusion of the grand Syllogisme in a conviction of a gracious and happy estate thus therefore Thou art a child of God an heir of glory justified sanctified c. For all these termes and many more are of equal import to the case in hand the concluding any thing in a man that necessarily accompanies salvation concludes the certainty of salvation to that person and seals up assurance In the former two acts the Spirit is the candle of the Lord without a man in pointing out the word and within a man in the application of his case to the Word and in this he acts the part of a just determiner of the controversie upon this evidence a Judg in the conscience quitting and justifying the Prisoner and this is his sentence of Absolution and therefore when it is pronounced by his Ministers as most commonly it is 't is called loosing the
is not enough here for him to reply Thou hast a deceitful heart and thou hast had great experience of it and there be many hypocrites and there is much counterfeit gold c. These are generals Ask him by what warrant from the Word he bids thee doubt whether thou be an hypocrite and thy gold be false If he shew not his warrant fall pell mell upon him spare him not for an illegal Assault and Battery 3 Wordlesse Scruples must be silenced especially if I either have or have had to my best and most deliberate judgment sufficient ground to convince me of the contrary In such a case if I have been formerly satisfied upon Scripture grounds I am to rest in that satisfaction if not yet if now such grounds be presented to me I am bound to receive it and at least to silence all Scruples to the contrary Otherwise the Authority of Gods Word would be far lesse with me then that of mine own groundlesse fancies or Satans vexatious suggestions Conscience is an Officer of Gods his Deputy-Iudg in the soul and therefore it must determine from and according to the most preponderating evidence from the Word of God As in matters of Law a Judg is not to hearken to every litigious Lawyer that puzleth and perplexeth a cause farther then he speaks Law to justifie his allegations but if he can bring none may and ought to proceed to sentence upon those rules of Law and Justice upon which he hath formerly judged in the like cases or such as being now urged on the behalf of the Defendant have nothing of moment objected to the contrary I know Satan can and doth often tempt with a Word in his mouth as he did our Saviour with It is written and so without all question doth where hee sees the soul will not be taken with chaff or baffled with meer scare-crows of groundlesse suggestions urge Scripture in troubling the conscience And in such cases we had need of a Spiritual palate exercised to taste words as Elihu layes the comparison between inward and outward sense Job 33. 3. But if all the Scruples of our spirits were reduced to this trial not one to a thousand but would let fall its suite rather then discover its weakness by the impertinency of its allegations Object But if I have never so plain word urged upon me to satisfie me yet if the Spirit do not make the word satisfying Satan is an impudent Accuser and mine own heart is full of darknesse and it will question whether it be day when the Sun shines and with those that are resolved to conclude snow black rather condemn the most certain of the senses for a mistake in so clear an Object then acknowledg an error in its own reasonings Ans I grant it Yet this I must do in the case in hand 1 I must acknowledg that I ought or that I see no reason at least why I ought not to be satisfied with such clear evidence there being so little objected that may reasonably disparage it 2 I ought to condemn bewayle and pray against such unwarrantable slownesse of believing where I have so much apparent ground 3 I ought at least to suspend those groundlesse Scruples for the present and act upon the conclusion which I am convinced appears most justifiable from Scripture though I cannot apprehend it altogether beyond question at present as if it were unquestionable till some new grounds of more considerable weight are urged to obstruct my proceedings As in a case of Law among men is clear A man hath a Title to such Lands as by the advice of Lawyers and from Law he conceiveth to be good or at least after many debates with an adversary that obstructs his quiet possession he sees not by any thing that can be urged to the contrary but that his own is the most likely Title If this man enter upon this Estate and use it as his own till the Advarsary produce a more legal evidence then his and justifie it in Court the man offends not So in conscience Gods Ministers that are the Counsellours in its cases tell thee according to their best knowledge in the Scriptures that thou art a child of God and hast an unquestionable Title to him this they prove by Scripture compared with the operations of Gods sanctifying Spirit in thy heart Satan sayes no and thy own misgiving heart fears lest he say true However thou seest no reason he brings from Scripture or at least none so weighty as that thou seest sufficient cause from his allegations to reject those other that make for thee nay it may be thy judgment inclines to them but thy heart is yet fearful and trembling in such a case thou maist safely practise as occasion serves upon that conclusion which thou seest least to weaken I mean thou maist act as a child of God apply Promises urge them in Prayer c. as if they were thine till some more considerable grounds be offeâ—ed to weaken the former upon which thou actedst This I say because I know it is the doubt of some precious souls whether they may pray or apply any Promises til they be altogether out of doubt that they are the children of God 4 Nay let me say more If thou have but the least ground to hope that though thou be not a child of God for the present yet thou art no where excluded from a capacity of being so thou maist lay hold upon the Promises which belong to Saints so far as to improve them to duty though thou maist not so far as to build an Assurance upon them And the reason is because the Gospel becomes mine by my laying hold upon it and claiming it as mine And God allowes a Christian an holy violence in entering upon the precious possessions thereof the violent Mat. 11. 12 take it by force If a man should never lay hold of a Promise till he be assured that it belongs to him he would never lay hold of any because as I shall tell you more hereafter Assurance that the Promises and the things promised in them are mine depends upon my laying hold of them and claiming them as mine and therefore cannot go before in an orderly and ordinary way 4. Sometimes when mine own scrupulous heart will take no satisfaction I ought to lay some weight of confidence upon the judgment of others godly Ministers and experienced Christian friends A stander by say we oftentimes sees more then the parties in action can see themselves I believe my Physician concerning the state of my body and my Lawyer concerning the state of my Sute though it may be I have strong inclinations of my self to make a contrary judgment and upon their judgment I follow the ones Physick and the others counsel 'T is not a matter of small moment when upon the sight of thy serious humiliation and sorrow for sin earnest and restlesse desires after Christ and holiness and the like signes a Minister
it Ephes 1. 13. In whom after ye heard ye trusted and after ye believed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aor 1. Postquā credidisseti◠not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dum credidistis or trusted ye were sealed with the holy Spirit of Promise and received its earnest See also 1 Joh. 5. 13. Now coming to Christ receiving Christ applying Christ for Justification is sufficient qualification to enable a man to receive the Sacrament with profit Because where spiritual life is there is a right to all such food as may strengthen it 2. The Sacrament is a Seal of the Covenant in all its promises Now Promises become mine by claim and relyance If then I have right only to one Promise nay if I can but lay claim to one I may come to the Sacrament to have that sealed to me Suppose this I find my heart made weary of sin and account it the greatest burthen in the world I apply my self to Christ to ease me of it hereupon I lay claim to the Promise thus Lord Jesus thou hast done thus for me blessed be thy name whereas I accounted sin a pleasure once now I account it a burthen make good thy Promise to me ease me I claim this on the credit of thy Promise Mat. 11. 28. If hereupon I come to the Sacrament desiring God to seal to this Promise which I lay hold upon I cannot be said to come unworthily though I have no witnesse in my heart from the Spirit that I belong to Christ I told you before that it is the claiming of Christ and standing to that claim and being resolved to adventure my soul upon it that entitles me to him and that that entitles me to Christ gives me a right to the Sacrament as I said but now upon the former head Object But let this faith be what it will I must know that I have it ere I come else it is in vain to require Examination before I come And if so then 't is all one for substance to be assured that I am in Christ and to be assured that I believe in him because believing in him necessarily implies being in him Answ Sacramental Examination doth not presuppose a necessity of a certain or assured knowledg that I have the graces which I examine my self for But only a finding those acts in my self which ordinarily those graces appear in my heart dealing plainly and faithfully with it self in the search and my earnest desire and endeavour that they may be true though at present I see not that they are true supposing that I see nothing of weight according to the rule of the Word to judg them false Nay if I should see cause to condemne those former acts which I took for gracious as false and unsound yet upon that conviction if I seriously labour to set them right now I ought not to keep from the Sacrament for that but to draw nigh and from thence to expect strength to prosper my endeavours and give me evidence in Gods time of the reality of them If this were not true then every Christian under desertion and doubting must be excluded from the Sacrament And surely if so the fittest persons that can be will be debarred there being none more fit for a strengthning Ordinance then such souls To exemplifie the present case A man examines his faith repentance c. he finds some such acts as look like the acts of those graces yet he doubts whether they were true or no he therefore examines faith by the rule of the Word purifying the heart working by love over-coming the world Repentance by hatred of sin of all sin sincere endeavors of future obedience some such things as these he sees no sufficient ground to conclude he hath not and yet he thinks he may deceive himself in thinking that he hath them Here is his case What shall this man do Shall he come to the Supper or no I answer Yes For I am fit for the Sacrament when my heart doth not upon good grounds condemn me Unwarrantable Scruples do not unfit me it is not required that my heart do alwayes clearly absolve me See what John faith in this case 1 Joh. 3. 20. If our hearts condemne us not he doth not say if they actually absolve us many needlesse Scruples may hinder that but if they condemn us not it must be meant of the conscience enlightned by the Word An ignorant wordlesse conscience its absolution or condemnation is nothing in this case but an enlightned conscience then have we confidence i. e. ground of confidence towards God And by consequence ground of approach to those Seals in which this confidence is bestowed and encreased 2 It is not necessary to a worthy participation of the Lords Supper that I be able satisfactorily to evidence to my owne heart the truth of every grace required thereunto One grace sometimes may be more conspicuous then another And it is sufficient it I can see any thing in my self of the new creature though I know not how to improve it by Argument to prove such or such a grace thereby For example sometimes repentance may be more conspicuous to a man then faith sometimes love more visible then both sometimes a man may be able to see neither of them all distinctly yet he sees something which he cannot but acknowledg is a fruit of a mighty and supernatural change and this change he finds he cannot rest till it be increased and improved to greater perfection If he can see nothing else yet he finds earnest and hearty desires after Christ not only as a fountaine of pardoning but also of purging grace These desires as far as he can judg are not counterfeit though many times weak Now in such a case as this the soul must consider that Christ hath promised not to break the bruised reed nor quench the smoaking flax Though a mans grace be very infirm if it be not a staff but a reed and a reed too not firm but bruised and though the kindlings of grace be but in smoaking flax a Metaphor taken from those that kindle a fire that put some pilled stalks of flax or straw or some such combustible thing under the wood to make it burn which if it be moist will not flame out by and by but smoak a while and then kindle though grace be but yet an embryo as fire in smoaking flax which a man can scarce tel whether it wil burn or no yet God will not quench that is he will make much of it as a servant doth of a little spark of fire in a wisp of straw and gently blow it up till it flame Isai 42. 3. He is to consider moreover that he ought to conclude from these smal measures as far as he is groundedly perswaded that they are true that though he cannot see faith repentance love yet where these desires are they are good signes of a gracious change though yet but in the beginning and a gracious change
of it If I have never so good an evidence and lay it out of the way or blot it the fault is not in my Evidence if the Title be questionable again which it confirms And the truth is very few of Gods people enjoy an un-interrupted actual Assurance Indeed 't is such a sparkle of glory that a soul cannot bear it And as a Testimony though never so full to a Cause so that in one Court it carries the judgment without farther ado may be upon review in another Court called into question again and be perplexed so by a cunning Lawyer that it may seem questionable again So the evidence of the Spirit that once gave full assurance in the conscience may by Satan be brought to the Court of sense and reason and made disputable again Yet as to habitual assurance it is true that it can never be quite extinguished by doubting It may be dipp'd but not drown'd It may be in a swoune but not dye A Saint may say to Satan when he tryumphs most over his assurance as the Church Mic. 7 8 9. Rejoyce not over me c. when I am in darkness c. God hath promised it Isa 57 15 16 17. Heaviness may endure for a night but joy cometh in the morning Psal 306. And indeed Assurance being Gods Seal and Earnest if this gift of God be not without repentance neither is his Covenant for eternal life and glory irrevocable If God recal his Earnest he recants his bargain as the taking an earnest back again among mâ—n makes the bargain void and the puâ—ling off a Seal cancels the Deed. Yet let me not herein be mistaken I would Caution not be conceived to affirm that a child of God always recover his Assurance again after loss in this life in as full a measure as he once had it A man may lose his Assurance for his ill managing of it and possibly such may be the hainousness of such a miscariage as may provoke God to let him lye long under broken bones and whenever by renewed repentance he recovers it he may justly withdraw from him some measures of that boldness and confidence in his presence which he had before Nay I know not why a true child of God may not after lost Assurance if lost in such a way of provocation on his part go mourning all his dayes and hardly ever be able to Isai 3â— 15. act it again directly and formally yet the habit of it may be stil firm and unmoveable and in it self stil capable to be reduced into act but that he is by reason of those obstructions which he hath laid in his own way incapable of reviving the Acts of it Now that even in such an one the habit of it remains still is evident from hence that he still produceth some visible fruits of it keeps up a contest though but a weak and faint one with doubting and doth not quite lay down the weapons to despair that though he apprehends his hopes exceeding smal yet he wil not be bought out of them by all Satans offers and even in this darkness many times chuseth affliction for righteousness sake as that holy Martyr that under those sad desertions was going to the stake and reâ—olved to dye though he had not received that actual assurance again which made him cry out He is come He is come But Glover all these acts are not the direct acts of Assurance but indirect and vertual acts such as suffice to keep the life and soul of Religion together as we use to express our selves but such as discover much of the vigour of a Saints spiritual constitution to be impaired Other Questions there are that might be prâ—mised here but I shall find time to take them up in the Application CHAP. XXII Popish Doctrine concerning doubting and uncertainty confuted Our own certainty and Assurance of Salvation examined Where several Cases concerning the distinction of the Spirits testimony from Satans or our own hearts THis affords us matter of Confutation of the Erroneous Doctrine of doubting Application and uncertainty which the Papists and persons among our selves un-experienced in the things of God take for truth viz. that a man cannot in this life be certainly assured of his own salvation These persons rob the Holy Spirit of one of his special Offices that of being the Comforter the Lord Jesus of one of the glorious fruits of his Ascension which is the sending the Holy Ghost to his people to that end God the Father of a great deal of glory and service at least of the most noble and generous part of it that that proceeds from love and thankfulnesse the Saints of their greatest encouragement to obedience support in tribulations comfort in sufferings and hope in death and lastly evacuate one main end of the very Scriptures themselves which were therefore at least a main part of them written that the Saints may know that they have eternal life 1 John 5 13. And if there were no other reason why we should abhor the Romish Synagogue yet were this sufficient that they professedly hold forth a Doctrine of despair that is such a Doctrine in which a man can neither comfortably live nor dye But 't is no wonder that those that preach up the merit of works should preach down certainty of Salvation for if God love me or hate me as I believe or not believe obey or not obey persevere or not persevere it s no wonder if from the sight of my own frequent failings I be in a perpetual hesitancy as to my estate No certainty in the conclusion can be gathered from uncertain premises Vse 2. This lets us know whether the perswasion that we have of our own good condition and the peace and joy that possibly we get therefrom be sound and certain or no. If the Spirit witnesse it it is sound if the Spirit witnesse it not it is suspicious and can afford no sufficient and satisfactory peace unto our spirits Quest But how shall I know whether the perswasion that I have that I am a child of God do proceed from the Testimony of the Spirit or no May not Satan be the Authour of such a perswasion and may not I reason my self into it and if so how shall I know the Spirits testimony from these Answ This is a very difficult Question And therefore I shall take up some time more then ordinary to sift the difficulty to the bottom and then take it away as God shall enable me Something 's I shal premise by way of Concession As 1 It is undoubtedly true that Satan may so transform himself into an Angel of light as to suggest to a man a certain perswasion of his own good condition He is a lying spirit in the mouth of false Prophets and inspires them with plausible Doctrines and comfortable dreames where with they pronounce peace to those to whom the Lord saith There is no peace And this he doth not
get out of them is to believe the quite contrary to those apprehensions which we are most apt to close with More particularly 1 Believe this condition is good for thee yea so good that thou mightest be much the worse if it were not for it This is an hard matter to perswade souls in such a condition to believe But the Scripture affirms it Rom. 8. 28. 2 Believe that God loves thee never the worse for this dealing with thee that when he thrusts forth his foot to kick thee he puts forth his hand to embrace thee that when he calls thee dog he owns thee for a châ—ld never the lesse for that This is an hard lesson too but take it from Heb. 12. 6. 3 Believe that if God could tell what other course to take to do thee good he would not afflict thee this way For surely as he doth not afflict willingly Lam. 3. 33. and therefore forbears the rod altogether till he cannot tell what to do more to do his people good Jer. 9 7. So he never chuseth one affliction before another but upon the same exigency and necessity And therefore believe this is the most proper Physick for thy constitution of all other because so wise and indulgent a Physician chuseth it for thee 4 Believe that he will not hide himself from thâ—… alwayes I cannot tell how to commend to thee absolutely a belief that hee will return to thee in this life as formerly Thou maist perhaps ghesse whether he will or no by the present strong prejudices that Satan casts into thee against it a distempered spirit as thine is is seldom strongly possessed or haunted with a true fear and therefore as I said before cujus contrarium verum est is a good rule for thee most commonly to judg by That which Satan and thy own mis-giving heart most strongly endeavour to fasten upon thee if the Word do not clearly back it 't is safest to believe the contrary thereunto Thou mayst ghesse at it also by thy ends why thou desirest the light of Gods countenance here which the more spiritual they are and remote from self the more confident thou maist be of re-enjoying it here Are thy ends these that thou maist glorifie God more on this side the grave strengthen others by thy experiences draw others to God by the discovery of the satisfactions that thou findest in his wayes These were Davids ends and David recovered out of such a condition as thou art in by pressing Gods return to him upon these grounds Psal 51. 12 13 14. And Hezekiah Isai 38. 18 19. Thou maist ghesse at it by the judgments that carnal men make of thy condition By the use that they are apt to make of thy troubles to reproach Religion or the like Bp thy freedom from notorious scandalous sins since conversion By the stream of the prayers and desires of the people of God for thee God doth not usually gratifie his enemies or deny his friends in such things as they put much weight on By the considerablenesse of thy condition towards the furtherance of the peace or disquiet of other Saints of God who look upon thee as a blazing Star portending some great thing or other towards them and their condition and resolve to judg of themselves by thy case c. But these things I look on as no sufficient grounds of a particular faith in this thing Neither do I know any Scripture that will bear the weight of such a particular confidence except with these limitations That if God see and judge that thy comfortable condition will be more for Gods glory thy own good and the spiritual benefit of others it will returne again otherwise thou hast no ground to expect it whatever grounds thou thy selfe hast to think so And this I affirm because it is a thing not absolutely necessary to thy salvation or Gods glory or the good of others he can carry thee to heaven in the dark and work holy ends of his own upon others out of it also though thou dy without comfort And yet I must add that divers of Gods Saints have been confident of this as David Psal 27. 13. and 42. 5 11. and 43. 5. I shall yet praise him who is the health of my countenance and my God And the Church Micah 7. 8 9. When I fall I shall arise he wil bring me forth to the light and I shall behold his righteousnesse Though as to the grounds of that confidence I confess I am ignorant And let me adde once more that there are Promises even in this thing which although we must interpret with the forementioned limitations yet may be great encouragements to us to ask in faith and grounds upon which we may comfort our selves even in the present exigency with some intimations of an hope of release Isai 57. 16. is an excellent place and hath relation to this life because of the reason that is annexed I wil not contend for ever lest the spirit should fail before me c. And lastly let me add Few of Gods Saints surely have dyed without sensible returnes of Gods love and favour to their soules in some competent measure enough to beare up their souls against desolating tentations But however suppose thou have no certain ground to believe a returne of comfort here yet believe that thou shalt see his face in glory hereafter and that no troubles shall be able to separate from Gods love though they may from the sense of his love Rom. 8. 35 38 39. And eternity of enjoyment is a duration large enough to make up the want of God here 5 Believe that the likeliest time of re-enjoyment of his countenance is when thou art most in danger of being swallowed up of despair And truly when the violence of temptation doth most importunately put the soul upon desperate thoughts against all the strength of Meditation prayer resolutions to the contrary then is deliverance at hand Cum duplicantur lateres venit Moses say the Rabbins Moses the Deliverer comes when the Israelites bricks are doubled Mans extremity fits God with the best opportunity to advance his own glory in his deliverance In the Mount of the Lord it shall be seen Gen. 22. 14. Object True may a soul say a man that can yet lay claim to God may believe all these things and rely upon them but how shall a soul act faith in such a condition that questions his interest as much as ever he did such an one as is beaten off from daring to lay any claim to God at all Ans This is a weighty Question and therefore I must not let it go without an answer And the Answer is briefly this Suppose that thou art Godlesse as yet in all thy soul troubles take for once the divels suggestion and thy own hearts deceitful collusion for true and what then Are there no encouragements given to persons that want a present interest in God How comes any then to get an
10. 37. Suppose I could say to thee by a certain Revelation from heaven The next moment O sad soul the Lord will smile upon thee and sorrow and sighing shall fly away How would this affect thee Would not this make a sudden alteration in thee Would not faith joy and love and thankfulnesse strive which sould break out first surely they would But if thou werst quite dead this would not affect thee A natural man takes no pleasure in the approaches of God he had rather have him farther off They say to God depart from us Job 21. 14. If the Sun be never so near the earth yet the dead tree is not sensible of its influence it causeth no alteration therein no leaves no buds no fruits testifie its approach Object But may not a wicked man delight in the approaches of Gods comforting and refreshing presence especially under troubles of conscience although there be no spiritual life in him at all Ans He may delight in the removal of his present terrors by application of comfort But 't is not God in comfort that he looks after Let him have comfort or peace any way he is wel pleased whether God draw nigh to him or no. If the Divel will conjure down his troubles if the world will choak them if musick will fiddle them away if the cup will drown them it is all one to him shall I say nay it is more then if God spake them away But a living soul sayes If God will not let me out of this pit this dungeon I will never go out it is lesse to me to be free then to be freed by him that he is the Authour of my liberty endears it to me To enjoy a quiet conscience and not enjoy God in that quiet of conscience is a worse hell to me then my former terrors Lord restore my fetters and chains te me give me my horriâ—lâ— pit my mire and clay my watered bed my broken bones my distracted spirit again I had rather chuse them all then not receive my liberty from thy single hand Any chains are easie if they bee compared with a godless liberty 2 But grant that a wicked man may possibly desire the comforting presence of God too yet he cannot delight in the approaches of Gods sanctifying presence Friend could I tell thee that God is approaching to thee as a Refiners fire to purge out all thy drosse and take away all thy tin Isai 1. 25. that the comfortable presence of God will be the death of thy dearest lusts Surely thou wouldst say Yea Sir let him come and welcome 'T is a day I have prayed for longed for wept for waited for O I will not accept of the Monarchy of the whole world for my share in this tydings I would not take heaven upon terms of reconciliation with my lusts Is it thus with thee My life for thine thou art not dead CHAP. XLIII A Case Whether instead of growing a real Saint may not decay in the actings of some graces and yet either the universal habit of the new Creature or the same very graces grow more habitually strong in him Obj. BUt I was once more quick and lively then I am now and therefore I find sensible decayes of what good I once thought I had Now true grace where ever it is will be ever growing The path of the Just is like the morning light which shineth more and more until perfect day Prov. 4. 18. Ans I shall satisfie this Doubt by answering two Questions Quest 1. Whether a Saint may not decay in stead of growing in the actings of some grace which appeared more visibly in him before whiles yet he growes in the habit Quest 2. How a man may know that he growes in grace when he is under such sensible decayes Answ To the first I answer 1 The graces of Gods Saints in the actings and operations of them are not alwayes alike high So wee see in the holy men of God throughout the whole current of the Word The faith of Abraham how high was it upon the Mount when he would have Sacrificed his Son but how low Gen. 22. 1. c. Heb. 11. 17. 1 Sam. 20. 2 when he cowardly denies his wife David one while dares fight with a Goliah and another throwes his Gauntlet and challenges a whole Army another while he quakes and 1 Sam. 16. Psal 27. 3 trembles through distrust and cryes out I shall one day perish by the hand of Saul One while 1 Sam. 27. 1. Peter is so valiant that he drawes a sword in Christs defence and that against a whole Band of men and follows him into the High Priests Hall a little after a silly maid dasheth his faith out of countenance 1 The truth is the continued high actings of some graces are not fit for a mortal condition and those that wish them such Job 4. 19. are unmindful that they dwel in Tabernacles of clay and that their foundation is laid in the dust Such is holy joy which if kept up perpetually to the height of ecstasie must needs over-spread the spirits and dissolve nature 2 Some Graces are of a mighty uniting nature and bind the soul to the Object so that it can mind nothing else during their impressions Such are faith and love Now God hath other graces to be acted and works to be done by us wherein we may glorifie him and therefore allowes them their time also Nay a godly man is described by this that he is a tree that brings forth fruit in the season proper to it Ps 1. 4. 3. All the graces of Gods Saints are now and then assaulted with stronger temptations and powerfuller corruptions then at other times And grace that will act high when 't is free from opposition or under slender opposition will not act so under greater That strength that will bear a hundred weight will appear little or none at all when it comes to lift a thousand 4. It may bee thy condition is altered and thy grace is yet unacquainted with the way of managing a new condition As an able scholar put out of his way of study may be out-gone by a meaner because those studies to which he is disused must needes bee entertained strangely and 't will be some time ere he can get their familiar acquaintance Here the fault is not in the abilities of the man but in the newnesse of the imployment so in point of grace a very gracious man and one who in some conditions and imployments is excellent in others is to seeke not for a toole to work with but for skil to manage it As a tradesman when hee changeth his trade loseth not his skil of dealing in the world but is unacquainted with the mysterie of putting it forth to present service 5. Many times God suffers decayes and not only so but inflicts them as chastisements upon his dearest people that hee may make them 1. Humble So hee useth sicknesses of
man may be assured of his Sonship à priori from the first acts of faith and repentance in conversion ch 20 A Case Whether this evidence be so certain as to exclude all doubting chap. 21. Popish Doctrine concerning doubting and uncertainty confuted Our own certainty and assurance of salvation examined Where several Cases Case 1. How to distinguish the testimony of the Spirit from Satanical or self delusion Vnder which Head it is again enquired 1 How far Satan may go in giving assurance Immediately Where a test of revelations and comfort arising hence Mediately from the Word And 2 How far we to our selves from Reason only chap. 22. This Case branched into particulars Quest 1. How to know a false assurance when it is collected from Scripture by the collusions of Satan and a mans own heart to be false chap. 23. Quest How to know whether the true assurance that a man hath of his own good condition be from the collections of his own reason meerly or from the witness of the Spirit With Cautions about it chap. 24. The Duty of keeping these Evidences of the Spirit once attained pressed with several Motives chap. 25. Quest How this may be done Where 1 The Records of these Evidences chap. 26 2 The means to maintain them chap. 27 3 The Moths that eat them out ch 28 4 The use of them in a livelihood of Love Thankfulness Obedience ch 29 The Duty of improving them urged Quest How Answered in two particulars 1 By living on them a life of Sanctification Consolation 2 By pleading them chap. 30 The Duty of recovering lost Assurance added wherein also Quest How Answered 1 Rest not in its absence 2 Enquire how it was lost and how that enquiry is to be made Several tokens to furnish an Hue and Cry after that sin that hath robbed a soul of such a Jewel chap. 31 3 What to be done in case some sin have stolne it away 4 5 6. What to be done in case no appearing sin occasion it A Case How faith may be exercised in desertion Several things proper to bee believed then As also three other Directions chap 32 Thesis III Gods Holy Spirit after he hath once been a Spirit of Adoption never again becomes a Spirit of Bondage to the same soul Explained Saints after conversion and assurance subject To troubles of consciences yea To Bondage Yea and that longer and greater then ever before upon sive Reasons How far the Spirit causeth them and how far not chap. 33 Scripture Reason Proof of the Thesis chap. 34 A Question stated viz. What then is the cause of legal terrors in the Saints after conversion and assurance c. 35 And how they befal them Saints convinced of folly in giving way to such after terrors chap 36 And that such troublesom thoughts may be cast out without disputing as blasphemous and Atheistical thoughts by the common advise of Divines should be Case How far I may safely do this Case How to know the Work of Satan undermining assurance from the work of the holy Spirit putting a man upon a warrantable and wary self-examination chap. 37 Grounds upon which Satan endeavors to weaken assurance answered Case How far a soul soundly converted and possibly assured may fall into sin Whether into gross sins Whether into the same sins as before What regret and reluctancy in a renewed conscience against sin and how differenced from that of a natural conscience terrified ch 38 Case of afflictions and tentations stated as they may be laid for grounds of questioning a renewed state ch 39 Case of not hearing prayers so far also stated Case of inability to pray thus far also stated chap. 40 Case of decayes in spiritual affections deadnesse burthensomnesse of Duty c. thus far also stated Well meaning contradictions of good souls Complaints whether hypocritical or no chap 41 Case How in a supposed decay of spiritual affections a saint may know whether he be dead or no A farther case whether and how farre an hypocrite may delight in the tydings of comfort from God c. 42. Case Whether in stead of growing a Saint may not decay in the actings of some graces and yet those very graces grow more habitually and radically strong in him c. 43. Case How a Saint may in the midst of his most sensible actual decayes know whether the habits of grace grow or no Saints comforted by an inference of Saints incapacity of total and final Apostacy from the premises c. 44. Thesis IV. One principal work of the Spirit of Adoption is to enliven and embolden the soul in prayer Qu. How and in what sense this work is the main or chief work Qu. What act of this Spirit produceth it Qu. Whether the Spirit thus work in all Saints Saints in darknesse how farre capable of being lively and bold in duty c. 45. Some evidences of the Thesis c. 46. Three cases stated Case 1. Whether in all Saints that have once been assured there be alwayes the same measure of boldnesse and fervency Case 2. If not whence proceeds the difference that is in them at times from what they were formerly c. 47. Case 3. Whether the Spirit furnisheth the soul at all times with like life and vigour of expressions Facility and fluency of expressions in prayer what evills it often occasions A touch of Formes pro and con A Case Language of prayer when from strength of parts and when from the supply of the Spirit How we lose our ability of expression in prayer c. 48. Saints Informed that darkening evidences of Gods love deadneth prayer Case What to be done when a soul cannot call God Father Especially in case some sinne streighten the spirit As also how to maintain heat and boldnesse in prayer c. 49. Three duties pressed upon all assured Saints 1 To be much in prayer upon eight motives c. 50. To stirre up the grace of God that is in them to a due proportion of life and fervency upon six motives c. 51 Qu. How the deadness and formality of Saints in prayer may be recovered Where more largely of formes and extemporary prayer c. 52. 3. To come boldly to the Throne of grace upon six motives c. 53. Case How shall I procure this boldness if I cannot come to God in this manner where those are directed who notwithstanding assurance never had it And those who have had and lost it c. 54. Case How to mix boldnesse and godly fear together in prayer Stating 1. This boldness what it is and wherein it consists 2. This fear also and its nature c. 55. Saints have some comfortable meditations suggested from this truth that the boldness and fervency of Saints in prayer is from the Spirit of Adoption Case How shall I know whether my actual fervency and boldness be not from my own spirit or Satan rather then Gods Spirit c. 56. Reader these Books are lately published and sold at the Ball in Pauls Church yard Dr. Kendals Answer to Mr. John Goodwin â—n two Volumes fol. viz. Concerning the Death of Christ and the Perseverance of the Saints Mr. Sheffeild a Treatise of Christ the Sun of Righteousnesse 8o. Mr. Rob. Bailie a learned Treatise against Anabaptism 4º Catechesis Elenctica Errorum qui hodie vexant Ecclesiam 12o. His Vindication of his Disswasive from the Exceptions of Mr. Cotton and Mr. Tombs 4º Mr Cawdrey and Mr. Palmer on the Sabâ—ath in four Parts 4º Dr. Tuckneies Sermons on these Texts viz. Jer. 8. 22. 1 Cor. 15. 55 Acts 4. 12. 12o. Mr Jenkyns Exposition of the whole Epistle of Jude 4o. Jus Divinum Ministerii 4º Mella Patrum per prima nascentisâ— paâ—ientis Ecclesiae tria secula Per Fran. Rous Preposit Etonens 8o. January 5. 1655.